I deleted the post.  That was a pointless thing to say.  I really gotta think before I post sometimes.

Well, even if they make bocking look awkward and don't show much interesting, it still looks strange enough to look at on the web.  And if anyone looks on Youtube for Powerisers...

Still, they put bocking on the wrong show, or perhaps at the wrong time.  Today's bocking is an extreme sport, not green transport.  Perhaps in a few years, good springs will be cheap and Up-Wing style bocks will be the norm, and running to get around will be feasible.  I hopefully await that day.  The bocks of tomorrow compared with the bocks of today will probably be like a good aluminum-framed hybrid bike compared with a velocipede.

It sucks that they did such a bass-ackwards editing job.  I'd really like to see bocking represented in all its glory.  Usually it's just a few clips demonstrating the extreme limits of what bockers can do and the rest is the idiot interviewer trying to get his balance.  Perhaps the TV figureheads have too much influence on the editing?

Mr Frank ive got to hand it to u.  u have got the best contraptions out of all of us in my opinion for big ball

Most of my good designs are based on something I saw.  Sadly, I seem to be a bit lacking in the ability to come up with something novel, but I can easily turn someone else's idea into a monster.  For example, my big ball was based on someone else's design that used a ramp to get on top.  The only things I perfected on my own were linking wheels for more power and the big glitch ball.

On the thought of various forms of glitch balls, it seems that the more symmetrical they are, the more stable.  Somewhat lopsided or uneven ones are crazier, but if the complicated ones are too crazy, they usually destroy themselves before they can do anything interesting.  What I'm wondering about this is whether they are crazier because they glitch worse, or the rapid spinning when they glitch just has a greater affect because they aren't perfectly balanced.

The principle behind this one is totally mine, though.  I think you may find it... familiar. Reach Up

Why scoot under when over is so much cooler?

Aerial Insertion

And an unorthodox solution for four balls.

I'm a know-it-all.  That's just what I do.  I enjoy collecting and dispensing information.

It depends partly on which 7league model you get.  S-Rex springs will not fit onto Poweriser frames, for example, and some other parts of the frames may be incompatible.  Hooves and bindings can be swapped, though.  However, T-Rexes and Raptors are totally interchangeable.

Getting back to the original post, which is a serious problem.

You are both unlucky and the black springs are fragile.  You're part of a small wave of people with black spring problems.  It seems that Flying Locust put out another bad batch.  You should use the warranty to get the other spring replaced too(the one that's flaking), or just get 7league springs and never have to worry again.

I think my spine bows a bit to the left but never really noticed till I started bocking.

He isn't big enough for the adult model.  Perhaps if he's exceedingly tall for his age, but at his weight he would proably be best served by children's models anyway.  If he's an athletic kid, perhaps F40 might be the best.  The community here doesn't know a whole lot about children's bocks because the adult models are greatly preferable if you're even close to big enough, but F30s or F40s are probably the best for him.

If he isn't set on a brand, it might be worth looking at Powerisers and 7leagueboots.  Poweriser springs are unusually stiff (but do not deliver more height) and their springs are one-size-fits-all for the kids' model.  Sounds bad, but Poweriser does have a much better track record of durability than Flyjumper.  The Thero from 7leagueboots will be totally superior in quality and the springs will feel softer while delivering the same height or more as F40 springs.  However, it costs 55 pounds more.

At nine years old, sounds like he's going to be a while on the kids' ones.  If you think it's safe to assume he will not get bored with it (finding people to bock with helps that, and any groups near you would be represented here), 7leagues would be worth it.  Their frames are strong and their springs are very high-quality and last a long time.  The hooves are also the toughest on the market, even outlasting Powerskips.  Powerisers are close in durability to 7leagues except for the hooves, but the springs start off too stiff and get softer over time.  Flyjumpers have intermediate quality springs but they have have a much higher rate of spring breaks than other brands.  However, softer springs are less fracture-prone, and F40 is about as soft as they get.  The only reas why I might not get Flyjumpers is that their bindings are really cheezy cloth straps.  Either other brand has plastic ratchets, which although they don't hold nearly as well as snowboard bindings (the method of choice here), should hold fine for a five-stone kid.
Oh, just looked again, Poweriser kiddie bocks have metal ratchets in close imitation of actual snowboard bindings, meaning they will have the best hold.  But like I hinted previously, it may be overkill.  Nobody really knows for sure here, as far as I know.

The decision is yours, I'd have a hard time deciding myself.  I hope you could make sense of that.  If they were my bocks I'd definitely want 7leagues, but it's your wallet and your kid.

More evidence that bocking attracts engineering junkies!  I've been glued to this game.  I'm one of those people that delight in making things way more complicated than necessary.  For example, here's my simple back & forth.  But I like this one much better.

Some other frivolous designs of mine:
the most awkward thing ever
the basket flinger
big glitch ball v2

and this one is really complicated, but the idea is simple and I don't consider it more than necessary.  To do unpossible without something complicated requires more creativity than I have.

Anyone figured out the tube yet?

How can you tell if it is a black spring or not?

You need a spectrometer, and not one of the cheap ones either.  Set it to examine from where the spring's material sticks out of its cover in the hoof.  Green or yellow springs (like Powerskip, Poweriser, 7leagues, old FL springs, and Skyrunners) will give readings somewhere in the 500-580 nanometer range, while black springs will read nothing but a relatively small amount of ambient light, although they may give readings outside the visible range.

Failing that, you can try looking at it.  The black springs will appear much darker in color than other colors of springs.

i feel as though it should be played ON bocks... but thats just my idiot opinion

I never said it directly because I thought it went without saying, but yes, Super Deathball would be played on bocks.  On foot it would probably be too easy, but it might still be fun.

Pushball on bocks could be interesting, too.  The bouncing would make it much more interesting than it is on foot.

I'm not sure you had the right machine there...  That one's for "Handling"?

It's easy to screw up the links here and put in the wrong one.

did u make any of them mr frank?

All of those were mine.
And here's a solution to up the hump, carostar.
Tug snake

But the newer models of FL stilts are compatible, right?

[Super Deathball!]

Here's a challenge for you. Think of a team sport using bocks. Something that is original, not like basketball  on bocks, etc. We need to come up with something that isn't just all aboubt bouncing and tricks ( not that there's anything wrong with that!).

I think I may have come up with something viable, if a bit dangerous.  It's not 100% original, but definitely something different.  Giant dodgeball.  Everyone goes onto a soft grassy field and puts on all their pads.  The goal of giant dodgeball is to be the last man standing, but you can only hit people with the big, cushy yoga ball, and you can't pick it up.  Kicking off the ground or punching/hitting in the air with any body part is acceptable.  If you get knocked over (or it can be played just to impact regardless of whether you remain standing), you're out of the game.

Playing teams, it might be a good idea to divide the field like standard dodgeball, but on a soccer/football field a free-for-all is feasible and would probably be more interesting to play.

To keep people away from each other, anyone involved in a person-to-person collision is out regardless of whether someone falls.  It should make enough sense for people to keep clear of each other.  Fouls are not tolerated.  Because bocking is so much more dangerous than being on foot, the perpetrator of a foul is out of the game and his team loses if they're playing teams.  It can be played where if you fall over on your own, you're out, but that would really depend on who's playing.  Excessive force on light people is frowned upon (Yoga balls can seriously take a kid down, look on Youtube if you don't believe me) and may result in the perpetrator getting called out, depending on how bad it is.  Picking up the ball makes you out, and ramming with it is a foul.

I think I like it.  It has a bit of the feel of jousting to me, absolutely no clue why, combined with my favorite gym class game and my favorite outdoor activity, plus I am of the opinion that yoga balls were never truly meant for yoga.  It could be a bit barbaric if played for falls rather than any hit, but the sports that have spectacular wipeouts always seem to get watched more.  It also requires a different set of skills from normal bocking.  You hardly have to jump at all.  It will take some serious skills to maneuver, dodge, and aim your kicks.

Any thoughts or opinions?  Suggestions?  Changes?  If anyone plays a game, I'd love to see it filmed. I'd like to see a better name for it too.  I'm currently unable to decide between giant dodgeball and...  get ready for it...
Super Deathball!
You have to say that one like a Japanese sports announcer for it to work right