Street skateboarding
To add variety and complexity to street skateboarding, obstacles such as handrails, stairs, walls, flower beds, bins, park benches, picnic tables, and other street furniture[1] may be traversed as single tricks or as part of a series of consecutive tricks called a "line."
[2] Instead of drained swimming pools and purpose-built skateparks, skateboarders began to use urban areas and public spaces.
For example, in the 1980s, Philadelphia's LOVE Park transformed from a place where businesspeople would eat their lunch into a well-known skateboarding spot.
[5] In street skateboarding, tricks can be attempted in a variety of stances (normal, fakie, switch, or nollie) and while travelling either frontside or backside.
Discussing techniques, studying video footage, and watching other skaters are important ways for skateboarders to learn tricks.
[6] Many advanced skateboarding tricks are extremely hard to pull off consistently, and in some instances, the skater risks serious injury in the event of a mistake.
The industry has since come full circle, with many grassroots companies founded in the 1990s now being sold to venture capitalist groups and enterprises.
Modern professional-grade skate shoes evolved, in part, due to the need for increased durability to resist constant abrasion.
Other innovations followed, such as designs meant to reduce the risk of heel bruises, increase "board feel," and further improve durability.
Some of the most prolific pro skateboard shoe designers include Eric Koston,[8][9] Daewon Song,[10] Kareem Campbell,[11][12] Chad Muska,[13] Andrew Reynolds,[14] Marc Johnson,[15] Geoff Rowley,[16] and Anthony Van Engelen.
[17] Each of them has several iconic "pro model" designs mass-produced and sold as part of endorsement contracts with various professional skate shoe manufacturers.
The wax helps reduce the friction between the surfaces of the two materials when tricks which involve grinding or sliding are attempted.
[20][21] Grip tape, cut to length from a roll at retail, is traditionally a black rubber sheet with an abrasive surface on one side and an adhesive (like a sticker) on the other.
Grip tape is installed by peeling the backing off the rubber strip and carefully placing the entire sheet onto the top of a skateboard deck.
Mass-produced, professional-grade skateboard decks are traditionally glued, multi-laminated, resin-covered, seven-ply pressed maple sandwiches cut and sanded to shape.
Some such decks become highly sought-after collectors' items, especially if the graphic is of cultural significance and/or was created by a prominent artist.
The maneuverability of the axle can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing tension via a large central nut and bolt called the "kingpin."
On the kingpin are positioned two rubber bushings used for compact movement and shock absorption, by sandwiching one above the axle and the other above the base plate.
Professional-grade trucks are commonly constructed using forged aluminum or magnesium around an iron or steel axle rod.
Rider preference for truck height selection is commonly low for street, mid for mixed park/street, and high for vert.
Competition-level street skateboarding events are held within purpose-built skatepark arenas or cordoned-off urban areas.
Modern street skateboarding competitions employ a format wherein each participant has two timed attempts or "runs" to attack the course and "shred" (perform a series of tricks as cleanly as possible).
Competition entrants who perform exceptionally well are traditionally vocally congratulated and encouraged by the crowd during and at the end of their run.
Some examples include: In March 2019, The United States announced members of their 2019 USA Skateboarding National Team.
The outcome of this type of meeting is often the formation of some sort of local skateboarding group or organization, along with a drive to fund and build a skate park.
