How Fast Can A Skateboard Go? – 4 Ways To Skate Faster
How fast can a skateboard go? Skateboarders are always in need of speed. In half-pipes and bowls, the faster they go, the greater heights they can achieve, and the easier to pull off acrobatic tricks.
The potential speed of a skateboard even matters more when people use their board for commuting. A faster board will save the rider’s time and effort put into pushing.
How Fast Does A Skateboard Go?
The average cruising skateboard speeds are between 5 and 12 mph, and the average top speed is 15 to 25 mph. Peter Connolly holds the world record for the fastest speed on a skateboard in the standing position.
The fastest skateboard speed achieved was 91.17 mph (146.73 km/h) on 16 September 2017.
Push A Skateboard
Skateboarding is much faster than walking:
In an observation conducted at the University of California, Davis observed skaters traveled from 6-14 mph, and the average speed is 9.7 mph. This figure is around 3 times faster than the average walking speed (3-4 mph).
Skateboarding is similar to cycling:
In the same observation, the speed of observed bicyclists is relatively similar to skateboarders, at 6-19 mph (11.6 mph on average).
However, the average speed a skater can achieve depends heavily on several factors, such as the rider’s skills, terrain, skateboard setup (bearings, wheels), and the skateboard style.
For example, the speed of hard pushing a board with quality Swiss ceramics bearings falls onto the higher spectrum of the average speed range, at 7.5-12 mph.
Meanwhile, easy pushes with a longboard can yield a result that is by no means less impressive, at 8-9 mph. Below is a more detailed explanation of different factors that can affect skateboarding speed.
What Can Affect Your Skateboard Speed?
Terrain
The type of terrain you’re riding your board on critically affects your average skateboard speed. If the surface has many obstacles like dirt, small rocks, or cracks, you have to slow down the speed to maneuver around them or risk flying off the board onto the asphalt.
Terrain Can Affect Your Speed.
Urban sidewalks especially present even more challenges for skateboarders, such as curbs, stairs, or traffic lights, and reduce their speed.
On top of that, skateboarders share space with pedestrians who are slower travelers, requiring them to slow the speed down to dodge. The journey that encompasses more uphills will take you more time than flat paths or downhill sections.
Your Riding Skills
Even though a skateboard can travel at 11.6 mph on average, your speed significantly depends on your skating abilities and levels.
A beginner who is still trying to control their board can only go at a slow speed. Their fear and also capability does not allow them to achieve a higher speed than walking pedestrians.
As you get better at skating, you can move faster 2 to 4 times than the speed of walking and start to get closer or beyond bicycle traveling. Bicyclists on the same terrain can travel from 6 to 19 miles each hour. Most experienced skaters can go faster than at least some bike riders.
The More Proficient You Are, The Faster You Can Go.
Riding skills also determine your speed while traveling on urban terrains. The more advanced you are, the easier and faster you can ollie over hindrances or avoid them. As you progress, you can add 1-2 mph to your speed in these settings.
In addition, the pushing skills are quintessential to your speed for long-distance traveling on flat ground.
Your Skateboard Setup
Wheels
Larger wheels require fewer turns to cover a given distance, so they always roll faster than smaller wheels.
Due to their lower center of gravity, smaller wheels are easier to control and suitable for doing tricks or street skating. On the other hand, larger wheels provide a combination of balance and speed, making them ideal for cruising or commuting.
Boards With Bigger Wheels Roll Faster.
Softer wheels also provide more grip and buffer against bumps and cracks. Even though they are generally slower than harder ones, you can expect a safer and more enjoyable ride with them because they roll over road obstacles more smoothly.
Harder wheels, however, roll faster and glide smoothly on smooth surfaces. They are the best choice for street and park skaters who focus more on technical tricks.
Bearings
Low-quality bearings can slow you down while premium ones increase the speed. Quality Swiss bearings can boost the speed by 1 mph or so. Thus, if you want to go faster, swap out your old bearings.
Most importantly, your bearings work at their best if cleaned and well-oiled, so ensure you keep them clean with periodic maintenance and lubrication.
Quality Bearings Are Key To Higher Speeds.
Skateboard Structure
Regular Skateboards
Skateboards are meant for street skating in busy urban settings. They are more agile and portable than longboards. Indeed, a regular skateboard can’t compare to a longboard in terms of speed; however, you can pump up their speed by attaching bigger, softer wheels to them.
Longboards
Longboards are faster than skateboards, thanks to their big and softer wheels. On average, decent longboards can travel 1 mph faster than skateboards.
In addition, the soft wheels also make them roll over cracks and stones with ease. Thus, longboards are perfect for cruising and transportation. Easy pushing speed on a longboard skateboard can get up to 8-9 mph.
A Longboard
Penny Boards
Penny boards are usually slower than longboards. They’re often designed to be light and affordable at the expense of control, stability, and speed.
How To Go Faster On A Skateboard?
Bigger And Softer Wheels
The general rule of thumb is the bigger wheels offer more speed for your ride. In addition, you should consider the wheel’s hardness.
The lower the durometer, the faster you can cruise on rough streets and sidewalks. The higher the durometer, the higher the speed the board travels on smooth surfaces. For cruising and commuting, the best formulation for a fast board is larger and softer wheels.
Larger And Softer Wheels Can Increase Speed
Choose Longboards
As mentioned, with their bigger, softer wheels and larger wheelbase, longboards are built for speed. Those who prioritize commuting or cruising over performance riding will enjoy the higher speed the longboards offer.
Longboards Are Built For Speed
Better Bearings
It’s advisable to purchase bearings from reputable brands like Bones, Bronson Speed Co., or Spitfire for guaranteed quality.
Another important consideration when upgrading your bearings is the ABEC rating. ABEC 7 bearings are a nice option for extra speed since they perform well and have great tolerance in high-speed applications.
Better Bearings Mean Higher Speeds
After a good while of skating, dirt and debris built up inside the bearings making the board slower and noisier. It is recommended to clean and lubricate them about every 2 or 3 months, depending on how frequently you skate and the environment you’re skating in.
Other Considerations
Loosen The Axle Nuts
Too tight axle nuts can make the wheels of the board spin slowly. All you need is a skate tool or wrench to loosen the nuts slightly until the wheels can roll as desired. Make sure you don’t loosen them too much, or you risk them coming off the axle.
Work On Your Riding Skills
The key to learning how to skateboard fast is large and powerful pushes. It’s crucial to keep as much of your body weight on the front foot as possible when you push off the ground.
Learn Tricks To Overcome Obstacles On The Road
Also, learning how to slow down or stop on a street skateboard at high speeds can improve your speed. You will ride faster without the fear of falling and let your board reach its potential speed.
FAQs
Is A Skateboard Faster Than A Bike?
On average, cyclists travel faster than skateboarders (around 2 mph faster). However, commuting with a skateboard does offer some advantages. You don’t have to secure your board to a parking rack like you would with a bike.
Cyclists Travel About 2 Mph Faster Than Skateboarders
Instead, skateboards are portable and small enough to toss into a package, and sometimes this perk can make up for the slower speed, especially with short-distance commuting.
Which Type Of Skateboards Is The Fastest?
Electric skateboards can go as fast as 20 mph, whereas the world’s fastest electric skateboard can achieve a speed of up to 59.55 mph.
Does A Skateboard With Bigger Wheels Go Faster?
In general, yes. You will ride faster with larger wheels. Indeed, higher millimeter wheels are referred to for vert skating or low-key cruising. They offer you balance and speed simultaneously, and give you a smooth ride yet are not cut out for performing technical tricks.
Conclusion
Skateboarding is a healthy sport as it activates many of your muscle groups to move the board forward. However, many more factors beyond your riding skills affect the speed the board can reach. Also, there are several ways to “fix” your skateboard if it rolls slowly.
Now you can answer the question, “How fast can a skateboard go?”, and know factors that can affect speed and ways to skate faster. Keep in mind safety first, especially if you’re into high-speed skating.
Related posts:
