Sabre trucks- review

So this is my review for the Sabre 45 degree RKP trucks. There are lots of reviews that get published on the internet about gear somebody has picked up and skated for a bit. I’ve been skating the same set of sabres for 22 months, before getting into downhill and during. At first I set them up on a lush 09’ spooky, my first speed board. Then for a long while on a 35” wheelbase board (also drop through). For four months now I’ve been riding them on an Earthwing Bellyracer (simple topmount speedboard). Obviously a truck will behave slightly differently depending on the characteristics of a board, such as wheelbase, mounting style and width. But I think that the core “feel” stays very similar. So here is everything I want to say about them.

Phwoaarrr doesnt really do this truck justice.

What do you get?

Back when I bought my set, Sabre were stocking them with purple “F” type bushings. Nowadays they come with green “R” types as standard, although this is likely to change back soon. They now also come stock with an additional cupped washer on the baseplate, but this is only a measure to prevent wheelbite when the bushings are new and slippy. It can therefore be removed.  

A brand new Sabre truck is something to behold. You will rarely see a product that has obviously had so much care and attention put into the design. Everything speaks quality, from the organic looking casting to the laser-etched “Sabre” logo on the hanger. The baseplates carry embossed logos also. Surfaces are brilliantly smooth. At the end of the day the appearance of the truck has no practical effect, but when you are buying such a high calibre piece of equipment it is fitting that it looks as good as it skates.

Skating and setting them up.

When you buy a set, it is more like buying a system. Other truck and bushing companies focus on producing large volumes of bushings based on an even spread of durometers. Sabre have recognised that a cold system like this is inferior to one based on application. They have fewer bushings in their range than others, but you know each bushing has been thoroughly tested and the formula perfected for its desired feel.

Double “F” purple barrels with the supplied flat roadside washer is a great setup. You ditched that cupped washer on the baseplate, right? Good. Then you can enjoy a festival of carving fun. Without that cupped washer, the board side bushing is less restricted. This means you can get a smoother lean for deep, controlled carves. Swerving from side to side on a set of purples down a hill makes you smile, and you can be sure that this was the intention throughout the design phase.

And then there is my personal favourite way of setting up a Sabre for smashing hills. Still the cupped washer isn’t needed. Green “R” type bushings board side, purples roadside with the flat washer. Cruising and at low speed you won’t notice any magic. Infact the truck will feel boring as hell! But that’s not the point, this is a setup for being on the edge of sanity as you hoon down a terrifying hill. The greens board side add more of a “centre” feeling and allow you to feel more stable in your tuck. It’s not like balancing on a razorblade; you have some allowance for minor wobbles. Coming out of a tuck is also made easier. On the edge of your ability this is something which is always going to be scary- why make things worse with a bushing setup you can’t handle? It seems these days it’s in fashion to skate a setup that you just about cling onto. Why not set something up that lets you get on with nailing the hill, rather than trying not to be nailing yourself on the floor at speed.

A solid feeling truck and bushing setup like this gives you confidence. Gripping Bopeep corner as fast as possible-fine. Sliding into that same corner at Mach 10-fun!  Navigating down a Euro Freeride hill-controlled and less scary.  I know that skating reliable gear like this has helped me to progress well, but much more important than that, it makes the whole experience more fun and less a survival exercise. When you crash you want it to be because you screwed up, not because your gear was too difficult to control.

 Many people are now going for Precision trucks. For the price of a set of Aera’s or Ronin, you can go for a set of Sabres and FOUR sets of the best race wheels. Go kill hills right away instead of waiting around and paying yet more to import something. When a truck skates this good at this price?

Well, you know what to do.

Will