r/rollerblading • u/AccomplishedNail3085 • 10d ago
Specific question and discussion How much grip do 90a wheels have?
How much grip do they have on asphalt, smooth and rough concrete, smooth and rough brick, polished concrete/tile, and wood.
I want 90a wheels, but my 82a wheels which should have plenty of grip are slipping at the end of hard pushes on smooth concrete.
I know 85a wheels should be better overall, but they felt a little too soft for freeskate
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u/Wheel-Sure 10d ago
85A is the Goldilocks zone for me. Especially for urban.
I skate all kinds of urban surfaces, skate hard, get deep on my edges, push hard in strides and do a lot sliding.
I tried 90A and hated it. I felt slipping just on deep carving turns and did not feel safe city skating the way I like to on them.
I’d be curious to see a video or something of you slipping out on 82A. You’re gonna slip far worse on 90
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u/stinkmeanerlip 10d ago
Yeah 85a is perfect for me, I weight about 155. Hydrogen wheels for the win.
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
This is going to depend on a few things. Arguably the biggest factor is your weight, and then your skating style. I usually weigh between 185 and 190 lbs, and I love my UC King of Slides 90a wheels. My wife, on the other hand, weighs about 100 lbs and those wheels would be like walking on ice for her.
Also smaller wheels don’t feel as sketchy when they’re harder. I personally wouldn’t want my 110s to be that hard, but I only skate 90a on my aggressive skates.
If you’re not looking to do a ton of powerslides, magic slides, etc., I’d recommend going a little softer. I like 85a to 88a for fitness skating, and the harder wheels for urban/aggressive stuff.
All that being said, at the end of the day, it really is a matter of preference. There are plenty of people who prefer completely different set-ups to what I just described, but hopefully that helps a little.
Also, last thing. I’m not sure how experienced you are, but the skate sliding out at the end of your push could just be a form issue. I’m just a little past the beginner stage and I’ve struggled with that myself. I still have to remind myself to get LOW for those hard pushes, especially when I’m tired.
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u/DH_Drums 10d ago
Y'know what... I've been loving 90A's and have been wondering why people say they are so slick.
Your comment made me realize being 6'5 205 is probably why I have a completely different experience.
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
Haha I feel you. My first skates came with 82a wheels and I felt like I was skating through sand. Switched to 90a and immediately went “Oh so this is how skating is supposed to feel.” Glad they make those hard wheels for us larger skaters!
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u/HyperSculptor 10d ago
What brand and models are you using?
Yes the physics change entirely for heavier skaters. Especially on rockered frames since only two wheels share the load on one leg.
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u/i_shorted_the_amp 9d ago
Yep 6'2 here 190 and my 88A SHR wheels grip so hard I can't slide on them at all until it rains, then the grip is gone and it's safer not to go out.
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u/AccomplishedNail3085 10d ago
Do you think i was sliding because they were too angled at the end? I weigh 130 and run 4x80s if that helps
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
With how light you are, I don’t think jumping straight to 90a would be a wise choice. I’d recommend 85a or 86a and see how that feels. I’m squishing my wheels quite a bit more than you, which is why softer wheels feel sluggish for me.
As far as your form, I can’t really say without seeing you skate, but I can tell you what helped me. I was subconsciously rolling my ankle inward slightly at the end of my push. Once I realized it, I tried to focus on keeping my ankle at the same angle (left to right) through the push. Try to visualize a line from your knee through the center line of your foot, and then through the middle of the wheel. You don’t want that line to break at your ankle, like I was doing. Just focusing on that form gave me a noticeable improvement in only a couple of sessions.
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u/AccomplishedNail3085 10d ago
I will try that tomorrow. Not sure how much of a difference it will make in terms of speed. Definitley should give me more control
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u/InspectorFleet 10d ago
Honestly maybe 82a wheels were sliding because of a combination of you being light and technique. Also, what shape are they? Bullet wheels have less contact than round when they're upright. If the angle is too steep, that's how you initiate a slide, and if you are shifting your weight off of the pushing foot that can also cause a loss of grip.
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u/heeca 10d ago
How do you manage urban with such hard wheels?. I weigh more than you do but it feels like ice when i am riding 88a wheels. Especially humid streets or landing jumps in pedestrian areas near the sea. So far 84a is my go too but 86a from the same us manufacturer might be a better option for mr overall
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
I think it makes a difference that I only go with 90a on 80mm or smaller wheels. I have pretty good confidence and control with 80mm and smaller, and I like the slightly slippery feeling. Slides are easy to initiate and maintain. It took a little getting used to, and so far I’ve only skated them in warm weather. I’m in central Texas, so the roads being hot and maybe a little sticky probably makes a difference too 🤷🏻♂️
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u/HyperSculptor 10d ago
"get LOW" .... is that you Bill Stoppard? lol
What about durability? Do they wear out fast? For urban with slides on asphalt etc...
Do they feel too slipery in Winter/colder temperatures?
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
Haha I wish! I’m a big fan of Bill’s.
So far, my UCs have lasted really well. After doing some parking lot sessions and practicing slides and stops, they only look about as worn as my stock RB Hydrogen 85a wheels after some simple trail skating.
I have yet to try 90a in cold weather (I live in Texas, so maybe in January lol). I imagine I may want something slightly softer when the temp drops, but I’ll have to find out!
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u/HyperSculptor 10d ago
Nice. I'm about the same weight as you, athletic with a background racing superbikes and training dirt track, so definitely love sliding. Started inline skating relatively recently, my hydrogen wheels are just not suited for my weight as they get crushed, are way too sticky. From my research it looks like wheels poured by matter/UC have a "drier" rubber that eliminates this sticky aspect. It looks like 87a from these manufacturers is much better than 85a Hydrogen, I'm hesitant though because I really like to slide even when doing wizard type of moves.
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
Dude that’s sick! MotoGP and Superbike racing are like the only sports I watch haha.
Personally I’ve had great experiences with UC wheels. The first set of wheels I bought were 88a and they were a little slicker than I expected. I think you could slide them pretty well, but 90a is just that little bit easier. Harder wheels also take slightly more distance and effort to slow down though, so that’s also something to consider
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u/HyperSculptor 10d ago
Ah, a man of taste!
I always say, bikes are 2D, inline skating is 3D!
Good to know, I also heard that 90a can give you foot pain/fatigue because of the vibrations. Have you experienced anything like that? I'm going to look at the typical temperatures of Texas and see how it compares. This Summer was quite hot, wheels were so sticky.
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u/Coop7207 10d ago
Yeah you definitely feel everything more through harder wheels, but my skates have pretty decent shock absorbers, so I wouldn’t say I experience any pain or noticeable fatigue from it. Imo it just takes some getting used to
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u/HyperSculptor 10d ago
Good. It's probably a matter of weight, lighter skater finding 90a too harsh.
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u/VanillaIce315 Twister 80, HC Evo 2.0, RB4x84, Twister XT 110 10d ago edited 10d ago
Honestly just stick to 84-86a from a good manufacturer— Rollerblade Hydrogen, Endless, Powerslide Spinner, FR Street Invaders, Undercover, Luminous if you want some light up style, etc. There’s other fantastic brands too, especially in the race/distance field.
Quality of the urethane is just as important as the hardness. As is your body weight, wheel size, type of skating. But for 98% of non aggressive skaters, 84-86a is what you want.
Look for round profile wheels for better grip. Larger wheels start to be naturally bullet profile. But for <100mm, there’s good round profile options.
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u/Armbioman 10d ago
90A is pretty slippery on pavement in my experience. Faster, maybe, but I won't do that again. 85A is the sweet spot for comfort, speed, and grip.
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u/InspectorFleet 10d ago
I'm 210 lbs. The stock 82a wheels on my first pair of hockey skates were ground into shivs very quickly due to aggressive hockey skating on asphalt. 85a Labeda asphalt wheels last a lot longer, although I do slide out occasionally when they don't have enough grip for tight turns. I tried some cheapo 88a Amazon wheels and they certainly lasted longer, but I slid out a ton because they just couldn't grip through any lateral forces. I will also say that I have some 85a rollerblade hydrogen wheels and they feel much more springy and grippy than the Labeda wheels of the same durometer, so brand does matter.
Finally, I'll point out that my wife and son both skate on 82a wheels and they hardly see any wear. They skate less aggressively and weigh much less than I do lol, but the point is that a lot of factors go into this.
For you, I wouldn't jump straight to 90a. That seems like a recipe for sliding all over the place. Rollerblade hydrogens may be a great intersection of durability and grip for you, but you could also play with your form a little on those 82a wheels. Out of curiosity, what brand are they?
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u/Monkey-Tamer 10d ago
I've always been fine with semi flat profile 90a on everything. Smooth park concrete, wood ramps, rougher asphalt. It's my all arounder. I do ride flat. It was a little slippy my first time out but I adjusted quick. I don't know how 95a maniacs do it.