Skate wheel hardness explained - Inline skating

[@noampitlik2332]

This was very good. But...the big factor you left out was body weight. The wheel durometer rating is offset by lighter/heavier skaters. I weigh 210, therefore when I use 82a, they grip like a 78a under a lighter skater. Thanks.

[@Thisissoul]

Hi Noam, for sure weight is a factor. Thank you for pointing it out. i should have mentioned it in the video. hope people read the comments and see yours!

[@noampitlik2332]

@@Thisissoul :)

[@zirrnorseman8068]

@@noampitlik2332 thank you! I am 10lbs lighter than you. I will get 82A

[@dominicmcmahon4798]

You read my mind dude!

[@fhylo]

9:04 for summary 😉 This whole video is very useful! I have Oxelo fit-3 skates with 76mm 80a wheels with which i skate on asphalt and smooth concrete

[@zacharyimran3663]

a tip: you can watch series at flixzone. I've been using it for watching loads of movies these days.

[@goodknight37]

“Earth Wheels, and Fire”...🤦🏻‍♂️

[@TristanBurda]

Weir everywhere

[@SuperLeonieXD]

I didn't realize you were dutch until 0:47. I was SHOOK haha

[@shadc]

i realized at the dropfruit hahaha

[@getbogged]

Gave up on getting quad skates during the worldwide quad skate shortage and so I dug out my old inlines to fix up. Def needed this video thanks man

[@Boomy2nicce]

Inlines are better anyways quads are for 🐈🐈‍⬛

[@CRS204]

@@Boomy2nicce nahhhhh we love all skaters! They aren’t 🐈🐈‍⬛, some people just need much more stability and of course the dancing moves people can do on quads, not my cup of tea, but undoubtedly more suited for quads than inlines

[@AceEquality]

This video is incredibly detailed. I was running the original USD Aeons 72mm 88a, which were smooth and fast. Love them! Threw on some cheap 72mm 90a and they are horrible. Like you said no friction, that's exactly what it is, which I couldn't figure out until I watched your vid. Time for some wheel shopping. I wish they sold original Aeons 72's separately, gotta find a different pair. Great vid, man!

[@AnimeCabin]

I like riding skates for fun. I would like it to feel more smoother. So this means I need a 80A right?

[@nesperado0790]

How about wear out time on different hardness?

[@roomkaaas]

I think softer wheels wear out faster

[@filipivan5125]

Yea could be mentioned for people who dont understand that soft materials like a rubber wears out faster than plastic.

[@timralston6379]

I don't think "A" scale is for Albert. There is A, B, C, D and 0,00,000 etc. apparently 12 scales in all. His middle initial is "F". Maybe he didn't like his middle name.

[@GHodd-z9m]

A little helpful but it would have been nice to discuss the numbers as they relate to each category. Also, the background music was annoying and completely unnecessary.

[@leanderdato4764]

I want to practice my ice hockey skills off ice, mostly on concrete and I'm around 55kg. what hardness would you recommend for me to use?

[@zshocksoda1128]

Leander Dato Give 83A a shot.

[@austinbigge9626]

if you plan on doing hockey stops, youll want harder wheels like he mentioned in the video

[@MissSarahXScene]

I have impala inline skates with 70mm 84a durometer wheels (also fits 72mm wheels) and Abec-7 bearings. I find these very difficult to skate on streets or asphalt. What would you recommend swapping them with to have a more comfortable experience with street skating? Hard to find a smooth open space in my city that isn’t restricted.

[@geraldinegomez4213]

I just wanna skate outside on the driveway for fun, but my wheels (78mm, 78A) feel really slippery, and not as easy or hard as my old childhood skates, basically, I don't want to skate for speed, just for fun.

[@PokerMuppet]

Is that inlines or quads?

[@AliAhmed-mf2vi]

Harder wheels means increasing in the A? Or decreasing cuz im confused af and some ppl saying the 95A is faster than 85A and some ppl are saying otherwise im so confused everyone is saying different stuff who would i believe

[@Cessie983]

lower a is softer, higher a is harder

[@viperwavstudios]

Good information.. but the song is extremely annoying..

[@Pe1Rn]

I have 90a's and i skate on a rink, it is impossible to get them to slide but i could do it with the rink skates which i think have a lower hardness. With hard wheels they seem to grip onto the surface more, build up energy and then bounce ur feet up and down rapidly, i would compare it to scraping your nails down a chalk board but more so in how it feels. Lower hardness wheels will slide smoothly though on that surface. My point being that lower hardness is better for sliding, then again it might depend on surface, 90a's are probably better for sliding on street surfaces.

[@LonzCantiLife]

agreed.. i like super soft wheels (labeda for example) on the rink and then i like 85a outside. looking to try some 88a soon outdoors. def have to try softer for indoor and harder for outdoor

[@amyaranow]

Thanks for making this video, I work at K2 and I refer people when they have questions about skates.

[@myothetthura3877]

I would be very happy if I could get a pair of inline skates from you please

[@hazel7256]

Ohhhhh I have a 74a

[@rizkhwaidy7415]

Nicee I have 86a

[@brentwejrowski]

I'm curious what hardness is typical for sliding? I'd assume there's a threshold where it becomes very difficult? and maybe if it's too hard it's super slippery?

[@peaceenjoyer]

r u still here?

[@gooniez8490]

Yup!

[@hellbehemoth1235]

for the street it is best to take 92a / 95a, e.g. Dead - Team 58mm / 92a, they also facilitate cess slide and to the skatepark 88a 89 / 09a (max) :) The most comfortable ride for me is the Hyper - Shroom 66 mm / 92a - :D Flat the harder the wheels are, the longer their service life will be. The harder PU compound is more resistant to abrasion and wears much slower when driving or when braking or slides. the harder the wheels are, the less grip they will hold. Hard wheels, when driving, touch the ground with a smaller surface, which significantly reduces their grip. harder wheels are faster. Less grip resulting from greater hardness has a positive effect on the speed of the wheels, by reducing the rolling resistance. harder wheels dampen vibrations much worse. The comfort of driving under uneven and rough surfaces in wheels of lower hardness is much greater, thanks to a much better shock-absorbing property. :)

[@MingTheMelon]

Question why such small wheels?

[@Justin-412-Brown]

Im 150lb whats a good wheel to use for street skating or skating at park

[@EdouardTavinor]

Cyclists tend to lower the pressure in their tires when riding over rough asphalt because softer tires absorb the small bumps better and you end up cycling faster than with really hard tires :/

[@obikedog]

Really informative! One thing though - Our understanding of affect of hardness on speed has become more nuanced since this video was released. At least the latest thinking in bicycles for instance is the opposite. Where once racers would inflate super skinny tires to 110psi or higher, now they are running wider tires at 65-75psi. But it is true -To a degree - a harder (higher bar/psi) tire will equate to more speed UNLESS the surface is not very smooth (which is most of the time!) On rough roads a softer wheel will be faster. Why? Because the upward acceleration of the skater's body when a hard wheel rolls over a bump will slow one down more than a wheel that absorbs those little bumps. This is why speed skating (and track cyclists) can get away with super hard wheels and why no one but a masochist (or a kook!) should use a 95A wheel on rough asphalt!

[@Thisissoul]

Nice addition. Thanks

[@ritakruse8425]

why not 95A for asphalt

[@lumine2815]

hi i know its been 5 years but i wanted to ask i have 80A wheels but after 4 uses there already cracked? is this normal??

[@Thisissoul]

The hardness is not a factor in how quick it cracks. The actual quality of the wheel is the reason here. watch this movie to learn more www.thisissoul.com/blogs/hardware-insights/everything-about-wheel-compounds

[@willworkfor_film]

Thanks. I now hate this song. Haha but really, thank you for the insight. It was helpful.

[@Thisissoul]

Good to hear!

[@Aimabretwagirimana1990]

Thanks 😂😂 men ayem aimabre from 🇷🇼 Rwanda

[@therage12012]

This was good info... thank

[@andrewdunton6304]

I love this video and you want to thank you for it. So thanks and I will be making my wheel purchases from your shop.

[@nooddles12]

i like soft, not hard.

[@Billys-Adventures]

That was painful....

[@elizabeth1toney]

Should I make sure my wheels roll on their own like on my roller skates when I get new inline skates? Or is how they come standard fine?

[@myothetthura3877]

inline cake. How to buy wheels?

[@krystalannawilliams2653]

:there are different types of skates

[@Deadbond1]

Very good explanation.. subs

[@xrizaq]

I WANT speed, but still able to perform hockey skills on asfault...what do you recomend, will subscribe to who answers

[@Thisissoul]

Just get some basic bearings and you will be fine. Making sure your boot, frame and wheels are high quality is allot more important.

[@SuixdeCity]

so what would be the best for skating rink and urban skating for both

[@Thisissoul]

the best thing is not to pay attention too much to hardness and just get a good wheels urethane from a good brand

[@BangPhotography]

Hi there, loved your videos, very helpful. please help me with this question. im using Powerslide next 100 skates and it comes with 88a wheels, its very hard but i actually learnt to power break on these wheels. However, i find the lack of friction also cost me acceleration when im pushing, sometimes i feel like if i had more grip, i could push harder at every stride, gaining more speed. So, im looking at buying some new frames, 110mm with matter wheels, and im thinking if i should i get 88a or 86 hardness wheels, id like more grip, but i dont want to lose the ability to power break. PLEASE HELP!

[@BangPhotography]

just read some comments and im 140lbs btw.

[@RobyMontes22]

Get 86-87a then

[@greglivas701]

September

[@wargreymon2024]

4:37 the opposite is true. Instead of rolling over a pebble which takes energy (more bumpy), a soft wheel eats the pebbles as if rolling on flat (less bump), that's why soft wheels actually roll way faster the more bumpy the road is.

[@zanderscott9158]

He uses lots of extremes. The speed difference between hard and soft wheels is not very significant at all. The same thing is true about the idea of skating over a pebble with hard and soft wheels. In this scenario the size of the wheels plays a much bigger role (bigger wheels overtake objects better that smaller wheels). The things he is saying are true, however they are not as noticeable as he makes them seem. So don't think that you can't skate fast unless you have harder wheels (that's more up to the quality of bearings and bigger wheels help with speed too), and don't believe that you will struggle with pebbles only because your wheels are hard. If you have small wheels you will always struggle with pebbles (I'm a triskate guy (3 wheels) and the smallest wheels I have are 100mm so pebbles aren't as bad for me as others). Again, he's not wrong. But it's not as extreme as he makes it sound, and I'm sure he didn't mean it that way.

[@HektorBandimar]

Is it possible to fit skate wheels to a suitcase for longevity of the suitcase wheels?

[@Thisissoul]

100% we do that all the time at our skateshop in Amsterdam

[@HektorBandimar]

@@Thisissoul thanks, perhaps make a youtube video about it. 😊

[@johnathanguarnerosjones2698]

Man I think you miss to investigate about types of hardness, there are many types of it, and you need a different device depending on what you are measuring, is no the same to measure silicons, rocks, orgánics, there are different scales like SHORE A, SHORE 00, SHORE 0. Etc I think rubers are SHORE 00

[@supremecinema865]

This is the first video that cosigned how I feel about softer wheels. Most websites and diagrams will say the harder wheels are better for rough concrete but I live in Brooklyn NY and the softer wheels are much better for city streets and rough concrete. 58MM x 88A is my go to wheel for aggressive city skating

[@katrinehammer]

Any recommandations for skating inside in a gym hall on very soft vinyl floor?

[@Thisissoul]

yes, just do it and dont worry about hardness of the wheels

[@LonzCantiLife]

i like to use 74a (x soft) grip and slide are insane

[@argusfilch1111]

Thank you for your graet videos! Why the number and size of the contact area affects the grip? What exactly is a grip? what do you meen by thet and how do you measure it? Is it the same as friction? Friction is just the coefficient of friction times the normal force. The size of the area in contact doesn't affect the friction force, why doe's it affect the grip? Thanks

[@EugeneMaynard]

👍🏾

[@SaccoBelmonte]

How hard are your wheels? 85 Albertos

[@postnatalmotcoach1006]

I have Salomon wheels and returning to my Blades after a long brake. Are there easier wheels

[@NCC1371]

i live in the country and don't want to spend money on gas just to go into town to skate. The roads aren't bad but they are a little bumpy. what type of wheel hardness is going to last the longest? I'd like to skate a bit every evening but I'm not going to if it means that I'm going to have to replace my wheels after a weeks worth of skating sessions. Or does wheel hardness not effect how long they last?

[@adventurelee317]

What kind of wheels for skating on road? ..hard?

[@Cj-im2xy]

Hi I have the Razors H2 64mm but I'm looking for something a lil bit more soft wheels. Can you help me to get the best fit for those?

[@dawibakri2954]

really helpful

[@madamoise765]

so usefull! thank you!

[@dirtboi8606]

Best wheel hardness for 80mm urban skating?

[@torljungberger2486]

Good insight!

[@jeanmarais337]

Hi I'm Brinell...I'm just here, hanging in the workshop.

[@TheSancheziks]

If my weight is 130kg which one should I use than ? A hardest ones ?

[@calvinvanvliet9938]

Cool vlog Ivo Fighter 😉😂

[@Thisissoul]

hehe

[@City-of-lights]

What is the besr wheel for durability ? I heard that hard wheels tend to lose their quality after a while and get really really noisy while soft wheels stay relatively unchanged over the time and have a better preservation. This question is also directed to other youtubers or people reading the comment. Thanks !

[@ayyonmichaels9731]

thank you for your expertise... Excellent!

[@Icanreadgood1]

good overview, would have been nice to hear the factors that play into wheel wear, and how to choose based on hardness / riding style.

[@86damn]

Hi, what do you sugest is similar to old Hyper Giants , on the market these days?

[@Thisissoul]

nothing is. all wheels are much better now.

[@86damn]

@@Thisissoul thanks

[@vitality7195]

Can i use 90A wheels not only for slides but for slalom?

[@strahinja95]

Difference between silicone and poliutherane wheels?

[@fabzillig]

So funny how serious he is when he says a banana is "2! Very soft."

[@MiniFun92]

Thats not true.. absorbtion makes u faster.. ofcourse up to a pont... if u skate on a round and u feel ur wheels are bouncing up and down a little.. it is much better to have softer wheel that absorbs inperfections of road to get more speed. It is the same for road cycling and that i know for a fact!! If something pushes u up it slows u down.!

[@chadingram6390]

This is true for skateboarding too, this is why long boards have soft wheels. I just switched from 99a to 80a and the difference is extreme

[@iskyviewdrones]

The best and most complete explanation about wheels and harness so far. That's awesome. Thanks for your efficiency

[@陳雪紅-j9l]

Hello! This is a roller from China. I just watched your video and it was very good.

[@Thisissoul]

Hi Roller

[@caleb25C]

I skate mostly indoors. Recently I switched from a 74a/76mm wheel (which had more grip) to a 76a/72mm wheel no has less grip. Should I go back to a 74a or try a 72a

[@Thisissoul]

That is all up for you to descide. My advice is to pick a good wheel brand first, the compound is so much more important then the hardness

[@Tahsin_Abdullah]

@Thissoul the roads we have in my country are not so smooth IDK weather it is a matter but what kind of wheels should i take so that the Irritating sound it creates decreases in a large scale and doesnt decrease my speed?

[@Thisissoul]

For bad roads rockered 5 wheel setups work the best, or a 4x100mm rockered frame setup. good luck!

[@low.skates8477]

Love the video! Not only because it’s very informative but it has a unique kind of humour 🤣

[@RedHotMessResell]

In this case, I might need a soft set of wheels for the rough roads here in Nashville. I’m researching because I started on some really crappy beginner skates and they are killing my arch and I can’t roll on these rough roads. I can’t even get going enough to balance. I literally roll a foot and hit a pebble or a hole and fall over lol

[@changein3d]

I know I am 1 year late, but try to have one foot further to the front and the other more in the back. This way you don't have the center pivot point and no matter what foot gets stuck, you can always catch yourself with the other. 🙂

[@supremecinema865]

yes softer wheels are much better for rough streets. I live in NYC and I went with an 88A it allowed me to skate further, longer and quieter

[@xxkuramaxx_6521]

I need something for rough streets

[@Prince_Charming_1]

Thank you for the great information on the skate wheels hardness.

[@Thisissoul]

Any time!

[@jazung]

Learnt a lot! Thanks man!

[@yarawaleed5374]

Thank u for this useful information ♥️

[@helenadzelalijahammerschmi4168]

GRACIAAASSSS =)

[@aryee1226]

Thanks! It’s useful. I like that you buy a device to measure how hard each material. Btw, I like your hoodie.=p

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks Bowie! I just bought another cool device for one of my future video's actually!

[@elusive.firstname.lastname]

this has been an awesome and very comprehensive break down of wheels but i still have a question, the wheels behind you have what looks like one width, a width that would accommodate aggressive inline skates like roces rollerblade and k2 brand skates. but when i go online to order more wheels they look like the kind of wheels that would accommodate wheels you'd find at like walmart, like a more recreational skate. when shopping for wheels what dimension should i use to get aggressive inline skate wheels?

[@Thisissoul]

Hi DOC, the width of an inline skate wheel is always the same. It is an universal standard for all types of skates. Only the diameter can vary. What diameter wheel would work the best for your aggressive inline skate is determined by the type of frame you have. 58mm is a very save diameter and will fit in all aggressive inline skate frames.

[@xxkuramaxx_6521]

I just want to know what hardness is better for outdoors and indoor

[@JALNIN66]

From what I'm hearing, there's no right answer. It's preference. Outdoors, some stores recommend hard wheels so they will last. You may prefer a softer wheel for a smoother ride and accept that you'll have to replace them more often. I would. Indoor: Do you want grip or slide? Wife and I just started going regularly to an indoor place with wood floors. I'm running 76mm 82a, 4 wheel skates. They're fine. Pretty grippy, not sure if I can slide to a stop. Not sure I want to risk an ankle trying it. I'm about to buy some light up 85a's. Hoping I'll be able to slide with them. The magnetic spacers slow the wheels down as they generate electricity for the lights so I might only light up one or two wheels per skate and use the stock spacers for the remaining wheels so I don't lose too much speed.

[@AshZombola]

Great videos man, you’re awesome! Cheers for all the info!

[@anonymous2202]

Thank you for the information

[@skatingholland1243]

goede vlog Ivo, kan me nog herinneren dat ik me eerste skates bij je kocht ''ssm bloodline'' geen dag spijt van gehad.

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks man!

[@ImmyJLP]

Great video man

[@risingsun91]

Great explanation

[@mrabelone31]

So what brand is best or which are the good brands?

[@Thisissoul]

Gawds, Dead, Undercover, Matter and Rollerblade Hydrogen wheels are the best

[@mrabelone31]

@@Thisissoul Thank you... and thank you for the quick, replies

[@zain_mood]

What hardness should I use for indoor speed skating?

[@Thisissoul]

for speed inline skating you would want to have wheels as hard as possible

[@zain_mood]

@@Thisissoul so like a 95 a?

[@ChrisGotGame]

Zain_mood for inline speed skating indoor go with 88a-95a

[@zain_mood]

@@ChrisGotGame ty

[@zain_mood]

@@Thisissoul thank you

[@CommentThink]

good info and all but man.... oh man the presentation... 5.5/10... need to step it up lol

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely need to improve

[@justjordan8018]

You don't need to explain how a hardness measuring tool works on a bannana and your hand. You needed to show if it actually shows the number that the wheel company says they are. Obviously that did not matched or else you would have shown the results on camera :) Don't bring up that measuring tool if you are not going to show the measuring results of the wheels. Every one saw that. The rest of the video is fine, just it is clear you are stating hardness numbers from the info on the wheels and not actually measuring them. Else you would have shown the result on camera. Don't tell me you could not take the wheels off the wall or something :)

[@mosthightutu]

I thought this was about skateboarding 😂😂

[@Thisissoul]

skateboarding is called such because back in the day al boards were made by skate manufacturers with skate parts. Hence skate wheels work basically the same as skateboard wheels

[@salehmcballz1238]

What kind of wheel is best for concrete?

[@Thisissoul]

That would depend on what you want to do. Watch the video for all the advice

[@ACE14341991]

84a

[@F1TracksideTales]

Soft it's so difficult to do skills, too much grip

[@Thisissoul]

try practicing slides in the rain! that might help you to learn them.

[@spade4acer]

Depends on formula more than duro. The slipperiest wheels I ever had (on a longboard) were 75a. An Undercover wheel and a TUFR wheel of the same duro will not have the same slide feel or grip

[@lesterneurig2478]

Are Powerslide Torrent Rain 84A wheels just as wears solid as my Hyper + G Inline Skates Wiel 84A?