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...a man who is just a month away from his 49th birthday, who has had minor dalliances with skateboarding over the years but has decided now is the right time to finally properly learn to ollie? I already have the obligatory Vans trainers so I'm virtually halfway there. I used to prefer big soft wheels ('Gelignites' IIRC) because of the crappy surfaces I went on, but they all seem to be hard and small these days. Don't want to spend a lot of money, probably best putting money into a BUPA scheme instead for the inevitable falls...
Recommend away! TIA
I bought an Enuff Skully for my son earlier this year for his birthday. Seemed to get good reviews online and I was impressed with the quality when it turned up.
Haven't been on a board on 25 years but was pretty decent in my day.... back then a decent set up costs about 120 quid and once you got to that level they were all pretty much the same. I think it's pretty much the same nowadays (assuming you don't want a long board!).
I'd avoid one of the 40 quid complete set ups you can buy, and get something using the custom builders most online stores seem to have.
This advice may be horribly outdated however..
If you want to learn to Ollie you're after a standard skateboard, so no cruisers.
Something over 8 inches wide to suit your budget and graphic preferences. There are more shapes out now less symmetrical front to back, so a squarer tail and smaller nose, I'd suggest one of those unless you plan on learning nollies and riding switch as well. Cheapy ones have cheap bearings, can be ok for a light weight kid but not for Adults.
I've just bought myself a Lance Mountain for riding bowls.
https://rollersnakes.co.uk/collections/complete-skateboards
Buy a fish tail (what shops are now calling a cruiser) for retro chic and the fact you can hang it on the wall once you've broken your first bone.
The complete set ups are not bad you'll need to spend about a ton from any of the big skate shops, route one, roller snakes to get something half decent, all will have hard wheels 99a durometer, but you can get new set of wheels for £20 -60 dependant on spec.
I was in the same boat as you, skateboarding is very affordable compared to mtb, so you can upgrade change specs easily. I found it easier to Ollie an 8" wide board than anything wider when learning. Best bet get yourself along to your nearest skate shop and try a few, factor in buying a set of pads, they might not look cool but slamming into concrete feels like being run over by a bus when your over 40.
Unless you are going to be jumping flights of stairs most branded trucks will be OK Independant are great but expensive.
There is lots of advice on skate tricks on you tube.
Talk to your local skater owned shop, they'll be able to point you in the right direction and will probably have some half decent completes in stock. But as above, standard popsicle around 8 - 8.5" wide is what you're after.
I also like big fat wheels, I have massive 60mm Rictas on my cruiser and my other setup with hard 53s on it feels horrid in comparison. Theoretically makes it harder to do flip tricks but I can actually spin that board easier, due to the deck shape.
Wrist guards - at least for your rear arm.
Unless you are going to be jumping flights of stairs most branded trucks will be OK Independant are great but expensive.
I remember popping an ollie off about 8 stairs as a lad and even though I was about 8 stone, my gullwing trucks snapped like a dry biscuit on landing. Fun times..
I've often thought about getting a board recently, however my experience of trying to even stand upright on my mates boards over the past few years tells me my glory days are well and truly behind me..
If you are 49 and just learning...you will within a week of getting your board land on the tail, have it shoot away from you as you fall on your ass..so pretty much definitely this..
Wrist guards – at least for your rear arm.
I snapped a truck (can't remember what, possible Venture) coming off a boardslide on a rail about 8" off the ground. Still no idea how I managed that, I wasn't even that fat.
Luckily my daughter has started roller blading - so I have a legitimate excuse for skateboarding down the Lidl carpark on a Sunday afternoon!
The fracture completes on the rollersnakes site look a good starting point, but I'd factor in getting some softer wheels. A lot of the wheels will be 100/101a - not only will they rattle your fillings out, but they'll get the neighbours twitching the curtains each time you step out!
For the boards themselves..... for the most part they're all the same - as in exactly the same. In our younger days most brands developed and manufactured their own boards, their riders would design and spec their own models, and magazines would pontificate on the shape of the concave and shapes of the nose and tail. Most brands now are just selling bought in blanks, with their logo added, that have all come from the same factory. So just get one with a picture on that you like. Thats no criticism by the way - the design of boards has matured - theres only really one right size and shape for a board if popping an ollie is your ambition - so why have a market place full of boards that are the wrong shape.
If I was you I'd get a 9 - 9.5 inch wide deck for sure (and matching trucks), this will help with your balance.
Something like this:
Get a proper setup, so much better to ride than 'bargain' setups.
Have a look at mini logo completes. (In proper recommend what you've got style)
I have been really impressed by the quality compared to the cheaper complete I had before. The faced hanger and 8mm axles are nice features.
maccruiskeen
Full Member
For the boards themselves….. for the most part they’re all the same – as in exactly the same. In our younger days most brands developed and manufactured their own boards, their riders would design and spec their own models, and magazines would pontificate on the shape of the concave and shapes of the nose and tail. Most brands now are just selling bought in blanks, with their logo added, that have all come from the same factory. So just get one with a picture on that you like. Thats no criticism by the way – the design of boards has matured – theres only really one right size and shape for a board if popping an ollie is your ambition – so why have a market place full of boards that are the wrong shape.
This is kind of true... Different brands use different woodshops which also offer different shapes, but for a basic popsicle (which is what you want if you're learning to ollie) and being a beginner the differences are fairly minimal. It's also hard to know exactly what you're getting as a lot of brands don't specify what shape decks are (I think Girl used to, but I'm not sure).
Super cheap completes will be horrible, flat, soggy pieces of crap but anything above that should be fine. If you really get into it you may develop a preference for different board shape (I know some pretty good skaters who hate anything that doesn't have the right concave, but others who genuinely don't care) but there's no 'better' shape, it's just slight differences.
For the boards themselves….. for the most part they’re all the same – as in exactly the same
The 2020 Woodshop thread on the Slap forum is 26 pages long! It's really important to some skaters just like a "what tyre?" thread on here.
To OP, i'd avoid completes. Even if branded, the decks tend to be of lesser quality than the separates.
I'd be going 8-8 1/2 popsicle of your choice, mid range trucks (Venture are OK, no point in Indy/Thunder if starting out), mini-logo bearings are decent and cheap, as are their wheels (you will eventually upgrade to Spitfire if you stick with it).
Support your local skate shop.
Don't forget to leave some money in the budget for painkillers/bandages/possible physio (45 years old, hit a pebble whilst skating 3 weeks ago. My ankle now mostly works gain, my knee keeps waking me up in the night. Enjoy!)
My girls have got into skateboarding over the last year, I've not been tempted yet, even more chance of falling off than on my bike.
One of them has taken to custom painting decks (proud dad moment) instagram linky
StuF
Your daughter has some talent, I really like the Planets board she has painted.
Cheers doublezero, I really like the detail on the bee one
Cheers guys, I started this thread and then forgot about it, busy last couple of days!
I always thought landyachts were lovely