Wheel Love

Finally! An all 4 down flat frame that allows you to grind like a freestyle setup.

Many have claimed to but almost none have ever allowed for unobstructed grinding freedom.

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^No, I’m not riding the red undercover grindrocks no more. All 8, all down!

The Kizer Slimline frame is more than just hype. Though initially skeptical, I finally gave in and bought the Sagona’s to test them out. My last experience with Kizers were with the 1st Generation Streamline frames, which looked good but were like grinding with glue sticks – impossible to break in and sticky as hell.

The Slimlines’ generous middle split allows you to ride all 4 down comfortably. I’m currently riding 8 pre-used 54mm (thereabouts) MYCK Milks. Grinding with them feels natural and unobstructed. Almost like on Freestyle, but much better than anti-rockers for sure.

^look ma, no touching!

Why ride flat? More wheels touching the ground means:

-more responsive turns

-better impact absorption

-longer lasting wheels as the load is shared among the 8 (saves you money!)

-faster speeds

Antirockers and freestyle are solutions and compromises in most traditional frames, but not so with the Slimlines. I initially wanted to ride them antirockered, but thought I’d try flat. Its something I’ve always done when trying out new frames. But the difference it, flat actually WORKS on the Slimlines.

^A much larger split and overall length compared to the GC Featherlight2

Now the bad news. A large middle split means a longer wheel base. The Slimlines are about 2cm longer than the GC Featherlights. A small difference you might think, but does make the frame feel a little clunky at times. However, I feel this is something I will get used to in due time. The generous split also means that you can’t get to your frame bolt without first taking off the middle wheels, which can be a hassle for those who change frames often.

The larger inner wheels have a tendency to ‘pick’ up more muck than usual from grind surfaces. A regular session nets me a generous fingerfull of wax, dust and other mushed debris tucked within the frames. Nothing a good scraping wont cure, but annoying nevertheless.

Thankfully there’s more to the frames than just being able to ride flat. The designers made a big deal about cutting down on weight – removing as much plastic as possible, leading to an hourglass shaped frame with minimal touching parts (meaning less friction thus faster grinding speeds). The frames also follow in the one-handed bolt system, making it easy to open.

The up/down rocker system also allows you to set your wheel height to your preference. I personally prefer having the outer wheels lowered with the middle wheels raised, so most weight will be on the outside, leading to easier turns and a more traditional aggressive frame ‘feel’. FYI – hockey skaters flip the rocker arrangements around, as it helps them turn faster. But that will lead to unstable landings.

VERDICT

If you’ve always wanted to know what the big deal was about a flat setup. This is the frame to try them on. No major complaints really.

-sukeats