Gravity Hi-Grades

**AGENT WD-40** · 02-06-2009 07:03 PM

Okay so after some snoopin and searching through the forum I realized that there arent really any detailed reviews yet on the new Gravity Hi-Grade wheels. As some of you know I work over at the Gravity factory and the other day I was lucky enough to set my board up with some of these new wheels. My setup is a Mini Carve with Randal 180s and the Hi-Grades and thus far I am absolutely in love. In my honest opinion, these are one of the most underrated wheels in the market right now.

The new race quality urethane, which can easily be compared to EW Superballs and Abec 11 ZZs in terms of speed and durability, absolutely blows the old G-wheels out of the water. The urethane feels so buttery on any type of riding surface, even rough cheese grater roads. These things are lethally fast (in a good way) and it only takes a couple pushes or pumps to keep you rolling and rolling. And once you start rolling, they maintain their speed so well. The size also allows them to mob over anything in their path, including small children and woodland creatures, and the shape allows them to be a 100% versatile wheel.

Depending on your foot position and weight placement, you can grip these wheels through the tighest of turns, pumps and carves, yet with a little bit of effort they break loose into the nicest predictable and controllable slide. Yesterday just screwing around in the parking lot at work, I was able to do some gnarly standup 180 powerslides (both f/s and b/s), 4 wheel speed checks, two wheel manual slides and even some standup 360 slides! You want to know the best part so far? These things are seemingly indestructable so far. I have been doing nothing but slides, drifts, berts and whatever else I can think of to destroy these wheels and they still have their square lips! Not only that, but if I take my finger and rub it along the contact patch, the "new wheel sheen" is still present.

I cannot wait to keep riding these wheels and continuing to update my opinions on them. I can already tell that these wheels are just going to keep getting better and better the more I ride them and I would love to hear what others have to say about them. If you have ridden a set please, please PLEASE let me know how you like them and give me your comments on them (both negative and positive welcome). I'll keep you guys updated and I'll try to get a video or trailer or something up that shows me riding them so you all can truly see how amazing these wheels are.

**botofusup** · 02-06-2009 07:08 PM

Thanks for the info, I am thinking about a set for my Chinook. Videos would be great by the way.

**Inspector Dec** · 02-06-2009 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by AGENT WD-40

The size also allows them to mob over anything in their path, including small children and woodland creatures

lawlz i thought that was the highlight of your review.

**surfdubs** · 02-06-2009 07:27 PM

thanks for the review

on a side note, i was thinking of setting up a mini carve with these wheels and randall 180's, do you get wheelbite?

**Crappysurfer** · 02-06-2009 07:27 PM

i like how gravity, by calling these wheels 'hi grade' short for high grade urethane is implying that all the other wheels they produce or are produced under the name gravity are low grade or in other words, crappy.

they look like cool wheels, they also look like a lot of other wheels on the market

**surfdubs** · 02-06-2009 07:30 PM

^^ i disagree

how many times can you reinvent the wheel? theres only so much you can do, and at least gravity is making something besides square lipped slalom wheels now. old gravity wheels did suck, its probably a good idea for them to make that known so people don't just see these and say "oh gravity, thats low grade stuff". they see the hi grade and they know

**Crappysurfer** · 02-06-2009 07:34 PM

probably the same wheel mold...only difference is the gravity has a beveled inner edge.

in the past year there have been a lot of 76mm wheels produced...people need to diversify, it would seem as if a krypto replica is still in demand.

**surfdubs** · 02-06-2009 07:36 PM

gravitys are radiused all around ^^. and the EW's are supposed to ride much softer than 82a, and they are wider and probably much gripper. what do you want, ####### lasers and flashlights popping out of your wheels?

**Mile_High_Mark** · 02-06-2009 07:38 PM

The new Gravity wheels are head and shoulders above anything that Gravity has offered in the past. The ride is plush, they're fast, and when broken in, drift predictably.

**Mile_High_Mark** · 02-06-2009 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by surfdubs

gravitys are radiused all around ^^. and the EW's are supposed to ride much softer than 82a, and they are wider and probably much gripper. what do you want, ####### lasers and flashlights popping out of your wheels?

The black EW wheels were softer than claimed, but the new natural-colored ones are closer to the stated hardness.

**sk8norcal** · 02-06-2009 07:41 PM

^^ Yes!

and spinners!

**Crappysurfer** · 02-06-2009 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by surfdubs

gravitys are radiused all around ^^. and the EW's are supposed to ride much softer than 82a, and they are wider and probably much gripper. what do you want, ####### lasers and flashlights popping out of your wheels?

no i want another 76mm wheel. whats the basis of your argument? or are you just being annoying?

**AGENT WD-40** · 02-06-2009 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by surfdubs

thanks for the review

on a side note, i was thinking of setting up a mini carve with these wheels and randall 180's, do you get wheelbite?

No siree, I am using a 1/4" flat riser and I am not even close to biting, even though I am on 42* plates and ride my trucks ridiculously loose. With the 50* plate, you might not even need a riser...Dont hold me to that though, I'll have to test it first.

**surfdubs** · 02-06-2009 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Crappysurfer

no i want another 76mm wheel. whats the basis of your argument? or are you just being annoying?

whats the basis of your hating? i'm saying that theres only so many ways to make a wheel, and 76mm happens to be a great size. if you want to invent some pre coned triple radiused split duro 87mm 74a wheel go for it! the rest of us will ride functionality.

opps

i just realized your post count is higher than mine so you must be right. my bad dude

i would like to have more options in the 65-66mm wheel range, hmm, maybe your on to something

**Crappysurfer** · 02-06-2009 08:09 PM

ok lets clear things up, im not hating-im pretty much stating the truth:
1. that pretty much all gravity wheels suck except for these.
however
2. they are almost exactly identical to the earthwing wheels.
and
3.in the past year a lot of 76mm wheels have been made to similar dimensions, I.E. Orangatangs, EWs, gravity, loaded, abec11, etc
4. there has been a demand for a really drifty wheel similar to a krypto and people just keep making wide wheels.
5. if you look at your posts there is obviously more hate in them when compared to mine.
6. me having more posts than you might just be a coincidence, but i'm right
7. :facepalm:

**allstardavy** · 02-06-2009 09:13 PM

wd-40: thanks for the review man. I was just searching earlier for some info on these wheels and didn't find much. Good to know the slide nice cuz thats what I was looking for.

**LEFTY17** · 02-09-2009 10:52 AM

yo robbie ive seriously gotta try those things out soon they sound fun as hell...

and crappy (thats what im callin u from now on) ur first post was a direct attack on gravity, no constructive critisism or legibile argument, you pretty much just said "they suck" and left it at that...not till later in the thread did you actually try and defend your statment with words and sentences like normal people.

**Nuts** · 02-09-2009 11:07 AM

they sound awesome

can you compare them to other wheels? like bigzigs or gumballs?

**Vinny Bags** · 02-09-2009 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Crappysurfer

ok lets clear things up, im not hating-im pretty much stating the truth:
1. that pretty much all gravity wheels suck except for these.
however
2. they are almost exactly identical to the earthwing wheels.
and
3.in the past year a lot of 76mm wheels have been made to similar dimensions, I.E. Orangatangs, EWs, gravity, loaded, abec11, etc
4. there has been a demand for a really drifty wheel similar to a krypto and people just keep making wide wheels.
5. if you look at your posts there is obviously more hate in them when compared to mine.
6. me having more posts than you might just be a coincidence, but i'm right
7. :facepalm:

I think #7 should be #1, classic

**EBasil** · 02-09-2009 11:17 AM

Personally, I am stoked that Gravity has bucked up for a high-performance wheel and I think we are all the better for it. This doesn't mean that all their other wheels "suck" (even if some of them sort of do, get over it!) but that you can see one of the major players in longboard stoke proving that they're not just coasting on all the good vibes that surfing and getting to hang out with WD-40 can getcha.

Yes, the sharp-eyed Silverfish regular has all the data necessary to realize that these new wheels are poured in the US of A in Lake Elsinore, California, by small trolls kept in a factory basement by Kevin Labeda and his four trained Dobermans, named Earthwing, Landyachtz, GFHurley and Lush. Weird names for dogs, but who's to judge.

So what if you're aware that Gravity has bucked up for 'thane out of the Labeda house?! Only a few years ago, nearly every wheel other than Abec, Seismic, Comet, Pocket Pistols and Dregs were poured by Bravo using the same "Krypto" hubs, molds, shapes and colors. Would you rather go back? I think not. Look at the variety and quality you can choose from now! Be stoked and support the upgraders at Gravity.

Robbie, show us more and ask that old man up in the front office why nobody's heard of these new wheels!