By James R Shaw

Types of Skateboards

If you’re into skateboarding, you’re obviously familiar with the standard short skateboard, but have you ever seen someone ride a longboard? Other than the difference in length, I bet you wonder how these two types of boards are different. Keep reading to learn the similarities and differences of the skateboard and the longboard.

A longboard is just a skateboard that’s much longer than usual, and used for longboarding (as opposed to skateboarding). Instead of street style skating using ramps and pipes, longboards are almost always used for downhill racing, getting from point a to point b, or cruising around town. Longboarding is compared to surfing, like “surfing on land” or “surfing on concrete”. The design of the longboard allows big turns and quick carves just like the surfers do.

People say that longboarding started in southern California where riders enjoyed rolling hills and streets, but some believe longboarding started in Hawaii. You’ll notice longboarders will wear gloves and a helmet at a minimum. Longboarders participating in downhill races will wear special gloves to protect their hands while maneuvering the board (this is done in a lying position). Of course wrist, knee, and elbow padding is always recommended, especially for a beginner.

Most longboards are 35-60 inches long. Shorter boards can still be called longboards if their main purpose is the same as longboarding (cruising, downhill racing, travel). Longboards come in all kinds of shapes such as: pintails, flat nose, and boards shaped like a longer shortboard. Pintails allow looser trucks and larger wheels to be installed for more of a smooth surfing feel.

Longboard wheels can be much larger than regular skateboard wheels. The size difference is because smaller wheels have to spin faster to maintain the same speed, so larger wheels create less friction for a faster and smoother ride. Smaller wheels sometimes have problems with sticks, rocks, and cracks in the street or sidewalk. The larger the wheel size, the less likely it will stop rolling, and more likely to just roll over the obstruction.

There are a few types of trucks specific to longboards, which make the boards easier to use for downhill racing. Two of these are called Randal R-I Downhill style trucks and Torsion trucks.

Board builders have a variety of materials like fiberglass, bamboo, and even a foam core.  If you’re thinking of building your own skateboard or longboard, everything can be purchased on the internet or local skateshop, including board building instructions.

You may also read longboard skateboard, longboard and skateboarding experience

By Lorenzo Green

Longboard Skateboard

Thanks to “Nervous Ned” on Silverfish I found someone who would actually road a 100 inch beast. Ned said that it was in 2005 at the New Jersey Fatboy Garage Fest. So it’s no longer an 88 inch record, we are up to 100 now.

A guy called George won the “longest board” contest by riding a homemade 100 inch board (carving, board walking, sliding, and racing), and i think he actually came in third place in the downhill race somehow. It was amazing watching him drifting 90-degree corners around the garage. He won pie that day.

I’m sure this kid looks no older then 17, decent effort for the board! Congrats George!

After writing this post I found the official “Longest Longboard Skateboard World Record.

After the two previous Longboard Skateboard World Records I talked about were impressive and I thought they would not get any longer. But no! Here is the official longest longboard ever built!
Longboard

Ever thought you had seen some longboards that are just to long? Well check out this one! It would sure make things interesting if you wanted to turn sharply on it. But would be the king of board walking kings!

Introducing the worlds Largest Longboard “Texas Rolling Thunder” - 80 inch a massive solid wood juggernaut - 80 inch long with dual tandem trucks Titanium bearings. Rock steady on downhill rolls. Comes complete with custom soul kryptonic wheels.

I tried hunting the “World’s Shortest Shortboard” but it seems no one has taken that title yet. I wonder how short it can get; you would probably end up looking like you just had rollerskates on. World’s Longest Longboard wins!

You may also read longboard, skateboarding exprience and skateboard maneuver

By Wikipedia

A longboard is a skateboard with a longer and sometimes wider shape used for longboarding. They are most commonly used for cruising, downhill racing or transportation. Longboards can be shaped in various different ways, depending on the type of riding intended. Their greater weight and bulk makes them less suitable for many skateboarding tricks, but contributes to a fluid motion by providing more momentum. Longboarding is often compared to surfing on concrete, and the design allows big turns or quick short carves similar to a surfboard.

Longboarding became popular alongside emerging surfing culture through the mid 1950s. Longboarding may have originated in California where the streets gave ground to many longboarders due to the rolling hills but some believe it is a product of Hawaiian origin.

Longboard equipment is very similar to skateboard equipment. It is most common for longboarders to wear gloves and a helmet. Wrist, elbow and knee protection are always recommended. Also in the sliding discipline, riders wear “slide gloves” which are a specialized sliding glove made out of a strong material such as leather that has plastic pucks adhered to the palm.

Most longboards measure between 90 and 150 cm (35.4-60 inches). Shorter boards may still be referred to as longboards when their main purpose is in line with that of longboarding (i.e. downhill & cruising). There are several different shapes of longboards including but not limited to: pintails, flat nose riders, and boards shaped like a longer shortboard. Pintails permit looser trucks and larger diameter wheels better suited for carving or a “surfy” feel. Mid-length boards, 94-127 cm (37-50 inches) are the most versatile.

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skateboarding experience, skateboard maneuver and cheap skateboards

By Asep Kurniawan

Skateboard Experience

Now that you are good at skateboarding, you will definitely want to have a pro grade skateboard. Basically, there are two ways you can get a pro grade skateboard. The first is by buying one that is completely assembled with all high quality materials installed, and the other is by assembling it piece by piece with different brands of wheels, boards, and trucks and bearings to accurately suit your riding needs.

You can always buy a complete pro grade skateboard. But, if you want a skateboard that fits your preferences, you should try building your own custom board.

The first thing that you need to do is pick the deck size. The length and the thickness depend on the tricks that you plan on performing and the width will depend on your feet size.

Skateboard wheels are also an important factor that you should know. Different skateboard wheels come in different colors as well as sizes and degrees of hardness.

For vert and transition, you will need larger skateboard wheels in order to get a faster roll. If you do verts or transitions try 55 to 65mm wheels. For street or technical, get smaller wheels with a hardness of 97 to 101. The skateboard will be a lot slower in rolling, allowing you to do technical tricks easily as well as have wheels that can withstand a lot of pressure.

The bearings are also important. These are metal rings that fit inside the skateboard wheels. As a skateboarder, you will want bearings that are precise and durable. So, go for 3 or 5 ABEC rating on the bearings you choose. This will be smooth enough when you ride your board and durable enough that it will not break when you jump on your board.

The trucks are another important part that you should carefully choose. These are axles that connect the board to your wheels. To choose the truck that you need, you will need to match the truck side to the deck or your board. The bushings in the truck are also an important factor to consider. For vert, you will need stiffer bushings and for street, you will need softer bushings to allow you to turn easily.

The truck height will also vary. Lower trucks will make it easier for you to flip the board and are very stable. However, lower trucks will mean smaller wheels. If you do verts, which will require speed, you will need larger trucks to accommodate larger wheels.

These are the things that you need to remember when building a custom pro grade skateboard. Also, try getting a good grip tape, risers and other hardware, such as nuts and screws.

If you want a good board, you will want one that is made with high quality materials. So, if you want a skateboard that will accommodate your riding needs, try building a custom pro grade skateboard.

You may also read skateboard maneuver, cheap skateboards and skateboard parts

By Asep Kurniawan

Skateboard Maneuver

Knowing how to go back and forth on a skateboard is one thing. However, you also have to remember that there is more to skateboarding than just riding it forward, stopping, and then riding back to where you came from.

If you know how to ride the skateboard comfortably, then it is time for you to learn about the different basic maneuvers that you can do with your skateboard.

One basic skateboarding skill is Kickturning. This particular skill can be easy to look at but it is rather complicated or confusing to do it. In this skill, you will need to have good balance on your skateboard.

Kickturning is basically where you will balance your back wheels for movement and swinging the front of the board to go in a new direction. This takes some practice to master and a lot of balance.

Before you start, make sure that all you are wearing all of your safety skateboarding equipments are to prevent injuries during falls when practicing.

The first thing you need to learn is how to balance your body and skateboard on two wheels, particularly the back wheel. Try to practice it on the carpet or on the grass outside to prevent it from rolling too much which can send your skateboard flying off and land your bottom on the pavement.

To balance the skateboard on two wheels, you need to get your back foot across the tail and your front foot just behind the front trucks. Try imagining your foot when you are going to attempt an Ollie. This is the same stance that you need to have to attempt Kickturns.

Keep your knees bent and relaxed. Your shoulders should be level to the skateboard deck.

Then shift your weight to your back foot. Just a bit of weight shift is good. Now, lift your front foot just a little. This will make the front of your skateboard pop up. To turn to the direction you want to go to, just rotate your back foot to the left or right along with your body.

Try practicing the duckwalk with kickturns. This will be like shifting the board from left to right with the kick turns. This will improve your balance and enable you to practice your kickturns.

You should also practice the tic tac. This is where you combine the left and right kickturns. Try doing a little kickturn to the left and another to the right. Do this continuously and you will be able to a great skateboard maneuver.

You may fall when attempting to do kickturns on the first few attempts but this is natural. Almost everyone falls when practicing this move. By knowing how to kickturn, you will be well on your way in becoming a good skateboarder.

You may also read cheap skateboards, skateboard parts and buy skate shoes

By Johnny Sogaard

Cheap Skateboards

Before you read on, you should know that our purpose writing it is to hand out as much valuable info about cheap complete skateboards, as we can fit on our page When people are beginning to skateboard, they usually make mistakes picking out their first deck.

Either people buy the cheapest complete skateboard that they can find and sacrifice quality, or they buy something too good and risk making a big investment in a board they will quickly trash or get sick of. Both of these approaches are wrong. You can find cheap complete skateboards to start you off, but you have to know what to look for.

The first thing is to not buy cheap complete skateboards in a toy store before you check out a skate shop. This may sound self-evident, but to many people it isn’t. A lot of people don’t even bother to go to a skate shop or a sporting goods store. They buy the cheapest skate board they can find as soon as they can find it. A lot of these skateboards are little more than toys. They can be frustrating and difficult to ride on, and will ultimately simply serve to discourage you from skateboarding. If you go a step up from this, however, you can get a lot more bangs for your buck. For only 20 dollars more, you get a good quality cheap complete skateboard that will grow with you.

If you liked the first section of this article, stay tuned because we have more to follow in the next section! The great thing about cheap complete skateboards is that you can customize and change them, as you get better.

When your bearings were out, you can buy better bearings if you feel ready to move up. The same goes for the wheels, the deck, the hardware you name it and you can upgrade it. A lot of the time, people never buy new skateboards. They simply upgrade old ones one piece at a time.

Toy skateboards, on the other hand, often cannot be upgraded. When you want to move on, you have to buy a whole new deck. Although this isn’t a bad thing for everyone, it can require a moderately large investment once you are ready to move beyond the very beginning stages of boarding. If you buy a slightly better board, however, you will be able to learn tricks on it before you even have to upgrade. You can paint it, adjust it you name it. You can even buy complete skateboards cheap in the same style as your favorite pro.

The components will probably not be quite the same, but the look will be close. Riding cheap complete skateboards that have the same appearance as the board used by your favorite skater can be inspiring. What you have learned while reading this interesting article about cheap complete skateboards, is knowledge that you can keep with you for a lifetime.

You may also read : skateboard parts, buy skate shoes and buy skateboard deck

By Anne Clarke

Skateboard Parts

The origins of skateboarding are tricky, at best. Some consider it erupted out of an accidental phenomenon-that is, when kids on soap-boxes in the 1930s and 1940s detached the box from the soap-box cart off the plank and attached rollerskate wheels to the plank. Others argue the sport began as a pre-meditated move by Southern California surfers in an effort to recreate the smooth carving motion of surfing on land. Whatever the origin, skateboarding has caught on. Not only are skateboards widely available for purchase, but also cities are covered with sometimes gated, concrete areas designated for skateboarding. Skateboards are made up of the following parts: Skateboard Deck, Skateboard Bearings, Skateboard Hardware, Skateboard Trucks and Skateboard Wheels.

Skateboard decks are usually 7-ply maple planks that are anywhere from 7-10 ½ inches wide. Wide planks are used for trick-skating, while skateboards in the 7-8 ½ inch range are used for street-skating. Decks usually have “grip tape” on the top of them. This tape adheres to the top of the deck, while the surface provides a sandpaper material, which helps the individual “grip” the board. Bearings help mount the deck on an axle. Most bearings are graded according to a scale called an ABEC scale. Industrial “608″ size bearings are standard and bearings are usually made of steel.

Hardware consists of a set of bolts, usually 8 in a set (10-32 bolts). An allen (or crosshead) is also part of hardware. Additionally, self-lock nylock nuts are used.

Skateboards have two metal trucks, which are usually an aluminum alloy. These connect the wheels to the deck. The baseplate is screwed to the deck and the hanger holds the axle. There are also rubber grommets or bushings between the hanger and the baseplate, which help the board maneuver and turn. The stiffer the bushings or rubber grommets, the stiffer the turn. The bushings also cushion. Wheels are made of polyurethane. Sizes and shapes are suited for different types of skating, such as street or trick skating. Smaller sizes keep the deck closer to the ground, which requires less force to speed up or slow down. The hardness of the wheel also affects the overall performance. Hardness is usually measured by durometer ‘A’ scale. Optional parts include: Lapper, Nose guard, Rails, Risers, (Angled) Risers, Grip tape and Tail guard.

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Buy Skate Shoes, Buy Skateboard Deck & Skateboard Gear

By Diana D. Claire

Buy Skate Shoes

What is the most important equipment you should have when you play skateboard? It is obvious you have to own skateboard. If not possible you might borrow from someone else as long as you are comfortable with it. However, skateboard is not the only equipment you should have. You need skate shoes to complete it. Which skate shoes should you choose?

Probably if you facing this question, you will be confused since there are so many brands, colors, and price of skate shoes you can choose. You don’t want to pick wrong shoes, right? If you think you already have skate shoes, check it again! It may only just regular shoes which are look like skate shoes.

Skate shoes is variation of the classic tennis shoe which are made to provide the support and durability that a skateboarder needs. Every new skateboarder player needs shoes. If you keep using regular shoes when skating, it will be harder for you to make a jump or other attraction and even sometimes dangerous. Skate shoes are also used to avoid accident because of it thick soles.

Skate shoes need to have a strong ollie pad to make the shoe last longer and should also have a thick sole so the shoe manages to stay strong. Skate shoes are also worn by bicycle BMX riders to grip the pedals and for the thick soles that can act as brakes. Skate shoes are built with a large flat bottom, to better grip the board, and often with other features like reinforcement in areas where you’ll likely wear the shoe down.

There are different brands of skate shoes at the market, we can mention some of them are DC Skateboarding Shoes, Vans Skateboarding Shoes; Fallen Footwear; Globe Shoes; Nike SB; Osiris; Emerica; IPath; and Adio. Every shoe performs different advantage. There are shoes which are treated to block out water, snow and slush, with extra tread. Perfect for snowskates and snow days. But there are also which have memory foam inside the shoes that shapes to your foot, and no tongue. Most skateboarding shoes are made for men and women skateboarders.

So, are your skate shoes have fulfilled all those condition? If so, now you are ready to roll. If you’re a newcomer, start by checking your skateboard. Make sure you comfortable with it. Wear your skate shoes properly and if you want to be safer, wear helmet and other protective pads for your knee and elbow. Enjoy

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Buy Skateboard Deck, Skateboard Gear & Skateboard Helmet

By: Todd Martin

The largest part of any skateboard is its deck. This is the part of the skateboard where you stand on and the rest of the parts are attached to it. The deck plays a very crucial role in your ability to control and maneuver the skateboard as a whole. Smaller sized people are able to do more with a thin deck than larger people.

Yet, if you have a definite size of deck in mind, you want to get one that is a correct match for your body. The typical deck size is from 7 inches to 8 inches. What you want to be able to do the most with your skateboard is significant to consider, when you select a deck. If you want to be able to do a range of flips and tricks you want to have smaller sized decks.
It will be practical to select one that is at least 32″ in length. Also, pay a close attention to the set up of the nose and tail of the skateboard deck to be able to perform your type of skating on it. The more curved the deck is in these areas the easier it will be for you to perform an array of tricks. If your goal is to be able to successfully learn to do more complicated tricks then this type of skateboard decks may be what you need in order to do so.
You should never decide on a skateboarding deck based on the look of it alone. What good is such a skateboard deck if you aren’t happy with what you can do with it? You definitely don’t want it to be showpiece taking up space in your room. Also, you absolutely want to invest in a good quality deck like Flip skateboard decks that will last you longer.

In order to find the most excellent deck for you, use your time to find the proper skateboard deck for your style of skating and your skillfulness. If you don’t, you may be upset with the overall skateboard. It could simply be that they don’t have the correct equipment to perform on. A good number of retailers of such items know the significance of that.

With the popularity of the skateboarding soaring to new highs, As a result; various brands of skateboard decks come up, such as Sec9 Channel 9. Plan B skateboard decks, Zoo York skateboard decks etc. You can find professional skateboard decks in goskateorgohome.com which is an online skateboards and accessories supplier providing many brands of complete skateboards and accessories.

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Skateboard Gear, Skateboard Helmet & How To Do Skateboarding Tricks

By Dean Erickson

Skateboard Gear

That sounds obvious, but there are so many things to consider when buying a product that it’s easy to get lost in the information superhighway that is the Internet.

Read up on the history of the sport, the tricks, the boards and the gear. Work out what sort of skateboarding you want to do. Do you want to skateboard at a ramp, or on the street? Your answers will play a big role in choosing the type of board that will be best for you.

So, once you decide on the type of skateboarding you want to do you’ll be able to better match the type of deck (board) that’s for you. There are so many skateboard decks to choose from. They come in various shapes and sizes and differing weights and strengths. There are flatter decks or more concave decks. There’s a deck for everyone.

Skateboard manufacturing companies are always looking to improve board design, so you’ll find decks made of plastic or fiberglass, but the most popular type of deck is a wooden deck.

The brand names abound: Element, Tony Hawk (the Michael Jordan of skateboarding), Girl, Habitat, Santa Cruz, Toy and Enjoi, to name a new. An Internet search will bring up the relevant websites. Browse through and read about board technology, sizes and shapes.

The most popular deck is the standard 7 ply maple deck. The Habitat “Skylite” board is made of 5 ply maple, which makes it lighter, while the Element “Fiberlight” has a strip of fiberglass, which according to the company website, makes it able to better “withstand intense abuse”.

Wider decks (over 8″) are more suitable for transition/vert work, while street tricks demand a narrower board. If you just want to cruise around a wider board is more comfortable.

Skateboards have wheels, and wheels come in a variety of colors, sizes and degrees of hardness. Read up on wheel diameter (height of wheel) and durometer (hardness of wheel). In short, remember that wheel size means speed and wheel hardness means stability.

Shopping for skateboarding deals online is so easy if you take your time. Type “skateboard offers” into your favorite search engine and start browsing and comparing prices. Sites like Skateboard.com and Skatewarehouse.com are good places to start.

Speciality shoes will make your riding experience easier and safer. Skate shoes have a large flat bottom which is better able to grip the board. Some have heel airbags and gel pads for added safety. It’s not silly, it’s smart.

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Skateboard Helmet, How To Do Skateboarding Tricks & Skateboarding Trick