Intro to Longboarding
For those who aren't familiar with longboarding, I suppose here is a good opportunity to learn. =D Longboarding is a board sport variation of skateboarding. At first glance, a longboard may appear extremely similar if not identical to the stereotypical idea of a skateboard, but in reality are quite different. Longboarding typically gets confused with longboard surfboards, so don't mix them up! Longboarding (skateboard) are used for hard terrains such as pavement, concrete, tile, wood, etc. Although some longboards may seem very much like mountain boards, typically longboards are not designed for offroading. Unlike new school skateboards, longboard are not typically used for vert ramp or street skating tricks. In my opinion, longboarding most resembles snowboarding or surfing on pavement, with an emphasis on speed, maneuverability, and stability. Although, tricks can be performed on longboards such as the increasingly popular sliding and walking/dancing.
In my opinion, the most common use of longboards is simply for transportation. Just like biking or rollerblading, you can longboard as another means of getting around, since some boards are designed to move swiftly while providing good old exercise and fun. Not to mention, longboards with their various shapes and sizes do usually attract lots of attention such as the Jam Silverback which stands at a whopping 80" (6 foot 8inches) in length. The convenience of longboards are that you aren't physically attached to the board like you are in snowboarding or wake-boarding. Plus, some longboards are small and light enough for you to carry with you into buildings unlike most bicycles. For most boards, you don't need a special rack for your car to transport them around since more than likely it will fit in your back seat or trunk.
Longboarding is certainly a fun and exciting board sport and in my personal opinion, fairly easy to get into. Because most boards are designed with stability in mind, it doesn't take long to get used to simply riding one. If you ever have the chance give one a spin, I'm sure you'll love it just like I do.
I'll get into more of the components that make up a longboard like longboard wheels and describe them in detail. Until then, take care and ride safe! xD
