Cultural Debate: "Are there any differences between longboards and skateboards?"

Ever since the resurgence of longboarding, there has been a bit of a debate between some about what defines a longboard. An even bigger question often asked is, “Are there any differences between longboarding and skateboarding?”

Back when skateboarding first got big back in the 60s and 70s, boards were being made mostly very small. They were often flat, but the nicer ones had some functional curvature to them. The two most important early advancements that were made with this curvature were concave and kick-tails. 

Concave refers to the curved top of the deck that allows it to respond much more significantly to the riders toe and heal weight than any flat deck would. And then a kick-tail is a bending up of the tail of the deck which is used for ollies and popups at first, and freestyle tricks later.

Over time some trends started to arise through the natural experimentation of talented riders. One of these very early trends was the trend of longer boards excelling on hills while shorter decks were more agile for tricks.

At that point it started to become true, that the type of riding you’re interested in doing is what actually determines the type of deck one rides.

All types of skating have gone in and out of trending, but within the culture surrounding the hobby/sport/phenomenon, these experimented trends and contextual determinism have held constant.

Now that we understand a bit about the origins and differences between longboarding and skateboarding we can more effectively attack the question, “Are there any differences between longboarding and skateboarding?”

It is my opinion that they are the words we use for two adaptations of the same general thing. So as far as I’m concerned, as long as you’re riding a deck, two trucks, eight bearings and four wheels, you’re all doing the same thing. They’re all skateboards, but longboards is a more specific sub classification. And for some dumb reason, old-school shaped decks are called shortboards!?

I’d love to hear some comments on this age old discussion within the community, give me your thoughts on my theories, tell me what you think, even argue with me haha. 

Urethane discussion: Bushings and Wheels

One of the least understood topics within the realm of skateboarding, or the longboard movement specifically, is the bushings that control the turning motion of a truck. Bushings are a laboratory formulated urethane product, just like modern wheels. This post will hit on some of the meaning behind the specs of these two urethane products; what numbers are going to affect your ride and how.

The kingpin is the point of pivot and the bushings are the urethane nubs that slide onto this kingpin and restrict/control the amount of turn. The compression and expansion characteristics of the urethane material are such that the rider will get maximum energy return out of softer bushings and more restrictive vibration and wobble dampening effects from harder bushings. What this translates to is softer bushings being a prime choice for carving or commuting on a longboard, while hard bushings excel for downhill. And then bushings in the middle are usually reserved for downhill freerideing/ sliding and freestyle.

The fact is that every truck is constructed using different geometry, which means they will feel, or ride slightly differently. And then in turn, that the switching out of your bushings will affect your ride differently on different trucks. But there are some trends to follow: of the two main shapes of bushings, cone and barrel, barrels are more restrictive and cones are looser feeling. And then when it comes to the hardness or durometer of the bushings, harder obviously restricts more and softer restricts less. Keep these characteristics in mind when selecting your bushings, and always check the specifications before you buy them. They have some decent visuals of bushing guides at http://www.longboard-guide.com/materiel.

On the other side of the urethane story, wheels also have different characteristics when they are formulated for different hardness’. The similarities continue in that shape an

d size of a wheel you ride will vastly affect the function of setup as a whole.

There are a few things to keep in mind when picking out a set of wheels. When it comes to hardness, the harder the wheel the more the wheel will want to slide and break traction when acted upon buy a side-load. And then with the size, larger wheels will automatically roll faster, grip more, and out preform smaller wheels at higher speeds. While smaller wheels are better for sliding normally, and are lighter for any freestyle tricks one might try!

Comment with any further questions on the topic, I’ve love to help get you informed before you go buy your next wheel or bushing setup!

Rkp vs Tkp trucks: What's the difference and what's for me?

Trucks are one part of a setup that can very easily be overlooked. They aren't connecting you to the ground or to the pavement, but they bring the board, or the deck, and wheels together. They also completely determine the way you turn and maneuver, so trucks are certainly an integral part of any shredder’s setup!

Today we’ll be looking at my pick for a longboard style truck as well as a skateboard style truck that will aid in making any rider successful. But first let’s clear up the differences between longboard and skateboard style trucks.

The two different truck designs are just that, different designs that utilize different geometry to achieve a different feel or ride. When trying out both types of trucks, which are more technically referred to as traditional kingpin vs reverse kingpin style, the strengths and weaknesses make themselves abundantly clear. Skateboard or traditional kingpin/tkp trucks are more suited for tricks because they have much less turn, so the trucks won’t start turning as you’re trying to land on your board. And then with longboard style or reverse kingpin/rkp trucks, they are the opposite, extremely turny by comparison. This turn allows the rider to handle higher speeds with more maneuverability and turn back and forth in a motion called carving that can actually reduce or increase the rider’s speed if they happen to be skilled enough.

When it comes to finding a solid longboard truck, there are just a few things I look for. Make sure the baseplate angle is 50 degrees if you want full turn, or go lower angled for a stiffer, race-like feel. Also look for something with an axle that has been reinforced somehow or you’ll bend them eventually.

My pick for a longboard style truck has got to be the 50 degree Caliber Truck co.’s. This truck has the two thing I look for in a truck and as far as feel goes, they are my personal favorite. Buy these trucks if you want something that’s good for all around longboard shredding and riding, but you’re not much into racing/bombing. On the other hand, if you are big into bombing hills and getting speed opt for the Caliber Truck co.’s 44 degree trucks. This slightly lower baseplate angle allows the rider the reach higher speeds without getting any speed wobbles and still turn enough to safely find your way down the hill.

http://calibertruckco.com/

And then on the opposite side of the spectrum, my pick for a solid skateboard or street style truck. When picking one of these out just make sure they have a similar axle width to the width of your deck. This helps the setup look more correctly built as well as keeps the wheels completely under the deck so you’re not stepping on them as they come out the sides.

For a street style truck it’s got to be the Attack truck tkp series. These trucks look great and they function just as well. They come in a variety of widths as to accommodate any smaller street deck you may be looking into. They have also perfected a technology in which they hollow out the axle in a process that strengthens them while removing material and weight.

http://www.abec11.com/

I hope that my picks helped some of you out, be sure to comment if you’re looking for any specifications or any more technical specifications on the products I’ve shared today. Or if you don’t think either pick is for you, hit me up with your questions and I’ll help find something that’d be good for you and your desired riding!

Different Wheels for Different Riding

Some would argue that the most important part of your setup is your wheels. They are after all, your true connection to the pavement.

There are obviously endless wheels to choose from today, but when choosing, one must keep in mind what type of riding they do the most and remember that different types of wheels are geared toward different types of riding.  What I mean by this is that, you shouldn’t go buy a hard, small and slippery wheel if you are looking to go fast, and grip around corners. That type of riding would be complimented by a large and soft wheel!

This post will profile a couple wheels meant for very different types of riding. One wheel for downhill speed/grip and another for freestyle sliding/street skating. These are just a couple of my recommendations from my personal riding. As I said, there are endless options in the wheel market today, but these are two sets I can speak to personally.

First we have the Abec 11 brand Centrax wheels. These bad boys come in at either 83mm or 77mm in diameter and a hardness/durometer rating of 77a or 80a. This is quite possibly the ultimate wheel for someone with the need for speed. They come equipped with a sharp lip around the wheel that really digs into the pavement and helps with grip around corners. The different options available are for a slightly different feel. The lower durometer number of the two is grippier, and will usually come in a different color because it is a different urethane formula. And when it comes to the diameter, larger sizes just means greater roll speed. The bigger the better when it comes to rolling fast, but some boards will restrict the turning radius of giant wheels. To be sure you are avoiding wheel-bite on the setup you are building, make sure you have a conversation with the clerk at your longboard shop of choice, telling them what wheels and what board you’re interested in.

http://www.abec11.com/

But what if you’re more into bustin’ out slides and popin’ kickflips? Not a problem at all my friend, today’s market has a plethora of offerings for your style as well. My personal choice these days for such riding is undoubtedly the Remember brand Peewees! These much smaller, much slidier wheels come in at 62mm tall with an 82a durometer. The very small and round lipped nature of these wheels is what makes them so slippery. The lack of a sharp lip will allow these wheels to break traction very easily and controllably. And the medium durometer rating will keep that slide smooth instead of screechy. Another advantage of the smaller size of this wheel is its light weight. Get ready to pop bigger ollies and get bigger air with this wheel. Don’t let the litany of color options fool you with this wheel, they are all the same formula, just with different pigment added, they will all function the same. I went with the orange ones and I'm pictured trying em out on the streets of Milwaukee

below.

https://www.facebook.com/remembercollective

It’s my hope that this review helped you guys build your next setup or influenced your next wheel buy. Let me know if any of you get the chance to shred either of these wheel choices or contact me if you need help picking some gear that makes sense for you!

Review: The Original Arbiter 36 kt

You’re always faced with the same question: Which board? Which board to buy, which one to ride here, which one to ride there. Or, which one is best for my current riding situation?

Wouldn’t it be a whole hell of a lot easier to just buy, and ride, one board? One that’s well-rounded enough to handle anything you throw at it! This post explores the idea of an optimal all around board while looking specifically at the Original Arbiter DK 36, my pick for such an important spot in any skater’s quiver.

I’ve ridden a lot of boards over the years and have constantly looked for a good “all around” deck. You know, a board that has that perfect shape, one you can ride anywhere really. Wide and stiff enough to handle higher speeds, yet responsive and perhaps with kick tails for enhanced maneuverability.

After my last season of riding and trying a few decks that meet our description for that “all around” board, I ended up riding the Original Arbiter DK 36. As the name would suggest this board comes in at 36 inches in length and a beefy 10 inches in width, composed of 9plys of Canadian maple. This relatively short length with an even shorter wheelbase makes for a very nimble board, while the thick construction ensures enough weight to keep you grounded at high speeds. In the past I have run into many problems with DK or double kick boards being too light, or flexy to trust at high speeds, but the Arbiter 36 has certainly cleared these issues up for me.

Let’s move on to the main feature of this deck: the gigantic kick tails! These kicks will ensure hours of freestyle fun. They are big enough to get some serious lift over the deck regardless of your weight. Because this deck was drilled with multiple truck mounting options, the trucks can be moved slightly forward or backwards when being mounted too the deck. What does this mean for my riding you might be asking? This slight movements effectively change the wheelbase and turning radius, but also directly change the length of the kick tails, allowing the rider to dial in their desired level of pop. Don’t put up with a board that doesn’t have the right pop or the right turning for your riding style. Pick up an Original Arbiter 36 and start dialing in your setup today.