Skateboarding has rapidly burst into modern sports life and is getting more and more popular every day. Exciting stunts and speed attract young people like a magnet. More and more more people want to learn how to skate, but they don't know where to start and how to learn to ride a skateboard.

A bit of history

In fact, boards with wheels have been around for over half a century. Their creators were Californian surfers who could not imagine life without their favorite sport.

In the mid-50s, it was a regular surfboard with wheels. The rather clumsy and bulky design did not differ in maneuverability, the maximum that it was good for was riding in a straight line. It was still possible to go around small obstacles on the road. There were no tricks then. However, in the 60s of the twentieth century, skateboarding became more and more popular, the first championships were held, designers and planners began to work on the shape of the board, which led to the creation of a modern configuration familiar to everyone. sports equipment. Over time, there are few simple flat asphalt sites - the capture of empty pools begins, special ramps appear.

Learning to Skateboard: Basic Elements

Any business needs to be studied from the basics. It is very important to understand how to ride a skateboard correctly. This will help you avoid injuries, accidents, board breakdowns and learn faster.

Driving in a straight line

The most important thing you need to be able to do is stand confidently on a skateboard. Yes, just stand. You need to be able to maintain balance and feel good about your body. The first, or rather preliminary, lesson is just to stand on the board and remember the main stance: one leg is in the area of ​​​​the front wheels, the second is in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe rear wheels. To feel the skate, you should try to balance, move your legs and arms, lean in different directions.

The next element is push. First, it should also be tested without moving. Here it is necessary to distribute responsibilities between the legs: which one will be the supporting one, that is, standing on the skateboard, which one is pushing (most often this role is played by the right one).

We begin working out the transition to the main rack. The supporting leg stands in the area of ​​​​the front suspension, the second leg makes a push and then is placed above the rear suspension. Placing limbs on the board in any other way is considered a mistake and may result in injury.

After mastering the basic elements on the spot, you can try to roll in a straight line according to the "push-rack" scheme described above. When riding, the knees should be slightly bent. Keeping a skateboard level for beginners can be quite a challenge, but this should not be intimidated, on the contrary, you need to train hard.

left and right

Next important element, without which you can’t go anywhere, is a turn. It can be done in two ways. The first option: slightly bend your legs and tilt your body in the direction of the turn. The stronger the pressure on the edge of the board, the sharper the turn will be. The second way: while riding, press on the back (heel) of the skateboard, while pushing the supporting leg forward, and turn the body to the right and left. To begin with, it is desirable to work out the balancing on the rear wheels without movement.

Deceleration

The last thing that forms the basis of skating is braking. The easiest and safest option is to brake on the asphalt with a pushing foot. The slowdown will be long. The fastest way is to jump off the board and run, but there is a great danger here that you will not be able to cope with your own speed and fall. Such braking is used in emergency cases. Most often, experienced skaters brake like this: they put pressure on the heel of the board until it comes into contact with the surface.

The main thing in mastering all the tricks and movements is practice. If you get comfortable on a regular board, it will not be difficult to understand how to ride a two-wheeled skateboard, snowboard and even ski.

Buying a skateboard and equipment

For the first lessons, the board can be rented from someone, but if this is not possible, you will have to go to the sports equipment store.

Clothing should be loose, comfortable, not restricting movement. Shoes - only on a flat sole, without a platform, especially at the beginning of training. It is advisable to wear clothes that you don’t mind tearing or getting dirty: no one is safe from falls, even experienced athletes.

Of course, falling cannot be completely avoided. Before you learn how to ride a skateboard, you need to remember that you should definitely use protection - knee pads and elbow pads will protect your limbs from abrasions, and a helmet will protect your head from serious injuries. Do not be shy about the protective kit - this is a guarantee of safety during the development of various tricks.

Choosing a place to study

It is best to ride where there are no or very few people and cars. For example, along paths in a park or on an asphalt site in a closed yard. Well, if the city has specially equipped places for skiing, then there will be no problems with the choice. In addition, there will always be an opportunity to communicate with more experienced riders who will tell you how to learn to ride a skateboard and help with advice, example and deed.

First tricks

After mastering the basic elements, you can move on to the more spectacular part. By the way, some tricks can be simply indispensable for street skating and overcoming obstacles.

Ollie

An ollie is a basic trick in skateboarding, essentially a jump. It allows you to fly various obstacles, jumping on elevations, etc. In addition to the practical side, the ollie is an unusually beautiful element, and when performed high, an impressive trick. To understand how it is performed, you need to disassemble it in stages.

1. Acceleration and preparation for the jump. Too much great speed not worth developing. The supporting leg should be a little closer to the middle, and the push leg should be on the "heel" of the board. The knees are slightly bent.
2. A flick is a sharp push or hit on the tail of the board with the pushing foot. After that, the jump starts. The sharper the click, the higher the flight will be.
3. Extraction - when the skate comes off the asphalt, it is necessary to lead the supporting foot forward and up on its surface. Thanks to this movement, the board will "fly".
4. Landing. It is very important to perform the last part of the trick correctly and accurately, then not only the board, but also the rider's limbs will remain intact. To land without injury, you need to put your feet, as in the main stance - in the suspension area. This setting of the soles will avoid damage to the skateboard. You can’t fall over, you need to control the body in space, otherwise the board may jump out from under your feet, and in this case it is likely to greet the asphalt.

Do not be afraid of difficulties, the most important thing here is practice. It must be remembered that today's professionals began with the question of how to learn to ride a skateboard.

kickflip

After mastering the first trick, you can move on to the next one, which is called "kickflip" and is performed on the basis of an ollie - this is a jump with the skate scrolling around its axis.

The first three stages are similar in terms of the ollie technique. You can put your foot closer to the edge to twist the board. In the middle you need to hang, pulling your knees to your chest. This is necessary so as not to interfere with the board to spin. As soon as it is again upside down, you must immediately put your feet on it and complete the element with a neat landing.

Skateboarding is not just a hobby

Because of the numerous and complex tricks, skateboarding is classified as extreme sports sports. If you make friends with the board, you can compete at various levels: city, regional, international. Here you can see the world, and show yourself, and communicate with people who are equally passionate about sports. Then skateboarding will not even become a part, but life itself. Because of the difficult and dangerous tricks, it is believed that a skateboard for girls is not the best. suitable look sports. But these are completely unfounded fears, and competitions with the participation of the fair sex serve as proof of this.

The most prestigious and famous championship of the planet is the World Cup Skateboarding. Here spectators and riders can find everything for themselves: breathtaking tricks, dizzying spectacles, the opportunity to see high-class athletes performing the most difficult elements and combinations without errors. It is worth finding a suitable occupation for yourself, and it will imperceptibly tighten and become an integral part of life. Skateboarding will bring a lot of new experiences, improve coordination and develop such skills. physical qualities like strength, speed and endurance.

In some ways, they are very similar to a musical instrument. A properly tuned penny board works like a coherent mechanism, reacting to every movement, it easily turns the race into an amazing symphony. But if something went wrong and the skate goes to pieces, it does not submit to the rider. Before you start directly setting up a penny board, you need to deal with the main problems of its management.

TOP 5 most common penny board problems

Why penny board bends?

A penny board must sag, because if a car runs over it, due to its flexibility, it will remain safe and sound.

Why does the penny board mow?

The new penny board must be fully manageable. Depending on which direction the board leans, it should turn there. Basically, these problems occur due to improper setting of the feet. Penny starts to mow to the side simply from the fact that they are not "ruled". To eliminate the cruiser's side turn, just move your foot in the opposite direction from the turn, continue until you find the point of balance.

Why penny board creaks?

The reasons for the creak can be different, there are only 2 of them:

• Bearings. This creak occurs intermittently or less constantly. It is formed due to frequent riding in puddles, or wear out of the resource. You can eliminate it by replacing, or by cleaning and changing the lubricant.
• Bushings. This creak appears when the deck is tilted in any direction. This sound is caused by driving in the rain. This sound does not affect the operation of the bushings. Cleaning is sufficient to remove seat for bushings with a hard sponge for washing dishes or fine sandpaper, and scrape the bushing itself at the point of contact with a knife.

Why penny boardturns bad?

Penny board turns bad due to too tight suspension bolts. The solution to this problem is simple: turn the deck over and spin the suspension, but not all the way so that you can move the wheels with your hands.

Why penny boardswaying right or left?

Many novice skaters face this issue. The fault may be a loose suspension mount. The problem is fixed with a regular wrench. The main thing is not to overdo it otherwise the plastboard will simply stop turning.

Proper penny board setup

If you have bought a long-awaited penny board and you don't have any of the above problems, you need to correctly set up the board for your riding style.

To start adjust suspension height. The main rule is to feel golden mean. Riding on too low a suspension is bad for the condition of the board, the skate will cling to all turns, and the stylish deck will soon be covered with chips and cracks, no matter how hardy it is. Making the cruiser too high can lead to braking and steering problems at high speeds.

Set the correct suspension stiffness with a central bolt. The harder the tracks, the more stable the skateboard. With the practice of mastering the board, you can gradually loosen the suspension. Of great importance is the weight of the rider, for a heavier skater, a stronger tension is needed.

The usual complete set of bushings (shock absorbers) includes a barrel on top, and a cone below. For fans of freeride, it is better to immediately replace the barrel with a cone. Shock absorbers must be selected so that the upper sleeve is stiffer than the lower one.

I hope the above tips will be useful to you during your future skateboarding lessons. With these recommendations, you will learn not only to set up the device from the very beginning, but also to eliminate the breakdown that has appeared.

Everything starts with the first step. If you want to learn how to skateboard but don't know how to do an elbow ollie, you've come to the right place. In this article, you will learn how to properly learn how to ride a skateboard, how to properly stand on the board and ride comfortably without falling down, as well as get tips to help you stick to the rules and, in fact, learn to ride. Continue reading the article to find out more.

Steps

Part 1

Buying a board

Buy a skateboard that suits your interests. There are many styles and brands available for all levels and interests. Visit your local skateboard store to see all the options and get advice from more experienced skateboarders when choosing a skateboard. Choose a skateboard that fits you:

• Long boards great for cruising, they are easy to use for beginners to maneuver. If you are interested in straight jumps or jumping from place to place, the longboard is definitely the right choice. These boards are not very suitable for tricks, so if you are interested in ollie jumping, this is not the best option.
• classic boards is what is meant when talking about "skateboarding". The tapered ends are perfect for kicks and jumps, while the lightweight soft maneuverability is great for riding fast speeds. However, these boards will take a little more practice to keep you balanced when you are just starting out. If you want to jump into a halfpipe, this is the board for you.
• Custom boards- boards that are made independently. Generally, more advanced and experienced skateboarders will tune their wheels, chassis, bearings, and the board itself in many different ways. You probably won't build custom boards early on in your skateboarding journey.

Make sure your board is set up properly for a beginner. You definitely won't need a super curved board and freewheel when you're learning to skateboard. However, these features may be necessary to perform tricks. When doing these, it is much more difficult to maintain balance, so you are unlikely to stay on such a board. While you are learning, you want a relatively flat board with a rigid undercarriage.

Buy good skateboarding shoes. Attempt to board the board in hiking boots or combat boots - great way hurt yourself or twist your ankle. Skate shoes need to have the right kind of sole to grip the board and provide both protection and support, making them ideal for learning. Vans, Airwalk and Etnie - these manufacturers produce shoes for skateboarders. If you can't find shoes from the above manufacturers, look for something else, at present, many companies produce sports shoes.

• If you can't find a specific brand, then know that you need flat shoes. Avoid the textured soles commonly found on T-shirts or running shoes; instead, look for something more like a flat-soled platform shoe.

Always wear protective clothing and a helmet. Helmet with smooth surface and a tight chin strap to protect your head are absolutely essential. It is likely that you will fall a lot, so it is very important to ensure your safety and wear a helmet. By the way, helmets can look really cool!

• Also, when you start, you will need knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. As you get more comfortable on the board, you probably won't need to go out riding all of this every time, but anytime you learn a new trick, and especially when you're just learning a new trick, an extra protection doesn't really hurt.
• There's nothing foolish about avoiding costly trips to the ER, especially when you're just starting out. Don't let anyone tell you that a "real skateboarder" doesn't use protective clothing - only an immature and stupid person would say that. Also, it is better to wear a helmet than to constantly get head injuries.

Find a good place for riding. Ideally, you want smooth concrete surfaces free of holes and cracks that will "push" you as you learn to move. Eventually, you will be able to safely ride on uneven ground, but parking lots or roads are easiest to start with, as they are smoother.

• Unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to find places that welcome skateboarders, given their unfair reputation in some cities. Don't be the type to leave a bad name behind: make sure you have a skating permit when you skate, and never ride on someone else's property.

Part 2

Stay on the board

Forget about tricks. The biggest thing that keeps beginners from actually learning how to skate is the desire to jump straight into doing an ollie before you learn the basics. Everything starts to work out with practice. It's like learning how to play a simple guitar chord - before you can make people go crazy with your "guitar solo", you need to learn how to set up the board and ride it comfortably. You must learn how to stay on the board before you start jumping from it.

Try to stand on the board without falling. Does not exist right way stand on the board, so set it on firm ground, grass or carpet where it won't roll easily. Find out which position you feel most comfortable in. Place one foot in front of the other, approximately level with the screws.

• Standard leg means that left leg is in front of the right. Typically, this means that you will push with your right foot and ride with your left side.
• stupid foot means that the right foot will be in front, that is, you will push off from the left side. Despite the name, there is nothing unusual about this position. It is as common as the standard leg.
• mongo feet are more unusual and refer to riding in a position in which the front foot is used to advance. As a rule, most people feel uncomfortable in this position, but if you like this position, use it!

Try to push off. On a patch of concrete, stand on the board with your front foot and use your pushing foot to create momentum.

• When beginners start, they often do a few short pushes instead of long ones before starting work. You need to push off with more pushes, which will make the ride smooth and allow you to keep your balance.

Move into driving position. When you move, you need to move your riding leg to the side. It's more like how you stood when the board was still on the grass. Raise your pushing leg and gently place it on the back of the board. Your knees should be slightly bent, but you should be in general vertical position, with a straight back to learn to balance.

• In proper position, the front foot should be behind the front screws, the back foot should be at the very bottom of the board, behind. This is the most stable and safest riding position.
• This is the most difficult thing to master, but once you master it, you will learn how to ride a skateboard! Without fear!

Learn to turn around. To turn, shift your weight forward or back from your ankle, depending on your position and whether you want to turn to the right or left. The amount of pressure you use will depend on how tight the undercarriage is and how far you want to turn. Practice on a flat surface - start with a normal ride, move to a turn and try not to fall.

• To quickly avoid a collision with something, or to make a sharp turn without touching the carving surface, it is worth learning a trick called "kickterning". With your back foot, lightly press the toe of the skate (so that the front part rises from the ground) and turn your body in the direction of the turn. This must be done in one motion. Be careful with the pressure, don't press too hard on the back of the skate or the board may slide out from under your feet. Also, do not do this trick during the descent.

Try to stop. There are many different ways stop skateboard and many of them are more advanced. For beginners, the easiest way is usually to gradually slow down and stop (to stop, you need to put your foot on the surface you will be riding), or tail stop.

• For a tail stop, you need to put most of your body weight on your back foot, standing on the tail of the board, and slow the board with your tail. Some people don't like this kind of stop because it wears out the back of the tail. However, many skateboards, especially flat models, have a plastic stopper to help stop them, which makes these skateboards good choice for beginners.

Part 3

Learn how to skateboard

Learn to fall. There is no skateboarder who never falls off the board. It may surprise you, but in order to learn not to hurt yourself, you need to learn how to fall. Always wear a helmet to protect your head. Also use a special wrist guard to protect yourself from most of the scratches that can result from falls.

• The most common problem is skating on small pebbles, skateboard wheels on such surfaces hit cracks and you can lose your balance. Keep an eye on the surface you'll be learning to skateboard on and try to keep your balance.

Ride with other skateboarders. Like music and other sports, skating is easiest to learn when you have someone to look up to. Ride with more experienced skateboarders, watch them and learn from them. Also listen to their advice and recommendations. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, be honest when you talk about your experience.

• Never try to deceive a more experienced skateboarder about your skill level. If you go out skateboarding with a bunch of guys ollieing on the stairs, you can seriously hurt yourself if you try to imitate them. Take your time. In the end, and you will learn how to do these tricks.

We will not dwell on its complete set and other points that a beginner needs to know. All this information is contained in relevant articles, which will be easy to find on the site. With the faith that this information has already been studied and taken into account by you, we will immediately begin to study how to ride a skateboard correctly, as well as how you can learn it.

To learn how to ride well, you need to study and practice a lot.

Proper training

On the skateboard - the process is not one day. You will fall, despair, and even wonder that nothing good will come of this venture. But you need to pull yourself together and continue learning, because the beginning has already been made and there is very little left until that happy moment when you will feel more confident on the board than without it.

Get on the board

Before you ride a skateboard, you need to learn how to stand on it. To do this, the board must be installed on a solid surface that will not allow the skateboard to roll easily. Grass or soft flooring in the home is best. No one will tell you how to properly stand on a skateboard, because there is no such way. Everything is determined in practice on an individual basis. You stand on the board, using the "trial and error" method, determine the ideal position of the body, in which the position on the skateboard becomes stable and comfortable.

The legs are not located on the same level, one of them goes forward. Which one? The one called the leader. To determine it, you will need to ask another person to push you forward - which foot is in front, that one will be leading. There are three leg positions:

1. "Standard leg" involves being in front of the left leg, and the process of repulsion is assigned to the right leg.
2. “Stupid foot”, although it does not shine with its name, is a completely normal position of the legs, in which the right foot is in front, and the repulsion is carried out by the left.
3. The mongo leg is the most unusual skateboarder foot arrangement in existence. In this case, the skateboarder pushes off with the foot that is in front. For most people, this position of the legs causes inconvenience, but not for everyone. If this position is the most comfortable for you, then so be it.

We start to go

We figured out the legs, learned to stand on the board, it's time to push off. To do this, you will need to change the soft surface to a smooth and hard one, for example, concrete or asphalt. Standing on the board, you need to create momentum by pushing off with your foot. Many beginner skateboarders are afraid to take long pushes, so a series of short but frequent push-offs can be observed. With such a ride, it is difficult to maintain balance, and it is completely impossible to achieve a smooth ride.

In addition to the correct repulsion, there are several more important points that will allow you to learn from the beginning correct driving on a skateboard:

1. The movement of the body must be in the riding position. As soon as you start your movement, you need to move the riding leg a little to the side. At this time, the pushing leg is lifted and placed on the back of the skateboard. The knees bend a little, but the body is still vertical and the back is straight. It is in this position that it is easiest to learn to balance.
2. To make riding as safe as possible, while moving, the front foot should be placed slightly behind the front screws. For the back leg, take the middle part of the skate.

If you have mastered this stage and you can overcome hundreds of meters on a skateboard without fear, then you can move on to turns.

Learning to turn

To perform a turn, you will need to shift your body weight relative to your ankle forward if the turn is to the right, or back if you turn to the left. What force the pressure will be depends on the tightness of the connection of the undercarriage of the skate and the range of the future turn. For training, it is imperative to choose a flat surface. The ride should be calm and slow. In the first attempts, the main goal will be to avoid falling.

There are times when there is an obstacle in your way that you need to avoid, or you just need to make a sharp turn, but the threads should not touch the surface. Even beginners should be prepared for such situations and be able to perform "kickterning". The bottom line is that the back foot presses a little on the toe of the board, and the front part rises at this time. The body must be rotated in the direction of rotation. All these actions constitute one movement. The pressure on the board should be accurate, smooth, but fast and not very strong. Otherwise, the skate can fly out from under your feet, and you can land on your fifth point.

Learning to stop and fall properly

Learned to ride, turn as well, now you need to master the process of stopping. There are several ways to stop a skateboard, but for beginners, the two simplest ones are suitable, which we will consider.

You can gradually slow down to a complete stop with your foot, which is placed on the surface next to the skate. This method is very simple, although the shoes wear out very quickly. You can stop the skate in another way, for this you need to consider the rules of the tail stop. Here, the weight of the body should fall on the back leg, which will cause the skate to drop on the tail and, as a result, slow down. With this method, wear falls on the skate, the back of which is quickly erased. This problem is especially acute for flat skateboards. offers models with a plastic stopper, which contributes to a more gentle stop. For beginners, such boards are very relevant.

How to learn to skateboard without falling? The question is rhetorical and does not require an answer. If falls cannot be avoided, then they need to be made less dangerous and traumatic. To do this, you need to learn how to fall correctly and always wear personal protective equipment (helmet, knee pads, special gloves that protect your wrists).

You can reduce the chance of a fall by choosing the right surface for skiing. Skating on pebbles and other surfaces that are similar in structure to small pebbles is dangerous even for more experienced skateboarders, not to mention beginners.

Downhill

If all the previous stages are good for you, you feel confident on the board, and the frequency of falls tends to zero, then you need to complicate the riding conditions. For example, not to ride on a flat vertical surface, but to move onto slopes. This is an important step that every skateboarder takes. To do this, you need to master the movement of the center of gravity well and control your emotions.

To maintain balance, you will need to sit down on the skateboard a little and balance with your hands. The ankles must be completely immobile, especially at high speed, when even slight movements have a strong effect on the ability to maintain balance.

Long and regular training will surely lead to the desired result and now you will be looked at admiringly, as you once looked at experienced skateboarders. Do not stop for a minute, constantly develop, learn new moves and tricks. Everyone can become the best.

Skateboarding is an ageless "old school". Although the classic board has already had many descendants, the skate itself continues to be in demand among both schoolchildren and young people.

Anyone who first wonders how to choose a skateboard is probably hoping to purchase a quality product for little money. Fortunately, in this market, this is quite possible.

In this article, we will tell you what determines the quality of a skate and how to choose the perfect projectile.

Whole or in parts?

First you need to decide whether you will buy a ready-made skateboard or are ready to assemble it piece by piece.

Whole

A device that is fully assembled before sale is called complete. It is recommended for beginners to buy.

These buyers do not yet understand all the intricacies of the assembly and the functions and characteristics of every possible part of the projectile. Therefore, most likely, they will not be able to create a really high-quality skate the first time.

In parts

Experienced riders prefer to create their own “bit by bit” by carefully choosing wheels, suspensions, accessories and, of course, the board itself.

It is worth noting that we are not saying that self-assembled products are contraindicated for beginners. After all, they can be more accurately configured, created "for themselves", and constantly improved. However, this type of projectile, as a rule, costs the athlete more than the finished one.

Choose a store

big sports

Oddly enough, we will not recommend that you contact large sports retail chains. In the huge sporting goods supermarkets, the salespeople either have nothing to do with sports at all, or have in-depth knowledge of only one of them. sports and little is known about the rest.

Such a seller will simply retell you the information provided by the manufacturer, without giving individual recommendations. As a result, you will come out of there with one of the popular boards. But not the fact that it will be suitable for you.

skateshops

No wonder the riders different levels trainees prefer to buy equipment in skateshops. These are small shops that specialize exclusively in skate equipment.

Both the owners of such a store and its employees have in-depth knowledge of such shells and will always help a skateboarding beginner to do it.

Moreover, skate shop sellers are most often skaters themselves, so they are familiar with all the intricacies and features of this sport. There you will be treated with respect. They don't have a plan to sell a specific line of products, so they will try to sell the product that the customer really needs.

It doesn't matter if you prefer large supermarkets or rather become a client of a small skateshop. Are you going to buy a whole projectile or are you ready to assemble it in parts. It is important that all parts of the product are of high quality. About what determines the quality of different parts of the skateboard, we will talk further.

Board

So, . It's called a deck. This is the foundation of any skateboard. It is on it that you will stand with your feet when riding.

Material

The ideal soundboard is not a banal plywood. It is made from Canadian maple wood.

The best decks are made from trees that grow in the North American Great Lakes region. This wood is very dense and resilient. Therefore, the board can spring a little, thanks to which the skater performs jumps.

Also, such material is easy to process. In addition, he is very resilient.

Structure

A quality deck is made from seven layers of wood. Often at the edge of the board they can be distinguished and counted. The layers of the board are not the same. Some of them are transverse, others are longitudinal. Due to this difference, the board acquires additional strength.

Sometimes additional layers are found near the board. They may be wooden, but more often it is Bottom part boards and it is plastic. Plastic is needed for easier sliding along the railing. Of course, a deck with extra layers is very strong, but it is also quite heavy, which makes it difficult for beginners to handle.

By the way, even experienced riders almost never buy “plastic” boards (in fact, you can glide without plastic).

The size

There is no ideal deck size. Each athlete selects according to the size of his shoes. Theoretically, the longer the leg, the larger the board you need to ride. But really pick up a board with ideal forms can only be tested in practice.

The average board size is 7.75 inches wide. All decks with a higher value are considered wide. They are easier to slide on. All boards that have this indicator less are considered narrow. They are great for flips.

Concave, nose and tail

Concaves are called bends that are present on both longitudinal edges of the deck of any skateboard. Also deep bends are present in front and behind. The front bend of the board is called a nose, the back is called a tail.

There is no standard for the amplitude of the bending of the ends and sides. Everyone chooses them for their own purposes. But it is logical that the higher the concave, nose and tail, the easier it is for the rider to flip.

Storage conditions

Sometimes unscrupulous suppliers or sellers are careless about the storage of the board. Because of this, the maple layers can begin to dry out. Also, such an "ailment" may be the result of the use of low-quality glue in production.

One way or another, when buying, be sure to pay attention to the fact that there are no swellings, gaps on the deck, so that it does not worry anywhere and does not dry out. If such shortcomings are found, this board does not need to be purchased even at a discount.

You also need to check if the board is twisted. It acquires such a flaw during long-term storage in unsealed packaging. To check the product for the presence of this defect, take it by the tail or by the nose and bring it to the eyes with the bottom layer up. See if the front and back of the deck are on the same level. If so, then the board can be taken. If they are at different heights - the part is skewed, you do not need to buy it.

pendants

Skateboard suspensions are called tracks. These are T-shaped parts that give the board the ability to turn and maneuver.

Structure

Each track consists of two parts. One of them is basic. She sticks to the board. The so-called hanger is attached to the base. He holds the wheels.

Material

It is not so easy to determine from what material the suspension is made. However, if you buy this part separately, it must have information about the used metal on its packaging.

Good tracks are made from aluminum alloy.

The size

A truck should be purchased after you have bought a board. You need to pick up pendants for it. To avoid problems with turns, tracks are installed on the deck, which are slightly narrower than it. But theoretically, pendants can be the same width as the board.

The main thing is that the suspension should not be wider. Then the skate will lose all ability to maneuver.

The weight

The less the final projectile weighs, the easier it is to perform tricks on it. Therefore, truck manufacturers are trying to lighten their products so that it does not add extra mass to the entire device.

To facilitate suspension, manufacturers make holes in the hanger. This shouldn't scare you. Holes are located in those parts that are subject to the minimum load. Drilled tracks do not lose strength.

Setting

A beginner rider buying a complete board for the first time may be disappointed with its suspension. The device may be either too rigid, or, conversely, too pliable and flimsy. But you should not be upset: any suspension can be adjusted to your liking.

For this you need to take wrench and turn the nut from the bolt located in the center of the product. The tighter this nut is tightened, the stiffer the track.

There is no hardness standard. Everyone chooses it for themselves.

wheels

Whether you choose a finished product, or assemble it yourself - it is important to find a truly good wheels. After all, the level of comfort when riding depends on their quality.

Material and stiffness

Good skate wheels should be stiff enough. They are made from polyurethane.

The manufacturer, as a rule, indicates the level of product hardness on the packaging. It makes no sense for a beginner to go into the details of these abbreviations.

Just remember that rollers with a hardness level of 99-101A are ideal for the city. If you buy a ready-made projectile, then this indicator can be searched on the wheels themselves.

The size

The larger the wheel, the slower the device accelerates. But it loses speed too slowly. Smaller wheels, on the other hand, have the ability to accelerate quickly, but they also slow down quickly.

Ideal for urban asphalt is considered to be a wheel diameter of 53 millimeters.

The weight

Skateboard wheel manufacturers, like truck manufacturers, are trying to reduce the weight of their products. To do this, the central part of the polyurethane wheel is periodically replaced with a plastic insert.

Everyone chooses whether he needs such dubious lightness. After all, plastic is more fragile than polyurethane, but meanwhile the load on the core is still decent.

Color

There is a myth that colored wheels are worse than white ones. But you shouldn't listen to him. The paint does not affect the properties of the rollers in any way, because it is added to the product during the melting of the material.

accessories

The perfect skateboard is perfect in every way. Therefore, the selection of various trifles is also worth paying attention to.

Bearings

Each skateboard should have eight bearings. Two such devices are installed on each wheel.

The quality of the bearing is determined by the possible speed of its rotation. It is denoted by special abbreviations consisting of the letters ABEC and serial numbers. When marking, only odd numbers are used. For example, you may see the designations ABEC-3, ABEC-5, ABEC-7, and so on.

Experienced riders recommend choosing a 3rd or 5th level of rotational speed for normal urban conditions. If this figure is higher, the bearing will cost a lot, but will soon become clogged with dust and sand. It is advisable to buy such an expensive product only if the skiing will take place on special, clean, perfectly smooth tracks.

Nuts and screws

All screws must be the correct size for the part of the device on which they are installed. All nuts must match the size of the screws.

No screw should stick out unsightly from its socket.

Skin

This is the layer that is glued to the board and provides a tight grip between the skater's legs and the deck.

A good sandpaper looks like coarse sandpaper. This is not surprising, just like sandpaper, it is made from abrasive chips.

On finished skateboards, all skins look the same. But, if you buy the skin separately, give preference to the perforated variety of the product. Such a product appeared relatively recently. Its distinguishing feature is the holes made around the entire perimeter.

Thanks to these holes, the skin tape is easier to stick on, bubbles do not form on it. If you have chosen a whole sheet and found swellings, perforation (that is, piercing the bubbles with a needle) must be done by yourself.

These are all the subtleties of choosing the perfect projectile. How to do tricks, you will learn over time. How to upgrade your board - experienced riders will tell you in whose company you will ride. How to choose a skateboard, we told you.

We wish you success in mastering skateboarding. Take care of yourself.