Buying Inline Skate Wheels

By Jim Safianuk, Publisher
April 12th, 2005
Copyright 2005, by JKS Publishing
All Rights Reserved

Inline skate wheels have the greatest impact on your skating performance. They come in different sizes, shapes, and composition, and are made to suit different styles of skating. Therefore, selecting the right wheel for the way you skate is of prime importance.

You should buy wheels based on your:

• Body weight
• Skating ability
• Skating style
• Speed comfort zone

Before you head to your local sporting goods store for replacement wheels, it’s best to learn something about the physical properties of a typical, inline skate wheel.

Learning about the properties

The four properties are hardness, size, core, and profile. You need to understand these properties so you’re in the know when it comes time to purchase a new set of wheels.

Hardness

The durometer reading is a measure of the hardness of the material that makes up the wheel’s tire. The higher the hardness, the harder the wheel. In addition, the harder the wheel, the longer it lasts, but the less it absorbs shock and vibration when skating.

Most wheels on the market range from 74A (softest) to 88A (hardest), where the letter A denotes the durometer scale. However, recreational skaters are normally interested in a narrower range from 78A to 82A. This hardness range provides good control and a smooth roll for trail skating.

A harder wheel with a durometer reading, such as 82A, exhibits the following characteristics:

• Good for skating fast on smoother surface
• Lasts longer and is more durable
• Generally used by heavier people
• Better wear properties
• More vibration on rougher surfaces

On the other hand, a softer wheel with a lower durometer reading, such as 78A, provides the following benefits:

• Better traction
• Greater shock absorption
• More cornering grip
• Enhanced rebound
• Less vibration on rougher surfaces
• Good for rougher surfaces

Size

The size of the wheel is the outside diameter measured in millimeters (mm). The larger the wheel, the faster the skate due to reduced rolling resistance.

Wheels in the 72-mm to 78-mm range are just right for recreational and fitness skating. They provide good maneuverability and speed for skating longer distances.

On the other hand, wheels in the 80-mm to 84-mm range are faster wheels, and provide the best performance at higher speeds. However, larger wheels are less stable and consequently require more skating ability. Speed skaters and racers typically wheels in this size range.

Check your owner’s manual or with the manufacturer to find out what size range your skates can accommodate. For example, the frames of K2 Exotech skates can hold up to an 82-mm wheel in the larger sizes and down to a 76-mm wheel in the smaller sizes. It’s important that you find out the size range supported by your skates, especially if you are planning to move up or down in size versus the original wheels that came with your skates.

Core

The core consists of the hub and spokes. The inner hub houses the bearings and spacer, which is where the axle resides. The outer hub and spokes bond to the tire material itself, which is the polyurethane.

The core design and material of construction gives a wheel its stability. A wheel undergoes stress from many different directions. The design and material determine the strength of the wheel. Cores range from solid in aggressive wheels to lightly-spoked in racing wheels. The standard hub is called a 608 hub, which means it holds a 608-type bearing.

Profile

The profile is the cross-section of the wheel where it meets the ground, when viewed head on. The profile or curve determines how much of the wheel is in contact with the surface at any given time.

As an industry standard, all wheels are 24-mm thick, but it’s the variation in a wheel’s footprint that provides different functionality. The larger the footprint, the better the traction and stability.

Selecting new wheels

The hardness and size have the biggest impact on your skating, so base your choice on these properties. Cores and profiles have significant, but less subtle consequences. Compare cores and profiles after you’ve decided on the correct hardness and diameter for your weight, ability, style, and speed.

Choosing a hardness

As mentioned previously, the harder the wheel, the longer it lasts, but the lower the grip, and the less it absorbs shock and vibration on the trail. Recreational skaters normally look for wheels in the range of 78A to 82A. This hardness range affords good control and a smooth roll on most trails.

However, you’re not required to use the same hardness on all your wheels. Some skaters use mixed durometers to achieve a better balance of grip, shock absorption, and durability than is possible with a single hardness.

Wear Patterns: Before you rotate your wheels during your monthly maintenance check, note the wear pattern on your wheels from the front to the back. Do any of your wheels tend to wear a lot more than the others? If so, you might want to put harder wheels in those positions.

Some skaters tend to wear the inside edges of their two front wheels much quicker due to the aggressive way they push off when striding, as well as from the number of rolls they skate during the summer months. If you're in this category, you may want to experiment and try an 84A in both of the #1 positions, and a 78A in the #2, #3, and #4 positions on each skate.

Durability and Shock Absorption: You may find your wheels wear down faster then you’d like when you skate on rough surfaces, which can happen on some stretches on certain trails. You could opt to buy all harder wheels, such as an 82A across the board, but you might experience a rougher ride. One alternative is to replace only half of your wheels with a harder durometer. Half of your wheels could be 78As and the other half 82As.