General Information about types of wheels. READ and LEARN

[hometowner]

so if i went to a skate shop what kinda number or watever would i ask for, i was thinkin of big zigs, i dont really want to slide.

[yankee1103d]

so if i went to a skate shop what kinda number or watever would i ask for, i was thinkin of big zigs, i dont really want to slide.

it depends on what youre going to use it for they have 4 different wheels Pink Lime Lemon and Orange but the color is to separate the different durometers Pink is 77a Lime is 80a Lemon is 83a and Orange is 86a the higher the durometer the harder the wheel so for different style durometer you can get a grippy-er wheel that will wear faster or if you want to get harder that will last longer but they are all at 75mm so the durometer is the only thing that changes

[elwood]

Hello all
I've read through an amazing amount of info here. I've learned which board I want, what kind of trucks, etc. I have a final question before I order my board (even found a shop here in Europe from this site who sells what I want)

Ok, the board is a Superglider: for short commutes on street and sidewalks (pebbles and tiny bits of glass common) , carving, some parks, eventually a bowl, sliding maybe, etc, anything and everything I can manage. Not much downhill probably.

for a low surfy feel I'm opting for Indy trucks and 66mm wheels. This was suggested by the board maker himself. There are obviously other set ups depending on what you want, but the surf feel is a priority.

My question, I'm not sure if the Indy trucks should be 149 or 169. And the durometer for the 66mms. I'm thinking Retros Zig Zags but no idea for the durometer, the site where I'm getting the board doesn't have the 66mm Earthwing wheels.

Any help or ideas?
e

[ScotchGannon]

Here is a link to a great blog that is well designed and well written that concerns itself primarily with longboard wheels:

Longboardwheels.net

[jessse]

ok................hard to cram this in my brain, but good tips

Are you the guy in the display pic???

[hxzero]

Hello all
I've read through an amazing amount of info here. I've learned which board I want, what kind of trucks, etc. I have a final question before I order my board (even found a shop here in Europe from this site who sells what I want)

Ok, the board is a Superglider: for short commutes on street and sidewalks (pebbles and tiny bits of glass common) , carving, some parks, eventually a bowl, sliding maybe, etc, anything and everything I can manage. Not much downhill probably.

for a low surfy feel I'm opting for Indy trucks and 66mm wheels. This was suggested by the board maker himself. There are obviously other set ups depending on what you want, but the surf feel is a priority.

My question, I'm not sure if the Indy trucks should be 149 or 169. And the durometer for the 66mms. I'm thinking Retros Zig Zags but no idea for the durometer, the site where I'm getting the board doesn't have the 66mm Earthwing wheels.

Any help or ideas?
e

What site are you buying from? The new 'glider is 9.5" wide, so I think Indy 169's would fit well; The 149's fit best on boards 8.5"-9.0" in width, imo. For wheels, the 66mm Navy 83a Gravity Burners or the 66mm Zigs in Lemon 83a would be good; that duro will be pretty grippy, but not too soft. If you want something slidier, you could go for 65mm Abec11 no skoolz in 81a or 84a or 65mm orangatang fat frees.

[RastaRocket]

what i didnt see was much info on how wheels with offset hubs will generally behave??

[RastaRocket]

THIS KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM NONE OTHER THAN CHRIS CHAPUT HIMSELF.. Read and embrace the power of knowledge. Hopefully this sticky will decrease the number of repeated wheel questions.

There are so many factors that it's impossible to have one definitive answer on speed, control, traction, etc.

Generally Speaking:

Harder wheels wear longer
Harder wheels have less traction
Harder wheels drift and slide more predictably
Harder wheels steer more quickly from side to side
Harder wheels deform less in a turn, and work well for heavier and/or more powerful skaters

Super soft wheels (72a, 75a) can almost "melt" in hot track conditions
Super soft wheels are easier to deform, and tend to be better for rough roads and/or lighter riders

Sideset wheels slide the easiest
Sideset wheels cone the quickest
Centersets cone the least
Wheels will wear where the bearing seats sit

Large core wheels slide predictably
Large core wheels without a lot of urethane depth feel harsher
Large core wheels without a lot of urethane depth have less traction

Hard edges provide more traction
Round edges have less traction
Round edges and chamfers slide more predictably
Super thin edges slide unpredictably

Downhill turns and drifts and slides are done very differently than Slalom and hard carving. When you have a slide glove down and you are grabbing the outside rail at high speed, you can "man-handle" softer wheels without worrying about high-siding. When you are doing Slalom, you want firmer wheels for "snappier" standing carves so that they don't deform too badly or feel "sluggish".

Low boards with slower steering angles and wide trucks are stable, but "push" a lot because of the sideloads in the turns, and give up traction. Higher boards with steeper steering angles and narrower trucks turn more easily, allow more downforce, and give you better traction.

Slop is not your friend. Precision trucks provide better traction and control. Loose bearings also chatter more - crank 'em down. Try and have your front truck out-steer your back truck by about a 2:1 ratio (60/30, 50/25 for example) in Slalom. You also want your front to out-steer your back in Downhill as well. One simple tweak is to use a 50 degree R-II up front and a 35 degree DH in the back. Or wedge 10 into the front and 10 out of the back to end up with a 45/25 setup from DH trucks. Too much rear steering is the devil. It's slow and induces a slide.

If you want more drift in a wheel this size, try Gumballs.
We'll be at Pump Station tomorrow putting Pinks, Limes, and Lemons through their paces.

edit: Orange bigzigs exist now!

so for a rider like myself who weighs abt 165lbs would an 80A wheel be to soft??

[Blix]

so for a rider like myself who weighs abt 165lbs would an 80A wheel be to soft??

No, not at all.

[Chainmaillekid]

Low boards with slower steering angles and wide trucks are stable, but "push" a lot because of the sideloads in the turns, and give up traction. Higher boards with steeper steering angles and narrower trucks turn more easily, allow more downforce, and give you better traction.

Can someone explain this to me in more detail.


I really don't understand...
"Downforce" This would just be the riders weight right? 9.8 m/s2. right?

This is always going to be the case, unless the rider is putting his weight on something else other then the deck.

where does this "downforce" Go on a board with lower steering angles?

[Bookworm]

Can someone explain this to me in more detail.


I really don't understand...
"Downforce" This would just be the riders weight right? 9.8 m/s2. right?

This is always going to be the case, unless the rider is putting his weight on something else other then the deck.

where does this "downforce" Go on a board with lower steering angles?

alright, lets say that you go into a turn, and you're pulling half a g. you weigh 50kg, and your board is leaning at a 30* angle.

if you're on a topmount, a lot of your sideways force is being channeled down into the trucks and wheels, increasing grip.

As you lower your force vector to below the baseplate, and important angle of action changes, now instead of pushing on the baseplate, you are pulling on the baseplate with the deck. As you lower the board, you move farther out in the turn, and the end result is that your weight pulls the board to the outside of the turn from the outside of the turn, which is a harder force to counteract that being pushed to the outside of the turn from the inside of the turn.

this is my latest version of explaining why lower boards are driftier.

[GaryC]

Here's a site which is exclusively on longboard wheels.Hope this helps.

[Wookieman008]

Quick question. I plan to get a longboard soon and am torn between durometers and sizes. I've narrowed it down to the Abec 11 Zig and BigZig series with 78a and 80a. Will 2a in durometer make a noticeable difference and which size would be better suited for beginners? Many thanks to those who help.

Edit: Whoops, just noticed the date for the last post........ oh well. I CAST NECRO EXPLOSION

[boarderaholic]

Quick question. I plan to get a longboard soon and am torn between durometers and sizes. I've narrowed it down to the Abec 11 Zig and BigZig series with 78a and 80a. Will 2a in durometer make a noticeable difference and which size would be better suited for beginners? Many thanks to those who help.

Edit: Whoops, just noticed the date for the last post........ oh well. I CAST NECRO EXPLOSION

You're good with the thread bumpage. That's why it's in the master sticky list.

As for your question, 2a will not make a huge difference. As for size, what set up are you getting? It's usually not recommended going above 70mm wheels if you're getting a topmount.

[Wookieman008]

You're good with the thread bumpage. That's why it's in the master sticky list.

As for your question, 2a will not make a huge difference. As for size, what set up are you getting? It's usually not recommended going above 70mm wheels if you're getting a topmount.

I am getting a topmount, but the one I'm considering is the Vanguard with Randal 180s so wheelbite is near non-existent. What I'm really curious about is if a 75mm wheel would be the right choice to start off with, since I've heard that a 5mm difference is quite large when compared to wheels, with the ride being a tad bit faster and higher off the ground.

[boarderaholic]

I am getting a topmount, but the one I'm considering is the Vanguard with Randal 180s so wheelbite is near non-existent. What I'm really curious about is if a 75mm wheel would be the right choice to start off with, since I've heard that a 5mm difference is quite large when compared to wheels, with the ride being a tad bit faster and higher off the ground.

I would stay with a smaller wheel like the 70mm zigs.

[team1zissou]

My friend has a vanguard with randal 180s and orange 75 mm Seismic Avilas, (which are 73a I think), and the ride is really smooth and holds speed well. Its fantastic for cruising around and a lot of fun for dancing.

There's not going to be a big difference between 70 and 75 mm, but from my experience with the vanguard I would get the BigZigs. You don't have to worry about wheelbite, and those 5 mm will make the ride just a little bit smoother and cushier. Course, either way you can't really go wrong.

[Sessions]

, I'm buying a board soon, I am down to two boards,
Rayne Demonseed and Landyachtz 9two5

I'll be doing like 70%downhill and 30% freeride

what wheels would be good for me?

I'm 5'9" 130lbs


Also what trucks/bearings/other hardware would be good?

[CRASS]

browsing around the board for an hour or two and making your own damn mind up would be a good start.

[Wookieman008]

I would stay with a smaller wheel like the 70mm zigs.

My friend has a vanguard with randal 180s and orange 75 mm Seismic Avilas, (which are 73a I think), and the ride is really smooth and holds speed well. Its fantastic for cruising around and a lot of fun for dancing.

There's not going to be a big difference between 70 and 75 mm, but from my experience with the vanguard I would get the BigZigs. You don't have to worry about wheelbite, and those 5 mm will make the ride just a little bit smoother and cushier. Course, either way you can't really go wrong.

Thanks guys, I've got a pretty good idea of what I'd like to see in a wheel. Thank you guys again. =)