Do You Need Risers on a Longboard? Key Takeaways

You need risers on a longboard if your wheels contact the deck during turns, a problem called wheel bite. The decision hinges on three factors: your wheel size, your deck’s shape and features, and your riding style and weight. For most setups, start by checking if your deck has wheel cutouts or wells; if it doesn’t, and you’re using larger wheels, you may need a riser.

That “contact” is a hard stop that throws you forward without warning. The black scorch marks on your deck are proof your setup is one deep carve away from a crash.

What follows is a mechanic’s guide, not a sales pitch. We’ll walk through the three factors that actually matter, translate manufacturer specs into plain English, and show you how to test your own board. By the end, you’ll know whether to buy risers, what thickness to get, and how to install them without the common mistakes that crack decks and loosen hardware.

Key Takeaways

• The need for risers is dictated by wheel bite risk, not by a universal rule. Test by leaning hard on your board at a standstill.
• For drop-through decks and boards with deep wheel cutouts, you often don’t need risers unless running extremely large wheels (over 80mm).
• Wheel size is the primary driver.
• Riser thickness directly trades stability for clearance. Stradivarius Longboards notes tall risers reduce vibrations but hurt stability for downhill speed.
• Always match your hardware length to your riser choice. A 1/4″ riser typically needs a 1.25″ bolt on a standard deck.

The 3 Factors That Decide If You Need Risers

We’ll examine this point by point. Forget generic advice. Your need for a riser is a simple mechanical check of three interacting parts: the wheels, the deck, and the way you ride it.

Flat risers made of hard plastic come in standard 1/8″, 1/4″, and 1/2″ thicknesses. Their primary function is to increase the distance between the deck and the truck baseplate, thereby raising the deck and providing more clearance for larger wheels to turn without contacting the board.

1. Wheel Size: The Biggest Number on the Box

Larger wheels cover more ground per push and roll over cracks more easily. They also sit higher up into the deck’s space. Warehouse Skateboards states it simply: the larger your wheels, the greater the chance of wheel bite.

The disagreement among manufacturers on the exact threshold is revealing. Fulkit Skateboards says wheels larger than 54mm on a skateboard will likely bite without pads. Warehouse Skateboards says wheels under 55mm typically don’t need risers. That 1mm gap is the margin where your deck shape and weight come into play. For a longboard, larger wheels increase the chance of wheel bite, but the core do you need risers on a longboard question depends on your specific deck and setup. When you use very large wheels, you’re more likely to need a riser.

I’ve seen this common mistake a hundred times. A rider slaps on 85mm Orangatang Caguamas for a smoother commute, feels the glorious roll, but doesn’t account for the new height. Their first hard carve to avoid a curb ends with a sudden stop and a slammed hip. The wheel size giveth speed, and it taketh away stability if you don’t adjust the clearance.

2. Deck Shape: Cutouts, Drop-Throughs, and Topmounts

Look at the underside of your board. Does it have large openings where the wheels poke through? That’s a cutout, and it’s your first line of defense. Decks with pronounced cutouts or sculpted wheel wells naturally keep the deck surface away from the wheel path. Many drop-through decks, where the truck baseplate mounts through a hole in the deck, also feature these cutouts. This design inherently lowers the ride height and increases clearance, often making risers unnecessary.

A classic pintail or a cruiser deck with no cutouts is a different story. The deck’s width often hangs directly over the wheels. In a turn, the wheel can easily reach up and kiss the wood. For these boards, risers are often necessary to prevent wheel bite when using larger wheels.

Here’s a quick guide to how deck features affect your riser needs:

Deck Feature	Effect on Wheel Bite Risk	Typical Riser Need
Deep Wheel Cutouts	Dramatically Reduces	Low to None
Drop-Through Mount	Lowers deck, Increases Clearance	Low (unless wheels >80mm)
Wheel Wells/Flairs	Reduces	Low
Flat Bottom, No Cutouts (Pintail)	Significantly Increases	High (for wheels >65mm)
Flexible Deck (Dancer)	Increases with rider weight	Moderate to High

3. Your Riding Style and Weight

Your fundamentals are your foundation, and they include how hard you push the board. A heavier rider flexes the deck more, especially on a lively, springy board. That extra flex can close the gap between deck and wheel during a turn. If you are a heavier rider on a flexy deck, the do you need risers on a longboard answer is that you’ll likely need a thicker riser than a lighter rider with the same setup.

Riding style is the final variable. Are you doing slow, casual carves on bike paths? Your risk is lower. Are you bombing hills or practicing aggressive, deep carves? You’re loading the trucks to their maximum turn angle, pushing the wheels closer to the deck. Downhill riders face a paradox: you want clearance, but you also want a low, stable platform. Stradivarius Longboards is explicit: tall risers reduce vibrations but are not good for downhill; at high speed, you want the deck close to the road.

Flat vs. Angled vs. Shock Pads: Which One?

Not all pads between your truck and deck do the same job. Picking the wrong type is like using a wrench as a hammer, it might work once, but it’s not right and it’ll fail messy.

Hard Plastic Risers (Flat & Angled)

These are your tools for height. Made from hard plastic, they don’t compress. Their job is to lift the deck a precise amount: 1/8″, 1/4″, or 1/2″. My take? For preventing wheel bite, check if your deck or wheel manufacturer provides a specific recommendation. For Loaded Boards’ Coyote with 85mm wheels, that’s a 1/2″ riser. That’s not a suggestion; it’s the result of their testing.

Angled risers, or wedges, are a special tool. As Warehouse Skateboards notes, they change the angle of the kingpin and pivot point. Installing them with the thick part toward the board’s center increases turn capability. They let you fine-tune how your trucks respond, but they add complexity. I won’t recommend them for your first setup. Get comfortable with a flat riser first.

Soft Rubber Shock Pads

These are different. Usually topping out at 1/8″ thick, they’re made of rubber or dense foam. Their primary goal is to dampen vibrations and absorb impact. Fulkit Skateboards strongly recommends them for fiberglass-reinforced decks to isolate the truck and avoid damaging the fibers.

Now, consider the reality of shock absorption. The community is split. Many Reddit users report feeling little difference in vibration damping from shock pads, arguing that larger, softer wheels make a more noticeable impact. One user put it bluntly: “Risers don’t do shit for vibrations. What does have an impact… Is larger wheels.” I tend to agree for general street riding. Where a soft pad unquestionably helps is in protecting your deck from stress cracks around the mounting holes, especially on stiffer composite decks.

How to Install Riser Pads Correctly (The Mistakes Everyone Makes)

Installing a riser seems trivial, slap it on and screw the truck down. Do it wrong, and you’ll strip bolts, crack risers, or create a dangerous pivot point. Here’s the right way.

Step 1: Gather the Right Hardware

This is the most skipped step. Your existing bolts are now too short. You must use longer bolts. Fulkit Skateboards provides a clear table: for a 7-ply deck with a 1/4″ riser pad, you need 1.25″ bolts. For a 1/2″ riser, you will need longer bolts than for a 1/4″ riser. Skatepro confirms it: if you use risers, you need to make sure your bolts are long enough. Trying to force a short bolt to catch just a few threads is asking for a truck to eject mid-ride.

Step 2: Align and Seat the Riser

Clean the contact surfaces on the deck and truck baseplate. Place the riser, ensuring the holes align perfectly with the deck’s mounting holes. For angled risers, double-check the orientation, thick side toward the nose for more turn, thick side toward the tail for stability. Press down firmly so the riser sits flat without any gap.

Step 3: Mount the Truck and Torque in a Star Pattern

Drop your longer bolts through the deck and riser. Seat the truck onto the bolts. Add the lock washer and nut. Tighten the nuts in a star pattern (top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left) a little at a time. This ensures even pressure and prevents the riser from warping or the deck from cracking. Tighten until the nut is snug and the truck baseplate has no play. Do not overtighten to the point of crushing the riser or wood.

Common mistake: Overtightening the hardware with a soft shock pad. The rubber compresses over time, and what was tight becomes loose after a few rides. Re-check the tightness after your first two or three sessions.

When You Don’t Need Risers (And When You Absolutely Do)

We can convert these factors into clear decisions.

You can skip risers if: * You are using smaller wheels on a deck with cutouts or wheel wells.

• You’re riding a drop-through deck with moderate-sized wheels.
• You’re a lighter rider doing casual cruising on smooth pavement.

You absolutely need risers if: * You’re putting very large wheels on a topmount deck without cutouts.

• You’re a heavier rider on a flexible deck and you feel the deck graze the wheel during pre-ride lean tests.
• You’re following a manufacturer’s specific setup guide that calls for them (like the Loaded Boards examples).

The gray area (test it):

Wheels between 60mm and 70mm on a deck with minimal features. This is where you perform the static lean test. With the board stationary, lean your weight onto the edge as if making a sharp turn. Have a friend watch the gap between the wheel and deck. If the gap closes completely or nearly so, you likely need a riser.

Do risers prevent stress cracks on a longboard?

Beyond preventing wheel bite, adding a riser can help protect your deck’s structure. A thin riser pad acts as a buffer between the truck baseplate and the deck, distributing the force from impacts and hard landings. This can help prevent stress cracks from forming around the mounting holes, especially on boards that see a lot of rough pavement or aggressive riding.

How do deck cutouts and wheel wells affect riser need?

The shape of your deck is a major factor. Decks with deep wheel cutouts or sculpted wheel wells are designed to give your wheels extra clearance during sharp turns. If your board already has these features, you might be able to run larger wheels without needing a riser, or you might get away with a thinner one. Conversely, a deck with a simple, uncut shape offers no such built-in clearance. On these boards, the only thing preventing wheel bite is the space created by your truck’s geometry and any riser you add. Always check your specific deck’s recommendations.

What’s the difference between hard risers and soft shock pads?

Hard riser pads are typically made from solid plastic and are used primarily to add height and prevent wheel bite. Soft shock pads, usually made of rubber, also lift the deck slightly but are designed to absorb road vibrations and impacts. Some manufacturers strongly recommend using a soft shock pad with certain deck materials, like fiberglass-reinforced boards, to isolate the truck and avoid damaging the composite layers. For high-speed downhill riding, Stradivarius Longboards states a deck close to the road is preferred, which they say is possible only with small, high-quality plastic risers. Other sources, like Yocaher, suggest risers below a certain thickness may not accomplish much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do any pro skaters use riser pads?

Yes, but context is everything. Street skaters using small wheels (sub-54mm) for technical tricks almost never use them. Longboard pros, especially in disciplines like downhill, often use very thin risers or shock pads for specific tuning or deck protection, not necessarily for wheel bite. Their setups are highly customized based on deck geometry, truck angle, and wheel size.

Do risers give more pop?

For skateboarders, a slight rise can change the tail’s pivot point, which some riders equate with a feeling of more ‘pop’ for ollies. Yocaher notes that adding risers lifts the deck higher off the ground, which can make snapping off ollies feel easier. However, the trade-off is a higher center of gravity, which can make landing tricks less stable. It’s a tuning choice, not a performance cheat code.

Do I need risers with 54mm wheels?

According to Fulkit Skateboards, wheels larger than 54mm on a skateboard will likely bite without pads. Warehouse Skateboards states wheels under 55mm typically don’t need risers. When you compare a do you need risers on a longboard scenario, for a standard skateboard deck, 54mm wheels sit right on that line. If your deck has no wheel wells and you carve hard, a 1/8″ riser is cheap insurance. For a longboard with cutouts, you can probably skip it.

How should your feet be on a longboard?

Foot placement is crucial for control and preventing speed wobbles. Your front foot should be positioned for control, typically near the front truck. Your back foot should be near the rear truck bolts, either parallel or perpendicular to the board for mechanical advantage. A wide, athletic stance lowers your center of gravity and gives you more mechanical advantage to steer and carve safely, which indirectly affects how much you lean and your risk of wheel bite.

The Bottom Line

Your decision tree is short. First, identify your wheel size and deck shape. If you’re rolling on very large wheels over a deck with no cutouts, you will likely need a riser. Second, know your discipline. If you’re chasing downhill stability, heed Stradivarius Longboards and keep risers minimal to stay low. For cruising and carving, a bit of height for clearance is wise.

The one rule most guides skip: if you add a riser and your board feels tippy or less responsive, you might have gone too thick. The fix isn’t to just endure it. Swap down one size and compensate by adjusting your truck tightness or bushings. Hardware is a system; change one part, and you have permission to adjust the others.

Trust the process, not just the trick. Buying risers is about measuring a gap, understanding the mechanics of your turn, and putting a piece of plastic in the right place so you can push harder, carve deeper, and ride home in one piece.