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Cruiser Skateboard Guide - Selecting the Ideal Skateboard for Cruising
Here is our comprehensive guide to cruiser skateboards. Our goal is to equip you with all the essential information to make an informed choice when selecting a cruiser board, whether it's for yourself, your child, or a friend joining your cruiser escapades.
If you already know what you're after, feel free to jump directly to the section of greatest interest, or peruse our range of cruiser skateboards.
Overview
Overview
Defining a Cruiser Skateboard
Cruiser boards stand between a traditional (trick) skateboard and a longboard. Though any skateboard can be used for cruising, these boards are specifically made for a comfortable, convenient, and seamless cruising experience anywhere. This is their defining feature: they're not meant for extended distances, downhill racing, or intricate tricks at the skate park. Primarily, they are to cruise around.
Just like other skateboards, a cruiser's anatomy includes a deck, two trucks, and four wheels. The deck provides the area for your feet, and the trucks significantly influence your turning capabilities. The wheels, along with bearings (two per wheel), ensure the smoothest ride possible. While the components of a cruiser skateboard resemble those on a longboard or standard skateboard, their sizes and attributes are carefully selected to enhance cruising functionality.
Which Skateboards Excel in Cruising?
The finest cruiser skateboards glide effortlessly over varied terrains and surfaces. Furthermore, they should be nimble and swift, enabling easy navigation through sharp turns and quick avoidance of obstacles.
For optimal cruising, softer and larger wheels are favoured over the standard wheels usually found on a typical skateboard. While having kicks at both ends isn't necessary, a kick tail is crucial on your cruiser for rapid moves like kick turns or ollies.
An ideal cruiser is easily portable, letting you bring it on public transport or to school without much fuss. Cruisers are often chosen for commuting, so a great cruiser should naturally be a handy travel companion from point A to point B and remain practical once you arrive.
This is where cruiser boards truly excel: compared to other transport means, a cruiser board is compact, efficient, and largely hassle-free.
Discover the perfect cruiser for you, your child, or your partner in our collection:
Mini Cruiser Skateboards – Ready for On-the-Go Adventures
In recent years, mini cruiser boards have gained significant popularity. They are the smallest and most transportable member within the trio of wooden cruiser boards. Essentially a smaller rendition of a basic cruiser skateboard, mini cruisers offer enhanced convenience for use on the move. While they may not be as enjoyable for extended rides, they're perfect for quick cruising or just having fun in one's driveway. Remember that their narrower and shorter structures may not be as well-suited for individuals with larger feet compared to a standard cruiser.
Mini cruisers generally measure under 30 inches in length. Sometimes they incorporate a flat nose design, enabling trucks to be positioned further forward, thereby extending the wheelbase for better stability.
If you're keen to relish the unadulterated fun and practicality of a compact skateboard cruiser, mini cruisers offer diverse options for kids. You can also filter our adult cruiser board collection by size to find the smallest available.
Cruiser vs Longboard – Which Should You Choose?
When deciding between a longboard cruiser and a specific cruiser board, consider the following elements:
- Cruiser boards: Offer greater manoeuvrability and agility compared to longboard cruisers. They have a smaller turning radius due to the shorter wheelbase and are more portable.
- Longboard cruisers: Provide more stability and are easier to control than a regular cruiser setup. A longboard cruiser ensures a smoother ride on rough terrain during commutes and requires less pushing for extended distances.
The table below highlights the advantages and disadvantages of cruiser skateboards compared to longboards, helping you assess your personal needs and preferences:
| Aspect | Cruiser Skateboards | Longboards |
|---|---|---|
| Manoeuvrability | Higher manoeuvrability owing to the shorter wheelbase | Lower manoeuvrability due to the longer wheelbase |
| Agility | More agile | Less agile |
| Stability | Less stable | More stable |
| Portability | Highly portable, ideal for public transport | Less portable, occupies more space when stored |
| Terrain | Less suited for uneven terrain | Better adapted to rougher terrains |
| Distance Riding | Not ideal for long-distance travel | Perfect for covering long distances |
If longer skateboards capture your interest, navigate to our Longboard Buying Guide for more information:
Penny Board or Wooden Cruiser Skateboard?
Penny boards are categorised under cruiser skateboards. Their diminutive size makes them exceptionally easy to transport. Although they might not be the simplest or fastest boards to ride, their portability is unrivalled. Also, the absence of standard grip tape prevents the potential for scratches compared to traditional tape.
A distinct benefit of a plastic deck like those on Penny boards is that getting wet isn't as detrimental. Unlike wooden decks that soften and lose responsiveness when wet, a Penny retains its integrity despite moisture. Still, be mindful that nuts, bolts, and bearings might rust, and decks become slippery when wet, making wet weather use inadvisable. The genuine benefit is not having to fear a saturated sponge of a deck should the weather take a sudden drenching turn during cruising.
Typically, wooden cruiser skateboards are larger than Penny versions, providing ample footing space. This extra room makes balancing easier as you can spread your feet further apart.
While considering Penny boards against wooden cruiser boards, think about whether the ultimate portability of Penny boards outweighs the balance, cruising charm, and enjoyment of a larger classic cruiser deck. The decision lies with you!
Refer to the table below for the key pros and cons between wooden cruiser skateboards and plastic Penny boards:
| Aspect | Wooden Cruiser Skateboards | Plastic Penny Boards |
|---|---|---|
| Manoeuvrability | Simple to manoeuvre | Theoretically more manoeuvrable owing to its smaller size, but control is hard due to limited foot space |
| Stability | More stable | Less stable |
| Portability | Bigger than a Penny but still conveniently portable | Extremely portable, lightweight, and compact |
| Comfort and distance | Better comfort for extended rides | Less comfortable over long distances |
We offer a significant collection of plastic cruisers and Penny boards in vibrant colourways for you to explore:
Selecting Cruiser Skateboards for Newcomers and Children
Cruiser boards serve as a splendid choice for beginners. Unlike skateboards designed for tricks, they offer a more controlled and smooth ride across different surfaces, thanks to their softer and larger wheels. While not intended for technical mastery at the skatepark, mastering the basics of controlling and piloting a skateboard satisfies many newcomers. Essentially, a trick-centric skateboard might not be necessary for many beginners.
Cruiser Skateboards for Children
Mini cruisers make fantastic beginner boards for children. They provide an excellent foundation for learning to push, steer, and build confidence on a wheeled board.
Yet, for older children with longer legs, a mini cruiser's short length might pose challenges in control. In such cases, opt for a cruiser board around 30 inches or longer.
Cruiser Skateboards for Adults
Cruiser boards are superb for adults due to the expansive selection designed for casual commuting or leisurely rides. When selecting one, weigh the importance of smooth cruising against practical considerations to decide if you lean towards a larger or smaller board. Also, reflect on the suitability for tricks, and if keen on performing those, search for a board with a double kick.
Cruiser Skateboard Decks Explained
Decks of cruiser skateboards vary in dimension and design, but they share particular common traits. For instance, they tend to be directional. Some lack a nose, while others include one akin to a regular street skateboard. Cruiser decks are typically wider than standard ones, providing a solid cruising surface, though this may not favour flip tricks (which shouldn't prevent you from attempting a flip trick on your cruiser).
Old-School Skateboard Decks?
Cruiser skateboard decks are frequently known as old school skateboard decks due to their distinctive form, with the kicktail being significantly more prominent than the nose. This design certainly pays tribute to the traditional old school decks synonymous with skateboarding in the 1970s.
Nonetheless, contemporary cruiser skateboards often display a greater degree of refinement, featuring varying concave levels for a secure foot placement while skating. Many modern cruiser boards also include wheel wells, which help to minimise the risk of wheel bites and allow for a slightly lower setup than might otherwise be achieved.
A further modern enhancement in cruiser skateboard decks is the use of reinforced materials between the typical wooden plies. Some cruiser decks incorporate fibreglass or carbon layers, boosting both the strength and durability of the deck.
Wheels for Cruiser Skateboards
The top cruiser wheels will improve your cruising experience, focusing on achieving smooth rides across different surfaces. Unlike prioritising rapid acceleration, cruiser wheels are crafted to retain speed once it is reached.
Consider the following when selecting the best cruiser skateboard wheels:
Size of Cruiser Wheels
In choosing cruiser wheels, larger wheels should be considered for their stability and smoother rides across various terrains, although be aware that smaller wheels offer more agility, potentially causing more abrupt stops.
- Larger wheels: Greater stability and smoother rides, though less manoeuvrable.
- Smaller wheels: Increased agility, more affected by uneven terrains.
Hardness of Cruiser Wheels
When selecting the hardness of cruiser wheels, softer wheels can offer increased grip and better absorption of uneven surfaces, whereas harder wheels offer more speed on smoother terrains and allow easier sliding. Wheel hardness is gauged in durometer and for cruising, it is advisable to choose below 90A hardness.
- Softer wheels: Superior grip and effectively absorb surface roughness.
- Harder wheels: Faster on smooth terrains, facilitating easier sliding.
Shape of Cruiser Wheels
The shape of the wheel, which refers to the lip or sides’ cut, influences the contact patch – the wheel area that meets the riding surface.
- Sharp edges: Broader contact patch for a smooth and stable ride.
- Rounded or bevelled edges: Narrower contact patch, offering a more agile and dynamic wheel, enhancing slide potential.
Cruiser skateboard wheels come in a wide array of colours and designs, ranging from old school skateboard wheels to modern, gleaming wheels with LED lights integrated into the cores.
