WHAT WHEELS DO I NEED?

WHEEL SIZE

Skateboard wheel sizes normally range from around 50mm - 60mm, anything larger would usually suit cruiser or longboards.

The most common sizes are 52 - 56mm. Below gives an idea of what kind of terrain each wheel size is best suited for:

48mm - 53mm: Ideal for street skating

53mm - 57mm: Great for bowls, park and street skating (all-rounder, most popular)

56mm - 60mm: Ideal for vert and bowl skating

59mm - Bigger: Best for cruiser and longboards

* These guides are subjective, they are based on general opinions from experienced skaters

WHEEL BITE

Wheel bite is when you make a sharp turn or manoeuvre and your wheel touches the bottom side of your deck and makes you suddenly stop and take a tumble!

You want your wheels to be the right size for your trucks, so you don’t get wheel bite!

Below are the wheel sizes that suit each truck profile - Low / Mid / High.

WHEEL HARDNESS

The hardness of a skateboard wheel is measured in Durometers, which is normally stated as ‘a’, sometimes stated as 'DU' or 'HD'.

This is a 100 point scale, the higher the number, the harder the wheel. The most common wheel durometers are 99a and 101a because they slide well and are great for tricks. Some brands use another scale, stated as ‘b’, which is 20 points lower than the ‘a’ scale, so a wheel that is rated 100a is the same as a wheel rated at 80b.

Softer Wheels: Ideal for cruising and smooth rides over rough surfaces / Lots of grip, so not good for powerslides or ledge slides.

Harder Wheels: Great for street and park skating / More pop / Less grip so great for powerslides and all kinds of ledge slides.

Here is a skateboard wheel durometer scale. The hardness of a skateboard wheel is measured in Durometers, which is stated as ‘a’. This is a 100 point scale, the higher the number, the harder the wheel. The most common wheel durometers are 99a and 101a because they slide well and are great for tricks. Some brands use another scale, stated as ‘B’, which is 20 points lower than the ‘A’ scale, so a wheel that is rated 100a is the same as a wheel rated at 80b. Softer Wheels: Ideal for cruising and smooth rides over rough surfaces / Lots of grip, so not good for powerslides or ledge slides. Harder Wheels: Great for street and park skating / More pop / Less grip so great for powerslides and all kinds of ledge slides.

WHEEL SHAPES

There are various different shapes of skateboard wheels and they cater for different styles of skating.

The main differences of each shape are related to the contact area and the edge curvature, shown below:

Here is a representation of two skateboard wheel shapes. There are various different shapes of skateboard wheels and they cater for different styles of skating. The main differences of each shape are related to the contact area and the edge curvature, shown here.

There are various shapes of wheels that cater for different styles of skating, each brand normally has their own names and styles of shapes, so there really is a shape for everyone! Here are some of the more common wheel brand shapes to give you a good idea of what is on offer.