The History of Skateboard Wheels

How skateboard wheels saved skateboarding's early days, the different Spitfire logos over the years, how a defense contract on the civil war created new skateboard wheels, George Powell's mistake that created Bones, & so much more!

Watch These:

Videos Linked:
This is Rollerskating in the 1950's:
Creative Urethanes Tour:
How the Skateboard was invented:
A Brief History of Urethane:

[ShredzShop]

What wheels are you currently riding and why?!

[warped]

I made my first "skateboard", around 1962, out of a piece of 3/4" x 4" pine and some metal wheel strap-on skates bolted to it. It was murder on the smooth sidewalks of the hospital across the street from our house. I was 8 at the time, and I survived it with no protective gear!
My second build was around 1969, out of 1" x 8" doug fir and clay wheels, that I rattle can painted in a psychedelic paisley pattern on while in a closed garage, ...I wound up puking my guts out soon after due to lack of ventilation.
Bought my last skateboard in 1977, a bowl rider (don't recall the brand), Tracker Trucks with wedges, OJ wheels with germs, and added some anti-skid tape on top. Riding Timberline Road, and Mary's Peak in Oregon was awesome!

[MyName-nxjj]

I was the first kid in my school to have urethane wheels. That was 1974, 6th grade. I had my mom drive me to a surf shop in Newport Beach to buy them. Four gleaming, amber, Roller Sports urethane wheels. So smooth, so quiet, so grippy!

[d_trick]

I remember in early 2000’s it didn’t really matter what wheels you skated, because they were all the same, just different graphics and brand. I started skating again in late 2022, so I got some whatever wheels, not knowing how much the technology changed, but then I got some SF formula 4, and my whole world changed… what a difference!

[jakemarlow]

Our family moved to Southern California in 1973. Around that time, my dad bought a Hobie maharaja skateboard with clay wheels for us kids as a novelty trinket/toy. Then, for my 12th birthday (in 1975), my parents gave me a Hobie fiber-flex with Road Rider wheels. These urethane wheels had only been out for a short while. That skateboard was a whole new ballgame and skating became my full-time obsession ... until I started surfing. It's really cool to have lived during that time.

[bensleath]

Had a lot of different wheels. Gotta say huge cruiser wheels are the greatest invention, feels like a magic carpet and makes me hate my street set up😂

[BallisticBBQ]

I remember Cadillacs coming out when I was in the fifth grade. We all wanted Cadillacs and Benett trucks back then. I still have scars on my arms and knees from hitting small rocks on my old clay wheels, and it bums me out that I didn't keep my old boards! I still have the very last board I rode back in the early 80s: a Powell deck with blue Gull Wing Pro trucks and 65mm green Kryptonics. I loved the video!

[jct]

Long-time subscriber: This is probably the best video you guys have done so far.
Comment for the engagement - I hope this channel gets huge.

[major_tm]

Nice one! Currently riding Kryptonics 76As...real blast from the past as well.

[embiate]

Underrated channel. So many nights I've dove into your videos to learn up on random pieces of history I never knew about. I'm 35 and just getting back into riding, and to see a lot of tidbits and topics I never knew about or cared to know about back when I was a kid is just interesting to me as an adult. Keep it up!

[jameswatt]

I started on a Black Knight skateboard with clay wheels on country roads. We rode 2 miles to get to the only sidewalk is a nearby village (no, not uphill in the snow :)). Between Cadillac and Road Riders 2s we rode Roller Sports with loose bearings. We learned a lot as kids trying to service loose-ball wheels with their races and cups. I remember Power Paws and a bunch of dumb super-wide 'Bowl' wheels in the 70s. Kryptonics were happening in mixed colors, etc. I begged my dad to visit Tom Sims' garage in SB to get me a set of Gyro wheels with the nylon bearing seats. I got a set with 2 black on 2 white. Punk Rock. We later rode big 66mm Bullet Speed Wheels on the SF hills while the cool kids were on micro wheels and wearing size 54 waist Ben Davis. Times.

[iannolan-fg]

I remember the object of my desires in the 70's were called Cryptonics. Does anyone else remember these?

[Proliphic]

Love my Dragon wheels. Have them in 52 mm for daily riding, 54 for curbs, and 58 for cruising and curbs. So smooth on east coast pavement.

[dankehrig]

My friends mom used to work for Kryptonics back in the late 70$ early 80$. She was the president of the company's assistant so she would always bring us new kinds of wheels to see what we thought of them and her boss didn't care how old you were if you didn't like something about one of the wheels he would make sure to pair you with exactly what you were wanting to get out of the wheel. We were decked out with 4 or 5 pairs of skates and I remember having 12 22inch "Long Boards"!!! And I believe Kryptonics were the first to come out with multiple colors on the same wheel! I still have that best friend today after 45+yrs and I know I kept 1 board and gave it to my son when he was 12! One thing we had the advantages of doing were taking roller skating wheels and putting them on boards and vice versa.!

[blandrooker]

I remember back in the 70s, I really didn't like Bones but the different color and composition Kryptonics were the wheels of choice mounted on Gullwing trucks on super wide Sims decks, of course with Pizza Tape. Just thinking about it, I had a flash on a 45 year old memory of the Skircle. 😂😂😂

[AntwonVinnie]

Whoa wtf I grew up in Sacramento and when I was 13 I moved to WV just 20 minutes from Purcelville. That’s insane! I’ve been skating for 22 years and had no idea I lived by the birthplace of my passion!

[DiogenesOfCa]

I remember when I got my first polyurethane wheels.
My dad worked at a Aerospace firm and brought home some cased bearings that fit my wheels.
I was STYLING!

[DTC]

A wheelie cool and informative video! Thanks Levi, you legend!

[HolzmannMedia]

My first Skateboard wheel are Road Riders. Second were Kryptonics green for my Skateboard and red for my Rollerskates.
Nowadays I am riding Slimeballs Snakes 60mm 97A, Dragons in 58mm, 60mm and 64mm, G Bones 64mm 97A, mini Cubics 95A and nano Cubic 52mm & 60mm 97A on my Carver Surfskates

[dermotleslie]

In 1975, in South Africa, I had Caddillacs like those shown. Now nearly 50 years later I have 70mm Roundhouse. Last year I fell and shattered my hip and had to have a complete replacement. 3 months later I was riding again. Getting close to 70 but still riding. Hip replacement cost $40 000.