Skateboard wheels: how to choose and change?

Only well-chosen skateboard wheels will give you the pleasure of riding and motivate you to further achievements. The size, rigidity and softness of the luminous and ordinary wheels for a skate affect not only driving performance, but also safety when performing tricks.

Wheels are one of the most important elements of a skateboard. It depends on them the speed, the ability to perform stunts and ride comfort. After all, they are in direct contact with the surface.

There are several basic requirements for wheels - They must be strong, durable, have a good roll and withstand shock. Well, it is desirable to have reasonable cost.

In this case, the choice of wheels for a skate is always a compromise. We want more speed - we lose maneuverability and we get extra weight in addition. We want to do tricks - we lose speed and durability.

Therefore, the choice must be approached wisely. Indeed, in the best case, we will lose money, in the worst - health. Even if it doesn’t come to fractures, getting abrasions from a bounced wheel is still unpleasant.

In addition, on different types of skateboards, the wheel arrangement is different. Therefore, different wheels have been developed for scooters, which are divided into several types.

Most skateboards are equipped with classic wheels. But there are other varieties.

• Classic. Apply on most skateboards. They have 2 bearings, can be made of different materials and have different colors.

• Glowing. Usually purchased for children, because they make the ride more interesting. They look especially impressive in the dark.The main thing is to take a proven model, because among them a high percentage of marriage.

• Rotary. Mounted on a special bracket that allows them to rotate 360 ​​degrees. Independent wheels are used on scooters; on freeboards, they are interlocked with the suspension.

• Pneumatic Used on off-road mountainboards. They have a large diameter of 20 cm (200 mm) or more. They absorb shock well because they are pumped up by air. Evil tread rubber tires provide good grip on difficult surfaces.

• Motor wheels. They are usually also pneumatic. Mounted on electric skateboards and powered by a battery. Absolutely not suitable for tricks, as they are large and heavy. Due to the high inertia, they gain speed for a long time and have low maneuverability.

But despite the simple design, classic wheels can vary greatly in performance. This is especially noticeable in cost. Therefore, you need to determine the characteristics.

Typically, the wheels are immediately equipped with two bearings. Therefore, you need to choose only these elements.

One of the main parameters, as it determines the area of ​​use of the wheel. The designation is always indicated on the sidewall in the form of a number and the letter A.

• 73A-87A. Soft wheels for bad roads. Used in cruisers and longboards.
• 88A-95A. Harder, require better quality coating.
• 96A-99A. Have a good balance between speed and comfort. Most popular among children and adult skaters.
• 101A and above. Designed for gliding along the railing and edges, suitable only for experienced skaters.

Wheel size affects speed and acceleration. In this case, the values ​​are inverse to each other. This means that the higher the highest speed, the slower it is typed.

Moreover, the basic laws are simple. So, big wheels are more comfortable, they keep speed better. Small ones are more maneuverable. Therefore, the size of the wheels is selected depending on the coverage and riding style.

• Diameter 54-56 mm. It is applied on an uneven surface, asphalt or special ramps. They are mainly installed on longboards.
• 51-53 mm. Used for smooth asphalt without cracks. Suitable for not very difficult tricks.
• 40-45 mm. Scope - absolutely flat surfaces. You can perform complex tricks on them.

Please note that the wheels are erased and their size is reduced. There should be a gap between them and the deck. This is especially important with a soft suspension. If the wheel "bites" at the time of landing, the sensations will not be most pleasant.

And also do not forget about the width. It lies in the range of 30-42 mm.

This is part of the wheel, therefore, part of the skate. They are classified by manufacturing accuracy: from ABEC-1 to ABEC-9. The most accurate - 9, but also the most expensive. They are installed on high-speed models for experienced riders.

Despite the prestige, children are not recommended to use such bearings. They are expensive. In addition, do not forget about safety - until the child learns to ride well, it is not worth developing high speeds.

But pay attention ABEC-9 cannot be cheap. And also the well-known manufacturer ABEC-3 can be faster than the nameless ABEC-9.

Some bearings may have a metal membrane on one side. When disassembling it is better not to touch it. Such a bearing should be directed at you, that is, the unprotected side inside the wheel.

When choosing, the material is also important, since the wheels are made from different raw materials.

• Polyurethane. They are reliable, have a long service life. Deservedly they are the most popular among skaters, some do not even recommend taking wheels from another material.
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Characteristics are slightly worse, which affects the price.
• Rubber. They cushion well, have excellent grip, but do not tolerate temperature extremes. Their resource is limited.
• Plastic. Advantage - bright colors. Other characteristics are worse than polyurethane. Suitable as a children's option, as they increase interest in the new skateboard.

Sometimes there are compound wheels, namely: a polyurethane tire and a plastic hub. The strength of such wheels is lower, but they are suitable for children and light weight riders.

It is unprofitable for manufacturers to make a marriage, because they want to have satisfied customers. Therefore, any company seeks to gain confidence and produce good products.

Nevertheless, the best firms are Footwork, Union, Ricta, and Bones. But the main thing is to choose the right model. This applies to any company.

Technology loves care, so every rider should be able to remove the wheels. This is to maintain and replace bearings.

Use a 1/2 ″ (in) socket wrench to unscrew the nut and remove the wheel. On scooters, you need to unscrew the bolt - and that’s it.

You can get the bearing with a screwdriver or use a skate suspension. Something sharp is needed to remove the rubber cuff. And also need water, because the procedure is not clean.

It's a shame when the skate does not go. There may be several symptoms of malfunction.

• The wheels spin poorly. In this case, check the bearing. If it is very dirty, it must be replaced or cleaned. To clean the bearing, remove the rubber anthers (metal, if any, do not touch). Then it must be completely immersed in a bottle with kerosene, gasoline or a solvent. After this, the container must be shaken and left for 24 hours. And then after drying do not forget to grease.

• Skate unstable. Check if the wheels are swinging and tighten them. If this does not help, you need to change the bearing.

• Bearing noise. They need to be lubricated with WD-40 or I-20A. In this case, it is better to put less grease than more.

• Cracks on the wheel. The item cannot be restored, definitely a replacement.

You can learn more about how to care for a skateboard.