A school campus, especially in a university, is often very large with many study areas, research rooms, libraries, dining rooms, and dormitory. If you have to walk quite a long distance on campus, consider buying a skateboard.
In case you are planning to buy the best campus cruiser longboard, we have many suggestions for you through the following article, buying guides for the best campus cruiser – shorten your travel distance in school.
It will be great if you are not late to go to class or have to walk all your feet in the schoolyard. Our article will help you get the most suitable cruiser board, how to buy them, how to choose the board necessary features, because many types of skateboards may not be the right ones for riding on campus.
Keep reading, and you’ll find out everything about campus cruisers.
First of All, How to Choose Good Skateboard for Campus Cruising
Your Demands of Cruising
Schools also have many different types of construction, as well as your daily schedule in school is not the same throughout the school year. So, what purpose do you want to buy the cruisers for riding on campus?
Think about this for a moment:
Suppose when you have to ride 20 minutes to go to school, you need to choose the type of skateboard that can be used to push comfortably on the road.
If you have to take the board everywhere during the day, a compact, lightweight cruiser board is ideal for you. When the board is a little bit heavy, you can get used to it, but if it’s very heavy, it’s hard for you to carry all day. Therefore, you should not buy large, heavy skateboards.
In case your school is crowded with students at the end of school hours, and you need to avoid countless people on campus, choose to buy a smaller board to move flexibly.
These are just some of our examples, and now it’s your turn to think carefully about your purpose of using skateboard on your school campus.
What’s more? The next section will cover the necessary parts of the skateboard and how to get the best ones for your board.
Trucks of the Skateboard
The trucks of reverse kingpin are better and smoother for riding, turning and maneuverability than the traditional one. The tighter the truck turning circle is, the better the mobility is. You need to know that the wider a truck is, the more stable it will be, but it will also be less maneuverable.
A 10-inch wide truck can help you to balance both the stability and mobility. A truck that is 10 inches narrower will be less stable but remember you can always tighten the trucks to be more stable.
We have a suggestion for you to buy a narrower truck, then tighten it up. When you have better skills and balance, you can loosen it if you like. One tip here when you have to replace a part of the board, you can choose to buy the truck of after-market with a better design.
Wheels of the Skateboard
Normally, the taller the wheels are, the better you can roll your skateboard through imperfection points on the road. It is also helpful for your cruising to ride smoothly and stable.
In addition, if you choose the wheels larger than 65mm, your board can roll over most road pebbles. However, you can push the taller wheels a little harder, so it’s a bit hard to accelerate your board.
Note that most of the wheels in cruiser boards have a stiffness of 78a, so you don’t need to worry about the softness of the wheels. And remember that the softer the wheels are, the more shock absorption and the quieter your ride is.
We like big soft wheels on our cruiser boards, and we believe the cruising will be perfect with wheels from 65mm to 70mm.
Bearings of the Skateboard
Bearings are the parts that make your wheels spin, rated according to the ABEC standard. The higher the ABEC ratings of the bearings are, the faster your board wheels spin.
The bearings of ABEC 3 are ideal for cruising, ABEC 5 is for riding in freestyle and the bearings of ABEC 5-7 or over bring the maximum speed for board racing and going downhill.
Do not tighten your board bearings while installing, and it will quickly damage them severely. If during the ride you feel the bearings start crunchy then you have to loosen them more.
How About the Price of this Type of Skateboard?
You invest in the right product, the quality will follow. Of course, high prices often reflect better quality. If you do not have proper riding techniques or rich skateboarding experience, we recommend that you do not buy the boards with too much money.
When compared, high-end longboard makes your riding experience much better, while a cheap one provides cheap trucks and worse experience. We suggest you try different types of skateboards to see what you like best.
And when you find a suitable board, the price won’t interest you anymore, right?
Deck Shape and Design
About the design of the board, usually according to your personal preferences of the pattern, shape, color, and size. If you like to stand out from the crowd, you’ll want a colorful and attractive design.
You just need to keep in mind that small skateboards will be harder to stand or balance, and broader boards will allow you to ride more efficiently and comfortably. Longer boards do not turn as quickly as shorter ones, but they will provide you with more stability when riding.
In addition, some kinds of boards have flex to absorb the road vibrations, giving you a more comfortable and pleasant ride.
Different manufacturers will make different skateboards and no boards are perfect, so you choose the features that best suit your needs, maybe even need to remove some unnecessary features.
Other Things to Consider
With the experience of using a campus cruiser board in schools, we offer some tips for you. Let check them out.
- You use the board daily to go to class so careful maintenance is required. You should buy the lubricant oil for bearings and clean your board bearings at least once every two months or 50 hours of riding. You also need to lubricate much sooner if you go in the rain or through puddles because the water will cause the bearings to rust soon.
- As a result of that, your board will roll continuously, and your bearings will not be locked. You can also replace bearings because the bearings that come with the product will be very slow.
- Whether you are a beginner or an expert at riding a skateboard, a helmet is necessary to avoid accidents that hurt your head. If you like, you can equip yourself other protective gears for knees, elbows or wear gloves.
- For convenience when using the board, you can buy a skating tool to tighten or loosen the setup of your skateboard. At that time, you will know which settings are suitable for your riding style.
At this time, you have all the things to choose to buy a skateboard product for campus cruisers, and then we want to introduce you the list of products suitable for this purpose.
Let’s explore the top 5 best campus cruiser. Here they are.
Top 5 Best Campus Cruiser
Sector 9 Sidewinder Series Mini Fractal 34″ Complete Longboard
The Sector 9 brand has many options for campus cruisers, one of the best is the Sector 9 Sidewinder Series Mini Fractal 34″ Complete Longboard. You can cruise around the school and perform an excellent carving style.
What features does this product have specifically for your school life?
You will own a complete longboard of 34 inches, designed with durable molded deck in 8-layer camber.
For your good stability and durable traction, the manufacturer equips the board with the high impact and flex deck with the grip pattern and also integrates the clear ERG grip tape.
Moreover, you can enjoy the smooth, and comfortable skateboarding with the wheels of 69mm offset Top-Shelf and the bearings of ABEC 5 standard.
The longboard has the size of 34″ (length) x 8.75″ (width) x 24.4″ (wheelbase), 9-inch gullwing sidewinder trucks. Wheel color is subject to change, you can check with the manufacturer before buying if interested.
All in all, you can use this product to ride on your school campus with optimal comfort and stand out among the crowd of friends with perfect carving techniques.
Pro:
- It is suitable deck length for campus cruiser.
- The clear grip tape supports your foot position and comfort.
- You can ride smoothly and conveniently on the road.
- It is easy to use, and no assembly required.
- It has youthful colors and designs.
Cons:
- It is somewhat difficult to perform tricks due to no kicktail.
Arbor Timeless 42 Complete Skateboard
This Arbor model perfectly blends fast acceleration and rolling speed, making your daily cruising into exciting trips, let’s get experiences with the Arbor Timeless 42 Complete Skateboard.
To know more about this product, take a look at its outstanding features.
The Arbor Timeless is built in the form of a classic pintail cruiser and the artwork design of the artist Hannes Hummel.
Besides, you can have a deck made of 6-ply maple and one ply bamboo, the 180mm Paris Reverse Kingpin trucks of 150 degrees, 70mm Sucrose Initiative, 78a durometer wheels, and bearings of ABEC 5.
The manufacturer also produces a clear grip tape from crushed recycled glass and the arbor glass grip coating on top to provide you with a comfortable ride.
The product is finished and ready to use right after opening the box. The size is 42″ (length) x 9.25″ (width) x 30.25″ (wheelbase).
At the same time, it is missing when not mentioning the art on one of the product drawings. The graphic displays a mirrored layout with a giant central bat, a floating eye, unique flowers, and foliage, giving you more attention when performing skateboarding on the school campus.
Pro:
- It brings you the effortless carving, cruising and practicing skateboard techniques.
- This product provides you a fast speed and smooth acceleration.
- The board has the solid Paris trucks and the smooth Sucrose wheels.
- It is a perfect product for beginners and heavy riders up to 122 kgs.
Cons:
- You need to tighten all screws which attach the trucks to the board deck a lot.
The Quest Super Cruiser Longboard Skateboard
A product comes from the Quest brand leading in longboard and skateboard, the Quest Super Cruiser Longboard Skateboard. Let’s find out the features of this great product.
This 43” x 9” x 44” skateboard is made from high-quality bearings of ABEC 7, the solid deck of 7-layer bamboo and hardwood, heavy trucks of 7-inch aluminum.
It has a perfect size of 44” longboard, 4.5 kgs of weight and beautiful artisan deck for your performance with reasonable price.
Products are designed and created nearly 100% at the manufacturing company, using the best components, combining great new art and new technology.
It is a longboard product from the original bamboo material, belonging to the artisan crafted skateboard collection – the Quest Super Cruiser.
You can compare with similar product lines to realize the Quest longboards are made of high-quality materials and components. If you are looking for a professional-style longboard with reasonable prices, choose this product now.
No matter what purpose you use, such as a beach promenade, on city streets or campus, you’ll feel the difference while turning and moving on this Quest brand board. You will have a smooth riding feeling and a very accurate turn reaction.
Pro:
- The finished board is very solid and well-made, has a beautiful design, and perfect bamboo material.
- The grip tape is completely covered at the top, has high quality and has excellent traction even when wet.
- The deck is relatively hard, the board center is slightly curved against the nose and tail, and it can hold a more significant weight without sagging in the middle and provide more room for flex on carves.
- Wheels and bearings have great traction due to extensive contact patch and beveled edges. The trucks are solid.
Cons:
- You need to tighten the truck bushings, loosen the bolt on all wheels and add some speed cream to this skateboard before use.
Atom Pin-Tail Longboard
Next, we will introduce you a skateboard with a deck of classic pin-tail shape and a cross section of concave that make it easy to carve and cruise. It is the Atom Pin-Tail Longboard.
What excellent features does this product bring to you?
First of all, you will have a deck of 8-ply Maple laminate, a high quality 80S grip tape to cover the board top fully, and an attractive design underneath the deck.
Then, you can be satisfied with its great components including Aluminum Trucks of 8.5-inch size, bearings of ABED 5 standard, and Urethane Wheels of 65mm or 78A size.
With this classic longboard shape, you can avoid the wheel bite and easy to practice if you are the beginner riders. Its full size is 39” x 9.4” x 6” (LxWxH) and weighs only 1 pound (0.45 kg).
If you are just starting to love skateboarding and want to spend some money to own your first board, we suggest you buy this product, the Atom Pin-Tail Longboard.
According to many users, this product is suitable for learning to ride, carve, dance and convenient for long trips and campus cruiser. If that is the purpose you need, go to the nearest sports store or online shopping website to buy it immediately.
Pro:
- It can be used with riders up to 100 kgs.
- This product is easy to use for beginners and requires no assembly.
- It has excellent color and design and a solid deck in a good quality finished product.
- This board is suitable for practicing skateboarding, basic skills, and long distance riding or campus cruising.
- Affordable price and lightweight of the skateboard are great for your choice.
Cons:
- Trucks and wheels on cheap boards may not bring riding comfort, so you need to consider to tighten or loosen these two parts well.
Santa Cruz Lion God Rasta Drop Thru Cruzer Freeride Longboard
Santa Cruz longboard manufacturer is famous for its style and graphics that give you a product with good value for money, the Santa Cruz Lion God Rasta Drop Thru Cruzer Freeride Longboard.
What can you expect from this high-quality product?
The product is pre-assembled with Santa Cruz trucks and wheels, and it gives you complete, durable skateboards ready to skate.
In addition, you also own the latest shape of this brand, the drop through the mounted deck.
You will also like the size of 40” (length) x 10” (width) x 31” (wheelbase), 9-ply Maple deck, 75mm OJ Thunder Juice Wheels, Road Rider 180 Trucks, clear grip, and ABEC 9 bearings.
The product can bear up to 113 kgs.
From the famous brand known by many longboard enthusiasts, this skateboard of Santa Cruz gives you an impressive art in good quality products. You will easily control this longboard for the campus cruiser or long journeys.
Pro:
- It has an eye-catching, attractive graphic design.
- You will ride smoothly, and fast speed without encountering speed shakes.
- The low board center of gravity can help you balance better.
- You will be satisfied with the excellent performance thanks to high-quality trucks and bearings.
- You can carry this board easily thanks to the lightweight shape.
Cons:
- You may do fewer tricks with this longboard.
- Now you’ve finished reading the five best product review, and we’ll send you some necessary ways to maintain the skateboard. So here they are.
Some Tips to Help You Take Good Care of a Newly Purchased Skateboard
- You need to store board inside your house, in a dry place because the skateboard will absorb moisture if it is raining or in a damp area and this can easily damage the deck and bearings. In addition, you also need to check if more dust pollutes the bearings causing clogging or sunlight makes it easier to heat metal parts and black tape, which wears your board faster.
- Parts of the board that needs careful care are bearings, and you need to clean them, lubricate them with specialized oil to ensure they do not have problems making it difficult for your ride.
- The nose and tail of the board are especially vulnerable, easily worn over time, causing problems that will injure you. You can sand into shredded wood, round sharp edges and do not let the tail too thin as it can become sharper. When you see a tear on the grip tape, you also need to clip them out, and then the damage won’t get bigger.
- You need to regularly check the skateboard, mainly when you use it on campus cruiser every day, to make sure you can replace damaged parts right away before the injury happens to you.
Which Campus Cruiser Board do You Choose to Buy to Accompany Your Student Life?
We provide you the best shopping guide, top 5 products list, and now it’s time for you to decide depending on your needs. If you have money, of course owning all five products is too good so that you can experience all their features. Just kidding!
We summarize the buying instructions including your needs, critical parts of the skateboards like trucks, wheels, bearings, deck shape and design, and other things.
In our opinion, based on skating experience for a while at the school campus, we choose the first one, the Sector 9 Sidewinder Series Mini Fractal 34″ Complete Longboard. The reason for wanting this product is that we like its colorful design, comfort, and convenience when riding as well as stability and smoothness.
However, it is our choice, and please reread this article with the product reviews to make the right purchase decision. Then, you can go to the local sports shop or online website to bring one skateboard home.