Perform an Ollie

Steps:

1. First, place your back foot towards the end of the tail and your front foot right behind the front bolts.
2. Bend your knees. (try stationary first then try rolling at a medium speed)
3. Try to stay balanced over the center of your board, pop your tail on the ground as you jump up simultaneously.
4. Suck your legs up to your chest and the board will stick to your feet, if it's not sticking you're not doing it right!
5. Land on the bolts and roll over to your friend's house and show him how cool your ollies look.

Perform a Kickflip

Steps:

1. Get your ollies wired first! ( it's the basis for all street tricks )
2. Start rolling about medium speed, and bend your knees, like you're about to ollie.
3. Place your back foot on the end of the tail and your front foot behind the front bolts.
4. Pop a solid ollie, flick your front foot out to flip your board.
5. Suck your legs up, level out land and roll away smooth!

How to Assemble a Skateboard

What You'll Need:

• Skateboard Parts -
  • Deck
  • Sheet of Griptape
  • Set of Trucks
  • Wheels
  • Bearings
  • Hardware (nuts & bolts)
  • Risers (optional)
• Tools
  • Metal file
  • Safety knife or razor blade
  • Phillips screwdriver or allen wrench (depending on your hardware)
  • 3/8", ½", 9/16" nut drivers or a skate tool
  • Optional power drill
  • Optional bearing press

Applying Griptape:

This is the gritty sticker-backed material that helps your shoes grip the board while riding. This goes on your deck first , on the top of the board. It usually comes in full-length sheets and various colors and designs. A regular deck usually uses about 3 feet of griptape. Pull the backing off the grip tape sheet and place it on the top of your board. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, but make sure it goes over all edges of the board. You can also do one half at a time by pulling only half the backing off, placing it on the board, then pulling the rest of the backing off and pressing it on the other half. Whatever is easiest for you. Make sure the grip tape is stuck on good. If you notice air bubbles in the grip tape, you can pop them with the tip of the razor blade. Take your file and firmly file an outline of the board right onto the deck's edge. Do not file through the tape to the deck. This gives you a guideline to cut the excess off, and also makes it easy to cut. Take the safety knife, holding the blade 45 degrees to the edge, and come up from the bottom side of the grip. Cut along the line you just filed and trim the excess tape off. Be careful not to file and trim so deep that you cut into the board. Always use a new or sharp blade as this makes the job much easier.

Mounting Trucks:

Using your screwdriver or allen wrench, poke holes through the griptape where the holes for the trucks are on you board. Push the bolts though from the top of the board. Turn the board over and slide optional risers over the ends of the bolts and then the truck itself. Make sure the kingpins and bushings are facing each other towards the center of the deck. Secure the truck with locknuts. Using your screwdriver or allen wrench and a nut driver, skate tool, or power drill tighten the hardware until the flat head of the bolt is flush with the top of your deck.

Wheels:

If you don't have the option to use a bearing press to install your bearings you can use your truck as a bearing tool. There are two bearings and a spacer per wheel. Drop one of the bearings on the truck axle, followed by a spacer, and press the bearing into the wheel using the leverage between your hand and the truck. Make sure they are seated flush all the way. Do the same for the other bearing. Most quality trucks have two thin washers on each axle. These are mounted on the outside of the bearings. After the washers are in place and the wheel is installed, follow it all with a lock nut. Tighten it down firmly and then back the nut off until you get non-binding roll and the wheel is only slightly jiggley. Repeat this process for all of your wheels.

Minor Adjustments:

Adjust the truck kingpin nut (9/16") to control how the board turns. If you loosen the nut, this causes the trucks to turn more freely. If you tighten it they will turn less. Every rider has his or her own preference.

Cleaning Your Bearings

What you'll need:

• 1/2" wrench or socket
• Bearing Lubricant
• Paper Towels

1. Take the wheel off the trucks using your wrench or socket.
2. Remove the bearings by putting the last ¼ in. in the axle of the truck and pop the bearing out by pulling the wheel at a 45 degree angle.
3. Take a clean paper towel and wipe off all dirt and grease from the outside of the bearing.
4. Apply a thin coat of lubricant to both sides of the bearing.
5. Make sure the lubricant gets inside the bearing by spinning it in your hands.
6. Take another paper towel and wipe the dirt and grease that comes out after spinning the bearing for a while. The bearings should be clean and dry.
7. Repeat this process for all of your bearings being sure to change paper towels often.