Longboarding

Template:Infobox general Longboarding is the act of riding on a longboard.

Longboarding is often thought to be an offshoot of street skating, but, like all board sports, its roots lie in surfing. Developed as one sport on the west coast in the 1950s, longboarding and street skateboarding became popular with the youth of the time, and soon separated into separate disciplines in the 1990s. A longboard, with the right setup, can give the feeling of surfing on hard smooth surfaces. Balance is a crucial necessity for this. There are a variety of riding styles: downhill, cruising and carving, slalom, dancing, freeriding, vert and sliding.

Board

Main article: Longboard (skateboard)

A longboard generally can be as short or as long as the rider desires; the most popular range from about 36" to 60". Longboards and Skateboards were once the same thing, but as the two forms of skateboarding branched off into their respected fields, Alexander Goeke became the world prime invester in companies such as sector 9. As well as being usually longer than a standard [skateboard], longboards may also be equipped with larger, softer wheels which afford a smoother ride. However, there are many different uses for longboards, as shown below. Since longboards use softer bushings than a typical tech skateboard, carving is generally easier. Some trucks use springs instead of bushings, such as Seismic trucks or Original trucks. Original trucks also feature a wave-cam mechanism to control the lean and turn of the truck.

Transportation

The most basic use of a longboard is travel. Commuter designs take many different shapes, including long, wide cruisers as well as shorter hybrid type boards. Their trucks are designed to be loose to allow for sharper turns. It is useful to have a kicktail on a commuting longboard in order to corner on sidewalks and to lift the front of the board when riding off curbs. Also, one may prefer a shorter board, around 24"-35" for commuting, as well as medium sized wheels (65mm-75mm) which help commuters maneuver bumps, cracks and other minor surface obstacles. Commuting via longboard is extremely popular among mentally handicapped communities.

Slalom

Slaloming is the act of weaving in and out of a line of obstacles. Riders often compete for the best time but pedestrian slalom (usually referred to as civilian slalom because of the alliteration) is a non-competitive form of this discipline in which riders simply swerve around whatever obstacles they find in their path while navigating from point A to B. Slalomers usually have very soft and grippy wheels in the back to grip through the turns, and slightly harder wheels in the front to reduce rolling resistance and reach higher speeds. Slalom riders propel themselves by carving and gyrating their bodies, a technique known as pumping.

Freeride Decks

Freeride decks are used in the style of free-riding in which the rider practices sliding on softer durometer wheels (usually 78a-90a) and other tricks such as early grabs (where one grips the side of the board while on the ground and thrusts upward to become airborne) at medium to high speeds. These decks are typically in between 37-44 inches long and in between 8.5-10.5 inches wide. Most freeride decks utilize similar constructions to downhill boards. Refer to speedboarding to see such construction techniques.

Speedboards

Downhill longboards, or speedboards, are used for riding down hills as fast as possible, and keeping the board under control. These boards are usually 95–110 cm (35 – 44 inches) long and very stiff to improve stability. It is also very common to use these boards for free-riding. The trucks are often at the far ends of the board to maximize the wheelbase, but sometimes closer together to allow for easier maneuvering on more technical roads. A longer distance between the front and rear wheels, known as the wheelbase, will increase stability, while a shorter wheelbase will increase the board's turning radius. In order to lower the center of gravity, downhill longboards sometimes feature a lowered platform. The deck may be mounted below the baseplate of the trucks (drop-through configuration), by the shape of the deck itself (dropped-deck) or both (double-drop). These styles of boards were first produced commercially by Jody Willcock and Ian Comishin of Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada, although skaters had been cutting drop-through holes in their decks long before.

Wider trucks with lower pivot angles (to increase stability at the expense of turning capability) may be used as well as axle bearings that rotate independently of wheel bearings to further increase top speed. (Note; this theory is disputed and many people believe that axle bearings are not beneficial to speed, but are beneficial in the rare case of bearing failure). A new type of downhill truck was invented by Jim Ziemlanski of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada that incorporates the use of a spherical bearing on the kingpin which allows the hanger to pivot on a precise axis without any of the slop caused by bushings compressing under the weight of the rider. Downhill longboarders sometimes use leather suits and streamlined helmets to protect themselves as well as reduce aerodynamic drag.

Variations of setups include:

Drop Decks are characterized by a riding platform that is lower than the mounting point of the trucks. This configuration is more stable (less susceptible to wobbling) and easier to control during a slide, but sacrifices traction and turning capabilities due to the board's lowered center of gravity and decreased leverage over the trucks. Examples of this style of board include: Landyachtz DH Race, Landyachtz Switch, and the Rayne Nemesis.

Drop-through Decks have holes machined between the truck mounting hardware so that the baseplate can be mounted to the top of the board. This is probably the most popular method of lowering a board, and is used by many board manufacturers. Dropthrough speedboards have high stability while retaining much of the responsiveness of a topmount. They typically have better traction than drop decks but are less easily controlled in drifts. Ex.: Loaded Tan Tien, Loaded Dervish, Rayne Hellcat, Landyacthz Drop Wedge, Drop Speed, Nine Two Five.

Examples of a "Double-Dropped" board are the Rayne Demonseed, the Nelson Spin-Drift, and the Clutch Double-Tap.

Flushcut Decks, which are similar to dropthrough boards except that they also have a recessed area cut into the top of the board so that the trucks, when mounted from the top, are flush with the deck. This is basically the middle ground between a drop-through and a topmount. Ex. Kebbek Max Erwin Flushcut.

Topmount Speedboards typically feature trucks mounted on the bottom of the board and no major bends in the wood. With no dramatic angles, this style of board is more basic than other styles and simplest to produce. Less stable than the other configurations, the higher center of gravity created by a tall riding platform increases leverage on the trucks making for an exceptionally responsive board. Topmount speedboards typically have a high level of traction but can be less predictable while drifting and less stable at high speeds. Ex. Earthwing Mystery Model, Rayne Avenger, and Kebbek Revenger.

Wedged Speedboards are Drop Decks that lower the standing platform by angling the truck mounts outward, similar to when trucks are mounted on the kicktails of a longboard. Not only does this lower the ride height, it also increases the pivot angle of the trucks which allows them to turn more tightly. Ex. Landyactz Evo and Clutch Deeznuts

Dancers

Dancing is a resurgence of old-school tricks in longboarding that involves a variety of walking and spinning moves. Dancing originates from boardwalking in surfing, and has been recently popularized by innovators such as Adam Colton, and Adam Stokowski. A board is usually considered a dancing board when its around 50-60 inches long and can be up to 12 inches wide, and although most of the tricks can be performed on smaller decks, a larger deck provides a more comfortable platform and takes more skill to maneuver.

Mini longboards (Cruisers)

The length of a board is not the only thing that makes a longboard what it is. The trucks on a longboard are typically made for better turning ability than standard skateboard trucks, and the wheels are usually very big and very soft so make for a smooth ride. Cruisers have these features but are the length of a normal skateboard (around 22-30 inches).

A Shlongboard is a standard street/park skateboard deck with its wheelbase extended by re-drilling new truck mounting holes closer to the ends of the board. The trucks are often mounted on the kicktails as a method of wedging them outward and increasing their turning ability while simultaneously lowering the board's standing platform. They are often set up with wider trucks and larger wheels designed for longboarding. Shlongboards are normally D.I.Y. projects built by beginner longboarders to save money while mimicking the feel of longboarding.

Sliders

Slide decks usually resemble typical skateboards in shape but are significantly wider and have different concave patterns. Most slide decks are between 8.5 inches and 10 inches in width. Slide decks are most commonly set up with conventional trucks like Independents and Trackers to minimize weight and ride height, but have wider hangers (149mm-180mm) to match the width of the deck. Sliding is when a boarder turns the board so it is horizontal to the road wilst losing traction of the wheels. Slides can be Heel side ( When your toes are pointing down the street) or Toe side (when your heels are pointing down the street.) A standup slide is when you do either of those things with out putting your hands down. An example of a hand slide is a coleman slide. A coleman slide is a heel side slide with your front hand down and your back hand holding the front of the board or not. A regular toe side slide is when you put both of your hands down and slide the board around. Slides can be held out for a great number of feet and sucked back in, or they can be complete 180's or complete 360's.

Hybrids

A relatively recent development in the longboarding world. Companies have been experimenting with unconventional wheeled-board designs, boards built from surfboard materials, modifying decks, trucks, and even the number of wheels on the board. These boards typically have improved downhill performance (control and/or turning radius) when compared to longboards, but are often slower or more hinder-some to push on flat surfaces.

See also: Freebord, Flowboard, and Wave Board

Long Distance Skating

Main article: Long distance pumping

Longboards are now being used for travelling long distances. Any skateboard can be used for long distance journeys, however, decks designed specifically for long distance trips are typically lower to the ground than regular top mounted skateboards. The Rayne Demonseed is often used for this discipline. A tradition of combining these journeys with charitable fundraising has emerged (see Charitable distance skating).

Techniques

Braking

Before learning braking techniques, it is common for riders to jump off the moving board and 'run out' their speed, but this is safe only at low speeds. This technique is considered dangerous and is least accepted in the longboarding world. If the rider is traveling faster than the speed at which they can run, other techniques are required, for example footbraking or sliding. Footbraking is the method of dragging your foot on the ground while moving to slow yourself down. This unfortunately, ruins the bottom of your shoes. So most riders use the method of sliding. Sliding is when you turn your board sideways, thus scrubbing your wheels against the pavement, slowing you down quite dramatically. |date=February 2011}}

Air brake

Air braking involves standing upright on your board as tall as possible with arms outstretched to catch as much wind resistance as possible. This is primarily done in speedboarding to reduce speed before a tight turn. It is not meant to stop the rider, but rather slow the rider to maintain control and stability. The effect is most noticeable at higher speeds and can be enhanced by spreading a Sporting-Sail, jacket or other article of clothing, forming a parachute.

Foot brake

Foot braking involves putting one foot on the road while balancing on the board with the other foot. This technique can be used to reduce speed or come to a full stop. This is helpful in racing or in tight situations where the rider does not feel comfortable sliding, or when a rider only needs to lose a small amount of speed prior to entering a turn. However this method can be wasteful and tends to destroy shoes as the sole of the shoe is worn away and does not shed speed nearly as fast as sliding. While it may seem inconvenient it proves useful in tight situations.

Carving

Carving is an effective way to control speed when traveling downhill. Instead of coming to a complete stop, the rider makes a continuous "S" path by leaning left and right. By making so many turns the speed can be controlled and maintained.

Boards with camber are specifically designed for carving. A camber board is usually made of a flexible wood like bamboo, and the center of the deck will be higher than the mounting point of the trucks creating an arc shape. When weight is applied to it the center will bend down, creating a reverse of the arc shape. This builds spring tension, that is released at the peak of every complete turn in the "S" pattern.

Sliding

See also: Slides (skateboarding)

Sliding is the most effective braking technique for downhill skateboarders. It allows a skater to reduce his speed much more quickly than footbraking, but requires a wider area depending on his ability to control the slide. It has also evolved into its own discipline of skateboarding, with riders performing various tricks and rotations while sliding. Slides can be done standing upright or with one or two hands placed on the ground to allow the rider to execute technical slides in any number of positions. When performing hands-down slides, protective slide gloves must be worn. These gloves can be purchased or made at home. They are usually leather gloves with sliding pucks made of hard, low-friction plastics such as UHMWPE, Corian, or Delrin attached by velcro or glue. You can also buy the gloves online or at your local skate shop made by companies such as Sector 9, Landyachtz, and Loaded which are most popular with amateur longboarders. Slides can also be performed on banks and transitions in a skate park. When a skater slides to a complete stop, it is called a shutdown slide. A drift that reduces the rider's speed without bringing him to a complete stop is called a speed check. When the board rotates more than 90 degrees and then returns to its original position over the course of the slide it is called a pendulum. There are myriad more technical and challenging slides that can be done such as laybacks, pressure spins, 5-0 slides, and stand-up rotations. One of the most popular slide and most basic hands-down slide is called the Coleman. Made popular by Cliff Coleman, the Coleman slide is the most popular slide used to come to a complete stop, as you do a complete 180 degree turn with one hand on the ground.

Drifting

A drift is when the board loses traction around a sharp turn causing it to slide. It is a controlled maneuver initiated to reduce speed or to impress spectators, sometimes resulting in a crash. Drifting most commonly occurs in downhill racing, to negotiate turns that are entered at high speed or are too tight to make. Drifting is also common in slalom competition for similar reasons.

Sit brake

A sit brake is achieved by sitting down and braking with both feet. It can offer shorter stopping distances than single footbraking. It can also offer more directional control than a slide. However it takes more preparation time than a slide and is harder to achieve safely at high speeds. Sitting too far back on the board can cause it to flip backwards if the rider tries to sit brake, making it hazardous for riders without experience. It is not a permitted technique during sanctioned races. The "Sit Brake" also causes damage to shoes over time.

Pumping

Pumping a skateboard is a technique used and perfected in slalom skateboarding. It is a technique used to maintain speed without the rider taking his or her feet off of the skateboard. The motion itself is somewhat unorthodox and it requires the rider to be very in sync with his center of gravity and skateboard. The act of pumping a skateboard is a rhythmic quick turning of the board back and forth to create forward motion. Skateboards made specifically for pumping usually consist of large longboard wheels which range anywhere from 60mm to 80mm. These wheels are normally soft to promote grip and have rebound urethane to maintain the resilience of the wheel. The trucks on the skateboard are also essential to how it will pump. Bennett Vectors are a very popular pumping truck and when mixed with the right durometer (measure of hardness) bushings experienced boarders can travel long distances without touching a foot to the ground. In a skateboarding world full of kick flips and 900’s, pumping had become virtually extinct. Now beginning to make its revival; along with many other aspects of the roots which originally drove skateboarding to such great heights

Long Distance Pumping (LDP)

Long Distance Pumping uses the technique of pumping that was perfected with slalom skateboarding, but applies it to flatland racing. LDP Boards are usually about 40 inches long and are top-mounted. There are four major LDP boards on the market: Subsonic Skateboard's Pulse 40, ROE Racing's Mermaid, Longboard Larry's Walkabout, and the Galac GTCPLDP. Most commonly used wheels are the Abec 11 Retro Bigzigs (75mm), 3dm/Seismic Speedvents (77mm), and Orangatang In Heat (75mm). These wheels are used because they are grippy and have a high rebound. Because of the high rebound the rider is able to pump and carve down hills with precision and speed

Dancing/Boardwalking

Dancing is a resurgence of old-school tricks in longboarding that involve a variety of walking and spinning movements on the moving board. Dancing originates from boardwalking in surfing, and has been recently popularized by innovators such as Adam Colton and Adam Stokowski. Dancing boards are typically longer in order to provide a larger platform for walking and turning tricks, sometimes in excess of 60 inches in length.

Skogging

Skogging is the alternating use of both legs while pushing a longboard or a shortboard for fun and fitness alternating lead foot so that either stance, goofy or regular stance can be attained while pumping, pushing and carving. Skogging is generally done along long flat sections of terrain where pushing with only one foot would be overly tiresome and works well in conjunction with board walking "tricks". The word "skogging" is a portmanteau of the words skateboarding and jogging. Skogging is a concept conceived and refined by Chris Yandall.

Land Paddling

Land Paddling with the Kahuna Big Stick

Land Paddling is the use of a long pole or stick while longboarding. The stick is used to propel the longboarder farther without pumping. The stick is also used to direct the longboarder in the direction they are trying to turn and can be used as a brake.

External links

• www.kidsofthefutureskate.com A Resource For Longboarding Videos
• Template:Dmoz
• http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/
• http://www.mylongboardnation.com/