BUYERS
GUIDE
FOR
RETAILERS
{ the } Longboarding is growing - fast. It used to be an offshoot of street skating, a toy for surfers. Now it is a movement in its own right, with its own customers and styles.
LONGBOARDER
Owns or aspires to own many setups. Each deck, wheel and truck fulfils a different role - speed, carving, slalom, sliding, commuting. While a street skater will usually only have one setup at a time, a longboarder will usually have several setups. A good choice for the customer and a spread of completes on offer is very important.
Is from a very diverse demographic. As it is so accessible, age ranges are from teen to fifty, with a much more even spread across the sexes than other boardsports. As the skating, surfing and snowboarding population ages, so longboarding benefits. This is a growing, strong market and it isn’t going away soon.
D i f f e r e n t K i n d s O f L o n g b o a r d
SPEED/RACE
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uilt stiff for stability and supreme corner tracking at speed. This is the cutting edge of construction and usually most expensive category as skaters will pay whatever it takes to win races.
Ultra stiff deck, often with composite construction. Adjustable wheelbase for fine-tuning
Low ride height, with drop down, drop through, rockered decks, and wheel wells or cutouts RKP (reverse kingpin) trucks for stability at speed. Speedboard often use a low-angle Top- brand wheels with fast, technical shapes, using high-end urethane Fast bearings one
FREERIDE/SLIDING
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uilt for sliding and carving, a fast-evolving, aggressive style longboarding. Think snowboarding on the road and you’re close...
Low ride height, with drop-down, drop-through, rocker and big cutouts Slidey wheels Stiff flex deck for response and control Some decks feature kicktails and noses to allow for progressive tricks
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CRUISER
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our “regular� longboard, still selling as well as ever. Built for a smooth ride, a huge variety of shapes, sizes and price points.
Flexy for a smooth ride
Big, soft wheels roll over cracks and bumps with ease
Turny trucks compensate for longer wheelbases to give a good turn
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HYBRID
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skateboards... local skatepark
perfect on the
for way
transport to work.
Stiff flex, a good pop make ollies easy
Functional nose and tail for street and skateparks
Shorter wheelbase and TKP trucks give a ride like a “regular� board
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MINI
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etro styled mini cruisers have been huge for the last few years thanks to the Dogtown movies. Great for skating to school, work or college and stashing under the desk!
Super short deck, turns quick and easy to carry/stash Tail for easy kickturns and ollies Small, soft wheels for quick acceleration Narrow trucks turn super tight!
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n a Drop Through deck, Trucks are mounted through the deck from the underside of the baseplate. This gives a very low ride, making footbraking and pushing easier. It also makes the deck slide a little easier.
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lexy decks give a smooth ride, easy to pump and translate to a super flowing, carving feeling. Flex is achieved with a cambered, all wood or fibreglass at higher price points.
(The Lush Generator uses 2 layers of Fibreglass and a Cambered deck to give a springy flex) six
s
better
tiff decks are response, control
more suited to the technical skater, giving , grip, corner tracking, sliding and stability.
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(9 Plies of Maple and 2 opposed layers of directional fibreglass make the Lush Vandella race-stiff)
ockered decks give a subtle lowering of the foot platform, allowing for “dished� concaves for confidence and a lower ride height for stability and slide control.
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opmount decks are standard truck mounting, giving a better turn, pump, carve and more grip than a drop-through deck, but with harder footbraking and pushing. There are various other boards available such as drop-down, 3 piece and microdrop, all have the effect of lowering the ride height. seven
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KP (Traditional Kingpin Trucks) are wider versions of “reular� skate trucks. Adapted for longboards with bugger, softer bushings for a deeper turn. Popular as they are low, proven and more suited for kickturns and ollies.
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KP (Reverse Kingpin Trucks) give a better turn AND more stability at the expense of a higher ride height. Most high-end longboards use this style of truck.
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ushings are very important in a longboard, as they dictate how well a truck will turn, and turning is the essence of longboarding. Many brands skimp here on completes, making bushings a popular upgrade.
Cones
offer more turn and less stability - better for flat-ground skaters and slalom
Barrels offer a more restricted turn and better rebound to centre, better for downhill and race. Height
Skaters will want lower bushings to fit TKP trucks, and taller bushings for RKP trucks.
Durometer varies like wheels - from
78A (super turny) up to 98A (Super stiff) As you can see - it’s important to have a spread of choice on offer!
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ongboard Wheels are generally larger and street cousins, to give a smoother, faster,
s
softer grippier
than ride.
75-90A Durometer (hardness) 60-80mm Diameter
SLIDING WHEELS 80-88A Durometer 60-70mm Diameter “Radissed� edges for a smooth slide Narrow contact patch for less grip
RACE/GRIP WHEELS 75-82A Durometer 70-80mm Diameter Square edges for grip Wide contact patch for more grip
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SLIDE GLOVES
ll longboarders need slide gloves. Some will make their own - a cost effective way to get started. However, a branded slide glove can offer many things:
Advanced
materials
Technical
design
kevlar, high-grade leather on the gloves, Polycarbonate and UHMWPE on the pucks With and
protection where a comfortable,
you need functional
it, fit
w w w. s h i n e r d i s t r i b u t i o n . c o m www.lushlongboards.com eleven