White Air Guide to Gravity Racing

STREET LUGE

This is the ultimate gravity sport, where the stakes are high, and the speeds are even higher - Streetluge riders constantly push the boundaries of both human endurance, and technology. A source of much kudos in extreme sports circles, streetluge riders continue to amaze the world with their spectacular racing. Televised on almost every global network - events such as The Gravity Games, The ‘X’ Games, and ‘The San Francisco Big-Air’ event, have brought the world of streetluge racing to millions of television screens around the world.

With roots stretching back to the 1970’s, when skateboarders first began lying down on their boards in order to reach higher speeds - Streetluge racing has now evolved into a highly competitive sport, with riders competing on increasingly sophisticated racing machinery. Streetluge racers can now reach top speeds that were previously only found among their distant cousins - Ice luge racers.

Unlike Ice luge, where riders compete on a specially prepared track - Streetluge races are held on tarmac roads, often in spectacular alpine locations. Road racing carries with it the inherent danger of crashing, but the riders are well aware of the risks and go to great lengths to minimize the danger. Every rider will wear a fully-armored motorcycle-racing suit, and a ‘DOT’ certified crash helmet. With sufficient protection, riders are capable of surviving the kind of crash that would otherwise have caused them serious injury.

A modern racing streetluge will be constructed from an aircraft-grade alloy frame, with aluminum or composite aerodynamic bodywork. Rolling on specially developed polyurethane wheels, and high-speed ceramic bearings; steering is achieved by using specialist Streetluge trucks where the rider shifts their bodyweight from side to side in order to turn. Riders brake by using the soles of their feet on the road, this may sound crazy, but a lightweight streetluge is easily capable of out-breaking a sports car in a straight line!

Streetluge riders are highly skilled racers - constantly adjusting their body weight to steer the luge, constantly reading the road for danger, and using the force of gravity to go ever faster and win the race. After all, second place is still the first loser….

STAND UP

The real looneys of gravity sports. Standing up on a skate board and hurtling down a steep road is just plain silly. No brakes other than feet or slides. Forget it. One quote sums the whole absurd thing up "It's ok until you go faster than you can run" (Ian Round after is first go at Dalby Forest). How's 50mph Plus grab you then Ian!!

Stand up is extremely popular in Europe and starting to take off in a big way here too. Stand up skate was added for the first time last year to the SSSprint championship. Gurston's a technical hill with loads of braking and difficult corners. Over the course of the year times fell from the 1min 30-40 sec's down to 59 somthings. Respect.

Stand up is without a doubt the most spectacular sport to watch.

BUTT BOARD

Buttboard racing - known in Europe as ‘Classic longboard’. At first glance, Buttboard racing appears to share a lot in common with Streetluge racing, but look beneath the surface - and the similarity ends.

Buttboard racing is currently leading a huge resurgence back to the ‘roots’ of streetluge racing. A buttboard is made from a simple flat wooden deck, with standard skateboard trucks and wheels. Having a shorter wheelbase and higher profile - a buttboard does not have quite the same straight-line speed as a streetluge, but what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in style! The purist’s choice - a buttboard does not have the usual handles and footpegs of a streetluge that restrict your body position. When riding a buttboard there is very little to hold onto save for the board itself. This means that buttboarders have evolved their own ‘extreme’ riding style, using their entire body to carve the board through the turns, often sliding the board round corners in a four-wheel-drift!

Strict racing regulations restrict the use of expensive equipment - this creates a very level racing field, where races are fiercely fought, and won entirely on racing ability - not necessarily having the fastest equipment. The close racing, combined with the ‘open’ riding style often results in riders becoming tangled and colliding with each other. The resulting challenge for position is fought out over the entire length of the course. Buttboard racing is fast, intense, and fun! The buttboard construction regulations are in place to keep the sport simple, and as affordable possible. This is why almost all streetluge riders, standup riders, and even Gravity Bike riders race buttboards too. It gives riders an opportunity to practice their style, as well as competing in more disciplines.

G-BIKES

G-bikes are a relatively new form of gravity racing. Based around stripped down BMX bikes they can provide high speeds for very little money (60-70MPH on a bike that cost you £100 aint bad). Unusually for gravity sports riders get a head first ride position so it's not for the timid. Many lugers find this unnerving at first. There are two classes that get raced. Stock and 3/4 faired...

STOCK BIKES

Stock bikes are the cheap machines, their basic functionality offer raw racing ability. They are more often than not built using BMX frames, all tough custom made frames are not illegal.

FAIRED BIKES

Faired Class bikes are more advanced machines, aerodynamic fairings encapsulate three quarters of the rider. This obviously dramatically increases aerodynamics. Where a Stock bike stops accelerating at 55mph the faired bike pushes onto 65-70mph with silent ease.

A dubious top speed of 69mph was recorded at Hot Heels (cycle computers often get upset at this speed and can't really be trusted, but it felt dam fast.) A common race speed is between 45-55 miles per hour.

Faired bike designs vary dramatically. Custom frames are pretty much the norm. Each rider and designer comes up with various methods of constructing the frame, For example Dave Kesler's (USA) faired bike is a modified San-Andreas downhill mountain bike, nice. The use of suspension is permitted front and rear.

As with all disciplines low rolling resistance and smooth bearings help in the speed stakes. G-bikes won't accelerate as quick as a luge because of the increased frontal surface area, but they are often quicker down a hill because the brakes allow shorter braking distances.

The fairings are more often than not custom made to fit the design of the frame. This can be expensive. Some of the US riders have gone to the expense of having moulds made to produce their fiberglass fairings.