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How fast do skateboards go? Is that what you are looking for? if yes then you are exactly in the right place.
Skateboards can reach up to 12 mph speed on average. However, the speed of the board mainly depends on the type of skateboard, terrain, and setup.
Yes, you heard it right. Skateboard speed depends upon these factors and if you are a street skater then you must know it. Good skateboards for street skating can help you reach your destinations much faster and can be a good alternative to a bicycle.
However, before you set your mind on a skateboard you need to keep a few things in mind. Don’t just dump your bike yet before reading the complete article.
Factor Affecting Speed of the Skateboard
As I already mentioned the average speed of standard skateboards. However, it is very good to know some factors that affect speed. I will try not to go deep into the physics of speed and resistance here but I will describe some general terms.
1. The Shape of the Skateboard
The first and the most important thing that matters a lot is the skateboard’s shape. By shape, I mean the structure of the deck that makes these boards different from each other. Based on the deck design skateboards can be divided into the following 3 types.
- Regular skateboards
- Longboards
- Penny/cruiser boards
Regulars are the ones that you see in parks and on the streets all around. Regular boards usually have 8 inch wide decks but that isn’t a hard and fast rule. The deck width can vary from that size.
Apart from that, there are longboards. These are generally very different from regular skateboards due to their size. You may have noticed people buy them for downhill ridings. It is because their bigger size allows them to be more stable as compared to regular skateboards.
Lastly, we have penny boards which you can also call cruiser skateboards. They are much shorter and lightweight as compared to the other two types. They are not ideal for tricks as people usually buy them for commuting due to their lightweight design and portability.
Moreover, the penny boards are also comfortable for teens and kids due to their small sizes. Apart from that you can place them easily in your backpacks and take them anywhere you want.
Now that you have a rough idea about the different kinds of boards available on the market let’s take a look at some other factors.
2. Skateboard Bearings
Another thing that is responsible for the skateboarding speed is its bearings. They are usually available with different ABEC ratings. The higher the ABEC rating number the faster your skateboard will be.
If you want the best skateboards for street skating you need to go for something with at least ABEC 5 ratings. They allow you to push a little and ride comfortable as compared to others. But you should always keep in mind that the faster the skateboard is the harder it will be to control due to a large amount of momentum.
3. Skateboard Wheels
Another thing that matters a lot for speed is the wheels that you are having in your setup. Wheels are available with different softness and hardness. Their level can be determined by the Durometer scale (if you don’t know already). Usually the lower the durometer ratings the softer the wheels are and vise versa.
Now for street skating with rough roads, some people usually prefer softer wheels. The reason is they are easy to ride even on rough surfaces. They can absorb impacts and provide stability during the rides. However, one shortcoming of the softer wheels is that they disperse the momentum.
Thus if you are a pro skater and want to ride fast then you should always go for harder wheels. It will be a bit tricky to ride but for speed, it is totally worth it.
How can I make my skateboard go faster?
If your skateboard isn’t moving faster and you want to increase your speed there are a few tweaks that can help you. Although you can make it skyrocket you will be able to improve it a lot as compared to its stock version.
The first thing you can do about increasing the speed is by selecting the right type of skateboard. Always go for a skateboard that features a double kicktail deck which often provides better handling. In addition to this, the deck shouldn’t be too heavy or too light.
Apart from that, always check whether you are using the right bearings or not. Your skateboard should always have ABEC-5 or above bearings equipped. In addition to this, always clean your skateboard bearings whenever you can.
Cleaning skateboard bearings will allow you to ride smoothly without wasting a lot of momentum during the ride. The third and most important thing is to get harder wheels. Just as I mentioned earlier the harder wheels will be a bit tricky to ride but it moves like a jolt of electricity on the roads. It is because of the hard body that rebounds and prevent dispersing the momentum.
Final Thoughts
After doing some research on various skateboards I learned that on average skateboards can reach up to 12 mph speed. This is quite interesting to know just in case you are looking for a skateboard for commuting.
I’ve also mentioned some factors that can disturb the speed of your skateboard. In addition to this, there are a few ways that can help you increase your speed as well.
I hope you will have enjoyed reading this article. If that was a new piece of information for you please feel free to share it with your friends on different social platforms.
