Shark Wheel Review Detailed Guide

Come in a square looking, they call Shark Wheel a reinvented longboard wheel to alter the traditional for better performance.

I know that “big bang” leaves many skeptics in worldwide riders about whether it’s a true wheel revolution or just another gimmick to be used as eye-catchers. So, this Shark Wheel review will breakthrough that topic with an intensive personal test to give you the fairest result. Keep reading!

See Also:

• The 13 Best Longboard Wheels Reviews
• Top 14 Best Skateboard Wheels – Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide
• Top 15 Best Electric Skateboards

How the Shark Wheels Were Created

Before conducting this test, I’ve searched a little bit about the brand and found out many interesting things. Guess that you might also want to know as well:

First off, compared to other “Mr. Giant’s” in this field, Shark Wheel is just like a newcomer. This California-based company was founded in 2012. It started with an idea of making the available longboard wheel design a revolution to reach superior performance.

David M. Patrick (the founder of Shark Wheel) aimed to leverage those traditional designs with faster rolling and more versatile riding over different terrains. Kick off with the wheel shape, their first launch on Kickstarter was the three-dimensional sine wave wheels. They were described as the world’s first square model.

In fact, they are exactly a hybrid shape between a cube and a sphere with a contact patch that doesn’t work based on the regular physics’ laws. Turns out, this is claimed to deliver many advantages:

• Grippier to slide with better control
• Roll faster
• Enable to ride on different terrains
• Deliver more traction in gravel and rain

Sound too good to be true, right? But are they such that perfection in reality?

Shark Wheel Review: My Testing Results

Up to now, Shark Wheel has released 4 lines:

• Sidewinder
• Ghost
• Mako
• Skateboard

with diverse colorways. Thank GOD, they aren’t too many to take my entire life going over all of them. After just 2 weeks of testing, here is the general result:

Speed

One small highlight I’d noticed after a couple of runs was its slightly better speeds. In comparison to the Rayne Wheels, these ones were a little bit greater.

Actually, there is one rider on Silverfish forums who even conducted a speed test between them and I think this report is the most persuasive resource for you to consult:

My guess is the less surface area of the Shark Wheels against the street help to reduce friction on them significantly.

Riding in the water

Other than that, what really made me excited was its performance in the rain. Due to the claim from Shark Wheel, the wheel’s grooves play the most important role. They help avoid fraction and funnel out the water from underneath the wheels.

And, during my test, they did! Their wheels improved hydroplaning on wet conditions efficiently. However, for better performance, my sincere recommendation is to equip them with ceramic bearings.

Downhill riding

There are mixed reviews about the downhill riding performance of Shark Wheels. Some give compliments whilst the others criticize it.

Hence, there’s no better way than just testing it myself.

Truth to say, its weird shape initially made me skeptical a little bit but, in the end, found out it was just an unfounded fear. At higher speed, I still enabled to keep balance and control the board with ease.

However, in comparison to the more pronounced sharp lips on those regular wheels like “Kegels”, it’s obviously a bit inferior. For better performance, I think Shark Wheel should size up their wheel’s diameter as well as contact patches.

Bonus:

When cruising around my neighborhood, these buddies felt nice underneath me with no flat spot issues.

I also tried to slide on them. Differed from my initial expectation, they didn’t lose traction at all. Conversely, they would break fraction with ease if letting your momentum carry you through.

However, one unexpected issue that happened was the easy wearing down of their grooves. From that point, I will conclude that these wheels slide well, but you need to prepare for how fast they would wear down.

What I like

Grooves: This is a multi-functional detail that not only breaks fractions easily but also helps aid skating in the rain.

The hype: Shark Wheels come in a unique shape which makes them really outstanding. During the first day of my test, I counted more than 10 people either staring or glancing at these wheels. No doubt, they are a good attention getter to make your longboard distinctive.

Extra traction: Compared to other regular wheels, its decent performance in wet roads really impresses me.

Performance: From cruising, carving to sliding, these wheels are as good as what is advertised or claimed by the company. So, I already lay my trust in them now.

The bad

Not durable grooves: As stated above, this extra detail performs phenomenally but in terms of durability, it’s a no-no.

Not excellent downhill performance: You still enable to ride these down a hill, though. In comparison to regular wheels, they really showed no superiority.

FAQs

What are the strengths of Shark Wheels?

From my personal test, there are 4 major advantages of Shark Wheels:

• Roll faster
• Give better traction
• Grippier and slide with more control
• Ride perfectly in wet conditions

How can “squared” wheels roll?

I think this is the most common question out of a bunch of many riders when they look at the wheel shape. Well, in reality, they aren’t that square with edges. Shark Wheels are round perfectly just like other regular counterparts. It’s just the camera issue for optical illusion!

If taking a look from upside down, you will realize more easily their round shape. That square-like look is from the wavy edge of the wheel wall.

Who Should Pick Them?

Above all else, I think the Shark Wheels are a good choice for those who are:

•         Looking for a perfect compromise between performance and outstanding design
•         Living in rainy seasons
•         In need of struggling themselves on rougher terrains

My final thought

Maybe I’m a little bit prissy but I find the Shark Wheels are not really revolutionary enough. When coming down to it, they just deliver minor advantages, like a little bit faster speed, ride through a bit more debris, or work slightly better in the wet conditions than the regular designs. The most impressive aspect is their outlook.

However, can’t deny their improvement at all. Priced not overly expensive and plus, good customer service, they are still worth a try. I personally will give these 7 out of 10.