Starting a new hobby is not a simple problem because we don’t know where to start and how to choose suitable devices. It happens the same with longboards.
Do you have any questions on how to choose a longboard? Are you feeling perplexed by the plethora of longboard alternatives on the market?
Your style plays an important role in determining the kind of longboard that is best for you as well as your physical build, experience, and learning capacity.
In the next section, I’ll go through the most significant characteristics to consider when buying a longboard and how they might affect your riding.
How To Choose A Longboard?
Which you can find the perfect longboard for yourself depends on how you want to enjoy it and your purpose. In our article, we will list some factors.
Riding Style
Before choosing a good match for yourself, having an overview of how many riding styles this sport has is crucial. There are four popular kinds of longboarding.
If you are a new member of this field, cruising will be a great choice. At this level, a longboard is a good means of transportation.
In other words, it is just called the first step in your long journey. When you are an expert on cruising style, you may progress to higher levels: freestyling, freeriding, and downhill longboarding.
Freestyle is all about creativity, sliding, board tricks, funny riding, and dancing. This style is a lot of fun for experienced and expert riders.
When it comes to freeriding style, you are riding on hills or streets at high speed. Board controlling skill with slides and curb hops is a must for riders.
It’s about bombing hills as fast as possible while retaining precise maneuvers in downhill longboarding. It is ideal to stay still on the board to reduce wind resistance and increase stability.
Deck Shape
Pintail is a traditional surf form. Pintails are often topmount, which makes pushing a little more complicated.
On the other hand, a nice pintail will spin easily, providing for a smooth and easy ride down the boardwalk.
Cruiser is a top mount deck with a more compact design and typically a kicktail, ideal for busy city sliding.
Drop-through is simpler to push since it is lower to the ground. It’s asymmetrical with large cutouts for wheel clearance.
If you drop down or drop platforms, your feet will be lower than the truck mounts. Because the deck sits lower to the ground, the board is more stable and pushable for cruising but less responsive for turning.
Length & Wheelbase
A 36″ to 42″ deck length works well for cruising on boardwalks or in large park areas since it gives comfort and stability.
A smaller 28-34″ cruiser is a better match if you’ll be mainly cruising through packed city streets. For rapid spins and unobstructed skipping, choose one with a kicktail.
If you want to do a lot of carving, a shorter longboard is good. All other factors are equal, but the shorter decks turn quicker.
Flex depends on the deck length, the number of lays, material, and bracket type in distance skating.
A symmetrical form with a length of 38 to 42 inches, or a wheelbase of 24-29 inches, is ideal for freeriding.
Trucks
Trucks are the T-shaped objects at the bottom of your deck. There are two types called traditional kingpin trucks (TKP) and reverse kingpin (RKP) trucks.
Most riding styles benefit from reverse kingpin (RKP) trucks, which are higher up and turn better. Meanwhile, traditional kingpin trucks (TKP) are suitable for freestyle tricks and downhill racing in some cases.
The key to having a good truck is to match the width of your deck to the appropriate truck size. After choosing a deck, you’ll need to pick out a set of trucks to mount to the bottom.
Invert it to resemble a T. You may adjust the kingpin for turning or boosting speed purposes.
Wheels
It would help if you also cared about what wheel shape or wheel size you choose for your longboard. Generally, the exact diameter may be different, but it depends on how long the board is.
In detail, shorter boards will require smaller wheels. If you want to ride at high speed, bigger wheels will be perfect, but they accelerate more slowly.
The most popular wheel sizes for longboards are 65 mm and 75 mm.
Wheels can be round or square. If all you plan to do is cruising, the square lip is the way to choose.
Square lips offer a better hold on the ground, making them better for basic cruising, especially beginners.
Otherwise, the round lip is your better option. Rounded lips react faster to tight bends and other moves, ideal for advanced styles.
Bearings
Bearings are what allow your wheels to rotate. They’re graded according to an ABEC standard; the higher the ABEC rating is, the faster your wheels will spin.
ABEC 3 longboard bearings are suitable for cruising; ABEC 5 is good for freeriding. ABEC 5–7+ bearings provide high speed for downhill longboarding.
It is essential to have your bearings maintained regularly. This action will aid in their upkeep for maximum performance and longevity.
After every 50 hours of riding, you should remove your bearings, clean, re-lube, and re-install them. If you ride when it’s rainy, do this action much sooner.
FAQs
What is the point of longboarding?
Longboarding has two primary functions: cruising and transporting. When it comes to street riding, its design is flawless.
Its design, flexible truck, and soft wheels make it pleasant and simple to control even on rougher terrain. Even for extended travels, a longboard is fantastic.
Which longboard is better for beginners?
A cruiser longboard is suitable for 99 percent of beginners. A cruiser board at least 30″ long and 8.5″ broad is a good choice.
It will be simpler to balance on an extended, broad deck.
What size is the longboard best for beginners?
Longboards with a width of 32′′ to 42′′ are the most popular and are suitable for beginners.
What weight can longboards hold?
A longboard’s optimal weight capacity is generally 200 and 250 pounds, mainly for 8-ply boards. Beginners may learn about longboards by watching this video.
Conclusion
The limitless possibilities of products on the market make choosing the proper longboard for you difficult. Your specific use pattern, riding style, and physical skills will determine which combination is best for you.
Hopefully, this guide will help you understand how to choose a longboard and narrow down the best board style for you.
Now is the moment to choose your longboard.
Go outdoors and have a good time!
