Professional skateboarders will tell you that your choice of skateboard wheels will have a serious impact on how the skateboard performs. Pick the wrong wheels and your riding will suck.
If you are not yet very good, a bad choice of wheels will make you look worse. Even top riders prefer using different wheels for different purposes.
Lucky for you, the crew here at Improve Summer can help point you in the right direction here. Check out some of our recommendations below on the best skateboard wheels for the money right now.
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Top 6 Skateboard Wheels for Beginners
Last update on 2024-11-10 at 08:23 / Affiliate disclosure / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What To Consider When Buying Skateboard Wheels
Hit a pebble of the right size with hard wheels on your board and you are likely to go flying in the air when the board suddenly comes to a sudden halt. If you use soft wheels to frequently do grinds, then, you will wear them down very quickly.
Hard wheels are better for tricks, jumps, and grinds.
Soft wheels are better for street riding. They pass more easily over pebbles, sticks, and other debris. They can bounce over cracks in the sidewalk or roadway.
Medium wheels may be your preferred choice for vert skating on skateboard ramps, half-pipes, and at skateboard parks made of concrete.
All skateboard wheels are made from polyurethane; however, there are significant differences in hardness and size of the wheels that change their performance characteristics.
Serious skateboarders have many sets of wheels that they use for different rides to improve comfort or have more control when needed.
To get skateboard wheels that are a great choice, here are some things to consider:
Weight and Size of the Rider
Skateboarders who are heavier and taller usually prefer to have slightly bigger wheels and possibly a longer skateboard for street riding that offers more support and better control. Longboards are the better choice for commuting and when trying to go downhill.
Wheel Types
The type of wheel to use depends on what style of skateboarding that you will be doing. Some wheels are more durable.
The harder wheels are better for doing tricks than the ones used for street cruising, which are softer to be more comfortable. You may want to have more than one type of wheels and change them for different uses.
Wheel Size
The diameter of the wheel size is usually given in millimeters (mm). They range in size from 50 mm to 75 mm. Smaller sizes are used for shorter street boards. Larger sizes are used for longboards. Larger wheels go faster than small ones.
Most wheels are a standard width; however, some wheels offer wider versions. Wider wheels help make it easier to stay balanced on the board and offer a smoother ride.
The other important size to know is the size of the bearings. Make sure that the wheels you buy will fit the size of the bearings of the skateboard you plan to use. Bearings are reusable with new wheels until the bearings wear out.
Durometer Rating
The durometer rating is a measurement of the hardness of a wheel. These ratings range from 75 A to 95 A or more.
Higher numbers for the durometer rating are harder wheels. Soft wheels are 75 A to 85 A, medium ones are 86 A to 95 A, and hard wheels are 96 A or more.
Style
Most skateboarders consider the look of the wheels to be equally important as their function. Luckily, the best skateboard wheels we recommend all look terrific.
Color and style are a matter of personal taste. Many of the most popular skateboard wheels come in a variety of attractive colors, so there is no need to sacrifice performance for style.
Our Favorite Skateboard Wheels Reviewed
Now that you have recognized the different features of the skateboard wheels, you will have to pick the right one that is aligned with your skating styles and preferences. Here are some of our top recommended skateboard wheels on the market.
1. Spitfire Bighead Skateboard Wheels (48mm 50mm 51mm 52mm 53mm 54mm 57mm 59mm 63mm)
Spitfire Bighead skateboard wheels are popular with skaters of all skill levels. Smaller sizes made by this manufacturer are good for skate parks. Larger sizes work well for street riding.
The smallest size of this particular model is 48 mm and the largest size available is 63 mm. All sizes have the same 99 A durometer rating, which is hard. A high hardness rating makes them last longer.
These wheels are a bit wider than other street wheels, which makes them an excellent choice for beginners. They are designed to work with 608 bearings, which is a common size.
They can handle rough or uneven surfaces such as inlaid brick or cobblestones and fly over them smoothly. The start with a dappled tread and then with use it wears down to a smooth surface.
They come in a pack of four with a cool sticker. After a few weeks, the side logo wears off to reveal pure white. These wheels are made in the USA.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Wheels do not get flat spots easily
- Last a long time
- Lightweight
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Sizes available are 48 mm, 50 mm, 51 mm, 52 mm, 53 mm, 54 mm, 57 mm, 59 mm, and 63 mm.
2. Spitfire Classic Series High Performance Skateboard Wheel (Set of 4)
The Spitfire Classic Series High-Performance Skateboard Wheel is the most popular wheel for street riders. It comes in a set of four. It has a hard, 99 A, durometer rating. The size of this wheel is a 54 mm diameter. The classic styling and the logo is reminiscent of the 1980s.
The logo, which consists of a wheel spinning on flying wings, looks similar to the one used by the rock band Aerosmith. This gives these wheels a nostalgic feeling that older skateboarders may appreciate.
The hardness of these wheels at 99 A makes them somewhat resistant to flat spots that come from skidding on the wheels. You can still get some flat spots, but they are less likely to happen with harder wheels. These wheels are good for doing tricks.
The polyurethane is hand-poured and hand-shaped for a high-quality result that is guaranteed against all defects.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Hardness
- These wheels work well with Bones Reds bearings of the standard 608 size
- Good for street riding on rough concrete
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Product Dimensions: 54 mm in diameter
3. FREEDARE Skateboard Wheels 60mm 83a with Bearings and Spacers Cruiser Wheels (Pack of 4)
The FREEDARE 60-mm, 83-A wheels come in a pack of four with bearings and spacers included. This 60 mm size is big and the durometer rating of 83 A is soft. They are wide too. The width measures 54 mm. They feel a bit bouncy when jumping off a curb.
The included bearings and spacers are ABEC-7 high steel. The bearings are already conveniently installed on the wheels. This makes them very easy to set up on your skateboard. Sometimes getting new wheels to mount properly onto old bearings is a real hassle. With these, just use a crescent wrench to take the old wheels off and put on these new ones very quickly.
The lubricated bearings, with the large wheels, make a skateboard with these wheels go very fast. You may get airborne going downhill. The speed of these wheels is awesome. Even though the wheels are soft, they are still durable.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Smooth-rolling on concrete or asphalt
- Designed to fit well on a Penny brand skateboard
- Easy to install with pre-lubricated bearings
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Product Dimensions: 60 mm in diameter, 54 mm in width
4. Spitfire Skateboard Wheels with Hybrid Ceramic Bearings Bighead White 99A
This is a combination kit from Spitfire that includes hard Spitfire wheels with Amphetamine Speed Bearings. The wheels are 48 mm in size. They have a 99 A durometer rating.
The Amphetamine Speed Bearings contain a single ceramic ball and six steel balls that are held in a steel container. The extremely hard ceramic bearing pulverizes dust and dirt to self-clean the bearings while riding.
Hybrid ceramic bearings have less friction. This creates excellent thermodynamic cooling, which results in faster rotations. This makes these bearings super fast and gives them a long lifespan as well. The steel makes these bearings durable and strong. The ceramic ball makes them spin more easily.
If your wheels are worn out, consider getting new bearings as well. This kit provides a way to supercharge your skateboarding with a set of new wheels and super fast bearings. Buying bearings and wheels together is a better deal than buying them separately.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Hybrid ceramic/steel bearings are included
- Small, hard wheels are good for tricks
- Durable and fast
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Product Dimensions: 44 mm in diameter
5. Ricta Wheels Clouds 92a Skateboard
Ricta Clouds have a unique wheel design. They are available in 52 mm and 54 mm sizes. On the outside, these wheels have a super soft 78-A layer. Inside, the core is a very hard 78-D layer. This makes the ride soft and stable at the same time. The soft layer rolls easily over rough surfaces, while the inner core provides strong support.
With these wheels, it is possible to do slides and then revert quickly back, as solid hard wheels do. Also, you can cruise easily over cracks and pebbles. These wheels have decent traction when passing over metal surfaces in the street that tend to be slippery.
These wheels are best for street riding instead of doing tricks. The hard core gives adequate control over rough spots and the soft layer creates more comfort. They are great for a skateboard that is used for commuting to work or school.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Soft surface layer with a very hard inner core
- Lightweight
- Stylish
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Product Dimensions: 52 mm in diameter, 34 mm in width, and the road surface area is 19.4 mm wide
6. Powell Peralta Rat Bones Re-Issue Skateboard Wheels
These Powell Peralta Rat Bones are large wheels of 60 mm in size. The strength of these wheels is a medium level at an 85-A durometer rating. They are a re-issue of a previously popular brand that was in production 30 years ago.
Older, lifelong skateboarders can go retro with these wheels and re-live the excitement of their youth. “Back in the day,” as they say, these “trucks” were “da bomb.” They were “cool” before. They are once again “kewl,” which is the new slang spelling of cool.
They make a distinct sound, offer excellent grip, and have a smooth glide. Dads and moms are encouraged to re-visit skateboarding skills from decades ago and show their teens that they still know how to ride.
Younger people, especially beginners, are encouraged to try these wheels to see if they can imagine what a big deal they were when they first came out. Before polyurethane wheels were invented, wheels were made of steel or clay, and they sucked.
These Rat Bones wheels hold up extremely well and withstood the test of time.
What Makes These Skateboard Wheels Stand Out
- Solid colors of black, sky blue, and bright green
- These wheels go well with 10-inch wide re-issue OG skateboard
- Very smooth, stable ride
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Product Dimensions: 60 mm in diameter
Our Beginner’s Recommendation
If you are just starting to learn to skateboard and only can have one set of wheels try a wheel with the size of 52 to 55 mm diameter and a hardness rating of 99 A for learning to do tricks.
If you are going to mostly do street riding, choose wheels of 70 to 75 mm diameter and a hardness rating of 78 A to 99 A.
Harder wheels usually last longer. Softer wheels are more comfortable when hitting bumps, cracks, or pebbles. Enjoy!
Last update on 2024-11-10 at 08:23 / Affiliate disclosure / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API