The Origins of Skateboarding, “Sidewalk-Surfing”: The heart of skateboarding began in California in the 1950s when surfers became inspired to find a way to ride a wave on land. The first skateboard company to release an official skateboard was Roller Derby in 1959 which came with metal wheels and changed the world forever. Soon after, teenagers began dismantling old roller-skates and crudely attaching the metal or caulk wheels to wooden boards in the shape of surfboards and began “Sidewalk-Surfing” for the first time.
The Invention of Trucks: In the 1960’s other companies such as Makaha, Hobie and Jacks would all enter the skating industry, each creating their own version of boards. With technical innovations in truck design, they improved the overall function and control of the board allowing the front and back wheels to pivot, giving skaters the freedom of turning their boards in the direction they wanted to go.
Urethane Wheels: The next big break was in 1973 when Frank Nasworthy invented urethane wheels, also known as, “Cadillac Wheels”. For the first time Skateboards wheels were faster, smoother, quieter and would grip the pavement allowing for sharper turning and technical tricks that had never been seen before. It changed the sport of skateboarding forever!
Years Following: Skateboards were fundamentally designed to perform acrobatic tricks and aerial maneuvers, only possible to accomplish with the trucks cranked tight. Skateboarding became recognized as a more aggressive type of sport and became popular in skate parks throughout the world.
Enter Surf-Style Skateboards: Subsequently, surfers were looking for a more relaxed surf style ride that would simulate the feeling of surfing a wave on the road. They wanted a board they could easily carve and pump that was stable and fun to ride. In 1995 their prayers were answered, and the first surf-style skateboards were introduced into the skateboard world.
Enter SolRide: SolRide has captured the feel and function of surfing a wave on the road. Our new front truck technology with a standard rear truck provides tremendous stability in the arc of your turn, transitions, and landings. To accomplish this, we designed a truck that utilizes a urethane-rubber torsion bushing and bearing system that allows the front axle to turn in a fixed pendulum motion providing higher performance, lower profile and a smooth faster turning ride than any other surf-skate competitors on the market!
