Best Skateboard Wheel Reviews 2018

The size, hardness, and aesthetics of skateboard wheels are the major things that influence their pricing. While we would love to always grab the product that maxes out on the coolest features, sometimes we have to make some tradeoffs for a more affordable price. A set of four high-end skateboard wheels can cost a little over $40 while a modestly priced one that still gets the job done goes for a bit less than $20. There are some cheap skateboard wheels we advise you not to buy because they are made with inferior materials that you won’t be able to depend on for long.

Skateboard wheels have everything to do with how smooth your ride is and how fast you can go. The wheels you choose should match your riding style, especially if you’re building your skateboard. Here are some of the features to look out for:

• Diameter
• Durometer
• Contact Patch

These will help you decide which features are most important to you. When you’re done reading, you will have a clearer picture of how to choose the best skateboard wheels for your riding style.

A skateboard wheel’s size is measured by its diameter, the distance across the wheel. Most skateboard wheels you find will have a diameter between 50-75mm. wheels let you ride faster, but smaller wheels are quick to accelerate. Note that the diameter you chose should work well with the size of your deck. If you like to do tricks and catch air, smaller wheels will go well with your short board deck style. Skaters who use longboards and cruisers would need larger wheels for their board. Besides your skateboarding style, your height and weight affect the type of wheels you will use. The bigger you are, the larger the wheels you need. Dirtboard riders too will need wheels of 60mm and above to handle the speed and rough surfaces.

Durometer is the measure of your wheel’s hardness. The durometer of a skateboard wheel is usually graded on the Durometer A Scale, which has a number followed y an “a” to signify a wheel’s hardness. The higher a wheel’s number on the scale, the harder the wheel. Softer wheels are slow but give you a lot more grip while harder wheels have more slide. The soft wheels are recommended for street skaters; harder wheels are best suited for skate parks and smooth surfaces. Soft wheels are ideal for longboarders and other street skaters, because those styles require the grip softer wheels provide. The hard and fast wheels have little grip and are recommended for only pro skaters who know what they’re doing.

The contact patch is the part of your skateboard wheels actually touches the ground. The larger the contact patch your wheels have, the more your weight will be distributed over its large surface area. A large contact patch reduces the compression on your wheels, which lowers the rolling resistance and allows you to move faster. Wheels generally are usually either rounded or square. Square wheels have a larger contact patch.

Now that you know more about skateboard wheels, we hope you can decide which features you want on your skateboard wheels considering your riding style.