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Best Longboard Wheels – Longboarding Slide Wheels

Every longboarding enthusiast would love to know about Best Longboard Wheels. That is the MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT of a longboard. Surf through this article to get your longboard become SMOOTHER RIDE.
Longboarding is the game for free souls. It’s passion for the free-spirited enthusiasts of wheel-sports. Making the right choice of wheels makes longboarding a heavenly experience!
While choosing the wheels for your longboard, its size and hardness are the two main factors that is your focal point of your attention. The wheel is one of the longboard components, like in a car, can prove to be the difference between smooth and rough ride.
So sit back and relax! Let us help you to choose top rated longboard wheels, and enjoy the ride!

Top Rated Best Longboard Wheels Amazon

Diameter

Thumb rule for choosing the wheels; the size of the wheels should proportion to the size of the deck. Smaller wheels can use with larger deck but larger wheels will provide better ride. On the other hand, larger wheels cannot use with smaller deck as during carving; they might rub with the deck. Here are some examples of wheels that go well with different sizes of decks.

Best Longboard Wheels Diameter Longboard Wheel

  • For 40” deck: 70-75 mm range is ideal.
  • For 34” – 42” (Medium) deck: 68-72mm range of diameter is used.
  • For 34” and below (Small) sized deck: 60-67mm is used.

You should choose wheels size according to the size of the deck and keeping in view the clearance that is ideal for the wheels to avoid wheel bite while carving, especially.

Durometer

Durometer is the gauge of measuring the hardness of the wheels. Generally, harder wheels tend to generate more speed than the softer types. But depending upon the size of the decks that we use in longboards, that are, obviously, long; softer wheels are much more reliable as they have firm grip. Hard wheels do give smooth ride with better speed, but for longboards, stability and control are more important factors thanks to by soft wheels.

Most companies providing wheels for longboards use Durometer A scale to measure the softness of the wheels, and the scale is from 1 to 100. Softer wheels have lower numbers on Durometer A scale. Here is the guide for the Durometer for wheels in longboards and their salient features.

Durometer Longboard Wheel

  • 78a-87a: best for rough surfaces such as pebbles and gravel, gives you good grip and easy roll.
  • 88a-95a: a little harder but still have softer feel and is good for streets and rough terrains.
  • 96a-99a: this one is an all-rounder with good speed and nice grip. It is ideal for the beginners as well as for ramps and smooth surfaces.

Some companies use Durometer B scale also, which has wider and more accurate hardness range.

Urethane Characteristics

While Durometer does provide general choosing mechanism for the soft wheels for longboards, but it is not the absolute gauge. Not all 78a wheels perform the same. Here, the Urethane formula also figures high in choosing the right wheels for your longboard which gives you the ride you are craving.

Urethane formulae vary in their grip, durability, and agility of sliding. Its nature decides the final result of the ride you get from your longboard even if its Durometer is same as the other. The difference of Urethane Formula makes a huge difference in the ride feel of the longboards with the wheels of same Durometer. Here’s the good news for all the costumers who are purchasing their very first longboard. Companies have categorized Urethane formulae as Freeride and Downhill so that you find it easier to choose your thing.

Fast Longboard WheelSo, if you are looking for Fast Longboard Wheels for speedy Free-ride, you should choose formula available for Freeride which will offer easy and fast slide with reduced grip than the downhill formulae. The formula available for the downhill ride at Abec11 called Retro/Reflex Formula provides elasticity and buoyancy that makes it fast gripping and hard to slide. It gives great control to you on you downhill slides. So while you are focusing on the Durometer of the wheels for best longboarding slide wheels, be very specific about the Urethane formula used in the manufacturing of the chosen wheels. The difference can be subtle and only can be felt rather than seen.

Wheel Shape

Looking for the title of Road Runner of downhill longboard surfing? Or want to simply impress everyone with your weaving and carvings like a pro! In both cases, the shape of wheels plays a vital role. It can make or break your performance in both kinds of longboarding experiences. Three kinds of shapes are available in longboard wheels.
Longboard Wheel Shape

Square Edge

Just like it says its square and have squared off edges. This shape gives it the firm grip on the road. You should be only using it when you plan to stick to the ground all the way. It is the best choice for downhill adventure. With the firm grip and constant contact with the ground, you can bet it would be swift and fly downhill just like you expect your ride downhill.

Bevelled Edge

It has the best of both worlds, not having flat edges but they aren’t round either. They cut at an angle from the side. You get your contact patch at the very edge of the wheel. This is a great gear when it comes to taking a turn on hills. You get the smooth turn and just the right amount of contact with the ground.

Rounded Edge

Rounded edges need no elaboration. It’s the shape of cars’ tires. So when you are taking a turn, you don’t drift. It offers less friction and gives you the smooth sliding option.
So be very specific while looking for the perfect wheel for your kind of longboarding; especially, if you are a virgin (longboard surfing wise!!).

Core Placement

Core Placement Longboard WheelCore of longboard wheels lies inside the wheel where the bearings rest. The core is very important part of the wheel with two main purposes. The most important one is to divide the heat equally around the wheel so that the wheel doesn’t melt or deform when going at high speed, which is quite a possibility. Most wheels come with the plastic core, others have polyurethane used in them, and some have dual core.

There are basically, three main types of cores available categorized according to their placement inside the wheel which gives the different job descriptions. They are:

Backset/offset core: Basket cores are even with the back of the wheels that gives them the efficacy of carving and sliding.
Centerset core: As the name suggests, Centerset core lies at the center of the wheel. These types use for streets and vert skating, as this type of core placement gives the longboard agility to flip and rotate just like other normal wheels. Centerset core, due to even distribution of weight all around the wheel, tends to last longer than the others.

Sideset core: Sideset Core places right in the middle of Backset and Centerset cores. That gives it the characteristic of having more grip than the other two; the main reason being the placement of the weight on the outside of the core and, for being set between Centerset and Backset. This position of core holds it at a great disadvantage as the longboards with this kind of core, and it can not do the flipping.
So while choosing longboard wheels with any particular core, make sure it is built to your specifications.

Choosing The Contact Patch Size

Contact patch refers to the surface of the wheel that gets directly in contact with the ground when you are surfing. It goes without saying, square edge wheels have larger contact patch than the rounded ones. That distributes greater weight on squared ones have large contact patch decreasing compression of urethane hence, decreasing rolling resistance. This results in the reduction of speed as well.

Longboard Wheel Contact Patch

So the reduction of speed happening in the square edged wheels makes them the ideal of downhill rides for having more control and grip. While, in round edged wheels, the contact patch being smaller, gives it perfect characteristics for best freeride longboarding as it helps it to control its carving and winding without drifting.

Best Bearings for Longboards

Conclusion

Longboarding is super fun and exhilarating sports that can give you an adrenaline rush like anything you ever imagine. With the perfect longboard and just the right longboard wheels equipment, you can not only enjoy this wheels sport but can be a pro! So make your choice wisely; you want to own Fast Longboard Wheels for downhill Need for Speed kind of Adrenaline rush, or want to weave and carve your way to longboarding stardom, choosing the right wheel is the key. So what are you waiting for!? Get right to it! Get the Best Longboard Wheel on Amazon right now and live your longboarding dream!

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