Freebord Best Submitted Videos - 2009!

Every year Freebord invite their forum members to produce short two minute videos to show off their skills, be it in terms of high production values, skills or just pure entertainment. These videos get judged and the top 10 selected before being whittled down further.
See all ten videos here or if you're gagging for more, last years top five are here

Freebord Tetris - The original and follow up....

I don't freebord enough, hence the very few musings about the subject, which is daft cos freebordings ace, if a little misunderstood by the masses (those who are in the know anyway). Anyway, a recent marketing project featuring freebords and tetris shapes seemed to make its way through the interweb tubes and crop up in plenty of random places.
Freebord Tetris and probably on vimeo and other places.
Im not a marketing guru and wasn't entirely sure if not including a web address in the video was a good thing, and certainly, other freebord links have impressed me more in the past, but this one seemed to grab peoples attention.
Following from this, freebord have released a behind the scenes vid, which doesn't show much more, but hey!
Behind the scenes!
So, is the message here to market your product along with classic video games? Reproduce Donkey Kong on a mountain board? Mario on a longboard???

Spot Location - Alvaston, Derby - Freebord

As mentioned previously, I intend to include spot guides in the blog. No thoughts as yet on the best format so I may well edit this entire post at a later date. Anyways, lets give it a go:

Alvaston Bypass Underpass

Location <-Click
Surface Type: Pavement
Width: 5m approx
Surface Condition: Very Smooth
Steepness: Relatively Shallow
Board Used: Freebord
Run length: ~115m max (taken from google maps)
# of cars: None, it's all off-road
# of pedestrians: About 2 an hour
Skill Suitability: Beginners / Practice Session

To anyone thats done any kind of downhill boarding, this location will seem ridiculous, but being shallow, smooth, no cracks and extremely quiet, this is a perfect spot to learn to freebord. With two slopes, one steeper and short, the other shallower, longer and with a sweeping bend this spot allowed me to carve and to start practicing slides with almost no one around to bump into, and at no time get faster than was possible to run out of.

To the side of the path is small stones and drainage and grass so no worries about running wide. The underpass has a bit of broken bottles and rubbish but nothing too bad to ride over. If kids do loiter there, they are not there during weekday lunchtimes which is when I try to go. At 5-minutes drive from the office, it a great spot to get away from things and freebord in peace.

Parking is tricky with no official parking spots so I park just off the roundabout to the north west.

Video hopefully to come soon. Must find a way to work out gradient.

Freebord

I first heard of Freebord (no ‘a’) through the mountainboard forums as a skate/long board that behaves more like a snowboard than any other board but on the roads. ‘Snowboard the streets’ as you might say. Its main feature is the two pivoted caster wheels underneath that allow the board to slip sideways allowing not just carving but the ability to slide in a controlled manner.

Anyways

Freebord Ride explained - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98-RhKZwJG4 Note the ability to stop very quickly if desired.

The ‘how to ride’ video that comes with the board -http://www.freebord.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13790 (can be a little misleading by making it look easier to ride than it actually is)

The original ‘how to ride video’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDI-u7PGzcQ&feature=related (some people prefer this one to the one above)

Freebord main webpage - http://www.freebord.com/main.html

Freebord forum - http://www.freebord.com/forum/index.php

Afraid to ask? - http://www.freebord.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7002

A Derby freeborder (not me) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nJYLUHn580

I bought my bord in August 2008 i.e. I am a total beginner. I aim to document my progress through this blog as I (hopefully) improve.

I bought my bord from Bucks Boarding Centre, Milton Keynes. The people are nice, helpful and ride themselves which helps a lot. A range of Corporate / Revolt / Fader in sizes 80 / 83 / 85 (board length) and choice of bindings were available though I’m sure stock fluctuates. One thing to note is that the G3 range of boards are now available in the US and these will filter through to the UK hopefully sometimes soon. Upgrade wheels as recommended by the forums were not available at the time but I hope to comment on these as time progresses.
Freebords are not cheap at approximately £165 for a complete setup, as there is one manufacturer and they are US based. Like all things, ebay is your friend if money is not immediately available.
The best piece of advice I have been given so far is in the 3rd video from the top.
“Freebording looks easy. It isn’t”
Damn right.

Contents

Re-reading through my initial post, I quickly realised that I didn't clarify what I would be blogging about. In brief, I fully intend to write about:

1 - Me. It's my blog so who better! Although I only intend at this stage to include board related items. This may change.
2 - Boarding, primarily mountain boarding, longboarding and freebording. This list of boards may increase or decrease as I latch myself onto 'the next big thing'.
3 - A spot guide to locations I have personally ridden. No thoughts yet on format or information contained, but this should iron itself out over time. Includes dedicated centres and free-riding.
4 - Descriptions of places I have visited that warrant a return visit with a board of some type.
5 - Response to feedback should I get any. hahaha.

Like all things of this nature, this is all subject to change, but so far so good.