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How to Skateboard on Bumpy Roads? – 3 Important Tips

Fact checked by Michael Derosier

how to skateboard on bumpy roads

Skating on smooth roads and skate parks is fun. But that ends when we find ourselves on roads with bumpy rocks and objects that make our rides shaky.

Often, some skaters will pick up their boards and walk until the trail is clear. But since you are here, allow me to teach you how to skateboard on bumpy roads. Eventually, you won’t have to stroll or stop skating in these non-skateboard-friendly places.

What to Prepare

It’s going to be a tough road, literally. But that does not mean we can’t move past it. Whether you plan to use an off road skateboard or not, it should have the following.

  • Soft and large wheels – If we check a skateboard wheel guide, we’ll find low-durometer and wide-diameter wheels suitable for this tutorial. This type of roller dodges trail debris well and is stable.
  • A deck with concavity – More often than not, a concave skateboard deck gives the skater’s feet a locked feeling because of its depth. In effect, skateboards with this build are more maneuverable in challenging spaces.

Skating on Rough Surfaces

skateboard-wheels-for-rough-roads

Suppose you already have the best skateboard for rough roads. It’s time to master skating on bumpy surfaces with these tips.

1. Slow down

Let’s say you’re coming off a smooth street and approaching a rough road. The first thing you should do is reduce your speed. There are many ways to do it. Consider the following:

  • Tail drag – This method could be challenging to perform on slippery surfaces. So, what happens here is you push the rear of the deck against the road. The drag will slow the board down, though don’t do so too often to avoid razor tails.
  • Foot drag – If the previous method has the deck’s tail dragging against the ground, this method will have your back foot as your brakes. So, upon approaching the rough surface, place your rear foot on the road.

The friction between your sneaker’s sole and the ground reduces your momentum gradually.

2. Manage your feet movement

If your feet control the skateboard when doing tricks, they can also let you maneuver on rough surfaces. Here’s how.

  • Switch front feet – Perhaps, more vibrations run up our legs when skating over bumpy surfaces, especially on the front. Consequently, our muscles have to endure them to keep us stable. So, to not tire out your legs, try to shift your pushing feet from time to time.
  • Do a manual – As you approach a crack, slightly put some pressure on the deck rear to lift your front wheel. You only have to do this for around one second, and the board will move past the fissure easily.
  • Important note: Use only your front foot when moving straight on a bumpy surface. The rest of the movements, including turns and runs over exceptionally rough spaces, are the back foot’s load.

3. Stay balanced

Balance is everything when skateboarding, whether on rough pavements, ramps, or streets. So, here’s how to maintain your steadiness on bumpy trails.

  • Keep your core low – In many longboard or cruiser skateboard tutorials, most of them will ask you to bend your legs. And this tip doesn’t come without a purpose. Lowering your body can help you manage your weight better and get off bumps as smoothly as possible.
  • Control your speed – You don’t want to stop the skateboard on the road because of debris completely. Similarly, you never want to see yourself falling off the board for having too much velocity.

So, besides balancing on the skateboard, we also have to manage our momentum. We should keep the board fast enough to go over the surface but slow enough to keep us stable.

Is It Bad to Skateboard on Rough Ground?

bumpy-rocks

No, not necessarily, unless you are into speeding up. Rough roads are antagonists against most skateboards and even a roller skate on sidewalks.

While these surfaces cause instability, knowing how to balance yourself and wearing protective gear will mitigate most risks.

How to Stay Safe While Riding on Rough Roads?

Besides the methods we discussed above, here are a few more Reddit tips we can apply for added safety.

  • Keep your speed at 8 to 10mph.
  • Never do tight turns on rough roads.
  • Keep track of potholes and other vehicles.
  • Use large bushings.

Frequently Asked Questions

skateboard-for-rough-roads

How do you ride over bumps on a skateboard?

Skating towards a road bump? Here’s how to dodge it.

  • Approach the bump perpendicularly.
  • Upon nearing the obstacle, bend your knees to absorb the impact.
  • Get off the bumpy spot while keeping your body balanced.

What skateboard wheels are best for rough roads?

As mentioned, the right skateboard wheels for rough roads are the soft and large ones. Specifically, these wheels should have hardness levels of around 77a to 85a.

But note that when using large wheels, you might need truck spacers to create more space between the bottom of the deck and the urethane rollers.

Is it OK to skateboard on asphalt?

Absolutely, asphalt pavements are only one of the few surfaces we can consider rough. If you plan to ride these surfaces, remember the tips above for better skateboarding on asphalt.

Conclusion

As skateboarders, we want nothing but seamless yet challenging rides. And these aren’t impossible if we know how to maneuver our boards in various skating spots.

By learning how to skateboard on bumpy roads, we also learn to slow down, balance, and skate more safely.

Thus, keep the tips we have shared with you. You can overcome cracks, debris, and rough skating trails with no worries.

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