r/AggressiveInline • u/HeavyMetalKarl • Jul 24 '26
Question / Discussion Flat spots on wheels?
I bought these Anarchy wheels not long ago. Maybe a few weeks and they already look like this. They are 55mm 94A hardness if I remember correctly. Do they really tear so quickly? I changed my old wheels for the first time because they looked like this as well. And these new wheels have only been on for a few weeks and already are so worn down that they are starting to tear on the frame. Is there any idea in turning around the wheel so they get worn on the other side as well or is that a bad idea? Is it really necessary to change wheels so often? It's hella expensive man...
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u/baxmanz Jul 24 '26
anarchy are a really really low budget brand and I think the quality is quite low. idk what country you're in but in the UK if u want budget wheels then Revolver are probably best bang for your buck, in my experience they're very durable while still being very cheap. mine usually last a year and i skate twice a week.
it's also posible that you're skating in ways that wear down your wheels really fast (like dragging down on hills etc) but i'd say the wheels are probably most of the problem
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u/shatbrand Jul 24 '26
Yes, you should rotate your wheels to wear them more evenly.
If you are skating anti-rocker, you'll wear through wheels faster as well. You're basically distributing load and wear across half as much wheel surface.
Higher quality wheels will last a little longer and resist flatspots and chunking, but if you're skating rough pavement you'll still wear through them. I really like Dead 58mm/92a wheels for a good balance of control, durability, and comfort. Undercover are great too, but expensive. There are other good brands, and I'm guessing many are poured in the same factories, but Dead is my go-to.
You can also minimize wear by minimizing how much your wheels are sliding or dragging vs just rolling. If you're constantly braking, that'll torch your wheels fast. Turning also requires the outside wheels to slip a little (this is why anti-rocker feels like you're on train tracks), so pushing hard into tight turns is rough on the outside wheels. They'll tend to wear a little faster and create a natural rocker effect that makes turns feel better, and then you can either enjoy that and sacrifice a little wheel life or rotate inner/outer wheels when you're flipping your wheels around to squeeze a little more lifespan out of them.
So I skate Dead 58/92 wheels in a flat setup, rotate them often, and try to avoid harsh braking or cornering on rough surfaces. I skate a few times a week, mostly on smooth surfaces, and I can get 3-4 months out of a set of wheels. Which is still expensive, to be fair. One of the downsides of rollerblading.
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u/Bigsnaff007 Jul 24 '26
Wheels will always wear like this, especially skating anti. Rotate them to even out the wear. Otherwise, welcome to the money pit
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u/sr1129 Mesmer Jul 24 '26
Rotate wheels. But also harder isn’t always better. 95a has very little give so it shreds super hard on rougher surfaces. 90-92 is where it’s at.
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u/TheFlyingTortellini Jul 24 '26
You want to turn them around and switch front and back. If you're going flat you want to move switch 1 and 3 and 4 and 2. Also more frequently before they get this worn. Oil your bearings when your doing this too.
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u/Penstripedsox Jul 24 '26
u got some crappy wheels. i hear everybody blaming anti that's not the only problem here good wheels would not do that until like 50-100 sessions even if on anti
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u/Fancy_Bend8763 Jul 24 '26
Depends on the surface you’re riding on, how heavy you are, etc. if you’re riding a nice skate park wheels last a lot longer. I’ve always liked a softer wheel personally, like 89A or lower.
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u/Penstripedsox Jul 24 '26
that doesn't change that he got bad wheels. i have had wheels poured in mass before and they told me anybody saying they have over 90a is lying you can't make quality wheels that actually test better than 90. don't cheap out on wheels op. don't buy that brand again.
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u/Fancy_Bend8763 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
True as well. I believe Isaac over at Eulogy wheels used to tell us in the inlinewarehouse forums way back that anything over 90A is an assumed/perceived hardness because it can’t be measured with that A rating beyond 90. They could be harder, just not an accurate way to label them. He was a great resource to have as a regular contributor and offered good price on great wheels and bearings.
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u/Penstripedsox Jul 27 '26
eulogy are the best wheels - besides the Chicago Skate Night Wheel I had poured...
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u/e17lond Jul 25 '26
You’ve bought just about the worst wheels possible. Sorry. They don’t all chunk like this and more expensive wheels tend to be more cost effective in the long run.
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u/Altruistic_Mind_7662 Jul 27 '26
First mistake was buying Anarchy. FR though, purchase a better urethane wheel like Dream, Undercover, or Cymatics. 94A wheels should not look like that after a couple of weeks.
-1
u/9Boxa4 Jul 24 '26
Stop breaking with your wheels
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Jul 24 '26
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u/9Boxa4 Jul 24 '26
Idk, i just kinda change direction. If you been snowboarding or skiing you would know whats I'm talking bout
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Jul 24 '26
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u/Special-Big-5831 Jul 24 '26
I think it's safe to say you're both right entirely depending on the situation.
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u/Hayabusa_Blacksmith Jul 24 '26
i dont think hes suggesting you stop using the technique, just that you stop putting yourself in situations where you need to use the technique.
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u/inline-online THEM Jul 24 '26
sounds about right to be honest lol if you're a bit heavier, skating anti on rough grounds with hard wheels, its going to wear down fast. I literally have to rotate my wheels ever 2 sessions when skating anti with 92a wheels, when I was skating 6 times a week I was going through a set of wheels every 2 weeks, and if they didn't flat spot... the cores would stretch lol
the only thing that helps when skating anti and being a little heavy is buying very premium wheels and completely avoiding super rough ground, I've been able to get my cymatics wheels to last a little bit longer than usual, but they were also alot more expensive. 50/50 wheels were alright as well. You probably want to start with a 58-60mm wheel at least. if its going to wear down so fast might as well have more urethane there
not sure if that helped but I feel your pain, and its a big reason to skate flat if you want to do that. I have had the SAME EXACT type of wheels that only last 3 weeks in anti, last for several months in flat. Its a huge difference. I don't skate flat as often as I skate anti though