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The 5 Best Wheels For Longboard of 2023

Alina C. Fisher
  Jun 4, 2023 4:22 AM

What are the best longboard wheels for you? cannot be answered in a single way. The best longboard wheels won't be the same for sliding and cruising. The best wheels for you will depend on what you intend to do with your longboard.

In BestForHomes (bestforhomes.org)'s article on how to choose longboard wheels, you can learn more about making the best wheels for longboard. If you're looking for the best longboard wheels for speed, the best longboard wheels for rough roads, or anything in between, check out our excellent recommendations below.


Reviews

Orangatang Kegel 80 mm Downhill Longboard Wheels

The greatest downhill longboard wheels are first on the list. These are the outstanding Orangatang Kegal 80mm downhill wheels! These wheels are fantastic for traveling at really high speeds.

Everything about them is built for maximum grip to keep you stable and secure even when traveling down steep hills at top speeds.

These wheels have the largest diameter of all of our top picks at 80mm. They can more readily glide past obstacles and small detritus thanks to their huge size. Even at faster speeds, it enables you to maintain greater control.

These wheels from Orangatang are among the most grippy currently available while still remaining buttery smooth in slides thanks to the usage of their original urethane recipe.

A centerset core is ideal for maintaining a smooth ride and equally distributed grip. Also, it safeguards the edges of the wheels for increased durability.

A fully exposed core not only gives your board a fashionable flair, but it also helps the wheels carry less weight. Sharp squared lips are used to further improve the wheels' traction.

For the majority of riders, a durometer of 80a provides the best grip, durability, and wheel give. This 80A pair of wheels has an eye-catching lime green exposed core and a bright orange outside.

If you like slightly harder or slightly softer wheels, you can choose this set in purple (durometer: 83a) or light blue (durometer: 77a).

They also have the largest contact patch of all of our top recommendations, measuring a whopping 56mm. Once more, this characteristic has a direct effect on the extreme grip of these wheels.

These wheels are among the greatest downhill longboard wheels available, so it should come as no surprise that they are also our most costly pick. They contain almost every function you could possibly want in a wheel.

Even yet, if you're wanting to consistently reach such high speeds, the value of these wheels is quite difficult to match when all things are equal.


Fireball Beast 76mm Longboard Skateboard Wheels

Next are these fantastic Fireball longboard wheels, which are unquestionably more reasonably priced. Although they aren't the most affordable option, you will save a lot of money when compared to Orangatang's first choice!

They cost less than $50 and offer a ton of incredible features that significantly increase the value of your purchase.

These wheels, which have a diameter of 76mm and are slightly smaller than the Orangatang Kegal wheels, are nonetheless rather substantial and offer many of the same advantages.

They allow you to accelerate quickly and easily glide over small cracks and bumps. Though not nearly as much as the Orangatang Kegels above, they have a lot of grip. Yet, they make up for it with their adaptability.

They get an amazing grip and aren't significantly impacted by the tiny particles and bumps we just discussed because to the sharp, beveled lips.

The beveled design also contributes to a ride that is significantly smoother overall by minimizing vibrations from such things. One of the main features that really distinguishes these from the Orangatang Kegels is the sideset cores.

You may break off the ground much more easily when the core is sideset, which can offer you greater control and make it much simpler to perform tricks and deeper slides and turns.

With 87a on the durometer, they are also harder than Kegels. This has the advantage of enhancing your potential speed and is one of the toughest durometers you'll find in longboard wheels.

Yet, it also lessens overall grip, which has advantages and disadvantages. It's excellent for providing you more control and variety, but if you utilize the wheels in ways that call for that higher amount of grip, it can impair stability and safety.

Stone grinding the contact patch is one strategy employed by Fireball to counteract the loss of grip. This gives it a rougher feel, improves grip, and allows the wheels to slide across the road easily from the first ride you take them on.

They also have a somewhat smaller contact patch, measuring 49mm. They have a beautiful appearance that blends well with most styles thanks to their basic black colour and Fireball's distinctive flames.


Orangatang Stimulus 70 mm Freeride Longboard Wheels

Another fantastic pair of wheels from Orangatang are shown here. However these differ significantly from Kegal wheels. When compared to the Kegels' 80mm diameter, they are a good deal smaller at 70mm.

In comparison to the Kegal's 56mm contact patch, they also have a significantly smaller 42mm contact patch.

With a smaller size, these wheels are great for freeriding. Rounded lips provide you more control while releasing your hold on the road and make it easier to perform different freestyle feats, such as dancing.

You get a good blend of stability and control from the offset core. They have the same stone-ground contact patch as the Fireball wheels, giving you an incredibly smooth slide right away.

These wheels have the same soft and smooth feel as the Kegels because they are made of the original Orangatang urethane. These wheels have the same 80a durometer as Kegels, but they also feature additional options.

The 80a Stimulus wheels are bright orange, but the set is also available in light blue, purple, and 86a durometers (yellow).

Just choosing the finest choice for your unique preferences and riding style is now possible. These longboard wheels are undoubtedly the greatest for freestyle and freeriding, even though they aren't the ideal for speed or climbing steep slopes.

These cost slightly more than Fireballs, but not as much as Orangatang Kegels.


FREEDARE 70mm Longboard Wheels

Here is yet another set of longboard wheels that is quite adaptable. They are great because they offer characteristics that both help you maintain your grip at greater speeds and perform effectively, as well as features that make it easier for you to lose your hold when you need more control in freeriding and freestyle.

The best thing is that these are ideal for anyone seeking for longboard wheels on a budget. These cost less than half as much as even our second-cheapest selection.

So, they ought to be reasonably priced for practically everyone. Even though they are inexpensive, the longboard wheels are nonetheless of excellent quality. These wheels have a very typical diameter of 70mm and a contact patch that is 51mm wide.

This really has the second-largest contact patch of any of our suggestions, trailing only the Orangatang Kegels, whose contact patch is 56mm.

This greatly improves your stability and makes it easier for the wheels to easily move over pebbles and cracks. They have a centerset core similar to the Orangatang Kegels, which improves grip and speeds up movement.

But unlike Kegels, the lips are circular. When you actually want to break touch with the ground, this aids to offer versatility and gives you the capacity to do so with ease.

The 83a durometer for longboard wheels is a decent middle-of-the-road durometer that will match the riding style of many riders rather well. These wheels already have pre-installed ACEC-7 high steel bearings and spacers, adding even more value to your purchase.

Naturally, this also contributes to increased convenience. You can also select your favorite color from the range of black, blue, green, red, and yellow.


Blood Orange Morgan Pro Series Freeride Longboard Wheels

Last but not least, we have these superb wheels made by Blood Orange. Your perfect longboard wheels for freestyle or freeride riding are without a doubt these ones.

These have a smaller diameter of 60mm, yet if you want, you can order them to be 70mm in diameter. Additionally, the contact patch is much smaller, coming in at 31mm, 32mm, or 33mm.

These are useful elements that give you a lot of control for creative longboard feats and activities like dancing. This is further enhanced by the offset core, which makes it simple and quick to release the grip when necessary.

The rounded lips are particularly advantageous to your riding. You can select the ideal alternative for your more particular requirements from 80a, 82a, or 84a durometers. These are very high-quality, reasonably priced freeride longboard wheels that are extremely valuable.

Depending on which durometer option you desire, you will have the option to select from coral wheels with a blue core, white wheels with a red core, seafoam wheels with a green core, lavender wheels with a red core, and white wheels with a green core.

These tiny wheels are very fashionable and ideal for freestyle stunts. Please be careful not to try using these wheels for extremely fast speeds or up steep hills as that is clearly not what this set is intended for.


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Last update on 2023-06-04 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API


What to look for in a wheel for longboard?

Diameter

The diameter is one of the first features you will notice when looking at any pair of wheels. For longboard wheels, this is measured in millimeters and typically ranges from 60mm to 80mm.

When you take into account how the wheels are mounted on the board, their height is determined by their diameter. There are a few factors to take into account when determining the ideal wheel height or diameter for your longboard.

The wheels must first physically fit on your board. Several longboards have sizable cut-outs that make it simple to fit even bigger wheels.

You shouldn't have to worry too much about whether the wheels you choose will fit or not if your board has these cut-outs.

You will need to exercise more consideration if your board does not contain the cut-outs, though. If you want the larger wheels to fit on your board, either you need choose smaller wheels or you should buy and install a riser pad. The diameter or size of your wheels has an impact on more than just how they fit.

The diameter has a direct bearing on the acceleration and top speed of your wheels. The acceleration will be slower the bigger the wheel is.

Although a smaller wheel will be able to accelerate more quickly, it will have a lower top speed than a larger wheel. As you look at the many diameter options accessible to you, these are all crucial factors to take into account.

Durometer

A set of wheels' durometer measures how hard they are. This may significantly affect how the wheels ride.

A particular gauge known as a Shore A gauge is used to test the durometer, or hardness, of longboard wheels. The Shore A hardness rating on each pair of wheels indicates how soft or hard the wheels are.

The typical hardness range for longboard wheels is between 70a and 90a. Compared to ordinary skateboard wheels, these are softer.

The grip is one of the main characteristics the durometer takes into account when determining the hardness of a wheel. Overall grip will increase with softer wheels (wheels with a lower Shore A measurement). Moreover, they roll over trash and cracks more easily.

They do, however, typically have slower top speeds. The softest longboard wheels won't work for you if you wish to move forward more quickly. But, when it comes to moving quickly, softer wheels can offer some advantages.

These work well for slightly slowing you down when you slide, and they sort of smear across the road when you skid.

Even though it slightly slows down your speed, this gives you a lot more control. Nonetheless, this will depend on your own inclination as tougher wheels allow you to slide around the road without losing much speed. It will be best for you if you choose whatever makes you more comfortable.

Widest Contact Patch

The contact patch width is a measurement similar to diameter for your longboard wheels. The contact patch, as its name implies, is the area of the wheel that actually makes touch with the ground. With various wheels, this can easily range between 30mm and 60mm.

For a number of reasons, the contact patch's width is crucial. The grip will firstly be impacted by another aspect of your longboard wheels. A larger contact patch will provide better grip, whilst a smaller one will provide less grip.

In addition to slowing you down more, a broader contact patch gives you more control throughout a slide. But, the wider contact patch makes it more difficult to start the slide.

With bigger wheels, transitioning from completely gripped to slipping is more challenging. Generally, bigger wheels are ideal for moving quickly downhill while narrower wheels are best for freeride.

Texture on contact patches (Stone Grinding)

A brand-new wheel has an incredibly smooth and lustrous skin when it first emerges from its mold. This skin has a lot of traction, thus it could initially be difficult to slide.

It normally takes some riding and several slides before a wheel is worn enough for easier and smoother sliding. However, some manufacturers sell wheels that are already stone-ground when they are first packaged.

This merely means that the wheel's contact patch's smooth, shining skin is being worn down for you by the manufacturer using a stone grinding procedure.

Even on the first ride you take with them, it makes the wheels roll smoothly. Anyone who wants to freeride or who is learning to slide will find this function to be extremely beneficial.

Basic Setup

The portion of the wheel that actually attaches to and connects to your board is called the core of the wheel. The performance of the wheel depends on how the core is configured, which can be done in a few different ways.

That is unquestionably a crucial element to take into account while looking for longboard wheels. The three different categories of core settings are briefly described below:

Centerset

A centerset core is exactly what it sounds like. Each side is the same width and it is positioned in the exact center of the wheel.

Due to the wheel's bigger inner lip, it gives you the most grip in comparison to the other options. Centerset wheels make starting a slide slightly more difficult. The ability to flip them over when they begin to look too worn is a fantastic feature that offers long-lasting durability.

Sideset

Sideset is the opposite of centerset. This describes the situation where the core is exactly where the wheel's interior lip is. Because the inside lip of the wheel is so thin, you have significantly less grip.

The wheels also wear out much more quickly and need to be replaced earlier as a result. The ability to easily enter a slide is the nicest thing about sideset wheels. The slip is, however, generally more difficult to manage.

Offset

Last but not least, offset wheels provide certain advantages of both sideset and centerset wheels. While not completely up against the inner lip like sideset, the cores of these wheels are off-center within the wheel.

They strike an excellent balance between everything with respect to grip, control, and ease of entering and exiting slides.

Lip Design

The grip and riding characteristics of the wheel are significantly influenced by the lip style, or shape, of the wheel. The shape of the wheel's edges or lips affects how simple or challenging it is to release your hold.

The wheels are kept firmly in place against the road by the grip that sharp or square lips offer.

Since the grip is crucial for traveling at such extremely high speeds, these are useful. Rounded lips are great for facilitating a loss of traction or grip.

You'll probably want the rounded lips for freeride and freestyle longboarding. Overall, it gives you more control over your board.

Uncovered Core

The urethane of the wheel often encloses the majority of the core. But, occasionally a manufacturer will create a wheel with a completely exposed core.

This has potential to be fantastic because it gives the wheels a stylish new look. Yet, the main advantage here is that it makes the wheel lighter.

Design and Color

Finally, although while the appearance of your wheels will never be more significant than the crucial performance requirements, it can nonetheless influence your choice between similar possibilities.

While some wheels are only offered in a single color, others exist throughout the entire color spectrum.

Frequently, a particular wheel will be offered in various colors that actually indicate the durometer. A wheel with a durometer of 83a, for instance, might be orange, while a wheel with a durometer of 80a might be purple.

Remember, you should pay attention to the performance characteristics of your wheels first, but it's okay to want to look good while you're riding!


FAQs

Larger longboard wheels—are they better?

Many people appear to think that larger longboard wheels are automatically superior. But in reality, this isn't the case.

Larger wheels might be preferable in some situations, such as when traveling at a very high top speed or when navigating tougher terrain, but they are not always the greatest option for longboard riders.

Smaller wheels have their own advantages, including quicker acceleration, the ability to fit more boards without modifying, and easier tricks. What you intend to accomplish with your longboard will determine the optimal size wheels for it.

Can a skateboard have longboard wheels on it?

Yes, you can technically add some longboard wheels to a skateboard. For some boards, the tiniest longboard wheels will fit, but you will typically need to make some adjustments to make it work.

Use of a riser pad is frequently part of this. If you just want to, this can be worthwhile in some special circumstances. However, it is usually better to stick to using skateboard wheels on skateboards and longboard wheels on longboards.


Final Decision

In the end, BestForHomes (bestforhomes.org) appreciate that you picked our website among dozens of others to read reviews of the best wheels for longboard. Hopefully, this article has assisted you in selecting the most suitable product.


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