Here is a brief look at the evolution of skateboard wheels. The skateboard wheels where pretty basic in 50’s as they where just steel wheels taken of roller skates, then after realizing how poorly those handled the clay wheel came out in the 60’s. Skateboard wheel makers realized that clay didn’t handle much better than steel and came out with the urethane wheel which is what is currently being used today. Here is a brief look at how the skateboard wheel has evolved from the 50’s to the 90’s .. to be continued.
Let’s take a brief look at the interesting evolution of skateboard wheels. Back in the 50’s, skateboard wheels were pretty basic. The wheels, which were made of solid steel, were taken from roller skates and nailed to two-by-fours. After realizing how poorly these steel wheels handled, manufacturers began using a clay wheel. The clay wheel was introduced in the 60’s. Skateboard wheel manufacturers then realized that clay, although an improvement from the steel skateboard wheel, did not offer a significant handling improvement. There was need for yet another material. That’s where urethane came into play. The urethane skateboard wheel, introduced in the 1970’s, is still being used today. Here’s a brief look at how the skateboard wheel has evolved from the 50’s to the 90’s.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Kinda into the High Rebound Double Radial: Faster, Softer, Pink.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Is this a Powell ad?
Oh, where would we be if not for Steve Caballero, Tony Hawk, and Bones wheels?!?!
July 11th, 2009 at 2:28 am
so like…what happened after 1992?
July 11th, 2009 at 2:56 am
1992 was the last evolution?
Shame you park skaters are so limited in your view of skateboarding you cant accept slalom or racing wheels.
Skateboarding has evolved past where you guys are at with it. Parks are playgrounds for 11-15 year old fashion victims.
July 11th, 2009 at 4:33 am
1976 Precision Bearings has a typo – “skatboard”. The hell’s a “skatboard”? Sounds like a kinky German variant of waterboarding.
July 11th, 2009 at 5:01 am
Optimized, not optomized.
Great overview though! Brings back some great memories!
July 11th, 2009 at 6:07 am
I have been skating since 1984 and this is mostly inaccurate. Other than the obvious contextual errors, such as calling precision bearings “…the first wide wheels..,” between the cadillac and the pink wheel, there is a whole generation of fat, rounded wide wheels missing and the evolution of hardness called for an ever increasing density up to the present day. Furthermore what is all that about ” Baby Balls, Jr. Balls and other “Balls’?” I have never heard of this Baloney. Whoever wrote this needs to consider a little more research and less top-of-the-head opinion, or maybe just shut up and skate.
July 11th, 2009 at 6:39 am
cool pic! i can’t imagine skating on steel wheels though..lol
July 11th, 2009 at 8:30 am
the word is “optimized”
July 11th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Lindas palabras de aliento
July 11th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I don’t know if the borders were just behind curve as far as skate hardware was concerned or your time line is off. We (quad skaters and borders that I knew) had urethane wheels in the mid 60’s. They were from Canada and were called 8 Red Wheels. As far as precision bearings they were around before the urethane wheels, early 60’s.
July 11th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Too bad this list is incomplete and full of factual errors.
Roller skates were using ball bearings in the 1890’s and precision bearings (replaceable) were present in skates (where you went to get parts for a skateboard) as early as the 1930’s and 40’s.
In addition, WTF is a ‘flexible lip’ on a bearing? Increasing traction on a bearing? This is either poor writing or just plain wrong.
skateboards (more correctly scooters) were present as early as the 1910’s.
Varathane, Urethane, and other polymers were used as early as ‘61 and before that wood wheels were quite popular along with metal.
But aside from all that, this is a neat snapshot of what was common. The dimensions and weights are a very nice touch!
Check out the history of roller skates for a more factual and comprehensive history.
Rool on!
July 11th, 2009 at 11:25 am
The very first commercial skateboard I owned had metal wheels.
The tiniest pebble would stop you dead in your tracks and send you flying face first.
Same story for the clay wheels, not pebble friendly.
July 12th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I remember the ramp wheel.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Looks like a Powell Peralta advertisement from 90s to me. Which would explain the references to Cab, Hawk, and ending on “Bones Balls”
August 20th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I really liked it. But not bad, it would be to add a few important sections.
August 26th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
hey i just wanted to introduce myself