Skateboard

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A standard skateboard

1970s surfer print fiberglass skateboard

A skateboard is a four wheeled piece of wood used for the activity of skateboarding. The
modern skateboard originated in California in the late 1950's. By the mid 1960's they
were mass produced and sold throughout the United States.

A skateboard is propelled by pushing with one foot while the other remains on the board,
or by pumping in structures such as a pool or halfpipe. A skateboard can also be used by
simply standing on the deck while on a downward slope and allowing gravity to propel
the board and rider.

There is no governing body which declares any regulations on what constitutes a

skateboard or the parts from which it is assembled. Longboards are a type of skateboard
with a longer wheelbase and larger and softer wheels.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 History
• 2 Parts
o 2.1 Deck
o 2.2 Trucks
o 2.3 Wheels
 o 2.4 Bearings
o 2.5 Hardware
• 3 Optional components
o 3.1 Rails
o 3.2 Slip Tape
o 3.3 Lapper
o 3.4 Nose guard
o 3.5 Tail guard
o 3.6 Angled risers

• 4 References

History
There is no definitive origin or inventor of the skateboard. One proposed origin is that
skateboards arose in the 1930s and 1940s, when children would participate in soapbox
races, using soap-boxes attached to wooden planks on rollerskate wheels. When the soap-
box became detached from the plank, children would ride these primitive "skateboards".
Another suggests that the skateboard was created directly from the adaptation of a single
roller skate taken apart and nailed to a 2x4, without the soapbox at all and that it was
often surfers looking to recreate the feel of surfing on the land when the surf was flat.

Retail skateboards were first marketed in 1958 by Bill and Mark Richard of Dana Point,
California. They attached roller skate wheels from the Chicago Roller Skate Company to
a plank of wood and sold them in their Val Surf Shops.[1]

Five years later mass produced skateboards were sold nationally. These early models
were often made in the shape of a surfboard, with no concavity and were constructed of
solid wood, plastic, even metal. The wheels were usually made of a clay composite, or
steel and the trucks (axles) were less sturdy and initially of a 'single-action' design
compared to today's 'double-action'.

Parts
Descriptions of the following skateboard parts are the ones most prevalent in popular,
modern forms of skateboarding. Many niche disciplines exist with exotic or alternative
constructions and designs that fall outside of much of the descriptions listed.
Deck

The underside of a skateboard. In this photo the deck, trucks and wheels can be seen.

Most decks are constructed with a seven to nine-ply cross-laminated layup of Canadian
maple. Other materials used in deck construction, fiberglass, bamboo, resin, Kevlar,
carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic, lighten the board or increase its strength or rigidity.
Some decks made from maple ply are dyed to create various different coloured ply.
Modern decks vary in size, but most are 7 to 10.5 inches wide. Wider decks can be used
for greater stability when transition or ramp skating. Skateboard decks are usually
between 28 and 33 inches long. The underside of the deck can be printed with a design by
the manufacturer, blank, or decorated by any other means.

The longboard, a common variant of the skateboard, has a longer deck. "Old school"
boards (those made in the 1970s-80s or modern boards that mimic their shape) are
generally wider and often have only one kicktail. 1970s variants often have little or no
concavity, whereas 1980s models have deeper concavities and steeper kicktails.

Grip tape, when applied to the top surface of a skateboard, gives a skater's feet more grip
on the deck. It has an adhesive back and a sandpaper like top.

Trucks

A skateboard truck

Attached to the deck are two metal (usually aluminium alloy) trucks, which connect to
the wheels and deck. The trucks are further composed of two parts. The top part of the
truck is screwed to the deck and is called the baseplate, and beneath it is the hanger. The
axle runs through the hanger. Between the baseplate and the hanger are bushings, also
rubbers or grommets, that provide the cushion mechanism for turning the skateboard. The
bushings cushion the truck when it turns. The stiffer the bushings, the more resistant the
skateboard is to turning. The softer the bushings, the easier it is to turn. A bolt called a
kingpin holds these parts together and fits inside the bushings. Thus by tightening or
loosening the kingpin nut, the trucks can be adjusted loosely for better turning and tighter
for more control.

Longboard specific trucks are a more recent development. A longboard truck has the king
pin laid at a more acute angle (usually between 38 and 42 degrees) to the deck, this gives
a lesser degree of turning for the same tilt of the deck. This adds stability and allows
riders to go much faster while still maintaining stability and control.

Wheels

The wheels of a skateboard, usually made of polyurethane, come in many different sizes
and shapes to suit different types of skating. Larger sizes like 65-90 mm roll faster, and
also move more easily over cracks in pavement. Smaller sizes like 48-54 mm keep the
board closer to the ground, require less force to accelerate and produce a lower center of
gravity, but also make for a slower top speed. Wheels also are available in a variety of
hardnesses usually measured on the durometer 'A' scale. Wheels range from the very soft
(about 75a) to the very hard (about 101a). As the scale stops at 100a, any wheels labelled
101a or higher are harder, but do not use the appropriate durometer scale. Some wheel
manufacturers now use the 'B' or 'D' scale, which has a larger and more accurate range of
hardness.

Modern street skaters prefer smaller wheels (usually 45-53 mm), as small wheels can
make tricks like kickflips and ollies easier. Street wheels are often quite hard as this
allows the wheels to 'break away' from the ground easier. Vert skating requires larger
wheels (usually 55-65 mm) as vert skating involves higher speeds. Vert wheels are also
usually very hard which helps with maintaining speed on ramps. Slalom skating requires
even larger wheels (60-75 mm) to sustain the highest speeds possible. They also need to
be soft and have better grip to make the tight and frequent turns in slalom racing. Even
larger wheels are used in longboarding and downhill skateboarding. Sizes range from 65
mm right up to 100 mm. These extreme sizes of wheels almost always have cores of hard
plastic that can be made thinner and lighter than a solid polyurethane wheel. They are
often used by skateboard videographers as well, as the large soft wheels allow for smooth
and easy movement over any terrain.

Bearings

Each skateboard wheel is mounted on its axle via two ball bearings. With few exceptions,
the bearings are the industrial standard "608" size, with a bore of 8 mm, an outer diameter
of 22 mm, and a width of 7 mm. These are usually made of steel, though silicon nitride, a
high-tech ceramic, is sometimes used. Many skateboard bearings are graded according to
the ABEC scale. The scale starts with ABEC1 as the lowest, 3, 5, 7, 9. It is a common
misconception that higher numbers are better for skateboarding, as the ABEC rating only
measures tolerances which do not necessarily apply to skateboards. The ABEC rating
does not determine how fast or how durable a bearing used for skateboarding will be. In
particular, the ABEC rating says nothing about how well a bearing handles axial (side-to-
side) loads, which are severe in most skateboard applications. Many companies do not
show the ABEC rating, such as Bones Bearings, who makes bearings specifically for
skateboarding.

Hardware

Mounting hardware is a set of eight 10-32 bolts, usually an allen or cross head, and
matching self-lock nylock nuts. They are used to attach the trucks to the board. Some
have a different colored bolt to show which side is the nose of the skateboard.

Optional components
Rails

Narrow strips of plastic or metal that are attached under the deck lengthwise along the
edges. They are used for additional grip for grabs, and to enhance sliding while protecting
the deck's graphics at the same time.

Slip Tape

Slip tape is a clear piece of self adhesive plastic that sticks to the underside of a deck. It
helps protect the board's graphics and can allow the board to slide better.

Lapper

A lapper is a plastic cover that is fastened to the rear truck and serves to protect the
kingpin when grinding. It also prevents hang-ups by providing a smoother transition for
the truck when it hits an obstacle or a metal pipe or bar used to grind.

Nose guard

A plastic bumper used to protect the front of a skateboard.

Tail guard

A tail guard is a plastic skid plate used to prevent wearing of the tail; they can also be
used as a means to stop the board on old school boards.

Angled risers

Angled riser, or a milk dud are risers that alter the turning geometry of the truck they are
bolted to. A thin side out results in more turn per board lean, thick side out results in less.
A flip trick is a type of skateboarding trick in which the skateboard flips in a particular
way. In many tricks, the skateboard flips upside down and/or end over end. Many tricks
can be combined to form more complex flip tricks. Flip tricks are usually performed
while the skateboarder is rolling, although it is not unusual to find newer skateboarders
practicing these tricks whilst stationary.

Most tricks do not have specific names in the system of skateboarding flip tricks. You
have the basics, kickflip, heelflip, fs and bs shove-it. Though most of the simple
combinations have names, like varial flip, hardflip, inward heelflip, varial heelflip, most
can be described simply by using rotation math and the basic name. (i.e. Frontside 360
heelflip, 360 kickflip)

Skateboarding terminology is a sort of 'jargon' as many terms in skateboarding can be

used to reference more than one trick. (i.e. backside 360 kickflip) While the term
backside 360 kickflip usually expresses a full body and board 360 degree rotation it is not
incorrect to use this phrase to mean a 360 shuv-it with a kickflip.

Flip Tricks
This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for
completeness. You can help by expanding it with sourced additions.

A skateboarder performing a 360 flip over a gap.

360 Flip/Tre Flip/3-Flip/360 Kickflip
A combination of a backside 360 shove-it and a kickflip. Invented by Rodney
Mullen,[citation needed] a 360 Flip is a skateboarding stunt in which the
skateboarder does an ollie, kicks the board to initate a kickflip and spins the board
backside in a 360 shove-it, thereby doing a kickflip and 360 backside shove-it
simultaneously. Arguably, it has been said that Jason Lee was the first person to
invent this trick.
360 Heelflip / Laser flip
The 360 heel-flip is no more than the opposite of a 360 flip. Lesser known than
the 360 flip, many skaters consider the 360 Heelflip to be much harder than the
360 Flip mainly because the 360 shove-it involved rotates behind the skater.[1]
Backside kickflip 360
A combination of a backside 360° ollie and a kickflip. done by doing the back
360° and going for the scoop so your front foot won't get caught in the inertia of
the board and you can bring it all the way around by flick the front foot out
simultaneously. once you get about 270° use your feet to bring it all the way
around and do it all in one motion. And at the beginning of the trick un-wind your
shoulders as you scoop your backfoot for the back 3° kickflip/back 360° kickflip
Chris Cole is most known for this trick.
Bigspin
When the rider does a backside 360 shove-it with a body-varial (although it looks
like a 360 shove it body varial.) Normally the rider will turn his body with the
board.
Bigspin flip / Bigflip
The Bigspin flip is exactly like a normal bigspin, except the board performs a tre
flip instead of a 360 shove-it.
Caballerial flip
A Combination of a Caballerial and a kickflip. Put your feet in the back 3°
position (front foot perpendicular and back foot in a scooping position). As you
roll fakie, start to unwind your shoulders and your body and start to scoop and
flick out simultaneously as it flips and gets to 270°, then pivot the rest of the way.
Casperflip
A Casperflip is a single midair trick comprised of two parts. Part one is a half-
kickflip that is caught upside-down with the back foot on top of the tail and the
front foot cradling the downward facing forward portion of the deck. Part two is a
backside shove-it spun from this brief aerial stall. [2]
Disco Flip
A disco flip consists of a heelflip backside body varial, lesser known then the
Sexchange, which is a kickflip frontside body varial.
Dream flip/Double varial Heelflip
180 front side pop-shove it with a double heelflip, all in one motion.
Fingerflip
To flip the board in any direction by using your fingers on the nose or tail.[3]
Feather Flip
A feather flip is half of an impossible, followed by the free foot striking the tail to
reverse the impossible.[4]
Forward flip/Dolphin flip
This usually performed by ollieing and sliding the front foot directly off the nose
of the board instead of off one of the sides causing it to flip vertically between the
riders legs, the rotations of this trick could be described as a inverted vertical
varial kickflip or an ollie late nollie hardflip.[5]
Forward Heelflip
A Forward Heelflip is a trick similar to a Forward Flip but instead of sliding your
foot like a Kickflip, you slide it like a Heelflip. This is considered much harder
and is less common then a regular Forward Flip.
Front foot Impossible
A Front foot Impossible is an Impossible performed using your front foot (or the
foot you don't pop with when in fakie or nollie stance) to spin the board 360
degrees vertically. After performing an ollie, the rider clears their back foot out of
the way and presses the front foot around the nose to force the board to wrap
around their foot.
Frontside/Backside Heelflip
A Heelflip combined with a backside or frontside 180 ollie. This trick is also
known as a frontside/backside heel. [6]
Frontside/Backside Kickflip
A kickflip combined with a backside or frontside 180 ollie. A frontside flip is
generally considered more difficult, as the skater rotates the same way he or she
kicks. This trick is also known as a frontside/backside flip.[7][8]
Gazelle flip
 A 540° shove-it where the rider also spins a 360° body follow and either a
Kickflip or a Heelflip.
Hardflip
A Hardflip is a frontside pop shove-It with a kickflip. Because this trick is
awkward to execute it sometimes appears to move vertically through the legs. [9]
Heelflip
A heelflip is the same as a kickflip, only the board spins toe-side (towards the
toes). For a regular skater (left foot in front) the board spins clockwise from the
perspective of one behind the skater. Again, there is a kick as part of the ollie but
unlike the kickflip it is directed forward and outwards away from the rider's toe
side (diagonal), so that the last part of the foot to leave the board is the heel, hence
the name. [10]Instances of multiple spins are named according to how many spins
are completed (e.g. double, triple, etc.).
Hospital Flip
A Hospital Flip is similar to a Casper Flip. In a Casper Flip you turn the board
onto your foot (grip-tape to shoe laces) with your "sliding" foot, and rotate the
board back with a 180° turn with your back foot. A Hospital Flip still turns the
board, grip-tape side down onto your foot, but then that same foot pushes it back
right-side up with a 180° turn, instead of using the back foot.
Inward Bigflip
A Inward Bigflip is like a Bigflip but instead of doing a Tre Flip, you do a 360
Inward Heelflip.
Inward Heelflip
An Inward Heelflip combines a backside Pop Shove-it with a heelflip. The name
comes from the rider's point of view, because while doing an Inward Heelflip, the
180 degree rotation of flip moves the board inward instead of outwards as in a
varial heelflip.It does not go through your legs. Jeff Lenoce (not the inventor) is
well known for excecuting this trick in all stances.
Kickback flip
The act of flipping the board like a kickflip and then using the back foot to
heelflip it in the other direction. Starting with a heelflip to late back foot kickflip
is a "heelside kickback".
Kickflip
Invented by Rodney Mullen in 1983, this trick came about as a failed attempt at
the new trick he had created, the flatland Ollie. He noticed that if he ollied and
dragged his feet off the board, it would flip. Kicking or flicking out imparts
enough force to flip or spin the board on an imaginary axis running from the nose
to the tail. If flicked harder, two or more full flips can be imparted on that axis,
these are called double, triple, quadruple, etc. kickflips. The original name for this
trick after conception was the "magic flip" because no one understood how it
worked or flipped.
Kickflip Underflip
A kickflip underflip is when you perform a kickflip and once the kickflip stops
rotating, you perform an underflip. This all happens in the air. Invented by
Rodney Mullen.[
Late flip
 A kickflip or heelflip (much more uncommon) performed at the highest peak of
an ollie. These are normally (but not always) done with the back foot (always,
regardless of positioning on the board, the foot one pops with).
Nightmare flip/Double varial Kickflip
pop shove-it with a double Kickflip, all in one motion.
Nollie
An ollie off the nose of the board. Any trick can be performed nollie. A common
misconception among younger riders is that nollie is similar to fakie. When
performing a nollie trick frontside is still frontside as is backside as if you are still
riding in your regular stance. Fakie is meant to imply rolling backwards as if still
riding regular. An example would be the a Nollie frontside pop shove-it which is
performed as if doing a switch backside shove-it, only riding backwards.
Ollie Impossible
An ollie impossible, commonly known as an impossible, is an ollie where the
board completes one rotation by rolling around the skater's back foot, in much the
same manner as spinning a baton with one's hand. It is considered good style to
make the board flip as vertical as possible. If the board spins laterally or comes
off the back foot, it tends to end up looking more like a 360 Pop Shove-it.[
Pressure flip
Any flip trick that gains its rotational direction from the same foot that popped the
nose or tail. Pressure flips are executed using a scooping technique. Nate
Sherwood is well-known for his extensive array of pressure flip tricks
Sexchange
Completing a kickflip and then 180 body varial at the same time.
Swedish flip
A half impossible flip followed by a late back foot kickflip.
Varial Flip sexchange
A varial kickflip in which the rider does a body varial (body turn) in the opposite
direction.
Underflip
Flipping the board by using one foot that is under the board and flipping it in a
heelflip direction.
Varial Heelflip
A Varial Heelflip is a Heelflip combined with a Frontside Pop Shove-It. The
Opposite of this trick is an Inward Heelflip, which is a Heelflip with a Backside
Shove-It.
Varial Kickflip
A Varial Kickflip is a kickflip combined with a Backside Pop Shove-It. The board
flips while also spinning 180 degrees

Grabs in skateboarding are different ways to hold the skateboard during an aerial trick.
Grabs usually combine aerials with rotation as the skateboarder grabs and holds the
board.

Grab tricks
 This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for
completeness. You can help by expanding it with sourced additions.
Airwalk grab
The skateboarder grabs the nose of the skateboard and kick the front foot in front
of the board and the back foot back of the board, resulting in a split kick while
holding the nose. Good skateboarders can kick it the other way while in the same
aerial and make a walking motion. This trick was invented in 1983 by Tony
Hawk, who performed it on ramps and half-pipes. In 1986, Rodney Mullen
invented the Ollie Airwalk, a flatground version of the Airwalk. The name Ollie
Airwalk is often mistaken by the Ollie Airwalk trick in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
games series. In the version in the game, the skateboarder only kicks his/her legs
off the board and doesn't grab the nose. This is not considered a "real" airwalk.
Backside Grab (Melon) Ollie.
Backside grab
Any grab with the either hand on the back rail of the board between the heels.
Variations include: Melon, Method, Mosquito.
Benihana grab
A grab where your legs are split with one leg stretched out across the board while
the hand opposite the leg holds the tail of the board.
Cannonball grab
The skateboarder ollies, then grabs both ends of the board (nose and tail) and
holds them. This makes the skater crouch and appear small and round in shape,
like a cannonball, hence the name. This trick can also be done as an early grab, in
which case it is commonly called a smallie, a smurf, or a bunnyhop.
Crail Grab
For a Crail Grab, the skater grabs the toeside nose with the back hand brought in
front of the body.
Christ Air
An air trick made popular by Christian Hosoi where the skater grabs the board out
from under their feet and forms a "T" shape with their body as if on a cross with
the board outstreched in either hand.
Double Grab
The board is grabbed with one hand on the frontside of the board and the other
hand on the backside of the board.
Early grab
Any trick where the rider grabs before the coping or lip. Tricks such as indy's and
bonelesses, etc... are common early grabs.

Early grabs waste a lot of speed and inertia because of compression and squatting down
prematurely, as opposed to "spracking" an ollie or "Bonking" off the coping. A later grab
generally has more height and is more extended, therefore early grabs are considered to
be obsolete, with a few notable exceptions. see ariels.

Frigid Air
 Similar to a Judo, though the front foot is kicked out on the heel side, rather than
the toe side, rail. Though the trick has been done on vert, it was most common
during the mid '80s jump ramp craze.
Frontside Air Double Grab
A frontside air to slob.
Frontside grab
Any air where the board is grabbed with the either hand between the toes on the
front rail of the board - hence "front" side. Style dictates that the inside of the
elbow of the back arm must be wrapped around the knee of the back leg for a
"tuck-knee" frontside. The other variation being where the arm is not around the
back knee, but rather straight between the legs. This is known as a Stinkbug air or
Bob air (supposedly named after Bob Schmeltzer of Back to the Future fame).
The frontside air was the first air performed on vert. Although contested as to who
did the first fronside air, credit is generally given to Tony Alva.

Indy grab
An Indy grab is a simple grab in which the rider uses their back hand to grab the
toe side of the board while turning backside in the air.
Del-Mar Indy
Created in the city of Del-Mar, CA its essentially an indy but you tweak your
body to the side (either) and you endup with your legs behind you most of the
time.
Japan grab
With the front hand grabbing toeside between the heels, the legs are then bent and
folded to the back of the board. Named after the Tony Hawk penned Transworld
Skateboarding Magazine article in which it first appeared.
Judo Air
The board is grabbed with the front hand on the heel side of the nose. Then the
front foot is kicked forward off the board.
Lein grab
Turning frontside grabbing the board by the nose in front of the front foot.
Madonna grab
Originally known as the Madonna Lien to Tail, it originated as a Lien to Tail
where the front foot is kicked out behind the skater. Invented by Jesse "the Mess"
Martinez" at Hosoi's ramp, It may have been simultaneously invented by Tony
Hawk who got the credit for it because he was more famous at the time.
Melon Grab
backside air and you grab heelside with your front hand by reaching behind your
front leg (reaching between is a Grosman grab)
Method-air
Contrary to popular belief, this grab did not originate from snowboarding, but was
invented by Neil Blender as a "method" to get higher on a backside air. When the
board is grabbed the knees are bent so the board is raised backwards and the
skater appears to be kneeling in mid-air.
Mute-Air
A backside air where the leading hand grabs between the toes.
No foot-air
you grab your board and virtually do a one handed superman pose, similar to a
trailing haded christ air, without the rigid body positioning.
Nose grab
For a nose grab one grabs hold of the board with the front hand. This is one of the
easiest grabs to perform.
Nuclear
Similar to a Crail grab, where you grab the heelside of the nose with the trailing
hand.
Roast Beef
A frontside air where the trailing hand reaches between the legs to grab the heel
edge of the board. Invented by Jeff Grosso.
Rocket Air
Similar to a nose grab. Except both hands grab the nose, and both feet move to the
tail.
Sean Penn
A backside Madonna, or a frigid air to tail. Possibly invented by Mark "Gator"
Rogowski.
Seatbelt grab
In this grab the front hand is brought across the front of the body to grab the
toeside tail of the board. Invented by Remy Stratton.
Slob Air
A frontside air where the lead hand grabs between the toes.
Stalefish grab
Named by Tony Hawk, in honour of the quality of food at the Swedish Skate
Camp where it was invented (although this is disputed, as many credit Mark
Gonzales with inventing the grab). The back hand grabs the heel side of the board
behind the back leg. This results in a bending of both legs which can be
emphasised to create more style. When this is done on a trick it is called a 'tweak'.
Superman grab
The board is grabbed on both sides (one hand each) and is brought in front or
above the skater's body. Named after the pose that Superman does when flying.
Tail grab
A tail grab is where the back hand grabs the tail of the board. This is a deceptivly
difficult grab to learn.
Tai-pan grab
A tai-pan grab is where the skateborder takes his/her front hand and wraps it
around their leg from behind so they grab the toe side of the board.
Tuck Knee
A tuck Knee is a grab consisting of putting you're knees on the board with the
soles of you're shoes facing towards the tail, and bending you're legs backwards
while one hand grabs the side of the skateboard.