Ever since man discovered he could ride waves with a piece of wood, he’s been trying to duplicate the feeling of surfing on land. First came the skateboard (dubbed the street surfer) then the snowboard and mountain board, but none of the devices could mimic the fluid, seamless feel of riding the waves. Enter the dirtsurfer, a two-wheel skateboard made for reaching high speeds on pavement and trail.

What Is It?
Imagine two 20-inch mountain bike wheels attached to the front and back of a skateboard. Throw in some footholds and disc brakes for stability and speed control and you’ve got a dirtsurfer. Riders take the boards on grass slopes, paved downhills, and singletrack.

Why Do It?
Speed. The standard mountain board and longboard suffer from “speed wobbles” at moderate and high speeds because of their reliance on traditional truck systems. The dirtsurfer’s low center of gravity and bike-mount system allows for a smooth ride at high speeds. How fast? The world record is 136.5 kilometers set at the European X Games last year and most riders are comfortable at 30 to 40 miles per hour on smooth pavement. “Anything below 18 miles per hour just feels boring,” says Brian Duvall, U.S. distributor for Dirtsurfer.

History
The dirtsurfer is the brainchild of an Australian surfer and snowboarder who was looking for a similar pastime during the summer in the mountains. It’s popular in Europe and Australia, but didn’t make its American debut until 2002, when professional dirtsurfers demonstrated the board at a mountain bike race at Snowshoe. The dirtsurfer has been catching on steadily, and was dubbed an official race class by the International Gravity Sports Association and Gravity Sports International in 2005.

Get It
Finding retail stores that stock dirtsurfers is still a challenge, but you can pick one up at Dirtsurfer.com for $499. The Flexideck is the most versatile model, made to handle singletrack and paved roads. You can even try it free for 30 days. Dirtsurfer will ship you the deck, and if you don’t like it, just ship it back within 30 days at no cost. Dirtsurfer will even pay for the return shipping.

Wind Power
While the dirtsurfer was made for downhill slopes, flatlanders have started using the board with the assistance of wind power. Dirtsurfers carry a kitewing (think a miniature windsurfing sail) to propel themselves up to 40 mph on flat land.

Where to Ride
While the dirtsurfer was made for off road, most riders prefer smooth pavement where they can make big, sweeping turns similar to cutting down the face of a wave on a longboard. However, a number of new mountain bike trails are designed with butter smooth singletrack over bermed turns, perfect for the dirtsurfer. Here are a few paved and unpaved dirtsurfing hotspots.
Bent Mountain, Va.: US 221. Wide switchbacks through cliffs, views of Roanoke Valley. The mountain caps out at 3,200 feet, offering 3.5 miles of wide sweeping turns over smooth pavement.

Greens Lick Trail, N.C.: Bent Creek, Asheville, N.C. A 2.5-mile downhill with a 1,200 foot of vertical drop. It’s one of the fastest downhills in Pisgah National Forest, and the trail is so smooth it may as well be paved.
The Ultimate Ride: Haleaka Crater, Maui. The road descending this behemoth mountain drops 10,023 feet from summit to sea level in 22 miles and has become the dream ride for dirtsurfers. •