Famous for its wheels popular with downhill racers (Fulkit's Boss Pierre was a team rider on the world circuit from 2009 to 2011), Seismic is now launching the production of bushings. Our friend and tester Phil Dupuis got his first taste of these new precision accessories, and here are his thoughts after a number of outings...

For some time now, I've been playing around with the settings on my trucks to make comparisons between the Seismic Defcon rubbers, recent on the market, and the brands I use most frequently, such as Riptide, but also Bones HC, or the 'defunct' Abec11s, as well as the Jimmys that equip the Bear and occasionally the Sabre or Divine rubbers (Paris trucks).

Funnily enough, some bushings are even much more effective on others trucks than the original brand, just as some excellent trucks can come with completely inappropriate erasers. Never hesitate to change if you want to discover all the facets of a set-up!

The bushings Seismic Defcon are available in barrel form only, but in three different heights: standard / 15mm (0.6 inch), medium / 16.5mm (0.65 inch) and tall / 19mm (0.75 inch). All available in 8 duros: 73A, 77A, 81A, 84A, 87A, 90A, 93A and 97A.

To the best of my knowledge, only Chris Chaput's Abec11 brand had released bushings that play all three pitches in the same range. While the standard height is the most widely used, as far as freeride and downhill trucks freeride and downhill boards,more and more manufacturers are opting for geometries that use tall barrels, because of the depth they provide (the lean). Some trucks are able to combine the two heights, whether this is planned or not.

It's a set-up I really like, particularly with a standard barrel on the deck and a tall barrel on the road side, to create a smooth start to the lean and a firmer end to the lean.

For the Seismic Defcon, I had the standard size in my hands, as well as a pair of mediums and then a pair of talls, spread over 84A, 87A and 90A, bearing in mind that in other brands for all uses, this is the hardness range I use the most. They havenice colours and are quite distinct from the competition, which makes them easy to recognise.

Many thanks to Pierre Gamby of Fulkit, for making these available and for his unwavering commitment to the longboard scene!

Note that the medium size, less common, corresponds to the Bones Hardcore of trucks Aera and the geometry of the trucks Sabre geometry. That's mostly how I've ridden this 16.5mm size, on RF-1s and Sabres forged in 150mm.

For standards and talls, I tested this on trucks Tracker and Bennett slalom casts, machined Hakis from Don't Trip, chopped Reverse Gullwing and 160mm Kodiaks. The widths of trucks I most commonly ride range from 130 to 160mm. Another special feature that I don't often find among riders is that my rear truck my rear is set softer than the front, even when it's at a lesser angle, rather than harder. Whether it's on a very large deck or an 80cm board, it's a setting that corresponds better to my stance with a rear foot that's light, in my speed range (70-75 max). It's also with this in mind that I choose my treads. bushingsEach rubber has its own 'personality'.

Test

Overall, I wouldn't have ridden these Defcon 90A duros as much, it has to be said that for my current habits and sensations, they're already at the top of the hardness range, so a little firm. In terms of rebound, these new tyres are somewhere between the Riptide APS and the Venom, but the feel can vary from one duro to another.

As I rarely equip my set-ups with just one model of bushingsmodel, I prefer to continue comparing them in this way, alternating the position (roadside / boardside, front / rear etc), the type of truck and coexistence with other brands. I've become a big fan of the Defcon 87A, which I find very well balanced between responsiveness and stability. They combine quite well with the 84s, for a slightly softer setting in the same rubber, but are also very interesting when combined with 87.5 and 90A Riptide APSs, as well as with Bones HCs in 88A, to increase or soften the response of the tyre. truck. The Seismics in these duros react quite well to tightening and loosening, allowing a very wide range of settings (the 90 'fades' more quickly for my 63 kgs when a little too much tightening is added, so I had to let it live around the minimum tightening).

Worth noting: the bushings fit the kingpin diameter perfectly, with no annoying wobble. Their dimensions are very precise in terms of thickness because one of the faces is machined after moulding, so as to guarantee constant characteristics from one bushing to the next. There are no bulging or hollowed ends, and the contact surface is the same throughout the rubber. This means less parasitic play.

In terms of handling, they offer a combination of a lively return without excessive rebound and a regular lean in its depth. In a straight line, where I've had a little less opportunity to ride recently, they felt precise and predictable, without the nervousness of a Krank, for example. Linear and energetic in their response, without being disconcerting, they know how to keep a clear centre point.

Of course, our little ones bushings are subject to a fair amount of mechanical stress and temperature changes. Urethane also evolves over time, so it's fair to say that in general their behaviour softens over time and their bounce tends to decrease with use.

The Seismic Defcon is beautifully made, with precise moulding, few bubbles, a flat contact surface and well-defined edges. There's no doubt that the brand's expertise and rigour in the chemistry and manufacture of wheels is a key factor in the quality of this type of product. These Defcon treads form a new range that is both highly effective and a pleasure to ride, responsive without destabilising, and offering clean, incisive support. A whole host of combinations in store!