Six wheels ridden on the same complete through a full season. Which slide, which grip, which last.
PP
Panos Psaras
Editor · Living the Board Life
Published 08 Mar 20268 min readAffiliate disclosure+
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Wheels are where most skaters waste money. The premium ones cost €15 more than the budget ones and — in most street contexts — the difference is real but small. We rode four sets through a season to tell you exactly where that €15 goes.
01Who this guide is for
You're buying street wheels for a setup that already has good trucks and a decent deck. You want to know whether Bones STFs are worth the shelf price over Rictas, and whether Spitfire F4s actually ride differently in 2026.
Every skater spends €45 on wheels at some point, once. Best you do it on purpose, not on graphic.
02How we tested
Four wheel sets. Same rider, same deck (Baker Capital B 8.25), same trucks (Indy Stage 11 149), same bearings (Bones Reds). Each wheel set ridden for three full weeks minimum before forming a conclusion. Total test period: four months.
Pavement conditions: smooth plaza, rough street, skatepark concrete, one chip-sealed car park for the slide tests.
Slide testing: ten powerslides per session on each wheel, same rider, same kerb.
Flat-spot inspection: weekly, with calipers, for diameter change.
Tire-life test: ridden until the wheel was 60% of its original diameter, then replaced.
The wheel every skater should try at least once. Bones STFs are what shop employees actually buy with their own money. Lasts twice as long as most competitors.
Diameter
52mm
Durometer
103A
Contact patch
19mm
Shape
V1 classic
Formula
STF (Street Tech Formula)
Skill level
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Pros
Flat-spot resistance is the best in the category — a full season and they're still round
103A is the sweet spot: hard enough to slide, not so hard they bounce on rough crete
Core placement on the V1 is well-balanced — predictable roll when shoved
Cons
Louder on chip-sealed asphalt than formula-four Spitfires
Original V1 shape is narrow — if you want a bigger contact patch, go V5
The budget pick that isn't a compromise in summer. If you skate smooth ledges in warm weather and don't slide much, Rictas are honestly enough. Skip them for winter.
Diameter
52mm
Durometer
99A
Contact patch
17mm
Shape
Classic with speed rings
Formula
Ricta urethane
Skill level
Beginner, Intermediate
Pros
Best price-to-performance on test — €10 less than F4s, 85% of the performance
Speed rings genuinely reduce bearing drag on the wheel's side
Narrow contact patch rolls fast on smooth plazas
Cons
Flat-spots on day one of powerslides — not a sliding wheel
The slider's wheel. If you powerslide stops or rely on slides into tricks, the EZ Edge bevel makes it effortless. Less ideal for pure flat-ground tech.
Diameter
54mm
Durometer
101A
Contact patch
21mm
Shape
EZ Edge (beveled)
Formula
OJ Elite
Skill level
Intermediate, Advanced
Pros
Beveled edge slides predictably — powerslides break cleanly, no chatter
Wider contact patch than STF makes landings more forgiving on primo-catches
54mm splits the difference for mixed street-transition riders
Cons
Slightly slower roll than 52mm options on flat — you feel the extra urethane
Bevel wears unevenly if you favour one slide direction
52mm is the default street wheel for a reason. Flip tricks feel crisp, the wheel doesn't crowd the deck, and the rolling speed is fine for anything short of a long commute. Step up to 54mm if your local streets are rough.
Durometer: 99A-101A is the sweet spot
99A for grip-focused riders (slightly stickier, better for ledges). 101A for a balance of grip and slide. 103A+ for riders who powerslide constantly. Below 95A, you're on cruiser wheels — different category, different purpose.
Rotate, don't replace prematurely
Weekly inspection, cross-rotation every three weeks. A 52mm wheel will happily ride down to 48mm before it needs replacing. Most skaters replace at 50mm and lose a month of life per set.
Frequently asked questions
05 questions
More than bearing brand, less than wheel diameter. 99A-101A is the smooth-plaza sweet spot. 103A+ is the powerslide sweet spot. Under 97A is cruiser territory. Don't overthink it — two durometer points within a range won't change your skating.
Bigger, always. A 56mm 99A rolls over rough pavement noticeably better than a 52mm 99A. Durometer changes feel, diameter changes effort. Rough commute? Go up to 54–56mm and accept the slightly slower flip tricks.
Conical wheels slide earlier but grip less in carves. Good for tech skaters who powerslide a lot. Classic shape is more forgiving and more versatile. We stuck with Classics in this test — they represent the 80% use case.
Every 3–4 weeks, or whenever you notice one side wearing faster than the other. Cross-rotate (front-left to back-right) to even the wear pattern. Extends wheel life by ~30%.
Yes. If you're not racing downhill, Bones Reds are the last bearing you need. Clean them every three months with citrus cleaner, oil with Bones Speed Cream, they'll outlast your wheels 10:1.
Street · Plaza
