This article is intended primarily for people who have recently embarked on a skateboard. Perhaps it will even become the first acquaintance with this wonderful sport. The rest can skip it "by the eye" and consider everything written below to be known for a long time.
I don't know what brought you to skateboarding... Another part of Tony Hawk, fashion or just curiosity, but if you have consistently learned how to do at least an ollie, then, believe me, you will stay here for a long time.
Skateboarding is a very popular sport these days. It is sports, because quite recently it was officially recognized as a sport. There were their categories and rules for the competition. But in this article, I want to tell you not about the politics of skateboarding, but about how to go from beginner to amateur at the lowest cost for yourself.
I’ll warn you right away that initially skateboarding requires a lot of money, both material and physical. If you have chosen this particular sport and are serious about doing it, get ready to spend money first of all.
From the very beginning of riding, I advise you to buy a quality American kit. That is, a deck (board), tracks (suspension), wheels, bearings, flu tape (skin) and other useful little things: bolts, keys, etc. All this together and forms a set. By American, I mean components of well-known American and European brands. They may also be made in China. Now I will describe separately all the components of the kit.
Deca, board.
The main component. As you level up, you will change boards more often. In general, when buying components, I do not advise you to ask sellers for advice. Usually, if they see that a person knows little about skateboarding, they try to sell him low-quality components. For example, boards that have been in the store for a long time, and over time lose their properties and easily crumble and crack. It is best to consult with knowledgeable people on the forums or just go to a skater on the street and ask him. I do not think that he will refuse to help you, although there are exceptions. Boards are different in width, length and bend size. I am not talking about drawing, because riding a board with beautiful pattern you won't be better.
As for the size, I can't say anything specific either. Take not too wide and not too narrow a board, usually the size is written on it. The size is measured in inches. The average board is 7.6 inches wide and the length is usually in proportion to the width. Concave is the amount of bend. It is determined simply by eye. Over time, you will understand which concave boards suit you best. When buying a board, carefully inspect it for cracks. If transverse cracks are present, the board will break quickly enough, this is a marriage. If there are longitudinal cracks in the areas of the bolt holes, this is not so bad. Usually longitudinal cracks appear after a week of riding on many boards. It is desirable that the board sag a little under your weight. Lay the plank on the floor with the pattern up and lightly press it with your foot from above. A fresh board is a board that has been released recently and has not yet had time to lie on store shelves. In most cases, it is simply not possible to determine whether a board is fresh or already dried. You can understand this only after a few days of skiing. Personally, I advise you not to regret every chip that has fallen off the board. Over time, the click at the board disappears and you still have to throw it away. The most famous board brands: Toy Machine, Zero, Mystery, jart, Blind, Alien Workshop, black label, Almost and others. The average cost of a board without a skin is 2000 rubles.
Trucks, pendants.
The pendants are attached to the board with fixing bolts, and wheels with bearings are already attached to the pendants. This is the only component of the kit that I advise you not to pay much attention to when choosing. Pendants are made according to the width of the board. So you can take any that are sold in our city, you can't go wrong here. The base of the suspension and its axis are connected by a large bolt - kingpin. The more loose the nut on the kingpin, the more your skateboard will turn. The most common suspension companies are: Crux,Independent, Silver, Venture and others. The average cost of pendants is 2500 rubles for two pieces.
Wheels.
Wheels are divided by stiffness and diameter. Usually the stiffness of the wheels is written on the packaging. Standard hardness -100A. The diameter of the produced wheels can vary from 50 to 54 mm. I will advise you hard wheels with a diameter of 53 mm. Wheels wear down when riding, so they have to be changed more often than suspensions. Now there are a wide variety of wheel models. Hollow, with plastic insert inside, etc. I think that for normal riding, ordinary wheels without any innovations in them will do. The most famous wheel manufacturers: Bullet, Spitfire, Zero, Blind, Hook ups and others. The average cost of wheels is 1000 rubles. for four wheels.
Bearings.
Bearings are also an important part of the kit. So that they do not break every time they land from a height, you need not save money and do not buy Chinese bearings. The cost of Chinese bearings is about 100 rubles. for a pack of eight, two for each wheel. Such bearings do not hold speed well and are very short-lived. It is best to buy bearings from a well-known manufacturer, the average cost of which is 600 rubles. Bearings are identified by ABEC number. The higher the ABEC, the better the bearings hold speed, according to manufacturers. ABEC=1 is the slowest bearing and ABEC=5 is the opposite. When the wheels start spinning poorly, this is a sure sign that the bearing has failed. To avoid further problems when riding, simply replace it. The most famous bearing manufacturers: Fkd, Lucky, Cliches and others.
Mounting screws.
To attach the pendants to the board, you will need mounting screws. Screws come in different lengths and types of caps. There are screws with a head for a Phillips screwdriver, a regular screwdriver and a hex. I advise you to take screws with a hex head. They are easier to handle, last longer, and usually come with a hex key, so you don't have to worry about losing it. Nuts are made with an elastic band inside so that they sit securely on the screws and do not scroll. When attaching the hangers, do not tighten the screws too tight or too loose. While riding, periodically check how tight they are. Poorly tightened screws can cause cracks in the board. The most famous manufacturers of mounting screws: Zero, Independent, Pig, Lucky. The average cost of mounting screws is 100 rubles.
Skin.
After you have bought all the components of the kit, you should stick the skin on the board. The skin is used to grip the rider's shoes to the board and is needed to perform almost all tricks on a skateboard. There are colored, transparent skins, with and without drawings, in general, a huge variety. Well-known manufacturing companies: Mop Grip, PlanB, Pig and others. The average cost of a skin is 300 rubles.
Shoes.
The set is assembled. It remains to choose shoes. Shoes sold in skate shops are designed specifically for skating. There are so-called "inflated" slippers (sneakers) and sneakers. "Puffy" are usually worn by lovers of technical skating, i.e. people who prefer difficult technical tricks to basic tricks on dangerous obstacles. Sneakers are worn by lovers of an aggressive style of skiing. But this is just a stereotype. The purchase of each of these types of shoes does not oblige you to adhere to one or another riding style. The main thing is that the shoes are comfortable for walking and subsequent skiing. The most famous manufacturers of skateboarding shoes: Fallen, Es, Vox, Adio, Emerica, Nike SB and others. The average cost of a pair of shoes is 2000 rubles.
Well, that's probably all you need for productive skiing. In one article it is impossible to consider all the nuances, and probably not necessary. I have described the questions that a beginner may face. Basic knowledge has been obtained, now you can safely go to the skateshop.
Text: Strugovshchikov Denis
Illustrations: Alexey Kononyuk
Source: www.ondeck.ru Text: Strugovshchikov Denis Illustrations: Alexey Kononyuk
Alex
20.06.2015 15:28
Thanks, very helpful guide
I would also like to know if any sneakers (for example, converse) are suitable for skiing, or only those that are indicated?
a lion
15.03.2015 18:50
I liked everything cool I’ll go to my mother to ask me to buy the article I liked it but it’s very expensive
14.11.2014 20:25
cool
Seville
07.09.2014 09:11
Thank you! This is one of the first and main information that a beginner should know. I don't want to spend money in a fit of desire on a board that is "simply beautiful" in order to realize later that something completely different is needed.
Skateboarding is extreme view sports, the essence of which is the virtuoso performance of tricks on a special board - a skateboard. It originated a long time ago - back in the 30s of the last century. Surfers came up with such entertainment so that in the absence of waves on the coast they would not be bored without their favorite entertainment. Since the surfboard is quite large, they got it first. And then they noticed that doing tricks is much more convenient on a shorter and more controllable board. Since then, people have been skating.
In recent years, skateboarding has been gaining popularity among young people, turning from a simple entertainment into a real subculture, with its own music, clothing style, behavior and leisure activities. And yet, quite recently it was recognized as an official sport, they created a set of rules and their own International Association Skateboard Companies.
On June 21, the official holiday of fans of this sport is held - International Skateboarding Day. So, tricks on the board have proven themselves from the most serious side. And every year the number of admirers and passionate about this sport is growing steadily.
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Basic styles of skating
- Flatland(from the English "flat earth") - the very first style, which involves riding and performing various tricks on a horizontal surface - asphalt, concrete slabs.
- Straight- as the name implies, this is a style of street skating, in which all kinds of stairs, railings, ceilings, and fenders become the basis for tricks. In this style on this moment most skaters ride.
- Freestyle- a style very popular in the 70-80s, in which tricks were required to be performed exclusively on one plane.
- vert- a style that originated in 1976 thanks to the Z-Boys team - due to the drought, they began to ride and do tricks on a skateboard in dry pools. This is the style of ramp stunts.
- A park- the successor of the vert in the performance of tricks on the ramp, but now in skate parks specially created for this, where special ramps are built to perform especially spectacular and complex elements.
Whatever style you would like to learn to master, this process for a beginner will be time-consuming and quite costly, since proper skating begins with the selection of high-quality and comfortable equipment: boards, comfortable shoes, spare parts for a skateboard.
Quality and comfortable equipment
The most important asset of a skater is his board, or in Russian a board. For beginners good choice there will be an acquisition of the so-called American kit, which includes the following components:
- tracks (suspension) and shock absorbers
- wheels
- bearings
- flu tape
- wrenches, screws
Without question, all these components must be selected only in specialized stores and after consultation with the seller, who will be able to choose the right combination of parts for a particular skateboarder. But general rules there is also a choice, and you should find out about them in advance.
The board is the most important part of a skateboard. But also the most short-lived - as you build up your skills in skating, you will have to change it quite often.
The board is usually made from several layers of Chinese or Canadian maple glued together. The quality of the glue determines whether the deck will delaminate. In some models designed for the street, another plastic layer (slick) is glued along the bottom of the board, which provides the board with good sliding along the railing.
How to choose a board so as not to get on a defective or dry copy? The easiest way is to chat on the skater forum and ask someone experienced to help with the choice. But if this option is unrealistic, you will have to act on your own.
How to choose a skateboard yourself
If you decide to choose a skateboard for yourself or for a child, what you need to pay attention to:
Deck Width. It can range from 4.7 to 10.625 inches. For beginners, an eight-inch board is the best choice, and already in the process of studying, it will be easy to understand whether it is suitable, or whether a board is wider or narrower. The wider deck gives stability and better traction. Narrow - more maneuverability.
From board length The complexity of skiing practically does not depend, and therefore you can choose any. The standard is 31 inches (78.7 centimeters). For very young skateboarders, they produce smaller models - a mini-skateboard. Also, in general, it does not affect the complexity and bend of the board (concave) for beginners - its convenience is determined only by experience.
When choosing, you need to carefully examine the board for transverse cracks - this is a sign of marriage. But the longitudinal cracks in the area of the bolts are not so terrible - they appear on almost all boards in the first week of skiing. Most famous brands board is Mystery, Jart, Toy Machine, Almost- if there is no experience in choosing boards at all, it is better to focus on them.
The next part of the board - pendants. They are selected depending on the width of the deck, wheels and bearings are attached to them. The stiffness of the suspension is adjustable for different styles skating. Material - aluminum. Sometimes there is a suspension made of steel, it is more durable, but also heavier.
wheels For a skateboard, there are a wide variety of types. For beginners, you should choose regular, medium-sized hard wheels. Their size ranges from 50 to 180 millimeters. Standard 54mm wheels will be optimal. You should remember that you will have to change them often - the wheels wear out quickly when riding.
Important part of the kit bearings. It is not worth saving on them, because both the speed of the skateboard and the safety of the skateboarder depend on their quality. Therefore, it is better to avoid buying Chinese consumer goods, and look for bearings of brands such as Fkd, Lucky or Cliches. In addition, bearings differ in number ABEC(Annular Bearing Engineering Council): 1 and 3 are low-end bearings for beginners, 5, 7 and 9 are for professionals.
Skin or flutape- this is a film that provides adhesion of the board to the shoes. It can already be chosen based on taste preferences - with or without a pattern, no one has started to ride better from its color.
It is also important to choose proper shoes for riding. It can be sneakers or sneakers - depending on personal preferences. But in any case, it is better to choose those brands that are specially designed for skateboarding and are sold in specialized stores. And, of course, they must be comfortable and the right size.
All these components form a single kit, which, with the right selection, will greatly facilitate the comprehension of skateboarding skills.
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Let's figure out how to learn to ride a skateboard for a beginner
In beautiful videos, it may seem that skateboarders easily perform difficult tricks. Nevertheless, one must understand that performing complex tricks on a skateboard comes at the cost of long and patient training, as well as bruises and abrasions. So the first tip is buy protection. You will need a helmet to protect your head, knee pads, elbow and palm protection. Properly selected protective kit will not cause much inconvenience. With broken knees and palms it will be much more uncomfortable!
After choosing ammunition, you should get used to the skateboard. To do this, you need to put it on a flat surface and learn to balance on it, stand, choose a comfortable body position, try to move your legs and rearrange them.
Then you need to understand which foot will be in front - left or right. It doesn't necessarily depend on whether the person is left-handed or right-handed. To do this, you can try to kick any ball with your foot - the one with which it is more convenient to do this will most likely be behind and become a support. Another way to test this is to push the person. The leg that he puts forward when pushing will be the supporting one on the skateboard.
After correctly placing on a skateboard, you can slowly begin to master the movement and stops. This process is lengthy, it will certainly be accompanied by falls, but with the right board and the supporting leg set properly, progress in skating will be noticeable quite quickly. Therefore, one should not be shy, not afraid to fall, and boldly ride first on a flat surface, then slowly learn to turn and overcome barriers. All this is best done on skateboards, and best of all not alone - in the company and to the music, training will be more pleasant and more fun.
Photos of interesting skateboards
Very soon, spring will knock on the door, followed by hot summer. We will have more energy and free time that can be spent usefully. For example, you can learn to ride a skateboard.
To master the skate, you need to decide on your preferences and choose a riding style. There are several types of rollers:- Street is the most common style, whose fans ride wherever there is asphalt or tiles, perform tricks, overcome urban obstacles, slide along curbs and railings.
- Longboarding - high-speed skiing without taking the board off the surface.
- Park or parking - riding on specially equipped areas and performing tricks on structures: ramps, pyramids, as well as obstacles characteristic of the street: curbs, stairs, pyril, etc.
- Vert-ramp and mini-ramp - riding in structures that are shaped like a deep ditch lined with plywood.
To learn how to ride a skateboard well, you need to devote all your free time to it. This is an extreme sport that can become a real lifestyle.
Great idea! This is a more maneuverable and light "relative" of the skateboard, it is now literally at the peak of popularity and receives only positive reviews both about its technical characteristics and attractive external design. The number of those who have already been able to buy a penny board and appreciate its special features for riding is growing every day. Is it possible to make this exciting process even more comfortable? Of course, because the factory settings cannot suit absolutely everyone equally well, these are standard specifications and they do not take into account the individuality of each skater.
If you decide, then do not forget to purchase a universal key for it. The fact is that with its help it is possible and necessary to make an individual “adjustment” of the performance characteristics of any model to your physical data (weight, height), as well as the skills and features of skating. Of course, a beginner should not immediately look for "unexplored horizons" on a brand new board, it makes sense to get used to it and get used to it. A little later, as an experienced rider, you'll want to get additional features from his "four-wheeled friend", then it will be time to get the previously stocked adjustable wrench. What can any future skate park champion change in his penny board?
Customization options
The device of any penny board cannot be called complicated, but each of them has three main "points" for self-adjustment. It is their various states that determine your individual riding style. These are suspension height, hardness-softness andchoice of bushings.
suspension height
If you bought a pennyboard and have been running it around for some time, then you should try to make its suspension a little higher or lower, this will significantly change the nature of the movement. High suspension is good for trick jumps, but smooth detours are much easier to do with low suspension. Of course, we are talking about very slight variations in the distance between the deck and the road surface. It would not occur to anyone to reduce or increase this distance too much, we are talking about very small changes. They won't cause braking problems or threaten external damage to the penny board, but will only help you ride in greater comfort.
Suspension stiffness
The extent to which a penny board "listens" to your every movement depends on the degree of strength of the wheels attached to the deck. This characteristic can also be changed, making the skate more or less "pliable". If you want to change this ability, then you just need to slightly tighten or loosen the central bolt, which is located between each pair of wheels. The less twisted it is, the more sensitive the penny board becomes to your every move. In this, too, it is important not to overdo it and perfectly adjust the stiffness level to your weight and riding style. The more “big” the rider is, the stiffer the suspension needs to be. It should be the same if you decide to perform tricks and jumps on it. Riding smoothly is much more pleasant and easier on a "relaxed" cruiser with a delicate ride. Of course, anyone can, each of them has the ability to quickly and conveniently adjust the suspension.
bushings
If you try to change the rubber bushings in the suspension, this will also immediately affect the nature of the movement of the penny board. The main thing is to keep the difference between the upper and lower bushing, they should not be the same, the upper one should be stiffer. In specialized longboard stores in Moscow and St. Petersburg, you can find whole sets of bushings. They should be purchased immediately if you have already bought a peniboard, of any model. If in both capitals there are no problems with their purchase in retail stores, then in Yekaterinburg or Chelyabinsk it is easiest to make a purchase in an online store.
Bearings
The nature of riding a penny board is greatly influenced by the characteristics of the wheels, whether they are luminous or not. Moreover, not only their coating, but also internal details. Bearings determine the speed and uniformity of their rotation. If the skate began to slide worse or extraneous noise appeared during movement, then you should pay attention to what is inside the wheels. Disassembling them is quite simple, for this, too, you will not need anything other than a universal key. The bearings can be easily removed if they are hooked on the free axle of the wheel. They can be washed or replaced. For expensive models, these parts are easily disassembled for cleaning and last a long time. For cheaper ones, it is worth buying a set of spare bearings.
All these simple technique will allow you to get even more pleasure from riding your favorite penny board. Most importantly, do not forget about safety! Don't make too drastic or drastic changes to your settings and always use extra protection when riding (helmet, knee pads and elbow pads).All the necessary details for setting up a penny board, as well as protective equipment, you can.
Skateboard in English means "board on wheels". Transformed from a conventional surfer board to a hybrid with roller wheels in the 40s and 50s of the 20th century, the skateboard became a real mass craze for teenagers. Today, the popularity of boards on wheels is no less. Not recognized as an official sport, skateboarding brings together many connoisseurs and lovers of this way of recreation. Skating techniques, new tricks are being studied, competitions and tournaments are held.
When buying a skateboard, beginners tend to choose ready-made kits. After gaining some experience, composite structural elements are selected depending on the declared characteristics and individual preferences.
Before dealing with the setup and adjustment, consider what a skateboard consists of:
- platform;
- suspension with shock absorbers;
- wheels with bearings.
Deca
A deck is a support board where a skater stands with his feet while driving a skateboard. To provide the best shock absorption during movement and jumping, the deck is made from thin cut layers of wood - veneer. In this case, hardwoods are used, most often maple.
Trees grown in cold regions are characterized by increased hardness and strength. For the manufacture of the deck, 7 to 9 layers of veneer are used.
They are placed on top of each other, applying glue to each side, except for the top and bottom planes.
After that, in a special hot press, which gives the deck a geometric shape, the glue hardens and a single multilayer structure is obtained. It has a non-slip coating on upper part and a print with a pattern on the bottom.
Choosing the right deck
When choosing a deck, 3 parameters should be considered:
- Length;
- Depth;
- Board width.
The length and width depend on the person's build and shoe size. The larger the size, the wider and longer the deck should be. Width ranges from 7.75 inches to 9 inches. For starters, it is best to choose 8 inches. It should also be remembered that the deeper the shape and the smaller the width of the board, the easier it is to perform tricks. Wide decks make it easier to glide.
Suspension
Suspensions on skateboards are metal elements that include an axle with a body on which the wheels are attached, a platform screwed to the deck from the underside, a bolt with a nut and shock absorbers. The design of the suspension allows the skateboard to turn one side or the other when tilted.
Pendants are divided into 3 types:
- Low - for wheels with a small diameter. These are used when performing tricks.;
- Medium. Suitable for daily riding.;
- High. They are used in combination with wide and long decks for riding on difficult surfaces.
The width of the axes of the suspensions is also different and is selected equal to the width of the board. That is, if the deck is 8 inches wide, the suspension should be the same width.
suspension adjustment
Adjustment takes place using the main bolt connecting the axle housing to the platform. When it is tightened, the force required to rotate the axis increases. When weakened, on the contrary, lightness and maneuverability can be achieved.
Tight suspensions are used when riding long distances, relaxed suspensions are suitable for performing tricks and elements. However, over-tightening the bolt interferes with turning, and over-loosening leads to shaking and subsequent deformation of the axle and wheels.
wheels
Skateboard wheels are made of polyurethane of various densities. For this reason, they are usually divided into soft and hard. Soft are chosen for riding on uneven surfaces. They absorb small bumps in the road well, but they are difficult to perform figures and flips.
The hard ones are designed for skateparks. On smooth sliding surfaces, it is convenient to perform various elements with them.
Wheels also vary in diameter. The most common are from 52 to 56 mm. The smaller the diameter, the faster the launch and maneuverability. The more, the harder it is to start moving. However, on long distances big wheels hold the speed well.
In this way, correct adjustment and ride comfort depend on correct selection skateboard elements. Knowing their characteristics and focusing on the riding conditions, it will not be difficult to set up your skateboard as it should.