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Selecting the right wheels for an old school skateboard can be difficult. This is because modern street skating has introduced smaller wheels to perform tricks.
At 80s skateboards we have developed a list of skateboard wheels recommend for anyone skating an old school deck ranging from 8 inches or above.
In reality, most of the old school skateboards for vert and pools were generally between 9-10.5 inches. This means that pairing an old school board with 50mm skateboard wheels are not a good idea. It can be done, but for what? It’s almost like hooking up your caravan to a lamborghini.
By obeying some simple rules, we’ll point you in the right direction to matching the right wheels to your deck and truck. We will also help you tailor your wheel for the ride you want.
Choosing an oldschool skateboard wheel diameter
If you are choosing a wheel for an old school skateboard you should select a wheel with a larger diameter range.
Old School Skateboards are designed for cruising, vert, ramps and pools. It is in these forms of skating that a large diameter wheel begins to show you the full potential of an old school skateboard setup.
Most Old School wheels range between 58-66mm.
The larger wheels will give you more speed, and smaller wheels will give you more acceleration.
Consider a 58mm if you are going to be doing a little bit of street skating with your deck.
Otherwise, a wheel around 60mm-64mm is what you should be considering. We are into this range because larger wheels look better and match the style of wheels that were popular during the 80’s.
Choosing skateboard wheel durometer
The durometer is a measure of a skateboard wheel hardness. Most wheels you buy should be measured using the Durometer A Scale.
Very simply – the higher the number, the harder the wheel.
For Old school skateboards, you have the pleasant option of choosing the wheel density towards what you want to do.
Soft wheels with low numbers are best suited to street skating and they are also great for cruising.
Hard wheels with high number are better for Skate parks and skating vert and ramps.
| Durometer | Type |
|---|---|
| 78a-87a | Soft wheels for rough surfaces. If you are riding on the street a lot these are awesome. They are great for rolling over cracks, small obstacles and pebbles. Use them for hills and other gnarly surfaces. You can also use them if you want more of a longboard setup. |
| 88a-95a | These are a bit of everything. These are moderately soft on rough surfaces and moderately hard for skateparks and vert. |
| 96a-99a | These are fast with good grip. This range is what you want for skateparks, vert, ramps and other smooth surfaces. Of course you can still use them for street and cruising but they’re not quite as smooth and just a little more noisy. |
Classic Skateboard Wheels
Here is a list of Classic Skateboard Wheels that will match well with an old school skateboard deck.
Santa Cruz Slime Balls Vomits 97A Wheels Neon Green 60mm
There are many skaters from the 80’s who refuse to skate anything else. The Santa Cruz Slime Balls Vomits are a sturdy, fast and great for power sliding.
Powell-Peralta G-Bones 97A Skateboard Wheels (Black, 64mm)
A wide and smooth ride with these wheels. G-Bones are popular for old school skating and are great for carving up skate parks and ramps. They match particularly well with the traditional Powell-Peralta decks.
Powell-Peralta Bombers 64mm 85A Red Skateboard Wheels
These wheels are great for ‘Bombing’ hills and create and amazingly smooth street ride.
They also handle skateparks very well!
