Board talk- decks, trucks, bearings and wheels

Skateboards come in lots of different designs. Your first board is an important buy. An unsuitable board might put you off. So, make sure you get advise and a good quality board from a specialist skate shop. The hardness of a skateboard wheel is measured by a device called a durometer. The higher the number, the harder the wheel. Softer wheels with a rating of 75-90 are good for cruising on roads and rougher grounds. Harder wheels with a reading of 95-98 are used in street skating. Larger wheels (2 and one fifth of an inches or more) are good for cruising and vert riding. Small wheels (2 and one tenth of an inch or under) are good for pulling ollies and other tricks. *wheels come in lots of colorful and great looking designs.* Wheels are a really important part of your skateboard. They are attached to the deck by the metal parts called trucks. Good quality trucks are made of aluminum. Wheels come in different sizes and different levels of hardness. A good skate shop pro can help choose the right wheels for you. Wheels should run smoothly on their axles. They are held in place by hex nuts. Between the wheels and the axles are rings called the bearings. These contain small steel balls that ensure your wheels turn smoothly. Street skaters use lightweight trucks to help them ollie up onto rails and ledges. Keeping the deck of your skateboard clean and dry will help it last. A skateboard has three main parts- the deck, the wheels and the trucks. Decks come in different sizes but most curve upward at their front, called the nose, and at the back called the tail. Grip tape is a sandpaperlike material that helps riders to grip the board and preform tricks more easily. Buy a skate tool to help make adjustments to your board. Trucks are fitted to the deck by bolts. You can tighten or loosen the bolts a little. Looser bolts make turning easier. But always keep the bolts tight enough so that you cannot undo them with your fingers. Before riding, give your board a quick check. Make sure all the bolts are tight and the wheels run smoothly. If your wheels are worn on their outer edge, you can turn them around to make them last longer.