Skateboard Wheel Hardness

Softer wheels have more bounce and your skateboard will be all over the place when you try to land a trick.

Skateboard wheel hardness. Durometer measures the skateboard wheels hardness which can in turn specify if that particular wheel is better suited for skateboards or longboards. For example a small wheel will give you more control over the way you ride but it will also slow you down. Since then skateboard wheels have been made of the plastic polyurethane.

Read more about wheel size and durometer to find the right wheels matching your needs. Most wheels are made of polyurethane. Nevertheless it wears fast and is extremely slow.

Most street skaters prefer a harder wheel around 99a or 100a durometer rating while park and ramp riders generally like medium-hardness skateboard wheels ranging from 96a to 99a. Most manufacturers use the Durometer A Scale which is a 100-point scale that quantifies how hard the wheel is. I explain the science behind the way that urethane skateboard and inline wheel.

Larger diameters will cause your wheels to get stuck when you grind. Urethane can be tested for its hardness and different ratings can be applied. When choosing a wheel the hardness or durometer is also of great importance.

Most manufacturers use the Durometer A Scale which is a 100-point scale that quantifies how hard a wheel is. The higher the number the harder the wheel although the average wheel durometer is 99a. Such durometer establishes how hard the wheel is and therefore how it behaves on the ground respecting gripping and sliding having great influence on the control of the board and purpose.

Any wheel in the 78a to 90a range is considered a soft wheel 90a to 98a is in the middle 99a is referred to as a hard wheel. The Hardnesses between the US and Europe do not exactly line up. You could say that hard wheels are in between Durometer 96A arguably and 104A 84B.