Skateboard how long

It looks and operates differently for both boards. On a skateboard, the trucks are rigid and narrower, making it easier to grind and land tricks of your choice. They're also the same size as the maximum width of the skateboard's deck. Longboards have a more flexible truck to give you a smoother ride, which is perfect for longboarders who want to cruise for long distances or race downhill. Longboards also hold wider trucks that usually measure around millimeters to millimeters.

For faster and smoother rides, the wheels of a longboard are large and soft. Skateboards have smaller and harder wheels to make it easier to shred rails, ledges, and gaps. If you plan to just cruise on your board, softer wheels give a smoother and more coordinated ride. If your goal is to learn and master new tricks but you've never stepped foot on a skateboard, try a longboard first.

Since they're larger and more stable, they're easier to balance on. Once you get more confident on a longboard, transition to a skateboard, and teach yourself how to balance better on a smaller board.

View All Episodes. Speed and Tricks. If you're still having a tough time deciding which board to go for, ask yourself why you're riding. Do you want to perform impressive tricks or zoom by at maximum speeds? Skateboards are perfect for riders who:. Want to learn new tricks. Grind rails. Skate mini ramps. Master kickflips. Conquer ollies.

Riders with longboards usually enjoy:. And they also buffer the obstacles on the road such as pebbles and cracks, making longer rides much more comfortable.

Smaller wheels on the skateboard make them ideal for balance and tricks, but they can easily be thrown off by road obstacles. Both skateboards and longboards get the initial thrust by pushing off the ground with one leg.

Traditional skateboards are great for ramps and tight turns and light weight makes them ideal for leaps and flips. However, the same features make them less stable and uncomfortable. Whereas, longboards are designed with transportation in mind and riders can cruise smoothly for miles on any smooth terrain. They are perfect for cross-country and downhill. Skateboarders need to use their feet on the ground to get the thrust and speed. This creates the thrust and force without your feet having to leave the board.

This allows longboard riders to cruise indefinitely on flat and downhill surfaces with both feet stationed on the board. A variant of pumping is called gyrating , where you move by slightly turning the board left and right as you go forward. If you're wondering whether to get a skateboard or a longboard, the most important question to ask yourself is "what do you need it for? Even with all the similarities and differences, skateboarding and longboarding are still crucially different when it comes to their purpose.

The length and wheels make skateboards very uncomfortable for longer rides. They are more suitable for skateparks where the surface is hard and flat and you have plenty of space for doing tricks. You can ride your skateboard in the streets but this is mostly called grinding, where skaters use obstacles in the streets to perform cool stunts. All in all, they are meant for practicing tricks — ollies, kickflips, darkslides airs, and so on. If that sounds like something you would be into, then a skateboard is the way to go.

However, be careful because they are usually less stable and more dangerous to ride, and even forbidden to use on the street in some parts of the world. Longboarding has two main purposes - cruising and transportation. Its design is pure perfection when it comes to street riding. Its shape, flexible truck and soft wheels make it comfortable and easy to maneuver even on a rougher surface. And, a longboard is amazing even for longer trips. For example, you can easily use one on your commute and have fun on your way to work.

But, even with a longboard, you can have a few tricks up your sleeve. Depending on the model, you can try carving, downhill sliding, noseriding and hand-paddling.

If you ignore it and leave dirt to accumulate on the skateboard for a long time, the effect is irreversible, and you'll have to purchase a new board soon. Even novice skateboard cleaners will find cleaning a board to be quite quick and easy. To prevent tearing, you should sand the skateboard's sides regularly.

Sanding the edges would keep them clean and protect them from chipping. To remove the wheels from the board's axle, use a skate tool. The wheels should be immersed in the washing liquid for a short period to soften grime and dirt. However, the rest of the skate should not be. Water damages not just your deck, but also your trucks, bearings, and wheels. When the deck wood gets wet, it becomes soft and quickly breaks or slits apart.

Protect the board from rain and, if it does get wet, dry it quickly with an air dryer. Do not clean the board by dipping it in water because it can cause a lot of damage to the board. To clean the deck, wipe it off with a towel. Many beginner riders underestimate the difficulty of doing stunts and tricks that are inappropriate for their skill level. Doing tricks that are not relevant to your skill level is extremely dangerous.

It increases your chances of splitting your skateboard into two pieces, especially if you are a beginner rider. Rather than attempting stunts and tricks that are inappropriate for your skill level, begin with the fundamentals and gradually progress to a more challenging and critical level.

This would make you better on the skateboard and reduce the chances of breaking the skateboard. Skateboard wheels can be ruined if you ride on sand or glass, and if the skateboard crashes to the ground when standing on rough surfaces, it will be severely damaged. And if it doesn't crack, it would quickly lose its efficacy. So, find a flat road or a designated skate park where you can skateboard smoothly and learn all sorts of tricks.

Many skateboarders like sliding or stopping on the tail, which not just rubs the tail against the surface but may also smash the board after a few tries. So, don't slip on the skateboard's tail because the tail is the most fragile component of the board. Many skateboarders make the big mistake of simply leaving skateboards in the car, assuming that keeping their skateboard in a car would be far more reliable than keeping it in a cold place. However, if you leave your skateboard in the car, the heat will be much higher, which can affect your board, including the trigger and wheels, because these components are heat sensitive.

The issue with a car is that it absorbs the maximum amount of heat while driving in the sun, particularly if the car is black; it will damage your skateboard more seriously. Wearing the best skate shoes can extend the life of your skateboard. When skating, never purchase or wear low-quality shoes. It can put a strain on both your legs and your skateboard.

You'll likely get wounded as well if you wear the wrong shoes. Skateboarding depends solely on landing. If you don't know how to land properly, your skateboard would most likely break down quickly. At the very least, you must try to land on your skateboard with one foot. Try landing on both feet after you've learned to land with one foot. Every day, practise, practise, practise. Eventually, you'll be able to land on two feet. Many riders who purchase a skate are not even thinking where to place it.