Spitfire formula four

[rocklobster]

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Bones really is winning by keeping their prices the same over the last few years. Also the new x formula is a legit alternative to F4.

[close]

Couldn't agree more, + Bones offers more shapes that are not available on Spits.

If I had to, the only other wheel I would recommend and use are Bones, besides Spitfire Formula Four wheels, so for anyone who might be suffering as above, definitely check out what Bones offer in terms of price, shape, availability.

An unpopular opinion and to be very blunt about it, but any and all other brands of wheels in the current market, no matter how cheap I think are just not worth it.  Sure other people are riding them and are happy, but I would say Spitfire or Bones, then everything else and there is a big enough gap between them that it does make a difference.
[/quote]

You never realize how good Bones / Spitfire are until you ride something that isn't Bones / Spitfire. They end up being serviceable at best and slippery + sticky + flatspot-y at worst.

[emotional_degloving]

i got my first set of formula fours on monday even though ive been a spitfire soldier for a good year and a bit, 52mm Conicals. Holy fuck why have I been sleeping on these for so god damn long.

Curious though, how do you guys adapt to the change in the angle of pop? I'm coming from some worn in bigheads. I got em on Venture Lo 5.2 on 8.3 BBS which is medium all around. I usually prefer steep kicks but my current deck rota is flat cunts right now

[Xen]

I'd throw in

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Quick back story - My Local is like 60 min drive from my house - it used to be a skatepark but closed during covid now its a guy running it out of his garage. he told me he is not going to be ordering spitfires next time because they will be $90 and hes only making like $5  :'(
Also, within the past week or so, Zumiez that was only like 30 min from my house has also closed down. They have lots of F4 classics on sale still for $50 which is $20 off and spitfires seem to never go on sale around here. I might order 2 sets of Spitfires from Zumiez to put on ice just to keep me going for the next few years 
I reallllly love spitfire wheels and want to support DLX. but that is probably getting to the point its too much if I will be able to get decent wheels at like 1/2 the price or even less and they are working for me I will have no choice but to change probably  :'(

[close]

For the people who buy whatever they want whenever they want, hats off to you sir.  For everyone else who is living on a budget and trying to make ends meet and seeing the price of things like Spitfire wheels keep going up and up, I would say be smart about your spending, so if you see some on a good special / decent % off discount or whatever, go for it and stock up if or where you can so you do have wheels to get you through, compared to being on one set and no back ups, so if you need a new set, you have to pay full price from where ever you can get them, be it at their door or shipped.

I have dealt with and been in both situations, so now I gotta say I always have backups of anything I like to skate, use, wear, etc.

That is just me though.

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Bones really is winning by keeping their prices the same over the last few years. Also the new x formula is a legit alternative to F4.

[close]

Couldn't agree more, + Bones offers more shapes that are not available on Spits.

[close]

If I had to, the only other wheel I would recommend and use are Bones, besides Spitfire Formula Four wheels, so for anyone who might be suffering as above, definitely check out what Bones offer in terms of price, shape, availability.

An unpopular opinion and to be very blunt about it, but any and all other brands of wheels in the current market, no matter how cheap I think are just not worth it.  Sure other people are riding them and are happy, but I would say Spitfire or Bones, then everything else and there is a big enough gap between them that it does make a difference.

They each offer the same amount of shapes with six each (not counting spits full variants or the dearly departed radial / classic slims) but bones offers what spit doesn't: more variety for thin wheels, e.g., V1s, V2s (their radial slim) and V3s and arguably less overlap in their wider sizes - not everyone wants to heshride 60mm Radial Fulls for the Dolores Hill bomb you know?

The only other wheels I would toss into the mix is OJ Elite 101a in the hardline shape if you need something that feels normal like a spit (over bones feel) but isn't glassy like spit 101s/SPFs for smooth park skating; or Ricta Naturals if you like hard, chirpy, white wheels in shapes similar to bones (Ricta Mids = v5, Ricta Slims = V1s, Ricta Round = V4 Wide, etc), that feel closer to older STFs/F1s but_don't_flat.

It's hard not to just dip for F4s, if they made an F4 V5 it would be my hard wheel of choice (yes, even over you sweet radial slim).
 

[moonordie]

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Bones really is winning by keeping their prices the same over the last few years. Also the new x formula is a legit alternative to F4.

[close]

Couldn't agree more, + Bones offers more shapes that are not available on Spits.

[close]

If I had to, the only other wheel I would recommend and use are Bones, besides Spitfire Formula Four wheels, so for anyone who might be suffering as above, definitely check out what Bones offer in terms of price, shape, availability.

An unpopular opinion and to be very blunt about it, but any and all other brands of wheels in the current market, no matter how cheap I think are just not worth it.  Sure other people are riding them and are happy, but I would say Spitfire or Bones, then everything else and there is a big enough gap between them that it does make a difference.

You never realize how good Bones / Spitfire are until you ride something that isn't Bones / Spitfire. They end up being serviceable at best and slippery + sticky + flatspot-y at worst.
[/quote]
Truth be told.
Tried, out of boredom, some Dial Tones and they are ok but I think they already flat spotted in 2 sessions and the feel is just off.
Spits or Bones, nothing else unless you got it for free.

[rocklobster]

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Bones really is winning by keeping their prices the same over the last few years. Also the new x formula is a legit alternative to F4.

[close]

Couldn't agree more, + Bones offers more shapes that are not available on Spits.

[close]

If I had to, the only other wheel I would recommend and use are Bones, besides Spitfire Formula Four wheels, so for anyone who might be suffering as above, definitely check out what Bones offer in terms of price, shape, availability.

An unpopular opinion and to be very blunt about it, but any and all other brands of wheels in the current market, no matter how cheap I think are just not worth it.  Sure other people are riding them and are happy, but I would say Spitfire or Bones, then everything else and there is a big enough gap between them that it does make a difference.

[close]

You never realize how good Bones / Spitfire are until you ride something that isn't Bones / Spitfire. They end up being serviceable at best and slippery + sticky + flatspot-y at worst.

Truth be told.
Tried, out of boredom, some Dial Tones and they are ok but I think they already flat spotted in 2 sessions and the feel is just off.
Spits or Bones, nothing else unless you got it for free.
[/quote]

Creative is a distant 3rd, would ride them over NHS stuff, but even they are prone to flatspots. You can definitely ride them out over time but I'd rather have 1 less thing to worry about.

[Banned from the room]

Damn! This wheels are already for sale?

I'm fuckin fucked.

You guys think I should beg um to send me a set before it's too late?

I fuckin hate asking for product. I feel like hmmmm I never really did anything for those guys yet and I shouldn't ask

[Banned from the room]

66mms were a mid 80s thing.



The Big Wheel revival in the mid  90s maxed out at about 63mm with Matt Reason.

Exactly what I was thinking about.

66 mm with some bad ass war paint.  I like to think about Philips. He was for 100 my favorite vert guy when I was a kid.

I had his boards I had the wheels I had the trucks. Didn't have the helmet tho I wanted it. I've never had safety gear.

I bail in the half pipe I'm going to hip or running down it.

I got the screw head scars all over me.

Screws can be like little mini ice cream scoopers for hip meats.

Become blood bros with the whole crew in one bail.

Super fun

[Banned from the room]

62s alone are going to open up so many new opertunes.

I think I'd like to see Pedro ride um. GT ride um.

I really wanna see Peter Hewitt ride um. I remember he rode the 66 too. Probably big balls as well. Lol. Definitely actually.

I hope it works out. I know I could use um

[Banned from the room]

Quad post cuz I'm fuckin tripping

[TwisT]

I skated tons of wheels, black label, stereo, popwar, element, DGK, Chocolate, autobahn, satori, OJ, mini logo, Alien workshop, ccs, blanks, shop wheels, and tons of Ricta before I touched Bones or Spitfire and it was still night and day.

imagine if a brand like SNOT had access to Spit or Bones urethane

[moonordie]

I skated tons of wheels, black label, stereo, popwar, element, DGK, Chocolate, autobahn, satori, OJ, mini logo, Alien workshop, ccs, blanks, shop wheels, and tons of Ricta before I touched Bones or Spitfire and it was still night and day.

imagine if a brand like SNOT had access to Spit or Bones urethane

We would have a 60mm contact surface

[Frank and Fred]

I've been so satisfied with F4s since they came out I have zero temptation to try anything else. Madness cured on that front.

Soft wheels are another matter though...

[Xen]

I've been so satisfied with F4s since they came out I have zero temptation to try anything else. Madness cured on that front.

Soft wheels are another matter though...

Stepping on non-proprietary urethane is an instant disappointment; crazy how bones/spit have had a stranglehold on the market for so long (STF was king over F1, then F4 took and holds the crown).

imagine if a brand like SNOT had access to Spit or Bones urethane

If any brand should succeed / have better than average 'thane it should be snot - but that R&D is a serious investment, and no one is licensing their formulas.

[Frank and Fred]

For me it was SC speedwheels through the mid 80s to 90s. Untouchable. Loved the feel of a 95a/ 97a Speedwheel.
--Small wheel era was super awkward until the mid 90s. Everything wore out quick.
-Then it was Spitfire until the early 2000s. Again amazing feeling wheels that really lasted... I had set of 58mms I kept going for over a year of daily skateboarding. There was one interlude with Golden State Wheels which were also amazing. A set of clear blue 99a (felt way harder) 58s.
-Then things went way south with Spitfire.... This may have been an EPA thing but the urethane went to absolute shit. I messed around with Ricta, Pi, Autobahn (Pretty decent actually) until I landed on SPF/ STF.
-STF/SPF were super impressive, fast and durable but I could never get used to the feel. SPF felt like shit outside the skatepark and STF were too unpredictable in the skatepark (I'm talking big smooth concrete bowls)
-Finally F4 hit and solved all my fucking problems. All of them. Now I can I die happy. Sure they are slower than SPFs in big smooth parks but the slip to grip ratio and the feel makes 99a F4 is super versatile. I'll occasionally use 97s in the winter (slippery indoor spots and cold rugged outdoor spots) and 101s in the summer but I could live with 99s all the time. If F4s cease to be... I'll go down with the ship.

[BALARGUE]

Hey @Mbrimson88

before i browse through all the catalogs.
Do you remember when the og classics F4 (natural) are supposed to be back?
From the top of my head, Spring D2 has the solid color ones

I thought they were supposed to be back in the rotation

[Sedition]

-Finally F4 hit and solved all my fucking problems. All of them. Now I can I die happy. Sure they are slower than SPFs in big smooth parks but the slip to grip ratio and the feel makes 99a F4 is super versatile. I'll occasionally use 97s in the winter (slippery indoor spots and cold rugged outdoor spots) and 101s in the summer but I could live with 99s all the time. If F4s cease to be... I'll go down with the ship.

Every. Fucking. Word.

[ggrimmedd]

For me it was SC speedwheels through the mid 80s to 90s. Untouchable. Loved the feel of a 95a/ 97a Speedwheel.
--Small wheel era was super awkward until the mid 90s. Everything wore out quick.
-Then it was Spitfire until the early 2000s. Again amazing feeling wheels that really lasted... I had set of 58mms I kept going for over a year of daily skateboarding. There was one interlude with Golden State Wheels which were also amazing. A set of clear blue 99a (felt way harder) 58s.
-Then things went way south with Spitfire.... This may have been an EPA thing but the urethane went to absolute shit. I messed around with Ricta, Pi, Autobahn (Pretty decent actually) until I landed on SPF/ STF.
-STF/SPF were super impressive, fast and durable but I could never get used to the feel. SPF felt like shit outside the skatepark and STF were too unpredictable in the skatepark (I'm talking big smooth concrete bowls)
-Finally F4 hit and solved all my fucking problems. All of them. Now I can I die happy. Sure they are slower than SPFs in big smooth parks but the slip to grip ratio and the feel makes 99a F4 is super versatile. I'll occasionally use 97s in the winter (slippery indoor spots and cold rugged outdoor spots) and 101s in the summer but I could live with 99s all the time. If F4s cease to be... I'll go down with the ship.

I've been using SPFs for 6 months and still can't get the hang of em, slide is too weird and unpredictable like STFs, can't complain about speed but I'd rather use a bigger F4

[Ok]

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-Finally F4 hit and solved all my fucking problems. All of them. Now I can I die happy. Sure they are slower than SPFs in big smooth parks but the slip to grip ratio and the feel makes 99a F4 is super versatile. I'll occasionally use 97s in the winter (slippery indoor spots and cold rugged outdoor spots) and 101s in the summer but I could live with 99s all the time. If F4s cease to be... I'll go down with the ship.

[close]

Every. Fucking. Word.

i keep looking at the bones x stuff, maybe their softer formula would allow me to ride a 52 that could get over some crap ground, i could go back to my preferred venture lo’s.

but i know they are going to piss me off: f4s feel how i want the wheels to feel.

[Yossi]

I solely skated the Conical full 99 53s since they came out, but the shop was out, so I settled on some Radials in the same size and duro. Right away, many tricks felt easier. Fast despite using old bearings. I think Conical fulls look cooler and my board looks a little foreign to me still, but these are an excellent, versatile wheel. Any news on a Radial full 99 53?

[Mbrimson88]

Hey @Mbrimson88

before i browse through all the catalogs.
Do you remember when the og classics F4 (natural) are supposed to be back?
From the top of my head, Spring D2 has the solid color ones

I thought they were supposed to be back in the rotation

Yeah I had thought they are supposed to be out around now or maybe next delivery / drop, but maybe they have been pushed back a bit more to mid year or later.

Checking now anyway...


Anyone in USA got more OG Classics in stock, or were they old stock wheels that people had bought or had seen?


For AU, Hemley shop has a few sets of the Formula Four 60 mm OG Classics in stock still.

https://hemleyskateboarding.com.au/products/formulafour-99d-ogclassics?variant=42353340776599


They do seem quite hard to come by right now.

[DERBY]

anyone find that conical fulls crap out faster than radials or classics?

[Xen]

I drove/called all over my area today, after two surf/skate shops, two core shops, a mall shop, two Van's stores and two different zumiez I gave up looking local for F4 101 classics, 52mm. All they had were 99a classics and 54mm+ and nothing in 52; loads of tablets, OG classics. One Van's employee said people ask but we never carry them same for one of the core shops; one shop had 101a classics in 56mm. I would have settled for 101s in 51/53mm, hell I would have bought 103 STFs V1/V5 if they had any, just to get a hard wheels.

You know what they did have? MOUNTAINS of X99s waaaaaay more than their respective spit 99a supply, I was kinda suprised. One shop had some new V3 STF 103s tho.

The two core shops pretty much said the same thing tho 'there are too many shapes/duro combinations/it's too confusing for us let alone the customer. Both dudes even suggest trying DLX if they have a webstore. These are core shops but don't think the guys ordering are that 'core' to know what to get.

I did see some classic fulls (99a) for the first time in RL, not sure why anyone would skate radials...was tempted but they were black/99a.


Gonna order online as usual.

[Ok]

black wheels can look cool. like the board from the ending skate scene in gleaming the cube.

[rocklobster]

I drove/called all over my area today, after two surf/skate shops, two core shops, a mall shop, two Van's stores and two different zumiez I gave up looking local for F4 101 classics, 52mm. All they had were 99a classics and 54mm+ and nothing in 52; loads of tablets, OG classics. One Van's employee said people ask but we never carry them same for one of the core shops; one shop had 101a classics in 56mm. I would have settled for 101s in 51/53mm, hell I would have bought 103 STFs V1/V5 if they had any, just to get a hard wheels.

You know what they did have? MOUNTAINS of X99s waaaaaay more than their respective spit 99a supply, I was kinda suprised. One shop had some new V3 STF 103s tho.

The two core shops pretty much said the same thing tho 'there are too many shapes/duro combinations/it's too confusing for us let alone the customer. Both dudes even suggest trying DLX if they have a webstore. These are core shops but don't think the guys ordering are that 'core' to know what to get.

I did see some classic fulls (99a) for the first time in RL, not sure why anyone would skate radials...was tempted but they were black/99a.


Gonna order online as usual.

Same story here, Dragons / X97 / X99 just doesn't have the marketing and brand recognition of Spitfire despite having a comparable or superior product to F4. Of the guys I usually skate with the only ones who bothered with Bones / PP are those with gear madness, everyone else goes with the Formula (4) trusted for generations.

[Sedition]

I drove/called all over my area today, after two surf/skate shops, two core shops, a mall shop, two Van's stores and two different zumiez I gave up looking local for F4 101 classics, 52mm. All they had were 99a classics...

The two core shops pretty much said the same thing tho 'there are too many shapes/duro combinations/it's too confusing for us let alone the customer.

99a Classics are my jam. But I sometimes run 101a in the summer, or when skating a lot of transition (101 is just faster). That said, 101a has always been spotty for me to find in person. I almost always have to order those on-line, so, your experience is 100% consistent with mine.

And last, I have always maintained that Spitfire makes way, way, way too many wheels. Only the hawdkoah Spitfire nerds (e.g. us) can keep track of them. I worked at shop for 6 years back in the day, and man, I'd hate to be a shop employee in 2024 trying to (a) keep tabs of all the product out there, and (b) explain to customers the "differences" in 1/8th inch of wheelbase, or 1mm of riding surface, or sidecut difference between Tablets vs. OG Classics, etc.---they would rightly think I was insane. 

[Xen]

black wheels can look cool. like the board from the ending skate scene in gleaming the cube.

If they had been 101a I would have picked them up.

[rocklobster]

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I drove/called all over my area today, after two surf/skate shops, two core shops, a mall shop, two Van's stores and two different zumiez I gave up looking local for F4 101 classics, 52mm. All they had were 99a classics...

The two core shops pretty much said the same thing tho 'there are too many shapes/duro combinations/it's too confusing for us let alone the customer.

[close]

99a Classics are my jam. But I sometimes run 101a in the summer, or when skating a lot of transition (101 is just faster). That said, 101a has always been spotty for me to find in person. I almost always have to order those on-line, so, your experience is 100% consistent with mine.

And last, I have always maintained that Spitfire makes way, way, way too many wheels. Only the hawdkoah Spitfire nerds (e.g. us) can keep track of them. I worked at shop for 6 years back in the day, and man, I'd hate to be a shop employee in 2024 trying to (a) keep tabs of all the product out there, and (b) explain to customers the "differences" in 1/8th inch of wheelbase, or 1mm of riding surface, or sidecut difference between Tablets vs. OG Classics, etc.---they would rightly think I was insane.

I'd make an enlarged laminated copy of the Spitfire cardboard insert and push it over the counter if they ever asked.

[Mbrimson88]

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I drove/called all over my area today, after two surf/skate shops, two core shops, a mall shop, two Van's stores and two different zumiez I gave up looking local for F4 101 classics, 52mm. All they had were 99a classics...

The two core shops pretty much said the same thing tho 'there are too many shapes/duro combinations/it's too confusing for us let alone the customer.

[close]

99a Classics are my jam. But I sometimes run 101a in the summer, or when skating a lot of transition (101 is just faster). That said, 101a has always been spotty for me to find in person. I almost always have to order those on-line, so, your experience is 100% consistent with mine.

And last, I have always maintained that Spitfire makes way, way, way too many wheels. Only the hawdkoah Spitfire nerds (e.g. us) can keep track of them. I worked at shop for 6 years back in the day, and man, I'd hate to be a shop employee in 2024 trying to (a) keep tabs of all the product out there, and (b) explain to customers the "differences" in 1/8th inch of wheelbase, or 1mm of riding surface, or sidecut difference between Tablets vs. OG Classics, etc.---they would rightly think I was insane.

[close]

I'd make an enlarged laminated copy of the Spitfire cardboard insert and push it over the counter if they ever asked.

There is a nice info card out with the more recent Radial Full wheels for shop people to put on the counter or where ever they wish, as well as other shop related info on shapes and sizes that DLX provides to distributors to provide to shop accounts too, so they do all the hard work for you.

Then I guess it is just having whatever size and shape the person wants, especially given the newer chart has all sizes, more often than not some that are not available except in special editions or whatever minimal releases come out, but sometimes NOT having a list of all options can be helpful and just have them look at what is in the wheel cabinet, which is usually good enough for most people with just Classics, Radial, Conical Full, Radial Full shaped wheels.

Knowing what your average customer is into really helps there too, so you don't have a ton of "special wheels" sitting there for a long time, but as said, some shops don't even really know what to order, or are just hoping they will get enough of whatever wheels will sell the most.


Those 52 mm Classic 101s might sell out faster than most, which is why there might not be any / many in stock in places you might go.

That or a lot of shops just go with the 99s to be safe and leave it at that.

[Ok]

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black wheels can look cool. like the board from the ending skate scene in gleaming the cube.

[close]

If they had been 101a I would have picked them up.

looks like you, me and sedition are the only ones occasionally buying f4 101s. shop guys tried to talk me out of them, i was dead set on skating a 52 (or smaller, i was on venture lo’s at the time). so walked out with 52 conical fulls, 101s. first reaction was that i had made a bad mistake, too hard. the wheels broke in a bit and were great. i’m not a conical full person, i like classics, but the wider shape did help the small
wheel roll over some stuff.
blah blah. 101s are real decent

[Xen]

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black wheels can look cool. like the board from the ending skate scene in gleaming the cube.

[close]

If they had been 101a I would have picked them up.

[close]

looks like you, me and sedition are the only ones occasionally buying f4 101s. shop guys tried to talk me out of them, i was dead set on skating a 52 (or smaller, i was on venture lo’s at the time). so walked out with 52 conical fulls, 101s. first reaction was that i had made a bad mistake, too hard. the wheels broke in a bit and were great. i’m not a conical full person, i like classics, but the wider shape did help the small
wheel roll over some stuff.
blah blah. 101s are real decent

I'm just back into bluntslides of late and 99s/x97s anything other than 101 spits or 103a stfs don't work for as well for me..my stfs are 50mm or under (so you know how that is) even spit 101s take a back seat to the stfs for bluntslides but would rather have the f4s for 'everything' else just based on feel; I've some 101a ricta slims on hand but they're grippier than either of the aforementioned wheels.

It was just a bummer that everything was 99a regardless of brand. Might have to just dip back to the one shop that had the STF V3s and give TJ Rogers some support.