| Considered both a sport and a mode of | | | | the board. Decks also have a wide range of |
| transportation, skateboarding has found its way | | | | designs on the bottom of them from patterns or |
| into mainstream culture and can be seen not only | | | | solid colors (which allow the individual to add |
| on the streets and in neighborhoods, but also on | | | | stickers without disrupting any art) to figures, |
| TV, in movies and in advertisements across the | | | | structures and landscapes. |
| nation. | | | | Bearings help mount the deck on an axle. Most |
| The origins of skateboarding are tricky, at best. | | | | bearings are graded according to a scale called an |
| Some consider it erupted out of an accidental | | | | ABEC scale. Industrial "608" size bearings are |
| phenomenon-that is, when kids on soap-boxes in | | | | standard and bearings are usually made of steel. |
| the 1930s and 1940s detached the box from the | | | | Hardware consists of a set of bolts, usually 8 in a |
| soap-box cart off the plank and attached | | | | set (10-32 bolts). An allen (or crosshead) is also |
| rollerskate wheels to the plank. Others argue the | | | | part of hardware. Additionally, self-lock nylock nuts |
| sport began as a pre-meditated move by | | | | are used. |
| Southern California surfers in an effort to | | | | Skateboards have two metal trucks, which are |
| recreate the smooth carving motion of surfing on | | | | usually an aluminum alloy. These connect the |
| land. Whatever the origin, skateboarding has | | | | wheels to the deck. The trucks are made up of a |
| caught on. Not only are skateboards widely | | | | baseplate and a hanger. The baseplate is screwed |
| available for purchase, but also cities are covered | | | | to the deck and the hanger holds the axle. There |
| with sometimes gated, concrete areas designated | | | | are also rubber grommets or bushings between |
| for skateboarding. These areas are known as | | | | the hanger and the baseplate, which help the |
| skate-parks. | | | | board maneuver and turn. The stiffer the |
| Skateboards are made up of the following parts: | | | | bushings or rubber grommets, the stiffer the turn. |
| - Skateboard Deck | | | | The bushings also cushion. A kingpin bolt is used to |
| - Skateboard Bearings | | | | hold the parts together. |
| - Skateboard Hardware | | | | Wheels are made of polyurethane. They can |
| - Skateboard Trucks | | | | come in different shapes and sizes. Sizes and |
| - Skateboard Wheels | | | | shapes are suited for different types of skating, |
| Skateboard decks are usually 7-ply maple planks | | | | such as street or trick skating. Smaller sizes keep |
| that are anywhere from 7-10 ½ inches | | | | the deck closer to the ground, which requires less |
| wide. Wide planks are used for trick-skating, while | | | | force to speed up or slow down. The hardness of |
| skateboards in the 7-8 ½ inch range are | | | | the wheel also affects the overall performance. |
| used for street-skating. Decks usually have "grip | | | | Hardness is usually measured by durometer 'A' |
| tape" on the top of them. This tape adheres to | | | | scale. A very soft wheel is about 75a and a very |
| the top of the deck, while the surface provides a | | | | hard wheel is about 101a. |
| sandpaper material, which helps the individual "grip" | | | | |