Skateboards are available in various types and shapes each of which is used for a particular purpose. Normally, a skateboard is made up 4 wheels, two T-shaped mounts called trucks, risers to hold the board in place and finally the deck. Even though all types of board seems to have the same construction there are massive variations in its design. The hardness of the wheel, diameter, bearings, lips, contact patches, length, and shape of the board etc contributes to the meticulous design of these boards.
In that order, Longboards are simple skateboards which are little longer than the skateboards used for traveling down slopes and hills, but they can’t be used to perform any tricks and stunts. On the other hand, short boards can provide less stability thus making it easy to make stunts and tricks. Even though longboarding can provide an individual with various optimistic aspects of agility, balance, fitness, flexibility, environment-friendly travel etc. there are some factors which would heavily affect the longboard users. Listed below are some factors which guide you about the safe travel using longboard.
1. Rain
Although most of the articles inform you that you can longboard during rain, it would be safe when you don’t do that while it’s raining. Rain may cause the roads to be slippery due the layer of water on the road. This layer of water will reduce the traction on the surface thus making your longboard to lose control. As a result, you will slip along the road with the same velocity of your travel causing a huge safety issue. More evidently, the skaters using wheels with less contact patches and high hardness reading are highly vulnerable to such terrific accidents. Hence it is always necessary to stay away from longboarding during rain in order to avoid disastrous events.
2. Collision
Best longboards are constructed in such a way that it can afford good speed with adequate stability. While folks travel in the sloppy regions of the terrains they gradually pick up speed. At some point, this fast rider may colloid with some stable object like a tree, wall, rock etc. Sometimes one person may ride over his partner due to the lack of control over his longboard. As we know, any object which travels beyond a particular speed will certainly end worse including the longboard. Imagine what would happen to a skater who rides with the speed of 50 mph and meets a stable object right in front of his face. Deadly, isn’t it? To avoid such mishaps it is recommended to travel at a controllable speed regardless of the venue.
3. Speed
As you know, most of the folks involved in longboarding are youngsters. Induced by their scrutinizing thoughts they always want to explore the hidden secrets of anything they encounter. On that account, longboarding swiftly is also one of the valorous activities they always thrive to do. Moreover, the longboard is almost streamlined in its shape keeping the front ends sharper leaving the tail blunt. Even if it is designed to travel faster, that doesn’t mean you have to travel in an uncontrollable speed. We might have come across a saying ” Speed thrills, but kills”.True to this quote, they travel fast, but even if there is a small obstacle in their path, then the outcomes would be worse. Hence, having control over the speed while you longboard the hilly terrains is essential to avoid unwanted accidents.
4. Don’t get skid
Skid refers to the elevation of an object. Usually, the deck of the longboard is made up of maple or bamboo. Maple is a stiffer wood suitable for longboarding downhill whereas bamboo is flexibly suitable for stable cruising. Folks who travel on a longboard are supposed to have known about the tricks to move and stop the board. Learning to stop the board ranks first on this list as it is a safety concern. While longboarding people, will be very much interested in making carves and drifts but doing that without proper training will end up in an accident. Learn to avoid getting skid while your longboard to escape cuts, wounds, and abrasions.
5. Trucks
Unlike other boards, the trucks of the long boards are loosened in order to make turns and drifts easily. While traveling in a longboard at a particular speed it is necessary to lean in one direction to turn your board in that direction which is possible only when the trucks are loosened. Tightened trucks in the long boards will not allow you to lean on one side and so your longboard won’t turn in the appropriate degree thus reducing your speed and versatility. Furthermore, the longboard will not move in the direction of your interest, instead, it will find its own irregular path. Proper adjustments in the trucks will save you from such kind of unfortunate happenings.
6. Safety gears
This is the most emphasized item required for all types of skateboarding, especially longboarding. Safety gears include elbow and knee pads, helmets, and gloves are the important safety gears required for an exciting travel. We know that longboarding refers to the travel in the downhill. In such a travel the speed will be terribly high due to gravity as you move downwards. In other words, you will be unstoppable. Hence there are huge possibilities for you to encounter an obstacle in the path. But proper safety gears will save you from injury if anything unfortunate happens which proves the inevitable requirement of the safety gears. For more details about avoid injuries on skating check out here.
7. Wheel bites
As discussed earlier, the deck of the longboard is fixed to the risers which are attached to the trucks and these trucks are kept lose for longboards. This modification is done to make the user lean lavishly to turn the board in the direction of his interest. While turning the direction of the board, the deck can come into contact with the wheel causing the damage to the board and the wheel. Sometimes, the wheels can stop rotating and the speed will throw you at once from the board. Hence, usage of smaller wheels is recommended to avoid such lethal contacts.
8. Flat Spots
While sliding with the longboard, the most enjoyable movements in a travel are shifting and drifting. By power sliding at the sides, the wheels get abraded very fast and become somewhat flat. Once it becomes flat, it becomes difficult for the wheels to rotate properly causing a jiggle while you travel. Softer wheels get abraded easily comparing to the hard wheels. The solution to this issue is the replacement of the tires and the usage of wheels with an acceptable scale of hardness.
9. Portability
The average length of the longboard is around 42 inches which contribute to the difficulty to carry it anywhere. At the same time, it cannot be folded to fit into any storage box. Longboard reinforced with a latch at the middle of its length can be carried easily comparing to the regular board.
10. Weight
The aluminum wheel core, strong trucks, raisers and the material of the board altogether provides good strength to withstand the weight of the individual. At the same time, it also contributes to the weight of the longboard which makes it difficult to carry unlike traveling with it. Make sure that you don’t drop the board on your feet as it may damage your toes.