st_lupo Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Tonight I've found out I've got a problem that is so heinous I think it needs its own thread. I'm feeling better turning on a long board now and am even trying to practice riding switch, but it is painfully obvious that I've got one monstrous gaping hole in my beginner longboarding skill-set: stopping. More particularly stopping at anything over running speed. I've seen videos and read posts and from what I get there are a few stopping techniques with different areas of application: The lawnmower: steering into somebody's (preferably grass) yard. This seems to work great if it's an option. Curbs complicate things. The Usain Bolt: stopping the board by kicking backwards on it while hopping off and running like all hell to try to keep from doing a chin-slide on the pavement The footdrag (aka the $50 a month): trading millimeters of your shoe's sole for prolonged life expectancy The I've only seen this on youtube: skidding the entire board to stop while penduluming around and looking absolutely sick. The lawnmower I can do pretty reliably, problem is that I usually find myself packing on more speed in an area where the curbs begin. The Usain Bolt I can do as long as I'm still skating at a fast running speed (damn you physics). I can even do the footdrag, but only at speeds that are less than running. I tried a footdrag to slow down from a pretty fast clip tonight and I think I almost tore open my groin as my "stopping" foot shot backwards while my riding foot continued on with the skateboard for a few feet. Any tips on how to set my balance/stance to increase my luck at successfully footdragging at higher speeds? Any other (noob compatible) ways of stopping from higher speeds, (something that minimizes blood loss)? I guess it boils down to: what is a bomb-proof way to stop/slow the board at all speeds and in any condition, and can you give any tips on how to learn that technique? If the footdrag is the best choice does anybody have tips on how to do that successfully at high speed? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 There's no way for one technique in all conditions. Foot drag only works to a certain speed. Sliding is cool at higher speeds but you need more lateral room. Try searching vids for "Coleman slide", there's some instructional ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 You omitted the most common technique among new skaters: The Cheese Grater whereupon the skater falls onto the asphalt/concrete/tarmac, allowing friction to work its magic. A particularly graphic experience of the first law of thermodynamics as kinetic energy is transformed into searing, throbbing pain that last for several days, and also pus.I think Mr. Gendzwill is right on both points. I footdrag mostly as a preventive measure, but also to scrub speed when I've got more than I'd like. I try to even the pressure on the ball and heel of my foot. As you get used to it, footdragging becomes more effective. I'd strongly urge you to switch to shoes with gum soles like old school Vans. The soles seem to wear way longer than the Nike/Puma/Adidas shoes I've used with more traditional athletic soles. On the other hand, sliding or drifting is about the only way to safely slow/stop, especially at higher speeds. The education can have a high tuition in skin and pain, but it's about the most valuable skating skill one can develop. Until you're proficient sliding in emergencies (and I'm no, yet), it's probably best to practice speed control. Those InHeats you have are not the best wheel for learning to slide. By the way, my neighbor was struggling with this same issue. However, he had the revelation that, since the deck had cutouts for the wheels, he could simply footdrag on the wheel to stop the board. I'm both happy and sad to report that the technique was more effective than he imagined, stopping him and the board immediately. Do not try this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted June 3, 2015 Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 Hee. Stepping on your wheel is a fast ticket on the Road Rash Express. And yeah, the InHeats aren't exactly built to slide, you want harder preferably with a rounded lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted June 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 By the way, my neighbor was struggling with this same issue. However, he had the revelation that, since the deck had cutouts for the wheels, he could simply footdrag on the wheel to stop the board. I'm both happy and sad to report that the technique was more effective than he imagined, stopping him and the board immediately. Do not try this. Hee. Stepping on your wheel is a fast ticket on the Road Rash Express. And yeah, the InHeats aren't exactly built to slide, you want harder preferably with a rounded lip. I've done something similar when pushing the board uphill and kicking into the back wheel, I call that one the schmuck smack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted June 3, 2015 Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 Finally, an advantage to living in the prairies! I just wait until I'm going slower. ;) I kid, I'm really terrible at slowing down and just step off if I'm approaching my top running speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 You need to master both foot brake and sliding brake to ride safe. For slalom and LDP speeds foot brake will do. For any sort of downhill you'll need the slide as well. Forget about pendulum stand up slide for now. Go for the low slide with hand on the ground, other hand grabbing the board. That keeps everything low and compact, board secured. Your gloves need sliding pucks made of cutting board or the factory made ones. Also master the falling technique where you end up on knees and palms of the hands to safely slide into the stop without road rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Go for the low slide with hand on the ground, other hand grabbing the board. I think there are some who might advise against grabbing the board on a frontside slide. That's how I learned it years ago, but it does have the potential for setting you up for a nasty high side launch. Not grabbing the board allows you to unweight it a bit more to release the wheel grip and, if you have decent grip tape, you shouldn't detach from the board. For me, it's a hard habit to break... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted June 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 I think I've found a way to stop that even I can do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 I get it, this is like one of those Highlights for Children Magazine "How Many Things Are Wrong With This Picture" games, right? I'll start: No helmet. Seriously, there's a really nice relationship between how wide my eyes got and the clocktime of this video...good stuff. Unless you're the dude on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Thank god it was the ditch and not oncoming traffic that stopped that idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Oh and take the note of the speed wobbles he gets in that video. When that happens (and it will) you need to suck in by dropping the weight lower, or throw in a quick slide. Attempts to compensate with feet lead to even more wobbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 What I love about that video is the slow-building inevitability of the climax. It's like the Bolero of skateboarding vids. However, if you like your speed wobbles surprising, puckerific and catastrophic, try this on for size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafcadio Posted June 7, 2015 Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 There's no way for one technique in all conditions. Foot drag only works to a certain speed. Sliding is cool at higher speeds but you need more lateral room. Try searching vids for "Coleman slide", there's some instructional ones. I found this video tutorial for the Coleman Slide by Cliff Coleman to be useful. The video quality is poor, but he does a great job of breaking down so that it's easier to learn: https://youtu.be/qcQpcvkylGs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaSurfer Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 A front side slide is the way to go. I learned it on a mountain board sliding through the grass. The key is dropping down LOW. Like anything, go slow at first. I've taught several people how to do it (again on a mountain board rather than a longboard). Most folks pick it up pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 No one has mentioned that not all wheel will slide, my Gumballs won't. There is a reason why skate shoes are flat on the bottom, just step and drag very slightly. If you put too much weigh on the dragging foot it will stop and the foot on the board will keep going. When I did this I was glad that I'd learned to roll by watching Captain Kirk fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkaholic Posted February 15, 2018 Report Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) FAR from good but I have about a year on a board now and don't ride that often but some things I have learned from some of the best CO has to offer... - more weight on the front truck so you aren't steering with the rear (less speed wobbles) - footbraking is essential at all levels of ability - heel and toe side slides are essential to higher speeds - most folks around here use a sole like the ridersfly.com which is glued to your sole then trimmed - when it wears too low peel and replace instead of buying new shoes - pad up and as BlueB said, slide glove are a MUST - ride with people who know more than you to learn - videos help a ton too I was using Seismic Tantrum freeride wheels and wasn't consistent learning slides so I tried my sons very slick Free Quincy wheels. This allowed me to slide easily and get the positioning and feel for it much quicker. I then switched back to the Tantrums and don't have a problem sliding with either hand down. I now am riding Cult Cerebrums which have a little more grip than the Tantrums but still a freeride wheel. Rare for me to do standies at this point but once in a while I do attempt them. I also learned on a bit of a steeper hill that would get me up to speed quickly and allow me to slide just after starting downhill (within my speed comfort), then regain speed again and slide again about 4 times on this hill. I can now run it with only 1 slide and not be too uncomfortable. Time to start going further up the hill I guess. This is incredibly fun and challenging and drives me a lot to get better but my mind doesn't want me to go too fast yet. I try to push my comfort level up a notch each time I ride but It is slow coming and that is fine with me, I'm in no rush. Hope this helps get you slowed a bit quicker. Ink Also a shorter wheelbase will help get the slide going a bit easier. Edited February 17, 2018 by inkaholic Just thought of another thing that may help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NumerologicalAssRadness Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 (edited) On 2/14/2018 at 3:45 PM, Keenan said: No one has mentioned that not all wheel will slide, my Gumballs won't. There is a reason why skate shoes are flat on the bottom, just step and drag very slightly. If you put too much weigh on the dragging foot it will stop and the foot on the board will keep going. When I did this I was glad that I'd learned to roll by watching Captain Kirk fight. I brought a set of gumballs down under 60mm when I was 15 until they became too squared and uneven to be fun to ride. They're not the best wheels for going sideways but they can. You just need to break them in by going fast and carving them hard, and then going fast when you slide (which does take a lot of commitment). I find that the best longboard wheels to powerslide are Cult classics. They melt like butter and are super cheap. There's a guy who used to come to races in Québec that got hit by a pickup truck that went out of his lane in an hairpin turn a few years ago, it killed him and that's a sucky thing, stay safe out there. Edited April 4, 2018 by NumerologicalAssRadness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 (edited) So, I’m skating again after about a decade hiatus. Colemans are easier than the foot drag assuming you have sorta hard wheels. That said, I did one earlier this week and let’s just say my days of sliding are over with........ that leaves foot drags never found them effective at speeds any faster than I could jump off anyway. Being stuck in intermediate skater hell is worse than intermediate snowboard hell. Edited June 4, 2018 by bobdea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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