Tensor Trucks
Encyclopedia
Rodney Mullen
John Rodney Mullen is a professional freestyle and street skateboarder. He is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and influential street skaters in the history of skateboarding...
in 2000. Tensor's parent company is Dwindle Distribution
Dwindle Distribution
Dwindle Distribution, based in El Segundo, CA, is the largest skateboard manufacturing company and distributor. It is owned by Globe International Limited. It serves seven skate companies: Almost, Enjoi, Speed Demons, Tensor Trucks, Blind, Cliche, Superior and Darkstar Skateboards. Dwindle...
. They offer trucks in three different heights (lo, mid, hi) tailored for differing wheel diameters; the hi is designed for 58mm wheels and smaller, the mid for 54mm or smaller, and the lo for 52 and smaller. Mullen holds US patent no. 6,443,471B1 for design features implemented in Tensors. Tensor trucks are manufactured in China.
Tensor has also teamed up with Oust Skateboard Bearings to put out a co-branded Oust/Tensor line of skateboard bearings, as well as working on experimental Tensor trucks with enhanced parts.
Tensor released a new truck called the Response in March 2007. It is an all-metal design, forgoing the plastic baseplate sliders of the original design, and is touted as the lightest truck, 11% lighter than the industry average truck. In 2008 Tensor released their lightest design yet using magnesium and touted to be 25% lighter than the industry average truck.
Baseplate sliders
The most visible feature on a Tensor truck (not including the Response model) is the polymer baseplate slider. Trucks can wear out on the baseplates from nose and tail slides. The slider is replaceable and is touted to slide better than standard aluminum baseplates.Interlocking bushings
Tensor bushings (or cushions) use a patented design which features a flange on the bottom bushing that connects to the top bushing to stabilize the truck.Baseplate nibs
Tensor features four fangs on each baseplate designed to dig into the board to prevent the truck from shifting when mounting hardware loosens.Buttonhead kingpin
Tensor implemented a grade 8 buttonhead kingpin with machined splines on it to prevent it from spinning in the baseplate. The buttonhead is lighter than the hex kingpin, which was the then-industry standard. Independent, Thunder, Venture, Krux, Fury, and Destructo have since implemented buttonhead kingpins.Team
Current team riders Felipe Ortiz, Joey Brezinski, Ronnie Creager, Rodney Mullen, Enrique Lorenzo and Daewon SongDaewon Song
David Daewon Song is a Korean-American professional skateboarder, recognized for his technical street skateboarding. He is a co-owner of Almost Skateboards along with Rodney Mullen, and skates for the company-sponsored team.-Career:Daewon Song was first sponsored by Sporting Ideas in Gardena,...
.
Notable ex-team members include: Chris Cole
Chris Cole (skateboarder)
James Chris Cole is a professional skateboarder. He grew up in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, but now lives in San Marcos, California with his wife and children. His stance is regular....
, Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam is a Canadian professional skateboarder.- Biography :Haslam was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada in 1980. He lived in St. Catherines and London, Ontario, attending Parkview Elementary school. When he was 11 he moved with his parents to Singapore...
, Dave Mayhew
Dave Mayhew (skateboarder)
David "Dave" Mayhew is a retired professional skateboarder and a member of two of the ‘super-teams’ of the late nineties , due to his fluid technical ability. He quit skateboarding professionally to run a skateshop back in his home town of Madison, Wisconsin...
, Ryan Sheckler
Ryan Sheckler
Ryan Allen Sheckler is an American professional skateboarder and was the star of the MTV reality show, Life of Ryan.-Early life:...
, and Jake Duncombe.