Over the years there has been a lot of newer technologies introduced in the market. Paris and Bear followed Sabre in using a forging process to make longboard trucks. Forged trucks might not be as perfect as CNC precision, but it’s close. Trucks bending and slop from casting won’t be a problem anymore for a much more affordable price.
» See current price (Updated V3 version)
Paris has been a community favorite for a long time. Their trucks are great for dancing, freestyle and even freeride. With the introduction of their lower angle baseplates, Paris has also started making their way into the downhill scene.
Matt Kienzle has been taking podiums with cast Paris for a while, which is impressive considering how much slop they have. Now that Savants are out, there’s no reason to not try to downhill on Paris trucks. We love these trucks and have named them as one of the best longboarding trucks.
I went ahead and got me some Paris Savant with the 43° baseplate and give Paris a shot. I got the grey hanger option, it’s also available in red and electro luxe.
What are Forged Trucks?
Forged trucks are the new thing in the market, they are way stronger than regular cast trucks, and in some cases, stronger than CNC precision too. A forged truck is made by hammering a solid block of aluminum into the desired shape, this process is also used in the aerospace and automotive industry for parts that need the highest safety standards against failure by abuse or by vibratory or shock stresses. Chances are you’re not going to break a pair of forged trucks; chances are you will barely bend them if you bend them at all.
Forged trucks are heavier than CNC precision and cast since there is more aluminum crammed into the same amount of space, this makes them stronger and denser. Sabres are the exception since they have pleny of cutouts for weight reduction.
From the forging process there can also be some small imperfections, something that doesn’t happen with CNC precision. Most imperfections can be ruled off as just cosmetic, the crucial parts of the truck should of the truck should be machined to take care of any possible problems. With Savants the pivot, pivot hole, and kingpin hole are all machined. It would’ve been nice to have them extend that to machining the bushing seat for a perfect fit.
What you get with the Paris V3s
Paris made sure their crisp new trucks came with a familiar feeling to the cast version, it only looks and feels better. Here’s everything that came with the trucks.
Savants are 180mm with built in 1mm speed rings, which would make it 182mm if you’re running built-in bearings.
The hangers are made out of 6061 aluminum with a T6 heat treatment, much stronger than the cast counter parts.
They come with grade 12 axles fitted into the hanger with a patented captive lock system. Only drawback is that they’re not replaceable.
The race inspired pivot is much thinner than the ones in the cast trucks, there is also a lot more urethane surrounding it. The pivot cup is a hand-poured 96A urethane cup; the fit is pretty tight and seems to be self-lubricated as well, big improvement from the cast version.
These are Paris self-lubricated bushings and made in the USA. For being stock they feel surprisingly good, they’re 90A.
There’s a “slop stopper”. Same concept as Riot plugs, this one is in 96A. The slop stopper does exactly that, it eliminates unwanted slop around the kingpin and dampens the ride a bit more.
A cupped washer and a machined sleeved washer, it’s a nice touch and it’s perfect for most riders.
The baseplate is cast sadly. Paris baseplates are not the strongest but no worries, you can grab any Paris or Randal compatible baseplate like Valkyrie Hildr or PNL baseplates. The pivot cups are not compatible though, you’ll have to use the Savant pivot cup.
A main complaint with cast Paris trucks was the slop, the bushing seat was too open and the bushings would move around while turning. This issue is mostly fixed with Savants – the roadside bushing seat doesn’t hug the bushing completely on the side closer to the pivot, but the bushings don’t dance around since the top part and the boardside seat keep it in place. The bushing seat is still absurdly open but the bushings won’t move around as much, the slop stopper also helps with this.
Here it is all assembled. Everything fits nicely, no noticeable points where it could slop. The finish is top notch – genuine anodized finished with the laser etched name and the Paris logo on the baseplate.
Setting up the Paris Savant V3s
The stock 90A bushing felt a bit soft using the 43° baseplates, so they were changed out for some Sabre 93A bushings. I’m using a 31” wheelbase.
With the 50° baseplate stock bushings feel great. Consider upgrading, but really it is not necessary. Our friend Diego is using his for freestyle and dancing. Stock everything at a 26“ wheelbase.
Setup on the top: Omen Carbon Matrix, Divine Touch, Paris Savants 43° with 93A Sabre bushings all around.
Setup on the bottom: 992 Freedom, Koston Carlos, Paris Savants 50° with stock bushings.
Riding the Paris Savant V3s
Savants are forged, they’re noticeably heavier than the casts. The added weight makes them less ideal for freestyling and LDP.
The divey feel of Paris trucks is still very much there, but it’s not as exaggerated as in the cast trucks. The Savants aren’t as lively but a whole lot more stable.
Since the axles are perfectly straight, the trucks grip more – the release and hook up while sliding becomes more defined. This makes them a lot better for downhill and freeride than the cast counter parts.
The 43° baseplates were a big surprise, the trucks felt incredibly lively and responsive. Low angle raked trucks work out pretty well, the turn felt like a mix between a cast Ronin and an Aera. They have a lot more lean than the 50° baseplate and you can feel the center being more defined, this makes them easier to pump and a lot more fun for downhill and freeride.
The 50 baseplates felt very similar to the cast version, again with that muted liveliness. They’re still great for all your dancing and freestyle needs, and will take a beating much better than the cast version. They are a bit more restrictive and heavier than the cast counterparts so some folk will be reluctant to use them for that, but here are a couple of friends rocking Paris Savants and cast Paris trucks.
To describe the with one word, they just feel better. The cast trucks are still a more viable option for LDP, dancing, freestyle and cruising.
Conclusion
Paris did a fantastic job with the Savants. They stayed true to what makes Paris Paris while addressing all the little issues they have and delivering it in a sharp looking and well performing truck.
Was it what I expected? No, I was hoping for the divey feeling of the trucks to be toned down a bit more though it is still very good. They perform great, look good and are pretty affordable.
Should you get them? That depends, if you want Paris in all their crazy turning glory for dancing, freestyle, LDP or carving you should probably get the cast version. If you want a very similar feeling to cast Paris but with a bit more control and durability look into Savants.