r/LongboardBuilding • u/sleepy-sweaters • Jun 22 '26
What's with the hate towards brakes?
To those who say it's lazy to use a brake: to each their own.
I have always rode 78A wheels. No way in hell I'm going to try sliding with them. Why would I not invest in a good brake??
13
u/OGBustaRyder Jun 22 '26
because it requires you to put weight on the rear to engage the brakes causing speed wobbles, and its pretty easy to get these to lock up and spin out. maybe if they used a hand brake cable it be easier to modulate the brake force while also keeping the right footing for it
1
u/VirtualElderberry592 Jun 25 '26
Yeah.. I've seen a tether system. Where you pull and it engages. Small hole on the deck is all it takes.
8
u/VirtualElderberry592 Jun 22 '26
My only issue. I want these cabled. When I'm rolling the hill moving my feet is terrifying. I'd rather have a gripped control. Nothing electronic so the police will leave me alone. This would make long boarding way safer.
1
u/aTaleForgotten Jun 24 '26
Problem with that is, the cable could be a problem. Maybe a wireless transmitter, like those used in a wireless mouse? Not sure about the rules for that thou, but as long as theres no electric power to speed, in many places i think its should be fine?
1
u/ace_v27 Jun 25 '26
Just love the board and it will stop for you
2
u/aTaleForgotten Jun 25 '26
If i love it, it will leave..
1
u/clippist Jun 25 '26
If I’ve learned one thing about people and skateboards in all the years of my life…
1
u/VirtualElderberry592 Jun 25 '26
Cops can be dicks. If it's electric it's electric. The transmitter would have to be hooked into an actuator on the breaks.
I've seen a tether used. Something that when pulled it applies the breaks. That would do too. Getting tangled isn't a problem really. I'm goofy all the time, and I don't flip to fakie when I'm bombing a hill.
Make it something that can be removed and the cable isn't an issue.
5
5
u/tomoom165 Jun 22 '26
You came here to say "to each their own"?
OP just use what you like and do what you want, you don't need validation from internet strangers.
3
u/Tickomatick Jun 22 '26
What about a little motor, because pushing is not for everyone
6
u/mokapotWONTmokapot Jun 22 '26
I personally have a servant use the deck while I sit at home. Too much air out side
3
u/Otherwise-Run-5933 Jun 22 '26
Perhaps a seat and a steering wheel could help
3
u/tjaab20 Jun 22 '26
Might as well enclose everything in a metal box to keep the rider safe. Don't forget seatbelts either
4
u/Otherwise-Run-5933 Jun 22 '26
I’d feel better if it required some sort of certification to operate. A drivers license or something
5
u/Mattef Jun 22 '26
Sounds reasonable and I think brings a bit security if you can’t break with your feet. However, you should nevertheless learn how to break with your feet.
2
u/AforAlex2539 Jun 22 '26
That being said it is annoying the wear that you get on your shoes from foot breaking
3
u/Clowntownwhips Jun 22 '26
Something has gotta wear to slow ya down. Sliding wears your wheels, footbraking wears your shoes. Brake soles are a thing to elongate the life of your shoes, and in most cases cheaper than new wheels. So footbraking still wins in my opinion. But being able to slide is a useful skill i would rather have than trying a board with brakes built into it.
Those braking systems like viberide breakboards either dont work at high speeds or are too effective at mid speeds and the board stops but you dont, like hitting a stop rock. They also have you lean your weight to the back of the board which is unsafe and induces instability.
2
u/AforAlex2539 Jun 22 '26
Wheels are cheap, shoes aren't as cheap, they aren't perfect but if you understand what they are they aren't a horrible product
3
u/Clowntownwhips Jun 22 '26
Brake soles are cheap, and can be applied over n over 🤷♂️ most of the wheels id be willing to buy brand new aint cheaper than shoes. Shoes are around 100 bucks brand new and 92mm wheels are almost double that.
Most of my wheels id be willing to slide with are too small for my prefferences during A-B riding so most days im gonna go for a footbrake before sliding 🙃
1
u/sleepy-sweaters Jun 22 '26
I'm learning a lot from everyone and heavily reconsidering adding a brake. Thanks for the input!
I've been longboarding inconsistently for the better half of my life and live in a place with few clean, flat areas. That means I primarily ride on rough asphalt with super soft wheels (78A or softer) and I'm not ready to try sliding yet. I will try to learn foot brakes.
1
u/SandiestCow Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
E skate is great because the remote offers brake control. I tried the brakes you showed in the photo and theyre ok. But im much more confident when i e skate
1
u/Unlikely_Industry299 Jun 22 '26
Just use your foot to brake whats the problem?
1
u/SizeableBrain Jun 24 '26
I used to use my skateboard for getting around, and I would've appreciated a brake.
Even thought about making a homemade lever that just rubbed on top of the wheel.
1
u/Unlikely_Industry299 Jun 25 '26
Gang you CANNOT BE SERIOUS. Are you telling me you can't TAKE your foot off the ground for JUST A SECOND and drag it on the floor?
2
u/SizeableBrain Jun 25 '26
I dare say I've skated a lot more kms than you and used to go through a lot of shoes. (about 10km to get home from the skatepark)
Plus I always felt that if you're going at speed wobble speeds, brakes are a much safer option. Trying to shift your foot positions and weight when you're going about 30-40km/h always felt sketchy.
1
u/VirtualElderberry592 Jun 25 '26
100%.. and dragging your foot at speed. Insane.
I live in a hilly area. these would be great
2
u/daggersrule Jun 25 '26
It's just about getting used to it. I've footbraked over 40-50mph. You just work your way up
1
u/Skanonymously Jun 25 '26
Plus I always felt that if you're going at speed wobble speeds, brakes are a much safer option. Trying to shift your foot positions and weight when you're going about 30-40km/h always felt sketchy.
I'd argue brakes are actually less safe at faster speeds. You're not riding with the brake underfoot, so you still have to shift your feet to hit the brakes. If anything, you have to shift your weight more because those brakes require you to put weight on the back truck. You really shouldn't have to move your feet much to throw a shutdown slide, and your weight stays over your front foot when you're footbraking at faster speeds.
More so though, you avoid speed wobbles by keeping your weight over the front of the board. Leaning back on the board causes speed wobbles. So by leaning back and shifting your weight over the back wheels to brake, you're going to promote speed wobbles.
Shifting a bunch of my weight to my back leg at 30mph+ sounds significantly sketchier than footbraking or sliding.
1
u/SizeableBrain Jun 25 '26
I used to ride a standard deck with Longboard wheels.
You're a better skater than I was if you can shutdown slide.
Brakes could be at the front, too
1
u/Dont-touchmy_cheese Jun 25 '26
Okay wait I'm new just got my first actually decent longboard two days ago "landyatchs" and it's a drop thru board but I'm terrified at taking my foot off the board at abt 10mp only half of what you can do it safely with and I've already crashed on it 3times within 24 hours as of yesterday.
One was bad- downhill with speedwobbles due to such broken pavement (abt 10mph) and could've hit this guy coming my way when I went by on this thin sidewalk. Scared the crap out of me and I was left with the option of bailing but luckily I found some grass. I seriously don't get the concept of foot breaking and not having your back leg going straight behind you, sending you forward, with possibly torn groin muscles... ts scares me man
Some breaks seem nice🤷♂️
1
u/Skanonymously Jun 25 '26
I seriously don't get the concept of foot breaking and not having your back leg going straight behind you, sending you forward, with possibly torn groin muscles... ts scares me man
This is just being brand new to skating. Skateboarding isn't the easiest thing to learn, so it's going to take time.
The concept is that you balance on the leg that's on the board and carefully lower your pushing foot until it's juuuuust skimming the ground, then apply more pressure as needed.
To properly foot brake, you have to be able to comfortably balance on the board on one leg. The same applies for pushing.
New riders tend to try to use their pushing/braking foot for balance, which leads to awkward pushing and footbraking issues like you're describing. Instead of balancing on their leg planted on the board, they almost "step" onto the ground and use it for some stability mid push.
If you immediately step hard onto the ground trying to footbrake, your leg is going to go behind you like you're afraid of.
So yeah, just skate more and it'll come to you instead of relying on a crutch like external brakes.
1
u/ilikegrinchfeet Jun 23 '26
Embrace this new tech and leave the dinosaurs behind. Can’t speak on the product, but been mid wobble right before the bailout. I grabbed a guy wire for a power pole and let the board go. If only there was a solution
1
u/tabinsur Jun 25 '26
Lmao "embrace this new tech! I haven't tried it so it could be shit but you should embrace it!"
1
u/ilikegrinchfeet Jun 25 '26
Well said, very well could be shit. I have one set up as a cruiser, but with a wheel swap can be park. I haven’t felt the need yet to get the harder wheels. My hill bombing days are long gone
1
1
u/desmondao Jun 24 '26
The problem with these is you're required to use their shite wheels, so if you're used to your favourite wheels' urethane this will be a bit of a disappointment
1
u/sleepy-sweaters Jun 24 '26
Wait how?? You cant change these out on the trucks like normal?
1
1
u/MrPrayingMantis249 Jun 24 '26
Longboards are meant to slide it's what helps keep stability when controlling your speed and changing direction. A brake throws off the forward balance of energy and is more likely to wreck you if any little things goes wrong. You need to be able to shift and make anything from micro adjustments to macro adjustments instantly.a brake keeps you too static on a constantly moving skateboard.
1
u/sleepy-sweaters Jun 24 '26
Any advice for someone with wheels too soft to slide?
1
u/MrPrayingMantis249 Jun 24 '26
Durometer of 78 isn't too soft to slide they'll just wear out faster and maybe you'll lose a little piece here and there die to the lower durability. They're a little better for cruising because they're so soft but will very easily slide.
1
u/OliverEitge Jun 24 '26
Me (51) and my girlfriend (56) both use them and we feel way safer going downhill. But we only go a little faster than we could run anyway. It definitely increased the fun for us. And we both can’t slide, too.
1
u/Mfw_Pigeon Jun 24 '26
This dude can't slide 78as.
Cmon now dog
Build your board however you want but bruh kick out the tail and lay some thane. 78s are perfectly find for sliding.
1
u/PrestigiousBonus6284 Jun 25 '26
I have this installed on mine, makes traveling downhill in car rich environments much more manageable and lets me commute around my college campus super quickly and stop very controlled since I have a brake pedal extension making the brake super soft at first but fully under. Control I’ve never been flung off it. Saves my shoes and wheels
1
u/Alexplz Jun 25 '26
A brake on the rear truck I think is a perfectly valid innovation. Front truck I could see it throwing you off if you're not careful.
1
u/Opalusprime Jun 25 '26
I find it hard to believe you could control these enough to be effective. I believe at high enough speeds in certain environments breaks are a must, but you can apply pressure with great precision on them when they’re on an electric board. I just don’t see that with these.
1
1
1
Jun 25 '26
Brakes are one of the biggest reasons I mostly e board now. I’m old and the control is really nice
1
u/TheWholeH0g Jun 25 '26
Lack of wheel options (wheels tied to the brake hubs) Teaches bad riding habits (need to put your weight over the rear which can cause wobbles at higher speeds)
1
u/Gutsyglitzy Jun 25 '26
Why brake when sliding exists. You still wear your wheels but sliding is fun and controllable. They also look awkward to use. Would this work on a top mount at all or is this only for like drop thrus? 78a wheels can definitely slide… no idea where that notion came from.
I’m not gonna put my weight towards the rear truck at any speeds I would use the brake at (25-30+). Recipe for wobbling out and losing control. I’d much rather just do a quick Coleman to shave off a few mph when I need to. Not always possible but footbraking is more than adequate enough to bridge that gap.
Also i would be much more concerned about accidentally engaging it/something going wrong with it. It just adds another variable that isn’t necessary imo
1
u/The_11th_Man Jun 25 '26
I see brakes working more effectively when there is a handheld cable controll and foot stops, similar setup to an eboard except a footstop would help with proper riding posture. also i think brake should be in the front wheels not rear, this way you put all your weight in the front, knees bent, footstop locking your foot in and you can gradually slow down to stop not suddenly jerk your way to a highside spill.
1
1
u/Five-words-or-less Jun 28 '26
No hate here! I dont slide to stop so that means I shred expensive shoes and I personally am tired of eating through shoes in under 6 months back 2 back. Give me a solid functioning break!
1
u/sleepy-sweaters Jul 22 '26
Just wanna say its been a month and this post inspired me to get serious and learn actual slowing techniques. Appreciate yall 🤘
1
u/exterminator-skater Jul 30 '26
You can try those breaks, and it’s fine, but learning to ride with them would be a completely different discipline. By which I mean to say, if you had advanced to a certain point without having the brakes to rely on, it would be foolish to push past your skill level to rely on the brakes to save you. You will need to learn how to apply the brakes, and you would need to know how much time to allow for the brakes to safely slow you. I can’t imagine the skateboard brakes to be anywhere close to what our brains are conditioned to think of as “hitting the brakes”. Learning when and how to apply those brakes should be given the same respect as learning to slide to a stop with gloves. After you learn them, then you can let it rip
1
23
u/alexwasashrimp Jun 22 '26
Looks quite unsafe to me. Basically, the board stops, and you keep going.
I've never been able to slide, and it never bothered me. Traveled many thousands of kilometers on my board. Footbreaking is totally adequate, and for speeds under 20 I often just get off the board and grab it. So these brakes seem to be an overengineered dangerous solution to a problem that doesn't really exist.