Wheels Thread

[Richard Skidder]

I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk. I am thinking of bumping down the hardness, what do you guys recommend for someone that is kind of new and still learning? I often ride on the street and sometimes at the skate park.

I wouldn’t worry too much about changing wheels/durometers. Hitting pebbles is just part of the game when it comes to skateboarding and will unexpectedly take down even the most seasoned skaters. Just keep at it with what you’ve already setup and spend more time on the board. Comfort will come with time.

[Ok]

r/skateboarding

that was probably for me, and i agree

[texastoast]

I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk. I am thinking of bumping down the hardness, what do you guys recommend for someone that is kind of new and still learning? I often ride on the street and sometimes at the skate park.

honestly since ur starting out just enjoy what u have at the moment. pebbles are inevitable at any duro and size. im only saying this cus your tastes are still in development and sure you can nail something thats maybe comfortable for you but gear madness isnt something that should consume u this early on

[TwisT]

I had some 95s for a minute and they didn't handle pebbles that better, just a marginally smoother ride. IMO you'd have to go full cruiser wheel. Like a ricta cloud, to deal with pebbles

[moonordie]

I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk. I am thinking of bumping down the hardness, what do you guys recommend for someone that is kind of new and still learning? I often ride on the street and sometimes at the skate park.

I'd recommend less screen time and more skating.

[FatGuy92]

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Went through the last couple pages of this thread and am I correct in assuming that X Formula 99a wheels are the best choice for skate parks + occasional rougher street spots?

I finally tried dragon wheels (v6 93a) from a friend and while they felt great riding around in a crusty parking lot, I wasn’t so happy with the slide and as others have noted, aren’t optimal for park skating. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

[close]

Opinions vary, but as a potentially happy medium, yes, the Bones X99s might just be the best wheel for a mixture of smooth and rough spots. Mind you, they're a compromise, not a synergical solution -- there's no such thing as a perfect all-around wheel. F4/SPF rule over X-Formula on smooth terrain, but on rough ground the X's take the cake.

[close]

haven’t yet tried the x99s.
bitched wildly about the dragons. now enjoying the dragons more (still haven’t gotten the powerslide slowdowns i want, but also i’m barely skating in a way that is recognizable to my time on a board previous to now: i’m not just trying tricks, im riding around and occasionally doing what erroneously call back 180 Guerrero slides, and just in general up in my head trying to figure out where i got off course….and then i try and fire up the time machine and attempt a nollie flip or what have you. dragons are the best for the aimless cruising).
hopped on a different setups, f4 52 lock-ins vs x97 52 v1’s. much better bearings in the lock-ins. x97s were really easy and didn’t impede any lazy 180 tricks.

none of this was in a park on smooth cement, all asphalt. the bones formulas are noticeably quieter, faster, and gentler, than the f4s, at that particular spot.

maybe this a dumb analogy, but for me, indy’s can ‘do-it-all’ and i know i am due to give them a turn on one of my cobbled together attempts at unearned gains, buuuuuut i also remember that that i usually take the indy’s off and go back to venture or thunder a week later. because although venture and thunder are possibly more limited in what they offer, what they do offer, i like more, for the way i skate.
certain attributes go better with some situations.

in summation (and i apologize), all the wheels are good. everything is good. we just now have more options to dial in on what we spend the most time with, terrain wise.

Thank you both for the insights!

[switchfrontshuv]

anyone try the new loopholes

[Uncle Flea]

can anyone who uses dragons answer me? i would like to buy one. here is my question: how durable are they, did anyone measure it? i would think to buy a 54mm v1 shape. it is the skinnier one and i want it coz i think it slides easier. how much will it take to wear down to under 50 on daily riding? do i need do buy a new pair every month?

i just hate to skate to spots with hard wheels. walking is almost easier. i want softer wheel.

From my experiences it's a solid wheel. I fuckin beat on um pretty hard.

It's also in my experience that all bones formulas get better with age. Vs spit which is glory supreme from day 1 and the dragons I was cursing day 1- like 20 for being too slick.

Just beware of the bounce and any moisture seen or unseen. The dragons are not to be trusted in any conditions other than bone dry. Especially on barriers and walls.

I'm on the spit 97 for life now. It's EXACTLY what I needed in my life. Totally balanced experience in speed and slide. I am riding 54s and 58s. The 4mm difference is massive.

I ate total shit yesterday too. Was because the rear coni jumps to the side when going diagonal over large lifted cracks.
The radial has a higher chance of remaining straight when pushing over a diagonal crack.

I was holding groceries too.

I wish the og came in 60mm at 97a. Fuckin kill for something like this. Cuz they are lighter than the conical and they have slightly rounded edges. This helps prevents the bloard from jumping to the side when pushing over raised up shit at a glance.

I can't wait to see the 93a spit. Had I known this would happeen I would not had bought the dragons. I got um in my medium good drawer. All spit products make into the top shelf till they are too small.

[Xen]

I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du any wheel right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk.

This is skateboarding.

[rocklobster]

I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk. I am thinking of bumping down the hardness, what do you guys recommend for someone that is kind of new and still learning? I often ride on the street and sometimes at the skate park.

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I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du any wheel right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk.

[close]

This is skateboarding.

Agreed, not everywhere is going to be smooth concrete like the park, you gotta learn to push on the rough streets while keeping an eye out for pebbles, cracks, twigs, handicap bumps, pedestrians, dog shit and everything in between.

Even the softest 78a wheels aren't going to roll over pebbles, and it takes time to develop an eye for seeing the path through the crusty streets.

If you're going to learn to skate you're going to have to pay to play.

[LeDave]

Thanks for the replies guys. Like what another said, i need to stop staring at the screen so much and skate more. Hopefully the weather continues to comply so that i dont have to pay to skate at the local indoor one much, despite it being my favorite store.

[rocklobster]

Thanks for the replies guys. Like what another said, i need to stop staring at the screen so much and skate more. Hopefully the weather continues to comply so that i dont have to pay to skate at the local indoor one much, despite it being my favorite store.

Also - wheel graphics face the inside of the board, as god intended

[dr.prestige]

Thanks for the replies guys. Like what another said, i need to stop staring at the screen so much and skate more. Hopefully the weather continues to comply so that i dont have to pay to skate at the local indoor one much, despite it being my favorite store.

Find a parking garage with good coverage from the elements and a nice curb, I’m sure there’s plenty in the Minneapolis area

[Fartknocker415]

Imagine in 1 year when le Dave is full slap clone

[rikki]

Imagine in 1 year when le Dave is full slap clone

Bet he can do a blunt to fakie on a quarter better than me in a year.

[Fartknocker415]

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Imagine in 1 year when le Dave is full slap clone

[close]

Bet he can do a blunt to fakie on a quarter better than me in a year.

He’s gonna be skating cellar doors and purposely mobbing his kickflips in silver tabs and obscure grindcore shirt in no time… limosine deck soon come…


LeDave- limo deck, ace trucks, spitfire formula4 56mm wheels and you’re good to go.

[Uncle Flea]

If you wanna nearly cancel pebbles and crack you gotta get above 54mm. I rarely get stopped at speed. I always slam on crap going slow

[texastoast]

LeDave- limo deck, ace trucks, spitfire formula4 56mm wheels and you’re good to go.
[/quote]

oh god thats my exact setup at the moment lol

[TwisT]

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Imagine in 1 year when le Dave is full slap clone

[close]

Bet he can do a blunt to fakie on a quarter better than me in a year.

[close]

He’s gonna be skating cellar doors and purposely mobbing his kickflips in silver tabs and obscure grindcore shirt in no time… limosine deck soon come…


LeDave- limo deck, ace trucks, spitfire formula4 56mm wheels and you’re good to go.

No LeDave, lean into DGK. Get some ricta’s go full Shanahan.

[FatGuy92]

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I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk. I am thinking of bumping down the hardness, what do you guys recommend for someone that is kind of new and still learning? I often ride on the street and sometimes at the skate park.

[close]

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I'm using Spitfire 53mm full conical 99du any wheel right now. I almost died running through a pebble on the sidewalk.

[close]

This is skateboarding.

[close]

Agreed, not everywhere is going to be smooth concrete like the park, you gotta learn to push on the rough streets while keeping an eye out for pebbles, cracks, twigs, handicap bumps, pedestrians, dog shit and everything in between.

Even the softest 78a wheels aren't going to roll over pebbles, and it takes time to develop an eye for seeing the path through the crusty streets.

If you're going to learn to skate you're going to have to pay to play.

Fully agree with you but to be completely fair, I didn’t start skating seriously until I was like 25 and it took me a long ass time to feel comfortable on my board. I used OJ keyframes for like a solid year until I felt confident pushing around in the streets and could Ollie/5050 consistently. The softer wheels didn’t prevent me from eating shit but definitely helped me get comfortable.

@LeDave My opinion, if you think softer wheels can help and you can afford them, it wouldn’t hurt to try, but (a BIG but) don’t expect changing your setup to suddenly make you good at skating. Be consistent, push yourself, and don’t let a slam or two stop you from trying.

[Ok]

i complained, A LOt, about dragons and downhill powerslides. i skate some rough hills and the f4 seem to be able to slip and slide over the top, without digging in as much as the softer dragons.
but. either these dragon wheels are breaking in some, or i’m adjusting them, but they are getting much more manageable. noticeably faster on rough stuff. i had been aiming for rougher patches as a slowdown technique, but the dragons roll (too) well over the rough.
starting to really like em.
dragons. dragons. dislike the name, and powell in general, but the product is nice.
sorry for complaining so much.
i think im really guilty, positive and negative, of over emphasizing 1st session observations. i’ll go out with some new stuff, have a better time than expected, and be all in on it. tell i get to skate again and the novelty wears off.

[Xen]

Dafuq?

[texastoast]

Dafuq?

phallic

[Frank and Fred]

Anyone try the 80HD superwides yet?

The clear Ryan Lee ones have been out for some time and now they have other sizes and colors. Super tempted by the 58mm Orange ones.

[pops]

Anyone try the 80HD superwides yet?

The clear Ryan Lee ones have been out for some time and now they have other sizes and colors. Super tempted by the 58mm Orange ones.

Never tried the regs 80HDs, would love to and even more these wides. Plus, I like orange wheels.

I actually need a soft wheel since my OJ blew up last summer. Spitfire 80hd or rough riders? Dragons are ok but not for much longer distances.

[Frank and Fred]

Owner of my local shop just gifted me some 97a X formula Bones... guess, I now really have to try 'em before the F4 93s....

[Frank and Fred]

oh shit those X formulas 97s are good. they passed the blunt slide, lip slide, backside power slide and switch power slide tests and smashed through the rough stuff between my house and the spot... damn....

now if those 93a F4s are anything like these....

[rikki]

oh shit those X formulas 97s are good. they passed the blunt slide, lip slide, backside power slide and switch power slide tests and smashed through the rough stuff between my house and the spot... damn....

now if those 93a F4s are anything like these....

Some of us here have raved about the X-Formula wheels to the point of exhaustion, but it's been for a reason. Both the X97 and the X99 are fucking great. I've pretty much permanently switched from Spitfire to Bones on crust and slippy-slidey indoors.

[Frank and Fred]

Some of us here have raved about the X-Formula wheels to the point of exhaustion, but it's been for a reason.

Oh I am aware and i largely ignored your raving due to my allegiance to san francisco. i freely admit i would not have tried these X 97s if they were not given to me. a very pleasant surprise. and i just learned they are made in ventura, another place dear to my heart.

in all honesty though, they've just got me more excited for the spitfire super slide 93s.

i also tried some of the powell g slides yesterday and i will be getting some of those for hill bombing, cruising, pump tracking applications as polite nod to george in santa barbara.

[Xen]

Of course conceptually it's cool now if Spitfire does it.