SKATE DICTIONARY



UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Skateboarding is not just the coolest sport on Earth,
it is also a world full of complicated terms, and weird trick names.
What is a switch b/s smith grind? And what does melancholy mean?
This page is to make your life a bit easier.


0 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z




180
Pronounced 'one-eighty'. One Hundred and eighty degrees. Measure of rotation. Used to describe skateboarding tricks eg. b/s 180 kickflip, 180 ollie etc.

360
Pronounced 'three-sixty'. Three hundred and sixty degrees. Measure of rotation. Used to describe skateboarding tricks eg. 360flip, 360 ollie etc.

411
Video magazine for skateboarders. Usually released every 2 months.

5-0
Pronounced 'five-oh'. Type of grind. Grinding with the axle of the rear truck on the edge of the object.

50-50
Pronounced 'fifty-fifty'. Type of grind. Grinding with the axles of both trucks on the edge of the object.

A
A measurement for the hardness of skateboard wheels eg. 95A.

ACIDDROP
Skating off the end of an object with ollieing or touching the board with your hands.

AIR
The name given to the trick of the skateboard and skater when they leave the ground/ramp without ollieing.

AXLE
The metal rod running through the hanger on which both ends you screw on your wheels. Through time they may be known to 'slip'. This causes one wheel to be tight and the other loose. Taping on the tight side will knock the axle back into place.

BACKSIDE - b/s
Originated from surfing, the direction in which you turn if you are travelling up a wave and turn so as your back faces the wave. Used to describe your direction of rotation in skating. The opposite of 'frontside'.

BANK
An elevated surface. A common urban form of ramp.

BASEPLATE
The flat part of the truck that fixes to the board via four drilled holes for truck bolts. Also has an area to attach a pivot cup and kingpin, ready to attach the rest of the truck.

BEARING
The part of the board that bears the friction of movement. There should be two contained within each wheel.

BIGBROTHER
A skateboard magazine hailing from CA. Produced by Steve Rocco. With regular pictures of naked things and articles on such things as 'how to commit suicide' it continues to offend certain people (mainly parents).

BIGSPIN
A 360 degree shoveit while turning your body 180 degrees in a backside direction.

BLUNT
Going up over an object and landing with the tail along the edge of the object and the rear two wheels on top of the object. The board should then be pointing in a near vertical position.

BONED
Pushing the board out in front and pointing downwards. Performed in mid-air.

BONELESS
Take the front foot off the board and grab the board with your hand. With you back foot still on the board jump up. Then place your front foot back on the board and remove your hand before landing.

BUSHING
Donut shaped rubber components found on trucks. Slotted onto the kingpin. Provide steering and act as shock absorbants. Can be bought in a range of colours and hardness's. Two are needed per truck, the one thats slightly cone shape fitting furtherest up the kingpin.

CASPER
With the board upside down, place the front foot underneath the board and backfoot on the tail, pointing the board into the sky.

COMP
Short for competition.

CONCAVE
The contour given to decks. The concave will dip down from the left to right and is usually more or less symmetrical. Provides strength to the board and aids the skater when performing tricks.

COPING
Metal piping running along the top edge of ramps. Provides a longer life to the ramp plus aids to the range of skateboarding tricks eg. providing a grindable edge.

CURB
What coping is to ramps, is what curbs are to streets. One of the most used and abused objects on the street for skating. Painted curbs provide a smooth grindable edge, though most can be made this way by applying common candle wax.

DECK
Main platform area of a skateboard.

DISASTER
Placing the rear wheels on top of an object with the bottom of the board on the edge. The front two wheels are therefore hanging off the object.

DOWNHILL
Skating as fast as you can down the steepest of hills for the greatest of adrenaline rushes. Has also developed into a seperate area of skateboarding with special boards and techniques.

DROPIN
As the name suggests. Place your tail on the platform of a ramp with your wheels hanging over the edge ready to drop into the ramp. With your weight on the tail, gradually move you weight forward till you end up riding down the ramp.

EMB
Embarcadero, SF, America. Once the greatest urban mecca for skateboarding. Nowadays you'll more likely end up with a fine than a good days skate.

FAKIE
Travelling backwards.

FEEBLEGRIND
Grinding with the rear truck while the front truck goes over the top of the edge of the object. Hence the board will be at a slight angle to the direction of movement.

FRONTSIDE - f/s
Originated from surfing, the direction in which you turn if you are travelling up a wave and turn so that your chest faces the wave. Used to describe your direction of rotation in skating. The opposite of 'backside'.

FUNBOX
Usually the highlight of a street course. A platform object with banked sides and possibly a handrail.

GOOFY
You skate goofy if you skate with your right foot forward. The opposite of regular.

GRAB
Using your hand to 'grab' onto your board.

GRAPHICS
The art work on the bottom of a deck. It helps in telling one deck from another and usually incoporates the signature of the pro skater it is modelled for.

GRIND
Moving along the edge or on top of an object with the axles of both trucks, Variations include 50-50, 5-0, Nose, K-Grind, Smith, Feeble etc.

GRIPTAPE
A sticky back sandpaper material. Usually black but can be bought in a range of colours, and also with graphics. It is used to cover the top of the deck to enable friction and better grip.

HEELFLIP
To flip the board with your heel. Variations include b/s 180 heelflip, varial heelflip etc.