Longboard wheels are often underestimated, but they’re crucial for your ride. Unlike skateboard wheels, they’re built to handle various terrains and riding styles. This guide provides a solid understanding of longboard wheel features, helping you make informed choices.
Longboard wheels are designed to handle various terrains, unlike skateboard wheels
Longboard vs. Skateboard Wheels: Key Differences
Skateboard wheels, typically around 50-59mm and 99a hardness, are designed for smooth surfaces like skateparks. Longboard wheels, ranging from 60mm to 80mm and 74a to 86a hardness, cater to different needs. They excel at covering distances, achieving high speeds, sliding, or providing a smooth ride on varied terrain. This versatility is due to their diverse shapes, sizes, and widths.
Longboard wheels are bigger and softer than skateboard wheels
Size, Use, and Hardness Comparison
- Size: Skateboard wheels average 50-59mm, while longboard wheels range from 60mm to 80mm. The larger size of longboard wheels makes them suitable for rougher surfaces and provides a more comfortable ride.
- Use: Skateboard wheels are for parks and smooth streets. Longboard wheels are more versatile, suitable for cruising, downhill, sliding, and dancing.
- Hardness: Skateboard wheels are typically 99a, while longboard wheels range from 74a to 86a. Softer longboard wheels are better for rougher roads, and harder wheels are better for speed and sliding on smooth surfaces.
- Lip Shape: Skateboard wheels usually have a rounded lip, while longboard wheels have varying shapes to suit different purposes.
Essential Elements of a Great Longboard Wheel
For basic cruising, wheel durometer and size are paramount. Something around 70mm and 80a works well. However, for more specialized riding, factors like lip shape and core shape become significant.
Understanding Wheel Durometer
Durometer is a measure of the wheel’s urethane hardness, typically on a 0-100a scale. Softer wheels provide more grip and comfort but roll slower, while harder wheels accelerate faster and slide more easily but offer less comfort on rough roads.
Harder vs. Softer Wheels
- Harder Wheels (80a-86a+): Faster acceleration and roll speed, ideal for smooth surfaces. They transfer more road vibration, making them uncomfortable on rough terrains. They also slide more easily but can be harder to control.
- Softer Wheels (74a-78a): Slower acceleration, but provide a smoother and more comfortable ride, absorbing road vibration well. They offer excellent grip and are less prone to sliding.
Many manufacturers use high-rebound urethane in softer wheels to achieve both comfort and decent roll speed or low-rebound urethane in harder wheels to achieve a balance between slide and comfort. Wheel cores also impact a wheel’s stiffness and performance.
Summary: Durometer is the key to determining comfort, speed, and grip.
Durometer Recommendations by Riding Style
- Freeride Wheels: 78a-83a offers a balance between slide and control. Beginners might prefer the slightly harder end of the spectrum for easier sliding.
- Dancing Wheels: 78a-83a for a balance of roll speed and comfort, suitable for tricks.
- Downhill Wheels: 74a-80a, with larger cores favoring the 74a-78a range, and smaller cores opting for 78a-80a. This provides a smooth slide with good braking power; beginners should opt for harder options for easier slides.
Exploring Lip Shapes
Longboard wheel lips come in three main shapes:
- Sharp/Square Lips: Provide maximum grip for cornering, common in downhill racing. They resist sliding and push against the ground for traction.
Sharp/Square lipped wheels provide maximum grip - Rounded Lips: Smoothly transition from grip to slide, with rounder lips offering easier slides. However, their shape can change as they wear, affecting performance.
- Beveled Lips: A 45-degree cut, offering a balance between grip and slide. They wear consistently until the bevel is gone.
Some wheels feature a combination of lip shapes, such as one rounded side and one square side, providing versatile riding characteristics.
Beveled lips provide a consistent transition between grip and slide
Wheel Cores: Size and Impact
The wheel core is the center part that holds the bearings. They come in different sizes, greatly impacting wheel performance, wear, and roll speed.
Big Cores
These stiffen the wheel, reducing flex and improving ground contact. This leads to better slides, rolls, and grip. They also make the wheel lighter, enhancing acceleration and top speeds. Big cores are common in competitive downhill, freeride, and dancing wheels.
Wheels with big cores are ideal for high performance
Small Cores
These are cheaper to manufacture, resulting in more affordable wheels. They provide more urethane, absorbing road vibration and offering greater comfort. However, they don’t perform as well as big cores when it comes to speed. Smaller cores are great for cruising on slightly rougher roads.
Small core wheels offer a more comfortable ride
Core Placement: Centerset, Sideset, Offset, and Inset
Core placement affects how the wheel wears and breaks traction:
- Centerset: The core is in the center of the wheel for even wear but less performance in grip or slide.
Centerset wheels wear evenly - Sideset: The core is on the edge, closest to the hanger, providing the smoothest slide but sometimes requiring more edge to initiate slip.
Sideset wheels produce the smoothest slides - Offset: A middle ground between sideset and centerset, aiming for the best balance of grip and slide.
- Inset: The core is closer to the truck nut, resulting in a harsh transition between grip and slide.
For cruising and dancing, core placement is less critical but more important for advanced riders. Getting used to the wheel is more important than the core placement, as long as the wheel fits under your board.
Does Wheel Size Matter?
Yes, wheel size significantly impacts performance. Taller wheels have a higher top speed but slower acceleration, while smaller wheels accelerate faster but have a lower top speed.
Taller wheels roll smoother but are harder to accelerate
- Freeride: 70-75mm for stand-up slides, with some preferring 66-72mm for spins and big slides.
- Dancing: Less than 70mm for maximum acceleration and lightness. 60-68mm is usually perfect.
- Downhill: 75mm for advanced riders and high speeds. 70mm is good for beginners, being easier to push and slide.
The Importance of Urethane
Urethane determines how the wheel grips or slides, absorbs vibration, and rolls. Softer wheels absorb vibration well but wear faster. Harder wheels slide easily and are faster.
Low quality urethane wears quickly
Different urethane formulas have different characteristics: some leave more thane on the ground when sliding, while others last longer. The quality of urethane is paramount, and investing in reputable brands is essential.
Urethane hardness varies, with soft wheels ranging from 74-78a and harder wheels from 80-86a.
Recommended Wheels for Beginners
Beginner Dancing Wheels
For dancing, lightweight wheels with a narrow contact patch and rounded lips are ideal, with durometers between 78a-83a.
Orangatang Keanus
These 66mm wheels with a 38mm contact patch and a large core are great for fast acceleration and a stiff ride. Go for the 83a option for faster roll and easier slides.
Orangatang Keanus are a great choice for dancing
Fireball Tinder Wheels
These 60mm wheels with an 81a durometer, large fiberglass core, and 35mm contact patch are surprisingly comfortable, even on rough surfaces. They offer quick acceleration and are great for cruising.
Fireball Tinder wheels are comfortable and fast
Beginner Freeride Wheels
Durable, “icey” (slidey) urethane wheels with rounded or beveled lips are best for freeride.
Powell Peralta Snakes
Popular for their soft slide formula (SSF), these 75a wheels offer excellent slide, decent roll, and flat spot resistance. They tend to chunk, but performance isn’t usually affected.
Powell Peralta Snakes are popular for freeride
Beginner Downhill Wheels
Sharp-lipped wheels around 80a durometer offer a good balance between grip and slide for learning the basics of cornering and sliding.
Powell Peralta Krimes
Similar to Snakes, but with a square lip, wider 57.5mm contact patch, and taller 72mm size. The 72mm size and square lip are better for gripping corners and have more breaking power in slides, ideal for downhill.
Powell Peralta Krimes are ideal for downhill
Conclusion
Choosing the right longboard wheels can be overwhelming, but understanding the key factors like size, durometer, core, and urethane will guide you to the best choice. Don’t be afraid to experiment, as the best teacher is experience. Invest in quality products and find what works best for your personal riding style and needs.
