Extreme Sports

Skateboards are great to ride and play around on. It is a sport that encompasses speed and skill. There are many different parts to a skateboard such as the deck, the wheels, and the truck, but probably the most important part is the bearings. The bearings allow the wheels to turn freely without friction which is what makes the skateboard travel at high speeds. The speed and precision of control of the board is down to the bearings. But skateboard bearings are very delicate and need to be treated right; here are the top 6 reasons why skateboard bearings fail:

1. Dirt – if dirt gets into the bearing of the skateboard the bearing can not move freely and the dirt causes friction. How can you prevent dirt from attacking your bearings? Clean your bearings every time you use them, this’ll get rid of the chance of dirt from getting into the bearing.
2. Lubrication – not enough lubrication on your bearings creates friction and causes the skateboard to slow down and will eventually break the bearing. On a regular basis take off the bearings to your skateboard and soak them in lubricant.
3. WD40 – the minute people spray their skateboard bearings in WD40 is the same minute they have just ruined their bearings. WD40 may look like a lubricant but it actually gets rid of the grease that is inside of the bearing and causes them to fail.
4. Age – it has been said that bearings should outlive the life of the actual machine but due to other factors of wear and tear this isn’t usually the case. Skateboard bearings do take a lot of pressure on them and they do suffer from wear after long periods of time and so be sure to change this.
5. Wrong Fitting – fitting the bearings to your skateboard perfectly is exceptionally important, a little like Goldilocks they can’t be fitted too tight or too loose they need to be just right. If the bearings are not fitted appropriately they usually vibrate more which causes the ride to be less than smooth.
6. Cheap Bearings – people sometimes think that because the bearings on their skateboard are so small they don’t mater and so when it comes to buying or replacing them they go for the cheapest option. This is a huge mistake, you don’t have to choose the most expensive but go for quality, cheap bearings usually break after a short period of time and never run as fast or smoothly as the more expensive ones.  Read more...

Skateboard bearings are an essential part when it comes to skateboards and to how they ride. The better the bearings the faster they travel and the smoother they are which makes it easier to ride which in turn makes it easier for the rider.

There are many different brands of skateboard bearings to choose from, all varying in price and quality: Bones, Flip, Lucky, Reflex, Independent, Shortys, and World Industries. Bones and Swiss Bones are considered to be the best bearings you can get for your skateboard and many of the professionals use these which is mirrored in the price for them of up to £75. If you are a beginner you are better off getting a lower end priced set of bearings for under £10. Your bearings can be become damaged if you do not look after them properly and from the way you ride the skateboard and so for beginners it is better if you use ‘beginners’ bearings to accommodate your learning to skateboard and your wallet.

What are Skateboard Bearings Made Out Of?

Skateboard bearings are usually made from a few different materials. Stainless steel and chromium steel are usually the main metals the bearings are made out of, the retainer maybe nylon or stainless steel, and the ball steel or ceramic steel. Depending on your requirements skateboard bearings can be made out of rubber, metal or Teflon. All bearings have the option of coming sealed with metal protection shields or open. People buy sealed bearings because dust and dirt can get inside the bearing and cause them to not run properly and then lead to failure. The protective coating prolongs the life of the bearing and how well it rides. 

Thrust Bearings for your Skateboard – The New Age Skateboard  Read more...

What parts make up a skateboard?

The invention of the skateboard is a bit of a mystery as it has never been confirmed who invented it and how it came about. There are a few theories of its origin; one being they were first created in to the 1930′s when children would play on soapboxes placed on wooden planks on top of roller skates. This gave the general basis idea of the skateboard and was then made into a product, a product that went on to be sold massively internationally.

There are four main parts that make up a skateboard, these include: the deck, the wheels, the bearings, and the trucks.

The Deck of a Skateboard – the deck is the long board that you stand on. The deck lies on top of the wheels and everything else that is underneath it. You place one foot on the deck and push yourself along with the other foot on the floor. Decks are usually made from fiberglass, wood, aluminium, or plastic. There is a tail at the end of the board which allows the skater to steer and stop the skateboard and generally have more control. 

Skateboard Wheels – the wheels are quite an important part to a skateboard as if it weren’t for these the skateboard wouldn’t be able to move. There are 4 wheels, 2 on either side, one set at the front and the second set towards the bottom. They are usually made from polyurethane, and they come in all sorts of different sizes and each size is better suited to a type of boarding. For example smaller wheels are better for doing tricks and so many modern street skaters use these. These wheels are harder than other wheels as they break away from the ground faster allowing the skateboarder to carry off the tricks easier.  Read more...