Longboard Bushings & Other Longboard Truck Parts

Exploring Longboard Bushings

Positioned at the centre of your longboard trucks, longboard bushings are the rubber components that, despite their small size, play a crucial role in your longboard assembly. These truck bushings significantly influence the sensitivity of your turns. Although your longboard comes equipped with them, investing in a new type or set can elevate your riding experience and broaden your longboarding capabilities.

Each of your trucks is equipped with two bushings: one roadside and one boardside. As implied by their names, the roadside bushing is nearest to the road, whereas the boardside bushing is closer to the deck.

The primary shapes for bushings are cone and barrel. Cone bushings provide less resistance, making them ideal for turning, while barrel bushings enhance stability. Many riders choose a mix of one barrel and one cone bushing to achieve balanced performance, though setups exclusively using two cones or two barrels are also common.

Selecting the Right Longboard Bushings

The notion of a “best longboard bushing” does not exist, as the ideal choice depends largely on your intended riding style. It's crucial to consider both the bushing hardness and the type of riding you plan to engage in.

Similar to wheels, bushing hardness is rated on the durometer scale. A higher durometer indicates a harder bushing, which provides greater resistance while riding. Your weight is a key factor in selecting the appropriate durometer; generally, the heavier you are, the harder your bushings should be.

For those interested in carving and cruising, softer and more conical bushings are recommended. Conversely, if freeride and downhill appeal to you, then a barrel configuration is preferable.

To further optimise your downhill speed potential, ensure you have a quality pair of Longboard Gloves and Slide Pucks.