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...
