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WHEEL SIZE

The size or diameter of your skateboard wheels will noticeably affect your skateboard’s performance. A wheel of large diameter will go faster and weigh a little more than a smaller wheel. A large wheel will also raise you and your deck off the ground higher than a smaller wheel. A smaller wheel will weigh less, sit you closer to the ground, and will be easier to maneuver.

Technical street skaters will prefer wheels on the smaller end of the spectrum as the small wheels’ light weight allows street skaters to perform flip tricks more easily. Transition skaters will usually opt for something larger that will carry more speed.

Skateboard wheel diameter is measured in millimeters and the size range is generally 49mm to 75mm. 26 millimeters may seem insignificant if you haven’t experimented much with different sized skate wheels, but even a couple millimeters will make a difference to experienced skaters. To break down wheel size by general riding style, see the table below.

WHEEL DUROMETER

The hardness or durometer of a skateboard wheel determines how much grip the wheel has and the amount of shock it can absorb. To break it down, a softer wheel will compress when pressure is applied to it, giving it more grip and allowing it to absorb more shock. A harder wheel will barely compress under pressure, giving it less grip, and less shock absorption. A soft wheel will create a very smooth ride, but hard wheels are preferred by most street and transition skaters for their responsiveness.

Riding hard wheels will allow you to feel everything you are rolling over. This awareness will be beneficial as you navigate through rolling transitions in the park or negotiate a collage of concrete and asphalt in the urban jungle. Hard wheels will also respond directly to your movements. When you snap into an ollie, all of the pressure you apply transfers directly to your deck and wheels, giving you maximum pop.

Softer wheels are great for cruising around and bombing hills at high speeds. They absorb a lot of shock from the road creating a super smooth ride. For some awesome cruiser wheels, take a look at the lineup from OJ Wheels.

Soft wheels are generally not ideal for street or transition skating, as their grippy-ness will cause them to stick to obstacles rather than grind or slide across them. They are also less responsive to your movements, which makes tricks like ollies and kickflips more difficult.

Wheel durometer is most commonly measured using the “A” scale, the same one used to determine bushing hardness. The A scale is a ranking system of numbers followed by the letter “A”. The larger the number, the higher the durometer, and the harder the wheel. For example 101A would be a very hard skateboard wheel, while 75A would be a very soft one. You can usually see the durometer listed in this manner on a skateboard wheel, along with the wheel’s size. Image of a wheel with size and durometer printed on it. Almost all street and transition wheels are harder than 98A. Cruising wheels are usually around 78A, but can be anywhere between 78A and 90A.

Bones Wheels uses a “B” rating scale to signify durometer. The B scale is a different way of measuring the same thing, and is mainly used for the hardest wheels on the spectrum. The conversion is simple, the B scale reads 20 values below the A scale:

101A = 81B
102A = 82B
103A = 83B
etc.

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Truck Height:

Trucks generally come in LOW, MID, and HIGH styles.

LOW trucks are best for beginners because they are extra stable. They are also great for flip tricks for that reason. 

MID trucks are the most common and versatile trucks, and are great for street or park skating.

HIGH trucks are best for cruising, carving and overall less technical skating.

The axle width, as a general rule, should be similar to the width of the deck. 

Skateboard bearings are the small circular devices that allow your wheels to roll, and will determine how fast and smoothly they rotate. Skate bearings consist of 5 major parts: the shield, the inner race, the balls, the retainer, and the outer race. A skateboard requires a set of 8 bearings, 2 for each wheel. Almost every skateboard bearing is the same size and will fit on any skateboard wheel and truck.

When choosing your bearings, it is important to think about your experience level and riding style. Bearings with higher-quality parts will be faster and more durable. If you are a beginner, you may not need the fastest and toughest bearings on the market. If you are more experienced and know that you like to ride fast and hard, you could probably benefit from a higher-end bearing. Bearings of higher quality will be more expensive than entry level bearings, so take that into consideration as well.

Steel Bearings vs. Ceramic Bearings

As far as materials are concerned, there are two broad categories of skateboard bearings: steel and ceramic. “Steel” and “ceramic” refer to the material in which the balls inside the bearing are made of. Most bearings have steel balls and are, therefore, called steel bearings. The quality of steel and other parts used in steel bearings will determine how fast and durable they are. You can find both high-end and entry level steel bearings ranging anywhere from $10 to $80 in price. Check out Bones Super Reds, Andale Abec 5, Bronson G3 Bearings, and CCS Bearings for some examples of solid steel bearings.

Ceramic bearings have ceramic balls which are lighter and stronger than steel balls. Ceramic balls also roll faster due to less friction, and act as a self-cleaning mechanism knocking dirt off of the steel races as they rotate. Ceramic bearings are generally top of the line and can range in price from about $50 to $165. Bones Swiss Ceramics are possibly the most popular ceramic bearings in the world.

Abec Rating

Bearings of all types come with what is called an ABEC rating. You can usually see this rating printed on the packaging a set of bearings comes in, or printed on the shield of a bearing itself. The ABEC system consists of five levels: ABEC 1, ABEC 2, ABEC 3, ABEC 5, ABEC 7, and ABEC 9. There is a common misconception that a higher ABEC rating means a faster or better skateboard bearing. The truth is that the ABEC system was created to rate the tolerances of bearings made specifically for industrial machinery and not for skateboarding.

The ABEC system rates a bearing’s ability to cope with changes in physical dimension, properties of a manufactured object, and temperature. The ABEC system does factor in the abuse a skateboard bearing will take, the speed at which skateboards travel, or any other criteria specific to skateboarding.

When choosing your bearings it’s best to completely ignore the listed ABEC rating. The quality of materials used in your bearings is what matters when it comes to performance.