Everyone is free to add to this thread. All accurate posts made by members will be kept in the thread and all inaccurate or false posts will be deleted. Please do not post anything in this thread unless it's to add a myth debunk! All other posts asking questions or challenging the debunk posts will be deleted. If you would like to ask a question or challenge any of the information please private message the person that created the post. The reasoning is I'd like this to be a clear, concise, and easy to read through thread free of hundreds of posts between debunk posts.

Skateboarding myths:

1. Large decks aren't good for street, only vert. They also flip slow.

Decks come in different sizes because people come in different sizes and weights. Deck sizes should generally be chosen by feel and comfortability. If you feel your knees are too close together thereby offsetting your balance you will need a larger deck. If you're shorter and lighter and a deck feels overwhelmingly large you will need a shorter narrower deck. It's best to choose one that feels like the perfect balance between stability on the board and enough width for comfortable foot placement. If you have large feet and get too narrow of a deck it's likely to pose problems with stability and trick execution. A shorter person having smaller feet will have a harder time controlling a deck that's too large or wide. It's often said that large decks flip really slow. A smaller person, let's say a kid age 10, kickflips a 7.5" x 31.25" deck. Then you take an adult, say age 29, kickflipping an 8" x 32" deck. Both flips should appear extremely similar without a noticeable difference in flip speed. You can observe this in skate videos. The reason is a full grown adult will have more strength and power in their flip thereby moving the extra weight with ease. Now, of course if that same adult kickflips a narrower shorter board it will likely flip quicker because the same power is moving a smaller object. But either way, the flip speed of a large deck is by no means slow when done by a person of proper proportion to the board. Yes, of course young kids will flip large boards slower but it doesn't mean this is correct for everyone.

2. Larger wheels, say 56-58mm, aren't good for street, only vert.

This is a bit of a miscontrustrued idea. The theories vary from the wheels being too heavy to the center of gravity of the board is offset too much. While the center of gravity may change it's by an extremely tiny amount, not enough to truly make any different unless you're using huge wheels and have added very thick risers. It really just comes down to the person and personal feel. The difference in weight between wheels that are 50mm and 56mm are quite small. In the Oldschool days people were kickflipping non-uniform 10" wide decks with 10" wide trucks with huge 64mm wheels with little problems. Of course, leg strength plays a role but when working with a heavier object you eventually adjust to it and gain the extra strength. Larger wheels are beneficial in two ways. First, they let you roll faster. Second, they raise your board a little higher off the ground thereby increasing the tail angle which gives an added benefit, though very slight, to Ollie height. So all in all things usually balance out. Like I mentioned, it's all personal feel. If you like your trucks really loose and don't like using risers (raising the deck higher from the ground) then smaller wheels should be your choice. If you like a faster, smoother ride, you should consider wheels that are a little larger. It doesn't mean you won't be able to skate street anymore :icon_wink

3. The lighter the board the higher you can ollie.

This comes from what would appear to be common sense. Obviously you can lift something lighter higher than something heavy right? Well, not always. Ollieing is not simply lifting your board. An ollie is an action->reaction. You pop and the board comes up and toward you. Then you slide your foot up creating the opposite resistance and upward drag, etc. Having a slightly bolder weight at the front of the board (front truck) provides more backward push against your foot sliding up thereby allowing your shoe to grip the board more firmly and take it up into the air. A slightly bolder weight also gives more stability against the powerful motions of your feet. Of course, too heavy would be completely counter productive but in all honesty the weight of the "heavier" setups out there are only a tiny, pretty much imperceivable, amount heavier than the "lighter" setups. Obviously there will always be those swearing up and down they can ollie a lot higher now that they got the lighter deck and trucks etc. But there is such a thing called the Placebo Effect. A board weighing 3 ounces lighter will not make you ollie a foot higher. In other words, don't be so concerned about weight!

4. If you're xx years old you're too old to start skating.

Age is something that affects everyone differently. You will find people that are obese with health problems at the age of 14. Should someone like this take up skating? Probably not. Should the 40 year old couch potato that's 260lbs and hasn't exercised in 10 years try to suddenly get into skating? Again, probably not. But what about those still fit and active? Why the heck not? If you're 50 and still in shape and don't have joint problems and all that and want to try skateboarding go right ahead! A number of professional skaters are in their 30's. Rodney Mullen is now 40. Danny Way is 32 (and still setting world records), Tony Hawk is 38. They're still skating. Why? Cause they're immune to aging? No, but as I said everyone ages differently. And these guys are examples of people that kept fit and can keep going for many years to come. Look at the age of a number of people in the olympics, look at Lance Armstrong. So when it's asked, "Am I too old?" the response should be, "Age means nothing, but what physical shape are you in?". Lastly, skating doesn't have to be popping nollie kickflip boardslides down a 15 set. Some people are content with riding around, or doing simpler tricks, things that are still fun and much less taxing to a not so young and fit body.

5. Freezing skateboard wheels makes them last longer.

With certain metals, freezing at cryonic temperatures (-320 degress for example) re-alligns the molecular structure thereby eliminating molecular gaps - in other words it creates a tighter structure. A company called Dean Markley applies this technology to a line of guitar strings they make called Blue Steel. Skateboard wheels however are urethane so this doesn't apply. Nonetheless, your common household refrigerator comes nowhere near even being close to cryogenic temperatures so freezing your wheels in you refrigerator would simply only make them cold. It has no benefitial effect on the wheels whatsoever. People will claim they can tell a difference but again… that’s the placebo effect. For more reading on cryogenics and their application you can check this link out: http://www.lycos.com/info/cryogenics.html

6. Blank Decks aren't as good as pro decks:

This is both true and false - mainly false. Most blank decks are actually made in the same factories as pro decks and are made with the same shape templates as pro decks. As a matter of fact, most pro decks are made from already designed templates from the deck manufacturers. Companies can get samples to see which template shapes they like best and then they provide the artwork to go on the deck. Deck manufacturer Watson Laminates has made decks for companies such as Pig Wood, Zero, Foundation, Sector 9, Element, Toy Machine, and many others. So has California Skate Factory (Alien Workshop among others). These same companies will make decks for pretty much anyone that can afford to order their quoted minimum number of decks (usually 500 - 1000). They get cheaper the more you order. A good number of blank decks come from the same companies so you'd be surprised to learn that your blank may be of the exact same quality as a pro deck simply without the graphics.

On the other hand, some blanks, and maybe even some "pro" decks, may be made by a manufacturer of lesser expertise (ie. cheaper cost). On that account the one problem is how do you know which is which when they're just blanks with no info on them? Well, unless the place selling the blanks indicates where they were made you really can't tell otherwise. But when it comes down to it you have to understand that what primarily, though not solely, makes a pro deck cost more is the advertising, graphic printing, and the pro skaters whose names are on the decks they have to pay. Advanced construction technologies, such as carbon fiber inserts, varying laminate thicknesses, Rock Bottom layer, etc also drive up the cost - sometimes as much as $7 per deck more! But put plainly, with blanks costing approximately in the neighborhood of $20 each and pro decks approximately $50 each I honestly can't say the length a pro deck will outlast two blanks. The pluses of buying a pro deck however are in the support you give to the pro skater whose name is on the deck as well as supporting the company, getting special construction, and at the same time maybe getting a graphic you really identify with. Either way, whichever you buy you're still supporting skating and helping to keep people employed ;-) Here's a link to read some interesting info about Watson Laminates:

http://www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/industrynews/article/0,21214,1159208,00.html


Rev.

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

Hmm, interesting. Exactly the opposite of what I've always believed about speed wobbles. I've never tested this as I like my trucks more medium tight.

Anyone else out there that can validate this?


Rev.

the truck thing is true to a certan point if you get them tight enough its the best for skitching and eliminates all wheel woble of course then you cant turn but when trucks are loose you get more control so as long as u dont do it niether will it but rocks will throw you iether or =]

Hmm, interesting. Exactly the opposite of what I've always believed about speed wobbles. I've never tested this as I like my trucks more medium tight.

Anyone else out there that can validate this?


Rev.

No, that was him stating the myth, down below it says that it is incorrect.

No, that was him stating the myth, down below it says that it is incorrect.

I quoted the wrong line from his post. I know he was saying looser trucks get rid of speed wobble which is opposite of what I thought. I just made the mistake of quoting the earilest sentence in his post :) Sorry for the confusion.


Rev.

Different skateboarding gear will make you skate better.
Not true, alot of skaters think if they are riding brand new stuff they will skate better on it. This is not true at all, I find that once i've ridden a deck for a few weeks I skate it better than when I first got it as it's more worn in. Also brands don't norally make much of a difference in how long they last either. I bought two chocolate skateboard decks, a baker deck and have had 3 kewday's a;ll which have lasted no longer than a month. Then I bought almost 7 blank decks which lasted me the exact same amount of time sometimes longer, and the price was almost half. Then I bought even cheaper 'Moose Blanks' of eBay and each deck has lasted me almost three months! That's almost quarter of the price of a brand deck and they last three times as long, and I have been skating harder than I was when I rode the brand decks.

Also, those emo, punky looking shoes are not good for skating in. Read. http://www.extremesports365.com/features/story_90322.shtml

Amazing thread Rev, you deserve a rep+ from moi!

Just an update guys, I've added a #6 myth to the original post. And thanks for all the kind appreciation for this thread! :icon_hug:


Rev.

about larger deck: Pros like Andrew Reynolds ride boards more than 8" wide, and hes not a very wide guy.
about new stuff: really the tail isnt worn down when you get a new one, and its pretty nice hard condition. you may get used to a worn board but the new ones are at a better stage in life.

Sliding your tail on the ground before sessioning will wear down the razor tail
I dont know why people do this where I live, but they will slide there tail across the ground to "where down there razor tail" really, I dont know how you can do this on a skatepark ground, and it wont make your deck more square. Id prefer a ncie smooth angle on the tail and not a munched up tail end. If you where to use it on ashpalt and recreate the perfect tail angle then this is good. really it does nothing.

taking out two peices of hardware off each end will make your board lighter
this may be lighter, but not that much...if you hold 4 peices of hardware in your hand its not that heavy. If two of the bolts get loose, your trucks move slightly which causes old boards to turn a certain way, this could cause the holds to get warped into an oval. also dont drill holes in your board.

Riser pads can break your landing when ollieing off of stuff
the riser pads dont do that much, if you buy foam over rubber ones...they dont make a difference when you land. the difference is that you can fit bigger wheels with low trucks, it can reduce wheel bite if you drop off of stuff, and reduces pressure cracks alot coming from the trucks out.

taking out two peices of hardware off each end will make your board lighter
this may be lighter, but not that much...if you hold 4 peices of hardware in your hand its not that heavy. If two of the bolts get loose, your trucks move slightly which causes old boards to turn a certain way, this could cause the holds to get warped into an oval. also dont drill holes in your board.


Thanx i was wondering about this

Yeah, removing two bolts per truck is just plain stupid simply because it's more dangerous and doesn't lighten your board by any noticeable amount.


Rev.

waxing the deck

waxing the deck with turtle wax or some kind of wax that protects colors from scratches wont work on your deck graphics.believe me i have tried it

waxing ledges

waxing ledges more and more wont make your board slide faster but it will become sticky and its like a goo thing.but i think you already know that:)

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*


i've had MUCH different expirience

i had my trucks loose and started to go down a small hill. halfway down i lost control of the board. i tightened them, and got down the hill with no problem.

the loose trucks being able to take teh small weight shifts is what causes speed wobble.

Here's one: You don't actually need to wax the hell out of every surface you intend to grind or slide. If it's not grinding, push harder and lean back a bit when you land on it to prevent dig. If you get into the bad habit of just relying on wax, you'll make certain things a lot more dangerous than they ever should be.

i've also found this un-true. i've tried barely waxing stuff, then leaning back further with mroe speed and stuff. didnt get close. then i waxed it some more and got it fine.

i've also found this un-true. i've tried barely waxing stuff, then leaning back further with mroe speed and stuff. didnt get close. then i waxed it some more and got it fine.
Then you're simply not going at it right.

The point is you can grind any obstacle if you're just sliding on wax, but you don't need the wax. You should always be able to feel some resistance to the grind; many pool/ditch skaters don't even bother with wax. Also, relying on over-waxing is not only dangerous (both to yourself and to others), but will only negatively affect your skating over time. Think about it; would you rather be able to just skate the streets properly, in long fluent lines, grinding any curb you find, or would you rather have to spend your time preparing any obstacle you intend to grind?

Riser pads can break your landing when ollieing off of stuff
the riser pads dont do that much, if you buy foam over rubber ones...they dont make a difference when you land. the difference is that you can fit bigger wheels with low trucks, it can reduce wheel bite if you drop off of stuff, and reduces pressure cracks alot coming from the trucks out.


i use shock pads spicificly so my board does not presure crack. once i had a new board with no presure cracks in it or shock pads and i ollied a 4 and landed and my tail snaped off

once i had a new board with no presure cracks in it or shock pads and i ollied a 4 and landed and my tail snaped off
Then you didn't land cleanly enough. That's the classic deck snap; landing with your back foot too far back will take the tail clean off. Some decks are more resilient to it than others, but not landing on the bolts is always a bad move.

i've had MUCH different expirience

i had my trucks loose and started to go down a small hill. halfway down i lost control of the board. i tightened them, and got down the hill with no problem.

the loose trucks being able to take teh small weight shifts is what causes speed wobble.

Wow. It must be specific to certain types of trucks or bushings, or maybe peoples skating style. Relaxing sure helps but yeah, not really a myth.

My anti-myth is too varied to be counted.

I've heard a myth that putting stickers ALL OVER your deck makes it easier to grind.

I've heard a myth that putting stickers ALL OVER your deck makes it easier to grind.

Wouldn't it just grind the stickers off?

Wouldn't it just grind the stickers off?
Exactly, Stickers don't last 10 minutes on my deck unless they are underneath the wheels where they are nice and safe :icon_bigg

#5 i totally agree with..it works..

This thread is awesome! Well done man!

[QUOTE=iasonas]waxing the deck[QUOTE]
I did this once, on an unwaxed rail, so it went from super sticky, to the board shooting out so fast I thought it was going to leave a trail of fire.

-ABEC rating doesn't matter:

It does, ABEC is a rating of how precisely the bearing is manufactured. The difference between an ABEC 3 to an ABEC 7 or 9 bearing is like comparing a straight line you draw with one drawn with a ruler.

Bones Swiss bearings where created when a swiss manufacturer of fine bearings was contracted to build skate bearings, and they're still the best bearings ever brought to market.

For more info on ABEC.
http://www.seskate.com/ABEC.html

My response to the bigger board myth:

Take a large and small amount of mass. If you apply equal forces to both masses, the smaller mass will move (rotate) faster. It would take a greater amount of force to accelerate the larger mass to match the same velocity as that of the smaller mass.

Although it really does not matter and you will never be able to see or feel a difference (unless you go from a mini deck to a 8" deck built from lead), the mass still does prove as resistance to the amount of force applied.

In conclusion, to each their own.

My response to the bigger board myth:

Take a large and small amount of mass. If you apply equal forces to both masses, the smaller mass will move (rotate) faster. It would take a greater amount of force to accelerate the larger mass to match the same velocity as that of the smaller mass.

Although it really does not matter and you will never be able to see or feel a difference (unless you go from a mini deck to a 8" deck built from lead), the mass still does prove as resistance to the amount of force applied.

In conclusion, to each their own.
The guy stated that, and he also said that you'd learn to flick harder so that the board spins at the same rate.

On ABEC: Do you really believe that fine precision in bearing really makes a whole lot of difference at the rotational speeds of a skateboard wheel? ABEC really only comes into play in machinery, where the RPM is much, much higher, and a low ABEC bearing will literally shake itself apart. Skateboards NEVER reach that kind of speed. What really matters is the actual quality of the bearing itself - the materials and the lubrication - which are not covered in the ABEC rating.

So, does ABEC matter? Only if you plan on skating at 330 miles per hour (and breaking the laws of physics). Go for a good quality bearing instead of just a high-ABEC one.

You may be on to something with the quality materials used, because the ABEC 3s I skated where low quality.

So I'll restate it, a bearing that you'll get for 10-15 bucks is going to be much lower quality than some $30 dollar bearings.

Ah! No, not always. You're forgetting the rule of Capitalism: The name adds to the price. Example: Flip HKD bearings are mid-range in price. Quality-wise, they're awful. No durability whatsoever compared to some of the better brands out there.

Be wary of name brands - most companies that don't specialize in bearings (e.g Flip, Birdhouse, Zero, Pig, etc etc) are just buying basic, cheap bearings from a standard manufacturer and putting their own embossed shields on (If you need an example of this, too, look at Tensor bearings; they've just repackaged Oust bearings, but they've not even changed the shields). The rule is generally look for a bearing specialist - they often have higher-quality bearings.

I was speaking generally, but I'd agree with you again.

ABEC ratings were designed for motor bearings spinning at super fast rates like 20,000 RPM's and higher. Skateboard bearings never spin anywhere near as fast so the rating system for skate bearings is completely worthless. The rating system also does not take into account certain other criteria such as the heavy impact of skaters jumping up and down on them all day and down stairs and stuff and also side torque (like a power slide). Even from the Bones bearing website (read this):

http://www.bonesbearings.com/gap/abec.html

Rockin Ron, another bearing engineer constantly reminds us not to fall into the ABEC rating hype. Just completely ignore it. ;)


Rev.

Bones reds and bones swiss are the way to roll, they dont use the crappy ABEC system.

EDIT: I was an idiot when I first started skating, iI thought the bearings I had sucked so I went out and spent 20 dollars on RUSH ABEC9 bearings, rofl.

if a board has lost its pop its dead

not true i had a zero deck with no pop and i could still ollie up to 6 stairs

True or false?

Tighter shoes don't last as long as bulky shoes but perform better while skating.

i would say false to the tighter shoes question. shouldnt really have an affect

Skateboarding has less injurys than football or basketball? I'm not sure about this one, it wouldn't seem true, can someone answer it for me?

Skateboarding has less injurys than football or basketball? I'm not sure about this one, it wouldn't seem true, can someone answer it for me?

i play football and i think it all really depends on the seriousness of the injuries. like, you are going to scrape your knees up and get cuts when you skateboard. thats just a fact of life. in football, you get injuries when you do something stupid. like tackling someone with your head down. it all just comes down to your skill level and how much you fall. in conclusion, i think that it is just about equal, for me anyway.

Skateboarding has less injurys than football or basketball? I'm not sure about this one, it wouldn't seem true, can someone answer it for me?

In the list of sporting injuries Motorsports are the most prone to accidents, followed by roller sports (skating, inline etc.), then football. Information from hospital records. It was on TV and in some ads.

Of course there are other more dangerous ones like base jumping and heli-skiing, but theres a difference between dangerous and being injury prone.

i play football and i think it all really depends on the seriousness of the injuries. like, you are going to scrape your knees up and get cuts when you skateboard. thats just a fact of life. in football, you get injuries when you do something stupid. like tackling someone with your head down. it all just comes down to your skill level and how much you fall. in conclusion, i think that it is just about equal, for me anyway.
You made football sound like skateboarding. You do get hurt when you do something stupid, and you're right about the skill level stuff. You shouldn't be doing 12 sets if you can barely ollie up a curb.

Flip HKD bearings are mid-range in price. Quality-wise, they're awful. No durability whatsoever compared to some of the better brands out there.

Well thats about the biggest lie i've ever heard. (no offense)

Maybe you had a bad pair or somthing, but me and ALL of my friends that have had them agree that they are the best we've ever used. mine have lasted me since october 2004 and they are still like new.

What are you using as a basis for comparison?

They're largely just bog standard bearings. Nothing special and certainly not the most durable bearing. Sure, they'll hold together fine compared to some bearings, but they don't stay at top performance for very long, really.

Well thats about the biggest lie i've ever heard. (no offense)

Maybe you had a bad pair or somthing, but me and ALL of my friends that have had them agree that they are the best we've ever used. mine have lasted me since october 2004 and they are still like new.
It might seem like they're as good as new, but I can guaranty you that they're not.

Bearings get dirty and slow over time, so you won't feel it. Just like you growing taller, it happens slowly over time so you don't really notice it.

the bearing thing... i was playing around on an old skateboard of my cousins a while back and it was obviously all beat up and the bearings were poor... now I was just a noob so basically i never stood on a good board. I order bones swiss because I had the money and everyone acted like they were fast... deck comes... i set it on a concrete floor... one foot on... BOOM on my ass... that day I realized that you are totally right... you never notice slow bearings until you step on fast ones haha.

- You can test the pop of a board by dropping it on the concrete upside down and seeing how high it bounces back up

Though this myth is kinda true on occasion, i find that most of the time its just a gimmick. You don't really know how much pop a board has for sure until you actually skate it.

How does that work? I thought the pop of a board really just depended on the quality of wood, how tight the wood is sealed together, and also how light the deck is.

Freezing skateboard wheels works. i just finished a science project on it and it works. only a little bit. it helps the longer you freeze them.

urethane is frozen because it is hot when it is poured into a mould. wheel companies freeze the wheels to help them set faster. placing your wheels in a freezer isnt going to make a difference on the quality or life of your urethane.

On the tighter shoes vs Bulky shoes thing. Id say that i do perform alot better in tighter ones because it gives me more board feel. From my experiencese theyve lasted just as long as bulky oens that ive had..I really hate skating in bulky shoes though, especially ones with large tongues and really firm bottoms..I like to be able to kind of grasp the boad.

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*


dude that is definitly true, i bomb a hill everyday to get into town, loose trucks save my life when i get death wobbles, because when i do get them, i can align myself back into position by "carving myself out of the death wobbles"

The thing about the football causing more hospitalised accidents and injurys that skateboarding is true. I read that before. But its pretty much only true because a) there are many many more footballers than skateboarders. And b) they're all pussys that go to hospital for the slightest pain, whilst we put up with it hehe.

And the bearing thing is easy. Just ride bones lol. I've had bones reds, swiss, ive had super swiss 6 twice, and now ive gotta round to treating myself to some ceramics. I must say theyre better than any bearings ive ever owned or ridden before.

you kno i like the loose trucks gives you more carving when your going down a huge hill i think you have alot more controll haha and the taking 2 bolts out of that trucks i agree that dangerous

Practice makes perfect?

ok..well what about FREZZIN ur WHEELS??

ok..well what about FREZZIN ur WHEELS??

5. Freezing skateboard wheels makes them last longer.

With certain metals, freezing at cryonic temperatures (-320 degress for example) re-alligns the molecular structure thereby eliminating molecular gaps - in other words it creates a tighter structure. A company called Dean Markley applies this technology to a line of guitar strings they make called Blue Steel. Skateboard wheels however are urethane so this doesn't apply. Nonetheless, your common household refrigerator comes nowhere near even being close to cryogenic temperatures so freezing your wheels in you refrigerator would simply only make them cold. It has no benefitial effect on the wheels whatsoever. People will claim they can tell a difference but again… that’s the placebo effect. For more reading on cryogenics and their application you can check this link out: http://www.lycos.com/info/cryogenics.html

Next time you might want to bother looking at the original post in the thread if you have a question on the subject..

It might seem like they're as good as new, but I can guaranty you that they're not.

Bearings get dirty and slow over time, so you won't feel it. Just like you growing taller, it happens slowly over time so you don't really notice it.


They have gotten dirty, but they definitley arent slow. they still spin for about 45 seconds when i spin them with my hand.

And the bearing thing is easy. Just ride bones lol. I've had bones reds, swiss, ive had super swiss 6 twice, and now ive gotta round to treating myself to some ceramics. I must say theyre better than any bearings ive ever owned or ridden before.

Bones reds are the worst bearings that i have ever had. after 1 month they broke.

Bigfoot skates, oh wait that isn't a myth. My bad.

They have gotten dirty, but they definitley arent slow. they still spin for about 45 seconds when i spin them with my hand.

Bones reds are the worst bearings that i have ever had. after 1 month they broke.
Are you trying to say bearings don't slow over time? Or your bearings haven't slown yet? All bearings slow over time.

And all manufacturers have bad products sometimes, one bad bearing is not representitive of the entire brand.

I always knew large decks arent good for fllips, but its way easier to land tricks

I think blank decks are just as good as pro decks even though I have a pro deck. However, blank decks are heavier and dont look as cool as pro decks.

I've heard a myth that putting stickers ALL OVER your deck makes it easier to grind.

you don't grind a deck. :icon_drib

you slide a deck, and on top of which, stickers actually slow you down compared to the poly-materials in most decks these days (even blanks)... it only takes one slide to start wearing through a sticker and get to the "sticky" back of it... which then in turn "catches" on to various skate environments.

despite what you've heard, stickers actually make you go slower.

putting stickers all over your deck doesnt make any differance in the way it grinds. I think stickers look pretty dumb when they cover the majority of your deck too.

Myth: Loose trucks make it easier to ride away from tricks.

This veries to what you are used to skating, if you skate loose trucks then of course it will, but if you skate tight trucks then that will help you. So, this is a total myth, it is all about preferences, and which you find easier.

Are you trying to say bearings don't slow over time? Or your bearings haven't slown yet? All bearings slow over time.

And all manufacturers have bad products sometimes, one bad bearing is not representitive of the entire brand.

I'm saying My bearings havent slown yet. lol.
But i've only known one person that had a good set of bones.... all my other friends had the same thing happen to them that happened to me.

I guess it just depends on what set you get.

Cleaning your board with toothbrush will clean griptape

This is kind of true and kind of false. It Will screw up your griptape. and if you use water and soap it might rust your hardware and might slightly waterlog your board. It does not always clean your griptape. It sometimes spreads the dirt around. If you have certain things on your board IE: Tissue residue, Rubber scraps, Dust. It is possible that some of the stuff will go away. but the way to go is grip gum.

All Skaters do drugs.

This is false. Skaters in my experiences have normally less prone to use illegal drugs than many other groups. Not saying that no skaters do drugs, but I have seen a noticably lower amount of skaters doing drugs. Skateboarding doesn't define a person's habits, if a person is going to do drugs, they will do them with or without a skateboard.

the foot ball injuries vs. skating injuries thing is wierd. ou really have to define injury. football has alot of really serious injuries (broken necks, backs, etc.) and skating has more stuff like broken ankles and wrists. and i think they counted broken fingers so that would give football alot more. and there are more footbal players than skating. but i could be very wrong

oooh i have one, my moron 'friend' at mine, is an arrogant prick, and he was like giving me **** because i have got medium size soft wheels, i told him i skated street, so he's like, so? i skate street on my small hard wheels...

that's BS right?
i skate proper street, all kinds of terrain, i bet his 'street' is mall skating...
but yea, like to know

Soft wheels vs. Hard wheels
and
Large wheels vs. Small wheels

I think hard wheels are easier because they allow me to ollie better and higher and to tricks with more pop. My two cents

Soft wheels are good if the surface is bad, because they absorb a lot of the vibrations, but they wear out faster and I noticed that too soft wheels (such as 95a) are not very good for some shuvit variations, it seems to stick to the floor and to make the board do unwanted half flips.
Large wheels greatly increase wheelbites if you use loose trucks, this is why small wheels are better for some use, but larger wheels can be good too depending on what you do with your skateboard.
(that is not the point but I personnaly like small hard wheels).

cool, i'm gonna get thin medium soft wheels then... because i ride on really unrefined stuff...

By large wheel I meant "big radius", I think the best wheels should have a height wich allows them to cover the axle nuts, but such wheels are hard to find (freestyle offset wheels would do the job but most of the time they are very big).

The softnesss and hardness doesnt matter. Its all up to the person pushing the board. If they think hard wheels make them do better, then they can go with hard wheels. If someone nails tricks with soft wheels, then they can keep using those. If it kill's ya' that much just test different wheels out.

^ actually it does have an impact on sound and the way the board rides over different terrain... i tested it out the other day :P

i have to agree with ecerything

nice thread. i used to be all about pro decks. Ive recently realized how blank decks are manufactured in the same factories and they cost tons cheaper. I love my blanks now and if I break one, i can simply replace it without my wallet taking a beating. Besides i think they look better because I'm a fan of SIMPLE one colors like WHITE. less is more.

I like tighter trucks much better then looser

but yea, like to know

Soft wheels vs. Hard wheels
and
Large wheels vs. Small wheels

While this has nothing to do with "myths" I'll go ahead and answer this anyhow.

Soft wheels pros:
*advantageous for riding over rougher terrains such as rough city concrete. Easier to stay on your board riding rough terrains and will go a lot faster than hard wheels on rough terrains.
*can roll over debris a lot easier
*soft wheels grip the ground better - less chance of sliding.
*extremely quiet

Soft wheels cons:
*extremely slow when riding on really smooth ground such as smooth city streets. Since they're soft they stick a lot more and you can find they stick so much it's harder to push, and you move a lot slower.
*they wear down a lot faster
*can't slide
*a bit more rebound when landing tricks

Hard wheels pros:
*super fast on smooth ground
*less rebound for landing tricks
*can slide
*wear down slower

Hard wheels cons:
*hard to ride over rougher ground - slows down and can throw you off balance
*can't handle rolling over debris well
*less ground grip
*loud



Rev.

^ hehe, thanks, so basically soft is better for riding street with really rough tiles...
which is what i need :P

You were a little bit off, soft wheels actually can achieve higher top speeds. But hard wheels have better acceleration.

You were a little bit off, soft wheels actually can achieve higher top speeds.

Incorrect. Hard wheels always have a higher top speed then a soft wheel of the same dimensions. Hard wheels don't flex as much and thus in retaining a more perfect circular shape will roll faster. You can test this yourself and I'm sure many of you have experienced this already:

Ride a bicycle with less air in the wheels so they're softer. You'll find it takes a lot more effort to pedal and you go slower and will come to a stop faster when free rolling. If you put air into the tires to the point where they're a lot harder you will roll much faster, find it far easier to pedal, and will free roll a lot longer.

As I noted, the only time when soft wheels will roll faster and longer is when on rough/semi rough terrain as the wheels disperse the shock of the rough terrain better.



Rev.

i like them hard because they will blunt slide easier but really i dont care that much...however i really do not like soft wheels because they stick to easy when im skating stairs. 97 to 99 A is the middle of the road hardness that is good all around and is the hardness of most of the wheels out there.

very usfull, any bearing brands you guys recommend? I use lucky ABEC 5
Rockin' Ron's Ceramic Ballistech Missiles. I think they cost about $70, but they're well worth up to $150. I can't ride them because they're too fast and smooth for me. Also, the ceramic balls are indestructible so if your bearings break you can mail the balls to Rockin' Ron and he'll build a new bearing around them for you. I'm gonna wait for Street Rockets, though. A little slower but last forever because they have 8 balls and a dual race.


Also, here's a debunked myth:




A stiffer deck is a sturdier deck

Wrong. All decks have a hidden factor called moisture content, which is the amount of water left in the wood. A high moisture content will result in a soggy deck, while a low moisture content will result in a dry, brittle deck. This is what causes a deck to be stiff. In conclusion, a stiffer deck is a brittle deck, and will break easier, but a soggy deck isn't a good choice either. somewhere in the middle will result in a sturdy deck with decent flex to absorb impact.

what?

so if ur bearings break he'll fix em?

like no matter what?

i definatley like small 50mm wheels all the way XD, it seems to me like it makes the board go higher and feels longer

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*

One day, I decided to skate down a 1/2 mile steep road, I always do. I wobbled, and figured carving a little would stop the wobble, being that I was going too fast to stop with my foot, I realized I was screwed. My small carve only made the board carve a little too much, way too much, I flew in the air, landed and slid onto the road, I got a hole in my elbow and a scrape on my side as big as a coffee mug bottom. HAHA!

Incorrect. Hard wheels always have a higher top speed then a soft wheel of the same dimensions. Hard wheels don't flex as much and thus in retaining a more perfect circular shape will roll faster. You can test this yourself and I'm sure many of you have experienced this already:

Ride a bicycle with less air in the wheels so they're softer. You'll find it takes a lot more effort to pedal and you go slower and will come to a stop faster when free rolling. If you put air into the tires to the point where they're a lot harder you will roll much faster, find it far easier to pedal, and will free roll a lot longer.

As I noted, the only time when soft wheels will roll faster and longer is when on rough/semi rough terrain as the wheels disperse the shock of the rough terrain better.

Rev.

thats is not true. youre comparing the wrong things! soft wheels are well inflated tires as HARD WHEELS are wheels with no tires.

wtf are u talking about

we're talking about wheel hardness here, not totally different wheels

NOT TIRES

....................

nobody rides tires...


read what he quoted it makes perfect sense.

here it is less complicated

soft skateboard wheels=well inflated bicycle wheels
hard skateboard wheels=bicycle "rims" or what ever they're called on a bike

read what he quoted it makes perfect sense.

here it is less complicated

soft skateboard wheels=well inflated bicycle wheels
hard skateboard wheels=bicycle "rims" or what ever they're called on a bike

oh, well

the analogy actually kinda made sense, even if we were talking about a tire

cuz the main idea was hardness, not different tires

heres one for you, i had someone tell me that higher trucks make it harder to grind (if this is obvious, sorry, i know nothing about skating what so ever)

^ not sure about that one, i think it's just personal preference :)

the high trucks is a personal preference i think..but i heard some where that they do..but i dont believe that..the rail killers destructo has are really high..i hate high trucks...
love low trucks..
its preference..like the one above said..

Then you're simply not going at it right.

The point is you can grind any obstacle if you're just sliding on wax, but you don't need the wax. You should always be able to feel some resistance to the grind; many pool/ditch skaters don't even bother with wax. Also, relying on over-waxing is not only dangerous (both to yourself and to others), but will only negatively affect your skating over time. Think about it; would you rather be able to just skate the streets properly, in long fluent lines, grinding any curb you find, or would you rather have to spend your time preparing any obstacle you intend to grind?
I agree the only thing i wax is concrete ledges and metal dosnt even have to be waxed. Some people say that if metal is painted it dosnt slide but ive found this untrue:nono:

people who buy all the pro gear arnt pros

higher trucks are scary to bomb a wicked big hill
with lo's you feel lower and less wobbly

RED BOARDS GO FASTER:

I hear this time after time again, and it's not true, not matter what colour your board is you will not go faster, try getting new wheels and bearings...

Wow when people say REDS are faster they are probably talking about bearings not the color of the board.

Lol, I do not agree with what is being said here. You cannot disprove a myth like that... (Well actually most of these have just been declared 'solved', but I'm refering to the hard wheels vs small wheels arguement) You are making an analogy with something you don't know to have similiar qualities. You assume or 'believe' it to be similiar so you have not disproved anything. It is your oppinion and I'm not trying to be mean, but some people sound like they are %100 confident they are right... Hard wheels roll faster. ? Hard wheels are like bicycle rims. ? If you really wanted to see if that is a myth or not you would have to take the dynamics of circular motion, with impulse, momentum, to find the 'work.' You would have to find the 'mew' (basically how much the wheel grips the ground and what friction that causes) You would have to use a drag strip with a skate wheel. Yea... It could be done though. I don't know how to use dynamics and circular motion together... Someone could if they could create a controlled enviroment and get the 'tools' to find all the information they need. Which is a waste of time. Don't worry about it, there if a good arguement on both sides I believe. If you like soft wheels ride them, if you like hard wheels then ride them! Bigger wheels will increase your 'top speed', but make it will take more 'work' to accelerate them. Small wheels are the opposite.

Yea... So most of these are still myths... They aren't 'obvious' or 'make perfect sense'... I would like to see someone seriously 'debunk' these myths...


Also I just realized in finding which wheel rolls faster it is more complicated than I thought... Hmm..

So a person really shouldn't make a descision based on these... Just do what you want, or think is right personally... Very cool thread. I would like to look through this thread. It would be sweet to see some of these solved.

Wow when people say REDS are faster they are probably talking about bearings not the color of the board.

That's what I assumed.

rumor is true. red decks dont last as long. for some wierd reason.

i had some decks at the top that where red, a scarecrow, plan b, and a dgk like that..well all broke in 3 weeks. over learning some trick flat.

but i think its your mind foling with you so i just compltely spray pain the sides and the top so i wont go paranoid.

bit random mate who cares what colour it is

Here's a myth I once heard.

Do coloured wheels wear down faster than un-coloured ones?

I heard the dye they use to colour them makes em weaker, but I don't know whether or not I should believe it. It sounds possible, but it may not be true as well.

Here's a myth I once heard.

Do coloured wheels wear down faster than un-coloured ones?

I heard the dye they use to colour them makes em weaker, but I don't know whether or not I should believe it. It sounds possible, but it may not be true as well.


yea i heard that too...not sure about how legit it is though

Yeah, on a similar note, coloured grip wears down and grips less than standard black? that's another one I've heard.

Yeah, on a similar note, coloured grip wears down and grips less than standard black? that's another one I've heard.

Depends on the brand.
Perhaps Mob, Black Magic or Jessup are just better than some coloured brand?

Depends on the brand.
Perhaps Mob, Black Magic or Jessup are just better than some coloured brand?No that grip tape one was proven true,
"Colored grit molecules are tempered and smoothed through the intense radiated isotope coloring process of the grit. No one to date has been able to make colored grip that is comparable to black grip" -Tod Swank, Founder and President of Tum Yeto Inc.


"Black is the color of silicon carbide grit in its raw material. Colored grip tape is not made from the same grit" -Jeremy Fox, President of Flip skateboards.

I beat you. ;)

I'd still be interested in the coloured wheels one. I think it's kind of on the same page as the coloured griptape one.

ok my bearings always get greasy black stuff over them and my friend says that if i wipe it off my bearings will be really slow. will that happen? i think its just the lubricant but im not sure.

Open up the shields of your bearings and let them sit out over night on a paper towel and flip them.The oil lost will actually speed you up, by colecting less dirt when your skating.

hahaha, this one is pure BS, i posted a thread about this awhile ago, but i thought id repost it in here just for some entertainment, and it has something to do with the topic.

so a couple years ago i was talking with my friend, and he told me a story of a time when he was skating, he said he ollied off of a 10 foot building, and in midair he grabbed his board and started flapping his arms and fell down slower and didnt get hurt at all.
lol :)
hows about that for a myth?

thats a whole bunch of bs. he wouldn't have time to do that in real life he would've landed already.

hah..

i used to do that 2 hardware thing.
but then one fell out and i had to walk home

6: Blank Decks aren't as good as pro decks:

The response to this was right on target.

Check out 100% Hard Rock Canadian Maple from the wood's source.


http://www.woodchucklaminates.com

i use shock pads spicificly so my board does not presure crack. once i had a new board with no presure cracks in it or shock pads and i ollied a 4 and landed and my tail snaped off


that comes from landing wrong. it didnt have anything to do with the absence of pads underneath the trucks. either that or the board was defective

the myth about covering your deck in stickers and spraypaint makes you a better skater is true.
i do it myself : )

not

new myth ive heard before never had the balls to do it tho cause i go through shoes like a pair a month

microwaving a brand new pair of skate shoes helps to break them in better?

ill let some1 else try this cause if its bs i dnt want my new shoes like melted

They have gotten dirty, but they definitley arent slow. they still spin for about 45 seconds when i spin them with my hand.



Bones reds are the worst bearings that i have ever had. after 1 month they broke.

:icon_bs: its prolly the way you skate. ive been skating reds since i started skating and i havent busted a single one.

hahaha, this one is pure BS, i posted a thread about this awhile ago, but i thought id repost it in here just for some entertainment, and it has something to do with the topic.

so a couple years ago i was talking with my friend, and he told me a story of a time when he was skating, he said he ollied off of a 10 foot building, and in midair he grabbed his board and started flapping his arms and fell down slower and didnt get hurt at all.
lol :)
hows about that for a myth?
lol that complete bs!

Putting your bushings in a pot of boiling water will make them softer and they will not return to their previous hardness.
Note- Don't take them out with your hands :)

waxing ledges

waxing ledges more and more wont make your board slide faster but it will become sticky and its like a goo thing.but i think you already know that:)

I always thought the point behind wax was to smooth over and dints/cracks in a ledge the slideyness was just a side effect bonus type thing.:icon_pelv

yeah but it's also just like a slippery lubricant.

put wax on an already smooth floor and it will become slippery.

RE: Red decks will snap easier

I have no idea why, but after 13 years of skateboarding, I learned to avoid red decks like the plague. I don't know if it was just in my head, but they always seemed to snap the quickest. For me, purple lasted the longest. They would get really flexy, but almost never break. Weird.

Cleaned this up for you, Rev :)

RE: Red decks will snap easier

I have no idea why, but after 13 years of skateboarding, I learned to avoid red decks like the plague. I don't know if it was just in my head, but they always seemed to snap the quickest. For me, purple lasted the longest. They would get really flexy, but almost never break. Weird.

That's funny as ! My friend who's been skating for about as long as you told me the exact same thing the other day, basically all the red decks he ever owned snapped in no time, and now he avoids them as much as possible. Now I'm not saying that there's something about red decks (not to mention that one of the best decks I've ever had was red), but it's a funny coincidence.

Wax your board not the rail for a good session.

Actually the exact opposite is true. Waxing straight onto your bad damages it.

Actually the exact opposite is true. Waxing straight onto your bad damages it.

Well I highly disagree that it will damage it. If i'm skating a rail i'll wax my board instead of the rail, along with my friends. That way, to each our own.

how would waxing a board damage it

it gets wax on it no matter what weather from the rail or what ever else your skating

Wax has moisture, when you rub it into your board it soaks into the wood and causes rot. If you are sliding a rail with wax, you get almost no wax on your deck. So the effects are minimal to none.

Wax has moisture, when you rub it into your board it soaks into the wood and causes rot. If you are sliding a rail with wax, you get almost no wax on your deck. So the effects are minimal to none.

That's a myth. Or a theory.

to trebor, using your logic the wax from all your boards would transfer to the rail making the same as if you had just waxed it instead.

Wax has moisture, when you rub it into your board it soaks into the wood and causes rot. If you are sliding a rail with wax, you get almost no wax on your deck. So the effects are minimal to none.
this argument has sense on its side.

I do know that the one time I waxed my board instead of the rail my board shot out so fast I thought it was going to leave a trail of fire like in Back to the Future. I think I was nine at the time, I learned to never wax the deck.

That's a myth. Or a theory.
No it's not. It's simple science if anything. It's the same as getting a deck wet.

No it's not. It's simple science if anything. It's the same as getting a deck wet.

Ummm. Wow. Wax is commonly used on wood and even on cars to seal and protect from moisture.

Ha ha.... Science...... Good one. How many times did you fall down while writing that?

Ummm. Wow. Wax is commonly used on wood and even on cars to seal and protect from moisture.

Ha ha.... Science...... Good one. How many times did you fall down while writing that?
Quite a few

Do not question the mighty FMG, or feel the wrath of his banstick!

Do not question the mighty FMG, or feel the wrath of his banstick!

I did originally question the wisdom of poking fun at a mod like that. But I just couldn't resist. Everyone knows that people who make fun of mods eventually die of flesh eating disease, anyways. So I got mine coming.

And that, my friends, is just simple science...

True, Have fun watching your flesh fall off of your body before you die :D

Aren't you sweet. I will... :icon_hug: *spreads bacteria*

*BREAKING IN YOUR BOARD*

If you get a new board and you say your breaking in your board, just go kill yourself [JayKay]. Unless you got new trucks and added them to your new board then you can say im breaking in my board. (Boards dont break in, only trucks)

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*

well, when i had loose trucks (really loose, since i havent tightened them since i got the board) i had tons of speed wobbles, and road rash..when i tighted them..i had a lot more control

No it's not. It's simple science if anything. It's the same as getting a deck wet.

I feel sorry for the person with so much wax on the bottom of his board that it rots. Honestly. And if it can soak into the board in the first place what exactly is this person skating? Did he take a piece of plywood with no finish on it and hook it up?

i hear skating attracts ladies

i hear skating attracts ladies

This used to be true. The only time I was ever good at picking up girls, when I was younger, was at the skateparks. I'm pretty sure if I tried that now I would be arrested.

Don't really know if it is a myth or not but... My left shoe had two big holes in the front so I used duct tape to cover it up. It worked for a while but I knew I wasn't going to be doing this for every skate sesh. So when looking around I saw some electrical tape. Since it probably wouldn't stick to good on the shoe I first put the duct tape over the holes then put electrical tape on top of the duct tape. Not only does it make it two layers but for some reason the electrical tape seems to be ALMOST undestructable. Yes eventually it rips through but the electrical tape alone didn't rip for like a good while. It's also a plus that its black instead of the grey duct tape. (just didn't look right with it being grey)

Wow, interesting.

wow thanks just one question...........how long did it take you to make that??

Wouldn't it be easier to just use shoe goo? Or buy new shoes?

thanks man great thread a great resource

thanks man great thread a great resource

Yeah hes right!

Wouldn't it be easier to just use shoe goo? Or buy new shoes?

Yes it would have been. But I would have to order it and it would take a few days to get to my house. So, I just made a quick fix that actually lasted a pretty long time.

This used to be true. The only time I was ever good at picking up girls, when I was younger, was at the skateparks. I'm pretty sure if I tried that now I would be arrested.

That made me laugh lol, nice.

i learned how to kickflip and ollie in 1 week

Fake boards are ideal for beginning skaters

Wrong.
When I first started skating, I didn't know the differance between real boards and fake boards. My first board was at Walmart, the brand was 2XS. At the time, I was fully unaware this was a fake skateboard. It was tough for me to get started, but then I got the hang of it. I was over at the skatepark one day, And I tried out a 19 year old's board. I said, "What's the differance between your board and mine?" He said, "Hey, I hate to break it to ya, but that's a fake board you got."
My fake board had no concave at all, no risers, plastic trucks, and plastic wheels. It is much tougher to skate on a board with no concave then one with it. If you have been skating for a while on a real board, you can just step on a board and tell the diffreance. Plastic trucks = No grinds. No risers = Less pop. If I were you, I would buy a real board before trying out a fake one.

Wouldn't it just grind the stickers off?

The stickers would prolly help board slides for a while, but then, after it gets riped and messed up, it would make grinds harder.
Merging doublepost
i learned how to kickflip and ollie in 1 week

no offense but no one can kickflip in 1 week. Im sorry its impossible!

Tighter trucks will eliminate speed wobbles.

In fact loosening your trucks will get rid of speed wobbles. If you have tight trucks, there is less give in the bushings so any small wobble movement will shock through the board into you and start you on a speed wobble bonanza. Meduim or looser trucks have more give and can take the small weight shifts that can start speed wobbles. The first shock doesnt get transferred up to you, your your body doent tansfer the wobble back again, resulting in a more maneuvreable and stable ride when bombing hills.

*This was from a day of testing bombing a hill with some mates. If anybody else has had different experience with this, please say so :)*

I have certainly had many different experiences! Speed wobbles have only ever occured for me with loose trucks. And the looser the trucks, the worse the wobble!
Merging doublepost
RE: Red decks will snap easier

I have no idea why, but after 13 years of skateboarding, I learned to avoid red decks like the plague. I don't know if it was just in my head, but they always seemed to snap the quickest. For me, purple lasted the longest. They would get really flexy, but almost never break. Weird.

I haven't thought about this before, but as soon as I read this post all the cracked red decks came flooding back to memory. I have had the same experince and now always avoid red decks (but until now, I didn't realise WHY I avoid them!). Cheers TemperMode.

Well about the wider board thing...I believe it doesn't matter. I rode an 8 on accident like when I was on my first year of skating. I learned almost all my stuff on it then switched to a 7.65 and Im the smallest kid at my park and ride the 3rd biggest board (almost everyone rides 7.5 and my park other then an 8.2 and an 8) and even when I step on it I really don't notice.



About the waxing to hell thing...Thats true cause this kid sat on a ledge and waxed it for 25 mintues and it was just as or more sticky.

1. Large decks aren't good for street, only vert.

Rev.


i think a wider board offers more stability on ramps than a thin board. i used to ride 7.5" boards and now i skate pools more and i prefer my 8" board (even though 0.5" isn't that much) this may just be a mental thing but i find its more stable.
Merging doublepost
and as for waxing. i never wax! for slappies on curbs i find red paint is best!

i dont know why but the painted curbs (either yellow or red) works better than wax and you dont have to sit there tossing off a curb.

i dont know why but the painted curbs (either yellow or red) works better than wax and you dont have to sit there tossing off a curb.

Too funny, never thought about it like that.

My curb wax is called skateboard trucks. Lay down some metal, better then wax and doesn't melt.

Man this thread is a load of bull!

This thread deserves to be nuked... Maybe if the original poster wants to continue with it he could... Most of these are completely biased and are just generally stupid... There are some good discussions, but some people don't realize that there is more than one side to it. (Almost aslways...)

'You' don't know what is better. I can tell basically everyone that. There are too many 'experts'. You think you know, or you feel that whatever you prefer is better. Or at least for you. Some of these people seem confident that they are completely and utterly correct. Most people are thinking about things way too one dimensionally. I'm surprised people actually believe some of this as much as they do. I hope noone is really using this as a resource... I cannot believe these...

Alot of these are just preferences people pass off as truth. I'm not saying I know everything, but there is way too many biased oppinions here...

ryan sheckler is the greatest skateboarder alive

... ummmmmm

Does skating make your health worse or make you healthier? You're falling and stretching every part of your body, does it also help in the long run? For when your older, like when your older will you be able to do active things longer than a regular non-active person, or will you have arthritis and stuff, lol..I always wondered this.

Well, I've heard from a bunch of people on this site that you can clean griptape with windex, and I was just wondering, how would this work and is it even possible?

The stickers would prolly help board slides for a while, but then, after it gets riped and messed up, it would make grinds harder.
Merging doublepost


no offense but no one can kickflip in 1 week. Im sorry its impossible!

i learned how to kickflip in one week so its not impossible. heels toook me 4 motnhs tho,

i learned how to kickflip in one week so its not impossible. heels toook me 4 motnhs tho,

quoted for the truth..
i learned non moving kicks in a day.
and buy two days i had moving kicks

The More Expensive Skateboards are Better

I've never understood this.. why all the skaters go out and buy a 100 pound deck, 50 pound trucks, 20 pound wheels and waste all their money on one set..

I have always skated Renner... because i love them and they work well.. they are good.. with good curve and kick.

You can buy a Renner Series B, which works very well, for only 30 pounds... and that is a complete set.

I can't remember the last time I bought anything but Renner, let alone anything that weighed less than 200lbs. Jeeze, who have you been hanging with? Heavy and cheap is the way to go...thats how I choose em.

i think blank decks are just as good as a pro deck, i cant tell a difference in riding a pro deck so i just my cheap blanks

The tighter the trucks, the easier it is to break your board.
I heard this from a kid that broke his board trying a stair, then with a new deck losened up his trucks and landed the same way but didn't break his deck. It's probably the new deck but it could be possible that if you have lose trucks, it's harder to break your deck.

Sounds like we need to make a tv show up in here called Mythbusters.... o wait

Skatebusters, ohh wait... there are already tons of those

yea I always wonder is skatin bad in the long run...like will u have arthritis when ur 35 or some **** from all the big gaps and fallin non-stop...

i use to skate 4 to 5 hours a day for 4 years straight...I stopped for like 2 years and tried again and skated 1 hour and was literally sore a ****en week...good thing i wasnt workin then caz i could barely walk down a flight of stairs let alone get outta bed

Yep it just grinds the stickers off leaving white marks where they once were

I use candle wax to wax things is there much difference between it and proper wax

The tighter the trucks, the easier it is to break your board.
I heard this from a kid that broke his board trying a stair, then with a new deck losened up his trucks and landed the same way but didn't break his deck. It's probably the new deck but it could be possible that if you have lose trucks, it's harder to break your deck.

No not really. It's probably because his old deck was ****ty or he landed in the middle of it.

I don't see the logic in that loose tight trucks.

I haven't thought about this before, but as soon as I read this post all the cracked red decks came flooding back to memory. I have had the same experince and now always avoid red decks (but until now, I didn't realise WHY I avoid them!). Cheers TemperMode.

Whenever i get a red deck i just spray paint over it. But acctually the red dosent do anything. one idiot on the internet started the rumor about the red decks, so a buch of other people bought a red deck to try it out, but what they didnt realise is that they had a mindset that oh this is gonna break... so guess what it did? BREAK! So then the rumor spread and more people tried it, and now its all over.
Merging doublepost
ryan sheckler is the greatest skateboarder alive

Dude dont make fun of him. If u were offered millions to film ur life, wud u do it?

No not really. It's probably because his old deck was ****ty or he landed in the middle of it.

I don't see the logic in that loose tight trucks.

Nah it's probably true because tight trucks give no lee-way.

Im like 260lb and I picked up skateboarding and am having a blast, dont be dissing us fatties :D (aimed at original poster, yes I know its been nine pages lol)

I can answer a couple i've seen on this page:

Candle wax and 'skate wax' work about the same.

If your trucks are super tight it is alot easier to break your king-pin, I know that for a fact. Having tight trucks *might* mean more force is being put on the deck instead of getting let out with truck movement, but thats not proven at all in my mind.

Skating is usually not good for your body in the long run, it would be though if you are just pushing around on your skateboard. The falls and injuries though do take a toll, especially since many people do not let those countless rolled ankles and sprained wrists heal up properly. I do beleive though, skating is very good for your mental health.