Skateboard wheels are the breakthrough that saved skateboarding, the polyurethane revolution of 1973 turned a dying fad into the culture we live in, and wheel technology has been compounding that advantage ever since. Shop skateboard wheels at The Vines from Spitfire, Bones, Sabbath, OJ, Powell Peralta and more.
Skateboard Wheels History
The first "skateboards" of the early 1900s were roller skate wheels nailed to planks, steel wheels, bone-jarring rides, almost no traction. Clay wheels in the 1960s barely improved things, and by January 1966 skateboarding had been declared dead. Then in 1973, Frank "Captain Cadillac" Nasworthy noticed urethane performing better on roller skates and created Cadillac Wheels, the first polyurethane skateboard wheels, instantly delivering the grip and smooth roll that unlocked modern skateboarding.
Innovation snowballed: Santa Cruz's Road Rider wheels brought precision bearings in 1974, ending the loose-ball-bearing nightmare; George Powell's double radial designs shaped modern profiles; the 80s vert boom ran 58–65mm; and the 90s "big pants, small wheels" street era shrank them to a barely-believable 37–40mm. Today's compounds, Spitfire's Formula Four, Bones' STF, resist flatspots and hold speed in ways Nasworthy could only dream of.
Wheel Size & Durometer Explained
Size: 50–54mm suits technical street, quick acceleration, easy flips; 54–58mm is the park and transition zone — more roll speed and grip; 58mm+ is cruising territory. Bigger rolls faster over rough ground but feels heavier on flip tricks. Durometer (hardness) is measured on the A scale, a 100-point scale where skate wheels sit between roughly 78a and 101a: 78a–87a is soft, grippy, smooth, made for cruising and rough tarmac; 88a–95a is the all-rounder middle; 96a–101a+ is hard, fast, slidey and responsive for street and park. Because the A scale gets imprecise at the top, brands like Bones use a separate B scale for their hardest wheels, an 83b equals roughly 103a and an 84b equals 104a, harder and faster than anything on the A scale.
Shape finishes the picture: classic profiles balance everything, conical cuts widen the contact patch for stability and lock-in, radial edges smooth out transitions, and slimmer profiles cut weight and friction. The contact patch, the part of the wheel touching the ground — is worth understanding too: basic wheels run an 18–20mm patch for grip and stability, while slim wheels narrow it to 15–17mm to reduce friction for easier slides and lighter technical skating. A 53–54mm wheel at 99a in a classic or conical shape is the safest first pick in skateboarding.
One last construction detail: most modern wheels are core wheels rather than solid standard wheels. A core wheel has a hard plastic centre moulded into the urethane, which cuts weight, holds the bearings dead in place and stops them being pushed into the wheel over time. The benefit is a faster, lighter wheel that keeps its bearing seat true, which is why most performance street wheels use a core.
Wheel Size & Wheelbite
Bigger wheels sit closer to your deck, and on sharp turns or hard landings the deck can touch the wheel which stops you dead and sends you flying, known as wheelbite. Your truck height sets the safe limit: on low trucks without riser pads, keep wheels to around 52mm max; on mid/standard trucks, 52–56mm is comfortable; on high trucks you can run up to 58mm. Want bigger wheels than your trucks allow? Add riser pads to lift the deck and buy back the clearance.
Skateboard Wheel Brands In Stock
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Spitfire Wheels:
The benchmark Formula Four flatspot resistance across Classic, Conical and Radial shapes. Shop Spitfire or read our Spitfire page for the full story.
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Bones Wheels:
STF for street, SPF for parks, precision urethane from the Skate One masters, in V1 to V5 profiles. Shop Bones.
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Sabbath Wheels:
Birmingham's own skate wheel brand. Rob Whiston's UK urethane in ATU, Devils and DHB formulas, stocked here at the home shop. Read our Sabbath page and shop Sabbath.
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Powell Peralta Wheels:
The Dragon Formula, high-rebound urethane that turns rough British tarmac smooth, from one of skateboarding's founding houses. Shop Powell Peralta.
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OJ, Wayward & Crupie:
A rotating selection rounding out the wall, OJ's soft cruisers and Hot Juice, Wayward's lock-in shapes and Crupie's Brazilian tech-wizard urethane.
Skateboard Wheels FAQs
What size skateboard wheels should I buy?
50–54mm for technical street, 54–58mm for park and transition, 58mm+ for cruising. If you're unsure, 53–54mm at 99a covers everything well, just check it suits your truck height to avoid wheelbite.
What durometer do I need?
99a is the do-everything standard. Go softer (78a–87a) for rough ground and cruising comfort, harder (101a+ or Bones' 83b–84b) for maximum slide on smooth spots. UK tarmac being what it is, plenty of skaters here love a 97a sweet spot.
What's the difference between the A scale and B scale?
Both measure hardness, but the A scale loses precision above 100a, so brands like Bones switch to the B scale for their hardest wheels, subtract 20 to compare, so an 83b is about a 103a. It's just a more accurate way to label very hard wheels.
What's the difference between core and standard wheels?
A standard wheel is solid urethane; a core wheel has a hard plastic centre moulded in. The core trims weight, locks the bearings in place and keeps the bearing seat true over time, which is why most performance wheels are cored. Both skate well, but cores tend to feel faster and last truer.
What is wheelbite and how do I stop it?
It's when your deck touches your wheels on a turn or landing and locks them, sketchy at speed. Keep wheel size within your truck height (52mm on lows, up to 58mm on highs) or fit riser pads to lift the deck clear.
Do skateboard wheels come with bearings?
No, wheels and bearings are always sold separately across every brand. Add a set of bearings to the same order and your whole rolling refresh lands together. If you some some wheels with inbuilt bearings, avoid.
How do I avoid flatspots?
Buy better urethane. Spitfire Formula Four and Bones STF were engineered specifically to resist flatspotting through powerslides. Cheap wheels flatspot in an afternoon; premium compounds shrug off months of slides.
How long do skateboard wheels last?
Premium wheels manage 6–12 months of regular skating depending on terrain and how much you slide. To even out wear, rotate them, the easy way is flipping each wheel inside-out, but swapping in an X-pattern (front-right to back-left and so on) is more effective.
Are wheels sold in sets?
Yes, every wheel listing here is a complete set of four matching wheels, which is how wheels should always be bought for even wear and consistent ride. If you're el desperado for just one, come in and see us for a spare. Bring coffee to swap. Safe
Shop skateboard wheels in the UK at The Vines, featuring Spitfire, Bones, Sabbath, Powell Peralta and more. Enjoy fast, free UK premium delivery on orders over £70, with free next-day delivery available for orders placed before 4pm.