@Templeton & @Drew

You can ollie a longboard. I've seen even 44-46" boards ollied up a curb. It's not easy right off the bat, but people could get a shorter board and do it more easily. I have a 38" longboard, and while it doesn't have fins (drop-thru trucks) if it did, most people could learn to ollie it realitively quickly. If you interested, or need further convincing, silverfishlongboarding.com has a lot of crazy talented riders, ask anyone on there.

I agree with Templeton. Real skateboards, or "trick" boards if you want to call them that are much more ideal for the urban environment. Most of the people I see riding long boards around school get in everyone's way and often slam when trying to force up a big curb, whereas I can easily ollie up and continue on my way. As for long boards being a sleek update to some outdated "trick" phase of the 80s and 90s you couldn't be more wrong. Street skating is more popular than ever and is rapidly progressing technically. While cruising on a long board may be fun, nothing brings you closer to the possibilities given in a multifaceted urban environment than a true street skateboard.

I never understood the argument for longboards. A real skateboard has the ability to ollie up curbs! For me the lack of a way to get over obstacles you may encounter makes longboards pointless. As a skateboarder I too am aware of the surfaces in my environment, as well as stairs, rails, ledges, and plenty of other pieces of the urban landscape that can be skated. Skateboarders are like urban pioneers finding use from objects designed for non-use.

I liked the feature about the skateboard; especially the comments about bicycles and surface textures. As a long distance bicycle commuter (40 miles RT daily), I agree that both the skateboard and bicycle put you right in the outdoors action. Surface texture is more critical to the skateboarder, but gets well deserved attention by cyclists. Both modes of transportation are at great risk of severe personal injury.

Love the design elements to the story and Nobel speaking to the importance of surface texture. A different angle than that which is normally provided when speaking of "extreme" sports. Would love to hear a science tinged episode dealing with the physics of skateboarding.

Thanks,

Ian LaPoint