RIPSTICK / RIPSTIK 2 WHEEL SKATE 76mm WHEELS & ABEC 7's

TECHNICAL INFO

Most standard wheels are made mainly of polyurethane. Some wheels are designed for sliding and use a mix of different durometers, or plastic rings. Wheels are classified on diameter, hardness, rebound, profile and core. Some are even classified by weight. However, most often you will see only the diameter and hardness printed on the wheels (e.g. 76mm 78A or 70mm 82A, etc.). 

DIAMETER

The diameter of the wheel means simply how tall the wheel is. The usual diameters range from 43mm to 80mm. Most common sizes you'll come across for recreational skating are 72 and 76mm. Skaters wanting speed tend to use 80mm wheels, although 76mm's are used too, depending on the skates and racing course and distance.

In general, taller wheels will let you cruise faster but take longer to spin up. Taller wheels also tend to be less maneuverable than shorter wheels. Shorter wheels are cheaper, but in general don't last as long since they have less material to wear down overall, given the same durometer. However since many of the small wheels are for stunts, they all tend to be sold in higher durometers anyway (they slide better), so they won't necessarily wear out that quickly.

   70mm               72mm               76mm                 80mm

   Average speed ____________________________________________ Fast

   Quick Turns ______________________________________ Slower Turns

Durometer (hardness)

Durometer is a relative hardness measure frequently used for rubber and plastic products. There are several scales, with the "A" scale (hence the 78A, etc.) used for wheels. The number is the rating from 0-100, with 0 being no resistance and 100 being very hard plastic.

Recreational wheels generally run from 74A to 82A. For outdoors, the softer the wheel, the better the shock absorption. The trade-off is that softer wheels wear out faster. Harder wheels, since they have less drag, are preferred on indoor surfaces which are usually very smooth.

Some skaters vary their wheel durometer depending on the temperature outside. Cold weather will mean the ground is harder so soft wheels are more suitable. In really warm weather the road might start literally melting, in which case a high durometer setup would be more preferable.

   74A               78A               82A               85A

   Average Wear_________________________________Longest Wear

   High Grip____________________________________Average Grip

   High Rebound______________________________Average Rebound

   Low Body Weight__________________________High Body Weight

   Smooth Ride_____________________________________Hard Ride

YOU ARE BIDDING ON 1 SET

(2 WHEELS) (4 BEARINGS)