Street Wheels VS Longboard Wheels
Spacers seem to be a topic of conversation quite often. Anyone remember what they were originally made for? I’m sure there are some old guys out there who remember. I know from knowing about skateboarding history but why do most people say that the purpose of spacers is something that is completely different from what their original purpose was?
Well, what was their original purpose you ask? Cast trucks are built very well nowadays. They look like precision trucks compared to stuff that was ridden from the 60’s as so forth. So what does that mean? Well, trucks that were designed during the 60’s/70’s/80’s had LOTS of flaws. Axels in the hangers were very uneven. People got slip axel all the time. Slip axel is something that all the young skaters of this generation probably dont even know about. So spacers were designed to help stabilize wheels on the axel and also prevent axels from moving too much once the began to get slip axel.
Now people say that spacers are made to relieve stress on the core of wheels during slides. I see the logic in it but the issue doesnt lie within just slides alone, the issue lies within the quality and construction of longboarding wheel cores.
I’ve been skateboarding since I was very young. Ive done ungodly amounts of powerslides. Jumped down countless stair sets and yet I have never blown a core of a wheel and I have never met someone who has either. Well, that was before I was introduced to longboarding. And now melted cored and blown cores are common place. Well look at the cores of these wheels people. Street wheels have a thick inner rim that really holds the bearing in there. Longboarding wheels, for the most part, have a thin little plastic rim that clearly will do about nothing if you are sliding going fast. Some companies are using thicker cores, and sure enough they have way less blowouts. What I want to know is… why dont more companies do dual durometer wheels? Mixed durometers on wheels is not rocket science, and if you have ever played around with urethane (like those old make your own wheels kits from back in the day that you baked in your oven) then you know that its actually pretty easy if you understand how it works. Sector 9 has almost got it right with their dual duro wheels and I am sure they will actually nail it in the next year or two. But why has it taken so long for people to figure this out? It honestly baffles me. The issue to blown cores is simple, and its not spacers, it is the wheel companies sucking it up and making better cores. Or having AEND apply better technology (that they do have) to their wheels.
I dont know, I just get worked up when I see debates on spacers. I also remember seeing wheels in street skateboarding advance over time and I cant believe that people are having the same issues over again. I mean, if its all skateboarding then learn a lesson from your own history and apply it to make better products. However, on the other hand, it makes sense for the wheel companies to make wheels that can blow out easy, so you have to go out and buy more wheels.
Halsey Apparel 