A good deck won't do you much good without a solid set of wheels. Today we'll be looking at the best of the best for different riding styles.
Freeride:
For freeriding most people want a nice and slidey wheel that is consistent. For that there are a few good choices. There are the Zombie Hawgs, the Abec 11 freerides and my personal favorite, the Orangatang Stimulus. Each of these wheels comes in a different durometer. The higher the number, the slidier the wheel. The Zombie Hawgs come in 78a, 80a, 82a, 84a and finally 88a. They all come with rounded which allowes them to have a good, consistent slide right out of the box. I would suggest either 82a or 84a so that you can slide when you want to, but still keep good traction when you need it. The Abec 11 freerides come in 78a, 82a and 84a. You also have the choice of having them centerset or offset. Centerset wheels can be switched around to have an even wear all around. The 84a's are what I'd suggest for this style. They break traction right when you want them to and are easy to hold out a slide on. Finally there are the Orangatang Stimulus. They come in 80a, 83a and 86a. With a rounded edge these wheels will slide great right out of the box. They also have a fairly large contact patch for grip when you need it. The 86a's are great to start out on. They slide like butter, look awesome and don't make a sound or leave huge stains on the street.
All of the wheels that I have just named come in different sizes. Make sure to do some research on your board to be certain that you won't get wheelbite.
Downhill:
For downhill riding you want a wheel that won't slide out on you when taking turns at high speeds. A wheel with a wide contact patch and a low duro is just what you need. For this the most popular ones are the Abec 11 Gumballs, the Abec 11 Grippins, Seismic Speed Vents, and finally the Orangatang In Heat or 4President. The Abec 11 Gumballs and Grippins are very similar. The main difference is that the Grippins are a bit smaller to minimize the chance of wheel bite. For these wheels I would suggest getting them in 75a duro. The Gumballs have a 46.5mm contact patch whereas the Grippins have a 50.5mm contact patch. The Seismic Speed Vents are very high performance, high quality downhill wheels. With a 53mm contact patch and a possible 75a duro, this wheels isn't sliding anywhere. You'll be able to take those scary turns at high speeds with no worries at all. They also come in a bunch of different sizes and colours depending on your personal preference. Finally there are the Orangatang wheels. This company makes wheels that can be used for anything, but their best downhill wheels setup you have to be the 80a In Heats or 4Presidents. The only difference between these two wheels in the size. The In Heats are 75mm with a 56mm contact patch and the 4Presidents are 70mm with a 53mm contact patch. Both of these are extremely good for downhill. They will give you all the grip you need for the steepest hills you can find. The 80a In Heats can also be bought with an aluminum core for a higher performance. If you plan on doing competitive downhill, this would be the wheel for you.
Carving,Cruising and Freestyle:
For these styles, the type of wheel doesn't matter nearly as much as the deck and trucks do. Any Orangatang or Abec 11 wheels that fit your board would do fine. A harder durometer helps for carving and cruising. I would suggest anything from 75a to 83a. For freestyle many people find it easier to do some tricks with slidier wheels. Anything above 83a will slide nicely, especially if it has rounded edges.
These are some of the most popular and higher quality wheels. Others may still do the trick but you won't be dissapointed with the ones I have suggested. Remember to always check what SIZE wheel is best for your setup. The last thing you want is to buy a set of wheels and have to send it back because you get wheelbite. If you have any suggestions for future topics or if you have any questions hit us up with an Email at longboardingtips@gmail.com and we'll answer as soon as possible.
NOW GET OUT AND SKATE :D
The LongboardingTips crew
All of the wheels that I have just named come in different sizes. Make sure to do some research on your board to be certain that you won't get wheelbite.
Downhill:
For downhill riding you want a wheel that won't slide out on you when taking turns at high speeds. A wheel with a wide contact patch and a low duro is just what you need. For this the most popular ones are the Abec 11 Gumballs, the Abec 11 Grippins, Seismic Speed Vents, and finally the Orangatang In Heat or 4President. The Abec 11 Gumballs and Grippins are very similar. The main difference is that the Grippins are a bit smaller to minimize the chance of wheel bite. For these wheels I would suggest getting them in 75a duro. The Gumballs have a 46.5mm contact patch whereas the Grippins have a 50.5mm contact patch. The Seismic Speed Vents are very high performance, high quality downhill wheels. With a 53mm contact patch and a possible 75a duro, this wheels isn't sliding anywhere. You'll be able to take those scary turns at high speeds with no worries at all. They also come in a bunch of different sizes and colours depending on your personal preference. Finally there are the Orangatang wheels. This company makes wheels that can be used for anything, but their best downhill wheels setup you have to be the 80a In Heats or 4Presidents. The only difference between these two wheels in the size. The In Heats are 75mm with a 56mm contact patch and the 4Presidents are 70mm with a 53mm contact patch. Both of these are extremely good for downhill. They will give you all the grip you need for the steepest hills you can find. The 80a In Heats can also be bought with an aluminum core for a higher performance. If you plan on doing competitive downhill, this would be the wheel for you.
Carving,Cruising and Freestyle:
For these styles, the type of wheel doesn't matter nearly as much as the deck and trucks do. Any Orangatang or Abec 11 wheels that fit your board would do fine. A harder durometer helps for carving and cruising. I would suggest anything from 75a to 83a. For freestyle many people find it easier to do some tricks with slidier wheels. Anything above 83a will slide nicely, especially if it has rounded edges.
These are some of the most popular and higher quality wheels. Others may still do the trick but you won't be dissapointed with the ones I have suggested. Remember to always check what SIZE wheel is best for your setup. The last thing you want is to buy a set of wheels and have to send it back because you get wheelbite. If you have any suggestions for future topics or if you have any questions hit us up with an Email at longboardingtips@gmail.com and we'll answer as soon as possible.
NOW GET OUT AND SKATE :D
The LongboardingTips crew
No comments:
Post a Comment