Getting into skateboarding at 45

As my mid life crisis gathers pace I’ve decided it’s time I learnt to olie

I used to mess around a bit as a kid and I’ve dug out my 20 year old skateboard to mess around on at the mini bowl while me & my kids wait for my daughters dance class on Saturday mornings

But I definitely need a new skateboard, what width should i go for any hints and tips, enjoi boards any good?

Cheers

I could write some stuff but you might be better reading something like: https://autonomyskateboards.com/pages/board-size-finder

Enjoi are great.

Good luck!

Isn’t there already a thread for this?

So what stupid thing have you done today?

if you think mtb’ing is good for injuries…

@hallofmeat • Instagram photos and videos

Ankles are overrated anyway

Ankles, wrists and possibly head and knees will not put up with the same level of abuse they used to plus you won’t bounce.

I find I still bounce at 51 but there is usually a crack or snap and lots of pain that quickly follows.

8 inches that looks nice, dont skimp on bearings and wear your pads. And helmet if riding any ramp or curb over 6 inches high.

Mini logo complete 8″. Nothing else comes close. the trucks really are WAY better than anything else for comparable money. Properly good trucks until you get to independant/ace, but there a different kind of cost.

Also, padding. Lots of padding. Hips, knees, elbows, ankles, wrists, Melon.

Most boards nowadays tend to be much of similarity. Decent trucks and bearings i found to be the most important factor, then find a deck you like the picture on. If your mainly going to be messing in a bowl, a wider deck is probably the way forward

I still skate at 45 and have done on and off since I was a teen.

Contrary to the comments above i’d buy a wider board. I ride 8.5 to 8.75. At 45 your not likely to be learning anything overly technical and you’ll appreciate the stability of a wider board.
I’ve never ridden completes but mini-logo would be ok.

Brands of decks that I like are Polar, Welcome and Creature.
For wheels, Spitfire every time
For trucks which aren’t mad money, Venture are decent. Mini-logo bearings are cheap and decent.

I got an Arbor axis 37 on the weekend. Nice board for cruising along on. Not at all what you asked for, but recommend it as n+1.

My other board is an 8.75 Polar, with 58mm spitfire wheels and royal Alvarez trucks.

Arbor do some “hybrid” boards. See the pilsner and axel serrat pro boards. Could be worth a look at.

Depending on what you’re hoping to do, I’d go with FutureBoy’s advice.
I’ve recently gone for 9″ wide in more of a pool shape and found it’s better for stability and foot placement on transitions/bowls etc. Previous skinnier board was better for ollies though.

Couldn’t stop watching hallofmeat! Guy loses all his teeth!

There must be a mash article for this scenario?

Previous skinnier board was better for ollies though

Board width has little effect on the ability to ollie. I learned on a 9.9″ board. The stability of a wide board makes it easier. Kickflips and shove its etc. get more difficult with a wider board.

Also, its ollie.

8″ is good for flips but not so much for cruising. 8.5 Is a nice all round. I like a pool bomber as much as a lollipop.

Wheels are the most important aspect though, get the right size and hardness for your desired use.

Oh, and when you buy trucks, expect to swap the bushings straight away… They’re not designed to hold the weight of a 45 yo dad bod.

I’m exactly the same but with BMX.
Bought one two years ago rode once a week before first lockdown.
Drive past asylum skatepark every day as well.

I’ve done something similar OP. With my small kids at the skatepark, the choice is either join in, or stand there scrolling your phone (going by the other parents – I’m still new to this).

Learning to ollie sounds like a good objective, but I quite like riding around the ramps and pool generally. I ended up adding a surfskate to my small collection a little while ago – as long as you aren’t looking for lots of tricks, surfskates seem a very accessible way of enjoying that stuff for less experienced skaters. And yeah, pads!

There must be a mash article for this scenario?

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/lifestyle/helmet-wont-protect-middle-aged-skateboarder-from-shame-20180727175727

or more positively…
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/07/skateboarding-in-middle-age-it-helps-me-switch-off

I’m similar tbh. Kids like mucking around at the skatepark. I get bored. What’s the least embarrassing option? A small dirt jump bike?

Oh, and when you buy trucks, expect to swap the bushings straight away… They’re not designed to hold the weight of a 45 yo dad bod.

😀

I’m similar tbh. Kids like mucking around at the skatepark. I get bored. What’s the least embarrassing option? A small dirt jump bike?

Could be ok, I will say though that a dirt jumper is harder to use I’m a skatepark than a bmx because the transitions are usually quite small (I am talking council skateparks)

Decent wheels are a must, Ricta were always one of the best for speed and grip.

Given that you are 45 I’m gonna assume you have a tiny bit of disposable income to spend……

Don’t buy a pre made complete, build one up. Ideally go to your local skate shop ( they will probably be stoked to help you set up a board – skating is far less judgemental than it was 20 years ago )

Popsicle decks are all fairly similar, width counts but wheelbase does too. Personally I would suggest something 8.75 ish. Wheelbase of 14.5 is a good medium staring point. That kinda size gives you a bit of real estate for sketchy landings.

Trucks wise it’s a bit personal preference so just buy some! Mini logo are a good budget choice, film are good and cheaper than the “ big 4 “ brands.

Indy, ace, thunder & venture all feel different but you may not notice to start with anyway.

Hardware ( truck bolts ) just buy the cheapest and for bearings, mini logo are excellent value

Wheels wise, spitfire F4 are the industry leader but OJ, bones or slime balls are all good too and a little cheaper. 54mm and 99a ( or 97a maybe ) are a good starting point.

Wear pads, join middle aged shred on Facebook and check out some old man skateboarding tags on Instagram.

Also, wax a curb near your house, it’s hella funa and you don’t even need to be able to Ollie!……

F@@@@in love skateboarding……

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZfB3WSpGYl/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbR-j44sPJK/

My cousin (late 40s) thought he’d show his daughter’s boyfriend how to skateboard as he did a fair bit of riding in his teens. Cue a trip to hospital and a broken hip!

Not skateboarding as I was useless as a teen and probably still useless now at 36.
Have started ice skating and in-line skating again.
Protection protection. Wrist guards, elbow, knee pads and helmet are a must.
Roads aren’t forgiving and neither are skate parks.
Missus has already fractured her Scaphoid back in October from a simple trip on her quads at a indoor rink.
She carried on skating though even with the pot on 😆

Well Ben’s comments about my dadbod aside…

I’ve ordered an enjoi deck with trucks and wheels from route1

Went for 8.25 after bouncing on some in decathlon, even 8.25 seemed wide compared to my current one

I’m excited now, cheers for all the tips

Surfskate is a lot more fun. We have a dozen boards, but none are as much fun as the surfskate (and the ripstik).

Order some wrist guards too. Probably a gumshield to go with it!

For a beginner, I’d fit the biggest wheels you can get your hands on.
They may be slower to get going (bonus!), but your less likely to stop suddenly when you run over a pebble.

To fit really big wheels, you’re probably looking at something like the Landyachtz ‘drop-cat’.

i have little to add to this, other than go for it and enjoy.

I had a skateboard period in my late teens, before i moved to BMX.

I loved the skate culture of back in the day and the things people can do on a board is insane.

Alien Workshop were my go to back in the day…. not sure if they still exist?!

Yes, Alien Workshop are still going, based in Ohio, sold back to the something like the original owners I think.

Surfskate is a lot more fun.

What’s that then? I did watch a video quickly and it looked like a cruiser board with insanely loose trucks, but I suspect there’s slightly more going on.

Alien Workshop were my go to back in the day

As a mid-90s skater, the Alien Workshop Spectrum is definitely on my top five list of best deck art of all time:

I’m now pondering what else would be on there. Toy Machine ‘Fists’, anything by Hook Ups, will have to think harder about the others.

@finbar, surely the blind skull deck arts have to be up there among some of the best

What’s that then? 

Surfskate seems to have two answers:

1. The surf purist. Uses a surfskate as a surfboard simulator on ‘flat days’ to work on ‘good form’, which to be fair was the initial concept. The fully swivelling front truck allows for much tighter carves, maneuverability and pumping for speed. Lots of arm waving from this crowd, maybe fits in more in stylish sunny locations than a grey UK skatepark.

2. The non-surfer, likes skateboards and probably comes from longboards, cruisers or pool skateboards out of curiosity. Drawn in by the ease of riding ramps and bowls (once you get over the thought of dropping in on a wobbly front truck…) and especially the ridiculous way you can pump them around without having to push with your foot, which on fairness is pretty fun. If you want to start small in bowls and mini ramps and don’t want to do the usual learning dropping in, rock-to-fakie, rock and roll, bigger kickturns etc, surfskates can let you do some of that at lower speed, lower commitment and lower risk. But you won’t be kickflipping.

I think both approaches are valid, although it seems people do row about them on YouTube 🙂 I think I look a bit odd sometimes on the surfskate in a local park, but the problem is that it is proper fun to ride, so…it’s staying.

Sounds like I want a go on one!

We were all over 45 when we made this…. we had previous though

Surfskates and castor boards (Ripstik) allow forward propulsion by basically carving, none of that serious, wrist-breaking, tooth loosening, stuff in a bowl, just fun to ride. Surfskates are for those who can’t ride Ripstiks but still want to carve 😉

I taught my son’s to ride a Ripstik after I mastered them myself, aged 45. Scary fast downhill but great fun.

All built up and ready to injure myself tomorrow morning

My eldest now wants a new skateboard, those Element Star wars ones are epic!