What is the best size skateboard wheel for me to buy?
The answer to that question is whatever size wheel works best for your skateboarding. Now that answer might seem a little wishy washy but don’t worry, we are going to cover everything you need to know right here to help you choose the best size skateboard wheel.
When it comes to wheels for street and skatepark riding, if you are new to skateboarding they all kind of look the same. They are all generally white, between 50 & 60mm and have a graphic printed on them. If you don’t want to read any further, simply grab a set of wheel between 52mmm & 54mm from a reputable brand and it will serve you pretty well on the street or park.
Want to know a bit more about choosing the best size skateboard wheel?
As mentioned, most street and park wheels are between 50mm & 60mm. As a general rule you want a smaller wheel if you are going to be doing more technical street style tricks on a smoother surface. For going faster choose a bigger size. A bigger wheel will also provide a more forgiving ride on rougher surfaces like asphalt and weathered skateparks.
So back to the 52 & 54mm wheels we mentioned as a go to, if you are mostly skating a brand new smooth skatepark and would like to get into ollies, flips and ledge tricks, run the 52mm. If your local park is a little older and you are skating rougher streets and car-parks and want a little more speed, grab the 54mm wheels. If you are just starting out, you will get used to whatever you buy very quickly. As you progress with your skateboarding, even though it does not seem like much now, you will be able to feel the difference between a 52 & 54mm wheel.
It’s fun to experiment with different sized wheels and set ups to keep things interesting and make you a better skateboarder.
More technical stuff about choosing the best size skateboard wheel.
If you were to roll a 50mm and a 60mm wheel one full revolution, the distance covered by the 60mm (188.4956mm) wheel would be much greater than the 50mm wheel (157.0796mm).
This means a bigger skateboard wheel is faster and will cover more ground, once you get going. A smaller wheel however will accelerate quicker, so if you ‘push push push’ towards a ledge for a trick it is better, but won’t retain as much speed as a bigger wheel once rolling.
Baby got back! Do you like a lighter set up or do you not mind a little weight?
As your skateboarding develops you may find you have a preference for a lighter or heavier set up. Some skaters feel a lighter set up is easier to get off the ground, while others like a bit of weight to throw around under their feet. If you like a lighter set up a smaller (or skinnier) wheel is going to be lighter than a larger diameter (or wider) skateboard wheel.
Size by size – A skateboard wheel guide
Tiny 48mm – 50mm wheels
This size wheel is pretty hard to find these days. Wheels under 50mm were popular in the early 1990s and there were even wheels as small as 36mm available. 50mm wheels were popular right through to the early 2000’s but their popularity dropped off when skaters started using wider decks. Fast forward to today and most wheel companies begin sizing at 50 or 52mm.
Wheels this small do not handle rough ground very well, jam on small tree nuts and pebbles as well as cracks in the ground. They also tend to flatspot very easily. No risers? No worries, the chance of getting wheel bite (when your wheel bites into your deck and throws you off) is next to nothing with these tiny ‘bearing covers’.
Small 51mm – 52mm wheels
This is a great size for starting out, particularly for younger skaters. Wheels of this size are suitable for any type of street and transition skateboarding. They won’t pick up too much speed when learning to ride down hills. Small wheels accelerate quickly when you push and have a low center of gravity. This means your deck will be closer to the ground making it easier to hit the nose or tail for learning and performing tricks like ollies, nollies shove its and flip tricks. You will also have less chance of landing Primo when using smaller wheels.
Medium 52 – 54mm wheels
This is another great size for starting out, maybe the best. 54mm is probably the best all rounder if you are looking at skating a big variety of terrain. This size seems to provide most skateboarders with the perfect blend of speed and acceleration. This really is the Goldilocks zone of wheel size choice. Perfect for most skaters starting out and also the most popular choice for seasoned skateboards. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy, not too light. Just right!
Medium Large 55 – 57mm wheels
If you are confidant on your board and want a little more speed this is the size for you. This size is also a good go-to if your local park is older, rough and weathered as it will absorb the bumps and cracks a little more. Once you get to this sized wheel there are a few things to consider. How you set up your board will determine what you need.
If you are using a low profile truck or ride your trucks fairly loose (and you should, Loose trucks save lives) you may want to consider using a small 1/8 to 1/4″ riser pad. What happens when you increase the size of your wheel? The distance between your wheel and the deck decreases. This means more chance of wheel bite and getting pitched off your board. A riser pad will increase the distance between your wheel and deck. It will mean you can take on a tight carve or really hook into a turn with confidence and without injury.
Large Wheels 58 – 62mm wheels
Bust out the big guns. These wheels are the biggest in the standard street and park wheel range. Generally used by very well seasoned skateboarders and the preferred size for many bowl and vert ramp skaters. Some street skaters do like this size too, but they are the few not the many. This size will give you maximum speed in bowls, vert ramps and larger transitioned skateparks.
The bigger diameter also handles protruding pool coping much more comfortably than a smaller wheel. It is a heavier wheel and increases you center of gravity noticeably. There are no hard or fast rules in skateboarding, but we would suggest you build up to this size wheel over time. Start out by using smaller diameter wheels first. One advantage of wheels this big is they are made using more material. This will give you a longer lasting wheel, more miles for your bucks!
Extra large Wheels 63mm +
In your street and park harder durometer wheels, you can get larger wheels. In the 1980’s wheels 63mm to 67mm were quite popular, but were generally ridden on 10″ or wider decks. A wider deck and truck will provide more stability riding with wheels this size. They are not common but available and considered a specialty wheel these days. Skateboarders riding ‘Mega Ramps‘ will use harder wheels as large as 70mm, not for the faint of heart.
When it comes to longboards and cruisers larger wheels are very common. They are generally a very soft durometer compound. A large soft wheel is perfect for going very fast on rougher ground like asphalt. They are great for broom swept concrete you find in ditches and drains and black top roads. But that’s a whole different ball game, for basic street and park wheels stick with what we talked about above.
If you are interested in finding out more about the hardness or durometer of skateboard wheels click here and here.
So there you have it, a comprehensive guise on how to pick the best size skateboard wheel. Do you want more information or need a us to help set up a perfect skateboard for you or someone you are buying it for? Drop into the store, give us a buzz or flick us an email. The staff at Basement Skate are one of the most knowledgeable teams in Australia when it comes to selecting skateboard wheels. We’re here for you 24-7.
