The Complete Handbook of Skateboard Parts
Essential Knowledge for Skaters, Shops, and Builders
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Complete reference guide to skateboard components, specifications, installation, and business applications for professionals and serious enthusiasts.
About this book
Skateboard parts are not interchangeable. A bearing's ABEC rating, a truck's baseplate angle, a grip tape's grit rating, and a bushing's durometer each carry real consequences for how a board rides, lasts, and feels. Yet practical information is scattered across manufacturer websites, buried in forum threads, and tangled up with marketing jargon.
This handbook consolidates what you actually need to know: what each part does and why it matters; how to read and compare specifications; how to choose components for specific riders and riding styles; how to install, maintain, and troubleshoot correctly; where to source parts and build a business; and where the category is headed.
Written for board shops, repair technicians, builders, skate park operators, and serious hobbyists, this is the reference you keep on your workbench—not a marketing piece or a beginner's guide, but the practical knowledge that separates people who understand skateboard parts from people who just buy them.
Reader Reviews
Jacob Johnson
★★★★★Finally a skateboard parts reference that treats the reader like they actually know something. The breakdown of truck geometry in Chapter 2 alone—baseplate angle, kingpin angle, axle width compatibility—answered questions I've been guessing about for years. The troubleshooting section is incredibly practical; it walks through diagnosing wheel bite and flat-spotting with actual specifications, not just "it means your wheels are hitting." My only minor complaint is the business chapter feels slightly abbreviated compared to the technical chapters, but if you're a shop owner or serious builder, this is absolutely worth keeping on your bench.
Joseph Nguyen
★★★★★Good reference, solid on the technical side—Chapter 1 clearly explains why parts matter beyond just looking cool, and the specifications and compatibility stuff is thorough. That said, I was hoping for more depth on bearing maintenance since that's where a lot of my customers go wrong. The business chapter touches on repair services but doesn't really dig into pricing models or what to charge for labor. It's useful as a desk reference, but it's more of a parts encyclopedia than a complete how-to manual.