Longboarding 101 Summer Term starts July 13th!
Summer Term 2016 – Class Registration Link > PCC Longboarding 101
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Longboarding 101 Summer Term starts July 13th!
Summer Term 2016 – Class Registration Link > PCC Longboarding 101
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
The DK DropKick is a new board we’ve been working on for the last 8 months. We have had many many requests over the years to release a double kick version of our popular Carbon DropKick model. So we finally pulled the trigger and went all out on this one!
Starting from scratch we designed a new mold for this one and ended up changing it several times along the way as we tested and rode each prototype. Our focus was finding the perfect wheelbase for such a board. Not too long as to make the overall length too big and awkward to ride. But not too short that an average size rider couldn’t ride without having a too short a stance for freeriding and downhill. A lot of companies have a similarly billed model featuring a drop-through and two kicktails. However many of them have 2 versions to suit either big riders or small riders. One is rather big like a 41-43″ length with a 29-32″ wheelbase. And the other is smaller around 37-38″ length with a 22-25.5″ wheelbase. So after making several prototypes, we came up with what we believe has the perfect dimensions for this style of board. It has a 39.5″ length with a 26.75″ wheelbase. It feels just right and not too long when using the kicktails and distance pushing. And it still has enough flatform to let loose with a wide enough stance for some fast freeriding. The 23″ EFP (Effective Foot Platform) allows a decent sized stance to stay on the main part of the board and push out slides at speed without your feet coming off.
The new concave, rocker, and flairs we put into this new mold are really nice and all together work to hold your feet in a locked position while riding fast and sliding. It also has a slight amount of “W” running down the middle of the concave. This amount is not enough to negatively effect distance pushing, but just enough to add another point of reference for your feet. It also adds some strength to this 8 ply maple board, which keeps it strong but light weight.
We had a lot of things in mind when making this board and really wanted to allow many styles of riding to be had on it. As said fast freeriding and downhill that suits most every sized rider with it’s balanced dimensions. But also as a pushing and commuting board that you can still have a lot of fun on in an area without hills. So yes onto the main feature of this board, the double kicktails! We have tested a lot of shapes and sizes of kicktails over the years since 2006 when the first Eastside DropKick board was released. We found that if it does not have a big enough shape for the foot to fit onto, then it cannot effectively be used as a kicktail. Meaning if its not wide enough and long enough, then the rider won’t use it functionally when they want to. If you look at our shape of tail compared to many other brand’s version of a drop-through with kicktails, you will see that many are an inch or more shorter with too narrow of a shape to allow your foot to use it in a fast responsive way. The way the rider needs proper kicks to lift the wheels up when going off a curb, getting over a big crack, or just having fun doing manuals and tricks. When you are doing all these moves, it’s nice to know that a real size tail is there and you don’t have to look down to see where it is. It doesn’t take long to get used to it and have confidence in moving your foot back (or front foot) on the kicktails when you need it.
Some may say well how strong is it? Isn’t having a kicktail on a drop-through a weak point in the design and can break? Yes that is a concern and rest assured we have tried all the possibilities when designing this style of board. One factor is that we found if you don’t have the right amount of rocker in the board, then the kicktails will not be strong enough. We experimented with different types and depths of rocker in the board as well. In this process we also found the perfect size and shape of the tail to have the most control with the most durability. Thus allowing the perfect combination of strength and function. As we changed variables in each prototype we finally landed on something really magical here. Once you step on it and ride it for yourself, you will instantly know and feel it’s powers! We guarantee it will perform better than any other drop-through with kicks and allow you to have fun wherever you are!
Stay tuned, we will be announcing the release date shortly. And be running some contests to win one!
Article written by Skate Slate photographer Jon Huey who rode in the mix of this years P-Town Throwdown!
Direct Link to Article – http://www.skateslate.com/blog/2016/06/02/2016-p-town-throwdown-photos/
The 12th Annual P-Town Throwdown was successfully completed this last weekend. Many had fun riding through the streets, almost of ton of canned food was donated, and nobody died! Check out my photos from the event.
This Sunday around 80 people showed up for the Critical Mass/ Race starting at Mt. Tabor and ending at Sellwood park. 1,535 pounds of canned food were donated to the Oregon Food Bank. The organizer Robin McGuirk gave out directions and a map and then announced to everyone where the most dangerous parts of the route are and warned that you could die. After the unofficial safety meeting, we were all ready to ride.
Everyone got to bomb down Mt. Tabor as part of a tradition led by Portland OG Josh Burt. Josh organized the first ten Portland Pusher races that Robin famously dominated over the years. Now, Robin has taken the torch and has been running the P-Town Throwdown for years.
At the bottom Mt. Tabor, everyone gathered together to ride the eastside of Portland down to the water. Following a bike route for most of the way, it’s a relatively safe race.
Once you get to the waterfront, it’s mostly a flat push and everyone gets spread out. At a certain point, I put away the camera and pushed.
I caught my friend Skip (the man behind Turnco) finishing the race at almost 50 years old, soda in hand. He most likely found a few shortcuts in order to finish the race. The hardcore pushers lined up for a podium shot and Everyone hung out by the train tracks as prizes were raffled out. So many prizes were raffled off. If you brought a good amount of canned food, you could have easily walked away with a a new longboard set-up.
After all of that, we went to Hot Lips Pizza to relax and get our well-needed protein.
A big thanks goes out to the volunteers who collected food, distributed raffle tickets to those who donated, spotted corners and intersections on the route, and recorded final placings for the competitors. A big thanks goes to all the sponsors of the event as well: Daddies Board Shop, Eastside Longboards, Longboard Larry, Gorge Performance, Cal Skate Skateboards, Abec 11 Wheels, Seismic Skate, Loaded Boards, Orangatang Wheels, Bustin Boards Push Culture, Predator Helmets, Sellwood Market (Water/Gatorade), Hot Lips Pizza (After Party).
This 12th annual skateboard push race is going down again May 29th. The route leading from Mt.Tabor Park to Sellwood Park has been a tradition in Portland and definitely the longest running skateboard race in the Northwest. Riders meet in Mt.Tabor park to register and bring their food for donation to Oregon Food Bank. Every 4 cans of food they bring, they receive one raffle ticket with no limit of how much food they donate. The Prize raffle happens at the end after everyone has finished near the finish line at Sellwood Park. We always have more than enough prizes for everyone to get something thanks to all of our generous sponsors. More food = More raffle tickets = More chances at winning! For the last five year’s the event has collected over 7,000 pounds of food!
Besides raising food for the hungry in Portland, this event celebrates our unique City Ordinance 20.12.205 that states Skateboarding is as a legal form of transportation. As long as we obey traffic laws just as cars and bikes do. The course starts near the west entrance of Mt.Tabor Park in the neighborhood and goes straight through the heart of the Eastside of Portland down a bike route. Lincoln and Harrison streets are the main roads from 58th avenue all the way to 9th avenue. Then you cross Division street and enter the nearby entrance to the Spring Water bike trail going South for 3 miles leading to the finish line at Sellwood Park. There are only 3 stop lights and a handful of stop signs during this 8.5 mile course. However all riders stop at each red light and stop signs in accordance of the City Ordinance. Riders who disobey risk being banned from the event and DQ’ed from the raffle and podium. So for the top 20 or so who are racing, it’s part skill and luck by stopping and restarting as you go. For the majority its all about riding together and having a good ol’ time rollin’ down the Eastside! Critical Mass!
If you live in the area or visiting during that time, be sure to check out all the info here and come out to support this Portland Skateboarding tradition! It’s always tons of fun!
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED! No helmet = no raffle ticket, no racer number.
REGISTRATION and Food Collection – 10am – Located at the lower parking lot on the North side of Mt.Tabor Park.
Map – http://goo.gl/maps/38Sc
RIDERS UNDER 18 MUST HAVE A PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGN THE WAIVER AND SHOW UP WITH YOU TO CONFIRM. Or you cannot participate in this event. Waiver will be available online shortly with a link here.
ANYONE RUNNING RED LIGHTS WILL BE DQ’ED FROM THE RAFFLE AND PODIUM.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is the original course used for Portland Pusher #4 in 2005, the Annie Ross Open from 2006-2010, and the last five years of the P-Town Throwdown. The route is 8.5 Miles through lower S.E. Portland. First 5 miles is mostly slight downhill but includes two sections that are 6-10 blocks of steeper downhill with speeds of 20-30 mph. Knowing how to footbrake will keep you under that. The last 3 miles you enter the bike path leading you South along the Willamette River towards Sellwood Park and the finish line just before the Sellwood bridge. The whole route includes only 3 traffic light signals to watch for. As a city bike route there are very few stop signs along this course, but please be aware of traffic at all times!
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION AT THE RIDERS MEEETING – The course will be explained highlighting the most dangerous intersections. If you are unsure then follow a group of riders who have done it before. NOTE: This race is unique to other distance skateboard races. Riders will be going as fast as possible but will be obeying city traffic laws all the way through. Basically racing to the stop signs or red lights, stopping, then continue racing again. Any riders not doing this will be disqualified and banned from the event!
ENTRY FEE: 4 Cans of Food and approved liability waiver.
4 items of approved food are required for entry into the race (See list at bottom).
Bring more food for more tickets! Every 4 items will receive another raffle ticket with no limit on donations for tickets. More food, more tickets, more chances of winning prizes from our generous sponsors.
PLAN OF THE DAY:
After everyone is signed in and all food is collected, we will hike up to the upper parking lot and gather at the gate leading into Run 1 – a closed to car traffic hill leading around the Reservoirs. Here we will carry on the tradition of this race by doing a fun group run and celebrate the history of longboarding at Mt.Tabor! Once you get down to the lower gate, continue downhill towards the exit of the park turning into Salmon St. We will gather again on the Westside of 60th ave on Salmon for the start of the race.
RAIN OR SHINE!!!
Prize Raffle near the finish line at Sellwood Park after everyone has finished at approx. 12:30-1pm.
AFTER PARTY following the Prize Raffle at HOT LIPS PIZZA on S.E. 22nd and Hawthorne. We have a large area reserved at 2pm.
PRIZE RAFFLE SPONSORS:
These four top sponsors have been the longest running supporters of this race and all of the original Portland Pusher Series. Huge thanks to all of the sponsors generous support!
Daddies Board Shop
Eastside Longboards
Subsonic Skateboards
Longboard Larry
Together we can make a big difference in people’s lives right here in Portland. Bring food and lets have fun Rollin’ down the Eastside!
LOCAL SKATE LAW: City Ordinance 20.12.205
*It is legal to skate on any street or sidewalk in the city 24 hours a day outside of the defined downtown core. In the downtown core area–defined geographically by Naito Parkway to the east, 13th Avenue to the west, Northwest Hoyt Street to the north and Southwest Jefferson Street to the south–you are allowed to skate in the street only, not on the sidewalk.
The City of Portland has designated certain downtown streets as “preferred skating routes.” These streets will be signed as skate routes. Outside of downtown, the Portland Office of Transportation recommends skaters use designated bike routes. Those routes are signed for bicycles and will be signed for skating in the future. To obtain more information on the city’s bike routes and to get a map, please call Transportation Options at 503-823-CYCL(2925).
There is NO skating allowed on any portion of the downtown transit mall on 5th and 6th Avenues or on the walkways in the center of the downtown park blocks.
All skaters under the age of 16 years old must wear a helmet at all times while skating. If you skate after sunset, you must wear either reflective materials, a flashing reflector or a light on both your front and back. All skaters using the city streets must obey the same rules of the road that apply to bicycles.
Any violation of the new skate rules carries a $25 fine. If you are under 16 and get caught skating without a helmet, your parent or guardian will be notified of the violation.
Remember, it is still ILLEGAL to skate on private property or to cause damage to any ledges, stairs, rails or other urban architecture. Other applicable laws still apply to this illegal behavior and these laws will be strictly enforced by the Portland Police Bureau. It is also still illegal to skate on any brickwork, cobblestones or ornamental surface, picnic table, tennis court, fountain area, planter or sculpture located in a public area.
OREGON FOOD BANK needs these nutritious foods:
canned meats (i.e., tuna, chicken, salmon)
canned and boxed meals (i.e., soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese)
peanut butter
canned or dried beans and peas (i.e., black, pinto, lentils)
pasta, rice, cereal
canned fruits
100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed).
Oregon Food Bank can’t use-
To ensure food safety, we cannot use:
rusty or unlabeled cans
perishable items
homemade items
noncommercial canned or packaged items
alcoholic beverages, mixes or soda
open or used items
PLEASE NOTE: Do not bring GLASS items. They will not be accepted.
Yes you may have noticed the drastically updated website here. It has been a long time coming and something we’ve been meaning to do for about 3-5 years now! It’s just that we’ve been so busy building boards, innovating and redesigning our products, that this was one thing left on the back burner. The time has come and we went simple and clean, fast running, and mobile friendly. Check it out when you get time and let us know if you see errors or problems. If you find something, contact us and we will reward you with a 10 % discount on any one item including a Longboard Complete. Also as a courtesy we are letting the site run with
FREE SHIPPING on all products for a limited time. If you’ve taken the time to read this, support a skater run brand made for skateboarders! Thank you much!
NOTE: Free Shipping on our website only applies to orders in the U.S.
(except Hawaii and Alaska).
All International orders will be sent an additional email and PayPal invoice for the shipping cost to their country for the product(s) ordered.
Here’s a archive screen shot of the old site. Go ahead and be amazed and have a good laugh for old times sake!
Longboarding 101 Spring Term starts March 30th!
Go to PCC.edu to sign up. Registration is live March 2nd.
Use CRN 23006 to register at PCC.edu
Direct PCC Registration Link – Longboarding 101 Spring Term 2016
Screen shot from Portland Community College Spring Term 2016 class listing: