Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Inside Scooters TSI One Piece Deck Review



Recently I was sent a TSI 4.5 Deck, to ride and review. There has been a LOT of hype about these decks. Considering they are one of the first one piece decks to be released to the public for sale. It was easy to see why. I did not however receive this deck directly from TSI. It was sent to me from Inward Scooters, who installed deck pins in the deck for me to also review. So this review will be on the TSI 4.5 size One Piece Deck + Deck Pins.


The first thing I noticed when I got my TSI was that there were no instructions of any kind on how to put the deck together. Now for myself, that wasn't really a problem, since I am pretty good at assembling things like that. However, for younger riders, or less experienced riders, I think some instructions would help. A simple printed out piece of paper with step by step instructions should do the trick. Putting the TSI together was a fairly easy task, if you got a basic set of tools you should be fine, some allen keys will be the main tool you will use to install the deck plate onto the frame. The back axel that comes with the TSI has been difficult for other riders to install, because of the lack of space to tighten the nut onto the bolt that comes with the TSI. This can be solved by using a back wheel axel from a Pro Model, or B Model, and using some spacers. I found it a lot easier to use this, instead of the bolt and nut provided with the TSI. When you buy a TSI One Piece Deck from Inward Scooters.com, they include the Pro Model Back Axel, for the easy installation. Once you have your deck put together, get your forks, bars, and wheels on, and you're ready to go ride.


So I went outfront to ride the beast...I soon noticed I wasn't just going to be riding it... I had to tame this beast of a scooter! Tame what you ask? The headtube angle. This is the TSI Headtube angle compared to a Pro model angle

This might be an issue for most riders that are used to an angle that isn't as steep or high. Having rode scooters for over 8 years, the basics when I go out and ride consist of things like; tailwhips, double tailwhips, tripple tailwhips, and fingerwhips are all tricks that come pretty easy on flat with my old pro model. This was not the case on my TSI. Even tailwhips took a couple tries before I figured out how to deal with the headtube angle. Shortly after that I had doubles back but without the catch I'm used to with my double tailwhips on my old Pro. Overall, I think whipping the scooter at all will take some time for any rider to get used to, that is, if they are coming from a stock angle Pro Model/Other Scooter. Second day riding the TSI 4.5, I had no problems catching double whips on flat or anything, everything starts to just feel natural again. So for all future buyers of the TSI deck, if you get discouraged early on riding your TSI because of the headtube angle, just keep riding it, it will soon start to feel natural. Also I noticed almost no change in weight coming from a Pro Model with a Dominator Deck Saver, so I wouldn't worry about the weight of the TSI deck at all. It is a much more solid ride, and with the strength of the deck, you just feel really comfortable on it. For a rider of my size, being 6'4 the 4.5 deck was amazing. That small bit of extra foot room, goes a long way.


Now on to the deckpins that were installed on my deck. I first saw deck pins on fellow rider Alex Steadman's Pro Model a few years back.

Alex Steadman's old scooter that you can see the deck pins installed in.

I was always interested in them, because I heard they added a LOT of grip to your deck. So when Inward Scooters asked me to review the deck pins installed on a TSI for him, because he had been getting requests for them, I agreed to do so. My first impression of them, was that they really do add a lot of grip. However, I think for some riders it might just be too much grippiness. For riders that tend to shift their feet before tricks like a lot of riders do. You might not like these deck pins on your scooter. Because they make shifting your feet pretty difficult, due to the fact that they add THAT much grip. Most riders shift their feet, even if it is slightly, before doing whip tricks. So if you are a rider who does a lot of whips, scooter flips, or bri flips..deck pins might not be for you. Although, I think a lot of park riders would possibly really like these. Riders like Dan Holm or Stan Smirnoff, who are some of the best big box, and tranny riders might find these useful. The grippiness that they add make you feel a bit more comfortable if you are just flowing a park or riding with a lot of speed because you get a feel that your feet won't be slipping off at all.

Overall, I am really happy with the TSI 4.5. I don't see myself going to back to Pro Models anytime soon. With this deck, TSI might have very well opened the new big door to aftermarket scooter parts. It has been known for awhile that a few other companies are planning and already designing their own one piece decks. I'd like to wish them all good luck...because the quality, design, and company behind the TSI One Piece Deck, has set the bar pretty high.





-Steven Tongson





49 comments:

  1. Just so everyone knows, this is stevens first real post. He struggled very much with attatching the images and what not. It is a very happy day for him. As a reward, I'll be giving him 18 pixealdrefies, to be used in Runescape. Congratulations Mr. Tongson.

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  2. Im'm thinking about geting a tsi deck!

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  3. great review man. makes me soo much more excited to get a tsi deck for myself

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  4. I hear the TSI decks are pretty sick. But I also heard a major flaw in the brakes. A lot of people have been snapping them. Dylan Kasson snapped his not too long ago, had to drill out the deck and put on a Blade brake. So for anyone who snaps the fender, you aren't out on ideas, just do what Dylan did, drill the frame out and bolt on a Blade or Pro Model brake.

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  5. Thats true Josh, it was a minor flaw that they took care of though. I'm not sure if people have still been snapping their bolt on brakes though? Which is what they do now instead of the old brake they had.

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  6. i orded my tsi from trick scoot does any 1 no if its reliyable

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  7. its the site where they make the scooters lol. their obviously reliable

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  8. ultra pros are way better

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  9. how heavy are the TSI's?

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  10. there so light i got mine yesterday and i am soooooooo happy with it. i recommend it to any1. the ultra pro has 24" high bars errrr. the tsi is the bees kness

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  11. they look cool
    but i think its good to have a brake

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  12. this decks r pretty good but my ultra razor decks better

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  13. hey, can anybody tell me what the tsi has that is better than the invert one piece deck, other than being almost twice the price?

    thanks

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  14. i have the tsi. its amazing. the invert is cheap, ugly, heavy n horrible to put together

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  15. I Orded My Tsi From DoggScooters.com,
    Can Anyone Tell Me If You Can Put Stock Forks On A Tsi :)

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  16. Yea Rees you can put stock forks on with no problem.

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  17. yes im using stock headset with micro xts on a tsi deck no problems yet

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  18. hi im looking for a tsi deck and doggscooters.com are out of stock and i was wondering if any1 knew were i could get one from

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  19. yeah go on the main sight www.trickscoot.com

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  20. fuck yeah hella good deck but i got a fucken one thatis a proto type right now its the best check out their forks and bars tsi till i die alexes bddy peace out

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  21. i just orderd my deck going to put a vid up the first day i get it sounds like a good deck any thing is beter then a razor promodel i was thinking about getting the lucky but i wanted a wide deck

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  22. All the comments and reviews make me so psyched on getting my TSI.

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  23. they cost a lot and i like the phoenix pro beter anyway

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  24. tsi they suk dik because i snaped mine in about a week there shit and exspensive

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  25. just got mine and i love it first day i couldnt do anything now i love it great for airs to flat and brake is good

    5 wide all day

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  26. where do i get these decks to import to Australia
    My Email is Sales@localthreads.com.au

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  27. is the headtube angle like a micro xt ?

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  28. Dude i am getting the TSI "5" inch deck reinforced. Should I?

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  29. how much would a brand new 1 be

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  30. the ultra pro is rubbish compared to the TSI, its just a basic pro deck but the only difference is that the headtube is welded on, TSI is the best deck.

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  31. what do you think is better mgp deck or tsi im really stumped on this one

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  32. is the tsi better than an mgp or via versa i really need a new deck so if u could get back to me soon it would be a big help :]

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  33. are the tsi decks heavy or are they light

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  34. the decks are kind of heavy but there strong and you get used to them.

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  35. tsi decks r a lil heavy but after like a day it feels like a pro model

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  36. there fucking mint

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  37. tsi is a sick brand and the tsi 2 with inigrated head set for any one out there who wants one get it. that or the pheniox deck recomend tsi and they have new forks i got a pair

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  38. i have a tsi freestyler its pretty good but i prefer my 4.5 phoenix there amazing for hang 5s

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  39. i have a tsi freestyler and its mad to ride but i prefer my phonix 4.5 its is amazing for hang 5s

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  40. The Copy Of Razor Pro is The JD bug edition.
    I been riding these for quite a while and i love it..i'ved owned soo many of these decks mayhbe its time for me to switch to TSI.

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  41. district sux hard i snapped mine on the second week, dont get one they sux.

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  42. yo u guys now where i could get a pheonix deck

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  43. i love tsi i reccomend them to anyone who wants to upgrade their deck. ive had mine for about 4 months and im all over with it. this deck is so strong ive cleared so many stair sets with it. ive done them all up till a nine stair and ive done them many times. tsi is the way to go

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  44. I personally enjoy riding scooters a lot more then skateboarding. Maybe it's because I suck at skateboarding though. Man I want to learn sick tricks on my scooter.

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  45. I purchased a 4.75 TSI Flight deck 18 months ago and it's still going strong to this day even though i ride a phoenix,i wouldn't reccomend TSI decks to anyone who struggles doing whip tricks!,personally i feel that TSI are an amazing company and make Great products!

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