Are you having trouble clearing corners on sharp, fast turns? Are you fed up with the constant friction between the wheels and your deck? Sometimes, adding equipment such as riser pads to your skateboarding setup can make all the difference in your skating experience, especially if you’re frequently riding on rough pavement.
In this guide, we’re going to talk about what riser pads are, how they can impact your ride, the different options available, and more.
What Are Riser Pads?
Riser pads, also called risers, are hard plastic pads that are inserted between the skateboard’s trucks and deck. Intended to increase the space between your deck and your trucks, riser pads raise the height of your skateboard.
Why would anyone need to increase the height of their skateboard? Many skaters use riser pads to avoid wheel bite, which is the friction felt between the wheel and the deck when doing tricks or turns. These wheel bites cause a sudden stop in motion, which can lead to nasty wipeouts and other injuries. Additionally, wheel bite can cause difficulty steering and damage the underside of the board. Riser pads are a practical solution and are available in a variety of styles, colors, and thicknesses.
Riser Pads vs. Shock Pads
The terms “riser pads” and “shock pads” are often used interchangeably, and often appear to be the same thing. While the two are incredibly similar, there are subtle yet important distinctions that affect your ride differently.
For starters, riser pads are usually taller than shock pads, measuring at about 1/8 inch to over 1 inch. That’s because their main purpose is to increase the height (space) between the trucks and the deck. Additionally, risers are usually made from plastic.
Shock pads, on the other hand, also help to increase the height of the board, but usually max out at 1/8 inch and are typically made of rubber.
Benefits of Riser Pads
While we briefly described above how the use of riser pads can help prevent wheel bite, we’ll dig a little deeper into some of the other benefits they can provide.
Improved Board Handling
Skateboard trucks have central bolts that allow you to adjust your turning capabilities. If these bolts are loosened, the board will turn more easily. If they are tightened, the board will not turn as easily. If your style of skating involves leaning into tight, fast turns, loosening the bolts of your trucks are an option, but you run the risk of experiencing wheel bite. Installing riser pads can help you pull quicker turns without loosening bolts. Learn why you might want tighter or looser trucks.
Can Reduce Stress Fractures on Your Board
Your board goes through a lot. Each truck is mounted to the board via four heavy screws, meaning the trucks press directly against the board’s softer materials. This repeated pressure can cause cracks and stress fractures in your board. Risers can serve as a buffer zone between the trucks and the deck to help preserve your board’s integrity.
How Do I Know If I Need Riser Pads?
Whether or not you need riser pads depends on the type of board you have and your skateboarding style.
The larger your wheels are, the greater the risk of wheel bite. So, if you’ve got a longboard, cruiser, or old school skateboard, you’ll definitely want to consider buying riser pads if your board isn’t outfitted with them already.
If you use a classic popsicle-style deck, risers can come in handy after landing tricks. If you have problems with loose hardware vibrating, riser pads can help keep your hardware in place by absorbing the shock of impact.
Know the Right Hardware Sizes
If you decide to add riser pads to your set up, you’ll likely need to adjust the length of your hardware to ensure you don’t end up with short screws. Refer to the following guidelines:
- No Riser – 7/8″ to 1″ hardware
- 1/8″ Riser – 1″ to 1 1/8″ hardware
- 1/4″ Riser – 1 1/4″ hardware
- 1/2″ Riser – 1 1/2″ hardware
Riser Pad Shapes
Rectangular Riser Pads
This is the standard shape for riser pads. Flat rectangular risers will increase the height of your deck while decreases the shock felt in your feet. The larger your wheels are, the thicker the size you will need to select. It’s important to remember that the higher your board is, the more difficult it can be to maneuver it. Be sure to experiment with different heights to find out what works best for you.
Angled Riser Pads
Angled or wedged riser pads come in a door jamb shape. In addition to increasing the board height by raising your trucks, this style of riser also fixes them at an angle. They can be installed angling away from the center, or towards it.
Adding angled or wedged riser pads allows you to change the angle of the kingpin and pivot point to adjust your turning capabilities. If you want to increase your turning capabilities, install the thicker part of the riser closer to the center of the board. You can also flip the direction of the wedges to play around and experiment with what works for you.
Riser Pad Holes
When installing your riser pads, you’ll probably notice that the risers have 6 holes even though you’ll only need four. No need to worry, as the extra holes in the risers are there to account for the size differences between old school and new school skateboards.
We hope this guide has been helpful in examining whether your skating experience can benefit from riser pads. As with most pieces of skate equipment, it’s largely a game of trial and error, seeing what works for you and what doesn’t.