Kurt Tierney, Tierney Rides Interview by Rod Walters

The Tierney Rides T-board is the wheeled board chosen by the U.S. and Canadian national snowboard teams as a cross trainer. But besides its value in maintaining off-season snowboarding skills, the T-board is also well-known among longboard and skateboard enthusiasts as a ride with a difference. Tierney have generously provided SnowJapan.Com with two T-boards, one for the Department of Testing and Review, and one for a giveaway (open to all Snow Japan members)

The boards also came with an introductory video. It shows riders carving mellow loops across gentle slopes, or straight-lining it at 36 k/h as caught by a radar checker. There are scenes of slalom racers in leather suits whopping cones, and sk83rs doing tricks. A short but very entertaining section hints at some of the hazards involved as people part company with their boards. And there’s a visually stimulating scene taken at a show -- a leggy young woman is getting to grips with riding the T-board on a sloped rotating belt and is finding her rhythm -- very nice.

I asked the co-inventor of the T-board, Kurt Tierney, some questions about his board and where he’s taking it.

How long does it take to get good enough that you are not in danger of falling off suddenly?
Average people can pick it up in 10 to 15 minutes with basic riding instructions and a small slope. Good snowboarders and surfers pick it up in the first 3-5 minutes. Some skateboarders have a hardest time because they have very loose ankles and usually refuse advice.

Can you bring the board to a complete stop like on a snowboard? Is stopping with the heel side edge possible?
Yes! You can stop just like a snowboard, but you may want to set up your carve and use the Indy rubber tire on the back truck, if not, rubber tires in front and back.
(Carving is adjustable by loosening the trucks, and with Torsion Rings of varying hardness.)

Do Skyhooks work well with the board? Are they recommended or not?
Yes! Skyhooks work great. We normally use and sell them for 38" decks since they are not as heavy as the 41". We have many pro snowboarders that have been training on skateboard half pipes and can pull off multiple snowboard tricks.
  

Skyhooks - bolt these on for simple bindings
  

Is jumping the board possible?
Yes! Snowboard style jumps use skyhooks, or ollie it just like a skateboard.

Have you heard of any serious injuries from riding the boards? I’ve read of broken ankles from falls…
Nope, I've taught more people than anyone and had 2 wrists and one shoulder injury. You can get hurt if you like bombing hills but the T-board is the best board for speed. No speed wobbles, no wheel bite and anyone can learn to control their speed when they have Indy rubber wheels. Contrary to what one might think, the T-board tends to strengthen ankles -- because, riding it requires one to keep their ankles stiff.
  

  
Do the tires wear out? If so, how quickly?
Yes, the tires will wear out like all skateboard wheels. Try to stay on the smoother surfaces. The good news is that with a belt sander you can sand down the worn out wheels and get a very long life out of them.

What is it like to ride on grass, or dirt? Is the board durable enough for that?
The Indy rubber wheels work well on hard dirt and grass. We have air filled tires coming out next. They are unbelievable!!

Just how fast does it go? Is there a known speed record?
Corey Clifford from Squaw Valley has broken 70 mph on all 3 attempts. It's scary how stable this board is at high speeds. I shouldn’t have to say this, but anyone riding at high speeds should wear full protective gear.
  

Gravity Games

  
Can you tell me a bit more about the training wheels? What do they actually do? Who are they for?
They are good for young kids or beginners who don't have the confidence to get up to stable speed. Just like learning to ride a bike, you need a little speed to learn. We start these riders off on training wheels, then make sure their ankles are stiff and switch them to a regular T-Ride.

The website says the board is directional, so make sure you are moving toward the front end of the board. Does that mean riding switch can’t be done, or is inadvisable? What actually makes the board directional?
Standard set up is Yellow torsion ring (loosest) in the front and Blue (stiffest) in the back truck. This Set up is best for all around riding. If you want a more freestyle set up you can switch out to 2 reds or 2 greens. I like red front and green in the back to ride switch.

The truck with rubber Indy wheel

What practical difference does the Snowboard Geometry and Skateboard Geometry make?
Not much, length, weight?? The skateboard deck is much better for smaller kids.

Snowboard Geometry

Are there any places in the world that specifically welcome T-board riding, or that rent out boards?
We have many ski/summer resorts that allow demos in designated areas.

How many people are there at Tierney Rides?
Eight full time and many reps.

What sort of people are they?
Snowboarders.

Where is the company heading in terms of products, marketing, and expansion?
We are currently working with many possible investors with 2 new products and to organize a National sponsored demo tour.

Is a specifically off-road version of the T-board in the works?
Yes! It will blow you away!!!

In which country are the most boards sold?
The U.S. -- Boston and Seattle are our two best cities.

Do you sell most of your boards over the Web?
Half.

What does the X-Games race in Whistler mean for your company and product? How did it go? Can you give me a link?
It was great!!! We ran individual Best Time races and held Dual Cross races with giant slalom cones set up. We had several exciting close finishes, where drafting and positioning decided the winner. All of the riders loved it. We had a big turn out of spectators who really cheered us on. And, we got an open invite to come back to race in Whistler in the future. We definitely plan to hold more races in the future. It was a big success and a blast!

Can you give me a link to some info?
A little of it is already on our website, but much more will be added soon (pictures, video, rider bios.)

The website sometimes calls the board a ‘skateboard’ and then stresses that it isn’t a skateboard. Is it hard to find an identity for a unique product like the T-board?
The T-board is a street board for flatland or downhill. We let riders decide by testing it out. If they give it a fair test on a small hill they love it!

In my local skate shop, there’s a longboard with trucks that look very similar to the T-board’s. Apparently it was purchased in the States. Do you know of any other similar boards?
Many have tried to come out with a true snowboard cross trainer, but the T-board is the only one accepted by the top riders, coaches, gravity games and X-Games.

What is like to invent and market a product like this? What were the milestones along the way? Are you going to be a rich man?
Everyone tells us we will be rich once they try the T-board, but we will continue to invest everything and more to keep on spreading the best street carve BUZZ. We need a smart investor so we can grow at a much more rapid rate.

As for milestones, there are many. One of the coolest was when our manager of sales went to meet with the U.S. Olympic Snowboard team, not knowing what to expect, just hoping to get a few more of the guys turned on to our board. The entire team, coaches and all had already heard the buzz and were dying to try it and heaped on tons of praise. It’s very validating to get praise from athletes of that caliber.
 

I really enjoyed the video. Are any of the people featured you or your family?
Did you see the girl on the simulator? [How could I miss her??] The video has Tyler Tierney on it and a few guys I know. It’s funny seeing people I don’t even know riding in our video. A lot of the people featured in the video are snowboard instructors or good snowboarders who are riding the board for the first time. It’s amazing how quickly people who snowboard pick it up.

Do you have a Team, or are you thinking of starting one?
Yes, our team is mostly Pro U.S. and Canadian snowboarders. We hope to open up our races next year to anyone.

Sponsored riders?
Yes, many.

What is the sporting background of the inventors and/or team members?
I snowboard. My brother snowboards and skateboarded growing up. Team members all snowboard, skate, and surf.

Where’s your favorite snowboard resort?
Whistler BC, then Squaw Valley CA.

Is the company equipped to do business in Japan, and if yes, how?
Yes, we have a Japanese distributor.

People often ask what’s different about your board? We like to say, anything with more than two wheels and you’re steering a platform, not carving on an edge. Also, you can have a car, which turns really well, but it will never feel like a motorcycle!