Skateboarding Ramp
Skateboarding Jump
Skateboarding Trick
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Skateboarding is the act of rolling on or interacting with a skateboard. Someone who skateboards is a skater (or skateboarder), though the skater may also refer to someone ice skating or roller skating. Skateboarding has been thought of by many as part of the extreme sports family, or as an artform for its creative aspects. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by dozens of skateboarders throughout the years.
Skateboarding has its origins in surfing, and was originally called "sidewalk surfing". While surfing influenced skateboarding in its early days, now the reverse is also true. Surfers are adapting skateboarding tricks into surfing, and the result is evolution in both sports.
The Current Generation of Skateboard
The size and shape of the fourth and current generation of skateboard is dominated by one trick: the ollie. Most boards are about 7 1/4 to 8 inches wide and 30 to 32 inches long. The wheels have an extremely hard durometer (approximately 99) so that they will slide better during grind and slide tricks. Additionally, very high durometers offer the benefit of reduced drag on hard surfaces, resulting in an overall faster ride. The wheel sizes are relatively small so that the boards will rotate more easily during flip tricks.
Today, modern wheels are currently around 50 to 58mm in diameter and advances in technology have made them extremely light compared to the wheels of the eighties. The decks are still almost always constructed out of Canadian Maple, with 7-plys being the industry standard for strength and durability. Interest in high technology materials has increased slightly as the cost of manufacturing them has dropped. |