There are 5 generally accepted styles in Longboard Sport. Now we will examine these styles closely with you!
1. Style (Downhill / Freeride) - Video
You've always seen skateboarders with big boards descending from mountaintops at high speeds on TV. What you call those skateboarders are actually the riders who are dealing with Longboard Downhill, the protection equipment of these riders who experience the passion of speed on longboards by going through the corners with slide movements by going to very high speed comes first. Their longboards are generally heavier than other boards, and they usually prefer ceramic bearings. There are also very wide wheels, there are riders with wheels of 70mm for slide purposes, and when it comes to trucks, there should be a minimum of 50 degrees in this regard, and I saw that it drops it down to 43 degrees. Most importantly, the sandpaper can shatter your shirt while carrying it, they use the thickest sandpaper in this sense, so do not carry the board sander towards you while carrying the downhill board. They can accelerate to 80-90 km at high speeds, and even 155 km 89.41 mph / 143.89 km / h - we've seen the KyleWester hit record speeds. Just imagine, at 80km, you suddenly escape from under your feet and drift on the ground. This is crazy, but passion for speed is something like that I guess? it will remain a style that will definitely not happen to me, I never want this sport that I do for pleasure to turn into a disaster, I have a lot more to do in this sport! Turkey unfortunately not given much importance to this style, which does not give much importance to the protection equipment olds abroad. It is normal for them not to give it because it is really expensive, consider it like motorcycle users. I look at them as you look at people who buy a very good motorcycle for 50-60 thousand TL and buy a helmet for 300-400 TL. No matter how awful style it may seem, you can actually experience a little downhill / freeride excitement without going to places like Adalar in Istanbul and hitting very high speeds. This is one of the activities we usually do in Turkish Longboard Burgazada summer camps. Equipped and controlled!
2. Style (Dance) - Video
There is one of the dance moves, you turn around in an instant. The movement is called pirouette. You can do the same movement in the Longboard dance style. The reason for saying dance style is that you can dance on it and take the board without stepping on the ground. Aesthetically beautiful images of this style emerge from the outside. The boards of the riders involved in this style are very long. 52 inches are average dance board sizes. Their wheels start with an average of 65mm and they usually use 50 degrees truck, but this can be changed on request, their bearings can be abec 7 or abec 5. They usually remove the middle of their sandpaper so that they can perform their dance moves more easily. In this style, wearing only a helmet may be sufficient.
When you wear knee or elbow pads, your dance movements may be limited. If you know how to fall, obviously, falling in this style is not as dangerous as it seems, follow the fall techniques of freerunning people, these techniques will be useful when you fall on the longboard. There are contests about this style in the world such as So You Can Longboard Dance, of course, you can see a lot of people mixing them with styles like freestlye here. 3 years in Istanbul in Turkey under the roof Sportfest Freestyle / Dance contests are organized.
3.Style (Freestyle) - Video
Skateboard movements lie at the heart of the Freestyle style, which is one of the most popular styles of creativity on the street. It would not be wrong if you call people who do many movements on longboard as Freestyle longboard riders because movements such as 'shove it', 'nocomply', 'kickflip' are at their origin. One of the best longboard riders in this style can be said to be Carl Foster in Spain. I first learned the 'hippiejump' movement by watching it. Skateboarding is actually called Freestyle skater in legends like Rodney Mullen. Because some movements have been discovered by them. The boards used in this style are usually dance style boards because there are so many riders who combine the 2 styles. Of course, there are riders who use it on short boards like Cruiser style, but trying to freestyle with a downhill board will be very difficult for you. Their sanders can be just like normal skateboard sanders. The bearings can be chosen as abec 7 or abec 5. Choosing 50 degrees for the tricycle will make your job easier. It may be difficult for you to go above 65mm as a wheel.
4. Style (Cruiser) - Video
The event that you enjoy on the beach from point A to point B is actually called cruising. It is better to choose bamboo for the boards and its light weight will not tire you. You have to be careful when choosing the wheels here. I recommend the 78a, the hard wheel will make you feel the place more. There are 2 types of cruising people in the selection of wheels, one with plenty of slalom, they usually choose smaller wheels, the advantage of which is that you can make slalons more comfortable and provide sharper turns. The other is they use wide wheels. Their turning tribes are limited, but since their wheels are wide, you can travel longer with one step. 50 degrees is ideal for trucks. You should definitely buy abec 5 bearings, abec 5 are more durable than others, as a result, you will make long roads, the most important equipment that should be durable is your helmet, then your bearing. I suggest you wear all of the protection equipment, you may be a good longboard riders, but the oncoming bike or car may not be as careful as you. Do not pass by saying that it is the coastal road, I even saw a truck on the Caddebostan coastal roads. Generally speaking, any style can be made with a boarduylacruiser, but this style-specific boards will always be one step ahead.
5. Style ( Slalom, Pumping, Carve ) - Video
These 3 names are actually very similar styles to each other and can be named in the same category. You can even think of it as a subcategory of cruiser. There are cruising boards sold under the name of surf simulation for slalom, there are special boards for this event. Even the bushing lineup of their trucks was very different. You will feel that you are traveling on land as if there is a wave beneath you. Our Turk Longboardcommunity Think of it as the motto Waves on Land? Athletes who are interested in this style are usually surfing, it is like a training tool for them. The bearings of such boards are usually abec 5 (abec 5 has a longer life than other bearings) and you can use these boards without sandpaper. Because we often see athletes using barefoot on coastal roads in this style. You should pay more attention to protection equipment such as helmets here than others because both you are cruising and your speed can increase more due to the acceleration given by the slalom, your control is more difficult than normal cruising in continuous slalom.
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Author: Enfal Altar Ç. @enfalaltarc
