Who doesn’t love to do flip tricks, skate ledges, rails, or bowls, or roll smoothly and quietly over cracks and rough pavement? Every skater’s dream is to ride the wheels that are fast, responsive, smooth, and more resistant to flat spots. If you’re looking for the best skateboard wheels, it all comes down to personal preference based on your skating style-whether it’s street-style slides or vert skating or long-distance cruising.
The quality of your wheels is paramount to how you roll and turn. There’s a lot that goes into picking out the best skateboard wheels for your board – size/width, hardness (or softness),profile of the wheel and your preferred style. We’ve spent days researching and testing different skateboard wheel brands to find top performers among all others, so you don’t have to make an expensive mistake!
Top Picks for Best Skate Wheels
Best Wheels For Skateboard
Wheels come in different sizes, shapes, contact patch and hardness/Durometer to suit your particular skateboarding style. If you’re a beginner or unfamiliar with the fancy terms labeled on skateboard wheel packaging then don’t worry! A quick guide from us will help get you started.
The best wheels are the ones that last. That’s why I limited my options to only top-of-the-line, high-performing skateboard wheels for this post and divided them up by style so you can find the best skateboard wheel that works perfectly with your ride!
Best Skateboard Wheels For Street
Street skating is the widely popular skateboarding style. It all depends on one’s personal preferences and riding style. There are no hard and fast rules of telling which are the best wheels for the street. Some skaters like to cruise the street, whereas others might enjoy doing tricks and skate stairs and rails . You might need soft skateboard wheels for rough surfaces, and for smooth surfaces, you might try hard wheels.
Spitfire F4 99 Classic – Best Spitfire Wheels
Spitfire offers the best-selling quality wheels without a doubt. F4 99 Classics is the#1 shape in skateboarding worldwide. Spitfire launched their game changing Formula Four urethane compound wheels in 2013. Formula 4 technology produced wheels are fast and long-lasting. Formula four urethane supersedes any other competitor’s wheel in the market.
Formula Four 99a Classic wheels are proven for speed and great control. These are by far has the narrowest riding surface wheels by Spitfire. They are super famous for technical skating in skateboarding, e.g. ledges and flat bars. The F4 Classic wheels perform exceptionally in the streets and skatepark, offering solid and lightweight experience. Their hardness makes it easier to perform power slides, and their speed is perfect for performing flip tricks. These wheels are exceptional for both beginners and pros.
F4 99 Classics Wheels are less hard than the Spitfire Formula Four 101A wheels. The smaller sizes, 50mm to 53mm, are more prevalent among street skateboarders. I would recommend Spitfire 52mm-54 mm wheels if you want to skate everything like street and transition. With 54 mm, you sure will have a great riding experience in parks and bowls. When I first slid them into my local skate park, I was surprised at how fast they were on mini ramps. During flip tricks, the wheels don’t bounce when you land on your board.
F4 99 are developed for a higher rebound and have an ideal riding surface with rounded edges, qualifying them as good all-rounder wheels for all characters. These wheels offer more speed and control on all surfaces. I noticed that classic F4 99 are a bit stickier, and I needed to wax the ledges for wheels to slide. Being a heavy rider, I usually flat spot wheels within a few sessions, resulting in an unstable ride. However, this wheel has proven resilient and long-lasting for my skateboarding style. My spitfire 54mm wheels wear down to 48mm after eight months of heavy ride on asphalt/concrete/terrain without any issues.
Spitfire F4 Classic 54 mm is best suited for skating transition and streets because they are big enough to speed. Grinding on coping of skate ramp is much easier with these wheels because they are accessible to lock-in. Pair these F4 Classic wheels with 8.0″- 8.5″ deck( e.g. Bamboo or Baker Skateboard Deck) for optimum yield.
Features:
In conclusion, if you ever get the chance to pick a wheel for anyone’s skateboard, choosing a set of best-selling Spitfire Formula Four 99 Classics Wheels would never let you down. Unbeatable durability and high resistance to flat spot. Perfect for skateparks and street skates. They slide great. Legions of skaters worldwide demand Formula four wheels, and chances are your favourite pro skater is riding these wheels.
Spitfire Bighead – Coolest Skateboard Wheels
Spitfire’s Bighead Skateboard Wheels are the toughest and most durable wheels you can get for your board. These high durability polyurethane rims have a 99a durometer and are all around wheels for street/park skating as they come in multiple sizes to choose from. 99 Durometer means that these wheels are hard that run fast however have less grip.
Bigheads wheels have treaded riding surface with tiny grooves that can wear off relatively quickly. However, their treaded surface improves its grip on smooth surfaces, which is unusual in the case of hard wheels.
The traction and stability at high speed is not compromised due to wheels hardness. These hard-tipped, 99a durometers wheels are the perfect choice when riding outdoorsy terrains like pools or parks because of their treaded surface design. These wheels have a wider contact patch, hence offering more grip than any usual 99 d wheel.
Bighead wheels are best for bowl/transition skating. Minimizes sliding out. One downside to these wheels is that they are relatively wider than Spitfire Formula four wheels, and some skaters might feel them heavy. These wheels last me long and don’t get flat spots quickly.
On the other hand, the hardness of the wheel doesn’t make them a perfect choice for traveling long distances or on bumpy surfaces. These wheels are more suited to street and park skating. Most freestyle skaters also favor smaller wheels because they are lightweight.
I have been riding the Spitfire big heads for a long time now, and they have a wider riding surface than the Spitfire classics. These are super-fast and offer better resistance to flat spots. Great wheels for park or street skating as long as you skate on at least a semi-smooth surface. Ideal for accelerating fast without losing performance. Pair these wheels with Blind Skateboard Deck for street and park skating.These wheels are amazing as they have lasted me for like a year now, and they are still rolling. Bighead wheels are pretty colourful and have a nice round edge for pool coping. However, they are not as fast as formula fours but wear evenly over time.
Features:
All in all, Spitfire’s Bighead Skateboard Wheels are versatile all-around wheels for street/park skating. These wheels offer higher grip as compared to typical harder wheels and are preferable option for more control demanding slick surfaces.. Even if you’re an experienced rider (or newbie), there’s something in this selection that will work just right according to your skill level.
Spitfire Formula Four Classic 101A – Fastest Skateboard Wheels
Formula Four Classic 101A has been the most famous and popular skateboard street wheels for technical skating and is widely preferred by pros and street skaters. These light and durable 52mm durometers can take whatever you throw at them, from jump tricks to slides on ledges or even powerslides across pavement!
These wheels are fast, and easy to control. Spitfire formula four wheels are more durable and offer longer life as compared to competitors. After listening to such astounding reviews, our team decided to give them a try and tested them on slide behavior, high flatspot resistance, control, wear, and street suitability.
When I first started riding the 101 Duro wheels, it took me some time to get used to their slipping nature. After about 10 minutes of skating them, though, and understanding how intuitive they are for control compared to softer skateboard tires like those on my old boards (which made controlling slides almost effortlessly), there was no going back! Power slides became easy as pie thanks to these tremendous hard surface traction channels that let you hold and control onto your slide while making quick 180 degree turns at high speeds – what more could anyone ask from one set?
The 101 Duro wheels are at their best in the skate parks and for technical skating because of 101 d hardness as they don’t bounce when you land during tricks. In my own experience, harder wheels are preferred in the parks and street skating on ledges, rails, gaps, and manual pads. These wheels impressed me in control and slide ability in my skate session in the park. As someone who initially felt that these were too slippery than 101 Duro suggests, the reality is that they were controllable, and I had an absolute ball on these things in no time.
The 101d are a great choice if you want to skate around town or regularly skate smoother park surfaces or do tricks. Considering how hard they are, these wheels felt comfortable during the ride on rough terrain, which is unusual. Keep in mind that they’re not quite as comfortable as their 99d Spitfire wheels.
Features:
Credit: Courtesy of Ben Degros
To sum up, these wheels provided enough traction for skateboarding on any ramp, but there was slightly less grip when riding through wood or plastic surfaces. The durability is at an extremely high level as well as there were no flat spots during our tests with these durable rims! Almost impossible to flatspot these wheels .
Bones 100’s V5 Sidecut – Best for Tricks
Bones are one of the powerhouses in skateboarding and are committed to producing the highest quality urethane wheels available to skaters. They create a variety of wheels to choose from that suit your riding style including specific urethane formula for all terrain. All their wheels are made in California, U.S.A.
If you usually skate parks, you must try Bones 100s. These wheels are best suited for park skating as they are swift and can slide without flat-spotting. Moreover, it gives you all the control you require to land tricks on flat grounds or the ramps. Bones 100’s features the V5 Sidecut shape to offer control on ledges and rails. Plus, their formula includes UV protection to avoid turning into yellowish colour. These are high rebound, meaning high-speed wheels.
These wheels are great for park skating! These small hard wheels go super fast and have no wheel bite because of their small size, so you don’t need any risers for these wheels. Bones 100 are lightweight and V5 sidecuts makes these prefect for locking grinds on ledges, rails, and bowls. They are perfect for beginners or pros as they don’t flat spot last for years.
Bones 100 a Duro fall into the hard wheels category. Unlike other hard wheels-which are slippery, Bones 100 can offer more grip. Moreover, it offers more slide than softer wheels. If you are an intermediate-level skater, you should try these harder and faster wheels. You can try Element Deck with these wheels for the perfect experience of skatepark tricks. If you want to cruise the street and skate the park, go for 53mm or 54 mm size wheels.
Our team found these wheels versatile, stable, and resistant to flat spots. However, they perform better on flat surfaces than rough surfaces because of their hardness. Bone 100 a is wider than their street skate wheels, but it has more traction and makes flip tricks easier due to a wider contact patch. It’s a more stable shape for significant gaps and aerial landings.
Features:
Overall, these are great wheels for all-around skating styles if you’re looking for wheels on the harder side. These are small-sized, snappy, responsive, and smooth. Moreover, these wheels perform amazing on rough grounds and can outstand in the park with the perfect amount of control and slide. BONES wheels are the best value, high-performance, durable wheels available in the market.
Best Skateboard Wheels For Cruising
Cruiser skateboard wheels or soft skateboard wheels are normally bigger and much softer compare to skatepark or street style wheels- which are hard and small. They’re built to fit any deck, making them perfect for rolling on all surfaces. These wheels offer more grip and smooth ride.
Ricta Clouds 78a -Best Cruiser Wheels
The Ricta Clouds 78a is an excellent choice for those who enjoy skating on the streets and at skateparks. These are smooth-rolling and fast, soft urethane wheels and are suitable for riding on any surface, especially on rough grounds. Moreover, these Modern-shaped wheels are not too bulky and are suitable for filming and just cruising.
These are durable, soft wheels that work well with most types of terrain, making these wheels perfect no matter where you go! Ricta Clouds 78a are the best soft skateboard wheels that offers lot of grip and let you roll smoothly on rough pavements but are less forgiving for most tricks such as fliptricks.
Better for cruising, transportation, and longboarding. If you are a beginner, wheel hardness is less important. These softer wheels will be helpful when you first get comfortable on the skateboard.
They have the soft, smooth roll of a cruiser wheel but have a small compact shape like a street skate wheel. You can perform tricks on them like street wheels, and on the contrary, you can also go far with single push like cruiser wheels. Try 56mm/92A wheel if interested in tricks, and select 58mm+/ 86A ( or below) for a better cruising or transportation experience.
78a Ricta wheels feels a little bouncy when ollies and flips, but 92A performs better. I would recommend using 1/8″ or 1/4″ risers if you want to get the 60mm.
The Ricta cloud 78a wheels are perfect for those who like to cruise and perform sharp turns. Because of their softness, these babies roll smoothly on rough terrain since they’re very bouncy- making them fast! These wheels are 78 durometers, so they fall into the soft wheel category and aren’t noisy. You can install these wheels on Moose Blank Skateboard Deck for cruising and tricks.
I purchased these with pretty low expectations. I put these on my board and took them for a spin. I was amazed. They were so quiet and smooth. They were a delightful change to how my feet feel on the rough Michigan roads. These super soft wheels are a treat as the cracks in the sidewalk could be a constant jar to the bones.
Features:
To sum up, these modern wheels are suitable for all levels, from beginners to experts. They are perfect for riding on edgy and rough surfaces like hills, streets, and rolling over cracks. These are built to fit on any deck and can roll swiftly on all terrain. These are an excellent choice for transition skating, where you need to keep the speed and easiness to roll over the coping. We highly recommend it for beginners.
Powell Peralta G-Bones – Best for Cruising and Tricks
Powell Peralta is one of the leading companies in the skateboarding world and has loyal fans because of its quality skateboards and gears. Powell Peralta G-Bones 64mm 97a skateboard wheels are probably the best-selling wheels of this company and have been skate favorites for decades. Although George Powell designed them back in 1988, but they are still a top choice for today’s skater, whether transition skating or cruising the streets.
G-Bones wheels are your best bud when it comes to tackling rugged terrain because of their softness to absorb shocks. Whether you’re skating local bowl/pool or cruising down some rough road, G-Bones will keep you stable and locked in! all thanks to their wider contact patch.
G-Bones wheels are undoubtedly worth a shot if you have never ridden Powell wheels before! The firm but forgiving 97 Duro wheels have incredible gripping as well as they ride smoothly over the crummiest of surfaces. They don’t have rebound when you land on them while doing tricks because of 97 a hardness. Hence, great skateboard wheels for street.
If you are looking for bigger, lightweight wheels with harder Duro for park bowl skating, these are a perfect choice. These have great cool graphics and roll smoothly with a good grip which is unusual in hard wheels. The G-Bones come in at 97a, slightly softer than the average skate wheel but significantly harder than cruiser wheels. The diameter of the wheels is 64mm , which is significantly larger than a standard skateboard wheel (It is recommended to use 1/4 “or 1/2′” risers to avoid wheel bite). The height and hardness allow you to go ridiculously fast in the bowl and flat grounds while rolling over crappy pavements.
Powell Peralta G-Bones is a superb set of wheels for a soft glide across pavement that’s easier on the body while riding. Because of their relatively large size, I used some risers at the base of my trucks to avoid wheel bites when making drastic turns and carving.
Wheel Bites: When a wheel comes into contact with the deck during a turn , trick landing or stopping, it is referred as wheel bite that can cause damage to wheel surface. Remember that these are not “soft” wheels as they are 97 a Duro. Hence, they are not quiet; they’re loud.
These G bone wheels are a perfect match for Vision Psycho Stick Reissue‘s old-school deck for cruising or transition skating. I recommend neon wheels with the neon colors already on the Psycho stick for a fabulous look. With these large 64 mm wheels, you’ll be able to air high enough for ollies and keep the high speed for vert. You can also pair them with any Powell Peralta old-school or shaped deck for the most fantastic skateboarding experience.
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Overall, these iconic , versatile wheels are designed for shredding the parks, ripping bowls, cruising, and powerslides. All Powell-Peralta products come with a warranty. One of the best skatepark/transition wheels a skater can get and very much worth it.
Ricta Clouds 92a – Best Skateboarding Wheels
Ricta wheels have been at the forefront of the skateboarding wheel world for years because of their innovative wheel designs. Ricta Wheels Clouds 92a are classic, softer urethane formula wheels that roll best over rough terrain like craggy streets, ditches, or pools. These 92a Duro smooth wheels have a shiny coating on the riding surface that feels grippy at first but wears away quickly.
These wheels would be the perfect choice for those skaters who wants a comfortable ride and still can-do technical tricks. I would suggest going for 56mm/92A wheels if you wish to cruise and do some tricks along the way. These are medium-hard and intermediate-sized wheels, slightly bigger than street or technical skating wheels.
These wheels have a smooth ride and can get over everything with buttery grace. These have enough hardness to pull off kickflips, board slides, and ollies without bounce.
I like that they are not so soft that things get sketchy but soft enough to even out that harsh pavement. On the other hand, they are not too hard to lose their grip and slide away when you don’t want to. A nice balance for the street/park skating. All-terrain 92a Ricta Clouds are for a smoother feel on roads and asphalt. Excellent performance on the street and buttery smooth at the parks. They will do little power slides with enough effort. They don’t randomly lock up as much on rough pavement, which is nice.
People who skate gaps, handrails, and rougher street spots might try slightly bigger wheels 54 to 56 mm. They grip on outdoor metal ramps that get dusty and become unpredictably slick. You can slide and revert like hard wheels, and getting over small cracks or metal plates is a dang delight.
If you’re a street skater with a lot of experience, these wheels are excellent for street and getting through mildly rough concrete. It’s easier to pop an ollie on pretty much any terrain since there aren’t as many vibrations. These wheels don’t have that sudden ‘click’ of the wheels hitting the ground when landing, and it just feels better on your feet/knees.
These wheels are also bigger and wider than most traditional wheels, so I advise buying 54-56 mm’s if u ride a narrow deck (7.5″-8.25″ wide). You might need 1/4′ risers to avoid wheel bite. If you want to sacrifice some technicality for even a better experience on rough terrain, I recommend going down to 86a. The wheels wear out over time, so getting 56a is an optimal choice.
Features:
Finally, Ricta cloud 92 a wheel are smooth and they slide nice at the park or on flat ground. The 92a is excellent for any cruiser set up (e.g Girl Pop Secret Deck) because you can hit everything at the park with them, and they are hard enough for some nice flip tricks.
Powell Peralta Rat Bones Re-Issue – Best for Beginners
Powell Peralta is a name in skateboarding that many skaters blindly trust. Powell Peralta Rat Bones Re-Issue Skateboard Wheels are 60mm with a hardness of 85 a and 90 a -Hardness that falls between soft and hard wheels and is sometimes referred to as middle hard. There is enough softness to ride on the streets and hard enough to speed up at the skatepark bowls!
These 60 mm wheels are relatively larger than technical skating wheels but offer more traction and stability at high speed, so you’ll be less likely to slip out of your line.
Wheels of this size are preferred by skaters who ride transition primarily, needing to keep their speed and roll easily over coping. They are heavier but help keep your speed and handle pavements better than small wheels because of their wider contact patch.
Because of 90a, these wheels perform incredibly well on rougher terrain like craggy streets, ditches, or gnarly pools. Fun wheels! Tank-like stability, these are big and roll smoothly. They are slightly bulky for turning and tricks due to their size, but they slide and roll smoothly over small pebbles. Due to the larger diameter, the wheels bite a lot easier, so getting riser pads could be a solution. These wheels also add height to the board; hence, you get more pop for higher ollies.
These wheels have a good grip for a skatepark and absorb street bumps but are hard enough to maintain high speed. These wheels are exactly what I was hoping for cruising my board in the street. The ride on these wheels was smooth, fast, and fun.
Most skaters (myself) prefer to keep different wheelsets for a particular skateboarding style. Install these wheels on Powell Peralta decks for stable, smooth cruising and less technical tricks. For 10″ wide reissue OG boards, these are the wheels you gotta try first. I bet you won’t want to try anything else after rolling the Rat Bones. These are excellent replacement wheels and look great on any old-school pool shape or reissue deck.
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Lastly ,if you want fascinating wheels for speed and absorption of damaged asphalt, these are the wheels for you. I strongly suggest the 90a as they perform great for flip tricks, rail slides, and other skatepark tricks.
These are the Rat Bones Reissue wheels from Powell Peralta. If you’re a beginner or interested in park skating, these soft wheels are a good place to start.
Best Skateboard Wheels for Rough Roads
It’s a tough go for anyone who has to navigate rugged streets and terrain on their skateboard, but finding the best wheels will make it all worth while. You can take your ride to the next level by investing in some quality wheels for rough roads.
Shark – Good Skateboard Wheels
These wheels are called “shark jaws” because their design is based on the shape of a shark’s jaws. Shark Wheel 60 mm 78a are All-Terrain Performance wheels. The packaging also claims that these provide better traction, slide control, or durability; plus, they last 15% longer than other types!
Therefore, our team carried out a speed test to see the difference between Shark Wheels and traditional wheels. We were pleasantly surprised by their performance- because of the sine wave pattern, these wheels kept debris aside and made the ride enjoyable. The wheel is wide but has less rolling resistance.
The Shark Wheel is an excellent set of wheels for riding over wet surfaces with superior grip and control. I can quickly go through gravel without feeling unsafe because the wheels have such incredible traction that it always feels in check! These wheels make rough asphalt feel buttery smooth. Overall, this product was worth every penny spent on them.
The shark wheels 60mm 78a are perfect for creating a cruising setup. These wheels with the Shiver ABEC9 bearings are outstanding!!! You will need 1/2″ riser pads for a traditional skateboard because 60mm wheels are big, and you will get wheel bites and screw up the bottom of the board when doing tricks. The 78 a durometer range means these are soft wheels.
The lip profile and contact patch of the wheel are wide enough to quickly go over cracks in the sidewalk and go over objects like small twigs and branches as long as the board has some speed when traveling over the things. Enough hardness allows it to not stick so much to the ground, which helps with accelerating on the board. However, I wouldn’t recommend riding these wheels through puddles simply because it can ruin the bearings in the wheels.
With this excellent wheel’s hybrid reinvention of a sine-shaped design -they’re pretty fast! The Shark Wheel’s multiple center points mean that the wheel spins as it slides, acting like car brakes. In addition, the 3 lips of this innovative design allow smooth transitions from forward movement into lateral movements or vice versa without skidding out completely! Since there isn’t nearly enough surface area touching the ground, there is less friction, resulting in easier slides. Less friction to initiate a slide.
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In conclusion, they are great for all skating, doing tricks like flatland, ramp, or just cruising. Shark Wheel 60 mm 78a wheels go faster than regular wheels on all-terrain like sand, dirt, and small rocks. It is much easier to slide. Great for beginners for learning how to skate and slide. Shark Wheels are incredibly smooth and make skating for pleasure so much more fun!
Fireball Tinder 60mm – 81A – Best Soft Wheels for Skateboard
These wheels are for smaller longboards, mini-cruisers, and double kick skateboards for those looking for a comfortable ride. They offer a smooth ride on hard surfaces. These soft wheels are perfect when riding through slippery conditions or in certain types of terrain like bumpy roads, rocks, cracks, and other debris because they roll fast, making it easier to turn around quickly and avoid falls.
Fireball’s Tinder wheels are made soft for cruising and rigid enough to do a couple of basic tricks. The fiberglass core helps prevent coneing, which means wheels will wear evenly over time!
These wheels are a bit harder than the cruiser wheel but softer than usual street skating wheels. If you are a beginner and still learning basic tricks, these wheels are for you as the wide contact area gives enough grip and stability to the board. If you are a pro or like to do a lot of tricks, better choose 99a or 101 skateboard wheels.
Fireball Tinder grips well, but they also slide great. They’re super stable and also highly mobile. If you want to slide this board, you’re in luck because these wheels slide quickly and smoothly. They even make thane lines! However, they do wear down quickly, so be careful you don’t want to flat spot them or wear one side of them down too much.
These wheels impressed me with their performance, and I particularly enjoyed leaving cool urethane lines during my long slides. These beauties were a joy straight up out of the box!
However, the slides will wear down the wheels faster. These wheels accelerate quickly and maintain rolling speed for quite some time, so you don’t need to push the board many times.. They never get grabby in a slide, breaking loose and locking in seamlessly, so you can relax and ride.
Features:
All in all, pretty decent wheels for a fair price, and you get a Fireball candy -a delicious treat for your little one. They ride pretty smooth on any rock or cracks with no issue. Lastly, they are sugary, vibrant, and jellybeans-colored wheels to turn the heads.
Skateboard Wheels Guide
Wheels are an essential part of a skateboard, and they are the conduit between you and the ground. You can choose between street and park, but there are also different types for those who want to cruise around town! It all depends on personal preference and skating style. It may seem like there are an endless number of options when it comes to choosing which type or size of wheel you want for yourself – but we’re here helpfully narrowing down the decision-making factors for skateboard wheels. The main differences in the types of wheels are their size or diameter, their hardness, shape, smoothness, and their purpose.
Using our handy guide, you can find a skateboard wheels’ size, shape, and hardness level that suits your skateboard style and preference.
Wheel Material:
Primarily all quality wheels are made of Urethane, and these wheels are the best choice for skaters because they last many times longer than their primordial steel and clay counterparts, but with urethan’s ability to grip onto flat surfaces and rebound when cornering or landing off jumps takes away any need of worrying about slipping during turns.
The popularity among young people who enjoy going out has made this material worth considering by all future generations!
Wheel Size:
Choosing a skateboard wheel size that suits your needs is important because it has a significant effect on how you can accelerate, turn and stop. Wheels size is the first information you will get about any wheel you encounter, and it is usually labeled on the product’s name. It is vital to know the dimension of a wheel because you will have to match it with your trucks.
Wheel size is usually measured in millimeters (mm), and most wheels range from 50mm to 75 mm.
Skateboard Wheel Size Guide
Small Wheels (48mm – 51mm)
Small wheels are mostly used by pro skaters who like to do a lot of tricks—preferably used in skate parks and for technical tricks like sliding the ledges, flip tricks, manuals, nose slides. These wheels gained popularity in the ’90s, and most wheel companies are making small-sized wheels. As these wheels are small, your board stays low, closer to the ground.
Smaller wheels help you perform tricks with ease! They are slower but easier to control and lightweight, making them ideal for technical or street skating situations where quick reactions are needed. Moreover, these are lightweight, so they won’t slow down or stop quickly when taking an edge during tricks in street skating.
Smaller Wheels means Quick response & Nimble Minds- Good for Street Skating.
The downside of these wheels is that they get stuck in cracks or rocks; however, you don’t need risers with small wheels as they are not closer to your deck.
Medium Wheels (52mm – 54mm)
This size is probably preferred by most people who want to street and transition skateboarding and don’t want separate sets of wheels. All the wheel companies make wheels within this size range in various durometers. It all depends on your personal preference, which size you feel comfortable riding, and your skating style. We would recommend a wheel between 52mm-54mm in size to build your first skateboard. However, if you are a beginner and struggling with balance, you might start with large wheels.
Large Wheels (55mm – 60mm )
Large wheels have a wider contact patch and more grip, providing a more stable ride. More contact surface helps maintain the speed, and for these reasons, ramp and vert skateboarders usually prefer bigger wheels.
Although larger wheels make your board heavy, making it hard to flip the board for flip tricks but their large rims are good for cruising or commuting and result in faster rides. Larger wheels give more pop and responsiveness and help with stability on rougher surfaces, cracks, pavements. These wheels are less likely to get stuck in cracks or small rocks.
For beginners and people who use a skateboard as daily transportation, you need to try larger wheels. Their increased diameters offer speed and balance on all-terrain, making them perfect for low-key cruising or vert skating.
For these sizes of wheels, you may need ¼” or ½” risers, depending on your weight, to reduce the chances of wheel bites.
Cruiser, Longboard Wheels 60mm +
Wheels above 60mm are usually the softest and biggest wheels for smooth ride. They are fast, has more grip and stable to roll. These wheels are not suitable for tricks. They are suitable for powerslides and cruising. These wheels effortlessly ride over cracks, asphalts and rough surfaces. Usually cruisers, long board and wide shaped skateboard decks have these wheels.
Skateboard Wheel Hardness
Skateboard wheels are made from polyurethane (PU). The wheel’s hardness can drastically affect the way it skates. The hardness of a wheel is measured on a scale from zero to a hundred that gives you information about how soft or hard your wheels are. The higher the number, the harder your wheels will be.
Durometer Scale:
Wheels are traditionally measured on an “A Scale,” ranging from 75a to 104a. Wheels in the 78a to 90a range are considered a soft wheel, 90a to 98a is in the middle, and 99a+ are hard wheels.
Wheel hardness also dictates the grip of the wheel and the amount of shock a wheel can absorb.
Here is a quick comparison of the durometer scale and how it will affect your ride.
78A-87A Soft Wheels:
These are the softest wheels, good for rough surfaces, asphalts, and cracks. They are used by longboards or wide street boards that need grip to roll over pebble and small rocks—designed for smooth and quiet rides, cruising, hills, and rough surfaces. Not suitable for tricks.
88A-95A Wheels:
These slightly harder and faster wheels are great for street skating or rough surfaces. They provide you enough grip to help you maintain your balance on these types of floors!
96A-99A Wheels:
These wheels are great for beginners skating streets, skate parks, and ramps. They provide a smooth ride with the perfect amount of grip to help you learn how to do tricks, skate streets/parks, ramps, pools, and other smooth surfaces.
100A+ Hard Wheels:
These are the hardest and the fastest pro skateboard wheels, with the least amount of grip. Not suitable for slick and rough surfaces. Perfect for technical skating and are preferred by many famous Pro skates. Tricks like nose slides, Frankie, shouvits, and manuals are piece of cake with these wheels.
83B-84B Hardest Wheels:
Some companies use the B scale for hardness. These wheels are extremely hard and solely designed for street or technical skating, where a skater needs a lightweight and highly responsive wheel. They measure 20 points fewer than the A Scale. The scale is extended another 20 points for the hardest wheels.
Some manufacturers like Bones wheels sometimes use the “Shore B scale” instead of the A scale for the durometer, which measures 20 points lower. For example, wheels that are 100a match the hardness of an 80b wheel.
101A = 81B
102A = 82B
103A = 83B
Soft Vs Hard Wheels:
A softer wheel will compress when the pressure is applied, giving it more grip and allowing the wheel to absorb more shock. Therefore, soft wheels are better suited for cruising and bombing hills at high speeds. These can absorb shock from the road for a super smooth ride. However, they are not ideal for street or transition skating, as their high grip will cause them to stick to obstacles rather than grind or slide across them. Soft wheels are less responsive to your movements, making tricks like ollies and kickflips more difficult.
On the other hand, harder wheel will barely compress under pressure, giving it less grip and less shock absorption. Hard wheels are more slippery, which helps for most tricks, especially tricks that involve pivots and slides. Hard wheels are preferred by most street and transition skaters for their responsiveness and allow you to slide on flat ground, quarter pipes, ledges. And rails. The harder the wheel, the better it is to perform tricks with less risk of falling on the face!
Some companies’ wheels have a specific formula and durometer range aimed at skateboarding style. For example, Bones STF and Spitfire Formula Four 101D are hard wheels designed for street skating, whereas Bones SPF and Spitfire Formulas Four 99D model wheels are aimed for transition and ramp skating.
Wheel Types:
Skateboard wheels are often categorized by the type of skating they’re designed for. The three most popular wheel types include park/street, cruiser or longboards and each has its own unique set-of attributes that will help you decide on which one is right for your needs!
Street/Skatepark Wheels:
These wheels are lightweight, small, rigid, and smooth. Street wheels are made of the hardest Urethane, making them slippery. They may range anywhere from 50 to 60 millimeters in diameter and range in hardness from 95a to 104a., These lightweight street-skating wheels are perfect for grinders and ollies. They provide a tough, durable platform with enough traction to do all your tricks on any surface – even ledges or rails!
The small profile of these wheels means they’re easy to control when flip tricking as well, so whether you want some legit skating speed or enjoy performing aerial acrobatics around town, this is what we recommend checking out. Performing tricks like ollies, flip tricks, power slides, and other technical tricks is easier with these wheels.
Skatepark wheels usually perform better on smooth surfaces, mainly skate ledges, rails and bowls in the skatepark. Whereas street wheels are for riding in the streets, gaps set of stairs, and rails in an area.
One downside of these wheels is that they cannot handle pebbles and cracks very well because of their hardness. And don’t expect a good performance from them when riding on gravel. These wheels, however, are perfect for pulling off an ollie, powerslides, various flip tricks because they are small and hard.
Cruiser Wheels:
Cruiser wheels are perfect for travelling and rolling around town. These soft, durable rubber rims make any terrain more manageable to navigate with ease while giving you a comfortable ride that’s also quiet enough not to wake up your neighbours!
Cruiser wheels are the perfect way to get from point A-B, ride rough pavements and even cracks! These are larger than the street but smaller than longboard wheels and will make your ride smooth over rough terrain with ease. These wheels are made soft & grippy, so they’ll never skid on you while filming that awesome trick or movie moment in slow motion 😉
Hence, also called filmer wheels.
These wheels’ hardness ranges from durometer 78a to 98a, an extensive range. Therefore these wheels are not the hardest wheels, unlike street wheels. The diameter of cruiser wheels ranges from 54mm to 59mm, which is more significant than street and park wheels but not so big that they won’t fit on a regular skateboard.
Any wheel larger than 56 mm will usually have trouble fitting a regular deck. Hence you will need risers to avoid wheel bites-wheels might grind against the bottom of the deck.
Longboard Wheels:
Longboard Wheels are the biggest and softest of all skateboarding wheels. They are designed to work on any surface, with their grip lasting through corners no matter what type you ride! These wheels are large ,soft and designed for smooth-rolling over the pavements , cracks , asphalts with little traction -which makes these perfect on roads or mountain slopes where there are lots of turns at high speed. Longboard wheels comes in variety of sizes and shapes for daily commuting 0r sustainable transportation.
Their diameter ranges from 60 mm to 75 mm .Further more their hardness ranges between 75a to 85 s on Durometer scale , making these wheels the softest wheels in skateboarding.
These wheel perform incredible for carving , sliding and even racing as these wheels don’t require much energy to push.
If you are a beginner and having trouble stabilizing on your board try these longboard wheels. Even if you want to cruise the streets or sliding roads effortlessly and quietly , longboard wheels are for you. As already mentioned these are bigger than street and cruiser wheels so if you are planning to install these on you skateboard deck you ‘ll need risers.
Wheel Shape:
Wheel shape is also significant to consider as it will affect your skating style. Wheels vary significantly depending on their shape.
Round-lip Shape:
Some wheels have rounded edges which make sliding easier. They will help you roll over coping.
Flat-lip Shape:
Square shapes help skaters lock into grinds more easily and efficiently with less risk of falling off or losing balance at higher speeds because they don’t slide as much when going around turns.
Classic and conical wheels are the most popular skateboard wheel shapes.
Conical:
Conical skateboard wheels have a wider contact area and sidewalls that cone inwards very slightly. They have more grip and control on the ground. Conical wheels are great for skating ramps because they allow you to lock your board into the coping easier. These wheels are lightweight and are definitely better suited to transition skateboarding.
Classic/Standard:
Classic wheels wheel features a slim contact area along with slightly curved edges. It features a large radius from the bearing seat which produces a narrow contact patch. These wheels give you more speed as compared to wider riding surface.
Contact Patch/Riding Surface:
Contact patch is also referred as riding surface and is an essential feature of a skateboard wheel as it can affect rider’s performance. It is the surface of the wheel touching the ground.
In general, the wider the contact patch the more grip you will have on the ground. Larger wheels have wide contact patch, hence more grip and resistance you will have on the ground. On the other hand, smaller wheels have narrow contact patch, hence you’ll have lower grip and less friction, eventually quick response.
For technical tricks like pivot or slide on a rail or ledge smaller contact patch wheels are preferable. On the other hand, If you want something stable that won’t slide out when you don’t want it to try a wheel with a wider contact patch.
What are Flatspots?
It is the area of the wheel that is worn heavily on one spot . Some can be noticeable and some can be almost invisible.
A wheel with a flatspot makes a zipping noise as it rolls over the flat area. It is loud and makes you board vibrate.
How to fix Flatspots on a skateboard Wheel
Conclusion:
As I mentioned earlier, size shape and durometer are a personal preference. We’ve honestly spent hours to test these wheels so our readers can make an informed decision and invest in best quality wheels. Here are some recommendations from our heart.
- Spitfire F4 99 Classic– Best wheels for street skating
- Ricta Cloud 78 a– Best wheel for cruising
- Spitfire Bighead -Best for Parks
- Powell Peralta Re-Issue-Best for Beginners
We have given some guidelines to help you get started. Experiment with different wheel sizes and shapes to find out what works best for your skating. Find out the best Skateboard deck suitable for your wheels.
We are still testing wheels and will update this post when needed. If you know of any that should be on this list, let me know!
Enjoy you skateboarding journey with best skateboard wheels that suits your needs. If you have inquiries, drop them in the comments section, and we’re glad to respond to them.
Thank you for sharing information. I like reading your article and I hope you will write more.
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.