It’s frustrating when your skateboard feels like it’s dragging its feet, especially when you’re trying to navigate a skate park or enjoy a long cruise. Over time, skateboards naturally lose some speed, and while replacing bearings or wheels might seem like the obvious solution, there are often other factors at play. Let’s explore ten common culprits behind a slow skateboard and how to address them.
10 Reasons Why Your Skateboard is Slow and How to Fix Them
Here are ten common reasons why your skateboard might be slow, along with practical solutions:
1. Dirty Skateboard Bearings Need Cleaning
close up of old rusty skateboard bearings
If you’ve been skating for a while, or if you purchased a used skateboard, your bearings might be the primary cause of slow speeds. Dust, dirt, and grime accumulate inside the bearings, creating friction and slowing you down. Sometimes, you won’t even realize how much dirty bearings are hindering your board until you clean or replace them. Cleaning is simple and can be done in 15 to 30 minutes. Here’s how:
Tools needed:
- Thumbtack, razor blade, or toothpick
- Paper towel
- Plastic container with a lid
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Skate tool or 1/2″ wrench
Cleaning process:
- Remove your wheels and use the truck axle to remove the bearings.
- If your bearings have shields, carefully pop them off using a thumbtack, razor blade or toothpick.
- Place the bearings in the container and soak them in isopropyl alcohol. Nail polish remover can be used as an alternative.
- Let them soak for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently shake them around.
- Place them on a paper towel, wrap and shake firmly to remove any remaining dirt.
- Apply 2-3 drops of silicon lube or Bones Speed Cream.
- Reattach the shields and insert the bearings into your wheels.
- Spin the wheels to distribute the lubricant evenly.
Regular cleaning, every few months, can significantly improve your skateboard’s speed. However, keep in mind that isopropyl alcohol can dissolve the original grease in your bearings, so consistent lubrication is required.
2. Axle Nuts Are Too Tight
close up of attaching the wheels to truck axles
Over-tightening your axle nuts can put unnecessary pressure on the bearings, leading to increased friction and slower speeds. If the nuts are too tight, it can pinch the bearings, restricting their rotation and potentially causing damage. Try loosening your axle nuts slightly until your wheels spin freely. They don’t need to spin for minutes, but they should spin for more than 20 seconds. Ensure there are spacers between your bearings to avoid damage when tightening the axle nut. When you feel resistance when tightening, stop and check the wheel. If they don’t spin freely, loosen the axle nut slightly. Cheap, pre-built skateboards often have this issue.
3. Riding the Wrong Wheels on the Wrong Surface
The type of wheels you use and the surface you’re riding on greatly influence your speed. Hard, smaller wheels are ideal for smooth surfaces like concrete skate parks, but they will not perform well on rough surfaces. For rougher terrain, softer wheels are the way to go. These help absorb shocks and bumps, providing a smoother and faster ride. A slightly larger and softer wheel can make a big difference on uneven terrain. Conversely, if you are using softer wheels (92A) on concrete, you won’t go as fast as someone with harder (99A+) wheels. Soft wheels grip surfaces better and can slow you down.
4. You’ve Chosen the Wrong Wheel Size
skateboard wheel size and speed chart
Larger wheels cover more ground with each rotation, leading to faster speeds. While you could attach longboard wheels to your skateboard, larger wheels (75mm+) aren’t ideal for skateboarding. For technical street skating and flat ground tricks, stick to 56mm or smaller wheels. A 54mm wheel offers better speed and performance. Bowl and vert skaters prefer larger wheels (58-60mm+) to maintain speed and momentum, while those who enjoy cruising find that wheels ranging from 60mm to 70mm are the best option.
5. Worn Wheels Need Replacing
Over time, your skateboard wheels will wear down, losing their size and performance. As the urethane wears away, a 56mm wheel might become a 45mm wheel, which significantly reduces your speed. To prevent uneven wear, rotate your wheels regularly, switching their positions. If your wheels have flat spots or feel bumpy, they could be creating extra friction and need replacement. Flat spots can also cause some discomfort while riding.
6. Low-Quality Skateboards Limit Performance
image of low quality skateboards
Many cheap, pre-built skateboards often come with low-quality components, significantly affecting speed and performance. If you have a plastic wrapped skateboard, you probably got a cheap board. You’ll want to start replacing those components or look at buying a higher quality complete skateboard. Start with your bearings and wheels first. Over time, you can save for a better deck. Avoid cheap brands that are known for low quality and potentially dangerous equipment.
7. Pushing with Too Much Weight
Sometimes, your pushing technique might be hindering your speed. Beginners may stomp their push foot instead of pushing gently. This transfers too much energy when your foot hits the ground. Instead, push with the front of your foot and extend your push leg forward as much as you can. If you use too much energy on your push foot, you will lose momentum.
How to push properly:
- Place your front foot near the front bolts.
- Take your back foot off and place it ahead of your front foot.
- Touch the ground gently with the front area of your push foot.
- Push yourself forward without putting too much weight on your push foot.
8. Missing Speed Washers
Speed washers are small rings that you place on the outside of your bearings to reduce friction between the axle and axle nut. They also help minimize heat buildup and prevent wear on your bearings. If you are missing speed washers, you might over tighten your axle nuts, which slows down your ride. They are inexpensive and usually come with your trucks. They can easily be misplaced, and cheaper skateboards might not include them.
How to install speed washers:
- Place one speed washer on the truck axle.
- Put the wheel on.
- Place another speed washer on.
- Tighten the axle nut until you feel resistance.
- Loosen the nut slightly until the wheel spins freely.
9. Pushing Mongo Style
Pushing mongo means pushing with your front foot while balancing on the back. While it won’t necessarily slow you down if you’re used to it, it’s not efficient. It can be unstable, takes longer to position yourself, and in confined spaces, this can mean less time to get up to speed.
10. Using the Wrong Bearings
While you don’t need to purchase the most expensive bearings, you need to use bearings specifically designed for skateboarding. Longboard and cruiser bearings like Zealous are great for those activities, but they accelerate slower, which is not ideal for skateboarding. Skateboard bearings like Bones or Bronson are built to quickly reach faster speeds. These bearings keep momentum once up to speed. Avoid no-name brands, and purchase bearings from a reputable skate shop, making sure to add spacers.
Conclusion
Finding the right skateboard setup for your specific needs can take some time and experimenting. A setup that’s slow in a skatepark may be fast on the streets, it all depends on the equipment you’re using. The most common issue is dirty bearings, but many other factors affect speed, including your technique. With the right knowledge, you can fine-tune your board to make it faster.
Thanks for reading, and happy shredding!
