When buying your first skateboard, you should pay attention primarily to the quality of its workmanship and the versatility of parameters. Beginner skaters should choose a skateboard that is easy to control and suitable for tarmac. See what to look for when buying a skateboard so that learning to skate is quick and fun.
The choice ofof the first skateboardshould be well thought out and planned. You should not buy a board on impulse or after noticing a promotion in a supermarket, because the equipment offered in such places is of poor quality and wears down quickly. At the beginning, it is worth getting acquainted with the basic information about skateboards, and then going to a professional skater store - then we will be sure that the equipment we buy is of the best quality and comes from a reliable source.
Skateboard - construction and parameters
The elements of each skateboard are:
- board(also known asdeck ) - consists of 7 or 9 layers of maple wood, sometimes with an admixture of fiberglass , carbon or Kevlar, which reduces the weight of the structure. It is covered with a grip, i.e. sandpaper to increase adhesion. The length of the board varies between 71-82 cm;
- trucks(Eng.truck ) - allow you to mount wheels to the table top and steer the skateboard;
- wheels- most often made of polyurethane, less often of natural rubber. Larger wheels are intended for riding on a ramp and allow you to develop high speeds, smaller wheels make the skateboard lighter, but also slower;
- bearings- affect the speed of rotation of the wheels. They are marked with the symbol ABEC and a number from 1 to 7. The larger the number, the faster the circles spin;
- mounting brackets- special screws with which the sawmills are mounted to the board.
Advanced skaters complete all the elements and then assemble their skateboards according to their preferred riding style. Beginners who are not familiar with the parameters of individual parts are recommended ready-made skateboards assembled by the manufacturer.
The first skateboard - what should you pay attention to when buying?
If we decide to buycomplete skateboard, probably its construction is adapted to the needs of a beginner. However, it does not hurt to pay attention to whether all parameters have the appropriate values that will facilitate making progress in learning.
Please check:
- hardness of the wheels - wheels with a hardness of 99A are recommended for learning,
- dimensions of the wheels - the most universal are those in the range 53-55 mm,
- bearings - marked with symbols ABEC-3 or ABEC-7,
- length and width of the board - ideally the dimensions should be 78.5 x 20 cm.
Buying your first skateboard - what not to do?
Often, when buying our first skateboard, we unknowingly make mistakes, which later negatively affect our driving comfort, and as a result discourage from further learning. Therefore, to make the right choice, you need to remember a few rules:
- Do not buy skateboards in supermarkets - it is almost certain that the equipment you buy from a random supermarket will be of very poor quality and will break down quickly. Better to go to a special skate shop, where you can count on the professional help of sellers and the selection of the highest quality equipment.
- Do not buy a skateboard cheaper than PLN 100 - each one that costs less is not suitable for regular use and is easily damaged.
- Choose a mid-range skateboard - equipment for PLN 150-200 is an optimal choice for beginners.
- Be careful when buying a used skateboard - before you decide to buy, check the board carefully, check for a broken or delaminated top and ask the seller to ride it. If you have little knowledge about skateboards and can't take the advice of a professional, better decide to buy a brand new board.
- Pay attention to the quality of workmanship - in particular, check what the top is made of. Top-quality boards are made of Canadian maple and consist of 7 layers (a 9-layer top may be too heavy for a beginner and make it difficult to ride).
See what types of boards are
Source: TVN Meteo Active / x-news