All About Skateboard Wheels

Nov 3
10:00

2009

Lazar Rodriguez

Lazar Rodriguez

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Getting skateboard wheels can sometimes be confusing, but this guide will help sort out the different types of wheels.

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If you're a skateboarder,All About Skateboard Wheels Articles then you know just how important wheels are. There are many, many different kinds of skateboard wheels out in the world. What kind of skateboard wheels does a skater want? This article should help you build a much better understanding of the many different kinds of wheels out there.

The very first item you need to understand about wheels is that they can be bought in different hardness's. Skateboarders call this 'hardness' the wheel's Shore D, or durometer. There are two different scales of durometer. The D scale is used on materials that aren't very soft, while the A scale is used for softer materials, such as the polyurethane used in a skateboard wheel.

You have to pick a durometer depending on what you want in a skateboard wheel. A good rule of thumb is that 78a to 88a are great cruising/longboarding wheels, as they're extremely soft wheels that will ride over rocks very easily, whereas 88a to 97a or higher are excellent wheels for street skaters. These harder wheels provide a little bit more control over the skateboard, and give the skater extra velocity on very smooth skating spots, such as the smooth concrete in a skatepark. A harder wheel is also less likely to develop a flat spot if you're a powerslider.

Another feature a skater must take into account for a wheel is the shape of it. There are a few separate shapes of wheels, and each one is designed for a different purpose. A 'free ride' wheel is your every day skateboard wheel. Freeride wheels have rounded edges and a rounded front, which makes getting off ledges or coping much easier than it would be if you had tunnel wheels with a squared back. Downhill longboarders sometimes use soft freeride wheels because they make it easier to go down a hill. The rounded edges also give the skateboarder a little extra traction while carving.

The other type of wheel is the conical wheel. Conical wheels have a reverse volcano shape to them, with a cubed reverse side. (If that does not create a proper visual, do a quick image search and you'll know what I'm talking about.) Conical wheels are often used for cruisers, as they are light weight and absorb the street very well. Since they are light weight, longboarders don't have to push as often as they would with a regular wheel.

The next thing you will have to think about is the size of a wheel. Regular skateboard wheels usually come in sizes from 50 to 54mm. Skateboard wheels aren't usually made too much smaller than 50mm, as they become too tiny to skate on. Larger wheels are often used on longboard or cruiser boards; some longboarders like to use a soft wheel that is around 59 to 60mm. Longboarders use bigger wheels than street boarders because it makes it easier to ride over bumps or cracks in the street. Extreme downhill longboarders will sometimes buy even bigger wheels - up to 65mm or more - because of the speed boost. The bigger the wheel, the more speed you will gain on a hill.

The final step you will have to take in purchasing your wheels is to find out what's available to you at your local skateboard shop, and then purchase the wheel that is going to suit your needs. If you are a street cruiser, you might want to look at getting some 78a 60mm conical wheels. If you are a street skater, you will probably want wheels that are small and hard - 97a 52mm wheels would do nicely. Before you purchase anything, find out if you can test out a board that has the wheels you were checking out on it. Some skateboard shops have boards that they will be happy to let you try out.

In conclusion, we talked about what the durometer of a wheel is, how the shape is a factor, and the differences in diameter. If you're still not understanding wheels after reading the above information, head down to your local skateboard shop. They'll be excited to help out a fellow skater.