A question has come up about inline wheels, and maybe you might want to print this for your readers.
I wanted to explain a little about the wheel differences. People don't realize that not only are there differences between each model and brand, but even each batch of wheels (from one pour to another), even within the same model and hardness. The question posed was "Do harder wheels last longer, or not as long as soft wheels?" The topic also questioned the differences between brands, and indoor wheels versus outdoor wheels. On we go:
When you compare Labeda to Hyper (or Bont, Explore, etc.), you're comparing apples to oranges. The "a" scale of hardnesses of wheels is really relative to each company. Even the best measuring devises can and will be off, and "poking" the same wheel with a meter, in the same spot, will give you different readings. It's generally thought in the industry that Hyper wheels are a bit harder than their label, and Labedas are softer (the consensus is that the Labeda's are more true to scale). You can bet money that the two companies are not using the same meter to measure their wheels. I've seen durometer readings on Hyper's 83a up to 86a.
Plus, since they are using completely different urethane formulas, one company's true 83a and the other's will undoubtedly wear different from each other (as well as roll differently). Also, don't forget about the various grades of urethane...any good chemist can make wheels of the same hardness last longer or not as long by changing the urethane formula. This may account for the difference you might experience within one brand. Even pigment (color) changes the characteristics of the urethane, affecting roll and wear. Ever wonder why you really don't see black inline wheels? The black pigment really doesn't work well for inline wheels.
That being said...softer wheels will normally wear out faster. The exception is the indoor wheel. It's all in the chemistry of the urethane. This is from the chemist who makes our wheels, and who happened to make all of the Hyper wheels up until a few years ago (his compounds are still used today by Hyper, for the wheels you're used to seeing...the Hyperformance, Bank Robber and +G, and their indoor wheels). "Indoor wheels are made of a different chemistry family that optimizes grip at the expense of durability. To get all that grip you have to give up something. Since the floors are smooth, the one to lower is abrasion resistance. Outdoor wheels must have more of a balance between grip, roll, and durability."
In other words...there are three characteristics of the wheel: grip, roll (rebound) and durability. To raise one aspect, with the chemical compounds of today, you need to sacrifice one or both of the other aspects. What do you want out of your wheel, knowing that you have to sacrifice one or more of the three aspects?
One more thing about wheels within one particular company...we're constantly trying to improve our (Bont) wheels, even our existing ones. We make small, subtle changes to the chemistry, but the affect on roll and wear can be huge. We had a wear problem on our 83a's that we have since fixed. The chemistry was changed ever so slightly, but the result is that the wheel now lasts a lot longer. Our input comes from our teams. From all of our testing, though, and the feedback I get from all over North America, the 83a doesn't last as long as the 84a, which doesn't last as long as the 85a.
Glenn
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