Wheel Manufacturers/Distributors

[tomes]

...hopefully it won't? Anyway,
Thanks Flannon, thats about what I came up with after a bit more searching. Kind of weird that AEND doesn't have a site.

[bucksaw87]

I think this thread should be removed.

uh...why?

because it's informative?

[SteveC]

uh...why?

because it's informative?

because knowledge is power...

Rivers, I disagree entirely. This is exactly the kind of thread that should be here.
I'm a Darwinian at heart, the more our gear evolves, improves, and has bloody-revolutions the better.

I'm sure it pisses the innovators off, but I'm also sure it keeps them up at night trying to blow the people who 'stole' out of the water.
This is a good thing, competition should always be encouraged.

[rivers]

Well think about it. Eventually the same thread will arise for trucks, and then decks.
This information will upset ALOT of people, and damage the industry.

To the customer, it does not make any difference if they know in which factory a wheel was made. For the majority of skaters, knowing the name of the wheel's factory amounts to no more than useless knowledge. Kind of like me finding out the name of the factory that made my toothbrush.

I see why you all think this is a good thread, and yes knowledge is power. And having access to certain things is empowering, but trust me, ignorance is bliss......

[flannon]

Well think about it. Eventually the same thread will arise for trucks, and then decks.
This information will upset ALOT of people, and damage the industry.

Anyone that would be upset by this probably deserves to be upset. One of the coolest things about the internet is it makes realms of secrete knowledge much more difficult to maintain. I realize that large corporate interests have come to dominate the culture of the internet but it's still possible to find places like this where people with common interest can get together and share ideas and do interesting things because they have greater knowledge than they could develop simply by hanging out in the neighborhood and going to the local library. I mean, isn't that the utopian promise held out by "Web 2.0" and social networking systems like the Fish?

The notion that this thread is some mutant virus that will infect discussions of trucks and boards is simply a$$ backwards. The board builders forum is one of the strongest forums on here and there are people there making some amazing boards. I just don't see how one could say that builders like Arcane or Roggs, just to name a couple, do damage to the industry. If anything they make it stronger by building beautiful boards. And if you search around a bit you'll find posts where both of those builders talk openly about construction methods.

I've been a bit surprised that there isn't a wheel builders forum or a truck builders forum here. Its not like I could pour wheels in my apartment, but I'd certainly be interested in discussion of how to make wheels, or more to the point, a discussion of the properties of urethane and what makes one type of urethane different from another. On a chemical level what's the difference between "old" formulas that abec11 or seismic used and the "new" formulas in retros or black ops?

If this thread results in even a tiny move in that direction I think that would be the sh!t.

/rant

[rivers]

you are completely missing the point. Which is probably a good thing.

[easy]

"Damage" the industry is a bit much, no? Likely the "damage" has already been done if there is a thought that "hiding" the source of a product is a good thing. Being able to separate the innovators from the rest of the bandwagon is always a good thing; otherwise, shopping decisions are just based on noise and lights. On the other hand, isn't it easier to give a product a try if you know the company that actually makes it produces good stuff?

What kind of "industry" do you want? One where people come up with ideas and create new products, or one where there are a couple of sweatshops producing products and "companies" just print labels and stick them on?

[bucksaw87]

Well think about it. Eventually the same thread will arise for trucks, and then decks.
This information will upset ALOT of people, and damage the industry.

To the customer, it does not make any difference if they know in which factory a wheel was made. For the majority of skaters, knowing the name of the wheel's factory amounts to no more than useless knowledge. Kind of like me finding out the name of the factory that made my toothbrush.

I see why you all think this is a good thread, and yes knowledge is power. And having access to certain things is empowering, but trust me, ignorance is bliss......

it does, and that's why i made this thread (also to fulfill my curiosity). there have been widespread complaints about abec11 wheels not being perfect right out of the wrapper, and it's important to be able to see what company pours abec11 urethane, in case that quality-control issue has spread into other brands. yes, i do kinda see where you're coming from, but the whole "ignorance is bliss" kinda takes a back-seat in cases like this.

edit:
and it really is quite hard finding all this info...the "industry" is doing a good job concealing itself

[enemy combatant]

one where there are a couple of sweatshops producing products and "companies" just print labels and stick them on?

95% of the skate industry is exactly that. "Skateboard" companies are just marketing and sales operations who might pay a pro or two and have a graphic artist draw a few designs but who contract out the actual production of the hardware to a small number of manufacturing firms like Watson or Creative Urethane or Madrid.

They really don't want you to know this.

[SteveC]

Yeah there's few who press their own boards, but I don't see not doing so as a bad thing in the slightest. Why add the expense of shipping wood, getting massive presses etc, it's actually good for us that companies are spared that expense when experimenting to find a good shape. not to mention I'm pretty sure there's more of a market west side so if you live east it makes sense to not have the wood yo-yoing across the continent. and lets not forget co's in different countries.

pretty sure there's a thread here about who-presses-who as well.

as for trucks, only a few guys are even left in the states...

[Belegnole]

I believe in knowledge and I believe that knowledge is power. The more I know the better I can choose when I make a purchase. I can choose based on who makes the product, or I can decide because of the product itself. I may wish to support small business instead of the large corporation. Again I prefer to make a informed decision instead of having someone tell me what to buy....Keep us up to date!

[bucksaw87]

AEND pours:
abec11
neversummer
sector9
3dm/seismic
tunnel
comet
ultra (rollerblade wheels)
alligator/bennett

Labeda pours:
some earthwing wheels
dregs
the new landyachtz
oust wheels
bustin
GFH
o-tangs

Surfone/Skateone
Powell
Bones
Surfone

Creative Urethane
rainskates
some earthwings
autobahn
lush

Kryptonics:
gravity
kryptonics
landyachtz

Mearthane
Road Rider
OJ
Ricta
Bullet
Crime
madrid

Moska
moska
viking (european wheels)

unknown:
sk8kings
manx/pps
poolking

alright...i added kryptonics as their own manufacturer. can anyone verify that landy and gravity are/were poured by them? also, anybody know about spitfire and krooked wheels?

[mellowkat]

To the best of my knowledge all the "race core" wheels, Landy, Gravity, Satori, etc are all poured by BravoCorp(owns Krypto). Just not poured in the states anymore. Also the 77mm LY Hawgs are from the same factory.

[bucksaw87]

To the best of my knowledge all the "race core" wheels, Landy, Gravity, Satori, etc are all poured by BravoCorp(owns Krypto). Just not poured in the states anymore. Also the 77mm LY Hawgs are from the same factory.

i was on the website of a local polyurethane company, who evidently sources their urethane from Krypto...according to the local site, kryptonics is still in business, out of kentucky. or, are they just not making wheels then?

[Slim]

also, anybody know about spitfire and krooked wheels?

Those Krooked softies may be farmed out, but all the regular Spitfire wheels are made in house of course, right here in San Francisco.

[mellowkat]

Bravo Corporation
I believe that most of the longboard wheels are coming out of Italy.
If I remember correctly, they stopped pouring the longboard wheels in the states a while back.

[bucksaw87]

AEND pours:
abec11
neversummer
newer/some sector9
3dm/seismic
tunnel
comet
ultra (rollerblade wheels)
bennett

Labeda pours:
some earthwing wheels
dregs
the new landyachtz hawgs
oust wheels
bustin
GFH
Loaded
some Lush

Creative Urethane
rainskates
some earthwings
autobahn
lush
sk8kings
manx/pps
poolking

Bravo Corp
gravity
kryptonics
landyachtz
sector 9
Xero wheels (italian brand)
(all 8mm race cores)

Mearthane
Road Rider
OJ
Ricta
Bullet
Crime
Madrid

Moska
moska
viking (european wheels)

In-House Pours
Spitfire
Powell/Surf One

[shifald]

since i'm curious about stuff like this, i thought we'd make a list of which wheel brands are made by which manufacturer/big company...i kinda hope some of the wheel brands that are represented on SF could give any sort of indication. *cough*bream,chaput,earthwing*cough*

mods, please keep this thread updated...move brands around when you have to, change manufacturer names, etc.

AEND pours:
abec11
neversummer
sector9
3dm/seismic
tunnel(???)
comet(???)
ultra (rollerblade wheels)(???)

labeda pours:
some earthwing wheels
dregs
rainskates
bones/powell/surfone(???)

??? pours:
gravity
kryptonics
landyachtz

and other noteworthy brands:
moska (produces themselves and idk how many other wheels)
madrid
sk8kings
manx/pps
poolking


oh, and anyone else, feel free to add/change around brands and stuff

Who pours orangatang wheels

[Belegnole]

AEND pours:
abec11
neversummer
sector9
3dm/seismic
tunnel
comet
ultra (rollerblade wheels)
alligator/bennett

Labeda pours:
some earthwing wheels
dregs
the new landyachtz
oust wheels
bustin
GFH
o-tangs

Creative Urethane
rainskates
some earthwings
autobahn
lush

Bravo Corp
gravity
kryptonics
landyachtz
Xero wheels (italian brand)
(all 8mm race cores)

Mearthane
Road Rider
OJ
Ricta
Bullet
Crime
Madrid

Moska
moska
viking (european wheels)

In-House Pours
Spitfire
Powell/Surf One

unknown:
sk8kings
manx/pps
poolking

look closer

[chrismcb]

Well think about it. Eventually the same thread will arise for trucks, and then decks.
This information will upset ALOT of people, and damage the industry.

How is it going to damage the industry?

If we are missing the point, then WHAT is the point?