9 Best longboard wheels for cruising, carving & sliding – Authentic Reviews

Longboard sliding, cruising, and carving are only fun when it’s a smooth and adventurous ride. You know how much the quality of your longboard wheels can affect the quality of your ride. You will need wheels that can handle speed and offer a smooth ride if you are a pro and love to do tricks and stunts. 

Being a professional rider, you can’t compromise on the quality of your ride therefore, to buy the best longboard wheels remember to consider the riding style you opt for as some longboard wheels might be suitable for one riding style and the worst for other riding styles. It’s obvious because not only does each riding style requires the different capability of the rider but also different capacities of his longboard

So here’s some friendly advice to first read about the features of longboard wheels to make the most out of them. A list is given in this article to go through to buy the best wheels for cruising, sliding, and carving. Also, the following buying guide will guide you to understand the beneficial features of longboard wheels that are going to let you enjoy smooth rides for these riding styles.

Top 3 Best longboard wheels for cruising, carving & sliding

List of best Wheels for Cruising

You may select the best longboard wheels for cruising from the list below. Before that, read the pros and cons of each to decide which one will be most suitable for you.

1: Bigfoot Longboard Wheels

Bigfoot longboard wheels are pretty hard as they have a durometer of 80a. these are large-sized wheels of 76mm x 53mm that will offer you stability and easy grip for your ride. If you are looking for wheels to ride a longboard for cruising around, you can definitely give these a chance. 

 At this price, these wheels are the best for cruising and downhill. They are soft but not too soft to prevent you from riding smoothly over bumpy or rough surfaces. Also, the material of the wheels is durable. You can run your longboard smoothly and make easy turns. The wheels make the ride as comfortable as it should be. The performance of these wheels is entirely good. However, for these wheels replacing the bearings is difficult. It seems like the size of the bearing rim is not suitable for any other bearings. 

If you feel like your longboard is not running smoothly even for cruising or commuting, you don’t have to buy a new longboard rather just replace the wheels and try these ones. As with these, you will enjoy cruising smoothly and speedily with a comfortable grip. These wheels are going to turn your old longboard into a new one in terms of performance.

2: Orangatang Kegel 80 mm Downhill Longboard Skateboard Cruising Wheels 

Orangatang Kegel 80mm longboard wheels are great for speed rides allowing you to cruise around smoothly. As they have 80mm diameter, they are suitable with long deck longboards. As you need a good grip for cruising and downhill, these wheels fulfill that need with sharp lip wheels. Made of grippy formula urethane, the wheels are soft enough to roll with stability.

Being bigger in size, orangatang kegel wheels will roll smoothly over rough and bumpy surfaces as well. However, bigger wheels require you to kick with more force but that will let you roll for more time without the need to kick again. These wheels are made for cruising and downhill as the material used is great for grip and the wide contact patch adds to it. 

With this performance, the wheels are available at a reasonable and affordable price. However, as these wheels are soft after using for a few months over rough surfaces there are few scratches over them and it is starting to get chewed up. But that happens when the wheels are soft after a few months. You can use these wheels to make your commuting or cruising longboard roll just like a new longboard.

3: Shark Wheel Skating Wheels

Another great option for cruising around is Shark wheel skating wheels. For cruising smoothly over bumpy surfaces, these wheels make your longboard roll with great speed with stability. The wheel size is ideal for medium-sized longboards.

For the smoothness, shark wheels while rolling over bumpy surfaces reduce shock with a 30-degree approach angle. Made of the best material used to manufacture wheels, these polyurethane wheels are soft and big enough to grip the ground well for easy balancing.

The special sine wave shape of these wheels makes your ride smoother. Easy balancing over bumps and pebbles with the best speed as compared to other same-sized wheels makes these wheels a perfect choice for cruising, downhilling, or commuting. You can enjoy a perfect cruising ride in parks and streets. Furthermore, even on damp surfaces, you won’t lose your balance. But although they are great for wet surfaces, you cannot ride with these wheels over sand or gravel. Otherwise, the wheels offer you a speedy ride over both smooth and rough surfaces. Besides the performance, these wheels make your longboard look amazing with its unique design and shape.

The list of Best Wheels for Sliding

You may select the best longboard wheels for cruising from the list below. Before that, read the pros and cons of each to decide which one will be most suitable for you.

1: Shark Wheel 60 mm 78a, Skateboard Cruising Wheels

The best ones for sliding are shark wheel cruising wheels, these are made of polyurethane material making these wheels a great option for smooth rides. For sliding, you need a longboard that can roll smoothly with a comfortable grip and wheels play an important role in making the longboard reliable for a smooth and steady ride.

Shark wheels roll well over smooth as well as bumpy surfaces with speed. They also perform well over wet surfaces. These wheels have less friction due to their unique shape which makes them suitable for sliding. 

With the 60 mm diameter, shark wheels are only suitable for smaller longboards or skateboards of around 35 to 38 inches longboard. For a longboard with a lengthy deck, around 75mm to 80mm sized wheels will be better.

Also, even though the durometer of these wheels is average and seems right for these sized wheels still they feel harder than other wheels of the same durometer. Being hard, they do not grip to the ground like they would have if they were softer. This makes them reliable for sliding. Besides, the contact patch is enough to provide the stability.

2: FREEDARE 70mm Longboard Wheels 

Freedare 70mm longboard wheels go great with a medium-sized longboard.  You don’t have to face the problem of wheel biting. With the smoothness and the stability that it offers, you can enjoy sliding with it at a great speed. It goes faster as compared to many other same-sized wheels. Also, You don’t need to worry about rough surfaces anymore with these. They roll smoothly over small pebbles.

83a durometer of wheels is enough to allow your longboard to move without friction which is beneficial for sliding. The bearings that came with these wheels are great. You won’t need to replace them for simple cruising or sliding. However, if you want to perform stunts both these wheels and the bearings are not efficient enough.

The wheels are durable and look great with your longboard. I didn’t notice any chewing up of the material of the wheels even after months of use. But that’s only for cruising around or sliding. At this price, the pros of these wheels are a great deal. In short, these wheels are useful for beginners and sliders but professional riders who opt for stunts and tricks will need some other wheels.

3: Orangatang Skiff 62 mm All-Terrain Skateboard Wheels

Orangatang Skiff wheels offer you a fun ride. You can go at high speeds while maintaining a pleasant ride, even on uneven terrain.  As per my observation, these go faster and smoother than many other wheels with the same diameter.

These are an excellent choice for longboard wheels, particularly for sliding.  As for sliding, you need a stable ride and a wide contact patch, and a fantastic grip; these wheels are suitable for it. Also, as they are manufactured with buttery urethane formula, they will let your longboard slide well enough.

62mm size of wheels is suitable for skateboards and small-sized longboards. For longer boards, you should choose some other wheels as these will not be able to provide a stable ride. Some riders make the mistake of selecting small-sized wheels with longer boards. Even if the wheels are great for a smooth ride, they do not offer a comfortable ride with longer boards. Otherwise, these wheels are durable and reliable for riding on wet, rough as well as bumpy surfaces without any problem.

 

List of Best Wheels for Carving

If you are looking for some longboard wheels for carving, the following is a list of the best carving wheels at reasonable prices. Find and choose the most suitable wheels for your longboard.

1: Shark Wheel 60 mm 78a, Skateboard Cruising Wheels

Shark wheels having a 78a durometer are perfect for carving as they are hard enough to prevent friction while rolling smoothly and let you balance yourself on the longboard comfortably. You can count on these wheels to travel well across uneven terrain. Not only do they roll well over rough surfaces but also over gravels and giant cracks.

So for carving around, the contact patch and lip profile are reliable. But the 60mm size goes only with small longboards or cruisers. Also, while the performance of these wheels is great for carving and the bearings are outstanding still, you will need to do some replacements. Like depending on your board, you may require risers or need to change nuts to prevent wheel bite. 

You can make turns comfortably while cruising or carving as they are flexible enough. With the performance, these wheels are long-lasting. Besides carving, they can also be used for cruising, downhilling, or sliding. I am loving the performance of these wheels, and they are worth your money. So don’t wait to enjoy smooth carving experiences.

2: Orangatang Kegel 80 mm Downhill Longboard Skateboard Cruising Wheels

orangatang brand provides you with the best quality wheels for carving. These sturdy wheels let you enjoy hard carving, pumping, and downhilling. Therefore, these are a perfect choice for both beginners and pros.

They come with Jehu V2 bearings, which is a great combination. For making the wheels roll more smoothly, they are manufactured with a smooth, plush, and grippy formula of urethane. With this formula, the wheels slide and roll over long distances even with less pushing. Besides providing a smooth ride, it also provides stability with sufficient grip.

You can carve at a good speed while maintaining balance with orangutang wheels. Also, they will roll well over bumpy surfaces reducing the need to push again and again. 80mm size of these wheels is suitable for large-sized longboards. As the wheels are on a softer side, they will start to chew up after some months but are available with different durometers to choose from. 

Being a professional rider, I use these wheels for different riding styles, including carving, downhilling, and racing. They allow you to do whatever you want.  Moreover, the material quality is quite durable, making them more reliable for professional tricks and stunts.

3: Orangatang Stimulus 70 mm Freeride Longboard Skateboard Wheels 

Being 70mm in size, orangatang stimulus freeride wheels are suitable for medium-sized longboards from 34 to 40 inches longboard. Even though they are big in size, still they are light weighted and allow you to perform tricks and stunts with your longboard. You can use these wheels with your longboard for professional-level rides for different riding styles, including carving, freeriding, freestyling, and dancing.

With the wheels come Loaded Jehu V2 bearings that go well with them. Also, you don’t need separate spacers and speed rings for it. To make your rides smooth and steady, the material is manufactured with the formula for buttery smooth slides. As the wheels have a round shape and wide contact patch, they are reliable for fast rides with good grip.

For carving, these wheels are a great choice as they roll and turn comfortably. Wheels are pretty hard to maintain balance while carving. Moreover, the wheels are durable and last for a long time without getting cracked or even scratched on the rough surfaces, at least not too much as compared to other wheels. So, choosing these wheels for carving will let you enjoy carving with fun and ease.

Buying guide for best wheels for cruising, carving, and sliding

If you are looking for longboard wheels most suitable for cruising you need wheels that can move smoothly and steadily. For cruising, large and soft wheels with a broad contact patch are preferable.

For sliding, you definitely need wheels that can offer a stable ride so choose bigger and harder wheels as soft wheels can make it difficult to slide. While for carving, a stable ride is only possible with bigger and softer wheels that offer more grip to the surface.

Following is the description of each feature of longboard wheels that make them best for different riding styles. These features include the material of wheels, durometer, size, shape, and length of the contact patch.

Material of Wheels

Different materials used for longboard wheels have different qualities. Urethane is the most often utilized material in the production of longboard wheels nowadays. Besides urethane, hard plastic is also used but it is not the best material for various riding styles as it does not allow the board to run smoothly. Urethane allows the wheels to grip well to the ground. Also, this material does not get damaged easily.

For different kinds of riding styles, the urethane material is manufactured differently. For example, for cruiser longboards, greasy urethane wheels will be the best. Depending on your riding style, choose the wheels made of favorable material. 

Also, the type of material of wheels will affect the overall weight of the longboard. If you want to keep your longboard lightweight, you will have to consider that while buying the wheels.

Durometer of Wheels

Diameter (size) of Wheels

Size is another important aspect of longboard wheels that affects the quality of your ride. Bigger wheels are better for a long deck while smaller wheels go with a small deck. If you use smaller wheels with a longer deck it will cause wheel bite and make you lose balance.  

Usually, for average-sized longboards between 34 to 42 inches length deck, 68mm to 72mm size wheels are suitable. While for a longboard with decks above 42 inches, you can go for wheels around 72 to 75mm. just like that, a longboard with a smaller deck (smaller than 34 inches) with 65 mm or minimum 60 mm size wheels will be suitable.

Shape of Wheels

After size comes the shape of wheels in making your ride as much fun as expected. If you are using a longboard only for cruising around, any shape will work for you. While for different riding styles two main shapes of longboard wheels are:

• Sharp lip shape
• Round lip shape

The main difference between sharp lip shape and round lip shape wheels is that a sharp lip allows more grip to the ground and also flexes easily to make your ride more stable for cruising, carving, or downhill. While round lip shape basically lets you slide more easily as it does not have more grip on the ground. So it is better for sliding. Therefore, choose the shape of the wheels according to your riding style.

Length of the Contact Patch

The part of the wheels that touches the ground and provides stability is called the contact patch. For more stability, choose the wheels with more length of the contact patch. They will be better for downhilling and carving. But as you don’t need much grip for sliding, a wheel with less contact patch will be more suitable. The contact patch of a wheel is measured in millimeters and is between 30 to 70mm. a 30mm contact patch of the wheel means that it will be less grippy while a 70mm contact patch of the wheel will offer more grip.

Conclusion

If you need a longboard for cruising, carving, or sliding, Shark Wheel and Orangatang wheels brand offer various wheels that are best for different riding styles. This page contains information about the greatest wheels.  All of the wheels offer a smooth ride and are great for stability. Choose the one that goes best with your longboard and offers the features that you need for your riding style.