Retrospec Longboard Review: [Retrospec ZED Bamboo Longboard Skateboard Complete Cruiser]

Apart from going for chattering with Retrospec ZED Bamboo Longboard Skateboard Complete Cruiser Review, you should be a bit acquainted with the knowledge of longboard special features that makes it unique compared to other average quality of boards. This particular Retrospec Zed Bamboo longboard is exceptionally a special one for all the crazy riders.

Worth mentioning to you, the board is just fit for all types of riders as a whole. If you are a damn newbie, you can ride it like a pro (at least you can feel like so). For me, it is very hard to write some stuff regarding the Retrospec Longboard Review.  It is one of the best longboards for cruising.

The construction material of this special boar is bamboo that makes it very flexible and durable and faster. The deck length is okay for all as a whole while the wheels are speedy as well. So, commuting to any place is not an annoying thing for you now, right. You can quickly move across the city or inside your campus with fewer efforts. This is a cool longboard for everyone.

Retrospec ZED Bamboo Longboard Skateboard Complete Cruiser Reviews

Key Features of the Board at a Quick Glance

• It is super flexible for maple and premium bamboo construction
• Featuring of solid maneuverability
• Milled wheel wells to reduce the impact of wheel bite
• Butter like smooth of 70mm wheels
• Responsive reverse kingpin trucks
• Comes fully assembled and ready to ride right out of the box

Comparison Table of Different Products of ZED

Comparison Table of Different Products of ZED

	Zed Classic Longboard	Zed Pintail Cruiser	Rift Drop-Through Longboard	The Drop Longboard	Alameda Skateboard	Quip 22.5in / 27in Cruiser
Length	44 inches	41 inches	41 inches	41 inches	31 inches	22.5 inches / 27 inces
Width	9.5 inches	9.5 inches	9.5 inches	9.5 inches	8 inches	6 inches / 7.5inches
Deck	Bamboo & Canadian Maple	Bamboo & Canadian Maple	Canadian Maple	Canadian Maple	Canadian Maple	Plastic
ABEC Rating	ABEC-7	ABEC-7	ABEC-7	ABEC-7	ABEC-7	ABEC-7
Wheels	70x50mm	70x50mm	70x50mm	70x50mm	52x32mm	60x45mm
Bushing Rating	85A PU	85A PU	78A PU	85A PU	95A PU	85A PU
Recommended Weight Limit	220 lbs	220 lbs	220 lbs	220 lbs	220 lbs	220 lbs

Source of this Comparison Table: ZED Amazon Store

Involvement of Anti-Bite Technology

As a rider, you must try to avoid wheel bite at all costs. At least, you put it in the back of your mind. Retrospec Longboard puts ease-of-ride #1 by including wheel wells to eliminate grab.

High-Speed and Accuracy of Safe Ride

Precision ball bearings in the ABEC-7 tolerance grade is ideal for high speed and extreme running accuracy, capable of handling all of your adventures.

Greater Stability

8-ply Canadian maple and sustainable bamboo forms an infallible hybrid of strength and pliability in ZED’s deck construction.

Slick and Grip

Enhance your ride with smooth and shock absorbent 70 mm Polyurethane wheels, plus a rock finish for superior grip.

Deck is Hard as a Rock- Zero Flex

Retrospec longboard is ridiculously long. About 44 inches long … you going to find out that there is only really one way to carry it. All of a sudden, instead of helping you save time, you find yourself fumbling around with this enormous longboard. Trucks are Chinese made aluminum.

Uncommon Wheels

This longboard’s wheels are very generic, wider wheels. The width of these wheels will create more friction, and cause you to push harder, and roll slower. A beginner may not care, since all they are concerned about is standing upright and being safe, however, anyone that is interested in cruising properly is going to be upset since these wheels are really too big.  

The Bearings are Mediocre

When I used to teach people how to ride longboards, I would always use a drop-down, which is only a couple inches away from the ground. being more than 4 inches off the ground.

Retrospec longboard is definitely going to give you a higher center of gravity. Therefore, you have to upgrade the wheels, upgrade the bearings, shorten the board, and add some Flex to the deck.

If you like literally standing on a stiff piece of wood, with typical bearings and gigantic generic wide tires this is it. I am pleased with the purchase; however, the wheels and bearings are going to cost you almost as much as the board itself which is fine.

Adjust Your Trucks Before Start Riding

I was so excited about this board. It was adorable and I couldn’t wait to get it. It got here pretty quick. The box was HUGE but the board itself is pretty big.

I fell in love from the moment I saw the board. I could not wait to take it out and ride it. And that was my downfall. I should have made sure it was ready to ride. In the product details it clearly states the board is assembled and ready to ride.

Unfortunately, the trucks were loose and as soon as I got on the board and started to go forward, I lost balance and fell. This wasn’t just a fall that I could get up from.

I should not have hurt myself the way I did. I should have known better. The trucks were making noise the second I got on the board and that right there should have been a red flag. I should have waited and adjusted the trucks beforehand but since the description literally said it was ready to ride, I thought it would be ok.

You Will Feel Super Happy

I am telling you that if you are a beginner and want something nice and easy to learn on but still reasonably affordable, Retrospec is for you. It rides really smoothly, and is light enough for you to pick up and carry around.

Great Board for the Price

If you think about value for your money this longboard is an excellent starters board that must impress you. I’ve been riding for years, using drop through longboards and cruisers, all expensive high-end boards for the experienced consumer.

This board caught my eye due to its aesthetic design, so I promptly decided I would try it. Not only is this the nicest looking board, but this board rides exceptionally smooth for the price tag.

I would recommend this particular board for you and anyone who wishes to start cruising. If you just replace the bearings, they’re awful. Also, it is a stiff board, you won’t get flex with this one.

Update Your Newly Bought Longboard

After a few days of free time off work I have come to realize that this is an amazing board. So, I ordered some new bearings for it after I lubed the bearings and gave the wheels some space.

Regardless of the quality of these bearings I love to ride this board. It’s a smooth ride that will surprise you upon each session you ride with it.

Best Longboard for Beginners

Obviously, this Retrospec longboard is amazing for beginners. I had purchased this one so that I could learn to ride a longboard, I do have previous experience with riding skateboard but this is different in all respect.

This longboard is perfect for going up curbs which you couldn’t do with a regular skateboard. The trucks are good, but the plastic underneath them screech so I would recommend you remove the trucks and remove the plastic wrap beneath them.

The bearings are not so perfect as I told you earlier, they were just a little too tight so I loosen them. The board looks beautiful and despite its huge length.

Good Decent Looking Board

The product is decent and very lucrative looking indeed.

However, there are some small minor issues to be pointed to you :

• Paint lines not being straight
• Screws not put in straight and were loose
• there is no plastic skid protector on the back underneath
• Some wheel bearings on one side had too much grease so they made rolling slower on one side.

Once these issues are worked out on the board it will look very good and decent looking to you.

Technical Specification for Cruiser:

• 44-Inch artisan longboard made from sustainably sourced bamboo and 8-ply Canadian maple.
• Rugged and lightweight 7-inch aluminum trucks.
• Reactive and smooth gliding reverse kingpin trucks with precision ABEC-7 Bearing, PU cast black bushing-90A.
• Durable 70x51mm 85A PU wheels with rock finish.
• Designed in the heart of Los Angeles for a distinct Californian look and feel

Technical Specification for Pintail:

• Bamboo and Maple hybrid 41-inch artisan longboard
• Rugged and lightweight aluminum trucks
• Reactive and smooth gliding reverse kingpin trucks with precision ABEC-7 bearing, PU cast Black bushing-90a
• Durable 70x51mm 85a PU wheels with rock finish
• Designed in sunny Los Angeles for a strikingly vintage California look

Pros

• 70mm wheels with ABEC-7 bearings
•  High speed with accuracy
•  Slick design with a comfortable grip
• No assembly required
• Reasonable price
• Bamboo and maple leaf deck construction

Cons

• The bearing may cause trouble
• Deck splits suddenly

The Main Company Retrospec: An Overview

The main company Retrospec, in their mission statement, says as such “At Retrospec, our ethics are rooted in the earth. We are passionate advocates for more responsible and vigilant efforts to improve the health of our planet.

Fueled by a small but mighty team of innovators, we thoughtfully design and develop superior, yet affordable products for life apart from the 9-5. But value is merely a byproduct of our integrity, not the standard by which we measure success.

Retrospec was born from a passion for cycling. Our fixed gear bicycles became a symbol for our commitment to the outdoors and pledge to affordable and green methods of transportation.

Since then, we’ve created hundreds of products that help you achieve one goal: taking hold of the outdoors. We have proudly created a space where our mission can flourish, achieve, and conquer the unknown.”

ZED as a Longboard Brand at a Glance

It all invented in the 1950s decade, Hawaii with California very close behind so far, the geographic positioning of two places is a concern. Surfers took to the streets by rigging makes a shift backyard of their seagoing longboards when adequate surf was not available.

In such a scenario, there comes the innovative idea of surfing inland. ZED came up with such an idea of a new product that will give the surfing experiences to the surfer in the land.

For the first time in the history of the longboard, ZED Pintail weaves California beach nostalgia with decently sourced bamboo and 8-ply Canadian maple. This innovative and classic shape of the new product helps improve balance and slice corners with precision and speed.

“Cruise into a rider’s paradise with silky smooth 70mm wheels, precision ABEC-7 bearings, and a superior grip on your new, long-lasting four-wheeled companion.”

You know very well by this time as an experienced rider, mid-century surf culture was more than just sand and bikinis, right (try to visualize). However, ZED, for the first time brought to us a new concept of surfing board in landside, street, among heavy traffic or make your daily commuting easy.