Skateboard Wheels?
- Thread starter WiskyT
- Start date
rec2570
Well-Known Member
I used to skateboard in my younger years. I may be able to help
Me too, there were only a few choices back then lol.
So, my 9yo son wanted a sb and I got him a cheapo for like $20.00 complete at a big box store. My reasoning was he might not keep interested and the more expensive boards were fast. I wanted him to play around with a slow board to get the hang of things and the cheap board was slow.
Now that he has gotten the hang of the thing, the slow board is too slow. The bearings were falling apart so I got him a set of Minilogos thinking they would speed up the thing. It is only marginally faster, barely noticeable, though it is quieter and the old bearings needed replacing anyway.
The wheels on the thing are supposed to be 50mm but they are more like 48 and they are rock hard PVC. If I upgrade the wheels, the things should be faster right? I mean what else is left lol?
Size and hardness are my questions (this sounds like a porn thread). Does a few mm make a difference if I got say 55mm instead of the 48 that are on there now? Would a softer wheel speed things up on asphalt so he doesn't constantly have to push the thing? Normally we think of harder as better to reduce rolling resistance, but from what I have been reading, softer works better on bumpy surfaces because it is compliant to the rough surface.
He doesn't need hard wheels to do slides, and he only weighs 55#. He just cruises up and down the street.
rec2570
Well-Known Member
The type of wheel really depends on what type of skating he wants to learn. If he wants to learn tricks and go to the skatepark then he's gonna want hard wheels. Soft wheels are good for the rough asphalt, but usually used for fast downhill racing or crusing around the street. Get a bearing with a higher rating for speed. It's rated like Abec-3 or Abel-5... Personally I always went with a hard wheel and a good bearing. It was still plenty fast on the rough pavement just not as smooth as a bigger soft wheel. I wanted to learn kick flips and stuff and was always at the skatepark
No parks or fancy tricks as of now, he just scoots down the driveway out into the cul-de-sac and his buddy's board is much faster. Soft=good for rough asphalt, which is what we are dealing with. Is 90a soft enough?
The minlogo bearings are made by Bones and are supposed to be good to go. They seem to be very smooth and quiet and they spin very freely, so I don't think they are the weak link at this point.
How critical is size? Does a few mm either way make a difference for cruising? This is what I am looking at but I'm wondering if they would make enough of a difference to be noticeable? The bigger, softer wheels all cost more than a Kryptonics Penny type board at Academy so there is no point in getting them. He could have two boards, one for tricks and one for cruising at that point.
http://www.tactics.com/mini-logo/hybrid-c-cut-skateboard-wheels/white-90a
rec2570
Well-Known Member
90a is still pretty hard. 75-80a would be more ideal for staying on the asphalt. I know the larger the wheel the faster it is but I don't know how much a few mm really affects this, all I've really used are smaller wheels, but like I said even with my small wheels my board was pretty fast even as a teenager. And it can get pretty pricey like any hobby. My
Last complete set I bought was around $250
I just opened it so there might be something up with your browser. It was just for 53mm 90a wheels that were a good price. Thanks for the input on the 90a being to hard for asphalt and sidewalks. I would have bought the 90a otherwise as they were a good price.
rec2570
Well-Known Member
No problem. Like I said it's been at least 10 years since I've had anything to do with a skateboard so I'm sure a lot has changed. And I don't have experience with the larger soft wheels. If you have any skate shops nearby they usually have different board setups that he can try out
Look up a Hobie Weaver Woody and that was the only board I ever owned. I put a set of Makaha wheels on it. That will give you an idea of how long it's been since I've been on one.
We lucked out! The local bargain somethingorother had a Kryptonics wood cruiser board with 62mm soft wheels, probably about 80 or so my guess and it runs like a raped ape. For $20.00 it is cheaper than a just a good set of wheels for his other board. So now he has a board for tricks and one for making kamikaze runs down the driveway.
robertsander08
New Member
In skateboarding, we don’t always pass by the same surfaces. Some are rough; others are shiny smooth, and a few sit in between. And while different skating styles require varied decks, riding on these surfaces also demands the best wheels.
Do you want to know what rollers work for each skating platform? Let’s begin with the comparison of soft VS hard skateboard wheels.
Do you want to know what rollers work for each skating platform? Let’s begin with the comparison of soft VS hard skateboard wheels.
