#12

Downhill Longboard Deck Clinic

     There are 4 types of downhill boards. Types are the top mount, drop through, drop deck, and the drop through drop combination.  An advantage of top mount is that you have an increased traction because you are above your trucks. The advantage to the drop deck is the lower foot placement which allows stability for high speeds. It also has wedges on each side which allows it to be more drift like. The advantage of a drop through deck is that its lower to the ground which gives it stability. And its like the medium between the drop deck and top mount. It allows great stability and somewhat amount of traction. The advantage of the combination drop deck is that it more of a medium between the drop deck and top mount than the drop through. It has a great amount of stability but less traction than a top mount.

(2009, March 11). Youtube. (2009). [0]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTO-iMJ9lkY

#11

What is a longboard? Unlike a skateboard, a longboard is used for cruising, hill bombing, and transportation purposes. A typical longboard ranges from 42" to 46". Longboard length has a huge impact on performance. For downhill people typically use a longboard ranging from 40" to 46". The size of the longboard will give you great stability at high speeds. Longboards that are 40" and under tend to perform better on flatland. The shorter length allows you to carve a sharp turning radius. It also allows for great maneuverability that is easy to stow in cars or bags. Occasionally longboards are spotted up to 56". This allows the person to perform surfing maneuvers like cross stepping and hang ten. Although this board has a lot of space for the person to move on it has a hard time turning. Longboarding has become very popular over the years making prices increase.


Loveland, D. (2006). Daddiesboardshop. Retrieved from http://daddiesboardshop.com/longboard-skateboard-buyers-guide.html

Deck Size	Application
28" - 42"	Transportation, School, Work, Slalom
38" - 42"	Downhill, Transportation, Sliding, Work, School
40" and up	Downhill, Transportation, Sliding, Racing

#10

     One of the most successful longboard companies today is Landyachtz. Landyachtz was founded in 1998 and started in North Vancouver from 2001-2008 focusing on downhill and freeride. Landyatchz goal was to make boards that were a one of a kind. This lead to their success when they invented the "gas pedal".  This part of the board originated from landyatchz, but is now used in most downhill/ freeride boards today. The gas pedal is a slant at the edges of the board that allows peoples' feet to grip onto the edge of the board when riding. This makes sliding a lot easier and allows the person to have more control when performing a slide. Landyatchz is also starting to introduce carbon fiber boards/ foam core boards to the longboarding community. Landyatchz is a fast growing company and I expect more from them in the future.

Breton, N. (2012). Striking a balance. Retrieved from http://issuu.com/concretewave/docs/buyers_guide2012_linked/55

#9

Anatomy of a Longboard

     A longboard consist on many a few different parts. It goes from the deck, trucks, bearings and wheels.
The decks can vary from top mounted to drop through. Top mounted is when the trucks are attached to the bottom of the board which gives you more height between the board and the ground. Drop through is when the base plate of the truck is attached to the top of the longboard.
      This allows the board to be closer to the ground giving it more stability. Next is the truck. The truck contains many different party from the hanger to the washer.  Next up is the wheels. They are set up so you can choose the perfect wheel for your style of riding. So if you want to brake slide you can get a harder wheel, but if you want to cruise with control then you can get a soft wheel that grips well when turning.














"Longboard Parts:Anatomy of a Longboard." Squidoo. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 May 2012. <http://www.squidoo.com/longboard-parts-anatomy-of-a-longboard>.