Longboarding refers to a prominent offshoot of skateboarding. While the concave design of the street skateboard is designed for freestyle tricks, the elongated construction of the longboard is built for speed. The best kind of longboard depends on your discipline of riding. While certain longboards allow you to perform surf-inspired maneuvers on a level terrain, others are designed for steep downhill courses.
Deck Length
The longboard deck features a lightweight wooden construction that consists of numerous layers of paper-thin ply. The length of the longboard deck varies to accommodate the varying stature and styles of avid riders. Skate Longboards recommends a 40-inch deck for navigating the flatland terrain of a college campus. (See References 1) Choose a 46-inch deck to perform high speed turns down a slalom course. To recreate the maneuvers of longboard surfers, Daddies Board Shop recommends a 57-inch deck.
Wheel Diameter and Durometer
The diameter and durometer of the longboard wheel varies based on the style of riding. While large longboard wheels provide increased speed on a downward-sloping terrain, they decrease your ability to accelerate on a flat street or sidewalk. Choosing 65-mm wheels will allow you to accelerate quickly when pushing across a level stretch of pavement. The durometer or hardness of the longboard wheel will effect your gripping ability. According to "Board" magazine, softer wheels offer a smooth ride on a rough terrain and provide increased grip.
Truck Width and Materials
The width of the longboard truck varies to accommodate the numerous sizes of decks. When choosing a longboard, the size of the truck should correspond with the width of the deck. The width of the longboard truck ranges between 8 and 9 inches. While wider trucks provide increased stability, they add unnecessary weight to your longboard setup. Downhill riders often equip their boards with heavier steel trucks, as they help increase speed capabilities. For a lightweight option, select a pair of trucks that features an aluminum or magnesium design.
Bearing Speed
While longboard bearings may appear similar to the untrained eye, the materials used in the construction process will greatly affect the speed capabilities. Longboard trucks are rated by the Annular Bearing Engineers Committee for durability and speed. Bearings that receive a 1 or 3 ABEC rating are best for beginners. Intermediate riders can upgrade to ABEC 5 or 7 bearings. Professional downhill longboarders use ABEC 9 and 11 bearings made from ceramic materials. These top-quality bearings allow expert riders to hit speeds of around 60 mph.
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