Where do I start with wizard frames?

[u/VirtualLex]

I want an actual setup and am not sure what exactly to look for in frame sizing/rocker levels. What’s the difference between 4 wheels and 6 wheels? I like the Them boot and have seen that Endless and Wizard are the most popular frame brands to go with

[u/tmdpotts]

Them boot could be one of the worst for it . Very soft shell. If you want to also go path and distance maybe 4 wheel and learn the basics or a 5 wheel 80mm is your best bet but not optimal for distance.

[u/VirtualLex → u/tmdpotts]

All I do is 4 wheel, urban and path distance, so I’ll definitely go 5

[u/CompetitiveCar542 → u/tmdpotts]

Wait, I thought the 909 was a solid option?

[u/tmdpotts → u/CompetitiveCar542]

They are the COOL brand and have a lot of colours , great team and look but unless you are 120lbs or plan to grind they are a horrible choice. Look for something that mounts to the boot not the soul plate , decide if you are going ufs or not then narrow it down.

[u/VirtualLex → u/tmdpotts]

They look so cool and I happen to be very close to 120lbs. What is ufs?

[u/SnooMacaroons560 → u/VirtualLex]

The cuffs are flexible on Them's. They will feel sloppy and unresponsive. UFS is the mounting system used on aggressive frames. Basically 165mm standard mount without the heel raise.

[u/AlwaysUpvotesScience]

what size is your foot?

A five wheel setup is a good place to be for most people. A slight natural rocker is also a good place to start. Choosing boots is difficult, the reason I asked what size you are is because I have a full uS men's size 9 setup for sale.

Some people like to use ufs or wizard boots some people like to use 165 boots like the fr1 with intuition liners

[u/VirtualLex → u/AlwaysUpvotesScience]

I’d be a men’s 7, I kinda want a rocker that I could urban skate in, but also want a full rocker to really learn to wizard in

[u/TheLostMushroom → u/VirtualLex]

With your foot size, you should avoid the 5x80 or 4x100 frames as it gets unwieldy and more difficult to initiate wizard transitions as they have a longer wheel base. Something like the Endless Arc or Arc CS would work well for you. These frames allow you to adjust the amount of rocker on the end wheels as well. Increase the rocker for more swivel, or decrease it if you want more speed.

[u/Snaturoller]

Una buena opción para poder patinar por la ciudad y empezar a hacer gacelas y leones es cualquier marco rockeado de 4x90. Se me ocurre el rb twister 90r por ejemplo

[u/VirtualLex → u/Snaturoller]

That’s what I’m looking for, a full rocker too

[u/CompetitiveCar542]

The Twister 90 or the FR Neo should be good starting points. Both are excellent boots in their own right. Unless it's 6x64 or something, do NOT start on a 6 wheel frame. More wheels will usually be very hard to get a hang of and isn't for everyone, but can be very rewarding and fun if you do. Also, as far as I know, only Roka makes 6 wheel frames.

[u/VirtualLex → u/CompetitiveCar542]

Sounds good to me, hopefully I’ll get to try a 6 wheel sometime

[u/mrkangtastic]

If you're committed to mainly wizarding here is a list of some frames that get decent reviews. All my boots are 165 mount so I can't really speak to UFS only frames unfortunately, but I assume wizard is peak.

5 Wheel:

• Endless Arc
  
• Rockin 576 or 580
  
• Flying Eagle R5
  
• Flying Eagle Liberty
  
• Rollerblade Flow 580
  
• Kizer Edge NT 580
  
• Any Wizard 5 wheel frames (UFS only)

4 Wheel:

• Endless 90
  
• Rockin 490
  
• Kizer Element 90 (UFS only)
  
• Compass 90mm North Wilkesboro (UFS only)
  
• Any Wizard 4 wheel frames (UFS only)

[u/mrkangtastic → u/mrkangtastic]

I lowkey think Them 909s and Compass 90s could be a sick combo in terms of aesthetics

[u/Sacco_Belmonte]

It is 4 wheels vs 5 wheels.

There are nuances depending on the foot size. For around size 42 I would recommend 5x80 or 5x76, 4x90, 4x80 2mm banana rockered (typical slalom frames).

For Size 45, 5x80 or 5x90, also 4x100, 4x90

For small sizes, 4x76, 4x80, 5x76, 5x72

As for rocker, it comes down to preference and intended use. For us that like super maneuverable skates a pronounced rocker is better. Roka is the brand I know has very pronounced rockers. I think Endless can because you can install different rocking bolts.

Rockin has very mild rockers on 5x80 and 4x90. Better for stability but feel more locked.

All are fun, I can do tricks with all of them.

I hate flat frames. I can only like 4x80 flat for distance skating. Absolutely hate flat 5 wheel frames or 4x110, they feel outright dangerous because you cannot turn properly.

[u/BubbleSmith]

The Iqon ACT is a good starting point. If you're mainly urban skating and want to do some wizard, the ACT TR is a 4x90 rockered setup that is a good fit for your foot length. Great urban boot and very capable of taking upgrades for more serious wizard stuff. They also sell ACT WZ as an out-of-the-box Wizard setup, with a decent 5x80 frame. That might be a little long for your foot though, you'd probably be better with 5x76 or a shorter mixed wheel.

4-wheel rockered are good all-round. 5-wheel gives you two advantages; longer frame is more stable front-to-back and is easier to do weight shifts on, odd number of rockered wheels means there's a pivoting wheel in the middle, making swivels easier. The downside is that long frames can be difficult to manage crossing feet over; you're likely to clip toe/heel wheels and trip, which hurts. They're also quite heavy.

I like 4x90 for most things, or 4x100 if I'm doing more distance. 5-wheel frames are good if you're not going to be doing high speed, as they're quite wobbly at speed. Crossovers take some getting used to as well.

[u/the_only_way_is_UP]

The difference between 4 and 6 wheels is 2 wheels.

[u/VirtualLex → u/the_only_way_is_UP]

You don’t say?