What size skateboard should you get? We recommend starting with a skateboard deck width that is proportional to your shoe size. If you wear men's size 6.5 to 9, start out with a deck width of 7.5 to 8.0 inches. If you wear shoes 9.5 or larger, we recommend getting a deck between 8.0 and 8.5 inches.
The Difference Between Skateboarding With Your Nose or Tail Forward. Beginning skaters often ask whether it matters if you lead with the front or back of your skateboard. The short answer is yes and no. There's nothing wrong with riding tail-first.
FIND THE RIGHT SIZE SKATE PARTS
| Deck Size | truck Size | Wheel Size |
|---|
| 7.5 | 7.25 - 7.75 Axles | 50 - 52 mm |
| 7.75 | 7.5 - 8.0 Axles | 50 - 52 mm |
| 8.0 | 7.75 - 8.25 Axles | 50 - 54 mm |
| 8.125 | 8.0 - 8.25 AXLES | 50 - 54 mm |
Why do skaters put the wheels on backwards? If so, wheels tend to wear on the inside edge, as the feet are cambered outwards more often than not. Reversing the wheels simply extends their life by switching the unworn side to the inside.
What to know before buying your first skateboard
- Shop local. To buy a board, go to a skate shop.
- Deck size matters. Size Matters.
- Wheels. Street skating wheels are generally smaller than park wheels since they're lighter weight and more responsive making them easier to flip.
- Trucks.
- Recommended Brands.
- Graphics don't matter.
- Grip is important.
Sometimes you're going to need riser pads. Installing riser pads will give you that extra clearance between the wheels and the skateboard deck to keep you safe when leaning into turns, or pivoting with loose trucks. Skating with risers greatly reduces the risk of wheel-bite.
Wheels are attached to the axels with a single nut (1/2") per wheel. The nuts should be tightened as far as they can be without impeding the spin of the wheel. Generally you should feel only a very minor amount of play if you try to move the wheel side to side.
Applying pressure to your toes will allow you to turn in the direction your toes are facing. To turn in the opposite direction, put pressure on your heels and your board will tip back to make a smooth turn toward your heels. It is possible that the trucks may be too tight making turning difficult.
Small wheels make it easier to land tricks, even when they feel a bit sketchy. Smaller wheels accelerate faster compared to larger wheels which is great when you only have a short distance between you and an object you want to ollie stairs for example.
78a-87a wheels are soft wheels, good for rough surfaces, longboards, or street boards. 96a-99a wheels provide nice speed and grip. Great for beginners skating street, skate parks, ramps, pools, and other smooth surfaces. 100a+ wheels are the hardest and the fastest pro wheels, with the least amount of grip.
Bigger wheels are heavier, but roll faster and retain speed better, especially on rough surfaces. This makes them great for bowl skating and transportation. TIP: If you choose wheels larger than 56mm, we recommend adding riser pads to add clearance and prevent wheel bite.
Generally speaking, harder wheels are faster, and softer wheels are slower with the added advantage of having more grip. Softer wheels are better suited to street skating; harder wheels are better for smooth surfaces, such as skate parks. Some companies even specially design their wheels for a specific use.
The lower the number, the softer the wheel. For example, a skateboard wheel with a hardness of 78a would be considered very soft, while one labeled 100a would be hard. The Durometer B Scale is 20 points lower than the A scale and tends to be more accurate, particularly for measuring harder skateboard wheels.
Using a regular skateboard is cheaper than buying a longboard or cruiser. Decks starting from 8.25″ or wider are fine for cruising, Get a pair of Venture, Paris, or Independent trucks and some softer wheels.
The main reason why the skateboard wheels turn yellow is that the urethane of the wheel degrades over time. But as the bleach wears off and the urethane degrades, the 'real' color of the wheels begins to appear.
Includes a set of 8 Bones Reds Bearings, 8 Speed Washers, and 4 Bearing Spacers. Instructions and Sticker are included in the box of Bones Reds Bearings. Bones Reds Bearings fit all skateboard wheels.
Speed rings are thin metal washers that sit on your axle on either side of your wheel. They are there to reduce friction between the outsides of your bearings and your axle nut on one side, and the edge of your hanger on the other side.
Good trucks are primarily made from cast Aluminum and come with high-quality bushings and pivot cups. Some brands with good trucks are Tensor, Independent, Thunder, Royal, Theeve, Krux, Venture, Silver, and Destructo. They should cost between $30 and $60. Be sure to pick trucks that will match the width of your board.
A spacer is used to increase the distance between parts being fastened. Spacers are often a length of tube through which a fastener is inserted; a short spacer may therefore resemble a thick washer. Washers are sometimes used as small spacers.
Tools you need: A skate tool or a 1/2″ socket/wrench, an Alan wrench or Philips screwdriver. Hold the nut one side and on using a screwdriver or Allen wrench (depending on the type of bolts) to lock the bolt on the other side.
If you skate with large wheels or low trucks, the distance between the wheels and the deck is smaller. With standard skateboard wheels up to a diameter up to 54mm, you probably won't need shock pads. Should you however use larger wheels or prefer very soft steering, shock pads can be a huge help.
With no spacer, or a much too small one, the wheels turn very much slower, although how much may depend on the type of wheel and frame, and certainly on how much the axle is tightened. I suppose theoretically if the spacer were just a little too small for a certain wheel that it would slow it a little.
Inline Skate WheelsIt's not necessary to buy new bearing spacers as long as you remember to reuse the spacers that are in your old wheels. Not installing bearing spacers in your new wheels will cause the wheels to spin slowly lock up when the axles are tightened.
What matters is that the bearings are spinning smoothly when under your weight. In fact, a bearing that hisses along as it freespins for a full minute is worse than a quiet bearing that freespins for three seconds. As long as they don't stop 2 seconds after you spin them by hand you'll be fine.
Spacers prolong the life of your bearings by managing side-loading. They enable a wheel to slide smoothly and drastically reduces chatter. They keep your bearings parallel while spinning. They prevent axle-slip.
The red side goes to the outside of the wheel. You should be able to see the red side when you look at the wheel. That goes for both bearings.
Top 21 Best Skateboard Bearings in 2020 Review – Comprehensive Buyer's Guide
- 1.1 Bones Swiss Ceramics Bearings.
- 1.2 Bones Super Swiss 6 Competition Skate Bearings.
- 1.3 Bones Ceramic Reds.
- 1.4 Bronson G3 Single Set.
- 1.5 Yellow Jacket Premium.
- 1.6 Bones Bearings Super Reds.
- 1.7 Spitfire Burner Bearings.
In order to keep your wheels rolling smoothly, you'll need sensible Bearings. Every skateboard wheel is equipped with two bearings. If you want, you can fill the space between them with a spacer.
