Smaller Diameter wheels/Recommendations

[jhunold]

Hi all, first post but I have been a lurker for a little bit now. I have been skating weekly now for a little over a year. I wouldn't say I am great but im definitely more at the intermediate level. I pick up stuff pretty quickly. My current set up is listed below:

Riedell 595
Labeda Pro Line
Vanilla Backspin deluxe

Lately at my rink, I have noticed people coming in with smaller diameter wheels. I know they are more for artistic/rhythm style skating. My question is fairly simple. I would like to see about purchasing a set of a smaller wheel size. What would you recommend as a beginner type as well as material. I have seen a few people with wood and in my research I have come across clay and other materials.

Info that may help you help me.

6'2/195 lbs
Interskate Roller Rink in Lewisvile Texas. The floor was just redone but they are not planning on coating it, so right now its just straight wood.

[Ancient1]

Hi Jhunold,

Wood is very old school and used a lot in speed skating back in the day. You said that they are not going to coat the wood floor. I think powder is not used any more but do you know if they are going to use powder anyway to gain traction and if not what will they use? I would think that bare wood would be very slick without powder or a coating.

Anyway to answer your question... Smaller wheels give a bit more control, larger wheels give you a bit more speed. The question you need to answer is what you are going to do on those wheels? Also wheels can be of different hardness which will give different slickness or stickiness. And each floor and its coating will determine how different wheels will react.

So your question may be difficult to answer if we don't know about what you want to do or how slick your floor is under different wheel compounds.

[jhunold]

Thanks for the reply.

According to one of the employees they are leaving it as is. They do not even know if the owner will do anything to it, but its looking like a no.

I understand hardness for the most part. I believe the wheels I am on now are 102 which I am happy with and I have also skated on 92s (they felt like mud). I really just want to do more spins and artistic/figure style skating.

Do you have any recommendations for a hardness similar to what I am currently using?

[Oicusk82huh]

Wish I could help. I could make a recommendation however, you could also try the "ask Doc Sk8" thread. He seems like a pretty good resource. Good luck, it's always fun trying something new.

[larryoracing]

Wow, what type of wheel to use on a all natural wood maple floor?????

And you want a small diameter wheel.

I have a feeling the Bones 101A smaller diameter wheel, which is 57mm in diameter will work just fine for you.

I have used the larger 62mm 101A Bones Wheels on a all natural wood floor and it worked fine.

I do use a stiffer, taller artistic boot which drives the wheels harder into the floor, but hopefully these wheels will work fine for you on your 595 low top boots????

Another wheel which might work is the "All American Plus" wheel, which is still readily available. It is 55 mm in diameter. And they are reasonable priced at 55 dollars per set.

I have not actually skated on this wheel, but own a set.

I have use the more expensive "All American Dream" wheel which has aluminum hubs, but this wheel is very hard to get. But I think they are still out there. The wheel is 55mm in diameter. If you can find a set of "All American Dream" wheels, they will give you good results.

I also think the All American Dream wheels and the All American Plus wheels are the same compound but the All American Dream has the aluminum inserts, which drives the price upward. When they come available/ they make a batch run they want about 110-130 dollars per set.

Another wheel which I think will work, but have not tried is the Rollline "Mustang" wheel, 97A hardness and is 57 mm in diameter.

I own a set of these wheels, but have not tried them on a all Natural Wood Maple wood floor. But I think they would work fine.

The Best Wheel on a all Natural Wood Maple wood floor is the Excalibur Wheel, 62mm, with Aluminum inserts, but they don't make these wheels anymore. But I still see them on Ebay for about 110 dollars used and sometimes fairly new. I have skated with these wheels on a all natural wood maple wood floor and they are the ultimate for doing freestyle, tricks and spins.

I have two sets of these wheels, pristine and perfect. I guard them with my life. They are precious...lol!

Another wheel which were the original wheel of Natural Wood Floors is the Zephyr. They don't make these wheels anymore and basically nobody sells these wheels. But I do see them on Ebay on used vintage roller skates. People don't know what they are, but they are Green, small diameter and my friend skates on them all the time on Natural Wood floors. I have three sets of used
Zephyr skate wheels. I bought a few sets on Ebay just in case I ever wanted to skate on them or if my friend needed a extra set if he wore out his originals.

Good Luck!

Larry O


P.S. The Sunrise Invitational is in two weeks, Sacramento Ca, then Regionals at the same place and finally Nationals, at Lincoln Nebraska.

[rwsz]

I agree with Jim and Larry.
the smaller wheel isn't as fast as the larger and has less roll and is used more for freestyle.
the larger wheel is more of a dance or figure wheel with more roll.

I think you would be best off with a 57 mm or 55 mm wheel which is the smaller wheel in a rolline or bones and the hardness would depend on how tight or slippery your floor is. harder for a tight floor and better for spins and softer for a slippery floor.
good luck