Tradewind kite catalog - mountainboard photo tutorial

Here are the first steps to get you started riding an all terrain board. We suggest that you should always wear protective gear - helmet, knee and elbow pads, wrist guards and eye protection are advisable. Get in the habit of checking your board each time before you ride - tighten all nuts and bolts, taking care not to over tighten the wheel nuts, which would mean the wheel does not spin freely. Check that the bolts securing the bindings are tight, these usually require an allen key. The locking nut on this bolt needs to be tightened down flush with the top of the deck usiong a flat spanner. If you are using a leash, fasten it to one of the bolts for the bindings and above your knee pad at the other end. Tyres will wear out over time and they can also suffer tears, replace if necessary. On channel truck boards the elastomer inserts which can be fitted inside the springs will lose the ability to return to their original shape after a lot of compression and at this point should be replaced.

Always walk the route first, checking that it is within your ability and has no nasty surprises which you did not see from above. If it is your first run chose a gentle slope and ride with your tyre pressures low to keep the speed down. If the area is wide enough, ride across the slope, not straight down. As you progress to steeper slopes set the board up across the slope and jump it around 90 degrees to start rolling. You will need to use carving motions across the hill to control your speed, turning the nose of the board back up the hill will slow you to a stop. Learning to 'power slide' is essential when boarding on narrow runs at high speeds. To achieve this shift your weight over the front wheels as you shart a heelside turn and push your rear foot forward to create the slide.