What's the difference between a longboard and a cruiser?

Surprising someone with the very fact of skateboarding and longboarding is hardly possible these days. But these types of personal transport are clearly divided by purpose. And before buying them for yourself or as a gift to someone, you need to fully understand the differences of such a technique. What's the difference between a longboard and a cruiser?

Before analyzing the differences between a longboard and a cruiser, those who are not at all versed in the topic need to learn how to distinguish between a longboard and a skateboard. Outwardly, the skateboard looks like a not too long board. Its edges are folded up. To maintain maneuverability, medium-sized hard wheels and a narrowed suspension are used. The longboard looks more like a board used by surfers, the only difference is the addition of wheels. Distinguishing a regular longboard from a skateboard is thus not difficult. Much less noticeable to the uninitiated is the specificity of different types of longboards.

It is customary to highlight:

• freeride (suitable for almost any riding style, including high-speed races);
• carving (designed to quickly move along an arc, like surfing);
• speedboarding (allows you to quickly drive along a mountain road);
• boardwalking (optimized for making sharp maneuvers and dashes);
• powersliding (perfectly glides on the asphalt thanks to the rounded edges of the wheels);
• slalom (passes obstacles well);
• the cruise longboard itself (intended for driving within the city, in the park, equipped with comfortable soft wheels of large diameter).

This type of personal transport is very maneuverable. It is suitable for free skating almost anywhere. Even poor quality asphalt will not be an obstacle. It should be borne in mind that cruise longboards have two subtypes: elongated and extended "fishes" (with a wooden board) and medium-sized plastic-based models... Plastic boards no longer than 0.55-0.65 m.

They always have an upward curved tail (the so-called kick-tail), which allows for increased control of the board. In fact, there is not much difference between such a model and a skateboard. She can perform some of the maneuvers previously considered only available for the skateboard. Thanks to the narrow deck and suspension, you can easily get around road obstacles.

Wooden cruise longboards are more varied. To choose the right device among them, you need to consider both the width and the type of nose of the board. Decks wider than their plastic counterparts and wider wheels allow for increased cross-country ability.

At least 60% of all longboard models on the market are cruisers. Quite tiny "fish" are a dubious choice for beginners. They are quite maneuverable, however, mobility translates into less stability. It is much better to master the skill of skating using medium-length fish. The same models are advised to purchase for everyone who just wants to ride around the city without unnecessary frills.

But experienced athletes and especially downhill amateurs need to choose con-cave boards. They are distinguished by increased rigidity of the deck and pronounced bending in the transverse plane. A common sign of a con-cave is also a slight understatement of the deck in relation to the suspensions and a small allowable angle of rotation.

Freeride longboards are similar in appearance to downhill equipment. However, they are optimized for controlled skidding. This makes it possible to work out individual elements of the slide. Freestyle longboard always has a symmetrical shape. Its surface is "emery" (increased roughness). Kicktail is almost always present. Experts advise to always look closely at the wheels:

• the narrow, rounded shape is ideal for tricks;
• on wide propellers, you can comfortably ride around the city;
• beginner athletes should choose a soft wheel with enhanced grip.

Which is better - a skate, longboard or cruiser, see below.