Very good question! And the answer is : it depends on what you want to do with your skateboard.
Indeed, depending on whether you only want to ride skatepark, street (old school, street) or bowl, the type of wheels can change completely. Moreover, the question of feeling always comes into the equation, and requires that you try several things before knowing what suits you best.
To choose the perfect wheels, you need to select a size, a shape, and a duro.
If you're looking for information on wheels from cruising for your cruiser or longboard, check out our guide "How to choose my longboard wheels"
What size for my skate wheels?
When we talk about size, we talk about diameter. There are many diameters, and most of the wheels in the range are between 50 and 56mm diameter. There are however larger wheels for specific uses which we will talk about below.
Almost all of the street boards that we equip are mounted with 51 to 54mm wheels.
To go to skatepark, to learn the basic tricks, to do some curves and to ride occasionally in the street, the standard sizes are the most represented on the site.
If in doubt, if you have to choose a size for this type of riding, opt for 52 or 53mm wheels, which gives you enough choice to find the model you like. As a last resort, take the wheels you prefer, if it's one of these sizes, it will do the trick. And then, you have to start somewhere!
Large wheels
So, what is the purpose of large sizes? To do something other than "just street".
For example, Bowl addicts often prefer slightly bigger wheels. The same goes for Old-School Street riders, who ride in the city, and prefer to have bigger wheels to absorb the ground's imperfections with more comfort. If you are riding a hybrid cruising board, i.e. to move around and ride, large wheels (55mm and more) will allow you to make less effort to maintain your speed and will better absorb the roughness of the surface.
- See the big wheels
What is the shape of a skateboard wheel?
The shape is the shape of the wheel.
But, all wheels are round, right? Yes, so let's say it's its shape seen in profile, the cut of its lips and its contact surface.
If you put all the wheels in front of you in the direction of the profile, you will see that they can be very different in two aspects: the contact surface on the ground, and the shape of the lips.
Seen from this angle, there are many different shapes: slims, wides, with a large contact surface, sidecut, etc.
Often, skateboard wheel manufacturers have dedicated ranges for each discipline which usually correspond to the different shapes.
- At SPITFIRE, the shape Classic is obviously the most classic shape. For a versatile wheel, it's a good choice. More information about Spitfire skate wheels shapes.
- At BONES, we find notations like V1 Standard, V2 Locks, V3 Slims, and so on. Again, the name speaks for itself.
Skateboard wheels: what contact surface?
The surface in contact with the ground (or contact patch) affects the way you will grip the ground. Especially when combined with a duro (e.g. wheels with a small surface, and very hard, will grip very little). Once again, it's important to make your choice according to the use you will have of your skateboard.
- A wheel with a small surface will slide better, and will be more adapted to do technical tricks (like Flip Tricks).
- A wheel with a large surface will grip better, and will be more adapted to do curves or cruising.
It comes out naturally that the wheels of street, for doing park and learning tricks, are narrower than the wheels of cruising.
By choosing a shape "Classic" or "Standard", you generally choose a good all-round wheel, to go to park and to do curves.
Skateboard wheels : Duro
The last aspect to consider when buying skateboard wheels is their hardness.
All skateboard wheels have a hardness clearly indicated by a number, followed by a letter (ex: 99a). The rating system is simple, the higher the number, the harder the wheel. The letter "b" is used to define duros above 100a. For example, 84b = 104a.
To oversimplify:
Hard wheels roll fast and glide better, especially for throwing tricks. They are more suitable for skatepark.
Soft wheels absorb faults and obstacles better. They are more suitable for street riding.
Most skate and cruiser wheels have a duro between 78a and 103a:
- To start at skatepark, wheels of 99a will do perfectly well. As you progress, you'll prefer to go up in duro to work on your Flip Tricks, up to 103a.
- To build a versatile crusing and parkskateboard, or an old school board (street and pool), we will opt for 95a or 97a.
- For daily street riding, we go for the softest: 80a to 92a, depending on the quality of the ground.
Technology: gum formula
To go a little further, we must look at the technology used to manufacture the rubber of the wheel. Each manufacturer has its own recipes among which some are more famous than others.
In the two skate wheels brands, SPITFIRE and BONES, there are formulas that you will often find.
In the BONES range, the most common model is the STF (for Street Tech Formula). They are street wheels, adapted to most skateboarders who want to ride skatepark and learn tricks. To put it simply, they are hard and medium sized (51-54mm). On the other hand, the ATF (All Terrain Formula) range offers soft wheels, for everyday riding other than at skatepark.
- See BONES STF wheels
- See the BONES ATF wheels
FromSPITFIRE, the most famous is the "Formula Four" or "F4" and for many years ! Considered as the top of the skate wheel, the Spitfire Formula Four are designed with a special formula that makes them more durable, and keeps them looking good longer. The F4 are also classic street wheels for experienced skateboarders, hard (99a and 101a) and slippery!