Longboard How to Choose a Wheel
Longboard wheels are made of polyurethane. We can accept the middle of the wheel hardness as 78A. Wheels with a higher number than 78A, for example 80A are harder wheels, while lower numbers such as 75A are softer wheels. Another issue to be aware of is the width and contact patches. Width is the width of the wheel, Contact patch is the length where the wheels touch the ground. Wheel diameters are evaluated in millimeters (mm). It is beneficial not to prefer silicone wheels, they are both durable and not as strong as polyurethane. LongboardAs is known, there are 5 Styles; Downhill, Freeride, Dance, Freestyle, Slalom (can be called Carving and Pumping) and Cruser. I will talk about how you should choose your wheels according to the styles.
Downhill
In this style, where we go to high speeds, the wheels generally prefer contact patches. As for the degree of softness, obviously, I saw people using 75A wheels, 86A wheels, so this is up to your personal preference. You throw slides with wheels of any hardness. There is no question of throwing the best slide with the hardest wheel. It is useful to choose quality wheels because when you shoot the slide, poor quality wheels can not only melt but also break. As for the diameter widths, a minimum of 70mm wheels are preferred.
Freeride
Companies that usually produce Longboard wheels for this style specifically sell slide wheels. It is important to note that these wheels, which are generally 70mm 80A, do not melt and break up while shooting.
Dance ve Freestyle
There are so many Longboard athletes who combine dance and Freestyle style. The indispensable part of the wheel selection here is 65mm 78A wheels. Selections up to 80A or even 86A may vary according to personal preference. However, it should not exceed 65mm.
Slalom ( Carving, Pumping)
In this style, if you have a large Longboard, you should definitely get the contact patch wide. If your board's inc is low, the smaller contact patches will be more comfortable for you. It will be good if they have 78A hardness because you will start to feel the ground more at 80A and above.
Cruiser
My advice to you in this style is that if you say you do not want to go as much as possible with a single step from point A to point B and do not want to do as much slalom, you will use the Contact patch wide, average 70mm and 78A wheels. No, it does not matter if I go a long way with one step, I will go with slalom anyway, if you say I need a agile board, then Contact patches are short, you will use an average of 70mm and 78A wheels.
Remember! As the hardness of the wheels increases, you feel the place more. It would not be very correct to choose wheels with your weight because I saw too many athletes who are overweight and use 75A. Generally, those who complain about this situation are the athletes who are looking for materials when they cannot practice abundantly and cannot remove the movements or slide. Turk Longboard CommunityI saw members using wheels in many different brand models. If you want to test these wheels at events, you can join us. You can choose brands such as Orangatang wheels, Sector 9 Nineballs, Abec11 or Hawgs in your choices.
Author: Enfal Altar Ç. @enfalaltarc
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