Skateboarding is done by young men and women who love extreme sports. Novice athletes are interested in what to choose - a skateboard or a cruiser. Let’s further consider how they differ, what these devices are and much more.
What is a cruiser?
The cruiser is a symbiosis of skateboards such as skateboards and longboards. A skateboard is a standard board made of wood and padded with wheels, and a longboard is an advanced tool for skating.which is characterized by an improved set of speed and good driving characteristics.
The cruiser looks similar to both a longboard and a skateboard. It is designed for calm city skiing, more suitable for riding children due to its high stability. It has soft and wide wheels with medium hardness.
The deck (platform for the legs) of the cruiser is made of maple of Canadian or Chinese origin. Some of them are made of plastic. Wooden boards are more colorful, and plastic ones are most often monophonic, but they support the athlete’s greater weight.
The length is about 77.5 centimeters. The tail of the deck is bent.
Cruisers are distinguished by excellent maneuverability, stability and ease of control. The design was created according to Russian realities: it takes into account possible road bumps and gives the effect of soft skating, which was made possible thanks to the increased wheelbase and deck maneuverability. In addition to the usual ride, everyone can perform various tricks and jumps on it.
It is worth noting that a skate cruiser can be smaller. The mini board has a shorter deck, which can be attached to a backpack or use a standard cover for it.This is the same cruiser, but in a smaller version. He wins in maneuverability, but loses in stability and stability. This is the difference between the mini board and the standard version. The smaller model is more suitable for experienced riders.
Unlike skateboard and longboard
The skateboard is suitable for performing various stunts in the parks due to the shape and rigidity of the wheelbase. It has special bearings and a narrow stiff suspension that allows you to make jumps and turns.
The main differences between a skateboard and a cruiser are as follows.
- It is only wooden. In size, the board can not be more than 80 cm in length and 20 cm in width.
- Has a bend on both sides and a special emery coating for better grip on shoes. The cruiser also has a relief surface, which is why you can stand on it with bare feet.
- It has a large weight and small wheels. The cruiser has much more wheels.
A cruiser from a skateboard features improved maneuverability and a more interesting design. In addition, thanks to small bearings, it is possible to accelerate faster, while large wheels calmly and freely roll on asphalt and any other surfaces.
The cruiser has increased cross-country ability and stability, develops rapid speed. The curved back of the deck allows you to perform stunts such as allies with turns, jumps and accelerations. Due to their design features, during a sharp turn, the wheels do not touch the board. Reliable bushings with sturdy suspensions and propulsion made of polyurethane provide excellent acceleration and high speed with a smooth ride.
A cruiser differs from a longboard with a shorter deck length. Longboard in its design resembles a surfboard. The deck has an elongated surface of up to 1 meter. It is made of wooden or vinyl material. Differs in softness and suppleness. Special bends of the deck contribute to a quick set of speed and cope well with various obstacles on the way. The longboard has a wider and softer suspension, the wheelbase is more maneuverable.
How to choose?
Choosing a good cruiser will help to carry out a professional rider or an experienced manager, building on the experience of the buyer in skateboarding, foot size and age. For example, the length of the board is selected according to the size of the foot and height.
The width of the deck can be any. When choosing wheels, you should follow the rule: the larger they are, the slower the board will accelerate, but will reach a higher speed. As for the deck, the shorter it is, the smaller the turning radius will be. The coating should be of high quality, without bumps and peeling. Otherwise marriage is possible.
When choosing a cruiser, you need to look at the design, the presence of a protective coating on the back, the reliability of the manufacturer and price. And also you should take an interest in the demand for a certain model of the device and the reviews that experienced riders leave on pages on social networks or target sites. It is worth noting that A good alternative to a cruiser would be the surfboard. It has a standard rear suspension, but a rotating front, making the board very manoeuvrable. When riding on asphalt, you can feel like on the waves. Interestingly, you can deploy on such devices 360 degrees.
Choice for baby
Before going to the store, you need to decide what the board will be purchased for. If the child’s goal is to master various tricks in the form of somersaults and sharp turns, then you should buy a regular skateboard. For walks and simple skating, you can take a long board or a miniature cruiser. A cruiser is best suited for riding around the city, as a 4-year-old child can already master it. The main thing is to learn how to confidently stay on the deck and drive in a straight line.
Stunt boards serve much less.Sharp braking, falling, hitting and other nuances of aggressive driving contribute to the rapid destruction of the body, the abrasion of the wheels. So, a wooden deck of medium quality will have to be changed every 1-2 weeks with a regular load, or even more often. The wood simply does not stand up and breaks.
At the same time, you do not need to buy wheels and other components if they do not need to be replaced. They are simply transferred to a new board with the old.
It is worth noting that Skateboarding is a high-speed sport. When there is a fall on the asphalt, the child slows down with his whole body. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to protection. It is imperative to purchase a helmet, knee pads and elbow pieces, and special gloves will protect the palms. Protective equipment will protect the child from serious injuries, although it is unlikely to protect against minor abrasions and bruises. Ankle sprains and dislocations are the most common injuries.
The cruiser in this regard is safer for skiing, because it has increased stability compared to a conventional longboard and skateboard. It is important to understand that in any case a large number of workouts will be required. At the same time, the cruiser is not recommended for children under 5 years of age, as they do not yet have sufficient coordination for confident control of the board. In any case, the presence of an adult is mandatory at all workouts.
In general, the cruiser is similar to a skateboard and a longboard at the same time. But it has a powerful wheelbase and increased stability. It is divided into two varieties (depending on length). Suitable for children from 5 years old, subject to all necessary safety recommendations, for example, riding with a helmet and other protective equipment.
See how the skate differs from the cruiser in the next video.
