So the missus hinted that she’d love a skateboard to mess about on, so going to get her one for Xmas. Seen a few with lit up wheels so want it to be one of those.
Only thing being she’s an adult, 12 stone and the only one I can find that ships with light up wheels is a kids one it seems!
Has anyone bought anything similar here at all? Appreciate I may need to just buy the wheels separately and an adults board, is there usually just one axle size? I know nothing about speccing a skateboard so though I’d tap into the wealth of info on here, all I do know is you can get different lengths of board and she’s only 5’3 so will be a shorter than longer board I reckon. Thanks in advance!!
When you say "mess about on" are you talking just cruising down the street or will she be going off kerbs or attempting tricks at all?
Can't help at all, but Mrs CY sounds cool! 👍
I reckon any (decent) complete board will do and you'd have to add the spangly wheels after. Longer board = slightly more stable and less speed wobbles (it's not fun booling down Dean Street in Newcastle and getting a wobble on!)
She's going to break her wrists
If you're anywhere near Notts, Flo skatepark run ladies only sessions, think every other week.
When you say “mess about on” are you talking just cruising down the street or will she be going off kerbs or attempting tricks at all?
This is an important question. There's a big difference between intending to surf along the local beach front and rocking up at the local skate park.
It's the equivalent of a what bike thread without knowing the intended use.
Most decent skateboard shops will offer help and advice depending on what the intended use is. Good on her I say, more people should try skateboarding because it’s ace. She can join the ankles that don’t sound right brigade.
She can join the ankles that don’t sound right brigade.
And the neck that doesnt sound right posse 🙂
Im assuming the light up wheels will be a Penny Board mini cruiser type, often plastic decked skateboard for cruising about on. Cruiser carver and longboards are also for cruising about on or shitting it down big hills at 70mph avoiding buses, these are bigger with generally a plywood deck. Truck width generally depends on deck width, with the outer wheel edge being where the edge of the deck is.
Most of Dem Yoot you will see on a normal board with kicked up nose and tail, these are good for street skating tricks where you practise ripping the ligaments in your knees and ankles, or on ramps and bowls where you can practise breaking your wrists.
Cheap wheels and bearings suck, they just dont roll well making learning tricky.
Nothing to add other than I’m currently contemplating buying a half pipe for the back garden to relive my youth. Only thing holding me back is that I will undoubtably break my wrist or worse if I go ahead with this purchase
Skateboarding is ace..
Haha thanks she’s an MTBer too and on a good day is hitting reds and occasional blacks and on occasions I struggle to get away from her!
Nothing to add other than I’m currently contemplating buying a half pipe for the back garden to relive my youth.
You should do it!
On a related note a friend of mine purchased a rail fir his garden. He called me when it arrived and I dashed straight around to his house only to find the driveway empty and doors locked.
Broke his wrist on the maiden run 😀
Really good questions, appreciate that different boards for different uses!
So it’d be for riding up and down the streets, hitting the occasional ramp (although I reckon light up wheels wouldn’t be good for a ramp) , used to skate when she was younger and did ballet so has ankles and leg muscles like rocks!
She’ll be doing Ollie’s etc anyway, but yes I’ll have to get her a helmet and pads I reckon!!
Great advice, I think building it up as you say, is probably the best way rather than buying something built already. I’ll have to get down to a skate shop I think 👍
Not near Nottingham I’m afraid, Yorkshire 🙂
My advice would be to buy decent wheels rather than pretty wheels, this is from someone who has spent almost £10k on dental work to fix damage from a skateboard accident. Ricta wheels are very good, fast rolling but also very grippy.
anywhere near wakey go see wayne at division24 skate shop
Give Woody a shout at bigwoodys.co.uk. He's been selling skateboards for longer than I remember and also runs girls only skate nights at Ramp City in Blackpool. A nicer chap you will not find 🙂
Criteria is fairly straightforward. Run of the mill setup. Probably about 8 inches wide or whatever is popular these days. Take a look at what complete setups they've got, you can generally pick up something usable for >£80. Bit more if you want something a bit nicer. Don't know about flashing wheels... Also, graphics on wheels tend not to last long.
Deck graphics are thee most important thing. If it makes you smile when you pick it up you will have a good day.
There was a feature on BBC breakfast TV this morning about over 30 women taking up skateboarding.
I used to skate loads as teen to early twenties, but had to give up as it destroying my knees. Tried again when I was 40 - still had some of the technique but far too worried about injuring myself to do much of the stuff from my youth.
Skateparks look a bit more welcoming and forgiving than in my day. Cruising easy transition bowls, lip grinds, stalls etc are probably a realistic target that would be really rewarding. Would need a proper set up mind - no light up wheels!
If you’re anywhere near Windsor I have 12 going spare thanks to my adults sons!
A caster board is a lot of fun I taught my two to ride a ripstik after I taught myself.
We have every variety you can imagine including surfskate boards, electric and long. The surf skate is good like the ripstik but easier to master.
Just wear wrist guards.
Wheels - Kryptonics, anything by Powell Peralta, and always the best sealed bearings you can get.
Not sure about the fad for tiny hard wheels, I much prefer the larger diameter wheels - better for rolling over imperfections and small stones, etc.
Enjoy!
Thanks the wrist guards is an interesting suggestion!
Also, graphics on wheels tend not to last long.
Hands up who used to run their wheels with the graphics facing inwards to try and make the graphics last longer 😀 ?
I'd go Spitfire for wheels but I am firmly rooted in the mid 90s.
Re. what deck, I'd just look for one that suits her aesthetic - as someone else above stated, an 8" -ish wide popsicle (maybe a bit narrower if she has small feet) is probably what's best for ollie-ing, ramps etc, and she can cruise around on it too - but a cruiser will be a nightmare for trying to do any tricks.
Deck graphics are thee most important thing. If it makes you smile when you pick it up you will have a good day.
If you want to hang a deck on a wall, otherwise the graphics are gone in a decent day of skating.
For adult skateboarding a cruiser board is a better buy than the standard street boards most kids skate. Bigger and more stable - more fun to just ride. Much harder to kick flip but that is not going to be a problem.
https://www.blacksheepstore.co.uk/cruiser-skateboards.html?=&order=price&dir=asc
Light up wheels are as good an idea as buying an MTB with light up wheels. You can probably get them but doesn't mean you should. Buy a decent board and stick some strip lights on the bottom if you must.
I have nothing useful to add other than this post inspired a root about in the loft. Thankfully haven't thrown out my entirely unused 6 ply maple Santa Cruz Rob Roskopp from the mid 90s 😂
Santa Cruz Rob Roskopp from the mid 90s
Have you seen how much they are fetching on ebay?🥳
For adult skateboarding a cruiser board is a better buy than the standard street boards most kids skate. Bigger and more stable – more fun to just ride.
I've gone with this approach. I'm following my kids around on their scooters, so I've bought a Lush Dagyr to cruise on but still (maybe!) do some other stuff too as it has more of a street shape to it. Excited to get back to this, hopefully I won't knacker myself on the second outing because I'd quite like to graduate to the bowl at the local skatepark before that point 😀
