Although we've seen at least one off-road skateboard with built-in suspension, aftermarket suspension systems for more traditional boards are few and far between. The designers at California-based Avenue Trucks, however, are out to change that. They claim that their suspension trucks should improve the skateboarding experience in several key ways.

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Unlike some other suspension skateboard trucks (such as those made by Seismic), Avenue Trucks don't incorporate coil-type shock absorbers. Instead, they utilize a simpler leaf spring-like design, where the magnesium main body of the truck is mounted on a folded-over metal baseplate that can flex by up to half an inch (12.7 mm).

The body is able to pivot relative to that plate and unlike traditional trucks, it features a "floating" pivot point that reportedly results in smoother turns and more control.