Buying skateboard completes is easy, but there comes a time when all serious skateboarders must select his or her very own components, painstakingly, one at a time, to build the perfect deck. Once you ride the ideal setup, you’ll wonder how you could have ever settled for anything else. Suddenly those tricks you were agonizing over for months become effortless. Skateboard trucks may have just seemed like “that piece of aluminum holding the wheels to the deck” before, but once you examine them more closely, you’ll see they make all the difference in the world when it comes to flexibility, turning and maneuverability. As pro skateboarder Chris Roberts explains, “The trucks and bushings are the most important part of my setup, ’cause if you can’t turn, you’re going to run into that wall!”

The first thing to consider when buying trucks for your skateboard is size. Naturally, you want your trucks to closely match the width of your deck. Size can be measured by the width of the hanger, which is the largest part — triangular-shaped and made of metal, holding the axle in place, or it can be measured by the width of the axle, which is the pin that holds the wheels in place. The size of your trucks may vary between 3 and 10 inch axles or 4 to 8.5 inch hangers. If your deck is 6.5 – 7 inches, look for 3 – 3.5 inch hangers and 4 – 4.5 inch axles. For a 7.25 – 8 inch deck, go with 7.75 inch axles and 5 inch hangers (129 mm). If your deck is 8 – 8.5 inches wide, get a 7.75 inch axle and 5 inch hanger (129 mm). If your deck is 8.5 – 9 inches wide, look for an 8 inch axle and 5.25 inch hanger (139 mm). For skateboarding decks that are 8.5 – 9 inches, get an 8.5 inch axle or 5.75 inch hanger (149 mm). If your deck is 9 – 10 inches, look for a 9 inch axle and 6.5 inch hanger. If you have a fatter deck that is bigger than 10 inches, then you’ll need a 10 inch axle or 8.75 inch hanger. Generally speaking, the wider the truck, the more stable the ride — but also, the heavier it will be.

Veteran skateboarders will also tell you that the weight of the skateboard trucks can also affect your ride. “A truck that turns smoothly and is reliable is most important. I can’t stand bending axles and breaking baseplates at crucial moments when I’m about to land a new trick or skate a comp,” says pro skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon. Most trucks weigh between 10 and 13 ounces. Some manufacturers have found ways to lighten the truck and maintain stability using titanium or other lightweight metal alloys, rather than the standard aluminum. Independent and Destroyer offer some of the widest, most stable trucks on the market, although they are a bit heavier. If you want more lightweight trucks, look for Grind King or Thunder brand names.

Over time, you’ll need to perform routine maintenance on your skateboard trucks to ensure they remain tip-top. You’ll need to periodically check to see that they’re still securely fastened to your deck. The continuous vibrations can often loosen the components over time. To tighten the trucks, turn the kingpin bolt clockwise, but make sure it’s not too tight or you won’t be able to turn. You may also decide to put shock pad risers between the trucks and your deck to prevent the trucks from rubbing against your deck. Shock pads may also prevent your wheels from stopping too suddenly if they touch the board, although be aware that these pads may make your board taller and harder to maneuver during certain skateboarding tricks. Your rubber bushing rings may wear down over time, requiring replacement to maintain your board’s flexibility. You’ll know it’s time for a new set of trucks if you see rust (on the cheaper models), cracks in the center of your trucks or a worn kingpin.

Rene Lacape can help you with all your insurance needs. May it be personal or corporate accounts he can answer all your deepest questions with clarity. All you have to do is get a hold of his contact information and start the deal with him. You will be satisfied for sure.

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Extreme Sports Blog

Tags: Skateboarding, skateboarding videos, skating backyard pools, The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

The pros make skateboarding tricks look so effortless, but it’s taken them years of practice and studying to get where they are today. There are many places for amateur skaters to pick up the tools of the trade, whether they find a qualified skateboard instructor at a skateboard camp, try to learn from friends, logon to a skateboarding forum or watch skate videos and read magazines. This article discusses the basic types of tricks out there, some of the innovators in modern skateboarding and the best tricks to learn for a skate competition.

Skateboarders can do their tricks on the street or at a skate park. All skaters begin learning with baby steps. They may want to hit the ground running and get that kickflip down right away, but in reality, the most successful skaters are the ones who learn the basics of where to put their feet, how to transfer balance and weight around, how to pop the nose or tail to manipulate the board, how to change from switch back to regular stance, how to balance on different parts of the board and who know how to skateboard on the street very well before they learn tricks. The very first trick any skateboarder learns is the “ollie,” which is basically just jumping up in the air with the board. Once this jump motion is perfected, skaters will then plausibly be able to leap over obstacles, hop up onto rails or curbs, and perform a great variety of other technical tricks.

There are five basic types of tricks that skateboarders do. With “freestyle” tricks (like 50/50s, ollies and shove-its), the technical street skateboarder flips and manipulates the board in some way, while balancing on two wheels, one wheel, the tail or the edges of the board. “Aerials” (like 180s, 360s and 900s) may be done on the street or on ramps and involve floating in the air, while using a hand to hold onto the board. Similarly, “flip” tricks (like nollies, bigspins and kickflips) involve spinning the board around in different rotations while in the air. Rail skaters are famous for “boardslides” or “grinds” (like nosegrinds, crooked grinds or 5-0 grinds), which require the rider to get the board or trucks up onto a railing, ledge, curb or handrail. “Lip” tricks (like axle stalls, blunt-to-fakies and frontside inverts) are done along the rim of an in-ground swimming pool or skate ramp and require balancing along the edge of the highest skate surface.

Many avid skaters wonder where some of these popular skateboarding tricks came from. Jay Adams, one of the original Z-Boys, was the first to pull off a lip trick. Some of the most distinguished aerial skaters include Steve Caballero (who has his own trick called a “Caballerial”), Tony Hawk (who was the first to perform a 900 at the X-Games and invented the varial), Jeff Phillips (one of the first skaters to land a 360 backwards), Mike McGill (who invented the “McTwist”), Rob Sluggo Boyce (the first to do a backflip), Duane Peters (who invented the indy) and Lance Mountain (famous for his 720s). Some of the most legendary freestyle skateboarder icons include Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva and Jay Adams, members of the Zephyr Team, who were interviewed in the documentary “Dogtown & Z-Boys.”

There are many terms to describe different skateboarding tricks. For instance, an “ollie” refers to the most basic trick, in which a skater takes his board up into the air by pushing down on the tail, popping the nose of the board up, bending the knees and keeping the feet resting on the airborn skateboard. This can be done standing, while in motion or even on a vert ramp. A trick like a “180″ or a “360″ involves rotating the body in a circle, while ollie-ing. A “pop shovit” is a combination of an ollie and a 180, with only the board doing the turning, rather than the skateboarder. “Grinds” occur when the skater ollies up onto a curb, wall, bench or railing, sliding the wheels or trucks along the obstacle’s surface. During a boardslide, the wood of the skateboards decks glides along the surface of an obstacle. A “kickflip” is one of the tricks every beginner wants to learn, which is where the skater spins the board on a horizontal axis toward him, landing with both feet back on the deck. Similarly, a heelflip is done in much the same way, but with the board spinning on a horizontal axis away from him. A “manual” is also a fun trick, which is essentially a pop-a-wheelie on a skateboard, which requires balancing on two wheels for as long as possible.

Rene Lacape can help you with all your insurance needs. May it be personal or corporate accounts he can answer all your deepest questions with clarity. All you have to do is get a hold of his contact information and start the deal with him. You will be satisfied for sure.

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Extreme Sports Blog

Tags: Skateboarding, skateboarding videos, skating backyard pools, The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

For kids interested in skateboarding culture, the skateboard shop becomes a central meeting place where they can hang out, discuss the latest skate videos, pick out shoes, check out the newest decks and pick up some essential safety gear for riding at the parks. It can be all too tempting to spend every last cent at one of these stores — many of which are admittedly overpriced — so it’s wise to consider what’s available and prioritize before taking a trip there. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the items you may come across in your travels.

Safety gear is available at a sporting goods store or a specialty skateboard shop. According to the Academy of American Pediatrics, skateboarding accidents account for more than 50,000 emergency room visits and 1,500 hospitalizations each year. Of these accidents, 60% involve children under the age 15. These children are generally inexperienced, do not wear the proper safety skateboarding gear, skate near traffic and try risky stunts. The most common injuries are bruises, abrasions, strains, sprains, fractures and dislocations of the arms, legs, neck and torso. Facial injuries like broken noses and broken jaws, as well as severe head injuries like concussions, blunt head trauma and closed head injuries are also prevalent. To minimize their risk, both professional and amateur skateboarders buy skateboard helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, ankle braces and gloves.

In addition to safety equipment, you’ll find that skateboard shops have various goods for your skater lifestyle. There’s apparel with skateboarding logos such as Element, Zero, Plan B, Baker, Blind, Independent, Darkstar, Birdhouse, Etnies, Zoo York, Volcom and DC. You can buy shirts, pants, hats, belts, sunglasses, socks, underwear, bathing suits, swim trunks and wallets that showcase your favorite brands and let other skaters know how you spend most of your free time. Often times, surf logo brands like Roxy, Quicksilver and Ron Jon will also appear in skate shops since the cultures are so similar. The one downside of purchasing skate apparel is that you wind up paying a lot more for these items. It’s not uncommon to pay $20 for a t-shirt or $40 for a pair of pants and they really don’t last any longer than other clothes. Sometimes though, you’ll find shirts that are good at wicking away moisture or pants that offer more range of motion, which could be helpful to your hobby.

At the skateboard shop, you’ll be able to buy complete skateboards or customize your own, choosing the decks, the wheels, the trucks and even the bearings. The downside to many shops is that they’re fairly small, so you may not have all the room to try out the deck as you’d like. However, if you ask a sales associate, they may agree to come outside with you and let you give it a few kicks. It’s important that you not only choose a deck that looks good, but also that you select one that’s right for you. Each deck is built with a different concave, meaning that it can be either easier or harder to bust tricks, based on a slight variation in the nose, the tail and the sides. Also, each deck is sized differently, depending on what level of skating you’re at, the size of your feet, your height/weight and what type of skating you’ll be doing — whether technical street, vertical or just cruising. Do your homework ahead of time to avoid confusion or high-pressured salespeople that drive you to buy the wrong items.

Rene Lacape can help you with all your insurance needs. May it be personal or corporate accounts he can answer all your deepest questions with clarity. All you have to do is get a hold of his contact information and start the deal with him. You will be satisfied for sure.

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Extreme Sports Blog

Tags: Skateboarding, skateboarding videos, skating backyard pools, The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

There are several points to consider before shopping for a complete skateboard. First, decide whether you will use your board for transportation, for street tricks, for vertical ramps or for a combination of things. For instance, you could ride longboard skateboards if you’re just cruising, but not if you plan on doing tricks. You may need a wider board if you plan to do a lot of vert riding too. When you get to the store, you should explain your needs to a sales associate, who can direct you to your best bet. Also, before you hit the streets, be sure you purchase the proper skateboarding equipment (helmets, gloves, knee pads, wrist guards and elbow pads) and the proper shoes to ensure you do not injure yourself out there. You will find that there is a great selection of complete skateboards out there and that you’ll be making a safe, cost-effective choice when you purchase one.

Alien Workshop is a reputable brand name of complete skateboards. The company was formed in 1990 by Christ Carter and Mike Hill, who formed partnerships with DNA Distribution, Burton, Habitat boards and Reflex Bearings. These high-quality, professional-grade skateboards have a noteworthy roster of fans, including Rob Dyrdek, Steve Berra, Anthony Van Engelen and Arto Saari. The cool thing about Alien Workshop is that their headquarters are based out of Dayton, Ohio, which is a departure from the normal California-centric production. Also, they take a unique approach to skateboard design, using all colorful alien logos. Complete skateboards from them sell for $60 – $100.

Another great series of complete skateboards to check out is Irvine, California-based Element. Exceptional riders like Bucky Lasek, Chad Muska, Bam Marguera, Mike Vallely, Ray Barbee, Levi Brown and Jeremy Wray are all sponsored by this manufacturer. This company’s “power to the planet” initiative hopes to raise concern for environmental issues, which makes this brand stand out from the competition. Of all the skateboarding logos, Element has one of the most recognizable with their signature tree inside a circle. In addition to finding these boards online and at skate shops around town, there are also several U.S. flagship stores in New York City, Honolulu and Orlando. A complete skateboard setup from them will cost around $55 – $100, depending on the design.

The best type of complete skateboard is the “pro grade” variety, naturally. Birdhouse has high-quality completes for around $120. Other professional grade complete boards include: World Industries, Alien Workshop, Riviera, Loaded, Gravity, Element, Blind and Flip. Visit www.goskateorgohome.com to find a number of options. If you’re looking for something a little bit on the cheaper side that still has safety in mind, you can find mid-quality completes like Positiv by Powell or Golden Dragon by Powell. These boards are still endorsed by pros like Steve Caballero and Andy Macdonald, but range from $50 – $70, rather than $100.

Rene Lacape can help you with all your insurance needs. May it be personal or corporate accounts he can answer all your deepest questions with clarity. All you have to do is get a hold of his contact information and start the deal with him. You will be satisfied for sure.

Extreme Sports Blog

Tags: Skateboarding, skateboarding videos, skating backyard pools, The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi