One thing that has always driven me nuts, is that regardless of the width of decks, the length is almost always the same. It never made sense to me that a 6’ 6” skater and a 4’ 10” skater all have to choose a deck the same length. It seems logical to change the proportions both ways.
@@phxnigtmare Yeah, honestly, even trying out different trucks will help in getting a smaller wheel base going. This _absolutely_ matters way more than the width of a board. It's a myth that someone with size 11 or 12 shoes couldn't ride a 7.5" board. In fact, you'll get easier flip tricks on a smaller board, even if you're huge yourself.
length does vary the same as width. A 7.5 board is usually 31 while an 8.5 board is usually a little over 32, so... 1 inch variation in both ways. What really matters is wheelbase though, and that varies too.
When I first started skating I bought 100 bearings for 17 dollars but they were roller chair bearings and they barely rolled they would literally explode when I skated quarter pipes and ledges
2:57 I think you're a little confused, soft wheels don't go faster in the park. On rough terrain soft wheels are faster (less energie loss in vibrations) on good flat terrain (like skateparks) hard wheels are faster ( lees energie loss due to the friction between the wheel and the ground).
Ikplay is correct. Back in the late 70's and early 80's I was on the Kryptonics amateur team. Free wheels and decks. They had several different resiliences for wheels. I found what he said was true.
Actually, from the perspective of physics, hard wheels only accelerate faster, with a lower top speed on rough ground (and for skaters obviously the issue of getting stuck more easily as a bounce against any kind of cracks is super hard). Soft wheels accelerate slower, but on rough ground will always have a higher top speed. In general, _yes_ soft wheels in most cases will be the faster wheels! In a skatepark, the only reason you wouldn't want to ride super hard wheels has to do with losing grip on skatelite surfaces or slick wood. Hard wheels on super perfect flat surfaces _still_ have a lower top speed, they just have a faster acceleration, which can seem like they are the faster wheels. Last but not least, the _size_ of a wheel matters a whole lot. A slim 50mm 101A wheel is never going to feel the same as a Spitfire Formula Four Conical Full that's much wider of say 54mm 101A. You'll see the latter wheel will do a lot better on rough ground. A lot of people ride 99A wheels to get a bit of a best of both worlds in their wheels, but still... soft wheels are in fact faster. Keep in mind we're not talking about inflatable tires here, but the amount of friction a softer wheel maintains over a super hard wheel. The Bones Rough Riders 56mm 80A wheels I've got are easily the fastest wheels I've got, even comparing to some of the other larger harder wheels I own. They're not any slower on super slick surfaces.
@@PHeMoX Interesting, I am not certified enough in the area of physics to argue but still wonder how it comes that hard wheels have a lower top speed? I don't see any reason why they would, please explain. I wonder if this is also true for cars. Cars wheels and skateboard wheels have to have different qualities as one has to accelerate a car and one only has to roll when pushed. Could this be the difference in our conclusions?
@@brendboer6026 The main difference with car tires is how they aren't solid wheels, but inflated with high pressure air. Even with a very high pressure, this makes the wheels actually more similar to softer skate wheels than the hard ones. The reasons why top speed is limited has to do with impacts that slow down the wheels, whereas a softer wheel would bounce through it better, often lessening friction. Marketing aside, the Bones Rough Rider wheels actually make use of the bounce effect and transfer the energy into motion. This means where a hard wheel would stop dead in its tracks in a crack, those Rough Riders would actually accelerate. Not by much, but enough to get over the crack. Softer wheels kind of already do this, as in reality they better withstand vibrations, surface roughness and friction. Of course, the softer a wheel, the stickier it gets, but again this affects acceleration only. At higher speeds the extra friction means no sliding or slipping. The other important factor is riding surface, a super small riding surface would never be great in rough terrain.
brendalg4 well theres no set point board you should have depending on the foot size, i recommend going to a skateshop and standing on the decks and see what feels comfortable. Edit: I have a small foot and ride a very wide board, so you cant really depend it on feet size.
also skaters should know how much a gram is 2 months later edit: I did not make this joke, I rephrased it and now I feel bad for how much attention it got, the original UA-camr who made the jokes name is Ben Degros.
I remember switching from an 8.25 to a 7.75 and it making a world of difference. I'm 6 foot, so you'd think I'd prefer a wider board, but I found it a lot easier to maneuver and Ollie on a smaller board.
i think shoe size has more to do with the preference than height. I'm 5'9 but my feet are US 13 / eu 46 . I mostly skate flatground but riding on anything below 8.125 feels just awkward
Just a few things that are "nice-to know": - The hardness of the wheels is usually in Shore A (resistance against a hardned steel rod 1.1 - 1.4 mm diameter with a truncated 35° cone, 0.79 mm diameter with an applied mass of 0.822 kg that results in 8.064 N of force) so the hardness of the wheel is one of the few things that is acutally normed. - Abec number is a acceptec standard for tolerances of industrial bearings. Higher ABEC -classes provide more precision due to lower manufacturing tolerances and therefore bigger speed capabilities. But since it's only tolerances that are set by these numbers it says nothing to the speeds a skateboardwheel could turn. Better just take them out, clean them and regrease them from time to time. - Investing in "ceramic bearings" often isn't worth it, except you invest in full ceramic bearings, which are f**king expensive. Most "ceramic bearings" you get only have ceramic balls. In combination with a "soft" steel shell it tends to build groves where the ball runs in. This results in a uneven surface and bad rotation of a bearing. In this state you can put it in to the bin. Better take a stainless steel bearing. So the balls and the shell have more or less the same hardness, so they tend not to make such a grove as fast as the half-ceramic bearings. One thing that could destroy your bearings still is having the wrong preload on them. A bearing is made for a specific preload on the shells. This also includes the preload from the side that is made if you tighten the wheel too hard or too soft. My recommendation would be to buy bearings e.g. from SKF, NTN or similar. They are industry standard bearings which often get you more for the price than "skateboard bearings". - Chances are that if you go to your local metal store you'll get the same screws and nuts for less money.
ABEC is also a standard. For all intents and purposes, ABEC 15 bearings are pure marketing BS as the standard only goes up to 9. All 9+ ABEC bearings are 9. Maybe changing to roller, tapered or angled contact bearings could improve things, but nobody has done it.
Very good breakdown for those of us new or starting again. I’ve been researching what components will work the best for my four grandchildren (ages 6-13) and myself as an older dude. Your explanation is easy to follow, thorough and you got it done in under eight minutes! Thank you and best wishes in all of your endeavors.
Ages ago 7.5 and 7.625 was the industry standard. I only rode those sizes. That’s what pros were riding and what the shops were stocking .we talking late 90’s to early 01 02
Bro.mlir. 7 yes of course I can. I have been skateboarding since the 80’s. Seen all the changes over the years.. with shoes decks and everything else. Switch frontside flips, and tr3 flips are my favourite to do.
Contrary to the belief of street skaters, harder wheels are actually better than soft wheels in transition/park. They let you generate more speed out of pumps, and allow you to slide.
Florida Boy I’ve always rode 101a’s in skate parks and I find that apart from some parks which have a gloss like smooth concrete they still perform well especially for speed
I dunno. I’ve always found larger and softer wheels to perform better on street because they ride smoother on rough surfaces. Keep in mind that it is possible to slide on a soft wheel, it’s just harder to.
Another thing to take in consideration is the hardness and the shape of your trucks bushings. I've switched from conical shaped to barrel shaped and it was a great tweak. I've gained a lot of performance. One cool thing about it, is that you can combine bushings with diferent hardness to achieve that extra grip, pop, etc.
As a guy who work in a skate shop, I can say that that the deck size is preference and the trucks must be the same width as your deck, other than that, it is preference. The wheels, 52-54mm and bones red bearing is the safer option. Also, as long as the hardware is from the skate shop, it should be fine
Jamie foy skates wider trucks than deck size and I personally skate a 9 with 8.5 trucks. It really is all preference. Just like how daewon skates no bushings.
I used to ride 8 now now I ride 8.75 and then tried my 8 again and the only difference I noticed is landings and pop. The lower pop is probably caused from the tail and nose shape though because they’re super mellow compared to other boards
Only now I realized my 7.25 inch, 30 yr old deck was a kid size deck. No wonder it felt like wobbling. Back in the days when I used to skate (mid 90s) everybody opted narrow decks. The thinking was less wood means less weight . Of course back then I was still high school , weighted half of what I am now and yet the ride was pretty much solid. I believe my feet size didn't change much from the day I bought the deck. I guess picking up deck size is not just feet sizes but also your weight.
It takes a little hands on to figure out what ya like. Experiment with each piece until you got a deck that rides the way you want it to. It took me years to figure out that I enjoy cruising more thank trick decks. Food for thought.
I love to tinker so I have a bad habit of buying cheap used boards and slowly replacing the parts on them. It's a great way to figure out what you like as you go.
and don't get me started with Wheelbase. to me one of the most important measurements on a skateboard. not only boards have different wheelbase lengths, truck companies also have different wheelbase lengths. for example, if you a board and put on a set of thunders and measure the distance between the axles and then put on a set of indys on that same board and measure the distance between the axles. the indys have a shorter wheelbase (closer together) than the thunders. fascinating stuff.
You're absolutely correct, about the Indy wheelbase difference and the importance of wheelbase. For my height and shoe size, a 14" wheelbase is perfect, a larger one, and there's going to be a difference in how I'll need to do my tricks; all things that can be adaptable, foot placement can be adjusted but overall that's confusing and an unnecessary learning curve. Any trick where you slide your front foot, will feel different with a longer or shorter wheelbase.
Always torque from the nut side of the hardware (not the head) and you won't strip your hardware. I've not run into more problems with hex hardware, than phillips, and it really helps if you make sure the head of the hardware is sitting, flush, against the wood and not on top of the grip. If it's sitting on the grip, it will loosen, which will require more tightening and you'll have more of a chance of stripping your hardware.
Since I picked up skateboarding back like 20 years ago, I was only riding 8s. Though recently I got into freestyle and noticed that 7.5 works the best. It all depends on what you're doing with the board I guess. While doing gaps and stuff, I figured a larger board will be more stable on landing while smaller boards flip faster and with less effort.
I skate a 8.5 and I will never go back down sizes, once I saw how clean my tricks look with bigger boards I was sold. Im 5.11, weigh 175 lbs, and shoe size is 10.5 (the shoe gets stretched out over time for me so I go a half size down). Also another note is that I skate high trucks and sometimes mids to get a little extra snap to the tail (so I dont have to use spacers).
This could be just because I'm a massive person, but I've found that the hardness of the truck bushings is very important to avoiding wheel bite. I've only been skating about a month so far, so I'm still learning a lot and appreciate these videos. Lol
If you have an issue with Allen head screws stripping out, take an Allen wrench that’s just over the size of your standard hardware, and hammer it into the head. You’ll probably have to use a pair of vise grips to get it loose. Another cheap trick is to purchase a star bit set and 6 inch ratchet extension. Hammer the star bit in the same way, you’ll have that pesky stripped screw off in no time! EDIT: Make sure you hammer on the extension and not the star bit itself or you’ll lose the ability to use that star bit any further.
8.5 x 36.5” board with 149 tall indy’ trucks 59 spitfire “big-head” wheels in 97a with thin lucky risers. Powell reds bearings. Still want to add ojay rails. Custom paint job custom grip tape a must. This board setup does it all. It’s a fun cruiser on rough terrain and still does power slides. It’s fun at transition parks. It’s fun at street parks or just street. It’s fun at downhill. Next setup will be Powell Andy Anderson deck and Powell g-slide or ojay wheels in 56 97a. Me: 5’10” 150lb
Measuring the wheelbase of a deck can also help you pick out which trucks to use. Smaller wheelbase is typically better for higher trucks and vice versa
I bought a used longboard off of Craigslist and I was super happy with it. Got the complete setup for like 30 bux and threw on some Shark wheels I had and the whole thing was good to go. I enjoyed messing around with it from time too time but I could always tell that the trucks were a little wonky, idk exactly what it was but they just felt like they were attached to the board a little loosely for my taste. So, I decide to try and take them off and see what I can do. But, it turns out that not only are most of the bolts stripped but they were all rusted and so weak that, sometimes, when trying to turn them, the top half would start to spin when the bottom wouldnt..... they were all totally warped and ruined by the end of it. I put the board down for a little but I didn't want to give up so, eventually, I came back and had to literally saw every single bolt off of the board before I could finally replace the trucks. It was crazy but definitely worth it. It's a good board and now it's got the new, functional trucks that it deserves. Still, stripped screws on a board is something you never want to have to mess with, lol. Terrible experience.
no front but the fact that thunder uses mm instead of inch is because that more than the half of the earth uses the metric system which is by far the most easiest way to measure something i know that the us grows up with inch and feet. That is not a front it is just an explanation why some skatebrands uses mm instead of inch. And it is easier to measure out my deck when i got only on unit of measurement. (im living in germany:^) ) and thanks for the video it helped me a lot.
I skated for years until I joined the army now I’m getting back into it and it seems like wide boards have become more normal. I bought an 8 inch girl and a 8.88 toy machine and the toy machine is super wide.
Hey man it's Devon! I was looking to get a skateboard again and looked up a video to find a measurement guide lo and behold it's you lmfao. You look like you're doing great man, get a hold of me anytime you can I'd like to catch up. Miss you bro.
So, my skate was run over by a bus last week and not only the board broke but one of the hangers was fucked, so I’ve had to buy a new skateboard all together. I’ve gone from a 8’ deck to a 7.825, and different wheels. Let’s see how it feels.
This has helped my skating no end its hard to get boards the right size in new Zealand for my size 14 feet, my feet were always dragging off whenever I landed anything. At 44 I am making more progression than I ever have
What size deck do you use? I have a 14 shoe as well and I’m getting into skating after years and I bought an 8.25 girl and an 8.88 toy machine. The toy machine is very big but I like it so far
I ride a Gonz sweatpants 9.81 with Indy’s and 56mm wheels and have no issues with flipping or rotating. It’s all technique - you either you have it or you don’t. I see too many dudes “muscling” through their shit and the think they need a lighter/narrower set up or whatever 😂
truck brands have different wb geometry so depending on what brand truck you ride will widen or shorten your wheelbase and make your nose feel snappier or lighter.
I've been skating for almost a year and a half now . I found that my current setup is perfect for me . 7.75 deck but with a flatter concave for nice manuals Venture 5.0 lows because I don't really like high trucks , I'm pretty heavy and I need the harder bushings . Plus I love the turning . Every other truck just feels wrong to me 51 mm 99A wheels . And I use the Andale Blues . I think they are stainless steel . My board always feels great . Even the pickiest skater at the park said that the setup doesn't need anything . He just said the board should be changed . BUt that's when I had my previous deck . A 1 year old Darkstar that refused to die
@@garrettbell5474 You will find the parts that suit your style best . It takes some trial and Error . I was lucky enough to develop my own style in my first 3-4 months . And then I started looking around for parts , trying out the parts the other guys use . One dude had ventures , I did one of the easiest manuals I've ever done . That did it for me .
8.375 is what I normally ride, but had go down to an 8.25 with what my skate shop carried at the time. It felt weird and kinda small riding it at first, but I got used to it, and it's okay. But 8.375 is what I prefer and feels most comfortable
90s we all rode 7.5 - 7.75 regardless of height and shoe size and we did everything thats done todsy.. and soft wheels are actually slower they just grip more
After not skating since early 2000's due to age,injury,work, blah,blah,blah right. Well checking out decks these day's it's kinda weird. Everything is big or even some going back to old school decks of 80's and just a lot of different shapes for decks with some being outright weird. Wheels are all huge and there are too many trucks sizes and brands too. In my day you basically had 6 or 7 truck brands with a couple different sizes. I guess it's actually pretty cool to have so many custom options. Oh don't forget the rails on decks like the old school. It's just kind of confusing on what's good coming back to skating and wanting to build a new board. In my day I used to roll with decks way smaller like 7.25-7.5 with venture 5.0 featherweight trucks. Then I had 43mm powell jellyballs and another set of Powell double radials in a 56mm which were enormous back then. Bones bearings unless broke t hff end ab c bearings. My 1st and favorite board was a new deal ron knigge slick with the rat king graphic,venture 5.0 featherweights,43mm Powell jellyballs with bones bearings.
Im ten years old, 5 feet tall, 160 lbs, And African/native american and i've been skating for four years and my ollie sucks. Motivate me please i need it.
ay leave a like on the video if you're in quarantine rn lmao 😂👀
Skate Box lol imma go skate right now 😂😂
I love your your videos
I might be quarantine but ima skate anyways
keep up the amazing vids bro u helped me with a lot of questions to
You suck
One thing that has always driven me nuts, is that regardless of the width of decks, the length is almost always the same. It never made sense to me that a 6’ 6” skater and a 4’ 10” skater all have to choose a deck the same length. It seems logical to change the proportions both ways.
The thumbnail hurts my brain
@@SkateBox there are tons of different lengths and wheelbases. And it usually changes with width.
It is logical that's why it is that way. Ever read a spec sheet? Thinner boards are almost always shorter. And short wheelbase deck definitely exist
@@phxnigtmare Yeah, honestly, even trying out different trucks will help in getting a smaller wheel base going. This _absolutely_ matters way more than the width of a board. It's a myth that someone with size 11 or 12 shoes couldn't ride a 7.5" board. In fact, you'll get easier flip tricks on a smaller board, even if you're huge yourself.
length does vary the same as width. A 7.5 board is usually 31 while an 8.5 board is usually a little over 32, so... 1 inch variation in both ways.
What really matters is wheelbase though, and that varies too.
When I first started skating I bought 100 bearings for 17 dollars but they were roller chair bearings and they barely rolled they would literally explode when I skated quarter pipes and ledges
Pain
Pain
That's so funny and legendary! Thanks for sharing
2:57 I think you're a little confused, soft wheels don't go faster in the park. On rough terrain soft wheels are faster (less energie loss in vibrations) on good flat terrain (like skateparks) hard wheels are faster ( lees energie loss due to the friction between the wheel and the ground).
Ikplay is correct. Back in the late 70's and early 80's I was on the Kryptonics amateur team. Free wheels and decks. They had several different resiliences for wheels. I found what he said was true.
Actually, from the perspective of physics, hard wheels only accelerate faster, with a lower top speed on rough ground (and for skaters obviously the issue of getting stuck more easily as a bounce against any kind of cracks is super hard). Soft wheels accelerate slower, but on rough ground will always have a higher top speed. In general, _yes_ soft wheels in most cases will be the faster wheels! In a skatepark, the only reason you wouldn't want to ride super hard wheels has to do with losing grip on skatelite surfaces or slick wood. Hard wheels on super perfect flat surfaces _still_ have a lower top speed, they just have a faster acceleration, which can seem like they are the faster wheels. Last but not least, the _size_ of a wheel matters a whole lot. A slim 50mm 101A wheel is never going to feel the same as a Spitfire Formula Four Conical Full that's much wider of say 54mm 101A. You'll see the latter wheel will do a lot better on rough ground. A lot of people ride 99A wheels to get a bit of a best of both worlds in their wheels, but still... soft wheels are in fact faster. Keep in mind we're not talking about inflatable tires here, but the amount of friction a softer wheel maintains over a super hard wheel. The Bones Rough Riders 56mm 80A wheels I've got are easily the fastest wheels I've got, even comparing to some of the other larger harder wheels I own. They're not any slower on super slick surfaces.
@@PHeMoX Interesting, I am not certified enough in the area of physics to argue but still wonder how it comes that hard wheels have a lower top speed? I don't see any reason why they would, please explain. I wonder if this is also true for cars. Cars wheels and skateboard wheels have to have different qualities as one has to accelerate a car and one only has to roll when pushed. Could this be the difference in our conclusions?
@@PHeMoX I watched some of the skateboarding on your channel bro, keep it up. That ground seems really ruff lol, best get some squicy wheels.
@@brendboer6026 The main difference with car tires is how they aren't solid wheels, but inflated with high pressure air. Even with a very high pressure, this makes the wheels actually more similar to softer skate wheels than the hard ones. The reasons why top speed is limited has to do with impacts that slow down the wheels, whereas a softer wheel would bounce through it better, often lessening friction. Marketing aside, the Bones Rough Rider wheels actually make use of the bounce effect and transfer the energy into motion. This means where a hard wheel would stop dead in its tracks in a crack, those Rough Riders would actually accelerate. Not by much, but enough to get over the crack. Softer wheels kind of already do this, as in reality they better withstand vibrations, surface roughness and friction. Of course, the softer a wheel, the stickier it gets, but again this affects acceleration only. At higher speeds the extra friction means no sliding or slipping. The other important factor is riding surface, a super small riding surface would never be great in rough terrain.
6 years of skating and I still have no Idea how truck sizes work.
6 days of skateboarding and I still don’t understand how you don’t fly off the board when u get on
@@jshotem1369 this was 2 weeks ago, can you get on it without flying off now?😂
Don't you just the same width as as the board?
@Vinnie J Yes
@@jshotem1369 hahahaha
I was really interested in the thumbnail and it isn't even discussed in the video.
brendalg4 well theres no set point board you should have depending on the foot size, i recommend going to a skateshop and standing on the decks and see what feels comfortable.
Edit: I have a small foot and ride a very wide board, so you cant really depend it on feet size.
You can ride any side board for with any sized feet. The thumbnail is dumb, it's all about what you feel comfortable with
also skaters should know how much a gram is
2 months later edit: I did not make this joke, I rephrased it and now I feel bad for how much attention it got, the original UA-camr who made the jokes name is Ben Degros.
Wacamac100 oh they do, trust me
I see you are a Ben degros viewer aswell
Yep. Typical weight for deck is 1250 to 1300 grams.
@@BobbyPhoenix 👀
@@BobbyPhoenix
Oh boi
Its a valid argument but really it comes down to preference and if you feel comfortable with the set up
I remember switching from an 8.25 to a 7.75 and it making a world of difference. I'm 6 foot, so you'd think I'd prefer a wider board, but I found it a lot easier to maneuver and Ollie on a smaller board.
Switched to 8.0 since 10 years of 8.25 too, forsure more ease for skating flat & street sections at parks i'm 6 foot too
i think shoe size has more to do with the preference than height. I'm 5'9 but my feet are US 13 / eu 46 . I mostly skate flatground but riding on anything below 8.125 feels just awkward
We are the opposite lol. I'm 5.5 and went from 7.75 to 8.25. I'm way more comfortable now and didn't lose any tricks.
Carlos Ferreras dude i did exactly the same. 7’75 to 8’25.
@@BoxingMentality now I'm at 8.4, maybe it's a little too much, but fun as hell.
Just a few things that are "nice-to know":
- The hardness of the wheels is usually in Shore A (resistance against a hardned steel rod 1.1 - 1.4 mm diameter with a truncated 35° cone, 0.79 mm diameter with an applied mass of 0.822 kg that results in 8.064 N of force) so the hardness of the wheel is one of the few things that is acutally normed.
- Abec number is a acceptec standard for tolerances of industrial bearings. Higher ABEC -classes provide more precision due to lower manufacturing tolerances and therefore bigger speed capabilities. But since it's only tolerances that are set by these numbers it says nothing to the speeds a skateboardwheel could turn. Better just take them out, clean them and regrease them from time to time.
- Investing in "ceramic bearings" often isn't worth it, except you invest in full ceramic bearings, which are f**king expensive. Most "ceramic bearings" you get only have ceramic balls. In combination with a "soft" steel shell it tends to build groves where the ball runs in. This results in a uneven surface and bad rotation of a bearing. In this state you can put it in to the bin. Better take a stainless steel bearing. So the balls and the shell have more or less the same hardness, so they tend not to make such a grove as fast as the half-ceramic bearings. One thing that could destroy your bearings still is having the wrong preload on them. A bearing is made for a specific preload on the shells. This also includes the preload from the side that is made if you tighten the wheel too hard or too soft. My recommendation would be to buy bearings e.g. from SKF, NTN or similar. They are industry standard bearings which often get you more for the price than "skateboard bearings".
- Chances are that if you go to your local metal store you'll get the same screws and nuts for less money.
ABEC is also a standard. For all intents and purposes, ABEC 15 bearings are pure marketing BS as the standard only goes up to 9. All 9+ ABEC bearings are 9. Maybe changing to roller, tapered or angled contact bearings could improve things, but nobody has done it.
Very good breakdown for those of us new or starting again. I’ve been researching what components will work the best for my four grandchildren (ages 6-13) and myself as an older dude. Your explanation is easy to follow, thorough and you got it done in under eight minutes! Thank you and best wishes in all of your endeavors.
Ages ago 7.5 and 7.625 was the industry standard. I only rode those sizes. That’s what pros were riding and what the shops were stocking .we talking late 90’s to early 01 02
Mark F that’s totally right.. the east coast riders were on bigger boards that’s when 8 was considered big
Ed Thomas can u land a ollie?
Bro.mlir. 7 yes of course I can. I have been skateboarding since the 80’s. Seen all the changes over the years.. with shoes decks and everything else. Switch frontside flips, and tr3 flips are my favourite to do.
We have a different idea of what ages ago means. The 7.5" board craze was pretty recent imo. Ages ago the boards were 9-10" wide.
Yep. I used to only sk8 a 7.5 early to mid 00's.
Every skater knows that no matter how big or small your shoe size is it's all about what you fell more comfortable with
Contrary to the belief of street skaters, harder wheels are actually better than soft wheels in transition/park. They let you generate more speed out of pumps, and allow you to slide.
Florida Boy I’ve always rode 101a’s in skate parks and I find that apart from some parks which have a gloss like smooth concrete they still perform well especially for speed
I dunno. I’ve always found larger and softer wheels to perform better on street because they ride smoother on rough surfaces. Keep in mind that it is possible to slide on a soft wheel, it’s just harder to.
Yeah hard wheels are better in general unless you're just riding around
SunSetSkate i just think it seems hard to get into grinds with big wheels
@@shadegona2066 Cruising isnt street skating. You wouldn't have that opinion if you did grinds. Big soft wheels are problematic
Another thing to take in consideration is the hardness and the shape of your trucks bushings.
I've switched from conical shaped to barrel shaped and it was a great tweak.
I've gained a lot of performance.
One cool thing about it, is that you can combine bushings with diferent hardness to achieve that extra grip, pop, etc.
you left out the best rolling paper brand
RAW
@@ian-hm6cx
Sir...you are correct
its juicy jay blueberry, change my mind
Tallyhos
Niels M. i live in europe (the netherlands) and raw isn’t even that rare, in like almost all the head shops you can get raw
too bad, i bought a skatboard deck this afternoon and watched the video in the middle of the night. still a great video thanks!
Y’all don’t listen to that thumbnail like do what feels comfortable to u it doesn’t matter if it’s technically correct or not
It's all about comfort and what terrain you're skating.
(me checking to see if he actually commented “you suck” 😭)
As a guy who work in a skate shop, I can say that that the deck size is preference and the trucks must be the same width as your deck, other than that, it is preference. The wheels, 52-54mm and bones red bearing is the safer option. Also, as long as the hardware is from the skate shop, it should be fine
T-rex the skateboarder working in a skateshop seems like an awesome job
@@mr.broski4849 thanks
Jamie foy skates wider trucks than deck size and I personally skate a 9 with 8.5 trucks. It really is all preference. Just like how daewon skates no bushings.
0:01 a car is just a piece of metal with for wheelies on the bottom too
I used to ride 8 now now I ride 8.75 and then tried my 8 again and the only difference I noticed is landings and pop.
The lower pop is probably caused from the tail and nose shape though because they’re super mellow compared to other boards
Only now I realized my 7.25 inch, 30 yr old deck was a kid size deck. No wonder it felt like wobbling. Back in the days when I used to skate (mid 90s) everybody opted narrow decks. The thinking was less wood means less weight . Of course back then I was still high school , weighted half of what I am now and yet the ride was pretty much solid. I believe my feet size didn't change much from the day I bought the deck. I guess picking up deck size is not just feet sizes but also your weight.
It takes a little hands on to figure out what ya like.
Experiment with each piece until you got a deck that rides the way you want it to.
It took me years to figure out that I enjoy cruising more thank trick decks.
Food for thought.
I love to tinker so I have a bad habit of buying cheap used boards and slowly replacing the parts on them. It's a great way to figure out what you like as you go.
and don't get me started with Wheelbase. to me one of the most important measurements on a skateboard. not only boards have different wheelbase lengths, truck companies also have different wheelbase lengths. for example, if you a board and put on a set of thunders and measure the distance between the axles and then put on a set of indys on that same board and measure the distance between the axles. the indys have a shorter wheelbase (closer together) than the thunders. fascinating stuff.
You're absolutely correct, about the Indy wheelbase difference and the importance of wheelbase. For my height and shoe size, a 14" wheelbase is perfect, a larger one, and there's going to be a difference in how I'll need to do my tricks; all things that can be adaptable, foot placement can be adjusted but overall that's confusing and an unnecessary learning curve. Any trick where you slide your front foot, will feel different with a longer or shorter wheelbase.
Always torque from the nut side of the hardware (not the head) and you won't strip your hardware. I've not run into more problems with hex hardware, than phillips, and it really helps if you make sure the head of the hardware is sitting, flush, against the wood and not on top of the grip. If it's sitting on the grip, it will loosen, which will require more tightening and you'll have more of a chance of stripping your hardware.
Its all preference
We learnt to 360 flip on 10 inch boards
Since I picked up skateboarding back like 20 years ago, I was only riding 8s. Though recently I got into freestyle and noticed that 7.5 works the best. It all depends on what you're doing with the board I guess. While doing gaps and stuff, I figured a larger board will be more stable on landing while smaller boards flip faster and with less effort.
Thank you! Good information for helping my grandson get his first board!
Some things in skateboarding are go pointlessly complicated trying to find what trucks to buy is such a nightmare
I started skating on a 7.5 over the years I have got up to a 8.5
my grop tape is black
I skate a 8.5 and I will never go back down sizes, once I saw how clean my tricks look with bigger boards I was sold. Im 5.11, weigh 175 lbs, and shoe size is 10.5 (the shoe gets stretched out over time for me so I go a half size down). Also another note is that I skate high trucks and sometimes mids to get a little extra snap to the tail (so I dont have to use spacers).
Same here with 8.5 and size 11 shoe
This could be just because I'm a massive person, but I've found that the hardness of the truck bushings is very important to avoiding wheel bite. I've only been skating about a month so far, so I'm still learning a lot and appreciate these videos. Lol
I like the lights in your room. It's like everyday is Christmas
FYI bearings are universal for longboards and skateboards. For anyone who wants to transfer between the two skating styles.
If you have an issue with Allen head screws stripping out, take an Allen wrench that’s just over the size of your standard hardware, and hammer it into the head. You’ll probably have to use a pair of vise grips to get it loose. Another cheap trick is to purchase a star bit set and 6 inch ratchet extension. Hammer the star bit in the same way, you’ll have that pesky stripped screw off in no time!
EDIT: Make sure you hammer on the extension and not the star bit itself or you’ll lose the ability to use that star bit any further.
Showing this to my friend. He understands now.
I skate a size 8.38 my friends say it’s huge but I’m a size 12 shoe so it’s perfect
Man's got the hacker computer
my shoes are 8 and i ride globe outsider with powell peralta 66mm with no problem, its very comfortable on rough terrain
That was a mountain of info Bro. Thanks for taking the time to enlighten us!
the picture in the beginning killed me 🤣🤣
You could also explain the concaves (more concave makes flips easier) , weight (specially trucks and deck), and griptapes (i.e MOB grip vs Jessup).
More concave actually makes flips harder
8.5 x 36.5” board with 149 tall indy’ trucks 59 spitfire “big-head” wheels in 97a with thin lucky risers. Powell reds bearings. Still want to add ojay rails. Custom paint job custom grip tape a must. This board setup does it all. It’s a fun cruiser on rough terrain and still does power slides. It’s fun at transition parks. It’s fun at street parks or just street. It’s fun at downhill. Next setup will be Powell Andy Anderson deck and Powell g-slide or ojay wheels in 56 97a. Me: 5’10” 150lb
6'7" and i refuse to ride anything shorter than 33" length
I know all of this information and yet I still loved watching. That's a good video.
Measuring the wheelbase of a deck can also help you pick out which trucks to use. Smaller wheelbase is typically better for higher trucks and vice versa
Ur video help me so much
I bought a used longboard off of Craigslist and I was super happy with it. Got the complete setup for like 30 bux and threw on some Shark wheels I had and the whole thing was good to go. I enjoyed messing around with it from time too time but I could always tell that the trucks were a little wonky, idk exactly what it was but they just felt like they were attached to the board a little loosely for my taste. So, I decide to try and take them off and see what I can do. But, it turns out that not only are most of the bolts stripped but they were all rusted and so weak that, sometimes, when trying to turn them, the top half would start to spin when the bottom wouldnt..... they were all totally warped and ruined by the end of it. I put the board down for a little but I didn't want to give up so, eventually, I came back and had to literally saw every single bolt off of the board before I could finally replace the trucks. It was crazy but definitely worth it. It's a good board and now it's got the new, functional trucks that it deserves. Still, stripped screws on a board is something you never want to have to mess with, lol. Terrible experience.
The range 7.5 to 8.25!???
8 to 8.75 is more reasonable today? 7.8" is really tiny and hard to start with. 8.5-8.75 is more reasonable.
i started with 7.8 in my teen years but i get what you're saying
it depends on what age you start skating. I personally started at 14 with an 8.0
if you start at 30 of course it is better to start with a wider board
Then there's those of us who grew up in the 80's, and anything under 10" wide is considered a mini.
Yo make a skate vid with you skateboarding i whana see how do you skate
I skated with this dude back In the day who was like 6’2 and he skated a 7.75 and he ripped.
For longboarders: Zealous Ceramic Bearings are $30 a set over Bones Swiss being $100.
THANK YOU. I bought a set of spitfire amphetamine bearings and wheels for $30 on Amazon but I'll keep these one's in mind as well for my longboard
Don't lie, ceramic zealous are 30 usd. Normal ones 13.99 on their site
@@skankwave5245 You're right, I changed it.
@@skankwave5245 I'm not a paid shill or something- I just really appreciate their company and affordable bearings.
@@RealJinKazama me too dawg, me too. Zealous is the shit
very detail . cool
I wish this video had existed when I started skating nearly 20 years ago. 👍🏻
Excellent video! Well put together collection of all of the information I was looking for 👌🏼
About to buy my first board so this really helped thank you
I think you got the wheel thing a little confused bro
no front but the fact that thunder uses mm instead of inch is because that more than the half of the earth uses the metric system which is by far the most easiest way to measure something i know that the us grows up with inch and feet. That is not a front it is just an explanation why some skatebrands uses mm instead of inch. And it is easier to measure out my deck when i got only on unit of measurement. (im living in germany:^) ) and thanks for the video it helped me a lot.
Thanks bro your videos always help in boarding
Thanks for the size charts in this video. Very handy
This guy is like bladed angel for skaters
I skated for years until I joined the army now I’m getting back into it and it seems like wide boards have become more normal. I bought an 8 inch girl and a 8.88 toy machine and the toy machine is super wide.
Hey many thanks for this video. The hardest thing for me to understand was the types of trucks. Thank you very much 🙏🏼
Hey man it's Devon! I was looking to get a skateboard again and looked up a video to find a measurement guide lo and behold it's you lmfao. You look like you're doing great man, get a hold of me anytime you can I'd like to catch up. Miss you bro.
I like the guy that does the street plant. Good work.
Is it just me or is it so satisfying to see the truck during a crooked or a nose or 5-0 grind?
I found a very small portion of this helpful
So, my skate was run over by a bus last week and not only the board broke but one of the hangers was fucked, so I’ve had to buy a new skateboard all together. I’ve gone from a 8’ deck to a 7.825, and different wheels. Let’s see how it feels.
This has helped my skating no end its hard to get boards the right size in new Zealand for my size 14 feet, my feet were always dragging off whenever I landed anything. At 44 I am making more progression than I ever have
What size deck do you use? I have a 14 shoe as well and I’m getting into skating after years and I bought an 8.25 girl and an 8.88 toy machine. The toy machine is very big but I like it so far
Basically a good and insightful video. Thanks for the small details.
Thank man ! I am going to get in skateboarding so it may help not to show off just to do something while I’m quarantine
i skate 9.25 to 10 inches board! i wish they were shorter hahaha short base plates distance and fat board are soooo skick
OMG WHEN I SAW THE THUMBNAIL I THOUGHT IT WAS A TAMPON PAD AND HOW BIG THE TAMPON NEEDED TO BE.LMAOOOOOOO
Awesome video, keep up the good work!!
This is a fantastic video, big ups on the graphics
I am 5’1 and ride an 8.25
I ride a Gonz sweatpants 9.81 with Indy’s and 56mm wheels and have no issues with flipping or rotating. It’s all technique - you either you have it or you don’t. I see too many dudes “muscling” through their shit and the think they need a lighter/narrower set up or whatever 😂
truck brands have different wb geometry so depending on what brand truck you ride will widen or shorten your wheelbase and make your nose feel snappier or lighter.
It’s all up to preference I skate 8.25 and I have a friend that skates 7.75 and he wears a shoe size 12
👍
I've been skating for almost a year and a half now . I found that my current setup is perfect for me .
7.75 deck but with a flatter concave for nice manuals
Venture 5.0 lows because I don't really like high trucks , I'm pretty heavy and I need the harder bushings . Plus I love the turning . Every other truck just feels wrong to me
51 mm 99A wheels .
And I use the Andale Blues . I think they are stainless steel . My board always feels great . Even the pickiest skater at the park said that the setup doesn't need anything . He just said the board should be changed . BUt that's when I had my previous deck . A 1 year old Darkstar that refused to die
Yeah, I've got a deck like that. It's an old Antihero deck that says "Driver Carries No Cash" in bright orange on the bottom
@@garrettbell5474 Mine is a Mini Logo deck .. Chevrons are damn good decks..
@@culturedsquid8442 I wouldn't know, but I'll agree. Because I'm 100% sure you've been skating longer than I have lmao
@@garrettbell5474 You will find the parts that suit your style best . It takes some trial and Error . I was lucky enough to develop my own style in my first 3-4 months . And then I started looking around for parts , trying out the parts the other guys use . One dude had ventures , I did one of the easiest manuals I've ever done . That did it for me .
@@culturedsquid8442 nice. I've got krux trucks on my board. But, I still haven't developed a style yet
8.375 is what I normally ride, but had go down to an 8.25 with what my skate shop carried at the time. It felt weird and kinda small riding it at first, but I got used to it, and it's okay. But 8.375 is what I prefer and feels most comfortable
What's shoes size you wear?
@@localbitcoin5720 11's when skating
@@theawesomekid221 Thanks! I have 10 size and 8,25 board feels comfy, IDK why I am bought 8,5 new deck and 6" trucks 😤
@@localbitcoin5720 6" trucks?
@@theawesomekid221 ahaha sorry, 6 size, not 6 inches!
the “soft wheels are better in the park, hard wheels are better on the streets” part got me confused.
Soft wheels are going to be smoother on street, but they'll wear down faster. Also soft wheels grip better which makes them better for transition.
@@SkateBox harder wheels are best for transition
That clip with jona hill was hilarious lol
"a piece of wood with four wheels" neglects the trucks, the most complicated part
gotta rewatching when sober, good night.
I have to learn all over again.
I really liked this video, but can you please make another video on this, but on the next video can you please add bushings please?
90s we all rode 7.5 - 7.75 regardless of height and shoe size and we did everything thats done todsy.. and soft wheels are actually slower they just grip more
After not skating since early 2000's due to age,injury,work, blah,blah,blah right. Well checking out decks these day's it's kinda weird. Everything is big or even some going back to old school decks of 80's and just a lot of different shapes for decks with some being outright weird. Wheels are all huge and there are too many trucks sizes and brands too. In my day you basically had 6 or 7 truck brands with a couple different sizes. I guess it's actually pretty cool to have so many custom options. Oh don't forget the rails on decks like the old school. It's just kind of confusing on what's good coming back to skating and wanting to build a new board. In my day I used to roll with decks way smaller like 7.25-7.5 with venture 5.0 featherweight trucks. Then I had 43mm powell jellyballs and another set of Powell double radials in a 56mm which were enormous back then. Bones bearings unless broke t hff end ab c bearings. My 1st and favorite board was a new deal ron knigge slick with the rat king graphic,venture 5.0 featherweights,43mm Powell jellyballs with bones bearings.
Great info for a rookie like me, thanks for sharing
I’m 6”2 and ride a 8.5 with 149 Indys and 54 mm bones stf, it feels comfortable to me
Best part of the vid: waax my graptape and whatever other trucks stuff I need
I am 5’8 and I use 7.25, for some reason it’s perfect for me.
I'm 6'3 and i don't fucking know but 7.25 slaps lol
i’m 5’1 with a 9.5 men shoes and I found that 8 is perfect for me.
I’m 6’5 and i skate 7.25 for some fkin reason aswell 💀
Good video bro very helpful
Also bigger boards ( depending on the brand) can have more conkave on bigger boards
Im ten years old, 5 feet tall, 160 lbs, And African/native american and i've been skating for four years and my ollie sucks. Motivate me please i need it.