How To Make Skateboard Wheels Faster (7 Best Tips)

Skateboard wheels are the most important part of a skateboard and can determine how fast and how smoothly it will go. If they’re fast, you’ll be able to ride your skateboard with fast speed. But if they’re slow, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to ride your skateboard so fast.

So, how to make skateboard wheels faster?

You can make them faster by cleaning them, cleaning their bearings, getting high-quality wheels, or changing their size.

skateboard wheels image

That’s the fastest answer, though. By staying until the end, you’ll learn a lot about this topic.

I won’t waste any more time in the introduction, so let’s get to the point.

What effects do skateboard wheels have on speed?

Before I walk you through the steps of making your skateboard wheels faster, I want to ask: do you guys know whether the skateboard wheels affect the riding speed or not? Well, if you know, then that’s great; I couldn’t be happier.

However, if you don’t know, let me tell you. Skateboard wheels do affect the speed of the wheel. It can, in fact, slow you down while you ride. The size, shape, and texture of board wheels can affect their performance.

If you want to go faster, get a skateboard with hard wheels. In addition to keeping you safe, these will help you learn how to balance.

Why are your skateboard wheels slow?

Why aren’t you able to ride your skateboard quickly? Why are your wheels not as fast as they used to be? 

These might be some of the questions on your mind. So, let me tell you that. There are a number of reasons why your skateboard wheels are slower. Some of the reasons are mentioned below.

making changes to increase the speed of skateboard wheels
  • Wheels that are too tight may make it difficult to move the skateboard.
  • According to the type of wheels you use, they might go faster or slower. Among the materials that move more slowly are the clay, rubber, and urethane.
  • There is sometimes a lack of quality bearings and materials in cheap skateboards, which results in them going slower than you might expect.
  • In some cases, dirty bearings can cause your wheels to spin slowly.

These are some of the possible reasons for your skateboard wheels getting slow. But, 

What If You don’t have any of these issues but still your skateboarding speed is low?

If you don’t have any of these issues but still aren’t able to ride the skateboard properly, then, bro, it’s not anyone’s fault; it’s just that you’re not a skilled skateboarder. 

Your skill level also determines how fast you’re going to ride. No matter how fast your skateboard wheels are, if you don’t know how to ride a skateboard quickly, they’re useless for you.

So, if your skateboard wheels don’t have any issues, make sure you learn how to ride a skateboard quickly.

How to make skateboard wheels faster?

So, now the question is, how can one make their skateboard’s wheel faster? Well, there are many tips for doing it. I’m going to walk you through all of the tips that will take your wheels’ speed to the next level.

skateboard wheel changes for faster spin

1) Clean Your skateboard’s wheels:

When there is too much dust or dirt on your skateboard and wheels, it might make your wheels move slowly. So, make sure you’re cleaning your skateboard’s wheels on a daily basis. 

I’m not saying it’ll magically increase the wheel’s speed, but it will certainly produce some results. How to clean: By gently rolling the skateboard back and forth on the pavement, you may get rid of the dirt from the wheels. Be careful not to cause the wheels to become flat.

2) Wheel Bearings Should Be Cleaned

Make sure that the bearing of your skateboard’s bearings are cleaned properly. Home-bearing cleaning requires only a few hardware store tools and can be done in a matter of minutes. 

What is the best way to clean the bearings? It is possible to clean skateboard bearings with acetone and isopropyl alcohol (the rubbing kind). Let the disassembled bearings soak in the cleaning agent for around 15 minutes before spinning them again. That’s all there is to it!

3) Lubricate the bearings

After cleaning the bearings, lubricate them to reduce friction and increase speed. Skateboards that are well-lubricated and clean can be used more quickly and with less effort. A wheel’s speed may be affected by the spacers between the bearings. 

working on skateboard bearings

They protect bearings from failure. If you want to boost speed, remove these first, but make sure your bearings are of the best quality. It is common to notice an increase in speed as soon as you remove the spacers.

4) Change the size of the wheels:

Your skateboard may perform differently depending on the size of your wheels; a 1 mm change in wheel size will result in a modest difference in wheel diameter (which may or may not affect speed).

For beginners, smaller wheels are better than larger ones because they are closer to balancing with flippable decks.

5) Get a bigger wheel:

You should purchase a larger wheel if you want to increase your speed. The larger the wheel, the greater the grip and speed it offers.

image of man changing wheels

However, they are also usually heavier. It is therefore preferable for skateboarders to use larger wheels.

6) Use quality skateboard wheels

Buying cheap skateboard wheels with bearings can end up costing you more in the long run due to materials that wear out quickly.

attaching quality skateboard wheels and bearings

You should invest in a higher-quality set of wheels if you want them to last longer and perform better.

7) Develop a better pushing technique

As I’ve mentioned earlier as well, your skills also determine how fast you make your skateboard wheels move. Without having good skills in skateboarding, you can’t ride it so fast. because you don’t know the right pushing techniques. Let me give you some tips.

Tips for pushing a skateboard to ride it faster

When you push, make sure your pushing foot is effectively propelling you forward. Pressing forward with your entire foot will actually slow you down. 

When rookie skaters make contact with the ground, they place too much weight on their push foot. Only use the front portion of your foot to push instead of stomping the ground. Simply pushing with your toes will make you go faster.

8) Loosen the Axle Nut

There is a loosening of the wheels on your skateboard. Tight axle nuts make riding more difficult even if you push hard.

9) Ride on smooth streets

If possible, ride your skateboard on smooth streets. The experience of riding on unpleasant road surfaces is awful. Bumpy roads and potholes will reduce your force and calm you down. Smooth and steep terrain is the best riding terrain for them as they accelerate. 

skateboard wheels picture

In addition, it requires less energy to push the board and allows it to accelerate at maximum speed.

These are some methods for making skateboard wheels faster. Please allow me to answer some questions that are frequently asked.

FAQ

1) What is the reason for the slow speed of my skateboard wheels?

There can be many reasons for your skateboard wheel’s slow speed. Like, it’s an oversight; it’s not cleaned properly, and the wheels are poor quality; they don’t suit the type of skating you’re doing.

2) How do you fix a slow skateboard wheel?

The easiest way to get them out is to use a paperclip. After soaking your bearings in acetone, nail paint remover, or rubbing alcohol, proceed to the next step. To dry them, make sure all dirt and dust are removed.

Final Words!

How can you make skateboard wheels faster? You can make them faster by cleaning them, lubricating their wheels, upgrading them, and getting harder wheels that are of good quality. 

So, now you know how you can make your skateboard wheels faster. That’s all I had for you in this article. If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comment section below. I’d love to help you out.

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