Wheels Thread

[rocklobster]

Expand Quote

Aircores come to mind

[close]

Damn, where are you finding all of these ads?!

The 2000s? That was a fun time for skateboarding.

[Mbrimson88]

These definitely were a big old NO and went out of business, more 00s for you.

[bombsaway86]

Anyone remember when Element made the featherlight bearings back in 2003? Can’t find a picture, but they were smaller than a dime and came with a plastic hub ring so that they would fit the standard size bearing seat. I believe they came packaged with the wheels pictured below. The wheels had hollow cores too. My buddy skated a set for maybe a week before trashing them. Obviously they didn’t revolutionize wheel and bearing technology.

*edit: If I remember correctly they also made this wheel with the tiny bearing seat so you didn’t need the adapter.

[manysnakes]

Anyone remember when Element made the featherlight bearings back in 2003? Can’t find a picture, but they were smaller than a dime and came with a plastic hub ring so that they would fit the standard size bearing seat. I believe they came packaged with the wheels pictured below. The wheels had hollow cores too. My buddy skated a set for maybe a week before trashing them. Obviously they didn’t revolutionize wheel and bearing technology.

*edit: If I remember correctly they also made this wheel with the tiny bearing seat so you didn’t need the adapter.

I'm always saying that skateboard bearings are too heavy and last too long. Best to shave 5g and have bearings which you can ride for six weeks rather than three months!

[bombsaway86]

These definitely were a big old NO and went out of business, more 00s for you.

I remember seeing these when I first started skating. Even as a beginner I could tell those were complete shit ha ha

[backinaction]

Amazing... Can anyone else think of any blast from the past wheel bullshit?

Big ass bearings.  Bullshit? Or legit?



https://sm00thie.com/

[manysnakes]

A larger bearing will roll faster and wear more slowly, but ultimately, as with more or less all "gains" to be made with skateboard equipment, it doesn't matter because skaters hate new shit and everything in skating breaks almost immediately no matter what.

[Frank and Fred]

A larger bearing will roll faster and wear more slowly, but ultimately, as with more or less all "gains" to be made with skateboard equipment, it doesn't matter because skaters hate new shit and everything in skating breaks almost immediately no matter what.

I would assume they would also accelerate slower. If bigger bearings were viable I bet the longboard crowd would be all over them. They aren't afraid of innovation. I believe bearings are already fast enough. Its durability that could use some work.

[backinaction]

I question the speed gains in a larger, but generic steel bearing vs a smaller, high-quality ceramic bearing.   Ceramic bearings are damn good.

[tom]

Ricta air cores would shatter pretty quickly. My local shop had to send back almost every set sold. I don’t remember them being around for too long

Satori tried to make vegetable oil based wheels at one point around 2007/2008. I got an early sample set and they were pretty bad. They didn’t grip to the point that you could shoot out just turning too sharp skating down the road. They were also octagons by the end of the first session. They may have figured out how to make them better because they sold them a few months later

[fs1/2cab]

Another one from the past. My memory isn't the best, but that had to be some time between 2005 and 2010. Flip had these tricolored rasta wheels, they looked like this photo I found in the internet.



My homie had them. After a few weeks he was only riding on the yellow middle part of these wheels because the different colored sections literally fell off. It looked hella funny and dangerous.

[FuzzGNU]

Another one from the past. My memory isn't the best, but that had to be some time between 2005 and 2010. Flip had these tricolored rasta wheels, they looked like this photo I found in the internet.



My homie had them. After a few weeks he was only riding on the yellow middle part of these wheels because the different colored sections literally fell off. It looked hella funny and dangerous.

I've always wondered about that type of stuff. I'm surprised multicolor wheels are back. I wonder if they finally figured out out. Seems like the solution is to have an ugly blended portion in the middle where the colors mix together.

[dr.prestige]

Expand Quote

Amazing... Can anyone else think of any blast from the past wheel bullshit?

[close]

Big ass bearings.  Bullshit? Or legit?



https://sm00thie.com/

I have these on one of my setups right now. They're fine, not that remarkably different of an experience than normal bearings but if you're interested in switching it up and trying something new they may be worth your while. If you like NFG urethane you're in luck because their wheels are poured there, which I believe are the only wheels currently available that fit the bearings.

[FuzzGNU]

I mean the whole reason why Bones Super Six Swiss are supposedly better than Swiss is the larger ball bearings. I assume the larger the balls, the more dirt they can tolerate before needing cleaning? Or at least minimizing the effect that dirt has on the roll?

[LebowskisRug]

I remember on the first Darkstar cored wheels the core was super hard and shiny and if you didn't ratchet down your axle nuts the bearing seat would slowly get worn larger and larger to the point where the bearing would move back and forth at will. My buddy had a set and left his axle nuts decently lose and if you rode his board the wheel and the bearings moved side to side. Somehow he learned switch tre flips off a bump gap on those. The final straw was we were bombing a hill and he went to power slide and the rear wheels literally came off the core.

[Ok]

Wheel tech…
I had some of the spitfire firelites and had a session I still think about, 20 plus ish later. The 2nd best day I’ve ever had. Wild.

[manysnakes]

I mean the whole reason why Bones Super Six Swiss are supposedly better than Swiss is the larger ball bearings. I assume the larger the balls, the more dirt they can tolerate before needing cleaning? Or at least minimizing the effect that dirt has on the roll?

Yes, generally speaking, the larger the bearing, the lower the friction, and the greater the load capacity and overall strength.

[rocklobster]

Since we're talking about bearings and ball sizes, I bought a set of these way back (mid 2000s) and they were surprisingly good.



Got the ABEC 9 ones because why the fuck not.

Did hold up much better than the bearings of the time which were almost always ass. I'm looking at you Quik and Speed Demon.

[Xen]

LOL wtf... while looking at my bucket of old wheels I found a set of these (or something very similar, there is still a flake of the orange flame graphic still on one of them).



Apparently they're called "Spitfire Hardline Firelite Wheels"

They're kind of sick looking tbh, but I completely forgot about those. Ohhhhh the things we did to shave off grams of weight when we were kids.

I just measured these random blank CCS wheels I had and they were all the way down to ~44mm before I swapped them out, haha.

Next time I am able to I will have to go back and figure out all of the wheels I had.

Worst wheels ever, cores would pop out so fast.

Welcome Orbs got you covered tho.

[PuffinMuffin]

I skated the new Bones wheels today. The 93a's in 52mm handled varying degrees of blown-out rustbelt crust with surprising ease. My feet felt comfy and I pushed less to maintain the same amount of speed as 99a F4s. They also slide very well. Spitfire has a real problem on their hands. I don't see myself going back to F4s, and I previously felt they were the pinnacle of urethane. I'm amazed a 52mm skates so well around here.

[MysticalTypeExperience]

Did you buy them from kam at the skate one forums?

I was really surprised when I went to those forums today and found a bunch of information that I hadn't seen on SLAP at all. Like the fact that they are or were selling the prototypes. And those RKP trucks are indeed a prototype truck that Powell is testing.

[Frank and Fred]

These new Bones wheels are starting to sound more and more intriguing. I'm curious if Spitfire is firing up a response in the 80a to 95a region?

be awhile before I purchase any wheels as I have a few F4 sets on ice.

[GardenSkater77]

I skated the new Bones wheels today. The 93a's in 52mm handled varying degrees of blown-out rustbelt crust with surprising ease. My feet felt comfy and I pushed less to maintain the same amount of speed as 99a F4s. They also slide very well. Spitfire has a real problem on their hands. I don't see myself going back to F4s, and I previously felt they were the pinnacle of urethane. I'm amazed a 52mm skates so well around here.

Hey…where did you get these wheels? They are not on the Powell website. As for softer wheels, it is amazing how fast my Bones Rough Riders are. I am definitely sold on Bones/Powell Peralta for all my 93a-80a wheel needs.

[Ok]

I skated the new Bones wheels today. The 93a's in 52mm handled varying degrees of blown-out rustbelt crust with surprising ease. My feet felt comfy and I pushed less to maintain the same amount of speed as 99a F4s. They also slide very well. Spitfire has a real problem on their hands. I don't see myself going back to F4s, and I previously felt they were the pinnacle of urethane. I'm amazed a 52mm skates so well around here.

I think I remember you using thunders…and 52 is such a sweet spot wheel size. If 52 are now viable for all around riding I’m gonna be hyped

[MysticalTypeExperience]

Expand Quote

I skated the new Bones wheels today. The 93a's in 52mm handled varying degrees of blown-out rustbelt crust with surprising ease. My feet felt comfy and I pushed less to maintain the same amount of speed as 99a F4s. They also slide very well. Spitfire has a real problem on their hands. I don't see myself going back to F4s, and I previously felt they were the pinnacle of urethane. I'm amazed a 52mm skates so well around here.

[close]

Hey…where did you get these wheels? They are not on the Powell website. As for softer wheels, it is amazing how fast my Bones Rough Riders are. I am definitely sold on Bones/Powell Peralta for all my 93a-80a wheel needs.

Email [email protected]

They are $30 shipped or cheaper for multiple sets

[GardenSkater77]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I skated the new Bones wheels today. The 93a's in 52mm handled varying degrees of blown-out rustbelt crust with surprising ease. My feet felt comfy and I pushed less to maintain the same amount of speed as 99a F4s. They also slide very well. Spitfire has a real problem on their hands. I don't see myself going back to F4s, and I previously felt they were the pinnacle of urethane. I'm amazed a 52mm skates so well around here.

[close]

Hey…where did you get these wheels? They are not on the Powell website. As for softer wheels, it is amazing how fast my Bones Rough Riders are. I am definitely sold on Bones/Powell Peralta for all my 93a-80a wheel needs.

[close]

Email [email protected]

They are $30 shipped or cheaper for multiple sets

Great. Thanks. Are they looking for feedback? I’ll sing their praises in the wheel thread to help get these to market.

[Xen]

Did you buy them from kam at the skate one forums?

I was really surprised when I went to those forums today and found a bunch of information that I hadn't seen on SLAP at all. Like the fact that they are or were selling the prototypes. And those RKP trucks are indeed a prototype truck that Powell is testing.

There are other worlds than SLAP.

[Xen]

Expand Quote

Tried a friend's board who had the new formula snot wheels. They slide way, way more than the old formula and have a totally different, higher-pitched bark.

[close]

so anyone else skate the new snot formula before i bite the bullet and try them anyway?

edit: got em anyway

Picked up a set of the cored 52s. Still getting through the tread so I'm not sliding (based on prior exp with treaded wheels I won't slide until it's gone/wheel is broken in for fear of early flatspots). Fucking hate treads on wheels come on people...

Out of the gate they are much harder feeling than the first clear snots I had (felt like total shit/spongy, sticky team wheel), these are hard, rattle your teeth hard, and bark; with tread they remind me of the OJ Elite grip but a bit easier when pushed (like I said I wasn't pushing them to slide)...and right up there with them on hardness.

They don't feel like 'hard creative thane' either could be due to the core? But they have that Creative thane vibe Shape-wise, they're like slightly thinner bones V1. Time will tell but I like them so far (and I'm not expecting an F4 slide).

[rocklobster]

Expand Quote

Did you buy them from kam at the skate one forums?

I was really surprised when I went to those forums today and found a bunch of information that I hadn't seen on SLAP at all. Like the fact that they are or were selling the prototypes. And those RKP trucks are indeed a prototype truck that Powell is testing.

[close]

There are other worlds than SLAP.

No, Slap is the only echo chamber I need TYVM

[PuffinMuffin]

Expand Quote

Did you buy them from kam at the skate one forums?

I was really surprised when I went to those forums today and found a bunch of information that I hadn't seen on SLAP at all. Like the fact that they are or were selling the prototypes. And those RKP trucks are indeed a prototype truck that Powell is testing.

[close]

There are other worlds than SLAP.

Those posts were by @backinaction and those RKP trucks have been talked about in the Truck Set-ups thread for two pages.