If we compare the longboards of these days with older ones, they are completely different. In the beginning, the masters used to create the longboards with their hand skills. The rest of the accessories like trucks and wheels used the older and used components. When people ask, “What are longboards made of” they want to know the material getting used in constructing a board. Because we all know that a longboard is made of deck, wheels, and trucks, these three are the most important accessories in a longboard.
Among the trucks, wheels, and deck, we learned that the deck in a longboard or skateboard could be made of different materials. The rollers under the deck will mostly be constructed with urethane or polyurethane materials. In the end, the trucks where your rollers are placed are constructed with metal. This T-shaped metal piece has to bear the rider’s weight sometimes; that is why it has to be muscular.
Construction of a Longboard
First of all, we will inspect the longboard deck and all the materials used for its construction. Later, we will shed light on the other major parts of a longboard or skateboard and see how they are made.
What are Longboards’ Decks Made Of:
Numerous types and shapes of decks have been discovered by now. Longboarding includes different riding styles such as dancing, cruising, carving, and downhill riding. Therefore, the deck on your board has to support your riding technique. First of all, there are nearly eleven pieces of specific wood embedded in a longboard’s deck, making it stronger than ever. Each of the layers has the same thickness as the others, and it affects the flexibility of your board. As a longboard rider, you must know how important flexibility is in longboarding.
The well-known longboard brands mostly use Bamboo, Carbon Fiber, Plastic, and Maple material to construct a deck. The material you choose for the deck can affect your longboard’s flexibility, smoothness, and responsiveness. Therefore, we will inspect all the major materials and their specifications. If you want to buy a new longboard based on our research, make sure you know your riding style and go through our information to understand which material will suit your riding style.
Bamboo Material:
As an old longboard rider, we consider Bamboo a multifunctional material. It has the ability to work efficiently when the goal is flexibility, bearing weight, and staying in control during the rides. Compared to the other materials, you will find Bamboo more light in weight. It makes sure that the elasticity will be great. Although it will be lighter in weight, its inner components will still allow a rider between 250-270lbs to stand easily.
We have analyzed that Bamboo materials are the perfect choice for cruising and carving riders. Moreover, the experienced riders can also use Bamboo decks for freestyle and dancing rides.
Plastic Material:
The shortboards, penny boards, or cruiser boards are made of plastic. It is simple that if you wish to ride a longboard with a length between 26-and 30 inches, you will have to go for a plastic deck. Whenever we discuss “What are longboards made of,” we recommend that everyone use this material for shortboards, not for a board with more than 40 inches.
Maple Deck:
Maple wood will always be the primary choice if the goal is long-term use of any wood product. This material makes muscular products, but it can lessen the flexibility when used for the construction of a longboard. To keep any skateboard or longboard deck sturdy and flexible, it is highly recommended to use Bamboo material with maple. The suitable riding styles with maple decks are freeriding, downhill, and usual tricky rides.
Carbon Fiber Longboard Deck:
Carbon Fiber stuff in constructing a board or deck means sturdiness and good flex. A longboard will be considered multifunctional if it is made of fiber material. For example, we have ridden Magneto carbon fiber board for freestyle, dancing, and downhill rides. The tip about this specific material is that you will have to practice a bit if you are used to Bamboo, Maple, or any other material. There will be slight differences in flex, turns, and sturdiness.
What are Longboard Trucks Made of:
Trucks are placed under the deck of a longboard and help bear the rider’s weight whenever required. Also, the wheels are attached to the trucks, which means the responsiveness of your turns is also dependent on the trucks. Having the best longboard trucks will bring smoothness to your rides. You will be able to turn the board accurately, and the chances of falling off will be second to none.
Trucks Material:
All the benefits of trucks discussed above are only achievable when they are made of metal stuff. You can’t compromise on the construction; otherwise, it will ruin your riding experience. Therefore, make sure that the manufacturer uses strong and reliable metal materials for constructing the trucks.
What are Longboard Wheels Made of:
The wheels inside the longboard are made with Polyurethane material which is always a great choice. Polyurethane rollers are made to achieve all the benefits like gripping the road during faster rides, letting the rider balance himself, and taking turns perfectly. You may see different wheels for cruising, sliding, and downhill riding but all of them will have different diameters and sizes, not the materials. Thus, polyurethane rollers are suitable and highly suggested for all kinds of longboarding.
FAQs
What is the best material for a longboard?
Bamboo material has always been the best material for constructing a longboard. When people ask, “What are longboards made of” they want to know which material they should choose. So, our suggestion for you is to bring a Bamboo made board under your feet to have great longboarding rides.
Can you make your own longboard?
Yes, you can make your own longboard, but we don’t suggest this due to safety precautions. You have to be careful of many little things, which can create bigger problems later in the rides. Although making our own longboard is cheaper than buying a new one, you should not compromise on safety.
Conclusion
Recently, people were asking, “What are Longboards Made of” so we have decided to disclose everything about constructing a board. A deck is the most important part of the skateboard and longboard. Different manufacturers use different materials for constructing a solid deck. We have inspected all those materials and their functionalities. Moreover, you will also know what longboard trucks and wheels are made of.
