The bigger the better? Does that feel right?

We've all been there, pondering what would be better: smaller wheels, big wheels, or really small wheels? The best option might just surprise you. In this article, I hope to help you navigate the confusing world of inline skating wheels so you can find what's perfect for you.

Defining Big and Small

First off, let's talk about what big and small wheels exactly are. The standard "normal" wheels are 80mm wheels. These will work fine for most skaters, as they allow you to try out almost everything the hobby has to offer. As an adult, 4x80mm should be your go-to if you're uncertain or want to enjoy a bit of everything. These are the best option for learning how to skate, slalom/freestyle, and they're the best all-rounder.

Aside from 80mm, 76mm, 84mm, and 90mm wheels are also often presented on a 4-wheel frame. These are most often considered to be the normal, "smaller" wheels in freeride. The 76mm, 80mm, and 84mm wheels are often used based on the size of your boot, making it so every shoe size feels supported while the length of the frame feels more natural compared to the length of your foot.

On the other hand, 90mm wheels give you more stability and a higher average speed while maintaining the standard 4-wheel setup, and they are considered a worse option for slalom (where 76mm and 80mm shine) but better for casual skating over longer distances.

Then there are the big wheels of 100mm, 110mm, and 125mm. These are most often used on 3-wheel frames. These 3-wheel frames are relatively new to the consumer market, and many people are intrigued by them because they're new and fun. But are they worth it? Seeing as they (mostly 110mm and 125mm) come from speed skating and used to be almost exclusively high-performance, I understand that a lot of people want this.

And finally, there are the wheels used in aggressive skating. The skatepark isn't a forgiving environment if you show up with bigger wheels. Is it possible to ride in a skatepark with bigger wheels? Totally, but there is a reason why people still prefer 65mm or smaller wheels in these situations.

Skill Level

One of the deciding factors when it comes to what is better for you is how good you are at skating. Not only how adept you are but also how ready your muscles are for the increase in height and power needed to stand correctly on those. Here it is important to reflect on how much you trust your own experience. What do you think you are capable of right now or in 6 months?

Generally, I recommend sticking with 80mm wheels for this reason if you have less than 2-3 years of experience. Your ankles need the training to stand on the much higher wheels, so if you go with big wheels from the get-go, you might not be able to skate as long or far.

In my opinion, you need to be very proficient in stopping on your skates if you want to ride on big wheels because it gets a lot more dangerous once you unlock the speed advantage bigger wheels give you. Your T-stop is not the same on small wheels as it is on bigger wheels. Keep that in mind, especially when your goal is riding on public streets.

Personal Goals

Depending on what your personal goals are, bigger wheels might look like the solution at first, but once you really think about it, they might actually be the wrong decision. The idea of racking up kilometers at higher speeds for sport sounds exhilarating for sure, but is that why you skate? Do you use your skates because you have places to be, or is it to replace the boring cardio?

If it's the latter, you might want to reconsider and go for 80mm or 90mm wheels instead. These will limit your speed and the total distance you can boast about, but getting 20km in an hour is much more of an achievement on those smaller wheels than getting 30km in the same amount of time on 110mm wheels, for example. Believe me, I've done both. After one of those, I casually went for another 10km before I stopped to get a drink. I'll let you guess which one that was.

Aside from performance goals, you might also be unsure of what you want to do, which means that you should definitely go for 80mm wheels as a 4x80mm setup is agile and trustworthy. Try out some freestyle, go to a skatepark and drop in the bowl a couple of times, ride some distances… You can try it all and see what you really like.

Personal Favorites

Of course, I have some favorites I really like to recommend to people as well. Keep in mind that these might not be for you and are just my personal taste. I have a shoe size EU 42 (UK 8 / US 8.5), so some shorter frames I like might not be for you if you have bigger feet and some longer frames I use might not be ideal if you have a smaller shoe size.

I love my 3x110mm setup with a wheelbase of 230mm. This is a nimble and fast setup and fits my outdoor freeride/freestyle skating style, but it is far from optimal for any skating discipline. If you want to focus on speed, go with either a 4x110mm (a classic frame for competition) or a 3x125mm (which is what is used for marathons very often). Anything speed-related would heavily benefit from a frame that is longer than the one I use.

Aside from that, I also have a soft spot for the classic 4x80mm rockered setup. Don't expect to ride faster than 25km/h on it, but it is nimble and smooth like nothing else. It's a very basic option, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. At the moment, I'm contemplating whether or not to switch that one for a 4x76mm rockered setup to be even more agile, but that's more nitpicking and a fun gimmick for freestyle. I have yet to think of a serious benefit it would give me.

Of course, there also exist a lot of fancy frames, but I like my more sober and "basic" frames more than any of those options if I can be honest about that. Wizard frames, endless frames… There is an unending list of special frames that could be fun for people but offer me nothing but a heavier boot without real advantages.