Thanks to Katherine, Randy and Safari surf in California for this review ”It all started last summer when I heard about the re-release of Penny Skateboards. For those unfamiliar, Pennys are the original classic banana boards from the 70s. As a vintage skate enthusiast, I knew I had to own one of these rad retro cruiser boards. I kinda forgot about the Penny skate board until I was in the mall Christmas shopping in the fall. I didn’t see them anywhere, so I asked a few employees whether or not they planned on getting any Pennys in soon. My questions received nothing but confused stares. To my amazement, these people had no clue what I was talking about! I guess they don’t cover the history of skateboarding in their employee handbooks.
Fortunately, I stopped by my local independent boardshop, Safari Surf and Sport in Chatsworth, CA. I asked the owner Randy about the Penny. Now Randy is a true die hard, so he knew exactly what I was talking about. He’s old school enough to have actually ridden the Penny back in the day! He informed me that he didn’t have any in stock, and promised to order one for me after the first of the year.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I see his Facebook status announcing the arrival of a new shipment of Pennys! I headed over to the shop as soon as I could; by the time I got there, he’d already sold most of the boards. Now since I’m a girl, colors are very important to me. Randy must’ve sensed this because he asked if there was a particular color I wanted. I said purple, and he pulled up the Penny website to make sure he ordered the right one. After careful consideration, I chose a Penny Nickel instead of the traditional model. Unlike the regular version, the purple Penny Nickel came with green wheels instead of blue (cyan). Randy ordered another board with blue wheels just to swap the wheels for me; how’s that for superior customer service?
Three days later he called my house saying that my board arrived! When I came by to pick it up, he had me take it for a test ride in case I needed any adjustments. I road it around the parking lot next door, and I noticed that the deck was really slippery due to the plastic. I didn’t want to slide all over the place, and asked about grip taping the deck. I didn’t want to cover up the sick Penny logo, which is why Randy recommended that I cut out shapes for a custom grip job. Of course, he applied the grip tape for me out of the kindness of his heart. This is how the board looked before:
My vintage Penny Skateboard, pre-grip tape.
Here’s what it looks like now, thanks to Randy:
Custom HR Grip tape!
As you can see, I decided to turn my board into a tribute to the best dispensary in the 818- HR in Reseda! I finally got a chance to ride my new Penny skateboard yesterday. Let me tell you, these things really shred! Riding a vintage Penny will give you a newfound respect for the roots of skateboarding. The Penny is ultra compact, which is great for light riders like me. The plastic deck is totally waterproof, although water will damage your trucks and bearings. Now I’ve heard people say that you can bomb hills on a Penny; NO WAY! The Penny is a lot of fun, but it definitely has limitations. Riding a Penny on anything other than a flat, smooth surface makes for a bumpy ride. These little suckers are fast, yet the stability issue makes bombing hills out of the question for most riders. Don’t attempt any downhill unless you’re an extremely skilled shredder. Stick to beach boardwalks, fresh pavement, and parking garages.
For more information, visit www.bouncyhappypeople.co.uk or see Randy at Safari Surf and Sport in California it is important to support mom and pop businesses instead of the big chain retailers you’ll find in the mall. Those places have no heart, and would NEVER deliver the kind of personal assistance Randy provides. See you on the pavement—One Love!
I think this "Little Red Roadster" is a good dear car for kids :). Like the look and red color of this roadster. Great post buddy! I enjoyed it. Thanks :)