Skateboard Hacks
Rescue your skateboard from the junkyard
and give it another season
We hope that you've grown as a skater, learned some new tricks, met some new friends in the park and of course tested your board's durability to the max. But even though you have been taken good care of your skateboard lately, there are probably a couple of things that may require replacement. In fact, with a small investment and a little time, you can get your skateboard into shape, so it can easily serve you for another year on the asphalt - even if you're an aggressive skater.
"When we reach this time of the skating season, we always see increased sales of spare parts
for skateboards. Typically, skaters may have worn out the most exposed parts or have come to the conclusion that they need a wheel, bearing or grip tape upgrade for the upcoming season," says skateboard-specialist at SkatePro, Gregor Harms.
SkatePro brings you a top three of parts that can easily be replaced and give the feeling and
look of a brand new skateboard.
1. WHEELS
A worn down set of wheels, is one of the things, that you don't want to be skating on for too long. The most annoying consequence is the reduced speed but the decreased grip on the surface will also take out some of the joy of the ride. But don't worry - this is a place where you can make a noticeable difference for your skateboard - even if you're on a budget. However, it's important to make a few considerations about what needs and requirements you have for your new wheels.
If you're a park skater and into grinding rail and jumping boxes, you might want a small and soft wheel that provides better maneuverability but less speed. These wheels will usually be around 50-53mm.
If you're looking for more speed, you should be looking for harder and bigger wheels. These wheels are optimized for skating on verts where you’ll need speed to go high up on the ramp. The size of these wheels will typically be between 54-59mm.
If a wheel gets bigger than 59mm, it will be more suitable for longboards and cruiserboards. Considering upgrading your wheels? Check out some different ones here.
2. Griptape
After a season with countless impacts, jumps, and slides, the strain on the griptape is insane.
That’s the reason why it's one of the parts that many choose to replace regularly. But don't worry - the griptape on a skateboard is probably the cheapest part to replace but at the same time the part with the biggest visual impact.
Some like to keep it simple with an all-black griptape, but if you want to make your skateboard shine, the possibilities for doing so are massive. What about a Joker inspired print, or maybe a Motörhead Faded Logo to make you and your skateboard stand out from the crowd? Open your mind and be inspired by this collection of different grip tape designs.
3. Bearings
It's quite clear when your bearings need to be cleaned or replaced. Reduced speed is a straight up indicator; and if it's already terrible, you'll experience an incredibly annoying creaking and crunching sound from the bearings.
In some cases, you can revive your bearings by giving them a good cleaning and some oil or grease. If you have neglected regular maintenance during the summer and maybe been in contact with water and sand, it might be necessary to replace the bearings. Bearings are produced in two different materials: Steel and ceramics.
Ceramic bearings are lighter and stronger due to the ceramic balls, which extends the lifetime of the bearing. The ceramic balls do not rust, and it will crush any sand that comes into contact with the bearing. Ceramic bearings are typically more expensive than steel bearings. If you want to try to clean your bearings, there is a guide for the process here, but if you choose the faster but slightly more expensive (and perhaps necessary) solution, you can see a selection of different bearings here.