Spitfire formula four

[Too Frank To Fred]

I still contend you can't judge a wheel on 5 mins of use. Give them a solid go at whatever spot you have accessible to you.

But a 5min dismissal is silly talk.

[logjammin]

I still contend you can't judge a wheel on 5 mins of use. Give them a solid go at whatever spot you have accessible to you.

But a 5min dismissal is silly talk.

i hear ya. i have optimism for their outdoor performance, but when i can't even slalom around and slappy/slash coping it's a no go. anything short of a dialed set-up right outta the gate, the OCD flare-up gets bad and it's not a fun time lol

[Too Frank To Fred]

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I still contend you can't judge a wheel on 5 mins of use. Give them a solid go at whatever spot you have accessible to you.

But a 5min dismissal is silly talk.

[close]

i hear ya. i have optimism for their outdoor performance, but when i can't even slalom around and slappy/slash coping it's a no go. anything short of a dialed set-up right outta the gate, the OCD flare-up gets bad and it's not a fun time lol

Def recommend keeping them for when you get to skate outside. Hope you get to enjoy them when that time comes.

[rikki]

some of you were saying the new 97a formula grips good enough indoors and I had doubts but decided to believe you. just bought them and after 5 minutes I put back on my 88a dragons. they felt even more slippery than my old formula 97's. waste of money but I guess when spring comes I'll try them outdoors.

Pal, with love and respect, five minutes is some ADHD level product testing. No wheel is gonna perform the way it does in the long run after 300 seconds of rolling.

My opinion about the new 97s hasn't changed: they're a great indoor wheel.

Opinions and conditions vary, of course. No wheel is grippy enough if said indoor park is a dustbowl and filled with scooter wheel muck.

[Ok]

I still contend you can't judge a wheel on 5 mins of use. Give them a solid go at whatever spot you have accessible to you.

But a 5min dismissal is silly talk.

total agree, wheels break-in.
way back when i would try not to slide for a few days, otherwise instant flatspot.
comical full 101s went from ‘i hate this i’m an idiot these feel like plastic wheels’, to real decent (i’d prefer softer, but enjoyable).

all of this is so personal (obvi), the thought of 88a dragons grosses me out. glad that they work for folks tho, options are nice.

i might just be working my way back to a bobby puleo traffic era setup where im straight up walking to the spot because my 50mm classics can’t live with the horrible pavement around me. i’m fantasizing about something that doesn’t work for me, but feels right. amazing.

[rikki]

i might just be working my way back to a bobby puleo traffic era setup where im straight up walking to the spot because my 50mm classics can’t live with the horrible pavement around me. i’m fantasizing about something that doesn’t work for me, but feels right. amazing.

Regardless of wheel size: if the spot is more than a quarter of a mile from my house, Imma bicycle my ass to the spot. Pushing on shitty asphalt with random pebbles galore makes me hate skateboarding.

[RichardBarkley]

https://www.slamcity.com/en-es/products/spitfire-x-atlantic-drift-54mm-conical-full-99-formula-four-skateboard-wheels?_pos=15&_sid=591b919d3&_ss

92e?

Get fucked

[Too Frank To Fred]

https://www.slamcity.com/en-es/products/spitfire-x-atlantic-drift-54mm-conical-full-99-formula-four-skateboard-wheels?_pos=15&_sid=591b919d3&_ss

92e?

Get fucked

Jesus, that's just over $96 US. You can get those for $42 - $50 here.... If I ever move back to the UK, looks like I will have to take a stash....

[dstrytruitt]

Expand Quote

I still contend you can't judge a wheel on 5 mins of use. Give them a solid go at whatever spot you have accessible to you.

But a 5min dismissal is silly talk.

[close]

i hear ya. i have optimism for their outdoor performance, but when i can't even slalom around and slappy/slash coping it's a no go. anything short of a dialed set-up right outta the gate, the OCD flare-up gets bad and it's not a fun time lol

PM me if you wanna sell the new 97s

[gmld]

some of you were saying the new 97a formula grips good enough indoors and I had doubts but decided to believe you. just bought them and after 5 minutes I put back on my 88a dragons. they felt even more slippery than my old formula 97's. waste of money but I guess when spring comes I'll try them outdoors.

Probably they Need a few sessions to break in? Maybe when new are more slippery... For break in maybe Is Better the street.
This friend had some brand new 99's in this spot with super smooth flatground, and was so weird they couldnt make noise when powersliding, they didnt felt good like mine which were not new.
But anyway i think 97s Is for street, Just like 99's but a Little less hard. If what you call indoor not works with 99s, i dont think with 97's Will have a super huge difference.

[gmld]

https://www.slamcity.com/en-es/products/spitfire-x-atlantic-drift-54mm-conical-full-99-formula-four-skateboard-wheels?_pos=15&_sid=591b919d3&_ss

92e?

Get fucked

[BALARGUE]

https://www.slamcity.com/en-es/products/spitfire-x-atlantic-drift-54mm-conical-full-99-formula-four-skateboard-wheels?_pos=15&_sid=591b919d3&_ss

92e?

Get fucked

What country ?
Weird, here in France they are 75€, just like other full F4s

[moonordie]

Expand Quote

https://www.slamcity.com/en-es/products/spitfire-x-atlantic-drift-54mm-conical-full-99-formula-four-skateboard-wheels?_pos=15&_sid=591b919d3&_ss

92e?

Get fucked

[close]

What country ?
Weird, here in France they are 75€, just like other full F4s

60€ here in CZ.

[BeachChicken]

I find my Spitfires feel the best after they have a week or two and start getting slightly potato. They reach bliss at full potato.

[rawbertson.]

I was saying that Dragons would be better indoors... they would probably feel a bit slow but you would grip the floor and sldie on your noseslides. where 97as i bet you would keep a LOT more of your speed.

I personally REALLY LIKE 99a classics at my indoor, i dont mind the slip (its quite clean in there which helps)
I thought the 93a F4 was kinda TOO grippy but still felt good on noseslides etc. so it was great. It did feel slower than the 99a.
My OJ 95a Natas wheel was really good in there too felt really fast. felt like maybe the PERFECT wheel for in there for me personally even? hard to say...



Atlantic Drift wheels normal price in Canada (~$75). that shop is GOOFY(or made a mistake... lol)

[Too Frank To Fred]

I find my Spitfires feel the best after they have a week or two and start getting slightly potato. They reach bliss at full potato.

Agreed. I like to keep my F4s unused while they "cure" and assume that potato brown color. I am little concerned about the brighter white versions I am seeing. A unofrm/ consistent light brown is what you want. Then bomb some hills, push through some rough streets to roughen them up and you have a max performing F4.

[moonordie]

Expand Quote

I find my Spitfires feel the best after they have a week or two and start getting slightly potato. They reach bliss at full potato.

[close]

Agreed. I like to keep my F4s unused while they "cure" and assume that potato brown color. I am little concerned about the brighter white versions I am seeing. A unofrm/ consistent light brown is what you want. Then bomb some hills, push through some rough streets to roughen them up and you have a max performing F4.

Just to be clear, you open them and then wait?

[Mbrimson88]

I find my Spitfires feel the best after they have a week or two and start getting slightly potato. They reach bliss at full potato.

Agreed. I like to keep my F4s unused while they "cure" and assume that potato brown color. I am little concerned about the brighter white versions I am seeing. A unofrm/ consistent light brown is what you want. Then bomb some hills, push through some rough streets to roughen them up and you have a max performing F4.

I wonder if the lighter colour is because they are new wheels, compared to wheels that have been sitting somewhere for a while, or they have changed up all their urethane to make it a lighter colour in some way.

The newer ones definitely are way lighter than some of the regulars I see around, but then I also wonder how long some wheels have been sitting somewhere too.

I got a few of the last Skate Like A Girl Classic 55 mm wheels on clearance and they are just that perfect looking natural colour, but they are a year or so old now, maybe more.

Three other sets of newer / latest release wheels look way whiter by comparison, so I am pretty happy with these ones I got too.  Especially as I don't usually need new wheels at all, with all the boards I have set up.


* Some other people had been talking about newer Spitfire wheels, some pros and some cons, but any which way, there is enough stock out there to get brand new or have them sit for a while and still be happy.  I like older wheels too, when it comes down to it.

Just to be clear, you open them and then wait?

Some people I know will get them out and sit them on a window sil or somewhere like that for a while, or at the very least get them out of their package and have them on display or whatever.  Fluro lights of cabinets seem to colour them way more, but I guess they sit under those lights for a while sometimes, or are easier to see their "tan lines" with the packaging covering some of the wheels, or even the graphic covering, which is white underneath when I blade it off.


Distibution companies will usually keep them locked away in a metal cabinet or something in the darkest corner of the warehouse, because they are known to react to light in any form.

[Too Frank To Fred]

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I find my Spitfires feel the best after they have a week or two and start getting slightly potato. They reach bliss at full potato.

[close]

Agreed. I like to keep my F4s unused while they "cure" and assume that potato brown color. I am little concerned about the brighter white versions I am seeing. A unofrm/ consistent light brown is what you want. Then bomb some hills, push through some rough streets to roughen them up and you have a max performing F4.

[close]

Just to be clear, you open them and then wait?

I bury them in the soil for two lunar cycles and then dig them up, clean them, dry thoroughly and leave them in the greenhouse window for another two lunar cycles while they absorb the sun's rays, rotating them every 5 days. That usually does the trick. Then I take them to the local volcano for about 10 miles of hillbombing and then they are ready for blunt slides and other proper activity.

[HASHZOOT]

Got some new F4 101 54 Conicals and they are super white and feel mad soft and don’t slide like my potato browns I just replaced.

[munchbox]

*see instructions above*

[Mbrimson88]

Got some new F4 101 54 Conicals and they are super white and feel mad soft and don’t slide like my potato browns I just replaced.

Yes, a common thing, but I do tend to notice it more on 101s compared to 99s.  The 99s are just the same over and over again, but the 101s are often here and there, from many sets I have had and tried over the years.

In general, when they sit and age, they also colour and they harden, to which point they slide way more, and the screech is louder.

Not always, but generally so.


* Sometimes it has a bit to do with the bearing arrangement too, eg loose or noisy bearings are going to give more vibration and more likely to make the wheel screech, compared to brand new fully greased or heavily lubed bearings in whatever wheels.  I put this to the test one day as we were comparing noise and slide.  Funny how that works.

I bury them in the soil for two lunar cycles and then dig them up, clean them, dry thoroughly and leave them in the greenhouse window for another two lunar cycles while they absorb the sun's rays, rotating them every 5 days. That usually does the trick. Then I take them to the local volcano for about 10 miles of hillbombing and then they are ready for blunt slides and other proper activity.

Need to add "Too Funny" to the username as well.

That was good!!!

[logjammin]

I tried the new 97a's at the smooth concrete park today and they're definitely much grippier than the 93a's along with the old 97a formula. maintained speed and sound like 99a's. compared to the old formula can't tell too much of a difference besides the grip. miss the natural potato color I don't like how white they are. I never tried the X97 or X99 Bones but I have a feeling these are spitfires answer to them so if anyone has been set on those they could switch back to spits and get the same results maybe?

[BartHarleyJarvis]

Found a set of nearly brand new 93s at LA High so shout out to whatever pro decided they didn’t like them.

Not sure when I’ll set them up but stoked on the come up.

After a month and a half I've really come around on these. At first they gave me the ick, they were WAY too quiet and made my board feel like a longboard.

However, now that I'm used to them I've come to really appreciate them, specifically for some of the slippery parks around LA. There are parks around here that are basically ice skating rinks and with all the ash from the fires it's been worse than ever but these offer a TON of grip where my 99s usually slip out. This was true on the bricks at LA high as well. The lack of noise is still a bit off putting but after a while you stop thinking about it.

They didn't blow me away at any rough spots with bad ground but that's all right. At parks or spots with normal or nice ground, they were noticeably slower.

I don't think they'll be my main wheel but I'm considering keeping them in my skate bag with some old bearings for quick swaps when I need them

[nurkdurk]

I tried the new 97a's at the smooth concrete park today and they're definitely much grippier than the 93a's along with the old 97a formula. maintained speed and sound like 99a's. compared to the old formula can't tell too much of a difference besides the grip. miss the natural potato color I don't like how white they are. I never tried the X97 or X99 Bones but I have a feeling these are spitfires answer to them so if anyone has been set on those they could switch back to spits and get the same results maybe?

Color seems to be a batch to batch thing. A few of the 55 delfinos they had at 35th were damn near brown, my 57s didn't start that dark but have changed since fall. I feel like they slide better now that they're worn down a bit.
I don feel like they have more grip than the old 97 or 93s personally, actually found them easier to break into a slide or revert on than the old 97. That's in radial to classic too.
Medium rough concrete, 20 year old park.

The one place they do have too much grip for me is on a metal mini.

[Too Frank To Fred]

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Found a set of nearly brand new 93s at LA High so shout out to whatever pro decided they didn’t like them.

Not sure when I’ll set them up but stoked on the come up.

[close]

After a month and a half I've really come around on these. At first they gave me the ick, they were WAY too quiet and made my board feel like a longboard.

However, now that I'm used to them I've come to really appreciate them, specifically for some of the slippery parks around LA. There are parks around here that are basically ice skating rinks and with all the ash from the fires it's been worse than ever but these offer a TON of grip where my 99s usually slip out. This was true on the bricks at LA high as well. The lack of noise is still a bit off putting but after a while you stop thinking about it.

They didn't blow me away at any rough spots with bad ground but that's all right. At parks or spots with normal or nice ground, they were noticeably slower.

I don't think they'll be my main wheel but I'm considering keeping them in my skate bag with some old bearings for quick swaps when I need them

That's my assessment also. I have a set ready for when I need them but they won't end up on my main rig. However, I have found they do eat up PNW crust pretty damn well, to the point where they could almost function as a cruiser wheel also.

99s are my staple. Just the best feeling/ functioning and durable F4.
93s for slippery indoor spots or outdoor crust in the winter. Also carry speed well in some of the bigger weather worn parks up here.
101 for my small wheel early 90s set ups, I like to ride on smooth flat and curbs in the summer.
97s are great but only if I had to commit to one wheel.

[logjammin]

Expand Quote

I tried the new 97a's at the smooth concrete park today and they're definitely much grippier than the 93a's along with the old 97a formula. maintained speed and sound like 99a's. compared to the old formula can't tell too much of a difference besides the grip. miss the natural potato color I don't like how white they are. I never tried the X97 or X99 Bones but I have a feeling these are spitfires answer to them so if anyone has been set on those they could switch back to spits and get the same results maybe?

[close]

Color seems to be a batch to batch thing. A few of the 55 delfinos they had at 35th were damn near brown, my 57s didn't start that dark but have changed since fall. I feel like they slide better now that they're worn down a bit.
I don feel like they have more grip than the old 97 or 93s personally, actually found them easier to break into a slide or revert on than the old 97. That's in radial to classic too.
Medium rough concrete, 20 year old park.

The one place they do have too much grip for me is on a metal mini.

from what I've read in the last year or so on here, it seems like there's inconsistencies in F4's these days with some people having wildly different experiences with newer batches in various durometers. when they first hit the market in the two durometers of 99a-101a, I don't recall them ever being how white they are now. I had many many sets for years and they performed consistently and always had their natural potato color compared to all the other wheels out there. something changed, that's for sure.

[assvogel]

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Found a set of nearly brand new 93s at LA High so shout out to whatever pro decided they didn’t like them.

Not sure when I’ll set them up but stoked on the come up.

[close]

After a month and a half I've really come around on these. At first they gave me the ick, they were WAY too quiet and made my board feel like a longboard.

However, now that I'm used to them I've come to really appreciate them, specifically for some of the slippery parks around LA. There are parks around here that are basically ice skating rinks and with all the ash from the fires it's been worse than ever but these offer a TON of grip where my 99s usually slip out. This was true on the bricks at LA high as well. The lack of noise is still a bit off putting but after a while you stop thinking about it.

They didn't blow me away at any rough spots with bad ground but that's all right. At parks or spots with normal or nice ground, they were noticeably slower.

I don't think they'll be my main wheel but I'm considering keeping them in my skate bag with some old bearings for quick swaps when I need them

[close]

Homie at the shop was saying that some people really like them but they feel like a waterlogged set up for him. The grip thing though has me thinking about grabbing a set for thr dusty as indoor. I was sliding out like crazy yesterday

I really, really  like the 93a Radials. I've mainly ridden F4 55mm 99a's since Spitfire introduced Formula Fours, with occasional conical fulls, but 93a's feel so good. Rougher DIY concrete, rough street surfaces and now supper slippery plywood indoor park, they are fast and the grip they provide makes you feel you are always in control. Plus the softness makes even shittier spots skatable.

The only drawbacks is that you need to push powerslides/reverts a bit more, same with stuff like crooks, where the wheels touch the curb. But even bluntslides are no problem with the 93's.

Haven't tried the new 97's.

[Shuh]

Finally got 93 radials, i guess my country has just ridiculously crusty asphalt im still getting the shaken around. But it does feel better compared to my 99s on the road i tested so im not totally bummed.

[rawbertson.]

I managed to get T Funk 97a radial fulls , which are the old formula. I think I am going to put those on my Anti Hero Horse Pill w/ Aces

then, put the 57mm Pedro wheels (new formula 97a) on my main setup (8.5" on lurpivs)

can have a really good comparison between old and new formula