Tile just isnt like Ice...

[BigDipper 0]

Hey boys, listen I'm an ice hockey player but I need some good insight on some wheels. I'm hard on my feet and turn quick and sharp and dig down low. I play on sport court and need something with solid grip, but not too spongy as I slide a lot on either foot. Give me something to work with. I run ABEC 9's always worked for me, but how are the titanium bearings? worth it? or no? Give me a good wheel combo here.

[rollerskater92 0]

how much do you weigh and what wheels have you used in the past?

[BigDipper 0]

6, 195. I've used all kinds buds. I don't even know where to begin. I just always found either they had too much grip, or way too little. I could never find the inbetween

[sdcopp 1]

both wheels and bearings, let's tackle one at a time.

bearings are ALL brand preference. Depending on who you talk to will determine how good any one brand is. Bones, BSB and Bevo are all solid choices. The new Mission bearings are good as well. My personal preference is Bones Swiss. They've been a top bearing since the early 80's. A few people have experience with the Oust Moc bearings and like those. Don't get caught up in all the jargon about ABEC vs Swiss, Titanium, etc. It's a quality brand you want, and generally get what you pay for.

Wheels are at best, a shell game. I haven't tried the newer Labeda wheels yet, but the old Milleniums would turn to sandpaper on me in about a month. A lot of luck with Rink Rat Hornets, and they seem to last quite well. Hyper's new flex wheels feel good, but I haven't skated them enough to talk longevity. Haven't tried Revision yet either. I'm 5'9", 205-210lbs depending on lunch and hard on wheels all around.

[BigDipper 0]

I agree with the bearings. Honestly I can't see that much of a difference between swiss or titanium. My BEVO ABEC 9's are plenty quick. Now with the durometer i've tried different levels. But I always found the construction of the wheel was the worst. I can feel them give and flex. I think my biggest problem is coming from ice and the mobility issue. I saw a "triple pour" wheel, and different kinds in that sense. I guess that's what I'm getting at here. Best construction of a wheel.

[sdcopp 1]

wheels come in two standards of single pour and dual pour. Hyper Trinity has the "triple pour", and is constructed in a similar fashion to a dual pour, but the inner edge is different from the outer edge of the wheel (if that makes any sense). Each wheel has their thing (call it their gimmick, their tech, whatever you want)

Hyper's thing this year - Flex grooves in the sidewall of the wheel

Rink Rat's thing overall - MTech with "inside out" dual pour

Labeda's thing - Fusion urethane disc to provide stiffness when the wheels is straight, flex when turning. The Dynasty 2 and Genesis wheels use the buzz-saw looking core

Revision's thing - Torus structure to provide stability and stiffness in straightaway, flexes when turning

most dual poured wheels have a hard inner pour for shape and stiffness and a softer outer for grip and footprint. Rink Rats has a soft inner and hard outer for more of a tire like build (think air inside hard rubber). I'm not sure if Revision does a true dual pour, or if it's a single pour over the Torus.

[Abilectic 0]

6, 195. I've used all kinds buds. I don't even know where to begin. I just always found either they had too much grip, or way too little. I could never find the inbetween

I would humbly suggest a combo of wheels. Figure out which wheel at which position is giving you the most slip and put the grippy wheel in that spot. For instance if your front wheel is sliding out when you push off, put the stickiest one there and the harder faster wheels on the rest, you might want to try putting the grippy wheels front and back and harder faster wheels in the middle.

When I moved across the state years ago, the wheels I was used to on my old rink sucked on the new one, I went and asked players of similar size and playing style what they were using and went in that direction, I ended up with labeda grippers, I've played on away rinks where the grippers were not ideal.