Buyer's Guide: Wheels

WHEEL SIZE

The size or diameter of your skateboard wheels will noticeably affect your skateboard’s performance. A wheel of large diameter will go faster and weigh a little more than a smaller wheel. A large wheel will also raise you and your deck off the ground higher than a smaller wheel. A smaller wheel will weigh less, sit you closer to the ground, and will be easier to maneuver.

Technical street skaters will prefer wheels on the smaller end of the spectrum as the small wheels’ light weight allows street skaters to perform flip tricks more easily. Transition skaters will usually opt for something larger that will carry more speed.

Skateboard wheel diameter is measured in millimeters and the size range is generally 49mm to 75mm. 26 millimeters may seem insignificant if you haven’t experimented much with different sized skate wheels, but even a couple millimeters will make a difference to experienced skaters. To break down wheel size by general riding style, see the table below.

42mm - 52mm	Technical street skating wheels
52mm - 55mm	All around skating, geared more towards street
55mm - 60mm	All around skating, geared more towards transition
60mm - 65mm	Transition skating wheels
65mm - 70mm	Some transition wheels in this size, many cruiser & longboard wheels
70mm+	Basically all downhill longboard wheels

WHEEL DUROMETER

The hardness or durometer of a skateboard wheel determines how much grip the wheel has and the amount of shock it can absorb. To break it down, a softer wheel will compress when pressure is applied to it, giving it more grip and allowing it to absorb more shock. A harder wheel will barely compress under pressure, giving it less grip, and less shock absorption. A soft wheel will create a very smooth ride, but hard wheels are preferred by most street and transition skaters for their responsiveness.

Riding hard wheels will allow you to feel everything you are rolling over. This awareness will be beneficial as you navigate through rolling transitions in the park or negotiate a collage of concrete and asphalt in the urban jungle. Hard wheels will also respond directly to your movements. When you snap into an ollie, all of the pressure you apply transfers directly to your deck and wheels, giving you maximum pop.

Softer wheels are great for cruising around and bombing hills at high speeds. They absorb a lot of shock from the road creating a super smooth ride. For some awesome cruiser wheels, take a look at the lineup from OJ Wheels.

Soft wheels are generally not ideal for street or transition skating, as their grippy-ness will cause them to stick to obstacles rather than grind or slide across them. They are also less responsive to your movements, which makes tricks like ollies and kickflips more difficult.

Wheel durometer is most commonly measured using the “A” scale, the same one used to determine bushing hardness. The A scale is a ranking system of numbers followed by the letter “A”. The larger the number, the higher the durometer, and the harder the wheel. For example 101A would be a very hard skateboard wheel, while 75A would be a very soft one. You can usually see the durometer listed in this manner on a skateboard wheel, along with the wheel’s size. Image of a wheel with size and durometer printed on it. Almost all street and transition wheels are harder than 98A. Cruising wheels are usually around 78A, but can be anywhere between 78A and 90A.

Bones Wheels uses a “B” rating scale to signify durometer. The B scale is a different way of measuring the same thing, and is mainly used for the hardest wheels on the spectrum. The conversion is simple, the B scale reads 20 values below the A scale:

101A = 81B
102A = 82B
103A = 83B
etc.