Canadian Roll Reviews

Ground Control Formula One Review

I received a pair of Ground Control (G.C) Formula One frames roughly a month ago, and to be quite honest, the only reason why I bought them was because I wanted to test them to see if the hype floating around the internet was true. Also, I wanted to see if they were worth the higher price tag over the G.C Featherlites in terms of performance. Lastly, I tested the Formula One frame with the flat H-block as opposed to the freestyle H-block.

Weight

Well lets get one thing strait, these are not Featherlite frames. With all the hardware put in these frames feel substantially heavier in my hands then feather lights do. If you want exact numbers, Aggressivemall states that the Formula One frame comes in at 12oz, which means that it comes close to the weight of a Dual Injection frames, 14oz, which are considered some of the heaviest frames G.C ever produced. In fact, when I held both my Duel Injection frames and my Formula Ones in my hand they felt nearly identical. What this means is that the Formula One is substantially heavier then the Featherlites, which weigh in at 7oz. However, when I switched from Featherlites to Formula Ones I did not feel the weight play any factor while grinding or gaping, so weight should not deter you from picking up these frames. **NOTE** I believe all frames that are weighed at Amall are done so before hardware is put in, but I could be wrong.

Design

The side walls have held up decently after a month of winter skating. They are about as thick as Featherlite frames, which I have stated in the past could use a bit more thickness to increase the longevity of the frame. However, the Formula one does provide something that the Featherlite did not, which is the large replaceable H-block. This cheap and easily replaceable part increases the longevity of the frame substantially, because once the part begins to become to worn down to skate you can replace it for roughly 30 dollars and the frame will roll like new.

It seems like G.C took my advice for recessing the holes for their bolts (because you know I have so much pull in the industry…) and I am happy to say that they have been recessed a fair amount when compared to the Featherlite frame. This is beneficial because within a couple of months time I will not be grinding on my bolt, so this increases the performance and longevity of the frame. Although G.C has taken steps to protect the hardware, I would still like to see their bolt holes recessed as much as Kizer Fluid frames, which will ensure that your frames could last a year or more before you see bolt damage. With these frames bolt damage is important, because they use a unique bolt that you will not be able to easily replace if you damage it, which could be an annoyance, but more on that later.

The H-block on the Formula one frame sticks with G.C’s raised and angled H-block mold, which I am glad because it works extremely well. As stated before it makes H-block tricks easier to lock and hold and also makes them feel extremely responsive. The H-block is not as wide as other G.C frames such as the Duel Injections, but resembles the Featherlite H-block in terms of width, which is great because it stops grinds from shifting around and feeling sloppy. However, unlike the Feathlite frames, the H-block is just a little higher, which creates a bit more of an angle on the side of the H-block, this allows you to sit lower on your grinds when initially breaking in the frames. Overall, the H-block is designed well and makes tricks easier to lock and hold with minimal shifting in grinds. Also, I liked the little graphic of a sickle they put on the H-block although it is pointless and will scrape off with a few good sessions.

The overall design of the frame is quite ingenious, it has an H-block that covers a majority of the frame, which gives it the ability to be constantly recycled and still feel like your riding a new frame. Not only that, but they actually made replacement parts that are actually available, instead of just stating that the frame has replaceable parts, then never making them after market products, or making the number of them limited (I am looking at you Kizer and Fifty/50…). Not only is the overall design great, but also the subtle decorative features of the frame give it a certain style, from the Sickle on the H-block, to the Sickle as a bolt, there is no denying that the formula 1 frame is a good looking frame. Also, when you add to that the different colored replacement parts (black, red, white, and grey) you have a winner!

Overall Wear

Because I am reviewing these frames in the winter they have not undergone the rigorous testing that all my frames go through in the summer, but having said that I have tried to put these frames through their paces. The frame has held up well, both the H-block and the side walls show very little wear, which would lead me to believe that the plastic used for this frame is different then that of the Featherlite frame, because Featherlite’s showed substantial wear after a month of rolling. This is not the only good factor for these frames, as mentioned above, the H-block is replaceable for 30 dollars and covers 80% of the frame, which increases the longevity factor. Also, when you ad that these frames are symmetrical and can be switched around, you have a frame that should last you for a long duration of time. So the overall wear is very good for these frames.

Hardware

Well there is good and bad news for the hardware. I will start you off with the good news, it is 8mm and there is no spacers to worry about thanks to the raised plastic inside the frame which holds your wheels. The last point about the raised plastic can be seen as either good or bad, because if you somehow managed to wear that down, then the frame would become useless because it would not be able to hold your wheels, but really I do not see how a person would do that, so that is not a big concern. However, the real bad news lays in the bolts, G.C has decided it would be a good idea to make one end of the bolts a sickle. I really have no idea why they did this, but if I had to guess I would say for aesthetic reasons, but really lets be honest, it is a bad idea. When you loose, break, or damage a bolt what do you do? That’s right, you go through the thousands of others you have and replace it with no problems. Well G.C has decided that that is a dumb idea, so now if you loose a bolt you have to buy a whole new set for 8 dollars (plus shipping depending where you live) because sickles look cool. Aren’t you Happy? While I’m not. If anyone from G.C ever reads this, I would like to state that the ability to change a bolt with one allan key is not as appealing as being able to easily replace parts.

Feel

These frames feel really quick while grinding, in fact, I would say even quicker then my Featherlite frames. However, after you account for the speed there really is not a difference in feel when compared to the Featherlites, they are both equally as responsive, both slide well, and both are great for soul and H-block tricks. In conclusion, the Formula One frame is the quicker version of the Featherlite, which some people may find good and other may find bad. I personally enjoy the feel though.

Overall

Do these frames live up to the internet hype? Well to be quite honest, no, but that really is not the frames fault. The way this frame was hyped I thought it was going to be a gift from God handed down to rollers, and who could blame me with quotes from Haffey stating “It’s the best frame I ever skated; They are really fast — even on un-waxed ledges; There is zero friction, very limited pressure on the bearings; No clacking noise and the height and groove make a perfect platform to balance on.” And other quotes stating that people never wanted to take them off. Honestly, If you like riding the flat, and are strapped for cash and do not know whether to get the Formula Ones or the Featherlites, get the Featherlites. The ride is extremely similar and the price tag is about 20 dollars cheaper. However you will be missing out on some factors that may be important to you such as replaceable parts that ad longevity, a slightly quicker grind, the ability to switch from flat to freestyle quickly, and sickle bolts (which you should be thankful for not having). Overall, this is an extremely great riding frame with a lot of options for riding it differently or customizing it, but with the hype surrounding it I was expecting a frame like nothing I have experienced before, and I did not receive that.

Random Pictures

Overall Score

The overall score for the Ground Control Formula 1 frames is 7.4 out of 8 ( 93%)

-Nick. D

I was rolling the Kizer Fluid frame for about for months in the summer constantly skating them everyday. I promised a review for these frames a little while ago, but school has been keeping me extremely busy, but I finally got some free time and decided to write a full review for the readers.

Design.

Right off the bat let me tell you these are one of the best designed frames on the market, hands down.

The side walls on the frame are thick, much thicker then any other frame on the market and this is definitely a good thing. After 4 months of hard skating the side walls showed very little wear and the Fluid material barely wore down. I strongly believe that these are one of the longest lasting, if not the longest lasting frames on the market.

Side Walls Holding Up Nicely.

The Fluid frame also has deeply recessed bolt holes so you will not be riding on the bolts after a month. Some of the benefits to having this on the Fluids were, my grinds never slowed down because I was grinding on metal, I didn’t have to go looking for replacement bolts, and it added overall durability to the frame.This is one of the best features to the frame, and other frame manufacturers should take note that this small detail adds a lot of value.

Recessed Holes = Good.

The H-Block to the Fluid frame is one of the “You love it, or you hate it” features. Some people state that they enjoy the classic Kizer Fluid frame H-Block that wasn’t as deep or wide, and some people say that they love the new deep groove. I personally enjoyed skating the deep groove, it locked on to grinds well, although at times I had a bit of sliding around, but nothing to noticeable. I found royals and farfs fun to do on these frames, just for the simple fact that I could sit so low on them. Overall, it is a good alternative (but not a better one) to Ground Control’s raised H-Block if your looking for something different to try.

Deep H-Blocks.

Weight.

Because the frame is built so well it is a little heavier compared to the lighter frames on the market. It’s weight is about average, not as heavy as an Able or a Ground Control Dual Injection, but not nearly as light as a Feathlite frame. This isn’t a bad thing though, when you take into account how well it is built and where the material is being put I think it is a good trade off.

Overall Wear.

The overall wear to the frame is incredible. I truly think you would have to skate them for an extremely long duration of time, or skate incredibly horrible obstacles before you could justify needing a new frame. This is the best wear I have ever seen on any frame, and it can be attributed to the plastic compound and the great design. If your looking for something that will last, the Fluid frame is something you should consider. This is it’s best feature.

Hardware.

I absolutely HATE, I repeat HATE this hardware. If anyone has ever seen a Kizer bolt they know that they screw together in the middle, this is a horrible idea because all the pressure when you skate is distributed to the middle of the axle, which in turn loosens it up. This wouldn’t be so bad, but then you add on top of that that the bolts use screws with thin threading, which loosen up quickly, you have a horrible combination. Not only did I have to tighten these bolts anywhere from two to four times a session, but I also lost a Richie Eisler anti-rocker wheel because of them. I hate these bolts.

The Bolt of Shame.

Feel.

Overall these frames feel rather good, they are the second best feeling frame I have ever owned. They are a solid frame that you know will not break on you. The H-Block is deep and locks on to grinds well, with some sliding around occasionally, but it is barely noticeable when it does happen. When doing soul grind they slide well, and I contribute this to the Fluid plastic material. Overall, a solid one piece frame that doesn’t feel heavy when rolling and is responsive on grinds.

Overall.

If your looking for a tank of a frame that is going to last you a ridiculously long amount of time, this is the frame for you. It slides well on both soul and royal tricks. It feels solid, not to heavy and not to light, and comes in one piece, which I love.The one down side is that I hate the hardware, and wish Kizer would change their bolts because they are horrible. I highly endorse this frame, it is the work horse of the skating industry, which is why it has been around for so long.

Kizer Fluid Frame Score 7.2 / 8 = 90%

It has been about a month since I got the Ground Control (G.C) Featherlite frames, and I have been skating at least 4 times a week since I have received the frames, so as promised I will now write the full review for Featherlites.

Weight.

As stated in the previous review, these frames are incredibly light, but if you are looking for a miracle frame that will make you jump higher just based off of its weight, then these are not the frames for you. I have been asked a few times if the frames improved my vertical leap, and to be honest, if they have it hasn’t been noticeable to me. What has been noticeable though, was while doing switch ups my foot actually felt like it was moving a little quicker when compared to previous frames I have skated. Also, the decreased weight of the frame did not take away from feeling my grind, every grind felt natural and I knew exactly where my feet were.

Design.

After a month of heavy skating the Featherlites side walls have held up rather well. There are a few gauges, but it hasn’t interfered with how the wheels roll. The durability of the side walls is about average, but I would have liked to see a bit more thickness added to create greater longevity for the frames.

Side walls are holding pretty well.

The lack of deeply recessed bolt holes has once again proven to be a problem for G.C. Just as I suspected, I am already beginning to grind on the bolts of the frame, and although it hasn’t been noticeable yet, like every other G.C frame I have owned, it will soon become a problem that slows down my grinds, especially on topsides. My biggest suggestion for G.C is to make frames with deeply recessed wholes, this will not only create greater durability for the frame, but will also make the frame skate better in the long run, as people won’t be grinding on metal and replacing bolts.

To much wear on my bolts already.

In my initial review I stated that I had a suspicion that I would not like the featherlites raised H-block because I was used to the deep groove of Kizer Fluid frames that locked me into grinds. Well let me tell you that I was completely wrong. The H-block on the skate works great, I found my self holding H-block tricks longer then ever before, and I actually felt more comfortable in H-block grinds. The raised and angled H-block seems to lock you into royals, Savannahs, Unitys and farfs with ease and keeps the grind on an angle so there is less friction. Lastly, when compared to previous G.C models (Dual Injection frames, Bullet 8’s and Hi-Lows) the H-block area is a little less wide, and I found myself not sliding around in my grinds, which I personally like, so that was a nice surprise.

Unskated portion of the frame to show the angled H-block.

The recessed portion of the frame, that was taken out to improve the weight, has actually improved soul grinds as well. You can feel that there is less friction when doing soul tricks because all the plastic, on past frames, that was touching the object you were grinding is now gone. For people who were worried that they lost the UHMW plastic on their frame previous G.C frame, I would say that it is not a problem that should stop people from buying the Featherlite, in fact I felt that these frames slid a bit better then my Dual Injection frames. For people who are switching from another brand of frame, I would say that no other company has tried recessing a large portion of a frame that is mainly used to grind on, and it is a definitely a good idea that people should try out.

A look at the recessed portion of the frame.

Overall Wear.

These frames wear fast. Much faster then my previous Kizer Fluid frames, and I would dare to say faster then previous G.C models. The lack of deeply recessed bolt holes may be a problem, but I thought the plastic of the frame would hold up longer then a month before I saw wear on my bolts. The H-block also wears very quickly, I have deeply grooved H-blocks that I didn’t think would get to this condition until the second month of skating these frames. Having said all that, the frames are symmetrical and can be switched around, giving the frames double the life span that they would have had without this option.

A lot of H-block wear.

Another look at the wear of the side walls and the bolts.

Hardware.

I had to add this category for the single fact that I haven’t had to tighten bolts in a month. This may not sound like a significant point, but coming from Kizer bolts that I had to constantly tighten, I am talking about 3 times a session, and even lost a Richie Eisler pro anti-rocker wheel because of, this is a big factor.

Feel.

These frames feel great. I would go as far as to say that they are the best feeling frames that I have ever owned. They are light, responsive, slide well, great for soul tricks, and amazing for H-block tricks. They are a solid 1 piece design that don’t try to sell you on a bunch of useless junk frames don’t need. This is the best feature of the frame.

Overall.

Overall, I would say that these frames wear really quickly, a little to quickly for my liking, and why is it to quickly for my liking? Because, these are the best feeling frames I have ever owned, hands down. They feel like a solid 1 piece frame that is light, yet is responsive while grinding so you know where your feet are. In terms of performance the design is really well made. Overall, my next frames will be Feathlite frames, and I have a feeling I will be stocking up on these frames in the future. I highly endorse them if your looking for a great feeling frame.

Ground Control Featherlite Score 7.6 / 8 wheels 95%

**Editors Note: Every frame review from now on will be reviewed against the Feathlite score, until a frame can beat it, then the next frames will be judged against that score.**

-Nick. D

Fluid Vs Featherlite Review

**Canadian Roll has a whole new review system, I will mark things out of “8 wheels“, I chose 8 as a nod to rolling’s early days and the 8 down movement. The closer a product gets to 8 wheels the better the product performed.**

I just received 2 brand new sets of frames, one set the Kizer Fluid Gonzo frames, and the other Ground Control Chris Haffey Featherlites, because these frames have been compared to one another so much I decided to write a double review. This is an initial review and will focus on the frames build, in about 2-3 weeks I will write a full review on the Featherlites, and because I have already rode the Kizer Fluid team frames for months will post up that review around the same time.

Weight.

Right out of the box I could tell that the Featherlites hype was not a placebo effect, when people tell you that these frames are light they aren’t lying. I held both the Fluid frame and the Featherlight in my hand and could feel that the Ground Control frames were substantially lighter. In fact, the only way for both frames to feel the same in my hand was to take out all the hardware from the Kizer frame and leave the hardware in the Ground Control frame. This may be a good or bad thing to people, because some people like their frames to have a little weight so they can feel their grinds, but to me I enjoy having the lighter frame.

Design.

After noticing the weight difference on the frames, the next thing that caught my eye was that the Fluids side walls were much thicker then the Featherlites and judging by the wear on my Fluid team frames the extra thickness adds durability and longevity to the frame. This may be a major downside to the Featherlites, but having said that, these are the thickest side walls anyone has ever seen on a Ground Control frame and my generation 3s frames lasted a long time (Gen 3s had the 2nd biggest side walls).

The next difference is the recessed holes for the bolts. The Kizer frames have deep recessed holes for the bolts to fit, and this helps when your frame wears down and the bolts begin to grind against objects. Consequently, the Ground Control frames have stuck with their same formula and do not have deeply recessed holes, on past Ground Control frames this has lead to me grinding on the metal bolts.

The H-block on both frames have roughly the same width, but the Featherlite H-block is substantially raised when compared to Fluids deep grove. This is a matter of preference, but after skating Ground Control Generation 2s, 3s and,dual injections and switching to Kizer I must say I preferred the deep groove over the raised one, because I felt more locked into my royals, unitys, savannahs, and front sides.

The overall design for both frames is appealing to me, one solid frame with no extra junk you don’t need. The Fluid frames looks solid and so do the Feathlites, but I must say the Featherlites have the recessed section where Ground Control took out material and it looks good, so much so that I am going to have to say the Ground Control frame actually looks a bit better.

Hardware.

What can I say, Ground Control finally got metal hardware….finally.

Overall.

Overall, the weight of the Ground Control frames impressed me and so did the overall look of the frame (Ground Control finally has the right idea, one solid frame with no extra crap). The side walls, the raised H-block and the lack of deeply recessed bolt holes concerns me. For the Fluid frames, the weight has never bothered me, but they could use to shed a few ounces (but not if the frame becomes weaker), the H-block fits my style perfectly and the thick side walls make these frames almost perfect.

The initial score I give the Featherlites 6.5 / 8 wheels (81%)

The Initial score I give the Fluid frame 7.5 / 8 wheels (93%)