Which longboard is right for me?

Some of us want to get our first or next longboard and we just want to know how to pick it. Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions:

What style riding can I expect from this board?

Am I going to get any flex out of my board?

Which deck can I carve hard on and not get wheel bite?

I want a longboard but, is this one too long for me to handle?

Is this board good for my 10 year old kid?

Should I buy the deck complete or should I piece it together with other parts?

If I want to surf on the sidewalk, is this the board I want?

Can I perform at the parks with this one or will I get hung up?

These are all great questions and we at Longboard Liquidators want to make sure that most of your concerns are answered.

Longboard skateboards are a growing phenomenon in the world of commuting. The number of riders in the U.S., Canada and the UK are increasing steadily each and every year. Although the growth, many of us still have our questions about longboarding and the complete board that is going to help them with making their first experience a good one. At Longboard Liquidators, we not only want to make your first board the right one for you, we also want you to increase your abilities and keep coming back for more. There is nothing like surfing on the sidewalk for the first time, slaloming down your first hill, cruising with your friends on a cross town journey and quite simply having your new longboard in your living room to show all of your friends that you have joined one the most exciting waves of transportation known today. Once you have made the decision to join in with all walks of life that have liberated themselves, you will hopefully keep up with your new friends by reading about them in longboard magazines and websites and will continue to support your favorite manufacturers by telling all of your friends about your new venture in the world of longboard skateboarding.

Please read on as Longboard Liquidators helps you begin your journey into finding your new Longboard Skateboard.

What style riding can I expect from this board?

Most board shapes will dictate the riding style as intended by its maker. Most decks will have one of the following designs: flat, concave, kicktail, kicknose or both, camber or cutouts. None of which will increase your riding abilities. Generally speaking, your personal abilities will dictate your riding style. If you were to get a deck that is longer than 44" generally you can expect to just cruise or do some styles of street surfing.
If you get a smaller, lighter board ranging in size from 36" to 44", you can expect a little more freedom with your ride. Most of the not so heavy boards will enable you to perform most riding styles, based on your personal abilities, such as:
Cruising
Surf Skating
Sliding
Carving
Downhill &
Playing in the Pools and Parks.
But again, the skilled maneuvers will be based on your personal abilities. We do not recommend you trying any advanced riding, on any kind of board, that you are not familiar with. What you don't want to happen is to fear your longboard.

Am I going to get any flex out of my board?

The best part about longboarding is the flex you get out of the board. The flex provides comfort to the rider by eliminating the hard vibration from a stiff board you get from tricks decks. The softer longboard wheels also help reduce vibration. Some longboards do provide more flex than others, in this case, it is usually determined by the amount of ply's used to construct the deck or the distance that the trucks are place apart, or more commonly known as the wheel base. More of a wheel base and less amount of ply's will give the ultimate flex in the deck. If you were to compare a 44" flat deck to a 44" concave deck with a kicktail, you will notice that you do get flex out of both but, it might be a little less flex on the concave.

Which deck can I carve hard on and not get wheel bite?

Wheel bite is the result of a wheel or wheels coming in contact with the bottom of the deck during a turn and forcing an abrupt stop. Usually this forces the rider to go flying and the deck behind. The board itself is not going to ensure the prevention of wheel bite. To help eliminate wheel bite most companies have introduced risers to be mounted between the deck and the base plate of the
trucks. Risers come in various sizes ranging from 1/8" to 1". The most common riser today for longboarders is the 1/2" strait or angled riser. Equipping your deck with these risers increases the distance from the wheels to the deck. Wheel size itself is crucial to avoiding the danger of bite. If you find yourself wanting to do lots of carving and you prefer not to use risers then, try to stick with a low profile wheel like 62mm. Throw on a riser and you can jump up to 70mm in most cases. Either way, if you do experience wheel bite then, check for risers, check the size of the wheel and if it helps, tighten up your trucks a bit.

I want a longboard but, is this one too long for me to handle?

Too big depends on your body size most of the time. If you are under 5"10" and 155 lbs, I would not recommend a board over 44" if you are looking for a lot of maneuvering. If you are looking just to have a big board, try to stay under 60". Some things to keep in mind when choosing the right size would be: Can I lug this thing around for an hour or so and not get totally exhausted? Will this board fit in my car and not take up the
whole back seat. Generally, try not to get a board taller than you, this is not a surfboard. Also, remember that the bigger the board the faster it is going to move on your next big hill and it will be twice as hard to steer it. So, be cautious of what you want to do on your longboard before going way to big.

Is this board good for my 10 year old kid?

The best thing about a longboard is, no matter how old you are, you can expect your board will take care of you. Longboards are equipped to provide stability for almost all ages and skilled riders. Whether you are riding one for the first time or picking out you tenth longboard, you can expect it to be your new best friend for getting you around.

Should I buy the deck complete or should I piece it together with other parts?

For newcomers to this great sport, you probably don't know all the companies and the parts they manufacture for the companies who produce the decks. But, the deck makers do know the
companies and the parts they make so, they will sometimes create a deck based off of the performance of the equipment that they are going to use to build a complete for their riders. We recommend buying a complete from any manufacturer who is offering one or any site that it is selling them complete. It will always help to pull one right out of the box knowing that it is set to the companies specs and you don't have to hasslewith building the board from scratch. Those of you who have been riding around for a while and have had a chance to try out other trucks and wheels will know exactly what to get the next time you are in the market for a board and will most likely build your own work of art.

If I want to surf on the sidewalk, is this the board I want?

If you want to enjoy the freedom of surfing outside of water then, you have chosen the right place to buy your next board. With all of the longboard trucks and decks out there having the same idea in mind, it is almost impossible to avoid surfing on the sidewalk. This is the very essence of longboard skateboards, surfing when the waves are down and the hills are big. If you live near the beach, try warming up on your longboard before you get there. If you live inland, longboarding around your neighborhood will almost make you ride on down to the local supermarket and buy your first Surfer Magazine.

Can I perform at the parks with this board or will I get hung up?

Before you decide to go to the parks for the first time, be sure to get familiar with your ride. Once you are familiar with riding on your board ask yourself, is this board is going to be big to maneuver around the parks that are generally moving pretty quick? Our recommendation is that you get a deck smaller than 40" and wheels no bigger than 62mm. This will ensure you the freedom of getting around and being light enough to get some air beneath you and the coping. Don't be afraid of the bigger parks that have lots of room to cruise around on the concrete, hitting good size bowls. Longboards are only different from regular trick boards by their size. When you go to the streets or the parks to pull off your favorite tricks with a longboard, all you need to do is distribute more power to move around an extra 3-4 pounds. Check out Concrete Wave
magazine for recent updates of the best longboard riders in the parks.