Off Road Skateboard – Your Guide to Taking Skateboarding Off the Streets
Friday, January 20th, 2012
Off Road Skateboarding vs Mountain Boarding
With the addition of rubber wheels and risers you can convert any skateboard to an off road skateboard, however it still won't be able to ride on that rough of terrain, and the ride won't be all that stable. If you really want to skateboard off road you may be more interested in a mountain board.
What's a Mountain Board?
A mountain board is basically a large version of a skateboard with pneumatic tires and foot straps. When you are riding rough terrain, foot straps become essential as they make it easier to control and stay with the board when you hit bumps. The large pneumatic tires make it so you can ride over bumpy terrain and not get thrown off when you run over small rocks or sticks.
There are larger trucks that place the wheels on either side of the deck. This provides the benefit of increased stability while riding. The size of a mountain board deck is much wider and longer than a skateboard - also for stability purposes.
Getting Started Mountain Boarding
To skateboard off road you first need to wear the proper protective gear. Helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads are strongly recommended. Other than that, you can also get padded shorts, and upper body protection.
Mountain boarding can be as extreme as you want to make it. If you want to freeride, carve down hills, and go on trails, you can get a board made specifically for freeriding that will have larger wheels and maybe even a brake so you can better control your speed.
If you want to go off jumps and tackle tricks, there are boards made specifically for that. They are shorter and lighter so doing tricks is easier.
Whatever your riding style or terrain preference, be it the back country, ramps and grind rails, or if you want to do it all, you can find a mountain board made for it.
Mountain Boarding Basics
Riding a mountain board is similar to riding a skateboard. To turn one direction you put weight on your toes, and to turn the other direction you put weight on your heels. While riding, make sure you keep your center of gravity (think belly button) over the middle of the board. Also, turn so that your shoulders face where you are going.
When you can skateboard off road, the world becomes your skatepark (within reason of course, hah). I've been mountain boarding for over 8 years, and I love it. There's always something new to try, somewhere new to ride, and it's just plain fun. If you are a skateboarder, it should be easy for you to pick up, and if you are haven't ever skateboarded, mountain boarding is easier than skateboarding to learn.
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Category : General
Tags: off road skateboard
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