Dublin spots for longboarding

ThOnda

I've got my longboard back and I am just trying to find the best place for using it. I've been chased out from few business parks, told to feck off from the path along the coast (south Dublin) and Dublin Mountains are too steep for me.
Well, I have to admit that I am not good at all and I am bloody scared to ride a little faster. Flat surface would be enough. I love the feel of cruising -surfing pavements

I would appreciate any hints and suggestions.

Thanks.

CianRyan

Any arse hole that tell you too feck off away from the coast paths can go do one mate.
It's open to every one. You're in control of the board and you know what you're doing. If they don't feel confident enough to be on the same path as other people that their problem and they can leave.

As for hills, i don't really know.
I'd recommend starting on the foothill of the mountains and making your way up them at your own steady pace.
It's like anything, start at the bottom, work at it and you'll get to the top eventually. And when you do, you'll be opening up a whole new world of fun to yourself.
WIN!!

Good luck with it mate.
I really want to get a longboard myself. I'm growing tired of normal boards, tricks are getting boring and i just love cruising... Yep, the longboard is the way forward.
Too bloody poor to buy one though. haha

ThOnda

Thanks. The walking lady just didn't get the fact that having wheels I can move with a little higher velocity than her walking pace.

I don't like mountains - the board does not have breaks. One of few disadvantages of boards.

I keep the board in my car, so if we meet, remind me to give you a try. It's fantastic, like surfing. I got it here or on adverts for less than half of the shop price. Keep on looking.

CianRyan

Your breaks are here and here!!

Uggh, if you bought that one for €100 I'm gonna go mad.
I was saving for it... hahaha

ThOnda

€65 for one brought back from California. People are nice here in Ireland!

Snowie

ThOnda wrote: »

Thanks. The walking lady just didn't get the fact that having wheels I can move with a little higher velocity than her walking pace.

I don't like mountains - the board does not have breaks. One of few disadvantages of boards.

I keep the board in my car, so if we meet, remind me to give you a try. It's fantastic, like surfing. I got it here or on adverts for less than half of the shop price. Keep on looking.

I really wanna go to the bowl In terinure to try mine out, waiting for the kids to go back to school..


foot stop and if some old bag gets in your face eat humble pie and skate of :pac:
you can make breaks for them, tho i find if you start to carve hard you slow down quick or just foot stop,I skate it where ever I can tbh shopping center car parks roads where ever i can get away with it....
If you wanna no how to make breaks just let me no and il tell ya, there breask are on your hands so ya got kind drop slide you back hands :cool::eek:

CianRyan

Haven't seen some one using a long board in the bowl yet and I'd be down there a good bit.
I'd love a shot of a long board in there.
Old school.:cool:

Snowie

CianRyan wrote: »

Haven't seen some one using a long board in the bowl yet and I'd be down there a good bit.
I'd love a shot of a long board in there.
Old school.:cool:

I really wanna go down i just wanan go on a quite day in september where i can have the place to my self and really give it a good go My boards ideal wheels are super sticky Im just waiting to geta new truck and im good to go ...

man long boards are the way forward I love mine and I dont think, id ever get rid of it....

ThOnda

Well, I cannot ride it almost at all, so don't count me into some skatepark crowd. I am old, fat and lazy, but longboard is still more comfortable than swimming in the Irish Sea :pac:

I'd quite happy to meet some people to learn how to stay alive on the board.

paddylonglegs

Ah Thonda, great to hear you're getting some enjoyment out of the board you bought from me. I'm back from Oz now so might have a rummage around in the attic soon, dust off my board, and give you a shout.Have to sort out normal life first though! Might be some good photo fodder aswell if we meet up.

Cian

ThOnda

Hello! Nice to hear from you. Yes, the board gets a lot of use, but I am not getting any better. Phoenix Park is my usual spot, especially in the evenings.
It'll be nice to get few people on longboards together

ThOnda

I've been out on a board in Phoenix park few times and it is nice run there. A little narrow, but smooth surface.

Does anybody want to go for a run to show me what you really can do on a longboard?

By the way, what is the best way to treat the bearings? They become a little noisy recently.

Snowie

Im not grat on a long board but I can carveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

Il go riding when where ?

as for you bearings I couldnt find wd40 so i used silacone oil.... I really don't know i huess anything with grease in them

CianRyan

Cleaning your bearings takes a good while to do it right.

Pop them out of the wheels and take off the removable protective covers.
Have some hot soapy water and leave them to soak for about 5 minutes.
Take them out and throw them into some cold water, the colder the better. The extreme temperature change will knock off any remaining filth.

Take them out of the water and dry them thoroughly, I usually hand dry them and then give them a blast under a hair drier.

And then the most important part, Greasing them up again.
I find speed cream to be the best for this, I've tried other brands but speed cream seem to do the job quite well, there is better but it'll cost a lot more and need to be imported... a lot of hassle.
Speed cream and be bought in pretty much all skate shops.
Use only a little of this on each bearing, put the covers back on and pop the bearings back into your wheels.

They'll feel like new so will need about an hour-2hours skate to break them in again.
Long process but well worth it, makes your bearings ride much faster and last much longer.

Never use WD40, it's actually not good for the bearings at all.


As far as going skating, If I had a longboard I'd love to.

When I do finally get one I'll give you guys a shout here, it'd be good to have a meet up every now and then.
I usually go and get locked with some people from other forums, skating could be a lot better for me. haha

ThOnda

I am not skater at all. I am fat, old and lazy. But the longboard is so close to surfing that I miss so much. I will try to get to Phoenix park tomorrow early in the morning before work.
I'll try to get to some skate shop for the vaseline speed cream. I'd be terrified to show up in any of the skate parks, but if somebody is going out just let me know in advance. If I have the time, I'll bring my camera to take few snaps.
By the way, after failing to get onto one pavement, I think that I should try to learn ollies. (I've seen some explaining video on youtube, but that made me only scared even more...)

CianRyan

Learning to olly would be a great idea.
It's the basis of almost every trick and very usefull in day to day skating situation.
Nothing to be afraid of man, the worst that will happen is you might bump your bum!:p

But like anything, less fear and more commitment means a higher success rate.
Pain is only temporary, rabble rabble rabble...

ThOnda

Few pictures of my precious longboard taken on Saturday:

Psydeshow

Was just about to post a topic when I saw this one: quite fortunate really.

Just got my longboard about a month ago (tired of waiting for summer surf) and lovin it, but wondering if anyone knows a few spots around Cork that might be worth checking out.

Been around college and the mardyke but traffic and security guards combined with a lack of any great control are the bains of my life.

Much like the OP I'm still on the steep learning curve, though my board looks significantly more roughed up!

CianRyan

ThOnda, your board looks sooo nice!
God I'm jealous!

Psydeshow, I'm afraid I really don't know Cork very well.
Maybe you could visit one of the mountainous areas and learn to ride the slopes?
I'm really at a loss, sorry! :ohaha

broganjk

Hey TheOnda! Just came on here to post pretty much the exact same question. Have you found any good spots for longboarding since? Have just moved back to Dublin after a summer of surfing and am itching to do something to keep myself sane in between trips west and am toying with the idea of getting myself a longboard.. Am based around Kilmacud so was thinking of the Dublin mountains as well, do you reckon they're really too steep to learn on? I'm looking for somewhere quiet as I will most definitely look like a complete sap, owing to the fact that I've never skated before! Also, does anyone have any recommendations for a longboard most suited to practicing carving for surfing? I've had my eye on a Lush Samba board but the Flowboard and Carveboard look fun too

ThOnda

I am quite busy at work and it is getting dark too early for me (before nine).
I was regular in Phoenix Park - the cycle paths are sooooo smooth. And then neighboring industrial estate offers also few smooth car parks.
I am still waiting for some nice slope that will allow me painless deceleration :rolleyes:

ThOnda

Long weekend is coming, is anybody for a longboard spin? What about seaside walk from Poolbeg down to Blackrock? But it might be a little flat...

Madame C

I recently discovered and highly recommend> St Anne s Park in Clontarf. The main road is perfect for carving/cruising/surfing especially if you are a scared noob like me.

ThOnda

Brilliant, thank you for the tip. I'll try to get there some day. Longboarding in falling snow, that sounds romantic

Madame C

Hehe, come on it will be fun. Sliding is so much better on ice

Which reminds me...is there any shop in Dublin where you can buy longboard gear such as sliding gloves? I'm kinda new to the city.

Thanks

M.

paddylonglegs

Madame C wrote: »

Hehe, come on it will be fun. Sliding is so much better on ice

Which reminds me...is there any shop in Dublin where you can buy longboard gear such as sliding gloves? I'm kinda new to the city.

Thanks

M.

This is a nice hack so never had to buy gloves - get ordinary gardening gloves,a cheap plastic chopping board in tesco, cut up the chopping board (small saw maybe) to sizes that will fit on the finger tips of the gloves, then glue on the pieces to the gloves. hey presto, sliding glove!

croney29

Re braking, get slide gloves, for a sudden stop turn around and drop to the ground with your two hands streached out pointing back up the hill, I've done this at around 40 miles an hour and came to a compleate stop within a few seconds, the board sliding sideways looks cool too. If your afraid of hills find one with a nice long flat at the bottom to slow you down or even an incline would stop you fairly fast. Cleaning bearings- carborater cleaner is the best thing or white spirits then speed cream to relube, I wouldn't use water, not good for bearings. Finding spots- your just going to have to do the leg-work, longboarding isn't big enough here yet to have a directory but just like surfing finding good spots is half the fun. I'm from Limerick so I dont know any spots in Dublin but If anyone's down around here I'd happily share the spots I know. Tell me how to make these brakes you were on about.

Eebs

Farmleigh in Phoenix park, both the driveway up to it and the car park are kind of perfect for practicing your cornering and trying a few tricks. Not too many cars. There are a few crazy hills in phoenix park too but I'm still a bit new to try those out and I've no gloves yet so stopping involves baling and foot breaking at the moment.

Going to go on a road trip with the lads and try find a few better spots maybe a bit further out from the city center.

Will update if we find anymore.

Longboarding is the best.

croney29

broganjk wrote: »

Hey TheOnda! Just came on here to post pretty much the exact same question. Have you found any good spots for longboarding since? Have just moved back to Dublin after a summer of surfing and am itching to do something to keep myself sane in between trips west and am toying with the idea of getting myself a longboard.. Am based around Kilmacud so was thinking of the Dublin mountains as well, do you reckon they're really too steep to learn on? I'm looking for somewhere quiet as I will most definitely look like a complete sap, owing to the fact that I've never skated before! Also, does anyone have any recommendations for a longboard most suited to practicing carving for surfing? I've had my eye on a Lush Samba board but the Flowboard and Carveboard look fun too

Get yourself the "mindless savage" great first longboard and you wont get a better new one for the price. great for carving, pumping, cruising and bombing hills. I'm riding a "loaded tan tien" right now, an amazing board but maybe a bit too expensive for a first board. I'd recomend buying the best bearings as you can aford it will make all the diference to your board, I love the "bones swiss 6". there just as fast as the ceramics and half the price.
Dont worry if you've never skated before, if you can surf you can longboard, its basicly a surfboard on wheels. have fun.

ThOnda

I am usually in Phoenix Park and sometimes around the office. Not too much though. Still mostly on flats, not having helmet (I know, I am an eejit...)
I've been recently few times in Marlay Park. There is almost only one suitable road, but it is the closest to where I live. But I am very irregular.

croney29

We should organise days where we all meet up and go for a skate if anyone knows any good hills or routes to do this, post it up. They do it all the time in the UK and the rest of the world. If anyones interested say so and see can we get some good numbers.

Eebs

ThOnda wrote: »

I am usually in Phoenix Park and sometimes around the office. Not too much though. Still mostly on flats, not having helmet (I know, I am an eejit...)
I've been recently few times in Marlay Park. There is almost only one suitable road, but it is the closest to where I live. But I am very irregular.

So you wouldn't recommend Marlay park then?
Hmm.. Definately goin to have to have a hunt for more places.

I see some potentially great car parks in UCD but I'm pretty sure if they'll move you on if they see you longboarding.

rage123

Yeah I have just started long boarding

Have found 3 places in the South Side, all at the foot of the Dublin mountains in new housing estates.

Hunters wood
Airpark
Can't remember the last one ahahahh..

Anyone else have places?

Eebs

rage123 wrote: »

Yeah I have just started long boarding

Have found 3 places in the South Side, all at the foot of the Dublin mountains in new housing estates.

Hunters wood
Airpark
Can't remember the last one ahahahh..

Anyone else have places?

Ghost estates must be perfect for Longboarding. Epic.


UCD is pretty brilliant but services will kick you out if you get nabbed.
Dodder park up to Bushy park is all cycle lane/footpath you can use and the cycle path has just been recently paved so it's really smooth.

Bushy park used to have a skatepark but I don't know the story with it now.

CianRyan

CianRyan wrote: »

Cleaning your bearings takes a good while to do it right.

Pop them out of the wheels and take off the removable protective covers.
Have some hot soapy water and leave them to soak for about 5 minutes.
Take them out and throw them into some cold water, the colder the better. The extreme temperature change will knock off any remaining filth.

Take them out of the water and dry them thoroughly, I usually hand dry them and then give them a blast under a hair drier.

And then the most important part, Greasing them up again.
I find speed cream to be the best for this, I've tried other brands but speed cream seem to do the job quite well, there is better but it'll cost a lot more and need to be imported... a lot of hassle.
Speed cream and be bought in pretty much all skate shops.
Use only a little of this on each bearing, put the covers back on and pop the bearings back into your wheels.

They'll feel like new so will need about an hour-2hours skate to break them in again.
Long process but well worth it, makes your bearings ride much faster and last much longer.

Never use WD40, it's actually not good for the bearings at all.

I'd steer clear of the soap and water personally and I'm not a fan of speed cream either.
Cycleways on Parnell Street stocks a bicycle lubricant that's a thin liquid containing teflon.
I knock all the dirt from all the moving parts off with a cloth, saturate all the washers, spacers, bearings and nuts in the lubricant and shake for 30 minutes. Then individually blast the dirt out of each bearing casing with the aerosol straw and roll them with my fingers until I'm convinced I can't feel dirt in the casing (quite often they take a few blasts). Popping off the protective covers will probably make that lots easier...never occured to me to do that though.

Doing this on a set of swiss racing bearings will give you a 90 second spin if you flick the wheel with your hand. I find the problem with cream is the viscosity, it generates resistance by it's own density.

Also I double up on washers (4 per wheel...can't hurt).
The tightness of the wheel nuts makes a huge difference too. Too tight = friction, too loose = momentum loss as the wheel tries to turn against the truck.

There's an ok run from the Summit Inn in Howth down towards the graveyard where you can push 40-45 kmp/h...as long as you're confidant enough because there's plenty of cars.

The war memorial park at chapelizod bypass has 2 nice runs you can get 30kmp/h, wide as a road, smooth, no cars and theres a quick run of steps up the centre of the park back to the top of the hill, and it's only a 15 minute skate from the Islandbridge entrance of phoenix park.
Also if you're in the area the IMMA across the road has a fun bank on the kilmainham side if you stay left from the entrance...you'll know it when you see it .