THE BASEMENT | Streetluge Downunder

Streetluge/Sleds: These are available form various suppliers/builders and range from $550.00 for good quality rides. Some of the Australian suppliers/builders are Sturge Boards, The Gravity Factory, and of course Cre8ive Sk8 where you can get Rogers Brothers, Factory 10 sleds, TRS as well as being able to help you out with just about any other brand of sled around.

Streetluges/Sleds:

Safety Gear:

Helmets: Probably the most important part of your set up. The helmet must be an Australian Standards Approved helmet. Motorbike helmets are a good start, which are reasonably price from $160.00. Some helmets have been designed for Downhill Sports such as Triple 8, Predator, and others. These start from around the $300.00 range, again your best bet is to talk with people in the sport, or with Adrian from Cre8ive Sk8.'m a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.

Leathers & Gloves: These will save your skin in a heavy crash or even a simple slide, again good quality ones are the best way to go. Storm Leathers have a good variety of two piece and one piece motorbike suits that are very reasonably priced, starting from around $400.00. Or if you are really serious you can go for a tailor made set from Artic Boyz Leathers, NJK and many others from around $600.00. You may get lucky and get a good second hand set off Ebay for $150.00. But be aware that you will be taking a risk. As long as they have been well looked after and have not been trashed you should be alright. Gloves are available from any motorbike shops, skate shops, and should be Kevlar or Leather or a mixture of both, especially if you intend to go to races or freerides where they have Tech inspections.

Protective Pads: Some riders like to add an additional level of safety to themselves by wearing elbow pads, back braces, and hip pads. All of these items are usually available from your local skate shop, or sporting goods store and range in price from $25.00 for a set of elbow pads, up to $200.00 for a good quality back brace. Some like to use compression suits such as Skins, as they find wearing them gives them a better level of comfort while riding and wearing their leathers all day at comps or rides.

Trucks & Bushings:

Trucks: These are what assist you when turning on your streetluge. There are plenty of brands, sizes, axle types and options. Most Streetlugers have at some stage had a set of Randal Roller Trucks or Independent Trucks, whether they have used them standard, or had them customised in some way. There are always new brands and models coming onto the market, such as the new Cast Ronin trucks that are reasonably priced at around $100.00 for a set of two. They have had plenty of good feedback from those that have used them. Axle sizes are usually determined by the brand of truck you buy. Normally an 8mm axle is standard on the majority of trucks, but the Randal Rollers are available in 10mm axles and some other brands. Have a chat at your local skate shop, they should be able to get you sorted. If not give Ado a call at Cre8ive Sk8.

Bushings: Truck bushings are one item that you will have to adjust/swap at some stage as you become more experienced in the sport. They can make your riding experience a good one or they can make it dangerous one, if not tuned to suit you. Again there are many to choose from and for different reasons. Your body weight, the road surface you ride on, the style of streetluge, truck and wheel set up, are all contributing factors in your choice. These can easily be adjusted by the tension you use when tightening or loosening your king pin nut on the trucks that you purchase. Fat Ant, Randal, Independent, are just a few of the many brands out there in the market. Some riders have now gone into machining their own to suit their specific riding needs.

Wheels and Bearings:

Wheels: These are used on streetluges in many configurations such as four, six or eight wheel set ups. Wheels come in many hardnesses and diametres. They can drastically effect the way your streetluge handles on different surfaces and conditions. The right choice of wheels can keep you on the road and build your confidence. The wrong choice, well let's hope you never find out. The shear number of wheel brands that are available can be daunting. By speaking with your local skate shop, or people you have ridden with, this can be the best way of finding good quality wheels that will suit you. Abec 11 Centrax 83mm wheels seem to be one of the most responsive getting used at the moment, along with Seismic Speedvents.

Bearings: Wow, what a choice there is with bearings. You can choose 8mm - 10mm for the axle size you have decided on, ceramic or steel ball bearings and which brand. What to do? Well that is determined by how much you wish to spend and what performance you want from your bearings. Most riders at some stage have used the good old Reds Bearings that have been around for years. Bear bearings are also popular for 10mm axles. Again you can ask around and see what the people you have been riding with use on their set ups. Any good skate shop can help you out with a choice of bearings that will suit you.

Coaching and Practice

Coaching: First off, being coached properly right from the start can be the difference between having a good time riding or a bad time riding. There are coaching clinics available in some of the major cities, but most people learn from friends or experienced riders in their area. It doesn't matter what age you start to learn, being shown the correct and safest way to ride in a controlled environment, is vitally important to having a long and enjoyable involvement in the sport of Streetluge.

Practice: How much? It is really up to you. As in any sport, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Social riding is great fun and a good way of getting practice in for when you decide to go to an organised race or freeride. Some riders take the sport seriously and travel the globe to participate in rounds of the world championship. There are many rules and regulations when competing at this level, but the two most important things that never change in any level of the sport, safety and fun. But always safety first.

Shoes: These can be one item that you may think is not really that important. Think again. Without a good pair of braking shoes you can be in a world of hurt. Most current riders can show you how to make your own set by using a pair of ankle high sandshoes/runners/sneakers, some truck retread, and some glue. If you are lucky enough to have a Mister Minit near you, they can actully put them together for you for around $50.00. You can buy brake soles from most skate shops. These can also be glued to the bottom of a pair of shoes, but some riders use industrial strength velcro to make it easier to replace worn out soles. Whatever process you decide to use, make sure you give the glue time to cure/set properly. This will help prevent a malfunction on your foot.

Cameras: A vast array of Video Camera Brands and Styles are waiting for you out there. This is one of those purchases that you really need to get right, if you wish to catch all of your riding action in clear and dynamic colour. In my eyes you can't go wrong with Go Pro or Sony, both have proven themselves practical and capable of capturing your adventures. With advances in WI Fi Connection, Remote Access and other great features it is a great way to produce profession quality videos of your rides.

Sports Action Cameras

"The Basement"

So you've plucked up enough courage to enter, welcome.

Now we need to give you the tools you need to get started in this sport.

Firstly, you will need to speak to some one that is in the sport, or a shop that can supply the information to help you get started, such a Cre8ive Sk8 . Or you can email us here at gofastlayingdown@gmail.com , tell us what city or state you live in and we can help connect you up.

Secondly, you need to be able to try out the sport before making an investment in the sport. There are coaching clinics in some of the major cities, but the majority of people learn from friends or family in the sport. You will find the Streetluge Community is more than happy to help out a new comer and will make sure you are safe while trying it out.

Lastly, you have discussed it, tried it, and now you want your own gear. This is where the people you have already talked to can assist again. We have listed a few ideas and links below that can get you onto your own gear.

STREETLUGE

DOWNUNDER