How Fast Can You Go On A Longboard? – Factors Affecting Speed & Tips To Increase

Are you a longboard rider who always wants to try a new adventure with your board? Many of you think about traveling long distances with your longboard. Here a question arises: How Fast can you go on a longboard?

How fast you can go on a longboard depends on your skill, weight, type of longboard, and other conditions. However, considering the flat surfaces it ranges from 4mph to 6mph. Meanwhile if you ride in the downhill section it will range from 50mph or more. 

So, read on to find out all those factors affecting the longboard speed and how you make your longboard faster. 

Let’s dive into this.

How Fast Can You Go on a Longboard? Speed Range

The speed range of a longboard varies from surface to surface 

Speed on a flat surface

While cruising on a flat surface for transportation is easy, gaining high Speed is tricky. While cruising, you will be able to get the fastest Speed from 4- 15mph, depending on your skill level 

Speed on the downhill

•  Carving down a hill on a longboard can reach 30-50 mph speeds.
• Advanced downhill riders can push their Speed into the 50s and up to 65 mph.
• Extreme downhill riders can reach remarkable 80s and 90s mph speeds.

Factors Affecting How Fast Can You Go on a Longboard?

Skill level

The skill level and experience of the rider decide how fast you can travel on your longboard. Being skill you will be able to control and balance the longboard and able to achieve high Speed

Longboard Design

Longboard shapes, sizes, and materials impact speed. Longer wheelbases provide stability at high speeds, while aerodynamic designs help to reduce wind resistance. Stiffer boards with a lower ride height contribute to better control and Speed.

Bearings 

High-quality bearings with low friction provide a smoother ride, which is crucial for higher speeds.

Wheels

The wheels’ hardness, size, and shape determine how fast you can cover the distance on a longboard. Harder wheels provide faster roll speeds, while larger-diameter wheels maintain Speed for longer distances. Additionally, rounded or sharp edges offer grip.

How to Make the Longboard Go Faster

Upgrade or opt for bigger-size wheels

If your wheel is showing unresponsive behavior, this will directly slow down your board speed. Signs of bad wheels are slow to-spin time, slow speed, and wheel bite.

For improvement, clean your wheel if it’s not working; it’s high time to change the wheel to get fast Speed on the longboard.

Larger longboard wheels accelerate and maintain higher speeds due to their large diameter. Choose wheels with a diameter of 75 to 85 mm. Softer wheels with a durometer rating of 78A to 85A provide good grip and smoother rides, which help to increase Speed.

Upgrade your bearings

High-quality bearings improve the Speed and performance of the longboard. If replacing the wheel doesn’t improve the Speed, the bearing may have an issue. Remove the bearing from the wheel directly attached to it and clean them. 

If there is no progress after cleaning, change your longboard’s bearing. It will help you to fast your Speed on a longboard.

Loosen your axle nuts 

Tight axle nuts may cause unnecessary friction and slow down your longboard speed. Loosening them can reduce friction which helps improve Speed. 

NOTE. Don’t loosen the axle nut too much, which could lead to wheel wobbling or instability. It’s better to make small adjustments to get the desired result and test this before the ride.

Tips to Increase Speed on a Longboard

Know how to tuck

The tucking technique used by longboarders for fast Speed and to minimize wind resistance. For proper tucking, and make yourself aerodynamic 

• start by bending your knees and crouching low on your longboard
• Keep your back straight 
• lower your torso, and bring it closer to your thighs. 

This position minimizes and streamlines your body’s frontal area, allowing you to slice through the air more efficiently. Tucking helps to reduce drag and increase overall Speed while longboarding.

Avoid twitching sideways 

Focus on your body alignment with your board to prevent unnecessary sideways movements or twitches. If you are constantly twitching, your board cannot move in a straight position. Twitching increases distance and slows down your Speed.

To achieve high Speed, try to keep your longboard path in a straight line. It will help you to fast your board.

Avoid mongo pushing

Mongo pushing uses the front foot to push off while the back foot remains on the board. This technique inhibits Speed and control on a longboard. 

Tip: Alway use a regular pushing stance, where your back foot is used to generate propulsion. Pushing with your back foot provides better stability and a smoother ride, leading to increased Speed.

Reduce speed wobbles

Speed wobbles are a challenge for longboard riders trying to increase their Speed. These wobbles typically occur at higher speeds and result in instability and loss of control.

Tip to reduce speed wobbles 

• Tightened the tuck and also reduced the tuck angle. It will not completely remove wobble from the longboard but help to reduce them to some extent.  
• Increase your Speed gradually rather than accelerating rapidly. 
• Avoid leaning too far back, as it places excessive weight on the rear truck and reduces control over the front truck. Instead, practice leaning forward and redistributing your weight towards the front truck to lower your center of gravity and reduce the likelihood of wobbling. 

Learn to stop at High Speed 

When you don’t know how to stop the longboard at high Speed, it will develop a fear in your mind that will prevent you from going fast on your longboard. To overcome this fear, you must practice stopping longboarding effectively.

Several ways to stop longboards are sliding, foot braking, and carving.

By practicing these ways to stop the longboard, you will overcome your fear and confidently ride at the fast Speed.

Wear the right gear 

Wearing the proper safety gear ensures your safety and gives you the confidence to achieve maximum speed. Riding without gear will cause you to lose faith, and fear of getting injured will never allow you to maximize your Speed.

Choose the right gear and invest in those that will ensure protection.

Wear the aero helmet, knees, and elbow pad to ensure safety. 

Conclusion

How fast you can go on a longboard depends on your skill level and the longboard type and condition. 

In general;

If you are a beginner, it is difficult for you to achieve fast speed as there are many chances of getting injured. Being a pro, you can opt for 14mph at flat and 50mph or more at a downhill site.

FAQ