LDP (Long Distance Pumping/Pushing) combines surf-skating with marathon endurance. Distance skaters always want to ride further with less effort. If you hang around LDP riders, you will quickly hear one endless debate: Do you choose a lively Top Mount setup? Or an expensive, long-haul Bracket board?
These setups look different, but they also use totally different physics. Today, we break down the pros and cons of both. This will help you find your perfect LDP setup.
1. Top Mount: The Agile Street Surfer
Top Mount is the classic skateboard setup. The trucks mount directly under the deck. For pure pumping, this geometry is almost perfect.
The Good: Amazing Leverage and Pumping
Physics favors the Top Mount for turning. It gives you a wide “effective width” and a high center of gravity. The deck sits above the trucks. Your feet are high above the roll axis. When you lean, this height creates massive torque. You don’t need much force to compress the bushings. Sometimes, just shifting your body weight is enough. In pure pumping, a Top Mount starts easily. The board feels alive and bouncy. You can effortlessly carve zig-zags down the street. This is exactly why many riders say Top Mounts “save their ankles.”
The Bad: The Marathon Energy Trap
However, problems appear on longer rides.
- Pushing is exhausting: The ride height is high. When you face a headwind or an uphill climb, you have to push. Every push requires a single-leg squat. After hundreds of squats, your legs and knees will burn out quickly.
- Wheelbite risks: Long-distance riding requires big wheels (85mm to 100mm+). Big wheels keep your momentum and absorb bumps. But big wheels on a Top Mount cause wheelbite on sharp turns. The wheel hits the deck, causing a sudden stop. To prevent this, you need thick risers. This makes the board even higher and less stable.
2. Bracket: The Low-Riding Cruiser
Engineers and hardcore riders invented the Bracket setup to solve these long-distance problems. It is a modular system that separates the deck from the trucks. Brands like LEPSK8 and G-Bomb use these brackets to change skateboard dynamics entirely.
The Good: The Ultimate Push/Pump Machine
Bracket systems are built for 20-to-100-mile marathons.
- Effortless pushing: Brackets drop the deck incredibly low. It almost scrapes the ground. When you push, your standing leg barely bends. This saves massive amounts of energy and protects your joints.
- Fits massive wheels: The brackets extend the trucks outward. There is no deck above the wheels. You can easily mount 90mm or larger wheels. You get amazing top speed and a smooth ride over bad pavement.
- Extreme geometry tuning: You can swap brackets to change truck angles. You can run a flexible front truck (+15 degrees) and a dead rear truck (0 degrees) without changing your ride height. This forces all your energy forward.
The Bad: Less Leverage and High Costs
Every setup has trade-offs. A lower deck means you lose mechanical advantage. When you lean hard, the edge of the deck drops below the axles. Your pushing force no longer hits the roll axis perfectly. The board feels a bit less responsive. You have to use your ankles and calves more to keep the pump going. This is why new bracket riders often feel ankle fatigue at first. Also, metal bracket systems are expensive. Building one costs much more than a standard Top Mount.
3. The Final Verdict: Which is Right for You?
Neither setup is strictly better. They are just built for completely different goals.
| Feature | Top Mount | Bracket |
| Pumping Effort | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Great leverage) | ⭐⭐⭐ (Needs more ankle work) |
| Pushing Effort | ⭐⭐ (High deck, tiring) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Super low, effortless) |
| Big Wheel Clearance | ⭐⭐⭐ (Wheelbite risk) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No limits) |
| Speed & Stability | ⭐⭐⭐ (High center of gravity) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Low and stable) |
| Budget | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Affordable) | ⭐⭐ (Expensive) |
Buying Advice:
- Get a Top Mount if: You are new to LDP. You want pure, lively pumping fun. Your rides are usually under 6 miles (10 km). You skate on smooth parks or paved trails. It gives you the best surf feel on a budget.
- Get a Bracket if: You are a hardcore distance skater. You regularly ride 15+ miles across town. You face wind, hills, and rough roads. You need a machine that can both push and pump. It takes time to learn the technique, but it pays off on long marathons.
In LDP, ride height changes everything. It alters physics, leverage, and efficiency. You might love the lively surf of a Top Mount, or you might prefer the low, stable cruise of a Bracket. Just pick a setup, get outside, and keep rolling.