There is a really cool project that has been developed by a young entrepreneur, and University of Maryland student, Chase Kaczmarek. It has been getting a lot of attention in the longboard circuit, and it is currently raising money on Kickstarter to help go into full production. Check out Wheel Shields for more information on the innovative solution to wheelbite!
Click on photo to go to the Kickstarter profile page
We spoke with Chase about how Wheel Shields may help influence board building in the future:
Have you ever built boards before?
Chase- I have built a board before, about 5 years ago. My dad had a small workshop and I found a truck template online that helped me cut out the holes. I used a crappy piece of plywood and cut a fairly archaic downhill drop deck out of it. It worked well, but didn’t have any concave. Looking back I could’ve done a much better job with the right gear! It’s really cool that builders are thinking about designing custom boards to work with Wheel Shields.
What possibilities do you think the Wheel Shield opens up for longboard designs?
Chase- Wheel Shields open up all sorts of new design possibilities. You can construct shapes that would normally be prone to wheel bite without having to worry about wheel bite. Wheel Shields could be really great for dancing or shalom setups, making shapes that used to require risers possible without them. Wheel Shields eliminate wheel bite, but also keep riders dry when skating on wet roads. This allows riders who mainly skate to commute or do LDP able to use any board they desire without getting wet. You used to need a RollsRolls-style board to solve this problem. Wheel Shields are a more aerodynamic, elegant and lightweight solution. Wheel Shields also open up new trick possibilities by letting riders stand directly on top of their wheels. This could lead to some creative board designs that could enhance Wheel Shields tricks. You could make a board that rides at exactly the same height as the Shields, which would let you dance and do manuals on them.
What is your background in skating?
Chase- I’ve been skating since I was 13 and transitioned into longboarding around 16. Been skating ever since!
With such a large community of independant board builders, we think Wheel Shields will only add to the possibilities for board design and function. We encourage everyone to check out this project and support any way possible! Spread stoke.
Make sure to give their Facebook page a 'like' as well :)