What size wheels are best for an electric skateboard?

Wheel size changes almost everything about how a board feels and performs. The right size depends on where you ride, how you ride and what you actually want from the experience. Get it wrong and you are either fighting your terrain or leaving performance on the table.

Here is what you need to know to make the right call.

The two main wheel categories

Electric skateboard wheels fall into two distinct families: street (urethane) and all terrain (pneumatic). They are not interchangeable without a full conversion kit, and each family behaves in fundamentally different ways.

Street wheels are solid urethane, typically between 85mm and 107mm in diameter. They are fast, responsive and efficient on sealed surfaces. The smaller the wheel, the quicker the acceleration. The larger the wheel, the smoother the roll at higher speeds.

All terrain tyres run around 175mm and are air-filled pneumatic rubber. They absorb vibration, handle grass, gravel and dirt with confidence, and generally give a more forgiving, cushioned ride. The tradeoff is reduced top speed and lower range compared to street wheels on the same board.

How street wheel size affects the ride

Within the street category, small differences in diameter matter more than most riders expect.

85mm wheels

A shorter deck-to-ground profile and quicker spin-up. Good for technical riding and tighter urban environments. The Orangatang Caguama 85mm wheels are a popular choice, offering a softer compound (77a to 83a) that adds some comfort on rougher concrete without sacrificing too much efficiency.

97mm wheels

This is the default on most Evolve boards and the most well-rounded street option. Fast acceleration, solid top-end speed and predictable braking. On Sydney bike paths or Melbourne's smoother inner-city lanes, 97mm is often all you need.

107mm wheels

The largest street option. You give up a little responsiveness at low speed but gain noticeably smoother high-speed roll. Worth considering if your commute involves long stretches of decent asphalt with minimal need for tight cornering.

When to choose all terrain tyres

If your ride involves anything rougher than maintained concrete or asphalt, pneumatic tyres change the experience dramatically. The air inside the tyre absorbs what solid urethane transmits directly to your feet.

Riders in Brisbane and the Gold Coast often find themselves crossing mixed surfaces, from footpaths to foreshore gravel paths. In Perth, where some suburban bike infrastructure transitions between sealed and unsealed sections, all terrain tyres remove the anxiety entirely. Even in urban environments, pneumatic tyres are more forgiving when crossing tram tracks, cracked footpaths or speed humps at pace.

The 175mm tyres used on Evolve boards run at 40 to 45 PSI. Keeping them properly inflated maintains range efficiency and handling. Underinflated tyres drag and heat up under load.

Why the 2-in-1 setup makes the decision easier

Most riders who ride daily eventually want both. The problem is that switching between street and all terrain requires more than just swapping wheels. You need different drive gears and belts for each setup, which is why Evolve sells full conversion kits rather than wheels alone.

The GTR Bamboo 2-in-1 includes both wheel sets from the outset, with everything needed to run either configuration. That means 97mm urethane street wheels for sealed surfaces and 175mm pneumatic all terrain tyres for everything else, without any additional purchase.

On street wheels, the GTR Bamboo reaches 44 km/h with up to 50 km of range. Switch to the all terrain setup and you are looking at 38 km/h with around 30 km of range, which is still a strong result for a board at this price point. The 504Wh battery and dual 3000W motors handle 25%+ gradients in either configuration.

For riders in hilly areas like Sydney's northern suburbs or parts of Melbourne's inner east, having strong hill climbing alongside genuine terrain versatility covers a lot of ground.

Wheel hardness and what it means

Urethane wheels are rated by durometer (the 'a' number). Lower numbers are softer, higher numbers are firmer.

• Softer wheels (77a to 80a) grip better and absorb more road buzz, but wear faster and generate slightly more rolling resistance
• Medium wheels (83a to 84a) balance grip and durability well for most commuting conditions
• Firmer wheels (85a+) last longer and roll efficiently but transmit more vibration from rough surfaces

The standard 97mm Evolve street wheel runs at 76a, which sits on the softer side and works well across the variety of surfaces you encounter in most Australian cities.

Common questions about electric skateboard wheel sizing

Can I put larger wheels on any Evolve board?

You can switch between supported wheel sizes, but you need the matching conversion kit for the drive gear tooth count. Fitting larger wheels without the correct drive gear changes your effective gear ratio and affects both speed and motor load.

Do bigger wheels always mean more range?

Not necessarily. Larger urethane wheels can improve rolling efficiency on smooth surfaces. But pneumatic tyres, while larger in diameter, add rolling resistance and weight, which is why all terrain range is always lower than street range on the same board and battery.

Are smaller wheels better for beginners?

Smaller wheels sit the rider slightly lower to the ground, which some beginners find more stable. That said, the bigger factor is board configuration overall. The GTR Bamboo's ECO mode, adjustable acceleration curves and bamboo deck flex make it forgiving regardless of wheel choice.

What is the best wheel size for commuting?

For sealed-surface commuting on maintained paths and roads, 97mm urethane is the most practical default. It accelerates well, brakes predictably and covers distance efficiently. If your route crosses rougher ground, the all terrain setup is the better daily choice.

The short answer

There is no single best wheel size. If you ride sealed surfaces only, 97mm urethane covers most situations well. If your terrain is mixed, pneumatic all terrain tyres change the ride fundamentally. If you want both without buying twice, the GTR Bamboo 2-in-1 is the most practical starting point in the Evolve range.