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If aggressive skaters don't have the proper wheel setup for their needs, then they don't have the right tools for the job. Getting the right set of wheels and wheel setup is vital to performing well in aggressive skating. For that reason explained below is everything you need to know about wheels and wheel setups.

Wheel Features

Profile: The ideal wheel shape for just about all forms of aggressive skating is a wide wheel with a flat top. This provides the largest and most stable base for tricks-- a much more important factor compared with the speed and cornering provided by narrow or round-profile wheels. Another major wheel shape is one with an asymmetrical profile, in which one side is higher than the other. This wedge shape is best used as the center grinding wheels in an anti-rocker setup because of the cradle it gives to curbs and rails. A drawback, however, is that they aren't very stable when used for grinding on their outside edges (e.g. when doing a royale)

Durometer: For most aggro purposes, hard wheels are utilized in order to provide necessary durability and reduced grip for easier slides and grinds-- although with the trade-off of a rough ride. This equates to about 90A for street skating and 95A for ramps. Street skaters require a bit more shock absorption and grip, while vert skaters need the speed of a harder wheel.

This durometer range is tweaked a bit depending on a skater's weight and personal preference. For example, heavier skaters will need harder wheels so they don't wear them down too quickly, and those doing jumps and stair rides need the cushioning of softer wheels. Also, some skaters choose to mix durometers in a flat setup, using two harder middle wheels and two softer outside wheels. This provides a compromise of longer wear and cushier landings.

Core: Most aggro wheels have small, hard cores or none at all. This keeps the wheels nice and strong, and hopefully tough enough to stand up to the pounding from street and vert skating.

Wheel Setups

Rockered: This setup places the two center wheels lower than the outside wheels. This is the least used wheel setup, and is only utilized by some of the top vert skaters who feel that it gives them added control in the transition on ramps. This setup is great for improving cornering ability, but it cuts down on stability and speed because of the narrow wheel base. It is also next to useless for grinding, because it has no space between the middle wheels.

Standard Flat:This is the setup that most skates come with-- large (70mm), soft (80A) wheels lined up evenly with each other. This type of setup is good for jumps, stairs, and ramps because of the stability of the long and flat base. The large, soft wheels also give a smooth and fast ride. However, this setup isn't used very often because it is not well-suited for the foundation of aggressive skating- grinding. The small space between the two middle wheels (except on skates with a split setup such as K2 and Roces) makes it impossible to grind unless wraparound grind plates are used. And since wraparounds don't offer a big groove to lock in with, they don't give a stable grind.

All Small: This setup is similar to the standard flat setup, but with one major difference-- instead of large, soft wheels, smaller and harder ones are used. (55mm, 90A) This setup solves the grinding problem of the standard flat setup by using the smaller wheels to make a nice sized gap for grinding. Also, since the setup is flat, it gives good stability. However, by using all small wheels, the ride is a bit rougher and slower than the standard flat setup.

Flat Rocker: A flat rocker incorporates the speed of a standard wheel setup, the grinding ability of a small wheeled setup, and the stability of a flat base. To achieve a setup like this, the outer wheels should be about 55mm, and the inner wheels at around 52mm. The middle wheels are then rockered down to make them level with the outer wheels. The major disadvantage of this setup is that the medium sized middle wheels don't offer a big enough grinding space for large rails or curbs.

Anti Rocker: This is the mainstay of aggressive skating. This setup consists of large (65mm) wheels on the outside, and tiny (45mm) grinding wheels in the middle. Using the large outer wheels retains some speed and smoothness, while the tiny middle wheels supply a huge grinding space that allows the skater to grind virtually anything and everything. The only big disadvantage to this setup is the loss of stability. By removing the two middle wheels, the skater loses some control and maneuvering ability. The majority of aggressive skaters see this as an acceptable tradeoff, however.