The glossary of skateboarding parts

Can you name every part of your skateboard and understand how each part influences the way your setup behaves? Let's delve into the glossary of skateboarding parts and explore how even tiny changes can significantly impact your board's behavior and the overall quality of your setup.

First thing first, a setup is made of a deck with a grip tape on top, of 2 trucks with 2 wheels each.

The deck

Profile

Let's start by exploring the deck, an integral part of the setup that greatly influences what you will do with your skateboard. From its length and width to its material and shape, every aspect of the deck serves a specific purpose and caters to different skateboarding styles.

For those into flexible and playful rides, especially in disciplines like longboarding and dancing, long and thin decks with glass fiber reinforcement are preferred. This design provides a snowboard-like behavior, offering flexibility and a playful experience.

On the contrary, street decks demand stiffness for a powerful pop during tricks like ollies. These decks are often crafted from Canadian maple, sometimes incorporating glass-fiber or carbon fiber for added reinforcement. In essence, the deck's properties—shape, material, width, length, the presence of a nose and tail, and wheelbase—all contribute to its overall performance.

Check our page about the different styles of deck for even more information.

Characteristics

Decks are mainly characterized by their :

• Deck length: The deck length, ranging from 50 cm to more than 150 cm, significantly influences the stability and control of your skateboard. A longer deck is generally more stable, making it ideal for downhill riding or cruising. On the flip side, shorter decks offer increased manoeuvrability, suitable for technical tricks and street skating.
• Deck width: Wider decks provide more stability, making them suitable for ramps, bowls, and cruising. On the other hand, narrower decks are more responsive, facilitating quick turns and flips, which are advantageous in street skating and technical manoeuvres.
• Wheelbase: The wheelbase, the distance between the trucks, impacts the turning radius of your skateboard. A shorter wheelbase results in a tighter turn, ideal for street and park skating, while a longer wheelbase enhances stability, making it preferable for downhill and longboard cruising.
• Tail and nose angle: The tail and nose angle affect the pop and control of your skateboard. A steeper angle on the tail and nose provides more leverage for tricks like ollies and flips. Street skaters often prefer higher angles for better performance in technical manoeuvres, while longboarders may opt for a mellower angle for smoother transitions and dance moves.

Trucks and sub-components:

Trucks are key to the performance of your skateboard, affecting turning, stability, and how well your skateboard handles different terrains. Understanding the intricacies of trucks will help you further customize your setup to suit your skateboarding style.

Let's break down each piece to understand its role in the trucks sub-assembly:

• Hanger: The horizontal T-shaped part connecting the axle to the kingpin. It plays a significant role in how your skateboard turns.
• Axle: The rod that runs through the wheels, connecting them to the hanger. The length can affect the width of your skateboard.
• Base plate: The flat, angled piece that mounts the trucks to the deck. It influences the turning responsiveness of your skateboard.
• Kingpin: The large bolt that holds the trucks together. Adjusting its tightness affects the trucks' tightness and turning.
• Kingpin nut 3/8": The nut that secures the kingpin to the hanger, allowing for adjustments that affect the tightness and turning responsiveness of the trucks.
• Top cup washer: The flat washer at the top of the bushings. It helps distribute pressure evenly for smoother turns.
• Top Bushing: The upper cylindrical part of the bushing. It works with the bottom bushing to provide stability and control and acts as a spring, compressed by the kingpin nut 3/8".
• Bottom Bushing: The lower cylindrical part of the bushing, working in conjunction with the top bushing.
• Bottom Cup Washer: The flat washer beneath the bushings, aiding in even pressure distribution.
• Pivot cup & pivot bushing: The pivot cup holds the pivot bushing and allows the trucks to pivot smoothly.
• Riser pad: A thin pad placed between the trucks and deck to reduce vibrations and prevent wheel bite.

Wheels

Skateboarding got a major upgrade in the 1970s when urethane wheels hit the scene, bringing a whole new level of comfort, grip, and smoothness compared to the old steel ones.

Today, wheels are extremely important for how your skateboard performs, maybe even more so than the bearings. Wheels have different factors to consider:

1. Diameter: How big your wheels are, ranging from 50mm to 100mm.
2. Hardness (shore A): How soft or hard your wheels are, from 101A (hard) to 70A (soft). Soft wheels offer increased grip and comfort, while hard wheels make power slides easier.
3. Rebound Quality: Especially important for soft wheels and cruising, you'll find High Rebound, Super High Rebound, or Ultra High Rebound. This affects how well your wheels roll and how smoothly you glide. The higher the rebound, the better the wheel's rolling performance.

Also, the width and contact patch of your wheels matter. Wider wheels give more grip and make slides less progressive, while narrower wheels make sliding easier but can get flat spots easily.

Understanding these wheel details allows you to fine-tune your skateboard to your riding preferences, enhancing your overall skateboarding experience!