Jason Mitchell, Seismic Nationals 2007, Hybrid Slalom.  Photo by Greg Fadell Northern California Downhill Skateboarding Association
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Wheel Reviews (7825 Posts)
Wheel Review
sector nine racing formula
On 4/21/2008 max_ballesteros wrote in from Brazil  (201.62.nnn.nnn)

these new wheels are awesome, I friend of mine both them, I took it for a spin and they are fast, and have an amazing grip, havent tried it at high speeds but for sure they will handle it... all the s9 riders used them at the isga nationals at the bonelli hill in San Dimas, noah sakamoto got the 1st qualifier and the fastest time on the new wheels. So I dont think there is a doubt about those wheels.. just buy them and try it for your self!!

 
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70mm centre-set double radius suggestions
On 4/21/2008 Rick from OZ wrote in from Australia  (203.129.nnn.nnn)

Thanks, munchh. That was way back. Worth a try for sure. I was thinking a little bigger, but the 65mm no skoolz might actually work very well for the ditch I have them in mind for.

Cheers

 
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Sector 9 RF
On 4/11/2008 MP / Speedo wrote in from United States  (71.53.nnn.nnn)

Dave.....the RFs ride well,
but I'd prefer the BigZigs or SpeedVents, if grip was absolutely critical.

 
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Bustin
On 4/9/2008 GC wrote in from United States  (159.153.nnn.nnn)

Also ran trucks and cool-but-a-few-years-out-of-date wheels. Maybe worthwhile if they're cheap I reckon.

 
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S9 Racing formula wheels
On 4/6/2008 David wrote in from United States  (69.178.nnn.nnn)

Anyone out there got the skinny on these? I've seen 'em but am curious if any racers visiting this forum have actually taken them for a spin.

 
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bustin boca
On 4/6/2008 evan wrote in from Canada  (24.138.nnn.nnn)

im trying to pursuade a few freinds to pick up longboarding and they are leaning towards bustin boards. i've just been on there site for the first time in a while and noticed they've developed a new wheel. are these wheels any good or should i stick with abec 11 or 3dm?

 
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website
On 3/28/2008 sc wrote in from United States  (68.4.nnn.nnn)

abec11.com was up and running when I checked it a little while ago

 
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Abec / Sk8trip
On 3/28/2008 MP / Speedo wrote in from United States  (71.2.nnn.nnn)

Try www.sk8trip.com

 
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ABEC-11 website
On 3/28/2008 GT from Norcal wrote in from United States  (69.181.nnn.nnn)

Anybody know whats up with ABEC-11? Their website (Retro and Pink too) has been down for a few days.

 
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Skoolz and Shaping Slalom Wheels...............
On 3/20/2008 Paul Howard wrote in from United States  (65.122.nnn.nnn)

NoSkoolz- 65mm 92duro- My favorite park wheel for the last 5(?) years.

Low tech wheel shaping- I shave ALL my slalom wheel by using a Sure-form wood shaver/plane from Stanley Tools(the thing that looks like a cheeze-grater for wood), I use the one with the red handle, and a 2 inch long blade. I then roll down a slight slope and press the sureform to the outer edge. Then I shave the outer edge of the other wheel. Then, I get a metric ruler and/or a caliper and am able to very PRECICELY get them shaved the same amount. Next, I take my wheels off, and reverse them so the inner edge is now facing outward and trim those edges. Once they are even and the edges nice and 90 degrees, I put a slight rounded edge or bevel on each edge of each wheel for safety when I go into the occasional slide. This has been reliable since 2003 when the Great Pragmatist Dan Hughes introduced me to the file at Breckenridge and I improved it with the Sureform plane which allows you to more controllably "pull" the tool than less controllably "push" a file into the wheel.

Environmental Concerns? There is almost no dust to speak of and with a nice sharp blade in the sureform, it cuts thin itty bitty threads that collect in the tool that can be pulled out and disposed of in a good clean manner.

Safety Concerns? - Even when doing it on flat ground I wear a helmet and knee pad for the unanticipated crack, twig, pebble. I have'nt needed it yet but always expect the unexpected.

Financial Concerns? - $5.00 to $8.00 at most hardware stores.

Just my 2 cents

 
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No Schoolz!
On 3/20/2008 MP / Speedo wrote in from United States  (71.2.nnn.nnn)

They are good.
I have the little ones.
Quick!

 
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going way back.....rick from oz
On 3/19/2008 munchh wrote in from United Kingdom  (86.153.nnn.nnn)

Nobody mentioned the one wheel that surprised the hell out of me, the Abec11 "no-skoolz", they are only 65mm, but double radius, centre set and fast as hell around the 78-80a range, also good in parks especially concrete, they are in my opinion one of the top allround wheels in my quiver!

Any takers?

 
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Distraction causes............ error
On 3/4/2008 MP / Speedo wrote in from United States  (71.49.nnn.nnn)

I agree with PSR.
It's good to play creative mad scientist at home or shop.

 
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spinning wheels, or axles...
On 3/2/2008 PSR wrote in from United States  (75.68.nnn.nnn)

Herbn, I found mine through guys who worked at Ruger firearms, will cost around $2K with extra collets/tools, once it's up for bid in the spring. Probably dates back to the 50's, non-CNC, all hand-dial controlled, and purrs.

Kids in our training class called the Hardinge they were using 'the Cadillac'; an older machinist (dead now, unfortunately) said they had That Wrong; It's a Packard, not any cheap Caddy!

I've seen them listed around here for as little as $700, as much as $4k+. They just don't make little, one-off machines of that quality anymore..

 
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stay away from my lathe:)
On 3/2/2008 herbn wrote in from United States  (71.255.nnn.nnn)

that may very well be just about the exact lathe i have, it's so close i'll have to check on monday to see if i can find any identifing tags.I guess you have a line on one, what are they going for these days? My dad bought the one i got,gosh darn,probabely 35 years ago and stored it for a few years until we had a place for it. Damn ,i never thought of it like that, freaky the amount of years that have gone by. It has some repaired teeth in the gear drive,someone very old school, drilled a row of holes in the gap (left by the broken tooth) and pressed in a row of pins then (probabely) filed them to shape. These lathes were worked tremendously hard back in the day, my usage probabely amounts to an active retirement. Lathe are a very worthwhile investment,i never go more than a few days without using it for something,a little milling machine is very good partner for a lathe,go vintage,i have a little clausing, then an arbor press is great for assembling and disassembling things you make or are working on,ie 8mm truck axles.

 
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off course, by a bit....
On 2/29/2008 PSR wrote in from United States  (75.68.nnn.nnn)

Adam, that's cool...

My concern would be for someone 'not quite adept' trying the "File while U Ride"... The potential crash scenarios, as funny as they are within the mind's eye, could do some serious damage.

Btw, my fave 'tool' for wheel-shaping, though far from an exact-to-tolerance type of thing, is a simple 6" or 8" bench grinder. Wheels with good bearings on a hanger that's got an 8mm axle, calipers, marking pen, adustable stand, and profile gage. Oh and Safety glasses, mask, and vac. Pretty simple stuff, and I can get them to within .001" usually. I put a Tunnel/Snake type of lip on both Flashbacks and Gumballs last summer. Better grip by far, so good I'm gonna try it on the wheel I helped design, the NoSkool (Vlad already squared some off, to good effect). Hopefully by this late spring, I'll have a vintage ('48 or so) Hardinge Lathe in the barn. Then I can get a bit more serious about what I'm doing, hobby-wise. Sucks, too, because the Miyano's I run at work could do SO much...But that's why they're a half-million apiece. ;-)

 
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of course
On 2/29/2008 Adam wrote in from Canada  (72.138.nnn.nnn)

hell of course you cant make them all the same, yeah its pretty dangerous, its terrible to the world around you. im in school to become a machinist so i know very well its not the best or most accurate. But its a hell of a show, and if you dont have time on race day, freak storm or what have ya its a good skill to learn quick so you can have some rain grooved wheels. I know exactly the feeling of somebody bugging you when your trying to think about where your next hole is going to be drilled. i was thinking more of a rain groove application, i agree its not the greatest way to pre-cone a wheel or reduce lip size/shape.
btw i dont txt and drive, im fairly focused when im in anything with a motor.

 
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File this away...
On 2/28/2008 PSR wrote in from United States  (75.68.nnn.nnn)

Adam, as a machinist, and as a veteran[19 years] snowboard instructor, I've got two arguements against riding a skateboard while filing your wheels; Not to say it can't be done, rather Reasons it Shouldn't be done.

Both issues revolve around a simple idea; Distraction causes Error.

So, you're cruising along, file in hand, grinding wheels (adding, btw, toxic urethane dust to your local environs), and the-Mom-from-hell-in-a-Speeding-Minivan decides the yellow centerline dosen't apply to her on This Hill. What do you think Your chances of avoiding contact are? [Having been a Surveyor, and having a mom/van combo take my theodolite out, some 12 feet away from the shoulder of a raod , with signs posted, I'm not thinking Your odds are good..) So, rider's may not be as aware when filing wheels while riding. This is an opinion, but an informed one...

Secondly, do you think you can shape each wheel in a similar fashion doing this? I don't. In the machining world, you DO NOT speak out loud to a Machinist who is in 'thinking mode'. Why? Because your impertanance will likely distract the machinist from the mathematical tasks they're contimplating, if not the very process they're trying to envision. How can you even hope to be accurate, let alone have repeatable results, using a file without a basic guide on a moving device that's controlled by balance-while-in-motion? Oh, and NOT be distracted by the Mom-in-the-minivan horror-show coming up the road at you? Nope, you can't. So, why try?

Or are you one of those who text-messages on the cell-phone while driving a motorcycle?

 
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hot /cold
On 2/28/2008 herbn wrote in from United States  (67.83.nnn.nnn)

i've heard the cold treatment before,i'm not sure if the freezer thing works in the long run. I kind of think it might be urban skate legend that might have it's root in cryogenic treatment, dipping cutting tools,and engine(metal) parts in liquid nitrogen actually contracts the material to the point where the molecules pack tighter on the surface,to the point where they don't expand again when warmed. I guess hot water softens urithane but that has it's limits and it would probabely be temporary/

 
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There is a better way
On 2/28/2008 Adam wrote in from Canada  (72.138.nnn.nnn)

You want to shape your wheels in a hurry? mount your wheels on a board that has cutouts (like a fullbag dh or a jimz flush cut)

bomb down a moderately steep hill and break out that bastard file. If your any good you should be able to control the board and shape your wheels at the same time. if you get a bastard with an edge file use that for rain grooves!

Less to setup, less to clean up. Just dont go too fast, shaping and wheel while riding it doesnt equal a ton of grip. But you can make a rad rooster tail of thane!!

btw explain to me this wheels in hot water idea? wheel expands and gets more traction? or just grips more

 
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skateboarding
On 2/27/2008 keegan wrote in from United States  (165.161.nnn.nnn)

does putting skateboard wheels in a freezer it makes them last longer and putting skateboard weels in hot water makes them go faster.......... I also love skateboarding because you can do wat ever u want.............

 
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Wheel shaping
On 2/27/2008 Rick from OZ wrote in from Australia  (203.129.nnn.nnn)

Thanks for the tip, PSR. If I had some older wheels of that size, I'd give that a go. Doing that to a spanky new set of the wheels you mentioned, which are a pretty rare item over here... well that might be more than I could take.

I've also wondered about some pink PowerBalls (which would match my handbag) and want to get a better look at some Tunnel Tarantulas.

The plan is to ride them in a ditch here in Canberra that I used to ride down on Road Rider 4's about a hundred years ago. It's a fair bit rougher, now, and I reckon some wheels along the lines I described would rip down there like... well... something that's really good at ripping...

The ditch was in a photo or ad in a copy of Concrete Wave a while back. I'll see if I can track the issue down.

Cheers
Rick from OZ

 
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70mm radiused edge wheel
On 2/26/2008 PSR wrote in from United States  (75.68.nnn.nnn)

Rick, just keep this tid-bit in the back of your mind; Any wheel can be re-shaped with a simple set of hand tools; You need only an 8mm X 50mm long bolt,2 dead(non spinning) bearings, two 8mm flat washers + a bearing spacer, flat bastard file, and a decent-quality hand drill (cordless optional). You chuck the wheel with dead bearings + spacer, add the flat washers outside the bearings, onto the drill. Tap with the flat of your hand or a rubber mallet as you tighten down the chuck on the 8mm bolt. Set the speed at 'medium' or so on the drill. Grab the file, rev up the drill in the other hand, and place the file along the wheel edge you want reshaped. Racers have been 'cutting down' wheels with less-than-aggressive lips for awhile now, but you can also take a Manx/Grippen/Zig-Zag/HotSpot and put a radiused edge to it easily.

Oh, and check out Earthwing's new 70mm slider wheel, and the new Alligators from Bennett. The Dubzilla may be the tire you're looking for, but for more durometer options, I thought I'd mention reshaping.

 
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Dubzilla
On 2/26/2008 Rick from OZ wrote in from Australia  (203.129.nnn.nnn)

A double radiused Zig Zag would be the getting there, but that Dubzilla looks ideal!
Thanks guys.

 
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Rick form Oz...
On 2/25/2008 Liam Fourie wrote in from United Kingdom  (135.196.nnn.nnn)

I'd definately advise Retro "Lime" Zig Zags (70mm)they have the best urethane formula i have ridden (grippy,long lasting and predictable to drift)they are not centre set though but this makes for more grip.They come in harder and softer duros too but i don't think i am alone in saying that that durometer is the best all rounder for DH in the Zig Zag/Big Zig range....

 
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