Frank Nasworthy
Encyclopedia
Frank Nasworthy is recognized as having introduced polyurethane
wheel technology to skateboarding
in the early 1970s.
After graduating from Annandale High School in Northern Virginia in 1969, Nasworthy attended Virginia Tech for a year. Back with his family for the summer in 1970, he visited a plastics factory in Purcellville called Creative Urethane, owned by a friend’s father. The factory had experimented with a polyurethane roller-skate wheel that was sold to Roller Sports Inc., which supplied wheels for rental skates at roller rinks. The rationale was that a softer wheel with improved grip would help novice roller-skaters, but the wheel was largely rejected by roller-skaters who favored the hard steel wheels that allowed for faster speeds on the wooden floors of the roller rinks.
Up to this point, skateboards had also been manufactured with either the same steel wheels as rollerskates, or out of a ‘clay’ composite – a combination of plastic, paper, and finely ground walnut
shells. These wheels wore out far too quickly and slalom
skaters could wear them out in around seven or eight hours.
Nasworthy moved to Southern California
in 1971 to surf
, and noticed that kids were trying to skateboard in empty swimming pools when the surf was down. Nasworthy thought the soft polyurethane wheels would be ideal for skateboards and had his father send him 10 sets. Assembling them onto his skateboard he discovered they allowed for a much smoother ride that was fast and controllable. Having realized the potential of a polyurethane skateboard wheel, Nasworthy invested $700, which he had accumulated working in a restaurant, and formed the Cadillac Wheels Company (on account of their smooth ride). Creative Urethane made the wheels to his specifications and Nasworthy took his company to California
in 1972.
Due to the infancy of skateboarding at this time, Nasworthy sold his wheels directly to surf shops along the coast of California and placed some tentative advertisements featuring a young Gregg Weaver
in surfing magazines. News of the wheels initially spread by word of mouth, but the cumulative affect was a reawakening of skateboarding to the extent that by 1975 scores of manufacturers had entered the market, a national magazine had formed and Nasworthy was selling 300,000 sets of wheels per year.
Nasworthy decided to license his wheels to Bahne and Co of Encinitas, California
and Bahne skateboards were packaged with Cadillac wheels. During 1975, the company reported sales of 10,000–20,000 skateboards per month. Nasworthy's association with Bahne led him to commission a series of paintings by poster artist Jim Evans
that featured Cadillac Wheels. The posters, with titles like, "From Out Of The West" and "Accept No Substitutes" came to represent the paradigm shift taking place in skateboarding.
The success did not last long and Nasworthy’s innovation was soon overtaken by the introduction of a precision bearing
skateboard wheel, the Road Rider. But Nasworthy’s discovery was the catalyst for the second skateboard boom. As a professional freestyle
competitor at the time noted:
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
wheel technology to skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
in the early 1970s.
After graduating from Annandale High School in Northern Virginia in 1969, Nasworthy attended Virginia Tech for a year. Back with his family for the summer in 1970, he visited a plastics factory in Purcellville called Creative Urethane, owned by a friend’s father. The factory had experimented with a polyurethane roller-skate wheel that was sold to Roller Sports Inc., which supplied wheels for rental skates at roller rinks. The rationale was that a softer wheel with improved grip would help novice roller-skaters, but the wheel was largely rejected by roller-skaters who favored the hard steel wheels that allowed for faster speeds on the wooden floors of the roller rinks.
Up to this point, skateboards had also been manufactured with either the same steel wheels as rollerskates, or out of a ‘clay’ composite – a combination of plastic, paper, and finely ground walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
shells. These wheels wore out far too quickly and slalom
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
skaters could wear them out in around seven or eight hours.
Nasworthy moved to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
in 1971 to surf
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, and noticed that kids were trying to skateboard in empty swimming pools when the surf was down. Nasworthy thought the soft polyurethane wheels would be ideal for skateboards and had his father send him 10 sets. Assembling them onto his skateboard he discovered they allowed for a much smoother ride that was fast and controllable. Having realized the potential of a polyurethane skateboard wheel, Nasworthy invested $700, which he had accumulated working in a restaurant, and formed the Cadillac Wheels Company (on account of their smooth ride). Creative Urethane made the wheels to his specifications and Nasworthy took his company to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1972.
Due to the infancy of skateboarding at this time, Nasworthy sold his wheels directly to surf shops along the coast of California and placed some tentative advertisements featuring a young Gregg Weaver
Gregg Weaver
Gregg Weaver, born January 9, 1961 in California, was part of San Diego's famed skate scene and one of skateboarding's early superstars...
in surfing magazines. News of the wheels initially spread by word of mouth, but the cumulative affect was a reawakening of skateboarding to the extent that by 1975 scores of manufacturers had entered the market, a national magazine had formed and Nasworthy was selling 300,000 sets of wheels per year.
Nasworthy decided to license his wheels to Bahne and Co of Encinitas, California
Encinitas, California
Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...
and Bahne skateboards were packaged with Cadillac wheels. During 1975, the company reported sales of 10,000–20,000 skateboards per month. Nasworthy's association with Bahne led him to commission a series of paintings by poster artist Jim Evans
Jim Evans (artist)
Jim Evans born sometime in the 1950s, sometimes known as T.A.Z., is an American painter, printmaker, and Creative Director who was a contributing figure in the visual art movement known as underground comics...
that featured Cadillac Wheels. The posters, with titles like, "From Out Of The West" and "Accept No Substitutes" came to represent the paradigm shift taking place in skateboarding.
The success did not last long and Nasworthy’s innovation was soon overtaken by the introduction of a precision bearing
Bearing (mechanical)
A bearing is a device to allow constrained relative motion between two or more parts, typically rotation or linear movement. Bearings may be classified broadly according to the motions they allow and according to their principle of operation as well as by the directions of applied loads they can...
skateboard wheel, the Road Rider. But Nasworthy’s discovery was the catalyst for the second skateboard boom. As a professional freestyle
Freestyle skateboarding
Freestyle skateboarding , perhaps the oldest style of skateboarding, is a type of skating that was popular intermittently from the 1960s until the early 1990s, when the last large scale professional competition was held; it would be 8 years until the next . The emphasis in freestyle is technical...
competitor at the time noted:
- So with the progress of the urethane [sic] wheels, that just totally stoked me; you could do so much more on a skateboard, surf moves, especially; you could carve your turns and stuff without sliding, that changed everything a lot.