Skateboard facts for kids
A skateboard is a board with four wheels underneath. People use it for a sport called skateboarding. The very first skateboards were simple pieces of wood with roller skate wheels attached. This idea became popular, and by the 1960s, companies started making skateboards.
As more skateboards were made, more people enjoyed the new sport. However, it was seen as dangerous, and people often fell. Because of this, skate parks began to close. With fewer places to skate, many skateboarders had nowhere to go. But a small group kept skateboarding in the streets and cities. After about 20 years, the sport started to grow again into what we see today. Skateboarding is now a popular sport, especially with younger riders. There are many different types of skateboards, like stunt boards, Penny boards, longboards, and shortboards.
Contents
Parts of a Skateboard
A complete skateboard has several main parts. These include the deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware (screws and nuts), and griptape.
The Deck
Most skateboard decks are made from six to nine thin layers of plywood. Other materials like fiberglass, bamboo, resin, Kevlar, carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic are also used. These materials help make the board lighter. Some decks made from maple wood are dyed to create many different colors.
Modern decks come in various sizes. Most are about 7 to 10.5 inches wide. Wider decks offer more stability, especially when skating on ramps or transitions. Skateboard decks are usually between 28 and 33 inches long.
Different Deck Types
"Longboards" are a common type of skateboard with a longer deck. They are usually over 36 inches (91 cm) long. People often ride longboards down hills or near the beach. Two surfers, Ben Whatson and Jonny Drapper, helped create the longboard.
Small plastic boards, like "Penny" boards, are typically about 22 inches (56 cm) long. Larger Penny boards, over 27 inches (69 cm) long, are sometimes called "Nickel" boards. The bottom of the deck can have a design printed by the maker or be left plain.
"Old school" boards, made in the 1970s and 1980s, were often wider. They usually had only one "kicktail," which is a raised tail. Boards from the 1970s often had very little or no curved shape (concavity). However, 1980s models had deeper curves and steeper kicktails.
Deck Concave
The curved shape of a skateboard deck is called its "concave." There are three main types: low, medium, and high.
- Low concave has a small curve. It offers a safe ride but makes it harder to put a lot of pressure on the deck's edges.
- Medium concave is very common today. It's a good choice for beginners because it's easy to use.
- High concave has a more raised edge. This shape is great for doing tricks like Ollies and flip tricks.
Griptape
Grip tape is placed on the top of a skateboard deck. It gives the skater's feet a good grip on the board. Griptape is most often black, but it can come in many other colors, including clear. Clear griptape lets you see any decorations on the top of the deck. It has a sticky back and a rough, sandpaper-like top.
Trucks
Skateboard trucks are the parts that connect the wheels to the deck. They allow the board to turn when you lean. Longboard and skateboard trucks have similar parts but work a bit differently to match their board types.
Bearings
Each skateboard wheel has two ball bearings mounted on its axle. Most skateboard bearings are a standard size called "608." They have a hole of 8 mm (0.315 inches), an outside size of 22 mm (0.866 inches), and a width of 7 mm (0.276 inches).
Bearings are usually made of steel. Sometimes, a special ceramic material called silicon nitride is used. Many skateboard bearings are rated using the ABEC scale, which goes from ABEC1 (lowest) to 3, 5, 7, and 9. It's a common mistake to think that higher ABEC numbers are always better for skateboarding. The ABEC rating only measures how perfectly the bearings are made, not how well they perform for skating. How well bearings work mostly depends on how well you take care of them. This means regularly cleaning and oiling them.
Images for kids
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Skateboarder doing a hard-flip
See also
In Spanish: Monopatín para niños
