Wheels Thread

[LebowskisRug]

Eloquently put and my exact experience this morning on a well-waxed curb. These are painted red curbs that are highly waxed, but San Diego gets dusty. You can easily hit dust wax and slow down from 7 to 2 or 3 on Dragons and need to pop off or just stop. On F4 those issues just don't happen. But you do push more. Since I am on Thunders I am attentive to waxing the side of the ledge/curb, but even missing a spot or a spot wearing through the wax would require attention.

[FatGuy92]

Some clips of Townley testing the dual duro OJs (and the new Indys)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cif15KUstDz/?igshid=NDc0ODY0MjQ=

[Xen]

blunts on dragons do indeed force me to pop off sooner rather than later...I have to pop out before they grip, cutting the slide short, even at full speed...103 stfs I can sit on for days once that slide kicks in and choose my distance much more easily (or end up eating shit because I tend to Puds and slide/grind for as long as I can instead of Gustavo'ing the trick for 2.5").

It almost feels like powerslideing, that point where you know the slide is going to grip/end so you have to prep. This happens much sooner on dragons than on regular wheels, even at fast speeds; they just don't hold their speed when you lock in.

As for just 'go faster', @tzhangdox is on point with his explanation.

Some clips of Townley testing the dual duro OJs (and the new Indys)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cif15KUstDz/?igshid=NDc0ODY0MjQ=

sick clips!

[DERBY]

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

[Xen]

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

Bones V2/Spit tablets =  ledges/rails
Bones V5 = slappies/rails/bowls - favorite wheel shape
Spit Radial Slims for literally everything else

I've never like classics because of the golfball-like shape (I don't like wide wheels); big fan of the V1/regular snot wheels shape...it's not really a classic shape but it's a 'standard' wheel on the thin side.

[FuzzGNU]

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

General principles for the three main shapes (I'm biased towards CF/V6).

Conical Full/V6: Sharp edge. Very controlled, very stable, and very predictable. Grip well. Has a clearer differentiation between the wheel tipping or not... hard to tip over. Many say harder to flip. A more "snappy" flip, rather than a smoother easier flip. Locks into stuff more definitively, but can be harder to get out of locks. Good for rough ground. I love how secure they feel while powersliding. Conical cut takes away a bit of the extra weight from the wheel, but are still wider/heavier wheels than classics. What I would trust when bombing a hill. Great for all types of real street skating (but not the most tech wheel) and general park skating (might hang-up a bit more in transition). Great for always feeling in stable and in control.

Radial/V4: Radial edge. More effective at skating weird geometry/transitions, and ride over random obstacles. Grip well. Climbs sideways/diagonally better, and gets into coping grinds easier (but also slip out of grinds easier). More gradual to tip which can be better for flip tricks for some people. More smooth/easy flips. Tend to be a heavier shape as they bulge out to the sides. Pretty stable. Great for park/transition/bowls, are versatile but wide/heavier and less tech. Great at riding over coping and tackling transition.

Classic/V1: Thin, lightweight, with rounded edge. More nimble but less stable. Quicker easy flips. More space between trucks. Struggles with rougher ground. Share a lot in common with radials, but for street skating rather than transition skating. Great for tech and flip tricks and smooth street skateparks. Great for learning flip tricks.

Something people don't talk about enough is how much more nimble thin wheels are. I've got to tighten my trucks for thin wheels and loosen them for wide wheels. Its a bit of a trip going between the two. Feels like my wheels are balancing on their tiptoes when I try switching back to thinner shapes these days.

A lot of wheel shapes are like a combination of the above three, if you want to be reductive. Tablets/V2 are like a Classic/CF hybrid in a weird way if you think about it. I agree with Xen they are like a tech/ledge wheel. I also think Tablets look really cool, and the people who skate them always put them to good use. Makes me jealous. I've always liked them when I've tried them on others' boards.

Bones/Powell V6 56mm is my favorite wheel shape. Its like a slimmed down and deeply cut version of the Conical Full, without losing the stability/control of a Conical Full. It seems like Spitfire's OG Classic is similar in that respect. I really want to try a 56+mm OG Classic soon. 56mm CF are just too chunky IMO. Once you size up past 54mm, they take a leap in width that's a bit too much for me.

[rocklobster]

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pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

[close]

Bones V2/Spit tablets =  ledges/rails
Bones V5 = slappies/rails/bowls - favorite wheel shape
Spit Radial Slims for literally everything else

Blessed wheel shape and unique to Spitfire,  I'd say impossible to find a similar wheel profile amongst other brands.

[LebowskisRug]

Classic Fulls are god tier.

I don't like wide wheels if I don't have to. My last wheels were classic fulls that were 54 to start and measured 34.5 wide with 23 contact patch at 50.5. I don't like locking into any sort of crook with that profile, but Foy does fine.

[manysnakes]

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

Just switched from Conical Fulls to Classics and was surprised by how much easier flip tricks were. My first few flicks, my board rotated further than I expected - I had to dial down my flick to get it back to normal. Also seems like they get into a slappy a little easier, but that might be my imagination.

[backinaction]

Annoyed Bones only come in 99 for V2’s…

I have 103 V2s in 51 and 53. 

Tactics has 52s for sale now.   https://www.tactics.com/bones/stf-v2-locks-skateboard-wheels/retros-103a

Long Beach has 53s
https://lbskate.com/products/bones-stf-retros-v5-sidecut-103a-53mm-skateboard-wheels

[hiljentaa]

Currently riding a set of 101a Rictas. Was riding 99 F4s before.

Curious how Bones 103a STF, Spitfire 101a and OJ Elite 101 compare now.

[LebowskisRug]

Expand Quote

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

[close]

Just switched from Conical Fulls to Classics and was surprised by how much easier flip tricks were. My first few flicks, my board rotated further than I expected - I had to dial down my flick to get it back to normal. Also seems like they get into a slappy a little easier, but that might be my imagination.

Your imagination is my reality.

Same thing happened, but I also went up to 149 so it sorta cancelled out.

[Xen]

Currently riding a set of 101a Rictas. Was riding 99 F4s before.

Curious how Bones 103a STF, Spitfire 101a and OJ Elite 101 compare now.

101 Ricta are hard to beat once you adjust to the slide. Everything else will feel soft but Elites but Elites will be too grippy, bones will be too glassy, and spit will feel a bit slower, in my experience (after riding ricta).

They wear down pretty fast but no flats spots or complaints.

[Creachteach]

WHAT is the deal with flip flop wheels??
Do any of you ride combo wheel shapes, I.E. asymmetrical ones like Santa Cruz Vomits or OJ Mini combos?

If yes, which way do you use them, and why?
Like, conical side facing inwards for better lock-in on grinds, or rounded side inwards for hanging up less?
Which way do the pros run theirs?

Also most of my local skateparks are plywood, Masonite and skatelite. Think kinda slippery dusty stuff, and I have a fear of slipping out, which duro should I get?
OJs only come in 101a and except for the Gregson 56mm 97a. Slime Balls come in 97 and 99, right?

Currently on Spit F4 57mm Radials in 99a. I haven’t really given them the full test yet, because time. Some people claim them to be very slippery, and others perfect, what’s the verdict?

[Xen]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

[close]

Bones V2/Spit tablets =  ledges/rails
Bones V5 = slappies/rails/bowls - favorite wheel shape
Spit Radial Slims for literally everything else

[close]

Blessed wheel shape and unique to Spitfire,  I'd say impossible to find a similar wheel profile amongst other brands.

Dug my last set out and rode them today (been on 93 dragons and 103 v1s), they feel so good, way better than the classics I had with me, both 101.

[roba]

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what's up with pig wheels? i'm looking at some proline 58mm, f4s are nowhere to be found in my country in the shapes and sizes i like. pig wheels are cheap as fuck so i'm thinking about getting some, are they better that standard (non f4) spitfires? do they slide? my 58mm og classics are around 49mm now, so it's definitely time to get a new set of wheels. it's either these pig wheels or 57mm bigheads, but to be honest i'd rather get the pigs because they're cheaper and i'm going to get a set of f4s as soon as they are back in stock anyway.

[close]

i got a set of them, my friend bought a set earlier and he liked them so i thought why not. so far i've only skated to the store on them, but on the way there i skated on asphalt and bricks and they slid very well, a little stickier than f4s (those are truly unfuckwithable in that aspect) but i really didn't have to adjust where i put my body weight when powersliding like i had to with other wheels. i don't know the hardness, it's nowhere to be found on the packaging or the wheels themselves, they feel harder than 99a spitfires, so i'm guessing they're like 100s or 101s. i'm heading to the skatepark after work so i'll write more tomorrow (or maybe tonight because i'm going to a party after that so we will see where that goes) but i'm pleasantly surprised as for now. they're so much cheaper than f4s too, like price point wheels without really feeling like price point wheels.

still haven’t been to the skatepark, but i skated street all day yesterday on them, bombed some hills and skated a wooden ramp. they worked well on all, a little slippery on the wooden ramp but that’s not surprising for hard wheels, f4s were slippery there too. slide great on asphalt, ok on bricks, i haven’t got any flatspots on them yet. my last two sets of wheels different than f4s were dialtones and bones 100s and pig wheels i would rank higher than those two. 

[Richard Skidder]

Looks like most Pig Wheels are 101a. Pig Prime urethane is 103a.

[Xen]

Looks like most Pig Wheels are 101a. Pig Prime urethane is 103a.

I keep meaning to nab a set during xx amount off clearance items...they were $14 last SW sale... not much of a risk.

[mynameisnotjeff]

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Looks like most Pig Wheels are 101a. Pig Prime urethane is 103a.

[close]

I keep meaning to nab a set during xx amount off clearance items...they were $14 last SW sale... not much of a risk.

Bought a set of the Primes a while back and shared on here that they were really good. I think a little better than the OJ Elites.

[rob]

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Expand Quote

pros and cons of wheel shapes you’ve tried. what’re their pros n cons? what sorta tricks are they best for?

[close]

Bones V2/Spit tablets =  ledges/rails
Bones V5 = slappies/rails/bowls - favorite wheel shape
Spit Radial Slims for literally everything else

[close]

Blessed wheel shape and unique to Spitfire,  I'd say impossible to find a similar wheel profile amongst other brands.

[close]

Dug my last set out and rode them today (been on 93 dragons and 103 v1s), they feel so good, way better than the classics I had with me, both 101.

Are we twinning? I’m also currently on the dragons with my mini logo trucks krooked combo and 103v1 on my Indy zoo York setup

[Sativa Lung]

Looks like most Pig Wheels are 101a. Pig Prime urethane is 103a.

Fairly sure you can get Pig primes in any popular duro. I've definitely seen 99a and 101a at various shops. The pig line is actually pretty diverse, but like most Tumyeto stuff individual duros/shapes/colors come and go from their site and are usually easier to find at the warehouses or local shops that are particularly chummy with the Tumy.

Pig wheels are decent. I have some of the 97a conicals and they're actually far better than I expected them to be when I got them. They're kinda sticky on dry ground but they slide fine once you break them loose. It's a very predictable response. I fear the dragons have made them obsolete, but they were actually my favourite soft/hybrid wheel for a while until NFG dropped their 95a formula.

[Dwyck]

I said the NFG 56 Vees I was skating were 99s...

NFG doesn't make a 99...

They're 52D, 103A equivalent

I've been skating them and wondering why the fuck are these so slippery...

I fucked up. But I dig them after skating F4 99s so long

[huggernaut]

Expand Quote

Looks like most Pig Wheels are 101a. Pig Prime urethane is 103a.

[close]

Fairly sure you can get Pig primes in any popular duro. I've definitely seen 99a and 101a at various shops. The pig line is actually pretty diverse, but like most Tumyeto stuff individual duros/shapes/colors come and go from their site and are usually easier to find at the warehouses or local shops that are particularly chummy with the Tumy.

Pig wheels are decent. I have some of the 97a conicals and they're actually far better than I expected them to be when I got them. They're kinda sticky on dry ground but they slide fine once you break them loose. It's a very predictable response. I fear the dragons have made them obsolete, but they were actually my favourite soft/hybrid wheel for a while until NFG dropped their 95a formula.

You like the nfg 95a more than the dragons?

[Shufflessss]

Here's an Austin wheel company that just started. My wife bought the 55's and after checking hers out I might do the same

[rawbertson.]

What do you guys think about this new OJ Double Duro? 101 on the outside and 95a on the inside. I am curious to try them. i really dont like the idea of the soft ass dragons this seems like a better option. not out yet but maybe someone here has got a sneak peak?

[Xen]

No one has tried them so hard to speak accurately. My guess is Powell Dragons/Bones X damage control.

The pitch:

101a Outer = Hard wheel characteristics/performance = slide...so theoretically a better slide than say, a 95 or 97 (but OJs don't really do that well; jury is out on a new thane for these)

95a Inner = Dampening/absorption of a smaller wheel

In spit terms, you get the slide of the 101a, and [supposedly] crust conquering of the 97s...imagine an F4 like that...

Longboards wheel manufacturers been doing it for years, Autobahn did it years ago (83B outer durometer w/ 97A core, really good wheel for back then)), never really caught on: https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=82118.msg3821869#msg3821869.

[Texas_Tone]

Here's an Austin wheel company that just started. My wife bought the 55's and after checking hers out I might do the same

Couple people I know have been riding these, they seem alright, the only thing I have against them is the whole DIY aesthetic they are trying to push when in fact these are prolly just another batch of creative urethane, there is nothing special about them, glad there is a company ran by a woman of color that’s doing things and putting on for austin though, they recently put on a curb contest here in Austin and it looked rad

[rawbertson.]

No one has tried them so hard to speak accurately. My guess is Powell Dragons/Bones X damage control.

The pitch:

101a Outer = Hard wheel characteristics/performance = slide...so theoretically a better slide than say, a 95 or 97 (but OJs don't really do that well; jury is out on a new thane for these)

95a Inner = Dampening/absorption of a smaller wheel

In spit terms, you get the slide of the 101a, and [supposedly] crust conquering of the 97s...imagine an F4 like that...

Longboards wheel manufacturers been doing it for years, Autobahn did it years ago (83B outer durometer w/ 97A core, really good wheel for back then)), never really caught on: https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=82118.msg3821869#msg3821869.

i reallly need to try dragon for myself to see how it slides compared to 95a

[huggernaut]

What brands are made by creative/mearthane?

[IpathCats]

WHAT is the deal with flip flop wheels??
Do any of you ride combo wheel shapes, I.E. asymmetrical ones like Santa Cruz Vomits or OJ Mini combos?

If yes, which way do you use them, and why?
Like, conical side facing inwards for better lock-in on grinds, or rounded side inwards for hanging up less?
Which way do the pros run theirs?

Also most of my local skateparks are plywood, Masonite and skatelite. Think kinda slippery dusty stuff, and I have a fear of slipping out, which duro should I get?
OJs only come in 101a and except for the Gregson 56mm 97a. Slime Balls come in 97 and 99, right?

Currently on Spit F4 57mm Radials in 99a. I haven’t really given them the full test yet, because time. Some people claim them to be very slippery, and others perfect, what’s the verdict?

They're designed to be mounted with the square side in for better lock ins. IIRC they were pretty much a response to spits lock in shape