This chapter explores how the trick called the Ollie became integral to street skating and revolutionized the athleticism of skateboarding. It also discusses the evolution of skateboard shape and introduces key individuals who created a template for modern skateboards.
Watch a skate video today, and you'll notice how similarly shaped the boards are. It’s called the “popsicle” design, because the deck is narrow in the middle and rounded off at both ends, like a popsicle stick. This may seem stupid simple, but that basic, clean popsicle shape is actually the product of a lot of experimentation and iteration. In 1989, one particular board would cement skateboard design as we know it. But to understand it, we have to go back over a decade to the mid-70s, as more and more money poured into the growing sport.
The Double Kick