You sexy skateboarders! Where are ya?

[Zilla]

So do we have any skaters around here?

I used to skate in high school and college, but as a transportation device and also as a way to look all cool and meet hot skater guys. I never learned many tricks...I could ollie but I wasn't really good at it. I could cruise fast on that thing though! I had excellent balance and speed and it was great for getting around campus or to work on.

Anyhoo...

When I was 20 my skateboard was stolen when my house was broken into. I was too broke to buy a new one at the time and then I got pregnant. Long story short, I haven't skated in almost 4 years.

I was watching "Diary of Tony Hawk" earlier and it made me realize how much I miss skating. Just the feeling of cruising along, that alone is a blast. It would be such a great way to have fun and blow off steam. Also, I realized that this would be a wonderful thing to do with my son when he gets a bit older. How cool would it be to bond with your mom by spending Saturdays at the skate park together!? I want to learn how to ride a halfpipe and do some tricks but I don't know where to start now. I am intimidated by the hordes of cocky little teenage rodents that overrun the skate shops and parks. I want to take some lessons or make friends with someone who would take me under their wing but I want it to be someone who is a bit more...mature...and understanding...and not a skater boy obsessed with how cool he looks on his skateboard. Is this going to be impossible to find? I figured I'd go into a skate shop and talk to someone about my dillema but all I found was this punky little asshole guy with blue hair and I just walked out of the store. ARGH!

 

[70/30]

I know lots of skaters. I'd say the ratio is 7 to 1 for genuine, full-time punks vs. not

Avid snowboarders and surfers 3 to 1

 

[Xstatic]

I'm NOT a skater - I couldn't even steer a straight line without falling off! But one of the guys I worked with (about 2-3 years ago) had a skateboard that looked almost like a malibu surfboard (about 1.5-2 times the length of a 'normal' skateboard). He apparently used it to get from the train station to work (he arrived & left before me, so I never saw him use it...)

 

[Xander]

I used to skate a lot, and try out a series of fucked up trick...well until I busted my knee at it. So now I am not supposed to do any street skating anymore.

However I still at age 28 love to ride the vert ramp. I am not saying I am any good at it. But I just love it. There is something about getting some air between one self and the co-pin. Hehehe

Anyways, yeah there is a lot of stupid skate punks out there today, oppose to how it was when I started back in the Bones Brigade days.

Well I dont know where you're located. But having a skate partner would be cool
Though far from top notch, I still think I can teach a few things ...I hope

Most difficult trick I ever did was a Darkslide on a low and level steel rail.

(Darkslide= Approach rail and kickflip it halfway over so you land on the board being upside down, and slide on the board, the length of the rail. Kick flip it half a turn back and land)

 

[Zilla]

Oooooh that does sound tricky! Color me impressed!

I live in Wyoming but I am moving to Montana in about a month. I would love to find a skate partner but as I said...it's gotta be someone who is mature and patient and not some little delinquent punk. Good luck with that huh?

 

[Xander]

Oooooh that does sound tricky! Color me impressed!

I live in Wyoming but I am moving to Montana in about a month. I would love to find a skate partner but as I said...it's gotta be someone who is mature and patient and not some little delinquent punk. Good luck with that huh?

If there are nerds like me out there Tossing the computer for a little skate time. You'll find him/her. We are out there.

Good luck with it.

I would offer assistance, but since I am in MI...even MN is a little too far away.

 

[Liontamr]

Ummm I sell skateboards. Does that count?

 

[Zilla]

Ummm I sell skateboards. Does that count?

It depends. Would you give me a discount? If so, that counts.

 

[Liontamr]

It depends. Would you give me a discount? If so, that counts.

Sure I could..

 

[Zilla]

Sure I could..

Ooooooohhhhh....reallllly?

 

[Liontamr]

Ooooooohhhhh....reallllly?

Sure could.. what do you ride with?

 

[Xander]

Sure could.. what do you ride with?

Just out of curiosity. How much does a set a Thunder Trucks, and Hawks signature board go for these days?

 

[Liontamr]

Just out of curiosity. How much does a set a Thunder Trucks, and Hawks signature board go for these days?

We don't have Thunder.. Grind King are the trucks we mainly carry.

As for Hawk's Signature board.. I have no idea. We don't have that board in our store. We do carry Birdhouse though.

 

[Xander]

We don't have Thunder.. Grind King are the trucks we mainly carry.

As for Hawk's Signature board.. I have no idea. We don't have that board in our store. We do carry Birdhouse though.

If memory serves me right..I think Birdhouse is actually Hawks own company...Nice boards, riding one myself

And no Thunder Trucks..damn....those things gets more and more difficult to find

 

[Liontamr]

If memory serves me right..I think Birdhouse is actually Hawks own company...Nice boards, riding one myself

You are correct...

Birdhouse doesn't sell to bad here.. But what's popular where I live is Shortys, PIG & Hook-Ups (for obvious reasons)

Then of course we sell tons of DVD's and videos. I can't believe how much the skate companies charge for them.. and it's even more so to see the kids fork out the money for them.

 

[Xander]

You are correct...

Birdhouse doesn't sell to bad here.. But what's popular where I live is Shortys, PIG & Hook-Ups (for obvious reasons)

Then of course we sell tons of DVD's and videos. I can't believe how much the skate companies charge for them.. and it's even more so to see the kids fork out the money for them.

yeah, I remember when I could buy a Powell Perelta Bones Brigade video for ten bucks...thats a LONG time ago.

Most skate companies has commercialized just like every other company in the world. Its kinda sad, takes the whole rebel thing out of skateboarding. The very same thing that started it so many years ago.

And as for the skate punks these days....well they'll fork out anything to get to see the videos, and feeling cool for owning them. Go figure.

 

[Zilla]

Let's see...

The last skateboard I had consisted of a Powell blank deck, spitfire wheels and I think the trucks were made by a company called Venture, I don't remember. They were called "featherlights" though, and they were really light and strong. I liked 'em. I don't remember what size my wheels were but they were a bit on the big side because I liked to cruise and go as fast as I could. This time I want to learn tricks et al, so I don't know what sorta gear I should go with. Ideas?

 

[Xander]

Let's see...

The last skateboard I had consisted of a Powell blank deck, spitfire wheels and I think the trucks were made by a company called Venture, I don't remember. They were called "featherlights" though, and they were really light and strong. I liked 'em. I don't remember what size my wheels were but they were a bit on the big side because I liked to cruise and go as fast as I could. This time I want to learn tricks et al, so I don't know what sorta gear I should go with. Ideas?

Well lets see. Birdhouse Boards are not bad boards at all. but you will see that the form of boards has changed a lot since Powell Perelta days.

I believe Venture still makes trucks. My personal favorite are Thunder. Another good Truck would be Independant.

Wheels: Oh God, there are SO many out there now, and so many more variaties than it was back in P&P days. I'd probably advice to smaller wheels. Makes the board lighter and easier to flip and so forth.

I hope that helps a little bit.

 

[Donna Greed]

I don't skate, as I'm naturally clumsy and there's just no way in hell I could do it without hurting myself, but it seems like I spend half my life in skate parks. Both my kids skate, and I'm dating someone who owns a skateboard company, and I'd have to say I agree about them being sexy. We went to the Board Culture Expo a couple of months ago, and while my kids skated around I sat on the lawn with a plastic cup of bad beer and a huge smile on my face. So much hotness in one place, and most of it young but not so young as to make me a pervert. It was a good day.

 

[Liontamr]

Let's see...

The last skateboard I had consisted of a Powell blank deck, spitfire wheels and I think the trucks were made by a company called Venture, I don't remember. They were called "featherlights" though, and they were really light and strong. I liked 'em. I don't remember what size my wheels were but they were a bit on the big side because I liked to cruise and go as fast as I could. This time I want to learn tricks et al, so I don't know what sorta gear I should go with. Ideas?

When you pick out a deck, just pick out something you like size wise, but make sure it has good pop to it. Powell blanks also sell well here because they are cheaper than the designed ones, but are just as good quality wise.

Trucks.. Venture trucks are ok. Independant or Grind King would be what I go with though.

Wheels.. Blind and Flip make good wheels.. They always sell out when we bring them.

Berrings.. Don't forget a good set of these! You'll want something that has an ABEC rating of 5 or 7 (ABEC 3 is ok I suppose, but not at good) Bones berrings are the best.

Don't forget curb wax as well when you start doing grinds and stuff.. Powell wax is awesome because it not only works well, but it smells like sweet vanilla!

 

[Liontamr]

three more things:

Grip tape.. Try to get Black Magic if you can. Not a big deal if you can't, but the kids seem to perfer Black Magic grip tape.

Buy a skate tool.. Something made by Shorty's or anyone for that matter. It'll be quite handy.

Riser pads.. Birdhouse, Powell, Flip.. A few more companies.. they all make riser pads. They help prevent stress cracks on your deck, provide a little bit of a shock absorber and also prevent your wheels from ever touching your deck

 

[Zilla]

Grip tape, yes always have used that. Except on my first skateboard which was a pink Sims "Gutierrez" or some name like that which was shaped like a fish with wings. I was like 13 when I had that board, I digress.

I had Lucky brand risers on my last two boards. I feel nuetral, I have no brand loyalty there. They were just thrown in free when I bought trucks I think.

I agree about the Powell decks, I had a Planet Earth deck which I adored before the Powell, but then I found the Powell deck to be just as good and it was a lot cheaper. I only ended up with the Powell deck because I took a bunch of decks down off the wall and stood on them all, trying to find one that felt the most like my Planet Earth and that's what I came up with. I was also looking for a smaller deck because I am a tiny person. I don't know if Powell and Planet Earth decks are smaller in general of if I just happened to get small ones. I have no idea. I wonder if they make gear for like 10 year old boys, that would be about perfect for me. I am like 5'3" and 105-110 lbs and all the gear is made for hulking teenage boys with huge feet.

Awh, Donna - EVERYONE hurts themselves skating! I'm clumsy too but I didn't let that stop me. I have fallen pretty damn hard. I broke my arm skateboarding in high school. It's just part of it I s'pose.

If I am able to actually get skilled on a skateboard this time around instead of using it for transportation and meeting boys I would love to teach like a "girls only" skateboarding class. It's not fair that guys dominate the sport! Being the minority in anything is an intimidating feeling and it's part of the reason I have been putting off getting back into it. I'm not interested in meeting 17 year old boys with blue hair this time, so it's quite different and not really fun to be faced with said boys now.

 

[Liontamr]

Awh, Donna - EVERYONE hurts themselves skating! I'm clumsy too but I didn't let that stop me. I have fallen pretty damn hard. I broke my arm skateboarding in high school. It's just part of it I s'pose.

My co-workers son spent last summer making a video to show company reps.. He's quite good actually and I do think he could make it as a sponsored skater.

But during filming a very simple jump off a curb he fell and smacked his face hard against the road. He broke his nose, chipped a tooth and had ten stiches in his chin.

Needless to say it was the very first clip shown on the finished tape:

*clip of him hitting the road .. SMACK*

Hi..

*SMACK*

I'm **** *******

*SMACK*

And this is my video..

*SMACK*

 

[MechaBlade]

I'm not a sk8r boi, but I play one on TV.

 

[Zilla]

Ooohhhhhh Liontamr, OUCH! Any injury involving the teeth makes my skin crawl. Did he get it fixed or does he have a messy smile now?