It is very important to choose the right skateboard wheels made of appropriate materials. Skateboarding wheels are available in different shapes, sizes, hardness or softness.
You may do skateboarding for street skating, cruising, doing tricks and stunts. Choosing the right wheels made with appropriate materials will ensure your smooth rides. In this article you will get a clear idea about ‘what are skateboard wheels made of’.
Modern skateboard wheels are made of polyurethane. Wheels made of this material replaced metal and clay wheels because of its excellent griping, compressibility, flexibility, tear and abrasion resistance property.
History Of Skateboard Wheel
Before the 1970s skateboard wheels used to be made of metal, mostly steel wheels and alloy of steel. Those metal wheels lacked rebound, compressibility, grip, cushioning effect and were very inconvenient to use except for roller skating. In ancient times, clay wheels were also used. Clay Wheels were not much better than metal wheels as well.
What Are Skateboard Wheels Made Of – Now
Modern skateboarding wheels are made of polyurethane
. This grippy and resilient material has been very popular for making skateboarding wheels since 1970. Frank Nasworthy introduced polyurethane wheels in skateboarding first.
He tried polyurethane wheels on roller skates first and noticed that the performance was extremely good. Later he used these wheels on skateboards as well and figured out the better performance than metal wheels.
What Is Polyurethane
Polyurethane is a type of plastic polymer. This material can be produced by altering the degrees of hardness.
How The Skateboard Wheels Made Of Polyurethane
The basic steps of manufacturing skateboard wheels from polyurethane-
- Preparation of polyurethane polymer by heating the raw materials
- Addition of dyes and pigments if you want to produce colored wheels
- Pouring the mixture into a mold
- Cooling the molded materials
- Shaping the wheels with a machine
Why The Polyurethane Skateboard Wheels Are Best
Polyurethane has some unique properties that make the skateboard wheels ideal for all types of skateboard riders.
Properties Of Polyurethane
- Can absorb shock very well
- Having good elasticity and flexibility
- Can change shape and reform back to its original shape
- Have more tear resistance than plastic and rubber
- Have moderate abrasion resistance
What Are The Durometer Ratings For Skateboard Wheels
The Durometer scale is used to determine how hard the material of skateboard wheels is. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 100, with the higher the number, the harder the materials.
Skateboard wheels are mainly available in below durometer ratings
| Durometer Ratings | Characteristics of Wheels Under The Rating |
| 75A to 85A | Soft and appropriate wheels for riding on rough surfaces/rough terrain. |
| 88A to 95A | Harder than the previous ones, provide less traction and these wheels are ideal for riding on bumpy surfaces |
| 96A to 99A | Slightly Hard and good for riding on smooth surfaces and doing different types of tricks like crushing. These are all-around good wheels |
| 100A | The hardest wheels. These wheels provide maximum speed along with least grip. |
Soft Skateboard Wheels Vs Hard Skateboard Wheels
| Categories | Soft Wheels | Hard Wheels |
| Noise | High | Low |
| Speed | Low | High |
| Traction | High | Low |
| Vibration | Low | High |
Risk Factors Regarding The Use of Polyurethane Wheels
- Urethane wheels are polluting. When polyurethane wheels absorb heat then it may release fumes, which is detrimental to the environment. Also if the polymer of urethane is not prepared properly, the lack durability and the hardness of the wheels can be faced by the users.
- Soft Polyurethane wheels may get the problem of flat spots while the rider is trying to power slide. Wheels lose the original shape due to flat sports after getting abraded highly.
Some Useful Tips For Choosing The Right Skateboard Wheels
Here are some useful tips which might help you to choose the best wheels for your skateboards:
- Select The Right Wheel Size
Skateboard wheel size varies from 48mm to 60mm+ in height. You need to choose the right size of skateboard wheels compatible with the size of skateboard trucks and deck. Skateboard wheels of 48mm to 59mm height are used for street, mini ramp and vert skateboarding. Wheels having height of 60mm+ are used for cruising and longboarding.
Read More: Strongest Skate Decks Review
- Color of Polyurethane wheels
White wheels are most durable because when dyes and pigments are mixed with the urethane polymer, the quality may be slightly degraded because the dyes and pigments lessen the concentration of the polyurethane.
- Choosing The Right Manufacturer of Skateboard Wheels
The skateboard wheel manufacturers are constantly trying new blends of materials to make the wheels faster, durable, smoother, and slide better. And to make them especially flat spot resistant. You need to select the right brand who produces cost effective products with maximum quality.
For more information about learning ‘What Are Skateboard Wheels Made Of’ and visual demonstration you can visit –
FAQ On ‘What Are Skateboard Wheels Made Of’
Which Type Of Skateboard Wheels Should I Buy?
Modern skateboard wheels are made of polyurethane and these come with different size, color, shape and hardness. You need to choose the wheels according to your purpose of ride and state of the surface on which you are riding the skateboard.
Which Skateboard Wheels Are Appropriate For Beginners?
Soft skateboard wheels are ideal for the amateur and novice riders. According to durometer ratings, wheels of 75A to 85A ratings are ideal for the beginners. Harder wheels are ideal for the pro riders.
Are Polyurethane Skateboard Wheels Costly?
Not actually! Polyurethane wheels are cheaper than the metal alloy wheels with greater riding advantages.
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