Sector 9's FAQs

1. What board should I get?

Well, there are all kinds of skateboards for all the different skateboarding styles. There are longboards for cruising and commuting and there are longboards for speed and racing. There are short boards for street tricks and skate park riding and there are boards for vert riding. There are also hybrids that give you a nice longboard ride with the functional nose and tail of a shortboard. Basically, there is a board for every style of riding and everything in between The trick is to find out what style of riding you want to do, then you can start to narrow it down from there. If you are a beginner, then going with a longboard is probably the best choice. A longer deck is more stable. It will allow you to have a more comfortable shoulder width stance. And the board will have bigger, softer wheels that will carry you speed a lot further and smooth out the ride. Once you experience the smooth, carving, flowing longboard ride you'll be hooked on skateboarding and will soon be adding to your quiver of boards.

What are your boards made of?

Well, most skateboards are made from maple veneers which have been glued and pressed together to form the decks. That's the simple answer. The complicated answer is that we use a wide variety of materials to make a wide verity of skateboards.

Where are your boards made?

Sector 9 Skateboards are hand made in San Diego, CA since 1993.

I'm a heavier or taller rider. Which board should I go with?

Well, if you are over say 225, you should definitely consider the strength of your boards as a priority. Some decks have more plies of wood and this makes then stronger. Others incorporate composite material into them. Fiberglass and carbon fiber add to the strength of a deck while keeping the deck light. For taller rider, you guys tend to have larger feet, so the width of your deck will be important. You will probably be happier on a wider deck that will accommodate your feet better. Look for something in the 9"-10" width range. Again, any board can be ridden by any person, it's finding the one that you feel comfortable on that is important.

How should I stand on a skateboard?

Upright would be the simplest answer. But just like everything else, it goes a bit deeper than that. First are you goofy foot or regular foot? This is defined by what foot you prefer to have as your front foot. Most people tend to favor one foot forward versus the other. Left foot forward is considered ''regular foot'' and right foot forward is considered goofy foot. As to which is the right way to stand will be a battle for the ages. And don't even start to get into the whole ''mongo'' thing.

Once you figured that out, then foot placement is probably the next step...anyhow, you will tend to stand with your front foot just behind the front truck and your back foot at about a shoulder width stance. When riding your front foot will be at about a 45 degree angle to the edge of the board. When you step off with your back foot to push, you'll transfer your weight to your front foot and it will probably pivot so that your toes will point more towards the nose of the board. Step off and give a push or two and step back on the board. There, you're cruising?and you're going faster and now there is a car in the driveway ahead of you. This leads us to our next question.

How do I stop?

If you skate, then you probably take this question for granted because you learned the hard way, but for a beginner, it is a very important topic. Standing on a skateboard and pushing of is a lot of fun, but it's not fun if you can't stop and you plow into a parked car. This makes stopping a very important skill to learn. The most common way to stop is by Foot Braking.

Foot braking is done by basically dragging your back foot on the ground to slow down and eventually stop. It sounds simple but it takes a little finesse to get it done properly. It's kind of like you are going to push off with your back foot, except this time you will be applying pressure to the sole of your shoe.

First step is to turn your toes towards the front of your board. Then transfer your weight to your front foot and step off with your back foot. You're going to be balancing on one foot while stepping off and it takes a little practice. Gently press the sole of your shoe against the ground. You will almost be in a ''skiing'' position with one foot on your board and one foot sliding along on the ground. Increase slowly increase the pressure and you'll start to slow down. Some people brace their braking leg/ankle along the edge of the deck to help stabilize the foot. Foot braking is actually a pretty stylie move. Throw in a tail tap once you stop and kick the board up into your hands and people will think your last name is Spicolli.

What kind of wheels should I ride?

It all depends on the terrain that you are skating. For a beginner, a softer wheel is more forgiving. It will give you a smooth, grippy ride and will handle rougher terrain smoother. If you're planning to go to skate parks and skate a bit more aggressively a harder urethane wheel will roll faster across the smooth skate park terrain. Eventually, it all comes down to personal preferences and the style of skating you will be doing. For commuting and free riding a bigger softer will give you a smooth ride that will carry its speed. A smaller harder wheel for more technical park and street style skating. Or, scrap all that, you can ride any hardness of wheel, any size in any condition to your liking. Have fun.

How do I clean my bearings?

The question should be should I clean my bearings. For the most part, the bearings in your board will be sealed skate bearings. This means you can not get in there to add more grease. Don't use anything like wd-40 as this will dry out the grease inside the bearing. They are pretty much single use items. The best thing you can do is properly care for your skateboard and replace your bearings when they show signs of wear.

How should I care for my skateboard.

This is the most important question. Treat your board like you love it! Give it what ever it needs. Treat her like a Goddess. Then, if need be, thrash it to pieces. Seriously though, there are a few simple things to keep your board rolling smooth for years. The most important thing is to keep it dry. Moisture and rust the bearings and get soaked up into the deck causing it to warp. Keep your board indoors when you're not riding it. Wipe it dry if you've been out sliding in the rain. Don't let it get away from you and fall into the lake. And please try to keep them from getting run over by vehicles and you and your best friend will have many a story to tell.

Written by Sector 9