The 10 Best Skateboard Wheels For Beginners

When you’re just getting started in skateboarding, choosing the right wheels can make things a heck of a lot more enjoyable. When I first started skating, I remember I bought the coolest looking set of wheels I could find. The problem was, even though they looked awesome, they were terrible for skating on the rough concrete in front of my house.

I felt like I would be shaken off my board because the vibrations were so bad.

The reality is, as a beginner skater, you’re probably going to skate a bit of everything. You’ll be out front of your house practicing, you’ll be at the skatepark, and you’ll probably want to cruise around town too. So finding the best skateboard wheel can seem daunting with so many different terrain options.

Especially if you don’t know what types of wheels specs to look for.

So whether you want to become a tech wizard, a street cruiser, or a casual park ripper, this post will help you find the right wheels for your style of skating as a complete beginner

Rather than making the same mistakes I made, this guide will help you find the right wheels, backed by well over a decade of experience.

Before we get into the best wheels, let’s first talk about what makes the ideal skateboard wheel for beginners.

How To Choose Skateboard Wheels As A Beginner

As a beginner, the ideal skateboard wheel is 53mm to 55mm with a durometer between 92a and 100a. These wheel specs are best for all-around use, including cruising, riding rough roads, or skating park.

If you’re new to words like “durometer” or are confused about why diameter even matters, let’s break down how these specs affect your wheel.

1. Choosing Wheel Size

As I mentioned above, the ideal wheel size for beginners is between 53mm and 55mm. You can roll fast and have a wheel that will take some time to wear through in this range. Better yet, you don’t need to worry about getting risers, which would become an added cost to your setup.

The way wheel diameter affects your skating mostly comes down to speed. A larger wheel will spin faster than a smaller wheel, making it easier to hold speed without pushing.

Without getting too technical, this comes down to the fact a larger wheel has more leverage over the axle. Therefore the wheel can overcome the friction of the axle and bearings for longer than a smaller wheel.

With that said, you might be thinking that you should get the biggest wheels possible, especially if you just want to skate fast. The problem with this is that larger wheels need risers.

Risers are plastic blocks that mount under your trucks creating more room for large wheels to fit under your deck. Think of them like a lift on a truck.

As you get larger wheels, which require larger risers, your board becomes higher off the ground while your wheels become heavier. This added height and weight make things more challenging and hinder beginner skaters from basic tricks. In short, this makes it harder to progress compared to a smaller, lighter wheel without risers.

So with a wheel diameter between 53mm and 55mm, you can feel confident that your wheels will last and roll fast.

2. Choosing Wheel Durometer

Wheel durometer is the thing that many beginner skaters overlook. But, in reality, the durometer is one of the most important factors of any wheel you choose.

Durometer is a fancy word for wheel hardness. Most wheels use the A-scale, measured from 0 to 100, with 100 being the hardest. So, for example, a wheel rated 92a would be much softer than a wheel that’s 101a. The “a” beside the number represents the measurement scale that’s being used, aka the A-scale in this case.

And yes, wheel durometers do exceed 100a. So if you see a durometer of 101a-104a, think of it as an extremely hard wheel.

With that said, some manufactures use the B-scale, which is the equivalent of 20 points less than the A-scale. So that means if you saw a wheel rated as 79b, it would be the equivalent of 99a.

So what does all this mean in terms of your skating?

Well, wheel hardness plays a role in how smooth your wheel rolls, how fast it can spin, and how easily it will slide.

A hard wheel (higher durometer) will roll much faster and roll longer on smooth surfaces, making them ideal for skateparks and indoor parks. It will also allow you to powerslide and pivot tricks easier since there is less friction with the ground.

The trade-off with hard wheels then becomes that they are terrible to ride on rough roads and don’t offer excellent grip on tight turns.

On the other hand, a soft wheel (low durometer) will roll smoothly over rough surfaces, be quieter, have superior grip, and offer an overall more comfortable ride. The downside is that they won’t roll as fast and are much harder to powerslide or pivot tricks with.

3. Contact Patch

With the size and durometer understood, next comes the contact path, which is how much of your wheel rolls on the ground. If you look at different wheels, you’ll notice how some look wider than others, even at equivalent diameters. This is because the contact patch is wider.

For beginners, it’s a good idea to get a wheel with a larger contact patch because it offers more stability and more control while turning. It also helps improve grip since a larger surface area contacts the ground.

Choosing The Right Wheel Specs For Your Skating

With those three factors in mind, the type of specs you choose will depend on what kind of skating you want to do. For example, if you’re going to only cruise around town and never pop an ollie, the ideal wheel will be different from someone who wants to skate street.

So let’s make this easy and break it down into a few common styles of skater:

If you want to skate a bit of everything while riding your board around town, opt for a wheel durometer between 92a – 99a with a diameter of 53mm – 55mm.

If you want to strictly cruise around town without doing tricks, opt for 55mm – 58mm with a 78a – 85a durometer. If you get a 58mm wheel, I suggest a 1/4″ riser to avoid wheel bite.

If you want to focus on street and park skating, opt for a 99a – 101a wheel with a diameter of 52mm – 53mm.

Keeping in mind what type of skating you are most interested in, let’s get into 10 of the best wheels for beginners.

The 10 Best Beginner Skateboard Wheels

1. Bones ATF Wheels – 80A (Best All-Around)

Size	56MM	59mm
Width (MM)	39	44
Contact Patch (MM)	31	33
Recommended Riser Size	1/8″	1/4″

The Bones All-Terrain Formula (ATF) wheel is one of the best for general use skating. Whether you want to ride around town on rough concrete, shred the bowl, or practice tricks at the skatepark, this wheel will work well. Since it’s 80a, it’s pretty darn soft as far as skateboard wheels go. However, this helps to smooth out bumps and makes it more stable when doing tight turns.

Another big advantage to these wheels is how wide they are. This gives them some mind-blowing grip while making them difficult to wash out on. As a beginner skater, this gives a bit of extra confidence, knowing your board will go where you want it to without sliding.

With all that said, this wheel isn’t ideal for everyone. If you want to focus on tricks and plan to skate your local park most of the time, these aren’t a good option. Mainly because they only come in larger sizes and won’t roll as fast on smooth concrete as you might want.

Instead, these wheels are best for any beginner skater who wants to gain confidence on their board while having the freedom to ride anywhere they want.

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2. Ricta Clouds – 92a (Best For Tricks On Any Surface)

Size	52MM	54mm	56mm
Width (MM)	31.8	34	34
Contact Patch (MM)	19.4	18.36	21.5
Recommended Riser Size			1/8″

The Ricta Clouds are one of the most popular skate wheels and an excellent option for beginners. Mixing a softer wheel with some street-style specs like a smaller width and size, they’re awesome for skating outside of your house or going to the skatepark.

Although some people find 92a a bit too soft for skateparks (since they won’t roll as fast), this wheel simply gives you options. Since it is soft, you can get away with riding rough concrete without being too uncomfortable to ride. However, it’s still hard enough that you can session a skatepark without feeling like you can’t keep speed.

I love these wheels because you can still pivot tricks and do some pretty tech things with them. But then, when it comes time to skate home or grab a bite to eat, you can skate along the sidewalk or road without getting excess vibrations.

These wheels are a great option for any skater, particularly those who focus on tricks without sacrificing a smooth ride on rough roads.

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3. Bones Original Formula Wheels – 100a (Best Budget Option)

Size	53mm	54mm	55mm
Width (MM)	31	31	32
Contact Patch (MM)	17	17.5	18
Recommended Riser Size			1/8″

For years, the Bones Original Formula Wheels were one of my go-to wheels since they skate awesome on smooth concrete, and they’re super affordable. Depending on the wheel you compare them to, these guys are cheaper by $5 – $20 yet are still comparable to, if not better than, the more expensive wheels.

Since this wheel is quite hard at 100a, skating on rough concrete will not be great. When skating in front of your house or cruising around town, these wheels have a lot more vibrations than softer ones.

With that said, for skateparks, these wheels kick butt. They roll fast, pivot, and slide nicely for tricks and have an excellent grip when you need them to. These wheels do flat spot easier than other Bones wheels I’ve skated, but I wouldn’t say to avoid them because of that.

So if you want a great wheel for riding your local parks that won’t cost you your left arm and your firstborn, this should be your pick.

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4. Spitfire Formula Four – 99a (Best For Skateparks)

Size	52mm	53mm	54mm	58mm
Width (MM)	32.5	33.5	34	37
Contact Patch (MM)	21	21.5	22	27.3
Recommended Riser Size				1/4″

Spitfires are among the top skateboard wheel brands because of how fast they roll and how durable they are. These wheels are one of my favorites since they never seem to flat spot and will roll at warp speeds when you want them to.

A huge advantage to these wheels for beginners is that they are very wide. The larger contact patch gives them a superior grip and feels super stable to skate. With that said, they are still hard enough to slide and pivot with, so they won’t be a burden when learning new tricks.

The only downside to these is that they’re pretty expensive. But, I suppose it’s the price you pay for longer-lasting and higher-quality wheels.

These wheels come in a few different durometers as well, ranging from 101a (Teal), 99a (Blue), and 97a (Red). So if you like the sound of these wheels but want a different durometer, you have options here.

But since these wheels are generally intended for shredding skateparks and smoother concrete, a 99a durometer is a good in-between option for any beginner skater.

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5. Bones STF Wheels – 99a

Size	52mm	54mm	55mm
Width (MM)	30	31	32
Contact Patch (MM)	17	17.5	18
Recommended Riser Size			1/8″

The Bones Street Tech Formula (STF) is a more durable wheel that is awesome for learning tricks. They slide and pivot easily with a slightly more narrow profile, making some tricks easier to land. However, the trade-off is marginally less traction when doing tight turns at high speeds.

At 99a, these wheels are ideal for smooth concrete where they roll super fast and as smooth as butter. There are versions of this wheel in 101a and 97a, but 99a is a better all-around wheel durometer for beginners.

Although this wheel won’t be great for skating rough concrete, it’s one of the best for shredding skateparks. It locks into grinds super well and doesn’t flat spot easily, allowing you to have a lot more fun during every session.

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6. OJ Elite Nomads – 95a

Size	53mm
Width (MM)	30
Contact Patch (MM)	18.9

The OJ Nomads are an excellent option for beginner skaters since they’re soft enough to offer added grip without hindering overall board performance. At 95a, these wheels still roll fast on smooth concrete, are doable on rough roads, and all the while keep you feeling stable at any speed.

This wheel is also quite wide with a conical shape that allows it to lock into grinds easily. I’ve skated OJ’s a few times in the past and am always pleasantly surprised by how long they last. The only downside to these wheels is that they can be slippery out of the box until the contact patch’s smooth finish is worn away.

These wheels are a great pick for park-focused skaters who are just getting comfortable with the basics of skateboarding. However, even as you progress, these wheels still have the specs you need without feeling limited.

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7. OJ Super Juice Wheels – 78a

Size	60mm
Width (MM)	45
Contact Patch (MM)	37
Recommended Riser Size	1/4″

So far on this list, the wheels have focused primarily on all-around skating but haven’t been as ideal for cruising. However, with the Super Juices, that’s a different story. These bad boys are my favorite cruiser wheels that roll fast and feel smooth no matter the concrete.

Since they are more of a longboard-style wheel, they only come in a larger 60mm diameter. That means a riser is necessary for skating these. A 1/4″ riser will be your best bet.

Because these wheels aren’t great for skateparks or learning tricks, you need to consider the type of skating you want to do before buying. If you want a set of wheels that will smoothly take you around town, these are one of the best options. If you want to get good at kickflips and ledge tricks, these wheels kind of suck.

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8. Spitfire Formula Four Classics – 99a

Size	52mm	53mm	54mm	55mm	56mm	58mm
Width (MM)	32	33	33.5	35	35.3	35.8
Contact Patch (MM)	15.5	16	16.5	17.5	17.8	18
Recommended Riser Size					1/8″	1/4″

Another legendary wheel from Spitfire, the Classics are one of the best all-around any-skill-level wheels for smooth concrete. Whether you want to skate bowls, ledges, rails, or stairs, these wheels perform well in all cases. Made with the same Formula Four Urethane as the other Spitfires on this list, these wheels rarely flat spot and roll incredibly fast. Even after a couple of years of riding them, it’s surprising how well they maintain their shape.

Although I would recommend the 99a durometer of this wheel for beginners, there are other versions in 101a and 97a if you’re looking for something more specific. 99a is optimal for beginners since it allows you to slide your board and learn board control without being too grippy or too slippery.

For smoother surfaces, these wheels are some of the best wheels for any skater, but especially beginners.

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9. Ricta Speedrings – 99a

Size	53mm	54mm
Width (MM)	33.5	34
Contact Path (MM)	21.2	22

The Ricta Speedrings are an awesome wheel for beginners who want a durable wheel that rolls extremely fast. The speedring design that Ricta uses creates a urethane bearing bore that reduces rolling resistance and makes the wheels quieter compared to other 99a wheels.

There are two versions of these wheels, a slim and a wide. I recommend the wide version because it provides more traction and control for beginner skaters. Despite the wider contact patch, these wheels are still awesome to learn tricks with and can slide pretty easily if you want them to.

Since they are a harder wheel, they are ideal for skateparks or bowls with smooth concrete. However, you could still session a street spot with these and still have a good time.

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10. Mini Logo C-Cuts – 101a

Size	50mm	51mm	52mm	53mm	54mm
Width (MM)	30	31	31	32	32
Contact Patch (MM)	14	17	16	17.5	15

Mini Logo is the cheapest skateboard wheel brand around but makes some decent wheels for smooth surfaces like skateparks and indoor facilities. Since they are very hard at 101a, these wheels roll super fast at the park while power sliding like butter. This can be a lot of fun for more “advanced” beginners, but a bit of a nightmare for total newbies who just want some traction.

A fun part about these wheels is they come in a variety of vibrant colors that most other wheels don’t have. Especially for kids who are just getting started in skateboarding, these are an awesome choice.

The downside to these wheels is simply that they flat spot easier than other wheels. Perhaps it’s the lower-quality urethane or the fact that they’re 101a, but they definitely wear down faster than other wheels. With that said, they’re still a worthwhile option for those wanting to test the waters with skateboarding, without investing as much from the start.

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So Which Wheels Should You Choose?

After going through this list, I wouldn’t blame you if you’re still having a hard time choosing a wheel to go with. So to help you out, let’s make the choice easier with some more to-the-point recommendations.

If you are brand new to skateboarding and just getting the basics down like pushing and turning, go with the OJ Elite Nomads. They have amazing grip and feel super stable to skate with.

If you have the basics down and are looking to try basic tricks on your board, opt for the Bones Original Formula Wheels.

If you want a wheel that can do a bit of everything from tricks to cruising, go for the Ricta Clouds.

Lastly, if you want a set of wheels that roll quietly and smoothly anywhere you go, get the Bones ATF wheels, or the OJ Super Juices.

Just remember that as you progress in your skating, your tastes for wheels will change with your style. By getting a well-rounded set of wheels that are good for anything, you can later buy a more style-specific wheel when your skills improve. After all, it’s great to know how different wheels feel, so be sure to experiment with new wheels each time you upgrade your setup!

Happy Shredding!

Brendan 🙂