Spitfire formula four

[sionarancsle]

Okay so whats the basic math between 99a and 101a?

99 is softer thus better for rough ground because it rebounds more so you have more speed?

101 better for park because it grips less and on the perfect ground its faster? Also it slides better on both street and park?

[FuzzGNU]

Okay so whats the basic math between 99a and 101a?

99 is softer thus better for rough ground because it rebounds more so you have more speed?

101 better for park because it grips less and on the perfect ground its faster? Also it slides better on both street and park?

Harder = faster on smooth surfaces. Higher top speed overall. Slides better.

Softer = slower on smooth surfaces, but maintains speed on rough surfaces better. Less vibration on rough surfaces too. Lower top speed overall. Slides worse, grips better.

Though the Dragons formula sort of throws a wrench in all of that imo.

[144p]

From my research

97- great for crust, slide well
On some surfaces, catchy on metal edged surfaces, slower at the skatepark.

99- a little slick sometimes, slide great on most surfaces, a little slower on old parks but pretty good on crust.

101- really good on old skateparks, impossible to skate on crust, longest blunt/tail/nose slides.
Super fast but unpredictable.

[sionarancsle]

so basically buy 99a for an all terain setup and thats about it.

[yourbreakfsat]

Got the Radial Fulls 58mm 97a a couple days ago and they're great. I also found an interesting effect they give that might have been shared already but it doesn't hurt to share it regardless.

They will make your usable hanger space about one size less. The polished Independent is a 144 and the black Indy is a 149. Compared to a Classic 55mm.






Measurements are about the same; any difference is super marginal. This is pretty cool if you have a deck that requires wider trucks, but you want a smaller hanger space without needing to size down.

[Xen]

Fucking hell, those things are massive.

[greenbeans]

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

[FuzzGNU]

Fucking hell, those things are massive.

The 56mm already felt comically large to me. I can only imagine the 60mm.

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

You trying to start a war in this thread? Lol. I'll bite.

Lock-ins: just skate tablets instead (in theory I'm a fan of these, but the asymmetry sucks once your wheels need to be rotated due to coning)

Radial slim: just skate classics instead (I know these have massive fans, so not these... But radial slim fans, I'm going to need you to explain why you like these better)

Radial full: selfishly because they're too big for me to put on a standard setup (but they make perfect sense for 95-97a cruiser wheels).

[tzhangdox]

Expand Quote

Fucking hell, those things are massive.

[close]

The 56mm already felt comically large to me. I can only imagine the 60mm.

Expand Quote

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

[close]

You trying to start a war in this thread? Lol. I'll bite.

Lock-ins: just skate tablets instead (in theory I'm a fan of these, but the asymmetry sucks once your wheels need to be rotated due to coning)

Radial slim: just skate classics instead (I know these have massive fans, so not these... But radial slim fans, I'm going to need you to explain why you like these better)

Radial full: selfishly because they're too big for me to put on a standard setup (but they make perfect sense for 95-97a cruiser wheels).

Radial slims have a wider riding surface out the gate than classics, and also lock in better. It’s one of the best shapes.

I’d probably ditch tablets, they’re so uncomfortably square you get train tracked so hard rolling parallel to cracks and don’t really lock in much better than say a radial slim and drag more. Maybe if you need absolute slimness with max riding surface when new but I’m definitely not a fan.

Or radial fulls seriously how is a conical full not cutting it for you? Shits like dumbbells on the ends of your axles

[rocklobster]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Fucking hell, those things are massive.

[close]

The 56mm already felt comically large to me. I can only imagine the 60mm.

Expand Quote

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

[close]

You trying to start a war in this thread? Lol. I'll bite.

Lock-ins: just skate tablets instead (in theory I'm a fan of these, but the asymmetry sucks once your wheels need to be rotated due to coning)

Radial slim: just skate classics instead (I know these have massive fans, so not these... But radial slim fans, I'm going to need you to explain why you like these better)

Radial full: selfishly because they're too big for me to put on a standard setup (but they make perfect sense for 95-97a cruiser wheels).

[close]

Radial slims have a wider riding surface out the gate than classics, and also lock in better. It’s one of the best shapes.

I’d probably ditch tablets, they’re so uncomfortably square you get train tracked so hard rolling parallel to cracks and don’t really lock in much better than say a radial slim and drag more. Maybe if you need absolute slimness with max riding surface when new but I’m definitely not a fan.

Or radial fulls seriously how is a conical full not cutting it for you? Shits like dumbbells on the ends of your axles

I'm with this guy, Radial Slims are the tits.

Tablet shapes were a fun experiment and are too specific in their use cases. Bones' current catalog only has 1 V2 graphic (and 1 V1), lots of V5. Are there any other brands that do a flat side profile wheel? Ricta used to do them on some Naturals.

Radial Full or Classic Full - Pick 1, think they are way to similar in shape. I took out the calipers and measured the SML 53/54mm OG shape (classic), the dimensions are closer to a Classic Full than Classic. Only their 52mm is similar to the Spitfire Classic.

[Mbrimson88]

.

The one to go:

Tablet - too minimal in use and as said, squared edges catch on everything, but I do get why some people like them, being the thinnest wheel in the catalog.

OR in close second

Lock ins - sure it is a tablet on one side and a conical full on the other, so you can switch them up and use one side out or the other at different times if you are really keen, but they are just a bit of a stretch when compared to the other good wheels.


As for others to keep and why:

Radial slims - definitely see a use for these for a lot of people who wanted a thinner wheel but not quite the Classic profile.

Radial - a little wider and a little more contact for a good all rounder, but still not as wide as some.

Classic Full - my favourite wheel, because I like a bit of a wider Classic wheel, but also because I prefer a wider contact patch right from go, from 54mm to 56mm for most things nowdays, but also 58mm for some bigger board stuff.

Conical Full - at first I was not a fan (and still not really in the bigger sizes) but I like these once they have worn down a bit and especially after I take the grinder to the sides to round them off a bit more = wider riding surface with rounder edges is what I like.

Classic - "the number one wheel shape in skateboarding" or to translate, the one I get when I know I want a good dependable wheel / can't decide / don't have any other options for Classic Full wheels.


Indifferent to Conical, OG Classics, Radial Full shapes - sure people have a use for them, but they are not really anything I want to skate and pretty much are a mix / mash up of other shapes I prefer.

At first I thought I should get a set of the Radial Full wheels, but when I saw them, I thought they were just too big and wide for anything I would really want to skate.  Those things are too wide even for me and I like wide wheels.


That is the ten isn't it?

Done.

[BartHarleyJarvis]

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

Yeah lock ins can go. I don't skate tablets and I don't fully understand them, but they're at least a unique shape and I assume some people have a use for them so I'll allow them to live.

[Xen]

I’d lose lock-ins.

[yourbreakfsat]

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

Hi deluxe burner account








Lock ins - I hardly see anyone with these or ask about them, and the few people I know that skate them only got them because they couldn't get tablets

[BartHarleyJarvis]

I will say, Radial Fulls are hilariously big and it's amazing to me guys like kader and tfunk can skate on these as well as they do. It's basically like skating with ankle weights

[big_kev_215]

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

Tablets all day

[FuzzGNU]

I will say, Radial Fulls are hilariously big and it's amazing to me guys like kader and tfunk can skate on these as well as they do. It's basically like skating with ankle weights

It really does feel like that with Ace Classics. Some big ol bricks of polyurethane.

I've seen T Funk skate 60mm OG Classics, which I think would actually be lighter weight than these things. But didn't know he rode the radial fulls too.

People have said some interesting things about tablets in here, namely them getting train tracked and struggling with riding parallel to things, and generally getting caught on everything. Sounds like the opposite of radial fulls. They're so good at climbing and overcoming things parallel to them. Though I prefer the more binary stability of a more conical wheel, which do that stuff good enough without getting caught on things.

I've seen so many ledge skater/90s guys rock tablets and make them work that I've wanted to try them too, but you guys are really making a great case against them. Sounds like I'm better off skipping them. Regardless I would kill off lock-ins before tablets on the principality of having to ride them anti-lock-in to get rid of coning and then swap them back.

[GoneWithTheSchwinn]

Tablets were a change of pace back in the day, now they aren't as fun. And yes, I've eaten shit because I caught their fade.

[greenbeans]

Expand Quote

random question but if one spitfire model has to disappear forever, which one?

[close]

Yeah lock ins can go. I don't skate tablets and I don't fully understand them, but they're at least a unique shape and I assume some people have a use for them so I'll allow them to live.

i used to ride locks in before tablets existed. now i can be flexible but i really dont care for radials

[Xen]

I will say, Radial Fulls are hilariously big and it's amazing to me guys like kader and tfunk can skate on these as well as they do. It's basically like skating with ankle weights

I get mini cubic vibes

[LebowskisRug]

I remember hearing Tablets are the other blemish wheels and they just machine down the outside. If that's the case they should stay since they're cutting down on waste.

Frankly I can't see why Conical shapes need to exist. In what scenario is a sharply angled edge profile better than rounded? Ditch those and just have Classics, Radial Slims, Radial Fulls, maybe one other novelty shape.

[rocklobster]

I remember hearing Tablets are the other blemish wheels and they just machine down the outside. If that's the case they should stay since they're cutting down on waste.

Frankly I can't see why Conical shapes need to exist. In what scenario is a sharply angled edge profile better than rounded? Ditch those and just have Classics, Radial Slims, Radial Fulls, maybe one other novelty shape.

Every brand already has a classic and conical shape so they can't lose out on that slice of the market.

Maybe just Conical Full instead of Conical, Radial Slim fulfills the role of a skinnier conical and market it as a hybrid of Classics + Conical Full.

[tzhangdox]

I've ridden a couple sets of regular conicals and they're good. Feels most similar to a radial slim imo. But in the larger scheme of things I do think it makes more sense to keep conical fulls around over conicals if only one could remain.

[FuzzGNU]

I remember hearing Tablets are the other blemish wheels and they just machine down the outside. If that's the case they should stay since they're cutting down on waste.

Frankly I can't see why Conical shapes need to exist. In what scenario is a sharply angled edge profile better than rounded? Ditch those and just have Classics, Radial Slims, Radial Fulls, maybe one other novelty shape.

Yeah there's reasons. It changes how the wheel does certain things.

They're more "stable". They are harder to make tip/tilt, and there is a more binary (definitive yes or no) when they do tip. This makes them very "predictable" when skating.

That stable flatness also makes them better for power-sliding IMO. You can really dig in your heels at speed and not worry about tipping on that radial edge.

They also lock-in more securely, which also gives them more "predictability" in that regard too.

They also do flip tricks differently. I would argue they flip worse (again, more stable) but some people like how they flip more than rounded. While more rounded/teardrop wheels have a smooth easy flip, conical wheels have a bit more of a delayed "snapped" flip off of that more "binary" edge.

On top of all of this, if they are cut deep enough, they are more lightweight than rounded wheels. Conical wheels are typically more cut out on the sides, while radial wheels tend to have more convex volume outside of the ride surface (hence higher weight:width ratio).

They're definitely worse in other ways... but overall I feel more in my comfort zone with conical wheels. I feel more in control and confident due to the above differences.

[fs1/2cab]

I really like the regular Conical wheels. That cut sides are great for grinds I feel. If we could regularly get 99a Radial Slims, that would be great.

Radials, OG Classics and Lock-Ins feel a bit too clunky for me personally but i haven't tried Conical Fulls yet.

Tablets look rad, but they don't work for me and I find they drag a bit on grinds. I could do without them.

Classics feel a bit too round when new, but they are nice when they are worn down 2mm.

[goodatmeth]

I learned front crooks on tablets so I'll always love them.
Ultra locked in. And I also love the way flip tricks feel with them, feels like an inbetween of a wide wheel and a v3 shape I'd say

[Gene_Harrogate]

I'd have to join those saying lock-ins.  As they are the two sides don't differ enough to justify them.  Maybe a more rounded shape like radial on one side would give them more purpose.

[LebowskisRug]

Expand Quote

I remember hearing Tablets are the other blemish wheels and they just machine down the outside. If that's the case they should stay since they're cutting down on waste.

Frankly I can't see why Conical shapes need to exist. In what scenario is a sharply angled edge profile better than rounded? Ditch those and just have Classics, Radial Slims, Radial Fulls, maybe one other novelty shape.

[close]

Yeah there's reasons. It changes how the wheel does certain things.

They're more "stable". They are harder to make tip/tilt, and there is a more binary (definitive yes or no) when they do tip. This makes them very "predictable" when skating.

That stable flatness also makes them better for power-sliding IMO. You can really dig in your heels at speed and not worry about tipping on that radial edge.

They also lock-in more securely, which also gives them more "predictability" in that regard too.

They also do flip tricks differently. I would argue they flip worse (again, more stable) but some people like how they flip more than rounded. While more rounded/teardrop wheels have a smooth easy flip, conical wheels have a bit more of a delayed "snapped" flip off of that more "binary" edge.

On top of all of this, if they are cut deep enough, they are more lightweight than rounded wheels. Conical wheels are typically more cut out on the sides, while radial wheels tend to have more convex volume outside of the ride surface (hence higher weight:width ratio).

They're definitely worse in other ways... but overall I feel more in my comfort zone with conical wheels. I feel more in control and confident due to the above differences.

Let me be clear I meant specifically an angled sidewall vs a rounded one. I don't think it specifically does any of the things you note to a degree that actually matters. It seems pros just ride Classics when they want a narrow wheel and Conical Fulls when they want a wide one. A rounded sidewall won't train track as much and on some micro level that doesn't matter will lock in on crooks and similar grinds easier. The rest is some anal retentive Slap neurosis to justify our micro madness. When I watch pros talk about setups and refer to conicals locking in better they're always on wider trucks and I have wondered if where the ledge sits on say a 151 and Conical Fulls would be exactly where it sits on a 149 and Classics or something.

[LebowskisRug]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Yo what?! 50mm conical fulls? That sounds great. Thanks for the heads up.

* I currently have some 50mm classics on Indy 159s and that looks a bit ridiculous ^^

[close]

I wanted some early 90s energy on my Huffer, and I had a set of 50mm Classics, but I hear you on the tiny Classics looking funny on wide trucks, so I just snagged the 50mm/101A Conical Fulls. Here’s the look with AF1 60s.

[close]

This is reminding me of all the EMB raw footage I've seen on YouTube of Mike Carrol and friends.

You've got to skate a ledge and barely grind in honor of them. Maybe dance between a crook and a nose slide.

Not sure how they were able to skate bricks with such small wheels.

When I was a kid growing up in the Bay I was fascinated by setups from that era and that whole scene. A local shop ordered me all the videos with that EMB footage (no clue where they got Questionable from in 2001) and somehow got me some 40mm wheels from around that era. The shape was really similar to a slimmer Radial Full with a more gentle arc to the sidewall. Got me a football shaped blank from somewhere and I paired it with Venture Lo Featherlights and it was comically easy to inward heel on.

Anyways, long story short I'd watch how much they push in that footage. Usually 3-4 pushes between tricks and by the time they pop they're going way slower. What's insane from that era is how much faster Daewon skated in general than most people.

The original EMB ledges were quite rough too.

[Xen]

I really like the regular Conical wheels. That cut sides are great for grinds I feel. If we could regularly get 99a Radial Slims, that would be great.

Radials, OG Classics and Lock-Ins feel a bit too clunky for me personally but i haven't tried Conical Fulls yet.

Tablets look rad, but they don't work for me and I find they drag a bit on grinds. I could do without them.

Classics feel a bit too round when new, but they are nice when they are worn down 2mm.

All of this; I honestly feel like I could have written that. Twinsies!

99a Conicals have become my staple spit with the lack of Radial Slims in 99a.