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Choosing the right Skateboard
Here you'll find useful tips on all the different components that make up a skateboard, their differences, and how to choose the right board for you.
Decks:
Most decks are constructed from 7 to 9 layers of hard rock maple wood. The
layers are laminated together under hydraulic presses, cut to shape, sanded
and then finished. So, what’s the difference and how do you pick the right
board? The differences range in overall length, width and the concaveness
of the board.
As a general rule, wider boards like 8"-8.5" may appeal more to Vert (ramp)
skaters. Narrow boards like 7.5"-7.75" typically appeal to street or trick
skaters.
From our experience, the most popular size boards for street skating will
fall between 7.50" and 8" in width.
Trucks:
The truck is the part of your skateboard that bolts on to your deck and
holds the wheels in place. There are many parts that fit together to make
up a truck such as the Axle, Hanger, King Pin, Bushings and Baseplate.
The Axle is the longest part of the truck that is threaded at the very ends
for the wheels to mount on.
The Hanger is the part that houses the axle and also mounts to the king pin
and bushings.
The Kingpin and bushings are what secures the hanger to the baseplate.
The Bushings allow the hanger to pivot which will allow the board to turn.
There are different durometers or hardnesses of bushings which will effect
the maneuverability of the truck.
Finally, the Baseplate is the bottom portion of the truck that bolts on to
the board. Most trucks these days have a standard 4 hole pattern to fit any
deck.
Bearings:
The bearing is the small component that fits inside the wheel. The bearing
allows the wheel to turn and fit onto the truck axle.
There are 2 bearings that fit tightly in each side of the wheel. Most bearings
are rated with a number system by a committee called the Annular Bearing and
Engineering Council or ABEC. The higher the rating number, the faster the
bearing. Typically, bearings are rated as ABEC 1,3,5 or 7.
Some bearings are sealed which means that you cannot remove the shield of
the bearing to clean the ball bearings inside. Other bearings are called Serviceable
which means that you can remove the shields to clean and relube each ball
bearing.
Make sure that you keep your bearings clean and dry! Bearings will rust if
they stay wet. Throughout the life of a bearing, it will slowly leek the oil
or grease inside. When this happens, you will begin to hear the sound of metal
bearings spinning on top of each other. This is your que to replace them!
To increase the life of your bearings, we recommend: Keep them dry. Wipe the
dirt off the surface of the bearing. Soak the bearings in citrus cleaner.
Never use WD-40!. This product will speed up the removal of the oil or grease
in the bearing.
Wheels:
Skateboard wheels are made of a very hard urethane composite. Most wheels
come in a variety of sizes ranging from 49mm to 72mm in diameter. They also
vary in durometer which is the hardness rating that ranges from 90 to 101.
The higher the number, the harder the wheel.
All wheels have a standard size center core that will fit and house all skate
bearings. The bigger the wheel the faster the ride. With each revolution of
the wheel, it will travel further, which will get you there quicker. The harder
wheel will be faster and give you a rougher ride because it is not as absorbent
of the vibrations The softer wheel will be slower and give you a smoother
ride. It will also wear quicker because of the softer urethane.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both. It all depends on your style
of skating. If you are a Vert skater or Longboarder, you would typically want
a bigger and softer wheel. The bigger wheel will give you more speed and stability
for this style of skating. Longboarders prefer bigger and softer wheels for
speed and better control over the cracks and bumps in the road.
If your style is more for street or trick skating, go with a smaller wheel
from 49mm-58mm. This size will lend itself better to sliding tricks like Blunts
and Powerslides.
Riser Pads:
Riser pads will serve several purposes. First off, they will elevate your trucks from your deck to help prevent "wheel bite". Wheel bite is when your wheels rub your deck on a hard landing or turn. Second, risers will soften your ride. In addition, they will absorb a lot of shock from a hard landing which could help prevent the splitting of the wood between the truck holes.
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