Components of a Skateboard

Series Summary

Skateboards have come a long way from their modest beginnings in the 1950s. At first, a skateboard was nothing more than a wooden plank with wheels. We can now thank the radical, mind-blowing 1960s for the increased popularity and production of skateboards. Certainly designated as “what the cool kids do,” skateboarding's third generation has taken the sport to a whole new level. Nearly every man, woman, and child knows someone who has skated or is currently skating. Though known as a popular hobby for the youth counter culture and modern day punk scene, skateboarding has mingled into all kinds of cultures and age groups. In this free extreme sports video series, a professional skateboarder will show how to customize a skateboard. Learn how to choose a deck, grip tape, riser pads, bushings, trucks, mounting hardware, bearings and wheels. Get tips on applying grip tape, mounting trucks, bearings and wheels, and making adjustments. Finally, find out how to choose stickers, shoes and clothes for skating.

Video Transcript

"This is a skateboard, you're going to have to pick out all the proper parts that match and line up to have a perfect setup for a board. The great thing about picking out a board is you get to pick out all the certain parts that you want and that feel good for you. So with this board that I have here you'll see that you want to choose a board that is a good size for your feet and then this part right here you'll want to choose a truck that is the right size and fits on the board properly. You'll want to notice that the board has bushings right here, the bushings help the board to turn. So you're going to have to choose the right softness or hardness for your bushings. You'll notice here that we also have wheels that are a certain size and hardness and inside the wheels you have bearings which are a certain Abeck or a certain quality level. You'll notice that we also have mounting hardware which needs to be the right size so that it doesn't come up to much and stick out anymore than it needs to. Now on the other side of your skateboard you're going to notice that you have grip tape that has to cover the entire top or have a desired design for the top of your board. Now all of these things have to be in a certain order and they have to be setup in a certain way that fits best for you. It may be a while before you find the right setup but through trial and error and figuring out what board works for you."