Shopping Guide for inline skate wheels

Inline skate wheels are probably one of the most important parts of the skate.

Having quality wheels that are in good shape can completely change the skating experience. It is therefore very important to invest in good brand wheels for your inline skates in order to fully enjoy your skating sessions.

Inline skate wheels – technical features

All quality inline skates wheels are made of polyurethane, a type of durable rubber that wears very slowly and provides good road grip and control.

The wheels of inline skates are classified by three factors: diameter, hardness, and profile:

Diameter:

The diameter of inline skates wheels is measured in millimetres (mm) and can vary from 44mm to 125mm. With a bigger wheel diameter you can skate faster and a rougher street surface will be less noticeable. Turning and accelerating will be more difficult, however, as your centre of gravity is higher with bigger wheels.

Hardness:

The hardness of a wheel is marked with a number followed by the letter” A”. With a greater hardness the wheel slides better, lasts longer, but feels more uncomfortable when skating on rougher surfaces. The typical hardnesses start at 74A (very soft) and end at 90A (very hard).

Rebound:

The rebound of a wheel is the capacity of its rubber to absorb impact. You can have two wheels with the same hardness but with different rebounds. With a higher rebound the wheels will be more comfortable to skate with and have better road grip. Unfortunately the rebound factor is usually not given and you learn about it more through experience than through the information the manufacturer gives. Some wheels, however, carry the abbreviation HR (high rebound) or SHR (super high rebound) which can give you a clue regarding the wheel’s performance.

Perfil:

Depending on the model, the wheel’s profile will be flatter or rounder. A flatter profile gives stability in jumps. With a rounder or elliptical profile, however, the wheel slides better and you can skate faster.

Which inline skate wheels should you buy?

The first thing you should keep in mind when buying wheels for your inline skates is the maximum diameter that fits in your skates. This information is very often written on the frame. If not, you can check with the manufacturer’s specifications, and if you are still unsure, we will be happy to help you.

Hardness and profile are more of a personal choice. Below you can find which type of wheels are usually used for which type of skating:

Wheels for freeskates:

Inline freeskates with 4 wheels typically use 72mm to 90mm wheels, with a medium hardness from 84A to 88A. The profile is usually rounded or elliptical. The wheel diameter of freeskates with 3 wheels varies between 90mm and 125mm, with a medium hardness from 84A to 88A and an elliptical profile.

>> see all wheels for freeskates

Wheels for fitness skates:

Fitness skates can have wheels from 72mm to 125mm depending on the range and usage. The hardness of the wheels can vary between 78A and 85A. An elliptical profile is most common for faster skating.

>> see all wheels for fitness skates

Wheels for kids’ skates:

Wheels for kids’ skates are similar to wheels for adult skates. Therefore the same instruction as for adult skates are valid. You should, however, keep in mind that some kids’ skates wheel sizes, such as 64mm, 68m or 70mm, are difficult to get. It is therefore better to buy kids’ skates with a more standard wheel diameter, like 72mm or 76mm.

>> see all wheels for kids’ skates

Wheels for hockey skates:

Hockey skates need softer wheels, from a 74A hardness to a 78A hardness. When used outdoors the hardness can be as high as 84A. The diameter usually varies between 72mm and 80mm. These wheels typically have a rounded profile.

>> see all wheels for hockey skates

Wheels for speed skates:

Nowadays 4 wheels of 110mm or 3 wheels of 125mm are used for speed skating. 4 wheels are mainly used for races on tracks and rinks, and the 125mm ones are used for marathons. Usually hard wheels with an elliptical profile are used but, depending on the model, there can be slight differences. For speed skating, dual density wheels, which will be explained further down, are very important.

>> see all wheels for speed skates

Wheels for aggressive skates:

For aggressive skating hard wheels with small diameters are needed to be closer to the ground, to be more stable, and to have enough space between each wheel for tricks on curbs and rails. There are many different wheels and compositions possible depending on the skates and the skater’s preferences. Even wheels with different diameters can be used. It is therefore important to consult with us to get a better understanding of which wheels would be best for your aggressive skating tricks.

>> see all wheels for aggressive skates

Luminous wheels or wheels with lights:

Although these wheels are not meant for any specific skating style, they still deserve to be mentioned here. They are mainly designed for urban skating and they light up when skating so that they can be seen by everybody around.

There are two main types: those with a dynamo and those without. The ones with a dynamo light up in a colour when turning and may perform slightly worse than conventional wheels. The lighted wheels without dynamo have an exterior electric part which allows them to show all kinds of letters and designs. They roll better than those with dynamo, but are heavier.

Examples of luminous wheels with dynamo:

Examples of wheels with lights without dynamo:

>> see all wheels with lights for skates

Other important details to keep in mind when buying inline skate wheels

There are other important factors to keep in mind when buying inline skate wheels

Dual density:

The majority of high quality wheels for speed skating are of dual density. They have a softer polyurethane core which is covered by the rubber of the wheel. This gives the wheels a good grip and rebound but at the same time sufficient stiffness to not deform.
In the following video we explain this in depth:

Core:

The part of the wheel that is not made of rubber is called the core. Most cores are made of plastic, but there are wheels with aluminum and even carbon cores. The core’s function is to provide stiffness to the wheels and to lodge the bearings. A spoked core is, in principle, lighter and cools the bearings better, but it is also more fragile. Therefore, in the majority of speed skating wheels spoked cores are used and in the majority of aggressive skating wheels they are not used. On the other hand, having a bigger core with less rubber means that the wheel is stiffer with less rebound and therefore more uncomfortable.

Bearings types:

For inline skates, type 608 bearings, which indicate certain dimensions, are usually used. Type 688 or micro bearings are rarely used. These bearings are smaller and narrower than the 608 bearings. Normally, wheels for inline skates are made for 608 bearings, but there are also a few models designed for 688 bearings. There are also adaptors available so that 688 bearings can be used in wheels designed to lodge 608 bearings.

Spacers:

The spacers are placed between the bearings and are responsible for maintaining them well aligned. It is very important that the spacers have the correct size to keep the bearings in place. If the spacers are too wide or too narrow, even if it is only one millimetre, it could affect the correct functioning of the wheel. It can happen that your spacers do not work with some wheel models when the manufacturing tolerance is not correct. In these cases, it is very convenient to have a precision spacer which expands by a tenth of a millimetre at a time. This is clearly, above all, very important for speed skating.

Many spacers, on the other hand, come with an outer disc which allows for wheel screws to be inserted faster. With some aggressive skating wheels, this disc can bump into the wheel’s interior. In these cases it is more convenient to use cylindric spacers without discs.

Manufacturing date:

Inline skate wheels have, as many other plastic products, a determined shelf life.

Too much sunlight or sudden temperature changes can affect the wheel’s properties. Another curious piece of information is, although we do not know how much truth there is to this, that many people believe newly made wheels do not perform as well as wheels that were made a few months earlier. This is why many skaters do not immediately use newly bought wheels, but store them before using them in a few months time.

Best brands of inline skate wheels:

Buying brand inline skate wheels is without doubt a guarantee to get the best performing wheels for skates. Often you can come across cheap wheels that neither slide well, nor have a good grip or last long at all. Although brand inline skate wheels are more expensive than cheaper models, they are worth the money because of their performance and your own pleasure in using a good product. These are the main wheel brands that we recommend:

Hyper wheels:

One of the oldest brands for inline skate wheels is still one of the best in some categories. One needs to highlight especially their model “Concrete” for freeskates. For other types of skating their wheels are not as good as others.

Matter wheels:

For some years now Matter wheels are the first choice for speed skating. Various world championships have been won with them. They carry various models for all types of races. Previously they also produced freeskate wheels but they stopped the production.

Undercover wheels:

A well known brand for aggressive skating. They have evolved and produce now also wheels for freeskates and urban skating. Quality and durability are their identifying marks.

Hydrogen wheels:

Hydrogen is a relatively new brand, but with the Rollerblade guarantee. The have wheels for freeskates or urban skating and for speed skating. Their wheels are of excellent quality and are used by top skaters.

MPC wheels:

MPC is another leading brand for speed skating and they are the main competitor of Matter. They also make some models made with aluminum core under the brand name Bont. They also have some models for freeskates, which, although a little expensive, are the best one can find.

Powersilde wheels:

Powerslide produces all kinds of skates and accessories for inline skates. They have all kinds of wheels and although these do not reach the quality of other brands mentioned here, they have a very good quality to price ratio.

FR Skates wheels:

FR Skates is a well-known brand for freeskates and urban skates. They have various good quality models at a fair price.

Famus wheels:

This is a brand for aggressive skate wheels. It stands out for producing wheels with aluminum core fore aggressive skates.

Flying Eagle wheels:

Fying Eagle do not have high end wheels but their wheels with lights are interestingly ahead of all others.

Luminous Wheels:

This brand produces exclusively luminous wheels which behave very similarly to regular wheels.

Prime wheels:

This brand, which specializes in wheels for inline hockey skates, belongs to the Powerslide group. It is one of the few brands that make hockey wheels with big diameters. Their wheels have very good quality and durability.

Maintenance of inline skate wheels

Inline skate wheels deteriorate over time with use. Depending on what type of skating you do, your technique, weight, etc, the wheels deteriorate slower or faster. To prolong your wheels’ life it is highly recommended to regularly rotate the wheels as shown below:

Recommended accessories to use with the wheels of your inline skates

To get the most out of your wheels and to take best care of them we have a various accessories to make your life easier.

Allen keys for skates:

Although this is not an accessory or a tool exclusively for your wheels it is directly related. With a good Allen key you can remove the screws from the frame without wearing them out and therefore you can avoid having to bring them into the shop. Many keys come with an incorporated tool to remove bearings which is always a big help.

Bearings removal tool:

The tool to remove bearings can come as an extension on your Allen key or as a separate tool. Its job is to easily remove and insert the bearings of your wheels without damaging the core.

Wheel bags:

Depending on the type of skating you practise, it is very normal to have more than one set of wheels and to change them. To keep the wheels organized and the inside of your backpack clean, it is highly recommended to have a separate wheel bag. They exist in different designs and sizes, depending on the wheel diameter and on how many wheels there are per pack.