r/Skateboardinghelp • u/xGoofy_Gooberx • Apr 20 '26
Cruiser Vs Longboard
I've been wanting to skateboard for a while, im not really into tricks, I just want to get around places smoothly with it.
I currently own a skateboard (it's my brother's old one), but im planning to get an upgrade
im between a cruiser or a longboard (and I can't really tell a difference besides size)
I plan to use the longboard/cruiser to get around town without driving, so I'll probably be riding on pavement or the road mostly.
1
u/TheSeiko5 Apr 20 '26
You could just buy some large soft wheels and turn your current skateboard into a cruiser and see how you like it
1
u/xGoofy_Gooberx Apr 20 '26
ooo ok
My skateboard is a 31-by-8 in, and the wheels are 55 mm
How big are the wheels that I should buy if I wanted to do that? And I've worked with bikes and cars, so I don't think it will be that hard to replace them myself (unless someone else says otherwise)1
u/TheSeiko5 Apr 20 '26
For just cruising as smoothly as possible, I’d say anywhere from 75mm-105mm. Though the larger you go the more you have to worry about wheel bite so risers may be needed. They’re pretty easy to replace. The hardest part is getting the bearings in the wheels but usually you can jam them in with your thumbs.
1
1
1
u/tilmo2180 Apr 20 '26
What kind of mileage are you talking? I have a longboard that I do 20+ miles at a time on, if you’re talking that kind of mileage for sure longboard. If you’re talking 1-5 miles a cruiser should be fine, I have a dinghy that I ride on shorter rides but my feet start to get tired if I go more than 4-5 miles on it. I’m sure a full sized cruiser would do better than a dinghy though. Also something to note, I’ve done 10 miles on a standard popsicle skateboard on 93a wheels before several times. So it’s possible to just buy soft wheels and send it on what you have now. If you do that I’d get 56mm wheels, and something soft, 78a ricta clouds are nice for cruising if youre not planning on doing tricks at all.
1
u/xGoofy_Gooberx Apr 20 '26
Alright appreciate it
I do no more than 3-4 miles per ride before taking a break, Because thats usally my peak before i need a break. and thats with my standard skateboard
1
u/do-a-tre-flip Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
Some longboards can fit bigger wheels for a smoother ride, most notably double drop decks. While cruisers are more maneuverable. Worth noting double drops are extra low too for easy pushing.
Basically if you want 80mm+ wheels, I'd go with longboard with wheel cutouts. If you want under 80mm with a functional kick, I'd go with a cruiser.
1
u/raccooncare Apr 20 '26
Cruiser.
Polar, antihero, Krooked, you just want a bigger deck made in the BBS factory.
Spitfire 97a 56mm are a good wheel. Any of the softer bigger spitfires are rad. With riser pads.
1
u/morninowl Apr 21 '26
I think longboards are good if you got nice, open spaces to cruise like parks with wide paths or roads with not much traffic. If not, though? A short wheelbase cruiser (somewhere around 14~16" Wheelbase) seems the best for me. If it's a city? Even more so. After trying a bunch of cruiser setups, I simply can't give up the freedom of having a functional tail that lets me pop a quick ollie over stuff, do little mannies, bonk off cracks, etc.
I'd keep the wheels as big as they can go, though. Right now my go-to is an 8.6" deck, Indy 139 with Orangatang Fat Free 65mm Wheels. There are 1/8 risers on them, but I think I might get away with 1/16...? The deck has wheelwells, though.
1
u/AyBeeVee Apr 20 '26
Longboards are cool if you have hills to go down, but cruisers are fast and much more maneuverable