monaco

let me kick off here by first giving you all the heads up on how the lion canyon seems to be made. it's an entry level mountain board, built no doubt for those weighing a little less than I; a fairly flat piece of canadian maple, with some snazzy graphics on top. from what i can tell of bouncing around on other boards in the shop (ps i got mne on ebay), the lion canyon is a little shorter, lighter, and has less bounce of flex as i was told than some other brands the axle, or trucks, are the skate style variety, which means easy adjustment if you want to make them looser or tighter, all you need to do is weild a spanner in the right place. just remember - lefty loosey, righty tighty! i wasnt lucky enough to get wind for my first go on the lion canyon, i'm going to call it the LC for short. so i took the LC on a downhil jaunt! well the ground came rushing up to meet me a lot quicker than i thought it might! the board seemed to banana skin underneath me as i took off on the run, but i have since learnt that was down to my shoddy technique - apparently, the trick is to lean OVER your leading foot to get down a slope. but i digress. once i was used to the tec, i managed to get a few turns hither and thither in, and despite my limited experience, i'd like to say the board felt 'lithe' and supple underfoot. the LC went where i intended, and so i took on a couple of 'berms' down at the local track. by now i was feeling pretty comfortable, and a couple of local kiddies were hanging about. one suggested i try a 180, and the other seconded the motion. well. i didn't know what a 180 was, and when it was explained, i practically blanched with fright! i wold have to ride down the hill with my good foot forward, hit the kicker ( i picked up the lingo ) and land with my other foot - the less good one - facing downhill...could i manage this? could the lion canyon, sorry LC, handle it aswell? dispensing with the leash that comes with the board (if i stack it, the last thing i need is a mtn board come hurtling towards me on a bungee chord) i prepared at the top of the hill. 60 metres or so of seemingly steep black run (read kinder slope) dropped away in front of me as my breath quickened and i tightened the straps about my feet. popping into the run, i descended, the LC jittering about 'neath me as i go, and the whole time i'm thinking "no way shall i try the 180". anyway, the kicker comes up, and on a seemingly autopilot mode, i hit it. i hit it left foot forward, my best one, then, emulating (or more 'apeing') what i learnt from the kids on the hill, i rotate my hips mid flight. by this point i am feeling very afraid. coming down to earth with my oposite - read right - foot forward, i ride out of the jump and scrub off speed in the grass. so wether my success is down to the kiddies at the local site, my bravery, or perhaps the LC's business like build, whos to worry. what i can say, in my experience, the LC is a plucky little contender for a downhill run. its light, which lets you get off the ground when you want to, but strong enough to take the pounding when you realise you dont have the skills to come down safe. as an afterthough, i should mention my LC came with skate style trucks, binding post foot straps, and grip tape under both feet to help with the extreme riding. i would say the LC is great to get going with, espesh if you want a board you can chuck around. i'm getting into the kiting with the LC right now, and i like that fact i can jump with it. i dont think it will be the best board for long distance or speed missions, but perhaps i'm not the best rider for those either! to summise, a buget board that will perform. i think its a good choice for a budding boarder, leaving plenty of spare cash for a nice kite too! good luck and enjoy! By : monaco