Am I too old for a skateboard?

I got an Amazon gift card from work, and thought I’d buy a skateboard (at least until my SO hears about my plans). I walks ~3 miles every day from home to the train station and then back so I think it would be fun (and time saving) to ride a skateboard.

Any recommendations for something which won’t break under 200 Lbs and around $120?

Oh and I’m 46 year old soon but I feel very young so there :P

No, ride whatever you want. I buddy of mine used to skateboard from Ashby BART to work in West Berkeley, and he loved his larger, wave-board style thing because the wheel spacing and weight let him get more momentum and better/more effortless coasting. I never got into skateboarding myself for precisely this reason, it’s a rattly, not-so-efficient way to get around. I’ve always thrown my roller blades on for shorter distances where I didn’t want to be saddled by a bike (I’m a hockey player so control on urban streets isn’t much of an issue unless I get careless.) But I’ve been pining for some strap-on blades (these things come close, but are since discontinued) or a half-size adult scooter than can reduce the profile of my portable transport, since skateboards, roller blades, scooters, they’re still just too big to pack away in a nice pouch or handbag.

Anyway, not quite what you were asking. I’m curious about any options that I haven’t covered, though.

You’re never too old to skateboard, unless your body is too old! Give it a shot if you like but if you have never skateboarded before be aware that it’s a lot harder than it looks. Try to look into something that’s more for transportation rather than doing tricks (ie. bigger wheels, etc)

Go for it, though I’d get what those kids today call a longboard. Seems more stable for a longer ride like you’re talking about. Just looked and Amazon has plenty of these for your price range or under.

Longboard, yeah! That’s what I was alluding to in my post.

Yeah, I was thinking of a longboard. Thought people might propose some brand or other. This is probably not the best forum for this sort of question :)

Nah, but if you’ve never skated before then practice somewhere flat and empty first, and also practice braking with your foot. I speak from (painful) experience.

Just don’t get those rollerskateboard things, separate ones for each foot, whatever they’re called (blanking on the real name). It looks amazing when some skilled person performs on them, but the ankle-break risk has got to be enormous.

Yes.1

No.

Dude in the video is ~61 years old and started skateboarding at 50.

He even created his own trick.

My daughter is nineteen and tried last week. She has several scrapes that got infected. I would make sure to wear some pads and a helmet especially at the beginning.

My 10 year old wants to try a skateboard but he’s physically a bit delayed…still holds the rail tightly walking sloooowly downstairs…and he wants me to buy one too…uh…53…but OK…I’ll do that for my boy…without the boy, no way.

You’re definitely not too old, but you may want to think a bit on why you want to do it. For pure transportation, many of the adults in my community (including me) will often scooter when a bike is either too bulky or the distance doesn’t justify issues with biking. In SF, it’s not uncommon to see professionals zipping around on scooters rather than risking their lives on a bike. It’s rarer to see non-kids on skateboards.

There are a lot of adult scooters out there with bigger wheels and decks that are pretty comfortable to ride. I also find it less effort than skateboarding the same distance, though I admittedly don’t have a nice long board. I’m a little less than a 1.5 mi. from home to my commuter train and I bike that 90% of the time and scooter it the other 10%.

What’s the surface of your route like, in terms of smoothness etc? I ask because there is nothing worse than hitting a paving edge that leaves your skateboard behind while you face dive into concrete :)

Another option could be one of those folding pedal scooters, you can get some with nice inflated wheels to make your trip smoother and safer (than a skateboard). You won’t look as cool perhaps, but you wont fall on your nose, which is pretty uncool, more so in your 40’s! Oh and in general your body will ‘break’ easier than it used to now, one of the gifts of age, so keep that in mind when choosing cool over comfort.

Man, I know you are so right, but dammit I do want to be cool and I can’t afford an open sport car :(

Just take a manual grinder to your current cars roof, i find a mid-life crisis is an excuse for anything, all bets are off - get your ‘silver surfer’ longboard and watch the ladies drool (just be sure your medical covers you!) ;)

Wow, for a daily commute of 6 miles, I wouldn’t hessitate to advise going with a bicycle, though I assume you’ve discounted this for some reason?

I meant 3 miles for a return trip to the train station. I used to have a bike, but getting then it I’d the shed and through the out corridor was such a hassle I preferred to walk.
I also have about a mile and a half when I get off the train and walk to the office. If I come early enough I should be able to use it on the way there.

My wife thinks I’ll use it a couple of times and then it’ll gather dust…

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

*edited because I can’t read or do rithmatik! *
I’m not sure I understand what the problem with your old bike was. Did the auto correct eat your sentence? Maybe you should look into the small, folding bicycles. They’re relatively popular here in Japan.

How about something like this Dahon folding bike?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004YHZ9QK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1462695067&sr=8-2&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=dahon+folding+bike&dpPl=1&dpID=41OgQdHLz8L&ref=plSrch

It’s a $359 investment but only 24 pounds and folds up real compact. You could carry it into work with you and not worry about it being stolen. My main concern is that everyone, no matter their age will fall from their skateboard eventually, especially when they’re riding everyday, twice a day. What will you do if you’re 2 miles from the station and you take a fairly innocent tumble and sprain your ankle?

For an extra $40 and a few more pounds you could upgrade to something with gears, fenders and a bike rack.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DYX1XOW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1462695603&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=dahon+folding+bike&dpPl=1&dpID=41Owoysza-L&ref=plSrch