Skateboard Wheel example essay topic

Skateboarding has rich history of innovation and is full of intriguing stories. Many of these stories are documented in this book in great detail. However, this essay will provide you with an overview of the last nine decades. The first type of skateboards were actually more like scooters. These contraptions, which date back to the early 1900's featured roller skate wheels attached to a two by four.

Often the wood had a milk crate nailed to it with handles sticking out for control. Over the next five decades kids changed the look of the scooter and took off the crate and started cruising on two by fours with steel wheels. Tens of thousands of rollerskate's were dismantled and joyfully hammered on to planks of wood. In the 1950's modifications were made to the trucks (the device that hold the wheels) and kids started to maneuver more easily. Towards the late 1950's, surfing became increasingly popular and people began to tie surfing together with cruising on a board.

By 1959, the first Roller Derby Skateboard was for sale. Clay wheels entered the picture and sidewalk surfing began to take root. By the time the 1960's roll around, skateboarding had gained an impressive following amongst the surf crowd. However, when Larry Stevenson, publisher of Surf Guide begins to promote skateboarding, things started to take off. Larry's company, Makaha designed the first professional boards in 1963 and a team was formed to promote the product. The first skateboard contest was held at the Pier Avenue Junior School in Hermosa, California in 1963.

In 1964, surf legend Hobie Alter teamed up with the Vita Pakt juice company to create Hobie Skateboards. While most skaters took to the street or sidewalk, some brave souls decide to ride empty swimming pools. By 1965, international contests, movies (Skater Dater), a magazine (The Quarterly Skateboarder) and cross country trips by teams of skateboarders elevated the sport to enormous heights. Over fifty million boards were sold within a three year period and then all of a sudden skateboarding died in the fall of 1965. The first crash of skateboarding came about due to inferior product, too much inventory and a public upset by reckless riding.

The manufacturers were so busy making product that little was done in the way of research and development. Although some companies developed better quality wheels, clay wheels were the cheapest to manufacturer. However, clay wheels did not grip the road well and skaters fell everywhere. Cities started to ban skateboards in response to health and safety concerns and after a few fatal accidents, skateboarding was drummed out of existence (for the time being at least! ).

Manufacturers like Vita Pakt and Makaha lost enormous amounts of money due to canceled orders for the Christmas season. Over the next eight years, skateboarding remained fairly underground, showing up only in areas like Santa Monica, California. During this period Larry Stevenson invented the kick tail and tried to resurrect skateboarding but he met with only a small amount of success. In 1970, a surfer by the name of Frank Nasworthy visited a friend at a plastics factory in Purcell ville, Virginia.

The factory made urethane wheels for Roller Sports, a chain of roller rinks. The urethane ensured roller skaters would have decent traction and Frank realized that the urethane wheels would fit on his Hobie Skateboard. He decided to develop a skateboard wheel made from urethane. As you would expect, the ride is magnificent compared to clay wheels. Frank promoted the product in the San Diego area and he initially met with a great deal of resistance. Over time however, the urethane wheel gained a following and word spread throughout California of these tremendous wheels.

By 1973, Frank Nasworthy's Cadillac Wheels launched skateboarding's's e cond boom. Truck manufacturers like Bennett and Tracker began making trucks specifically designed for skateboarding. Board manufacturers sprung up over night and suddenly, the industry was awash with new products and new ideas. In 1975, Road Rider came out with the first precision bearing wheel ending decades of loose ball bearings. Slalom, downhill and freestyle skateboarding are practised by millions of enthusiasts.

SkateBoarder Magazine is resurrected and is soon joined by other publications hoping to cash in on skateboarding's comeback. Bruce Logan, Russ Howell, Stacy Peralta, Tom Sims and Gregg Weaver are featured heavily in the magazines. The sport is on a roll once again.