Here is a thread for experiances we do not want starters to recreate. :)
Here is a thread for experiances we do not want starters to recreate. :)
Bushings, the smallest part of a setup, make a world of difference. I rode nothing but stock bushings my first couple years skating over a decade ago, and it was awful. Most stock bushings are better nowadays, but they're still pretty high in duro and I don't think most people weigh as much as me, haha.
Bearings (for the most part) don't matter as long as they're not corroding.
These two small tidbits could have saved me trouble and money years ago.
@Zach Maxon Fr, another thing to consider is differences between bushing types which is often not considered. Hated cals untill I dialed them in since my GF wanted something very budget, makes me somewhat regret giving away my perscision cals to the first person to show intrest in them.
I wish I knew what bearing spacers were
I wish I knew stability wasn't derived from shoving the HARDEST bushings available into my super dead cal 2s. I immediately got on softer bushings once I learned and wow, did it make a huge difference.
Front foot weight and carve more. 90% of slide learning issues are solved by these.
I've got another one - I wish someone had told me that learning how to skate correctly mattered. I have skated mongo for close to 20 years because no one told me that I should learn a different way. Can't bring myself to learn any other way, either. Old habits die hard I guess. 😅
To buy polyurethane boards for dance/freestyle. Never went back to wood.
I wish I knew that skating as a whole is so fluid, it is very abstract and on a spectrum of style to effort and enjoyment. Everyone experiences this differently, I think I just wanted to learn about it in such a black and white form. But learning that it's just an interpretive dance once you learn the basics. And you're just navigating.
I wish I knew not to be so stubborn towards social media when I had first started. I could've found friends to learn with/from sooner
@Zach Maxon real. Learn the basics and learn them right that way you progress into a butterfly and not feel cornered into a style of skating or limited by your abilities
Something I wish I knew was how many pair pants I'd chew through in my beginning phases of skating. Also generally invest in your safety. Whether that's taking an extra session or two to fine tune something new or spending the cash on equipment that will make you safer. No timeline for safety gear, get what will keep you safe and comfortable. Also, buy gear that makes you stoked to get out and use it! Only you can make you a better skater. Friends help tho
@Trent Teter exactly where I'm at right now. Relearning is a pain, but it'll be worth it for at least a couple of disciplines. I'll still skate mongo mostly though, haha!
@Matt Needs Wheels A 47" Gravity board is literally what I started riding with Gullwings and 78a wheels😂 I learned to drift slide it, then finally got a stiff Evo.
I think bushings(softer than it felt like I needed) and getting a good pair of trucks made all the difference.
I wish I knew that "good" pavement was usually kinda shit to slide on and "shit" pavement was real good to slide on
I wish I knew not all chipseal was unskateable. Lost out on a lot of mids runs in my home town.
I wish I started learning dh freeride earlier. I always shied away from it due to the fear of pain and how it seemed really difficult. Now that I'm doing it, I recognize that I could've started learning so much earlier without consequence.
I wish I knew two things:
1 - Bushing setups making all the difference in the world. I would skate the stock Paris bushing setup with the tiny cone and was wondering why I would always get speed wobbles haha. That also had partially to do with the truck angles too, but that's a whole other topic.
2 - I wish I would've reached out to the other downhill skaters in my city sooner! I was cool just skating with my buddies but it would've been so much more fun with the big scene back in 2016. I didn't know what I was missing out on back then till it was gone, not as many skaters these days as there was back then :(
Most of my most grievous injuries have come just cruising around because I stopped paying attention and didn't wear my protective equipment when just cruising around.
I'm honestly happy I knew nothing because it allowed me to progress without pressure to do certain tricks or skate a certain way.
Different gear won't make you a different skater.
I wish I would never sold my old Supaflex boards, I wish I would knew that discipline is important. Keep skateboarding, even when you don't really want certain days. Keep riding, the passion will never end if you take care of it
@Brigadier +1 for me, I sold off a bunch of "just cruising" boards after I graduated college. Ironic, given the current state of my quiver.
Stick to one setup you know is good while youre getting the bassics down. You dont have to change your wheels and bushings and play with wedges until you actually can even tell the difference.
