I'm no expert, Jestah knows loads about this but definately when it comes to sliding its about wheel shape, Durometer, and the wheel formula. I have 70mm Retros and they have a serious lip, and as they have an ofset bearing design I have not only a lip on the outside but one on the inside too. They are 78a and really quite juddery to slide with but my Abec 70mm Flashbacks with their radial sides are easy to slide with.

You also need to take into account the bearing offset of your different wheels. Did you use the same bearings the whole time or different ones as Abec3, 5 and 7 will all react differently.

Plus there is also wind to consider. Even if you don't notice it blowing it makes a hell of a difference to your speed.

As does the temp of the ground.

Soooooo many variables!

I ride the same board most of the time with the same wheels and bearings and the same route to work and back. And every ride is different!!

Nick

i agree about the double-radial/conical shape being more slide-friendly...although i have a set of BDS Dubzillas (70mm 78a double radial) that just WILL NOT slide, insane sticky.

no change in wind during the runs...'vents were on a modified Arbor Hybrid running 180 Fastracks, 'spots were on a LBL Walkabout running 149 Darts. bearing-wise, the 'spots had Speed Lunatics, the 'vents had Stage 2 Ron's - if anything the Ron's would have the advantage, but nooooo... :)

still pisses me off to see you guys sliding things like O'tangs around like on ice...nearly every (longboard) slide i try ends up gripping and dumping me on my arse, or like a couple of weeks ago, on my chin.

a mate and i hit a mellow hill just after it was raining a while ago...fun times getting the slides on in the wet, definitely good for confidence but didn't help a whole lot when i tried it in the dry!

maybe i should get a set of yellow Stims and accept my in-slide-ability!

practice makes perfect!

yea i think skating in the damp is good for all hands down slides,it is more comparable to sliding at a much higher speed with out too much consequence,like longer slides and more time to think bout your technique.i don't know the hills your skating but i presume they are smooth straight runs?

Smaller wheels achieve top speed faster than larger diameter wheels, but larger diameter wheels achieve higher top speeds, as far as the 'spots and vents' go, the vents will break traction easier because of the large hub which reduces the amount that the wheel compresses due to the fact that there is less urethane to compress. The 'spots compress much more because from what in can see in photos, they do not have a hub/core leaving alot of urethane to compress. hope this helps, other wise just ask professor Jestah, he'll be able to set you straight.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "I USED TO SK8"

There are far too many variables to safely say that the wheels are the only determining factor in your final top speed. Different trucks, different truck widths, different boards, different bearings. The bearings may also be in different states of maintenance/wear. Many of these variables become less relevant if you're riding a dead straight road but they all impact your ride speed to some degree.

Irregardless of the above I'd say just keeping doing what you're doing. Hash out different setups until you find a complete board+truck+wheel combo that works for you.

i guess the crux of my confusion comes from the fact that the Hotspots are "supposed" to be "slower"...pre-blackops 'thane, different lip shape, etc - a slalom wheel.

i bought the vents a while ago 'cause of the good reviews...but they just don't roll as well as my other wheels (plus i don't think those hubs are worth a damn, no bearing will seat perfectly without creaking while riding).

the hill i'm hitting is relatively straight, smooth and wide. and i've tried various wheels on various boards (i have a bit of a collection) with similar results (ie the 'spots on the Arbor make the unit roll fast much like the LBL rolls).

slide-wise, i know half the problem i'm facing is my years of street and bowl skating...any slides in that kinda terrain are initiated from weight over the wheels rather than changing your CG and position on the board.

yes, practise makes perfect...i just don't wanna break more old bones getting there! :)

hi

can you post up some photos or links to all the wheels you are talking about?

then ill drop my 2c

www.UglieCarnie.com

I find that learning basic slides on a shortboard first makes a hell of a lot easier because a) its lighter and smaller and b) its easier to slide a skteboard with semi grippy wheeels than it i a longboard thats heavier with grippy big ass wheels.
I also find that making that first initial slide really is about over commiting as when youre starting out youre so worried about the bails that you dont get very close to breaking the wheels free...so in turn it means youre either not sliding and just gripping and getting highsided OR youre commiting too much haha...so its all about practising those muscles of yours so they gain the muscle memory needed to initiate each slide.
Another thing is that if you practice on semi-shitty pavement it means the little tiny rock sand stuff help you slide without that completely slippery feeling that you get from sliding in the rain.
Oh, and asphalt is a bitch to slide on on a hot day. Start off on normal driveway concrete.

Chur.