THE ULTIMATE JOYRIDE
Longboarding brings us joy. And we are jazzed about the beautiful new longboard designs we found just now.
Originally homemade contraptions made to emulate the gliding sensation of a surfboard better than a skateboard does, longboards are dedicated cruising machines.
The wider urethane wheels create a much larger area of contact with the ground than those of a traditional skateboard, which increases traction and stability at higher speeds without sacrificing versatility.
Longboard trucks, mechanisms that connect the wheels to the board itself, serve as a complex axle and steering system. These enhancements allow for blistering speeds downhill (the world record is a mind-blowing 80.74 mph) or for wicked sweeping turns, termed “carving.”
The beauty of a longboard deck is what separates it from skateboarding or any other mode of transport. Beautiful inlaid woods, artful skins, and even lush carpets take these new boards to another level. They become portable canvases.
Loyal Dean, based in California, handmakes each individual board, taking cues from nature to create flowing, wave-like patterns. Depending on the project, they may use Mahogany, Oak, Walnut, Wenge, Maple, Cherry, Bubinga, Ipea, or Teak to give the board natural, organic color.
The top layer of the board is specially laminated to create a shifting grain orientation, which beautifully contrasts the parallel grain of the bottom. As a critical finishing touch, opaque grip tape in the shape of rings are carefully put on the board so that the rider can confidently carve without fearing falling off. The final result is a thin, but flexible board that showcases the natural, naked beauty of wood.
Photo: Courtesy of Lonkenstein
Through the limitless combinations of decks, trucks, and wheels, riders are able to express their individuality and creativity. Companies like Bustin Boards Company are known for giving riders even greater control over the design of their boards. They allow users to customize designs and color schemes on a number of different decks.
Over the years, most longboard innovation has focused on the decks and trucks, the complex parts of the board. Shark Wheel is aiming to change this.
Over the past month, the company has raised almost $80,000 to reinvent the wheel. The wheels are based around a shape that fits inside of a cube. Made up of three strips, the wheels make helical shapes when they roll, forming a sine pattern on the ground. They roll faster than traditional wheels, because they have a smaller contact patch on the ground, but are more stable because of their sine wave pattern.
Check out this video by Stair-Rover, featuring their new 8-wheeled longboard capable of gliding down stairs. This revolutionary design could change the dynamics of urban cruising.
Video: Courtesy of Wired
Whether cruising in the park after work, competing in one of the many races taking place around the world, or dancing down a beautiful mountain at sunset, longboarding gives us a sense of freedom, camaraderie, love, and joy!
Check out this video of three professional longboarders tearing down a mountain path in Northern California. It’s a pleasure just to watch them as they gracefully dance down the hills surrounded by the lush trees of the redwood forest, elevated to a euphoric state of mind.
Video: Courtesy of Loaded Newsletter
Check out the rest of our posts on Joy this week in Arts/Design, Food/Drink, Mind/Body, Place/Time, Nature/Science, and Soul Impact. And enter this week's photo competition. The theme: Joy (Deadline, August 4th, 2013).
