Some would argue that the most important part of your setup
is your wheels. They are after all, your true connection to the pavement.
There are obviously endless wheels to choose from today, but
when choosing, one must keep in mind what type of riding they do the most and
remember that different types of wheels are geared toward different types of
riding. What I mean by this is that, you
shouldn’t go buy a hard, small and slippery wheel if you are looking to go
fast, and grip around corners. That type of riding would be complimented by a
large and soft wheel!
This post will profile a couple wheels meant for very
different types of riding. One wheel for downhill speed/grip and another for
freestyle sliding/street skating. These are just a couple of my recommendations
from my personal riding. As I said, there are endless options in the wheel
market today, but these are two sets I can speak to personally.
First we have the Abec 11 brand Centrax wheels. These bad
boys come in at either 83mm or 77mm in diameter and a hardness/durometer rating
of 77a or 80a. This is quite possibly the ultimate wheel for someone with the
need for speed. They come equipped with a sharp lip around the wheel that
really digs into the pavement and helps with grip around corners. The different
options available are for a slightly different feel. The lower durometer number
of the two is grippier, and will usually come in a different color because it
is a different urethane formula. And when it comes to the diameter, larger
sizes just means greater roll speed. The bigger the better when it comes to
rolling fast, but some boards will restrict the turning radius of giant wheels.
To be sure you are avoiding wheel-bite on the setup you are building, make sure
you have a conversation with the clerk at your longboard shop of choice,
telling them what wheels and what board you’re interested in.
But what if you’re more into bustin’ out slides and popin’
kickflips? Not a problem at all my friend, today’s market has a plethora of
offerings for your style as well. My personal choice these days for such riding
is undoubtedly the Remember brand Peewees! These much smaller, much slidier
wheels come in at 62mm tall with an 82a durometer. The very small and round
lipped nature of these wheels is what makes them so slippery. The lack of a
sharp lip will allow these wheels to break traction very easily and controllably.
And the medium durometer rating will keep that slide smooth instead of screechy.
Another advantage of the smaller size of this wheel is its light weight. Get
ready to pop bigger ollies and get bigger air with this wheel. Don’t let the
litany of color options fool you with this wheel, they are all the same
formula, just with different pigment added, they will all function the same. I went with the orange ones and I'm pictured trying em out on the streets of Milwaukee
below.
It’s my hope that this review helped you guys build your
next setup or influenced your next wheel buy. Let me know if any of you get the
chance to shred either of these wheel choices or contact me if you need help
picking some gear that makes sense for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment