Depending on what you will be using your skateboard for will determine what type of wheels will be best for you. Skateboard wheels are normally made of Urethane this is a synthetic crystalline compound that is both resilient and very durable. Wheels come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colours, and hardness.
Narrow wheels are more responsive, have less friction and have a lighter weight. This can be great for street skating and technical skating. Wider wheels will grip the ground better and are the best for cruising .
The durometer is the hardness of the wheel. Most technical skaters prefer a harder wheel for durability, speed, and controlled sliding ability. Softer wheels will give you a smoother ride and are better if the skater is using the skateboard for cruising and riding on rougher ground.
When you look at a set of wheels on most of them you will see two sets of numbers. The first set of numbers is the diameter size of the wheel in mm normally between 48mm and 112mm, the second set of numbers is the hardness measured in numbers normally between 78a and 104a with high numbers being harder and more easy to slide and the lower the number being softer, have more grip and give you a smoother ride. sometimes wheels like bones will use a b after the number this makes the scale 20 higher so 84b will equal 104a
Smaller wheels are slightly lighter and lower to the ground . This enables a quicker response when manipulating the deck during a trick. On the other hand a smaller wheel won’t last quite as long or ride as smoothly. A larger wheel maintains its speed longer and actually will roll faster when it gets going and are designed mainly for cruising, transportation, and or downhill riding (not recommended for regular trick skating). This would also go for the Dirt wheels (112mm), which as the name describes are to be used on the dirt or cross-terrain. It is recommended to use these types of wheels on a longboard, old school style deck and electric skateboards.
If you are looking for wheels to go over grass and gravel it is recommended to use tyres.
If you have any more questions about wheels you can always email the experts at Epic Skateboards in the contact section on the bottom of the page.
Thank you so much for this – really clear, simple guide with lots of great tips about electric board wheels or electric skateboard tyres. I will definitely be sharing it with my friends!
Future transport…..one quarter of urban designs are car parks and roads. Probably should’ve learnt how to skate…..! Maybe I’ll bounce.
Just a side note about sliding on a longboard. The harder wheels you pick the more uncontrollable your slide will be….