Wheels are the component that changes the feel of skating the most.
Each combination of diameter + hardness + formula is designed for something specific. We explain it here with no fluff.
Diameter: what changes with each millimetre
Diameter is the wheel size in millimetres. It’s how much it measures end to end and it defines the speed and weight of the setup.
| Diameter | Style | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| 48-52 mm | Old-school street, ultra-flips | Very niche, almost nobody |
| 52-54 mm | Modern technical street | The most versatile |
| 55-58 mm | Park, mellow transitions | More sustained speed |
| 58-62 mm | Bowl, vert, fast cruising | Momentum and grip |
| 62-75 mm | Pure cruising, longboard, surfskate | Bad asphalt OK |
More diameter = more speed and better grip on bad ground, but also more weight and slower flips.
Less diameter = fast flips and a light setup, but less speed and worse on rough asphalt.
Hardness: the A scale explained
Hardness is measured on the A scale (durometer). It runs from 70A (soft rubber) to 101A (very hard).
- 78-87A: very soft. For cruising on bad asphalt. They absorb.
- 88-95A: medium. Park and transitions, where you want some grip.
- 95-99A: hard. Park, bowl and street on a good surface.
- 99-101A: very hard. Pure technical street, clean slides.
Some brands (Bones SPF) use the B scale, which starts where A ends. 84B ≈ 104A.
Formulas: why they're not all the same
Top brands have formulas with their own names. It’s not marketing — it’s real chemistry:
STF, SPF and ATF
- STF (Street Tech Formula): the best-seller. No flat-spots, controlled slide, lasts years.
- SPF (Skatepark Formula): hard but with more rebound. Better for polished concrete parks.
- ATF (All Terrain Formula): soft, big. For any asphalt.
Formula Four (F4)
Their premium line. Three shapes (Classic, Conical, Radial) for different slide and grip preferences. F4 99A goes head to head with Bones STF.
Clouds and Naturals
- Clouds: street with good rebound at a lower price than Bones/Spitfire.
- Naturals: very hard, very clean slides, fans of orthodox technical street.
OJ, Powell, Slime Balls
- OJ Hot Juice / Super Juice: the reference “soft wheels” for cruiser.
- Powell Snakes: bowl-specific, soft formula with maximum grip.
- Slime Balls: medium/soft with a retro Santa Cruz look.
How your usual surface affects it
| Surface | Recommended adjustment |
|---|---|
| Polished concrete skatepark | 52-54mm 99-101A. You make the most of the speed. |
| Indoor / wooden skatepark | 53-55mm 95-99A. A bit softer. |
| Regular street asphalt | 54-56mm 95-99A. A bit bigger. |
| Very bad asphalt | 56-60mm 87-95A. Soft and big for vibration. |
When to change the wheels
You know it’s time when one of these shows up:
- Diameter down by >5mm vs the original (measure with a caliper).
- Visible flat-spots: flat patches that vibrate when rolling.
- Coning: the wheel goes conical from asymmetric wear.
- Crackling or small cracks in the urethane.
- “Dirty” internal look that doesn’t wash off: aged urethane.
Skating on worn wheels means lost speed, unpredictable slides and weird landings. Don’t stretch them just to stretch them.
How to rotate them so they last twice as long
Trick few people use: rotate the wheels every 1-2 months.
Since almost all of us are goofy or regular (always the same foot forward), the two wheels that suffer most are the back ones on the back foot. Those wear twice as fast as the front ones.
How to rotate:
- Every 4-6 weeks, take off all 4 wheels.
- Swap the two front ones for the two back ones.
- Also flip each wheel (the inner face becomes the outer).
Result: even wear across all 4 wheels. Lifespan: doubled.
What a decent set of wheels costs
| Range | Quality | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| €10-15 | Generic set, no core | For an absolute beginner / kid. |
| €18-25 | OJ, Powell, Element | Solid value. |
| €30-45 | Bones STF/SPF, Spitfire F4 | What lasts twice as long as cheap. |
| €50+ | Bones SPF Pro, Spitfire F4 PRO | Pro models, premium marketing. |
Real investment: spending €35 on Bones STF instead of €18 on generics works out cheaper over a year. STF easily lasts three times longer.
Where next?
- Calculate your exact wheel setup by style and surface.
- Learn about Bones bearings, the other component that goes inside the wheel.
- Combine with the trucks calculator so you don’t get the width wrong.
- Read the full deck guide to keep the setup in tune.
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