The Basics Why longboard? A longboard is merely a method of transportation for some, while for others it is an artful expression. A rider rides the board in one of two stances: regular or goofy. A regular rider will ride with their left foot forward while a goofy rider will ride with their right foot forward. Longboarding For Dummies For some it is about relaxation while for others it is about the adrenaline rush. A rider skillfully performs a feat of balance: The Cross-step! Parts of a Longboard: • Deck Some people rely on it for transportation, some people rely on it for fun. Pick up a board and find your motivation! • Trucks (2) • Wheels (4) Join the movement! A longboard is classified by a deck (at least 30 inches in length) mounted to a pair of cast trucks with four wheels. Longboarding is something different for every rider. • Bearings (8) As opposed to skateboards, longboards are primarily used to travel quickly and smoothly. While a traditional skateboard is small and primarily used for tricks, longboards utilize long wheelbases and larger wheels to minimize the negative effects of pebbles or bad pavement. • Hardware -8 screws -8 nuts Kick, Push, Coast Blog seanvisser63.wordpress.com Free your body. Free your mind. A pamphlet courtesy of the Kick, Push, Coast Blog Shred some Urethane! Longboarding can be for anyone! Sliding Dancing Downhill Commuting Sliding is very visually impressive. It involves breaking the traction from beneath the wheels and turning the board the sideways while still in motion. Dancing is a display of balance and poise. Downhill longboarding is where the sport began. Unlike learning to dance on flat land, a board is always moving. Not only does this make it more challenging, it makes it even more beautiful! This is where true guts are put to the test. Riders hurl themselves down paved roads sometimes traveling upwards of 30 or 40 mph. Commuting is the most casual of the longboard disciplines. To be able to slide a longboard a couple things are required. First, the wheels need to be moderately to very hard in durometer. A soft wheel will have better grip on the surface and will not want to slide. A sliding board will likely be low to the ground thus making it easier to slide. A brave rider uses some hard wheels and a fair amount of force to get sideways! Sliding may be used in succession with tricks or it may be useful in slowing yourself down from high speed. Some longboarding competitions are based entirely around sliding. Longboard dancing involves stepping on, around, and under the board in smooth, fluid motions. Dancing tricks may be combined with flip tricks and sliding. Tricks may involve crossing your legs, riding backwards or riding on only one leg. Dancing boards are tradionally very long to allow room for feet to slide around. Sliding is an advanced longboard technique. Safety Equipment Helmet, Elbow Pads, Knee Pads, Gloves Downhill is all about maintaining balance and control while achieving the highest possible speed. Competitions may be conducted through races or time trials. Sliding may be involved or required in downhill races. Boards made for downhill are usually very long and very stiff to provide a strong, stable surface for high speed travel. Anyone who has stepped on a board knows the advantage it can give you in speed and effort. It only takes a small push to coast for a long while. Commuting is simply achieved by pushing and propelling the board; something that every rider will learn. Advanced commuting involves pushing with both feet and learning new pushing techniques. Commuting boards are usually shorter in length and very lightweight. With travel being the primary concern of these specially made boards, they should also be equiped with good bearings to increase roll distance as much as possible.