Top 14 Best Skateboard Wheels – Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide

When it comes to best skateboard wheels, the word “best” can have a different meaning for everyone. Since the wheels have to be suitable for the type of skateboard, the purpose, and the riding level of the skateboarder. Therefore, the correct interpretation here is what type of wheels are most suitable for you and your style of skating. This guide will help you to understand and be able to select the type of wheels that match what you need. I have a list of top wheel brands for your reference too. See also:

• 16 Best Skateboards For Beginners Adults In 2020
• How to Choose Best Beginner Skateboard for Kids: The Definitive Guide [2020 Update]
• Top 24 Best Skateboard Deck Brands Reviews In 2020
• Top 16 Cheap Electric Skateboards Reviews In 2020

So don’t miss out this opportunity to gear up your skateboard!

Best Skateboard Wheels – Comparison Chart 2020

Top 14 Best Skateboard Wheels Reviews 2020

Spitfire Bighead Skateboard Wheels (48mm 50mm 51mm 52mm 53mm 54mm 57mm 59mm 63mm)

Let’s begin with the Spitfire, which for me personally is the  best wheel. The bighead has gained a lot of happy users due to its efficiency on smooth surfaces. Take note that the durometer is 99a  and it is one of the hardest wheels out there, but this is fine as Spitfire is a top quality brand. They are perhaps the best skateboard wheels for tricks as they roll smoothly in the park, pools, and ramps. The wheel is ideal for professional competitions or showing off your complex tricks. Their speed is amazing too. Depending on your skateboard type, you should choose the most appropriate diameter. These wheels are available in 6 colors: red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and royal blue.

Spitfire Classic Series High-Performance Skateboard Wheel (Set of 4)

Similar to the wheel above, these are classic shoes for those who don’t like the over branded design. The durometer is still 99a, so it is more suited to a pro for skating on the ramp, park, or pool. These wheel do not have the cool big head design and the spinning patterns show look great with the wheels helping to your deck to stand out. The diameter changes with your color selection! The red has 51mm, green is 52mm, yellow is 53mm, and so on. The wheels are 100% made in the USA for best quality. If you manage The brand has an excellent warranty service to compensate you should you wheels be damaged or faulty.

Ricta Clouds Skateboard Wheels (Set of 4)

Ricta is another option when it comes to choosing the best soft skateboard wheels. If you enjoy cruising and traveling on your skateboard, these are perfect for your needs. These wheels suitable for beginner and professional skateboarders. These wheels come in sets of four priced between $30-$55. They are made from soft urethane and have a very solid construction. The primary use is for skating on rough and edgy surfaces such as streets, hills, and rolling over cracks. They provide a pleasant cruising experience with their 52mm diameter wheels. This is a an optimal size for speed and acceleration. You have total control over how fast you want to go.

Spitfire Formula Four Classic Skateboard Wheels (Set of 4)

If you prefer wheels with a colorful design instead of serving a purpose, these are definitely the best skateboard wheels for concrete parks. These wheels are different from those previously mentioned since it as they have a durometer of 101a making them extremely tough and super responsive when rolling on the park street, ramp and pools. Since their name is Formula Four, you can expect unmatched speed among the  competition. Smaller wheel diameters make acceleration fast whilst there is anti-stick slide in case you run over something slippery. Their main material is Urethane as with the previous wheels that ensures maximum shock absorption withstanding heavy impacts.

Orangatang Mini-Logo Skateboards A- 56mm 101A Skateboard Wheel, White

The Mini-Logo is all about simplicity with maximum performance. The durometer is very hard with a101A size. Although these wheels are very hard and use a super high rebound formula. These wheels can help you recover a risky landing with ease. Th wheels have two types of cut: the A-cut is ideally for the street skater and has a diameter of 50mm – 56mm, the standard size for tricks or park skating. While the C-cut is for the transition skater who is moving up the ranks to become professional. The C-cut is between 55mm – 60mm in size perfect for skating on the ramp, pool and smooth surfaces. This is why there are two types for you to compare. Due to the simplicity of the wheels, you can have this set of 4 wheels really cheap for around $14-$16.

Pig Head Natural 52mm Skateboard Wheels (Set Of 4)

Pig is a renowned brand out there used by many professionals. They are built to last. This is one of the top choices for the professional because of its all-round superb performance.. The wheels have 101A durometer and are ultra tough. They absorb shocks reliably which makes them ideal for air tricks, flips, shredding, and sliding. Their speed is not fast, they fall short on a good top speed because of slow acceleration with the 52mm diameter wheels. These are suitable for most type of decks and bearings on the market as a standardized size. At $31 dollars for the whole set of four the price is reasonable. The design has an iconic pig head and the number indicates the wheel size.

ABEC 11 Freeride Centerset Green Skateboard Wheels – 72mm 81a (Set of 4)

Unlike other brands, ABEC 11 is a brand that focuses on speed and high performance making them ideal for gearing on a cruiser or longboard. The Freerides series is one of the best skateboard wheels for cruising. The durometer is only 81a making them ideal for your cruising experiences on any streets, roads, and hills. They are tough enough to absorb small impacts when you roll over cracks and pebbles. Because it is so soft you can get some amazing bounces with smooth landings. These are big wheels with a 72mm diameter. Keep in mind that they belong with cruiser and longboard trucks and bearings.

Penny Wheels

Penny Wheels are one of the best skateboard wheels for cruising. The brand’s wheels are  optimized to for the best cruising experience. The clear color is affordable at just $25 in a set of four. The 78a durometer provides lots of bounce as the wheels are soft. These wheels are strictly for cruiser decks and longboards. With a large diameter of 59mm, these wheels are eccellent for daily traveling or even racing against your friends. Since the wheels are big it takes some effort to accelerate before reaching top speed. When reaching top speed though few can match these wheels.

Powell Peralta Rat Bones Re-Issue Skateboard Wheels

As one of the longest establshed brands, Powell Peralta is great alternative to considerations. Their products are well-known in the community for being top quality and very competitive with other brands At 85a durometer, these are some of the best skateboard wheels for rough roads. They are actually have a perfect balance of softness and hardness. They are ideal for most surfaces whether you skate in a park, on the streets, hills or rough roads. Their diameter is 60mm, which is perfect for cruising and sliding only. These are both beginner and professionally friendly. These wheels can definitely reach a good speed and go very fast downhill, so watch out!

Shark Wheel California Roll 60mm 78a All Terrain Skateboard Wheels

Unlike the previous brands, Shark Wheels have an interesting design with a curved shape. Don’t underestimate them as this unique design makes them the best skateboard wheels for the street perfect for most situations. At 60mm in diameter they are optimized for cruising speed. The design also supports you with better slide control and they grip very well. Their mid range 78a durometer is ideal for most surfaces. Thanks to their special sidewinder formula youm get reduced friction but more traction when riding. So you can go very fast on the smooth surfaces, anmd they feel comfortable when rolling over rough surfaces.

Orangatang Kegel 80mm Downhill Longboard Skateboard Cruising Wheels (Set of 4)

Orangatang offers a competitive feature with a large supportive core for its wheels. This Kegel version is smoother than other normal wheels. This is one of the best skateboard wheels for rough roads you can find. With the supportive core, you can enjoy cruising on many surfaces. They provide more weight support, especially when riding over rocks and cracks, while you can still maintain acceleration. The durometer is 80a, perfectly soft for bounces and good landings. The diameter is 80mm, makes it one hell of a big wheel, you might consider riser pads for these to avoid wheel bite. Otherwise, with this size, these wheels are perfect for all the rough roads out there. There is a cheaper version of this wheel with an encapsulated core and 75mm diameter.

Santa Cruz Slime Ball Vomits Old School Re-Issue 60mm 97a Skateboard Wheels (Neon Green)

Santa Cruz is a respected brand with a long history on the market providing reliable skateboards and accessories. Many say this company produces the best skateboard wheels for the street and with their price of around $35 since these are high-quality wheels. If you prefer old school designs, check these out. They have a sick Slime Ball Vomit design which look very cool when you ride on the street. They also have  highly detailed artwork that won’t wear off easily. As for the size, these are rather big wheels mainly suited to cruising and sliding. With 97a durometer they last a long time. They are extremely hard and can go very fast on a ramp or pool. They are great value for money. These wheels are definitely the best on sleek surfaces and they are great for professionals too.

Everland 65x51mm Skateboard Wheels

If you are just starting to skate and have a small budget, Everland might be a suitable choice for you as the wheels only cost about $13 for a set. Of course, they have few special features lack top quality material in their construction. The wheels look nice and have many color option for. The wheel is quite big with a 65mm diameter, but it should provide a decent speed for cruising. As for the 78a durometer, these wheels are soft when rolling on streets and hills. They are ideal if you usually travel to school or work nearby. They won’t give you a high speed yet you wont be late because they are too slow.

Pro Skateboard Wheels (White)

If you prefer plain and simple wheels these are the wheels for you. Pro Skateboard is a brand offers an affordable solution for beginners who want their wheels ready for practice. The starting price is $11 that saves you  money for a cool deck instead. The diameter sizes are range between 50 – 56mm, which are average sizes that fit most skateboards. Their durometer is super tough at 101a and rarely will you find a company offering this level of hardness and yet, they are efficient enough for practice on a ramp, pool or in a skating park.

Why are Skateboard Wheels Made of Polyurethane?

First of all, let’s discuss what is polyurethane? Let’s not get complicated with scientific terms here. Polyurethane or PU for short, is a highly resilient and heat-resistant plastic with two main features.  PU is both very competitive and affordable compared to other types of material. This explains you see the plastic every day in your car seat, panels, wheels, tires, etc. PU is widely available and easy to recycle, making PU one of the most common materials in many industry. PU can easily be formed into specific measurements, sizes, and shapes. Finally, this type of plastic is very environmentally-friendly and It complies to most manufacturing standards and guidelines. Why use PU for the best skateboard wheels? The main reason is this material has a variety of properties. PU shas the flexibility to absorb shocks and impacts when you land when other types of plastic fail and break early due to the tremendous forces they experience. PU also not that hard that can cause redundancy and slow speed. This is why your wheels won’t melt after hours of rolling against on rough surfaces. It also feels very smooth when you slide, cruise or run over the cracks. So now you know why I call it the best of both worlds.

Top skateboard wheels brands

If you are considering wheels brands, the best selling wheels would be the common choice for both beginners and professionals. These brands have already established strong foundations in the community and earned the customers’ trust. Here are the top five brands that you can start browsing right now:

1. Spitfire – Founded back in 1987 in San Francisco, it is no doubt about its long history in the market. Highly competive, the brand has evolved and refined its products and is well-known for its ultimate skateboard tools and accessories.
2. Mini-Logo – Over a short period of time, this brand won praise from the community. It offers not only the top quality wheels but also other hardware and skateboards.
3. Ricta – Founded in 2002, the brand is expanding its market through great relationships with distributors.
4. Pig – Funny as it might sound, was founded way back in 1993, the brand specializes in skateboard shredding and is still competitive today
5. Powell Peralta – Founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978, this is one of the oldest brands on the market. It thrives because of customer service excellence.

How to Choose The Best Skateboard Wheels

To choose the best skateboard wheels that work for you, here are two things to keep mind when looking at the wheel description:

1. Choosing skateboard wheel diameter

The wheels’ diameter indicates how big your wheels are. Smaller wheels are easy to control and turn quickly. While the bigger wheels yet clunky for tricks. Depending on your purpose, this is what you need to know: 50-53mm: These are small wheels most common for street skateboarders ideal for tricks and flips. Easy to skate on smooth surfaces. 54-59mm: The average size of all wheels. A well-balanced solution for both doing tricks and daily riding 60mm and up These are the big wheels typically seen on longboards, and cruisers. They are optimized for speed and rougher surfaces

2. Choosing skateboard wheel durometer

The wheels’ durometer indicates the wheels hardness. This is the key in determining the purpose you are going to buy them for. The soft wheels perform best on rugged surfaces. They also runs smoothly on cracks and pebbles which makes them ideal for cruising or daily transportation. The harder wheels are made for smooth and sleek surfaces such as parks, streets, ramps, pools, etc. Here is a quick scaling guide:

70a – 80a: These are soft wheels, best for cruiser and longboard. They roll well on rough surfaces such as street, dirt, rocky hills, etc. 81a – 90a: These are in the average in terms of scaling, making them multipurpose wheels. However, they won’t give you the best experience when cruising or the speed needed for professional competition. 90a+: These are solid wheels and roll very well on smooth surfaces such as ramps, poosl and skate park streets. They are likely the best choice for many professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What wheels are best for street skateboarding?

You would need the look for wheels that are soft and have durometer around 70a-90a. They work well on the concrete cracks and rugged roads. The diameter is likely to be from 54mm and up, though this has to match with the type of bearings and trucks of your skateboard.

2. What does 78a mean on skateboard wheels?

The 78 is for the hardness measurement, in this case, it is a soft wheel. It likely to grip well and reduce sliding on most surfaces. The “a” or “A” is the scale, it is different compared to “b” or “B” scale by 20 points in terms of hardness. Nowadays, people use the “a” or “A” scale more frequently

3. Are Spitfire wheels good for street skating?

The answer is yes but depending on the wheels’ durometer and diameter. Spitfire is currently one of the top brands out there. Yet having a hard wheel (90a+) would ruin your street skating experience. You should try softer wheels around 80a to 90a, or consult the sale representative to help you pick one.