Skateboard Explained: Everything for You to Know

Skateboarding is an extremal kind of sport that is represented by riding and performing various acrobatic tricks using a skateboard. In 2017, it was officially included in the list of Olympic kinds of sport. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be the first time when skateboarding competitions will be a part of such popular international competition. The given article is going to present the general information on this young kind of sport.

Skateboard Explained

A skateboard deck is the most important piece of equipment for the given sport. Its curved ends are called the nose and tail that are the front and back parts, correspondingly. These boards are made of a particular number of layers of maple (in general, it refers to 7 or 9 layers); these layers are perfectly pressed and glued to one another. Some decks also have an additional bottom layer that is made of plastic that is necessary to slide on handrails. The amount of glue directly influences the fact of how soon the deck will start destroying. As a rule, these decks are 80 cm long and 19-21 cm wide. Narrower decks are suitable for performing various flips, while wider decks result in easier and softer landing after flips and tricks.

In addition to that, every deck has so-called concaves that are represented by side bends that make it easier to perform the flips mentioned above. These bends can be of different depth, which depends on the type of deck. Furthermore, every deck can have different elasticity, which influences how high a person can jump from the given deck.

The list of the most popular skateboard deck producers consists of the following names:

• Real;
• Zero;
• Toy Machine;
• Santa Cruz;
• Creature;
• Flip;
• Element;
• Baker;
• Plan B;
• Almost.

Furthermore, decks are covered with griptape. It is a traditional flint-paper except for high resistance and self-adhesive base. It is required to contribute to better and more stable contact between the feet and the deck. In addition to that, this griptape makes it easier to perform flips and tricks. The most famous producers of griptape are as follows:

1. Jessup Griptape;
2. Grizzle,
3. M.O.B.;
4. Shake Junt;
5. Mouse;
6. Diamond;
7. Lucky;
8. Black Magi.

The bottom of a deck is equipped with trucks that will further hold the sakes. Sometimes, there are pieces of rubber between the deck and the trucks to protect the deck from high pressure. At the same time, special items can be used to increase the distance between the deck and the wheels.

There are different kinds of trucks depending on their weight and endurance. As a rule, the lighter the trucks are, the more fragile they are. However, heavier trucks make it difficult to perform flips. In this case, it is necessary to follow a single rule while creating or choosing a deck. It is reasonable to choose the trucks so that the wheels are entirely under the deck. They should not exceed its width, neither should they be placed too close to the center. The most famous producers are represented by the following names:

• Krux;
• Independent;
• Thunder;
• Tensor.

As for the wheels, they also can be of different diameter and rigidity. Their diameter influences the maximum speed and abilities of the deck. For example, it is easier to overcome various cracks, small stones, and plate joints on large wheels (62-99 mm in diameter). However, it should be mentioned that large wheels correspondingly result in heavier decks, which, in turn, leads to some riding peculiarities. Thus, the wheels of 52-60 mm in diameter are perfectly suitable for aggressive riding on a smooth surface.

Soft wheels make it impossible to ride on high speed for a significant period of time, but they are comfortable because they are able to absorb all inequalities. Consequently, it is easier to control the deck with the soft wheels. However, this positive effect has a negative side. The fact is that the perfect connection between the soft wheels and the road contributes to their frazzling. On the contrary, the rigid wheels make it easier to achieve and preserve a high speed, but they contribute to a strong vibration of the decks. That is why there is a clear distinction between the areas of applications of the two types of wheels – the soft ones are suitable for riding outdoors, while the rigid wheels are suitable for special courts and ramps.

Both sides of the wheels have special hollows that are suitable to place bearings there. In the world of skateboarding, ABEC bearings are universally used. These items and their quality make it possible to longer preserve the inertness of movement after a push and easier to achieve a particular speed.

Riding Techniques

At present, there are the following techniques:

1. Flatland. All the tricks and flips are performed on a flat surface (asphalt, plates, etc.) without any hindrances.
2. Street. Persons ride in the streets and use such obstacles as staircases, edging, benches, and others to perform flips.
3. Vert. All the flips are performed on a special ramp.
4. Park. This technique stipulates that persons ride in the specially constructed parks with a lot of artificially created obstacles.