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http://business.transworld.net/59632/features/2011-transworld-business-skate-retail-survey-methodology/quote:Longboard sales and popularity are increasing across the board, and not just in California or Florida but in the Midwest as well. In fact, it got to a point in our survey that we could almost guarantee that a shop would report increased longboard sales if they were in the vicinity of a college campus. Though this is disheartening for many core, purist skateboarders, even the shop owners who weren’t thrilled, acknowledged a potential for new customers and opportunity for sales growth with longboarding’s takeoff. What a crock of bullshit. "We hate your sport because we're an industry of huge drama queens, but we'll still take your money!"
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Mar 22, 2011 04:42
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Zigmidge posted:http://business.transworld.net/59632/features/2011-transworld-business-skate-retail-survey-methodology/ I think you mean its bullshit because, "We hate a specific type of people (jock bro's) but we'll still take their money." And its not hard to see why there is/was/still is that mentality. Skateboarding for a lot of the people who started those shops came up in a time when skateboarding was still a bit off the radar. Especially if they stayed skating through the late 80's in to the early 90's there was a heavy mentality that if you skateboarded you were in fact not cool and that the "JOCKS" (I use that in the most general way it is used) hated on you. Skateboarding like any other popular thing works on the concept of exclusion as well. So seeing some 'turd' riding a long board is an easy target to mock and hate on.
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Mar 22, 2011 05:46
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I've been reading this book called Stalefish recently and it kind of touched on this. It's pretty much what soggybagel said. Skateboarding wasn't always cool so the community and the individual had this loser/reject status. The outsiders viewed the "sport" this way and so did the insiders. As skateboarding has gained popularity it's been hard for the older individuals and the older community to accept this since it is the complete opposite of how things used to be. Old skater's just aren't used to be being involved in the mainstream and are more used to being shunned by it so you can see why those same folks could be a little prickly when the mainstream creeps into their passion after it had rejected them for so many years. Keep in mind that this devotion and tight knittedness is what kept skateboarding going when it was only for losers. Double edged sword and all that. Incidentally I thought this was kind of funny, I'm paraphrasing Stacey Peralta explaining how dumb everyone thought skateboarding was: It's like if my kid today decided he wanted to spend all of his time jumping on a pogo stick, that's how dumb skateboarding was. UFOTacoMan fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Mar 22, 2011 |
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Mar 22, 2011 21:19
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I'm exhausted so excuse me if this doesn't actually make any sense. I guess when I made that post this morning I wasn't thinking of the general skater. I think that individuals can hold whatever opinion and attitude that they want. It's completely up to them and it really won't affect anything I do or anything others do regarding the sport of wood on 4 wheels. What I'm getting at is the caricature you guys paint but as the retail store owner rather than the individual. Over the last 10 years skateboards have stopped making companies money as the formula has become standardized and customers become used to the idea of cheap once-a-month street decks. Practically everyone in the industry has been only making money selling apparel. The old prickly skateboarding "purists" that own and run all these retail stores across the continent haven't been about the sport in the least. It's only common sense, they run businesses! They have to be focused on making money or they're out of a home and job. I'm reminded of my city's "premier" skate shop, Hogtown Sports. It's staffed by kids who don't give a poo poo because the owner is some old has-been who brings his jaded attitude about skateboarding into their store every day and those that do want to help keep it on the DL for fear of being ostracized. It's ridiculous. Longboards have the highest profit margins next to re-printed fruit of the loom t-shirts but you'll still get poo poo for asking about it in a streetdeck-first unless you walk into the store with your cash already in-hand. In Toronto, our community has been very inviting towards the streetdeck crowd because most of us don't just ride 90 inch pintails in our barefeet sipping on a latte. We see more and more individuals coming out on their streetdecks just to hang out and skate but not ONCE have we ever seen any of the local streetdeck-based shops come out to support our events. I can't help but laugh and laugh and laugh as I consider these things while watching today's streetdeck pros do modern-style DH runs and slides with pucks as young little shits in the early 80s.
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Mar 22, 2011 23:22
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This whole thing doesn't bother me all that much, I was just set off this morning because that's a quote from a business publication which I'd hope would be a little less.....controversial in its choice of words. Skating is skating, you just have to bring the right tool for the job!
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Mar 22, 2011 23:23
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Zigmidge posted:I'm reminded of my city's "premier" skate shop, Hogtown Sports. It's staffed by kids who don't give a poo poo because the owner is some old has-been who brings his jaded attitude about skateboarding into their store every day and those that do want to help keep it on the DL for fear of being ostracized. It's ridiculous. Longboards have the highest profit margins next to re-printed fruit of the loom t-shirts but you'll still get poo poo for asking about it in a streetdeck-first unless you walk into the store with your cash already in-hand. These all sounds like ridiculous presumptions. "I'd like to buy a longboard." "Heh. I bet you would."
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Mar 22, 2011 23:55
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Bucket Joneses posted:These all sounds like ridiculous presumptions. Yeah there's probably a ton of persecution complex in my post. What can you expect from a guy who started out as the coffee sipping A-to-B pintail rider...
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Mar 23, 2011 00:21
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Well I'm sorry your local scene is poo poo. I'm sure the reason Transworld used the wording it did is because its an inside industry analysis. This isn't someone from the outside simply looking at numbers and they know credibility is very important in this line of work. I've talked first hand with a couple owners of local skateshops and you're obviously right about profit margins. Its not on boards or hardware. It's on apparel. Namely shoes and to a lesser extent if you can extend your shop as a brand, clothing. And I'll disagree on you assessment some. THere are lots of guys who run stores and who are still about the scene, the sport, whatever you want to call it. You have to treat it as a passion but also branch out. You can't exist on your own as a straight up shop these days unless you're being fronted by a rich pro or two. It's cliche as gently caress, but if you're genuinely pouring your heart in to things it doesn't have to JUST be about dollars. And I'm fortunate to have met some people like that. The business side can turn you in to an rear end in a top hat and make you bitter too. Also, I'm going to paint with a wide brush too. Lot's of people on longboards are in fact turds! Not all...but it certainly rates higher. But at the same time I'm not about to say, don't buy one, or gently caress that guy for going there. I don't care what people ride on and I don't get caught up in some of that stupid stuff. I will just laugh about it to myself.
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Mar 23, 2011 08:55
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Yeah alright those posts of mine are pretty stupid. It's been snowing just as we started picking up the warm weather and I am angsty as gently caress about it
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Mar 23, 2011 14:57
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95% of long boarders I have met are general kooks who acted superior to me because they go faster. The other 5% were super cool and stoked about skating as a whole. I live near a college campus so this is pretty much a given though. You can always tell who knows how to ride by the push.
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Mar 24, 2011 21:14
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I can't say that I've ever really met any long boarders recently other than a younger kid at the local cement park. I've got respect for guys who have fun on them and tons of respect for the guys doing stupid poo poo down huge hills. I bombed some decent long hills in an subdivision that had no houses in it and that was the most scared I've been on a skateboard. I feel foolish for not padding up and I'm hesitant to try it again. A friend got knocked out and beat up pretty bad shortly after my experience out there, he's OK though I don't think he skates anymore. Speaking of knowing how people ride by the push I saw the most awful looking display the other evening. This kid would do the running, drop your board jump on thing except he was doing it into a mongo push that just looked god awful. Mongo pushing is one thing but running and jumping on your board mongo looks worse somehow, it's like you just step on the back and the front is all out there looking dumb and your standing straight up making an "L" shape out of you and the board. I feel bad for bringing it up but there's just something inherently less graceful about it and I can't help but notice it. I want to encourage people to stop. Not to be mean, just to make the world a better place.
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Mar 25, 2011 03:31
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Zigmidge posted:
There's your problem right there. Hogtown has been a garbage shop for a long time
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Mar 26, 2011 18:54
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My hipster ex-roommate liked longboarding, but was a total tool about it. He called skaters like me "flippy trick riders" and acted like longboarding was waaaaaaay superior somehow. He rode (mongo) a 55" Gravity deck that had the turning radius of a small yacht. He would commonly "board over to campus to play banjo on the quad for a few hours, bro." He was also a loving slob. gently caress, I'm glad he moved out (unannounced, without paying rent/bills for the month). BUT, I did meet some of his longboarding buddies, who are all totally chill, cool (non-hipster) guys that just enjoy any kind of boarding and have gotten me into longboards. Hills are loving scary. XIII fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Mar 26, 2011 |
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Mar 26, 2011 23:43
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bROW posted:You can always tell who knows how to ride by the push. 100% truth on that one. If you're not pushing like Dennis Busenitz, then you're doing it wrong. 
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Mar 27, 2011 00:15
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My style of pushing is most like Jason Adams as I, too put my hand on my knee, like as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2lJBEeUKTY&t=3m18s
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Mar 27, 2011 02:23
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XIII posted:My hipster ex-roommate liked longboarding, but was a total tool about it. He called skaters like me "flippy trick riders" and acted like longboarding was waaaaaaay superior somehow. He rode (mongo) a 55" Gravity deck that had the turning radius of a small yacht. He would commonly "board over to campus to play banjo on the quad for a few hours, bro." He was also a loving slob. gently caress, I'm glad he moved out (unannounced, without paying rent/bills for the month). I was skating around campus one weekend. Not really trying anything, just cruising around popping little ollies and whatnot when my long boarding friend and his buddy come riding by me. My friend is cool with all types of skating, he would watch me skate my rail or always talk about skating, whatever type. His friend however, was a jack rear end. First thing out of this kids mouth, not even "Hello" was "When are you gonna step up to the real thing?". I looked at my friend and just rolled my eyes and tried to be nice, but he kept insisting that long boarding was so much better. I was getting annoyed so I just told him Ill start once you can do a proper ollie on a longboard and rode away. My friend later apologized for his friend. bROW fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Mar 28, 2011 |
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Mar 28, 2011 19:35
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bROW posted:you can get do proper ollie on a longboard and rode away That guy was a grade a douche but this is just as stupid a thing to say.
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Mar 28, 2011 19:53
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Zigmidge posted:That guy was a grade a douche but this is just as stupid a thing to say. Yeah, I know it was a lame thing to say but he was pissing me off. If he is gonna be a douche to me then I'll be a douche to him. Edit: Fixed the terrible grammar for that sentence also. bROW fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Mar 28, 2011 |
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Mar 28, 2011 21:27
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The planets aligned yesterday and I had a nice day and an hour of free time, so I hit my favorite spot, which was teeming with 10-year-olds. I'm beyond rusty, so I was pretty much on the same level as these kids, and we ended up having a great time laying down grinds on some metal-edged stairs. They were shocked to find out I was 16 years their senior (and a teacher). I love the way skating bridges the generation gap.  And while I'm still feeling the good vibes, thanks to everyone in this thread for keeping me going through the winter. I love you guys. 
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Mar 29, 2011 01:54
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bROW posted:Yeah, I know it was a lame thing to say but he was pissing me off. If he is gonna be a douche to me then I'll be a douche to him. I just want everyone on 4 wheels to be more like Modal Auxilliary
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Mar 29, 2011 05:38
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Zigmidge posted:I just want everyone on 4 wheels to be more like Modal Auxilliary Treat others the way you want to be treated man. Back on topic... you goons know about https://www.hellaclips.com ? Josh Kalis and Colin McKay created a site that brings almost all the skate videos from different sites together. Been visiting daily since I heard about it. bROW fucked around with this message at 06:51 on Mar 29, 2011 |
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Mar 29, 2011 06:44
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Hurm. posted:My style of pushing is most like Jason Adams as I, too put my hand on my knee, like as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2lJBEeUKTY&t=3m18s bROW posted:Back on topic... you goons know about https://www.hellaclips.com ? Josh Kalis and Colin McKay created a site that brings almost all the skate videos from different sites together. Been visiting daily since I heard about it.
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Mar 29, 2011 16:39
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I'm so stoked I have to tell some people. I managed to get involved in a key holder's bowl project. It's a private bowl in a warehouse, I'll have a key and can go whenever! I can't believe it. They have been working on it about a month so far. Here are some pics:   
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Mar 30, 2011 15:16
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Holy shiiiit that's so loving loving cool
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Mar 30, 2011 15:56
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drat dude, that looks insane. So jealous of you.
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Mar 30, 2011 15:56
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Road report: Roads have been getting clearer and clearer in Montreal, skated some flat today with the crew. My three flips used to be the first trick I did with good consistency, but now it seems like I have to relearn how to do them proper again. On the plus side my kickflips used to be decent or rocketflips, now I can get them to suck up into my feet. Feels great to be on the board again, can't wait for this years road trip to Creemore Springs brewery and barn mini ramp.
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Mar 30, 2011 22:29
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UFOTofuTacoCat posted:I'm so stoked I have to tell some people. God drat!  I think I'm going to have to build myself a mini ramp this summer. I'm just worried about what the neighbours will say. We're getting sporadic rain/sunshine here so I have to grab skate opportunities when I can. Summer is inching closer though! I cannot wait.
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Mar 30, 2011 22:52
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Sirkus posted:Road report: Roads have been getting clearer and clearer in Montreal, skated some flat today with the crew. My three flips used to be the first trick I did with good consistency, but now it seems like I have to relearn how to do them proper again. On the plus side my kickflips used to be decent or rocketflips, now I can get them to suck up into my feet.
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Mar 30, 2011 22:52
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I'm really surprised how much I've retained from skating back in the back. I landed the fourth varial kick I tried (and most of the ones after). I can still consistently spin most every trick I used to be able to, but the landings are still hit or miss. Still haven't really had time to get out and skate much though, just been pushing around in the parking lot. I don't have classes on Fridays, so I think I'm going to start going to the local skatepark while it's empty (and all the drat 13yr olds aren't there landing tricks I can't even begin to attempt).
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Mar 30, 2011 23:27
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XIII posted:I'm really surprised how much I've retained from skating back in the back. I landed the fourth varial kick I tried (and most of the ones after). I can still consistently spin most every trick I used to be able to, but the landings are still hit or miss. Still haven't really had time to get out and skate much though, just been pushing around in the parking lot. I don't have classes on Fridays, so I think I'm going to start going to the local skatepark while it's empty (and all the drat 13yr olds aren't there landing tricks I can't even begin to attempt). If they're anything like me and my friends were when we were 13 they'll still be at the skatepark. VV I did yeah, snagged some pads so I don't destroy myself learning how to slide this summer. VV Mugmoor fucked around with this message at 06:33 on Mar 31, 2011 |
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Mar 31, 2011 04:43
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Mugmoor posted:If they're anything like me and my friends were when we were 13 they'll still be at the skatepark. Hey did you come stop by the swap meet? I snagged myself a nice set of 80$ yellow otangs for 40 and a bag of random bushings for 10! The place was crammed and we had an entertaining slide competition at the nearby 15% with a bunch of sponsored prizes afterwards.
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Mar 31, 2011 04:57
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Mincher posted:God drat! There's ways to make them quieter if you are willing to do extra work/spend money. I've seen video of this guy building a ramp where he put what looked like plastic backing on the underside of the transition 2x4's and then field that area with dirt between each 2x4 before putting the top layers on. I imagine that's pretty effective. You can also stuff some things in the back hollow part of the ramp under the transition like foam/bags of leaves/carpet. The coping can be filled with sand or cement to deaden it and not make it so clinky.
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Mar 31, 2011 18:12
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UFOTofuTacoCat posted:There's ways to make them quieter if you are willing to do extra work/spend money. I've seen video of this guy building a ramp where he put what looked like plastic backing on the underside of the transition 2x4's and then field that area with dirt between each 2x4 before putting the top layers on. I imagine that's pretty effective. Thanks! I'll look into all of those.
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Mar 31, 2011 18:25
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Mincher posted:Thanks! I'll look into all of those. I was going to build a mini before I was able to get access to the super sweet bowl posted above and had similar concerns. If you want some instruction or plans check this site out: http://www.diyskate.com/mini_03.html It doesn't go into minimizing noise though, it's just a how to and plans. edit: Masonite or I think they call it "press board" as a top layer is a lot quieter than a wood top layer. You'll have to make sure to water proof it as it will buckle and bubble like whoa when it gets wet. Also I find that a applying the sealant makes it less slick which is good because it's usually pretty slick. You could also use Skatelite stuff but it's pretty expensive, like 10-20 times more expensive than press board. UFOTacoMan fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Mar 31, 2011 |
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Mar 31, 2011 18:28
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UFOTofuTacoCat posted:There's ways to make them quieter if you are willing to do extra work/spend money. I've seen video of this guy building a ramp where he put what looked like plastic backing on the underside of the transition 2x4's and then field that area with dirt between each 2x4 before putting the top layers on. I imagine that's pretty effective. Also obviously fill the transitions with dirt/rolls of extra carpet/quick cement/hooker bodies. It's the same principle as making a soundproof room for band practice. Layer carpet and solids, fill empty spaces with hookers.
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Mar 31, 2011 20:51
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If you don't seal the masonite somehow it will wear out pretty fast, along with the water issues. At least that's been my experience with it.
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Mar 31, 2011 21:12
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So say I wanted to get into this ankle breaking, palm scraping sport. I'm 6'4", about 290lbs...would I just snap a board as soon as I step on?
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Apr 1, 2011 23:57
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JPrime posted:So say I wanted to get into this ankle breaking, palm scraping sport. I'm 6'4", about 290lbs...would I just snap a board as soon as I step on? You could ride around. If you want to learn to do tricks you might have a problem.
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Apr 2, 2011 08:33
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bROW posted:You could ride around. If you want to learn to do tricks you might have a problem. Because JPrime dude, 5'3" 90lb thirteen year olds snap boards when they don't land perfectly. You've got a significantly higher chance.
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Apr 2, 2011 13:52
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JPrime posted:So say I wanted to get into this ankle breaking, palm scraping sport. I'm 6'4", about 290lbs...would I just snap a board as soon as I step on? If you just wanna ride around look into a longboard. I'm 6'2"ish, 210lbs and I'm havin' a blast.
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Apr 2, 2011 19:23
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