How to choose a longboard: a beginner's guide

Posted by John101 on January 6th, 2021

There is a huge selection of longboards in stores. They are of different shapes, sizes and designs, designed for different styles and levels of riding. Our article is to help those who still find it difficult to understand all this diversity. So that you can make your choice and go for a drive on the street as soon as possible!visit here Longboardpro.

You will learn how longboards differ, why they are different in length, what concave and kicktail are, what affects the rigidity of the deck and why.

In the second part of the article we will talk about the rest of the longboard components: suspensions, wheels, bearings, and others.

So, stock up on tea and cookies, sit back and we'll figure it out!

RIDING STYLES

There are many different styles in longboard riding. There are different types of decks, wheels and suspensions for different styles. The riding style depends on your personal preferences: someone likes high speed and difficult tricks, someone likes aggressive skiing, and someone prefers to leisurely ride in smooth arcs and enjoy a warm, sunny day with friends. The most common riding styles are cruising / carving and freeriding.

Cruising / carving

Cruising is the most utilitarian way to ride: drive around the city, from point A to point B, to work, school, or just ride for pleasure. Anything from a padded skateboard and small fish to long pintails will do. The main thing is that you are satisfied with the handling and the wheels have good roll and comfortable rigidity. An important nuance: if, in addition to riding, you plan to carry a longboard in your hands a lot, choose a shorter and lighter longboard, and if you like speed or have a lot of high-speed sections along the way, pay attention to the models that are more authentic and harder.

Carving resembles snowboarding or surfing: the rider rides in arcs, makes sharp turns to control his direction and speed. For carving, non-rigid decks are well suited, with a length of 40 ”, with soft wide wheels that have good grip on the asphalt and soft bushings in the suspensions, which give good maneuverability.

If you are just starting out on a longboard, these riding styles will be the most understandable and easy to learn for you.

Downhill

Downhill is a fast and controlled descent. Most of the riding time the rider accelerates and drives, adopting the appropriate stance, he slows down only to enter a turn or go around an obstacle in his path. Downhill decks are quite stiff, usually directional, without kicktails, with a pronounced concave.

For downhill you can use: freeride hard deck with soft to medium hard wheels with large diameter and low angle suspension and hard bushings to maintain stability at high speed.

Downhill is a serious riding style, it requires sufficient training of a rider who has already mastered freeriding and carving, who can control speed, turn and brake sharply with slides. Downhill requires the use of protection, gloves and a helmet.

Freeride

Freeride is fast and aggressive riding. There are many borrowings from other longboarding styles here. The rider moves at high speed, controlling his movement with slides and powerful carving. During skiing, different functional tricks can be used (jumping on the curb, jumping off the steps, etc.).  

There are a huge number of deck shapes for freeriding, but the main thing is that it should be wide and stiff enough. Symmetrical decks and wheels with a hardness of 80-86A, a diameter of 65-72 mm are well suited.

Freestyle

Freestyle is a creative riding style where the rider rides the way he wants. Freestyle involves many technical skills such as sliding, tricks, reverse stance riding and dancing. This riding style is suitable for a beginner to develop board skills, as well as an experienced and expert rider, just to ride for fun.