Longboard Wheels » longboard wheels

Everything Longboard Wheels

admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:44:10 +0000

Hello everybody! I suppose I’ll begin my first post by introducing myself and explaining what this page is all about.

I go by the name of Allen and I’ve decided to write a guide on longboard wheels, mostly because I find them to be the most important component that makes up a complete longboard. Also, longboard decks and trucks typically outlast the wheels after some heavy skating so more than likely, you will have to replace your wheels at some point. With that being said, knowing about longboard wheels and what’s out there will certainly help. If you are interested in any of the wheels featured on this site, you also have the option of buying them on the sales offer side bar.

Here is some general information about longboard wheels and what effect their characteristics have on your skating. Typically, longboarding wheels are designed with speed and traction in mind. Longboard wheel hardness or softness is specified by the durometer. Lower durometer urethane compositions like 75A are used for improved “grippy-ness”. However, lower durometers mean the wheel is softer so under the weight of the rider, the wheel doesn’t maintain perfect roundness which affects its ability to roll which is why higher durometer wheels are typically favored for speed. You need to find a balance between traction and speed that meets your skating style. The contact patch, which is the length of wheel that’s in contact with the ground, is typically higher to achieve more contact area with the ground. The front profile of the wheel can vary depending on what discipline it’s used for. For hard carving where traction is a priority, the wheel profile is square to give an edged lip to prevent the wheel from slipping sideways. Some people are looking for wheels that break traction easier for sliding maneuvers and look for wheels with rounded edge profiles.

To be honest I could go on forever about longboarding wheels so I’ll end this post now, and I’ll be posting information about other longboarding wheels such as Orangatangs and Abec 11’s in the future. Hopefully this guide will help you select the best longboard wheels that fit your skating style.

By the way, if you are by any chance new to longboarding, check out this awesome video brought to you by the guys of Loaded Longboards. This is Adam S. Riding a Loaded Vanguard with R-II randals trucks and Abec 11 Gumballs.

Ride Safe. xD

Technorati Tags: longboard wheels

New Orangatang Freeride Wheels Coming Soon! (and by coming soon, i mean already out)

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:15:59 +0000

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t been posting in a while. I’ve been really busy with my new job in Idaho. Anyways, Orangatang has three new freeride style wheels coming out soon! You guys need to keep posted if you are looking for the perfect slide wheel. I get a lot of emails from people looking for a wheel with good grip but can break into slides. Look no further people, here they come.

Update: Noticed on their website that new colors are coming out for the Freerides! For all the wheels, an orange 80a duro and a yellow 86a duro will be available soon! I’ll make an update once they are finally being sold.

75mm Durian Freeride

70mm Stimulus Freeride

65mm Fat Free Freeride

Sick video of Kyle “Chinchilla” Chin power sliding on 86a Stimulus on a Rayne Avenger

Another sweet video of Kyle Chin

3dm Avalon

admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:13:24 +0000

More information on 3dm Avalons coming soon! xD

Technical information on 3dm Avalons:

Developer: Seismic 3dm
Name: Avalon
Diameter: 68mm
Width: 55mm
Hub: 25mm
Hub Setting: OS Offset
Edge Profile: Square
Durometer: 76A/77A/80A/84A
Colors: Typically, White/Blue/Red

The 3dm Avalon’s are hailed as the best Slalom wheel made, named after the legendary slalom racing site on Catalina Island, California. The Avalon’s have been proven in professional races and claim to have won more elite races than any other brand combined. By design, these wheels were made for grip with a wide stance at 55mm and dual lip square edge profile. The coreless offset hub wheel weighs 6 oz. each. 3dm wheels have probably the most plain appearance however they perform top notch. Grab a set of these if you are serious about slalom or GS.

76A Clear Red

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Orangatang wheels: In Heat and 4President

admin — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:00:59 +0000

So I’ve decided to combine the review for the brand new Orangatang In Heat and 4President because honestly, they are very similar wheels.

Incoming tech specs:

Developer: Orangatang (Developed by Loaded Longboards)
Name: In Heat, 4President
Diameter: 75mm/70mm
Width: Unknown
Contact Patch: 56mm/53mm
Hub: 25mm
Hub Setting: OS Offset
Edge Profile: Square
Composition: “Happy” Urethane
Durometer: Both 80A (Purple are both 83A)
Colors: Orange/Pink/Purple (Purple available Aug. 29, 2008)

The Orangatang wheels have been in development for quite a few years now and are the result of countless trial runs and testing. If you watch the video under the Retro BigZigs post, you will notice that Adam Colton is riding on the prototype Orangatangs. These wheels are meant for high speed and hard carving although in many videos you’ll see the Adams sliding out like crazy with them. Like Gumballs, the Orangatangs can break into controlled slides once the wheels have been broken in. However, Orangatang is releasing a freeride wheel in a couple months that will accommodate us sliders. With that being said, the In Heat and 4President are high quality high performing wheels that offer a very wide contact patch and square edges for tons of grip. The 70mm and 75mm diameters give you a smooth and fast ride. If the orange flavor isn’t fast enough for you, on August 29th Orangatang is releasing the purple flavors which are a bit harder at 83A for better top speed.

As new as these wheels are, I’ve read and seen a lot of good things about them and plan to get a set of my own for my Vanguard. The only noticable difference between the In Heat and 4President are the diameter and contact patch but the overall design is the same. They advertise that the ripples on the In Heat help for energy rebound but can you really tell? Either way, this is a bandwagon you definitely want to jump on so grab a set for you too!

Interested in picking up the brand new 83A Purple Orangatangs wheels that just released August 29th? Follow these links my friend =D

70mm/83A Purple Orangatang 4Presidents

75mm/83A Purple In Heat

Check out this video of Orangatang In Heat courtesy of the guys from Loaded Longboards

Here is another awesome video of Orangatang 4Presidents in action. Enjoy xD

Image courtesy of www.loadedboards.com

Technorati Tags: 4president, In Heat, Orangatang

Abec 11 Grippins

admin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:59:41 +0000

Lets get straight to business:

Developer: Abec 11
Name: Grippins
Diameter: 70mm
Width: 52mm
Contact Patch: 50.5mm
Hub: 25mm
Hub Setting: CS Centerset
Edge Profile: Square
Composition: Urethane
Durometers: 75A/78A/81A/84A/88A/92A
Colors: Green

Abec 11 Grippins are obviously designed with grip in mind. Their square profile and 50.5mm contact patch makes them one of the slickest wheels out there perfect for slalom and hard carving. Design wise they are similar to Abec 11 Gumballs however they are slightly smaller at 70mm. They come in a huge range of durometers raning from 75A to 92A. Another excellent all around wheel if gumballs are too big for your setup.

I know there’s a lot of durometers to choose from, so if you’re interested in purchasing Abec 11 Grippins I’ve compiled some links for you. Enjoy xD

Image courtesy of www.abec11.com

Technorati Tags: abec 11, grippins

Abec 11 Retro BigZigs

admin — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:12:09 +0000

The Retro BigZig is a popular all around wheel that resembles the Abec 11 Gumballs in a lot of ways.

Here are the tech specs:

Developer: Retro
Name: BigZigs
Diameter: 75mm
Width: 53mm
Contact Patch: 51.5mm
Hub: 25mm
Hub Setting: OS Offset
Edge Profile: Square
Composition: Urethane
Durometer: 77/80/83/86A
Colors: Per Durometer respectively Pink/Lime/Lemon/Orange

Right off the start, the Retro BigZigs have very similar technical specs as the Abec 11 Gumballs. Notable difference is the contact patch for BigZigs is 5mm longer than the Gumballs resulting in even more grip. Other than that, the two wheels perform quite similar for all around use whether it be downhill, carving, pumping, or just cruising. They are a popular wheel that fit the preference for many skaters. In my opinion, I would say these wheels are difficult sliding platforms, but if you have ever seen the Whirling Dervish video which I’ll post, you’ll see that Adam S. has no problem doing stand up slides using BigZigs. Also, don’t pick a BigZig based on your color preference since all the colors have different durometers.

Check out Adam S. riding and sliding on BigZigs!

Image courtesy of www.retroskateboards.com

Technorati Tags: abec 11, bigzigs

Abec 11 Strikers

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:53:38 +0000

The Abec 11 Strikers are excellent wheels to get you into sliding and learning those 180 slides in no time.

Here’s the technical info:

Developer: Abec 11
Name: Strikers
Diameter: 66mm/77mm
Width:47mm
Contact Patch: 38mm/32mm
Hub: 35mm
Hub Setting: SS Sideset
Edge Profile: Round
Composition: Urethane
Durometer: 75/78/81/84/88A
Colors: Green

The Abec 11 Strikers are excellent wheels for people interested in sliding and what a wheel that can break into predictable controlled slides. The round edge profile is a lot less grippy than square and the contact patch is smaller than most other wheels. The 77mm version has a contact patch of 32mm while as the 66mm has a contact patch of 38mm. The two sizes should accommodate most boards out there and are available in a variety of durometers ranging from 75A to 88A. So if you want to learn the Coleman and Sergio but just can’t get your Gumballs to break loose, try these out for starters.

Image courtesy of www.abec11.com

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Abec 11 Gumballs

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:00:59 +0000

The first set of longboard wheels I’ll review are one of my all time favorites; Abec 11 Gumballs. I’ve personally used Gumballs on my Loaded Vanguard and they are easily one of the best set of longboard wheels I’ve ever rode on.

Let’s start with some basic technical information:

Developer: Abec 11
Name: Gumballs
Diameter: 76mm
Width: 53mm
Contact Patch: 46.5mm
hub: 25mm
hub setting: OS Offset
Edge Profile: Square
Composition: Urethane
Durometers: 75A/78A/81A/84A/88A
Colors: Green or Pink

The Abec 11 Gumballs have been developed primarily for the downhill race discipline however they make for perfect all around skating. Their improved traction makes them especially useful for hard carving such as slalom and giant slalom. Because longboarding is a sport that revolves around speed and maneuvering, these wheels fit for almost any longboarder. They come in various durometers depending on the softness you desire ranging from 75A to 88A. One notable thing about gumballs is that once they are broken in after a decent amount of runs, they actually break into well controlled slides. So if you are looking for a good high traction downhill wheel yet you want to try stand up sliding or learning the Coleman slide, these wheels will work for you. I’ve tried sliding before on a sector 9 complete with sector 9 wheels and had a piece of the wheel actually chip off from only one days worth of sliding. Believe me when I say that the Abec 11 Gumballs are one of the highest performing and highest quality longboard wheels in existence. I personally use 78A Gumballs on my Loaded Vanguard setup and they’ve been my favorite wheels for years. I easily recommend these wheels for anybody serious about longboarding so give them a shot! You won’t be disappointed.

Image courtesy of www.abec11.com

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Abec 11 Flywheels

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:06:59 +0000

The Abec 11 Flywheels are the pinnacle of Abec 11’s speed lineup. As described on their site, they are big, smooth, tank-like wheels for rolling over everything in its path.

Here is the technical information:

Developer: Abec 11
Name: Flywheels
Diameter: 76/83/90/97mm
Width: 52mm
Contact Patch: 43mm
Hub: 45mm
Hub Setting: CS Center Set
Edge Profile: Round
Compostion: Urethane
Durometer: 75/78/81A
Colors: Green

The Abec 11 Flywheels are designed with speed in mind, with a hollow hub core that sets more of the mass further from the axis of rotation improving top speed. Their huge size makes them capable of easily clearing road cracks and sidewalk divisions smoothly without losing too much speed. Abec 11 makes four different sizes starting at 76mm like the Gumball and up to 97mm. The contact patch is slightly smaller than the gumballs and with its round edge profile any sliding setup can achieve the fastest controlled slides possible. Make sure your setup can accommodate these monsters since any wheelbite would be disastrous! The only thing that will hurt is your wallet, since these wheels don’t come cheap. But believe me, for any serious downhill enthusiast, these wheels are definitely ones you want to consider. I have 97mm Flywheels on my 80″ Jam Silverback and after only a couple strong kicks it feels like I can coast for ages.

Image courtesy of www.abec11.com

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Sector 9 Nineball

admin — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:00:59 +0000

Specs:

Developer: Sector 9
Name: Nineballs
Diameter: 72 mm
Width: 52 mm (?)
Contact Patch: ?
Hub: ?
Hub Setting: off-set
Edge Profile: Square
Composition: Urethane
Durometers: 75a only
Colors: Blue, Green, Red, White

Nineballs, by Sector 9, are excellent wheels too little heard about. They are soft with a confident grip that will drift sightly early once they are broken in. They offer a substantial rebound or “push-back” coming out of carves, giving your board a luxury-car-like suspension; and the speed vents, smaller than Abec 11 Flywheels, lend the wheel a breezy glide with plenty of zip.

These wheels are so pliable and grippy that I wish the footprint was slightly wider. Even if they started out at 52 or 53mm, I still feel like this wheel would be the perfect carve wheel, rivaling or beating the softer Gumballs, if they were just a little wider. The “early drift” that I mentioned before is due, I think, to the slightly slim contact patch. I wanted this wheel to be just as soft at the 75A durometer with a wider contact patch, or slighly harder, like 80A with a 52mm contact patch. However, since softer wheels are sometimes slower at top speed, maybe the thinner contact patch preserves a little more speed than if it were wider. These wheels are quick to be sure.

I should mention that this is not a slide weheel. I’m not saying that once you break them in, you can’t end your run with a nice 180 powerslide, but if you try to slide too much they will tear and possibly chunk. This will never happen if you carve aggressively, but if you take these out to try to slide, you will ruin them and be sorry you lost such a great carving and cruising wheel.

This wheel is positively bouncy with a choice of sweet, translucent colors to compliment your board. If it fits your riding style, you will not be disappointed. And with their price-point of $38, you can afford to lean into a set.

Special thanks to Scott G. Patton for providing this review!

Nineball (Ghost)

Technorati Tags: Nineball, Sector 9