I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. All I can say is I’m here for you. And by here for you I mean I will make a video once a week that you can watch😂😭
@@seanburris2946 same man, my 12 year waited til I turned 40 to ask me about skating lol... figured after a 25 year break from me knowing the basics, we’d learn together 🤘🏼🛹
@@seanburris2946 I am turning to 43 years old. I am going to teach my son 6 years old how to push. I try to keep skating, but when you have a family and daytime job it is difficult to keep pushing regularly. But let me try.
@@BoZhaoengineering i have 6 years old son too and i will start skating to teach him haha i am 46 years old now and havent been skated almost 30 years but i will try, my only concern is the knees. i have healty knees but when skating first thing you will mess are the kness at this age.
I would love to see a video of you explaining the differences between the shapes(conical, radial, tablet, the slims and the classics) or a square vs round wheel comparison. Like make a buyers guide for formula 4s for others to see which style would be for them
@@MickyThunderV It 100% depends on the type of surface whether one slides better than the other. In reality, they are actually very much on par. The 99a just are ever so slightly more bouncy and sticky, although Spitfire wheels _never_ get as sticky as Bones do. Bones 100a wheels are not remotely as hard as Spitfire 100a. Spitfires are harder. If you're looking for a more comfortable wheel, the Spitfire F4 99a should probably be what you're looking at. But.... what also matters is contact surface width. The Conical Fulls of Spitfire will slide very very well and the 101A will also handle rougher terrain pretty darn well because of how it is a wide wheel. People often forget this. If you compare wheels in exactly the same size and shape type, you'll see a durometer difference between 101a and 99a is virtually nothing. The other thing that (in theory, mind you) make a softer wheel slide better is how it just wears down easier during the slide. Think of it like sliding out on a puddle of butter, versus sliding around on ice. At the end of the day, both will definitely slide. The butter one will probably be less consistent and the ice one _might_ slide too much. That should be a fair analogy to these wheels.
You Inspire me man. I am almost 30 and just started skating again after 8 years. And I honestly had doubts due to aging etc.. but watching your videos got me courageous and now after two months I have most of my regular tricks back under control. Now I will go on to nollie and switch. Keep them coming bro !!!
Just turned 30 and decided I don’t wanna get old without skating. It’s not that tough, Daewon song is like 40 something and he still shreds maybe even better than when he was young
@@Pterodactylphenylalaninedamn bro I’m 34 but that first sentence of yours really made me reevaluate and realise why I picked up skating again. I just need to have fun and stop thinking about it so much. I am just so OCD abkut what truck/wheel size haha. It drives me completely insane and makes me forget why this way of life found me again.
@@GasGotti totally understand bro, I get that way too. Recently I just tried a radically different setup than what I’d normally ride, and it made me such a better skater than I was when I was younger so much faster. Forced me to really pay attention to the feeling of skating and not worry the board/trucks wheels/bearings/grip tape /obstacle etc. so much
Man your breakdowns are the absolute best, if I would’ve had your insight 20 years ago I would never have stopped skating bro. Been back on a board for 6 months now and loving it more then ever, thanks again
Hey just came to say I started skating a year ago, I’m 25 and I hope to be like you one day. Finding your channel gave me hope for my future. Keep doing what your doing man! 😁 Edit: forgot to include I also work construction
The interesting thing is the 'Shore durometer a' hardness scale only goes up to 100 so anything above 100a is the skating equivalent of turning amps up to 11.
Oh wow, I actually was going to google this today, but came across your channel again after being away from it for a long time and happened to see this video. I'm glad you're still making content, definitely one of the most if not the most entertaining and informative skating channels.
Hey Ben I consider my self a Geriatric Skateboarder (37 y.o), just wanted to share with you that your content is awesome and it's one of the reason that made me skate back after 17 years. Huge thanks bro ❤️
@BenDegros you da man Benny! Thanks for your excellent library of content. I’m an older skater and I appreciate your takes on skating very much. Very insightful.
@@seedubhuntx It's because supply is terribly low at the moment. There's no point in promoting if you don't have big stock to sell. Also, the 97a are priced pretty high on top of that. It's like a $60 to $70 wheel. 60 euros where I live. And currently they are only available in Spitfire Formula Four Classics, which might not be what people are looking for who love the Formula Four Conical Fulls for example. My local shop also only has 56mm and 54mm in stock, whereas my go to size would be 52mm. I've actually gone ahead and got some Mini Logo 95a to see how those are. Pretty stoked to try those out very soon!
Thanks Ben for sharing your experience. You are incredibly lucky to skate that parking lot!! Come to France, you can wax for three days the concrete ledges before it starts to slide a little... I am riding f4 99 because of one of your previews reviews, f4 101 for my son, but also have a set of bones stf 103 . All are very good. 99 have a super constant smooth slide, which makes them more controlable. 101 and 103 always more fun.
I've ridden 99a Spitfire Bigheads since the early 2000's on street. They do have some grip, once the surface is worn in, and a very predictable break point when they slide.....love Spitfire Bigheads 😊❤
@bendegros, I don't know how you do it, but you always make a video relative to something I'm trying to figure out. I swear, I was just thinking about the differences between the 99 and 101, and which I should get. Keep those videos coming.
I'm currently trying kickflip crooks on a pretty similar ledge, and same thing happens to me! Hope to get them down by the time your next video comes out! And, regarding the wheels, I have similar feelings about 99/101 but after the whole winter with 99s, just tried 101s on a rough ground and somehow I felt i was going faster and was kind of a more pleasant feeling. Great video man!
This could be due to the fact that your old wheels would be worn down and smaller. Thus when applying the new 101's you are actually upgrading to a larger wheel. Larger wheels are faster and better on rough ground, just like you noticed.
I never really thought about it, but it's crazy how hard skateboard wheels are. Assuming the durometer ratings the same as what we use for inline then anything around 100A is what in inline we'd use for antirockers to slide and grind. And then for wheels to roll on we use 88A to 92A on average. I know back in the day we'd take skateboard wheels and cut them down to make antirockers!
I agree with the FF take. I haven’t been able to skate anything else ever since I started skating this formula. I’ve tried so many different wheels and nothing compares.
Thanks for the reviews and good content! I’d love to hear your thoughts on NFG / Loophole wheels. They’re 52 Shore D scale durometer which is harder than 99/101a BUT they don’t really feel harder to me. More Grippy yet still slidey and they roll over crust really well. Their teardrop shape is wider than and similar to SF Classics. The Vee shape is awesome + they recently started making 95a wheels. I think you’ll enjoy NFG ( they also make wheels for Loophole) + they’re a smaller company.
Much love and respect to you and your channel Ben degros. I hope that all is well for you and your family and friends and I hope that all of your dreams and aspirations come true and that you are safe during your travels and adventures and skateboarding and while recording your videos and going live on UA-cam.
About 3 weeks into running formula 4 conical full 99a and I love them. Just picked up a 2nd set. They do slide great, but I never gave a thought about the formula until this video
Which size? Thinking of getting them but i think they may be too heavy, classics would be lighter and wondering what would u say about weight and how they are?
That nosegrind one eighty out and the nosegrind shuv are great. Well worth the extra time they took to land. Bet it felt like you were filming a video part. Really good
Saw some younger kid do a nose grind nollie front shuv on a rail the other day like it was NOTHING! Seeing you battle that trick for a while put into perspective how hard that trick is.
Awesome video man, thank you for inspiring me to start my own skate channel. I'm actually putting out a video on bushings tomorrow lol. I'm in Buffalo so the cold is a major factor. Again great videos!
i got the 101as as a test. tried skating a slick arizona skatepark and i couldnt land any tricks. too hard and no cushion for impact. couldnt even carve bowls or do set up turns to go to street obstacles without sliding around. very hard and firm and dense and super slick. felt like riding on ice cubes. i literally took them off, sold them for 5 bucks to some local kid the same day, and went and bought 99s that evening. felt way better
I’d be very interested to see you do a comparison of different wheel shapes all in one video. Also you mentioned that the Bronson ceramics are good, love to hear more on that. Great video man!
I personally enjoy 99A wheels more than 101's, but I got these 56mm Clive Dixon wheels, that are amazing for 101's. 99s for me at least, give me the perfect amount of grip and comfort. I would love to see you review big and small wheels, and what differences you see on the street, skatepark and bowl.
Definitely a good video Ben, thanks! Back in the days of big boards and bigger clothes I used to ride 95 to 97a wheels, usually Bones if memory serves. Great on rough terrain but would flat spot easy of course and would wear down to a cone shape lol
I live in northern Australia where it is hot all of the time and I can definitely say that 101 compound stuntwood wheels are my choice. Great video Mr Degros.
I just got my Oj mini combos in the mail 56mm 101a. I’ve been wanting more wheel videos to watch. Ben thanks for always coming through with content I wanna see. Lol 🏆
I am riding 56mm 101a OJ's elites mini combos too, I have had them 12 months, I have used them a majority of the time, but yeah they work great, smooth slide, very durable, all around great wheels dude I hope they treat you as well as they have me, I just got the same wheels but 58mm now, haha.
@@zaintaylor2358 58s sound sick I will try them one day I know Kader skates 58 spitfires. I just don’t like how small wheels look on my setup right now just looks strange now after almost 20 years so I had to step it up. I’ve been on 54s since 2018 and love them but 56 seems reasonable.
I got some 99a formula four about a month ago, size 52mm. My advice is unless you're getting tablet style wheels, get 53 or 54mm. They're great for tech, street, park. Awesome all arounders~ One thing I will say is the formula is hard enough that a pebble can throw you if pinched the wrong way. I like them for more aggressive skating, but my rictas are much more comfortable in rougher areas... But can't do slappies or slides with the rictas.
East Coast Canadian rider who rocks 97a wheels for the shoulder seasons of Fall and Spring for the cold/moist weather. Winter is just a write-off here!
For me getting a backside slappy involves slighting lifting up my heel side wheels and once I feel my trucks grind I do the motion of a backside power side (but with less force) to get locked on
yo i see you rocking the primitive naruto deck!! such a sick board, ive been skating that one for about a year now and it's held up very well. im saving up for a baker now i think if it doesn't hold up as well as the primitive did then i'm gonna switch to them permanently. the shape and durability is unmatched
Good to hear people like the 99s for sliding. I love them so much and slide all over the place now. They feel like no other wheel I have ever had. I have been wondering if 101s would be even better but it sounds like that might not be tru.
Got those exactly same wheels to skate bowls. My "old" 101a F4 Tablets 52mm wore down to 49mm or less were not up to the task. Best feeling ever with those Conical Full at transition.
What kind of trucks do you skate? Do you ride your trucks loose? Any wheel bite? I've been wanting to get some bigger wheels. Just not sure how I feel about adding a riser. If you ride a riser what size? 1/8"?
@SIOUXICIDE * Yeah, I used to skate back in the 80s. One of the better decks I skated was a Vision Kele Roscrans. I got a reissue of that deck about a month ago. I put Indy 159s on it with a 1/4" riser and the same 53mm wheels I ride on a Popsicle board. The board angle was steeper than the Mini Logo popsicle board I've been skating. Felt weird. Used to be able to ollie a lot better back then. Of course part of that is that I'm an old fart now, but, I'm thinking a steeper board angle is better for pop. Which is what a riser will give you. Also, the Roscrans deck has a much more kicked up tail.
@@idmhead0160 Hi. I skated in the 80's too old fart as well X) I use indys 159 standard stage 11 with 1/8 risers, stock bushings (orange) loose. No wheel bite so far but I wax the board in the wheelbite zone and don't skate intensively as I am recovering from injuries. About steep tails, I had a Santa Cruz Corey O'brien. The old late 80's early 90's zorlacs or G&S were steep as well. Nowadays an "steep" board is mellow compared to those, at least they have concave. The 90's with the flat boards, skinny trucks and bearing condoms were tuff.
I always watch your vids and think to myself “this guy is like a way less toxic version of feedback_TS” and I JUST found out you guys are brothers.. mind = blown
Great video thanks! 👍 If I go to plywood miniramp I ride spitfire lock-ins 52mm 99. Smooth concrete park I find conical full 52mm 101 fun. I was hesitating a lot buying wheels 101 durometer. When I started skateboarding 95 here in Finland all spots had really rough asphalt. 101 durometer wheels was no option. After Eastern exposure film we all bought big wheels. 😅Nowadays luckily we have nice concrete parks made by skateboarders.
I just switched over from years of riding bones to Spitfire Classics Formula Fours. I am enjoying them. Pretty comparable to bones so far, really i just liked the off white colour lol
I live in the Boston area on the east coast and our ground is really chunky. I picked up some bones stf 101 and the vibration was too much for my 43 yr old legs. Got me some spitfire 80hd and it was night day on the streets. At the skatepark 101 all the way, but streets especially in the subfreezing weather softer was way to go.
Funny thing is I skate Venture Hi 5.8's and you're not wrong I rode the same 99 euro 53 tablets last year and it was almost impossible to lock into a crooked grind because the square wheel profile always wanted to kick back into nose slide. I switched to classic shape 54s and I don't have this problem any more.
dude, i ride the 99's out here in Vegas in our 110 degree summer heat but strictly park only and they're perfect. way better than the regular spitfires as i flattened them out within the first week so moved into the formula fours.
The ground isn’t great in London and it’s often cold and rainy, but if I’m not skating 101s, I tend to get flatspots when I do a lipslide/noseblunt. I’m also nearly 15st though, lol 😂🍔🍺
@@bendegros rad, I already bought the next two shoes I'm going to skate(adidas superstars and vans old school pros) but the Patriots are on my list for what I'll be getting after them. I loved Chris Cole's signature fallen their first time around.
Totally agree. The 99s do slide better, especially on asphalt. The 101s slide well too but the 99s are more responsive to me. Another great review to validate my setup nuttiness.
Funny you should mention bushing stiffness in cold weather. One cold day last week tried to skate a board that had the stock white bushings that come with titanium Indy's and could not turn. I grabbed another board out of my trunk with Bones bushings and they were fine. I have never noticed it before, but I usually do use Bones bushings.
Hey Ben I recently got back into skating after 15 years and i found your channel. I just bought a new setup I got a powell flight deck some indie mids and I was looking for a good wheel to go with it im literally doing everything with my board from parks and street to tech and bowl im really looking for a decent all rounded wheel. Do you have any recommendations?
I actually have venture highs and 55mm spitfire classics and just relearned slappy crooks and it gets in super well my biggest problem is slipping out into nose slide
Ben! a tip for the nollie crook fs shuv! I saw antwuan Dixon do those a year or two ago and u gotta go super fast and have the ledge waxed up and kinda float the nollie shuv. also goes for nollie back 180 out
Ive got soooo many sets of wheels. 53mm blanks 50 mm spitfire classic 51mm spitfire radial slims 99a 51mm spitfire radials slims101a 51mm spitfire radial (regular) ( skate like a girl green ones) Not to keen about thr green but it was thee only set i could find tht were size 51 in radials. They don't use or make 51 radial wheels, its usually size 52mm n up. So i jumped on them.
Honestly Ben degros is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a real dad
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. All I can say is I’m here for you. And by here for you I mean I will make a video once a week that you can watch😂😭
@@bendegros Thanks, Dad. 😎
I wish my Pops skated.
@@bendegros daddy Ben
@@bendegros thank you daddy Ben
Dang don’t you turn 40 this year?!?!? You’re killing it!
Sure do! Thanks Aaron :)
@@bendegros I'll be 39 this year, and started skating again this summer with my 6 year old. Super helpful videos! Thanks Amigo. #HasBen
@@seanburris2946 same man, my 12 year waited til I turned 40 to ask me about skating lol... figured after a 25 year break from me knowing the basics, we’d learn together 🤘🏼🛹
@@seanburris2946 I am turning to 43 years old. I am going to teach my son 6 years old how to push. I try to keep skating, but when you have a family and daytime job it is difficult to keep pushing regularly. But let me try.
@@BoZhaoengineering i have 6 years old son too and i will start skating to teach him haha i am 46 years old now and havent been skated almost 30 years but i will try, my only concern is the knees. i have healty knees but when skating first thing you will mess are the kness at this age.
"I had quarter inch of grind on that one" 😁🤣 that made me laugh.
The next day I got 4" :D
I would love to see a video of you explaining the differences between the shapes(conical, radial, tablet, the slims and the classics) or a square vs round wheel comparison. Like make a buyers guide for formula 4s for others to see which style would be for them
He has videos on them all just watch em
Something about your videos always makes me wanna go skate. It captures the nerdy obsession I had when I was a kid. Thanks Ben!
Definitely agree about the slide being easier with the 99a, powerslides feel so nice!
I thought it should be easier on the 101s? Do they also slide better then bones? Or did you ride them in the winter and the cold could be the reason?
@@MickyThunderV It 100% depends on the type of surface whether one slides better than the other. In reality, they are actually very much on par. The 99a just are ever so slightly more bouncy and sticky, although Spitfire wheels _never_ get as sticky as Bones do. Bones 100a wheels are not remotely as hard as Spitfire 100a. Spitfires are harder. If you're looking for a more comfortable wheel, the Spitfire F4 99a should probably be what you're looking at. But.... what also matters is contact surface width. The Conical Fulls of Spitfire will slide very very well and the 101A will also handle rougher terrain pretty darn well because of how it is a wide wheel. People often forget this. If you compare wheels in exactly the same size and shape type, you'll see a durometer difference between 101a and 99a is virtually nothing. The other thing that (in theory, mind you) make a softer wheel slide better is how it just wears down easier during the slide. Think of it like sliding out on a puddle of butter, versus sliding around on ice. At the end of the day, both will definitely slide. The butter one will probably be less consistent and the ice one _might_ slide too much. That should be a fair analogy to these wheels.
@@MickyThunderV imo too!
So cool to see that you not only do drywall finishing but also skate board. Me too. I have just turned 61 and i am still at it. You Rock Ben.
You Inspire me man. I am almost 30 and just started skating again after 8 years. And I honestly had doubts due to aging etc.. but watching your videos got me courageous and now after two months I have most of my regular tricks back under control. Now I will go on to nollie and switch. Keep them coming bro !!!
Just turned 30 and decided I don’t wanna get old without skating. It’s not that tough, Daewon song is like 40 something and he still shreds maybe even better than when he was young
@@Pterodactylphenylalaninedamn bro I’m 34 but that first sentence of yours really made me reevaluate and realise why I picked up skating again. I just need to have fun and stop thinking about it so much. I am just so OCD abkut what truck/wheel size haha. It drives me completely insane and makes me forget why this way of life found me again.
@@GasGotti totally understand bro, I get that way too. Recently I just tried a radically different setup than what I’d normally ride, and it made me such a better skater than I was when I was younger so much faster. Forced me to really pay attention to the feeling of skating and not worry the board/trucks wheels/bearings/grip tape /obstacle etc. so much
Man your breakdowns are the absolute best, if I would’ve had your insight 20 years ago I would never have stopped skating bro. Been back on a board for 6 months now and loving it more then ever, thanks again
Hey just came to say I started skating a year ago, I’m 25 and I hope to be like you one day. Finding your channel gave me hope for my future. Keep doing what your doing man! 😁
Edit: forgot to include I also work construction
Your content is genuine. We love you bro
🙌😀
The interesting thing is the 'Shore durometer a' hardness scale only goes up to 100 so anything above 100a is the skating equivalent of turning amps up to 11.
Oh wow, I actually was going to google this today, but came across your channel again after being away from it for a long time and happened to see this video. I'm glad you're still making content, definitely one of the most if not the most entertaining and informative skating channels.
the video we’ve all been waiting for. thank you ben
Hope you enjoyed it!
Enjoying seeing you trying new tricks. Much better than the same old tricks over and over.
Hey Ben I consider my self a Geriatric Skateboarder (37 y.o), just wanted to share with you that your content is awesome and it's one of the reason that made me skate back after 17 years. Huge thanks bro ❤️
You're only 37 bro don't be so dramatic.😄
I needed this video and didn’t even know! Keep up the awesome work
Thanks :)
Love your vids Ben always love your product reviews
6:11 yess pls more of that, showing the trucks after a nice curb session!!
@BenDegros you da man Benny! Thanks for your excellent library of content. I’m an older skater and I appreciate your takes on skating very much. Very insightful.
meanwhile, 97a’s recently came out
Spitfire does a 97a? I used to skate slimeballs in a 97a. Now I'm using 101a speedlab.
@@Y34RZERO Yeah but the publicity is really bad for some reason. they're not on the formula 4 website, but if you google "spitfire 97a" stock pops up
@@seedubhuntx 95a ojs no mads wheels seem good for street thyre tablet shaped like the spitfire tablets which i really like
@@seedubhuntx It's because supply is terribly low at the moment. There's no point in promoting if you don't have big stock to sell. Also, the 97a are priced pretty high on top of that. It's like a $60 to $70 wheel. 60 euros where I live. And currently they are only available in Spitfire Formula Four Classics, which might not be what people are looking for who love the Formula Four Conical Fulls for example. My local shop also only has 56mm and 54mm in stock, whereas my go to size would be 52mm. I've actually gone ahead and got some Mini Logo 95a to see how those are. Pretty stoked to try those out very soon!
it's all just a marketing gimmick
You're killing it, man! Love your trick selection. It's basically all the stuff I have on my own wish list. 😄
🙌
Sold on the 99 formula fours now. Been wanting to try them for a minute. Thanks Ben. I’m 40 too btw
Ben you're getting so good it blows my mind!
Thanks Ben for sharing your experience. You are incredibly lucky to skate that parking lot!! Come to France, you can wax for three days the concrete ledges before it starts to slide a little...
I am riding f4 99 because of one of your previews reviews, f4 101 for my son, but also have a set of bones stf 103 . All are very good. 99 have a super constant smooth slide, which makes them more controlable. 101 and 103 always more fun.
I've ridden 99a Spitfire Bigheads since the early 2000's on street.
They do have some grip, once the surface is worn in, and a very predictable break point when they slide.....love Spitfire Bigheads 😊❤
@bendegros, I don't know how you do it, but you always make a video relative to something I'm trying to figure out. I swear, I was just thinking about the differences between the 99 and 101, and which I should get. Keep those videos coming.
I'm currently trying kickflip crooks on a pretty similar ledge, and same thing happens to me! Hope to get them down by the time your next video comes out! And, regarding the wheels, I have similar feelings about 99/101 but after the whole winter with 99s, just tried 101s on a rough ground and somehow I felt i was going faster and was kind of a more pleasant feeling. Great video man!
Wide 101 can feel faster. Just a lil more choppy
This could be due to the fact that your old wheels would be worn down and smaller. Thus when applying the new 101's you are actually upgrading to a larger wheel. Larger wheels are faster and better on rough ground, just like you noticed.
Ben's videos definitely calm me down and feel like I'm talking to the most non-judgemental source of knowledge 🙏
I never really thought about it, but it's crazy how hard skateboard wheels are.
Assuming the durometer ratings the same as what we use for inline then anything around 100A is what in inline we'd use for antirockers to slide and grind.
And then for wheels to roll on we use 88A to 92A on average.
I know back in the day we'd take skateboard wheels and cut them down to make antirockers!
I agree with the FF take. I haven’t been able to skate anything else ever since I started skating this formula. I’ve tried so many different wheels and nothing compares.
For real though. Once you get formula fours there's no going back
OJ elites are very comparable. I generally don't give a shit what my wheels are though as long as they slide and grind.
Glad I went with the 99's - always have unknowingly. That nose grind 180 out 😍
What are the odds. I just commented a question like this yesterday on the video you did with the oj elite wheels. Thanks for the good video
Thanks for the reviews and good content!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on NFG / Loophole wheels.
They’re 52 Shore D scale durometer which is harder than 99/101a BUT they don’t really feel harder to me. More Grippy yet still slidey and they roll over crust really well. Their teardrop shape is wider than and similar to SF Classics. The Vee shape is awesome + they recently started making 95a wheels. I think you’ll enjoy NFG ( they also make wheels for Loophole) + they’re a smaller company.
Much love and respect to you and your channel Ben degros. I hope that all is well for you and your family and friends and I hope that all of your dreams and aspirations come true and that you are safe during your travels and adventures and skateboarding and while recording your videos and going live on UA-cam.
Sick vid, thanks Ben . The crust here in the U.K is pretty bone rattling so it's 99's always for me 😂
About 3 weeks into running formula 4 conical full 99a and I love them. Just picked up a 2nd set. They do slide great, but I never gave a thought about the formula until this video
Which size? Thinking of getting them but i think they may be too heavy, classics would be lighter and wondering what would u say about weight and how they are?
@@Iz_0707 53 mm. I don't notice a weight difference, but I also skate 8.5 to 8.8 decks with venture trucks that are kinda heavy anyway
That nosegrind one eighty out and the nosegrind shuv are great. Well worth the extra time they took to land. Bet it felt like you were filming a video part. Really good
It was hard work. But yes, worth it.
Saw some younger kid do a nose grind nollie front shuv on a rail the other day like it was NOTHING! Seeing you battle that trick for a while put into perspective how hard that trick is.
Great video, that crook bs shuv was PERFECT!
Thanks 👍
this video is good timing bc those 2 were ones i was seeing of which one i should get for my birthday thanks ben 😅
Formula 5
@@slapuhho formula 69 slides better
Happy birthday!
🙂
Awesome video man, thank you for inspiring me to start my own skate channel. I'm actually putting out a video on bushings tomorrow lol. I'm in Buffalo so the cold is a major factor. Again great videos!
Sweet blunts on that parking block!!!
@@bendegros thanks! :)
oh, what i've found here :) two channel of my taste met each other right here :)
Wow, so excited to know that parking lot has been in many videos!
i got the 101as as a test. tried skating a slick arizona skatepark and i couldnt land any tricks. too hard and no cushion for impact. couldnt even carve bowls or do set up turns to go to street obstacles without sliding around. very hard and firm and dense and super slick. felt like riding on ice cubes. i literally took them off, sold them for 5 bucks to some local kid the same day, and went and bought 99s that evening. felt way better
I'm putting together a deck and bought 52mm 101d classics. I have a horrible feeling I'm about to do the same.
I skate 99a, 54mm formula 4 great wheel! Super smooth on the indoor parks! worth the money 🤘🏻🇬🇧
those ventures on the curb sound like nails on a chalkboard. ha. love the content ben, i just bought wheels based on your research!
I’d be very interested to see you do a comparison of different wheel shapes all in one video. Also you mentioned that the Bronson ceramics are good, love to hear more on that. Great video man!
Noted!
I personally enjoy 99A wheels more than 101's, but I got these 56mm Clive Dixon wheels, that are amazing for 101's. 99s for me at least, give me the perfect amount of grip and comfort. I would love to see you review big and small wheels, and what differences you see on the street, skatepark and bowl.
Definitely a good video Ben, thanks! Back in the days of big boards and bigger clothes I used to ride 95 to 97a wheels, usually Bones if memory serves. Great on rough terrain but would flat spot easy of course and would wear down to a cone shape lol
:) Hi Daryl
:) Hello Ben
love the 99s, especially for indoor parks and the plaza
That back nose grind 180, and shove, and that crook nollie shove was legit!!! 💯
Thanks, i liked the clip of the other skaters at the park too.
I live in northern Australia where it is hot all of the time and I can definitely say that 101 compound stuntwood wheels are my choice.
Great video Mr Degros.
Amazing where a 1/4" of grind will take you. Great skating!
Thanks!
I just got my Oj mini combos in the mail 56mm 101a. I’ve been wanting more wheel videos to watch. Ben thanks for always coming through with content I wanna see. Lol 🏆
Ive been riding them for a solid few months and they slide like a dream, ive got the pilz ones
@@antonlanceford can’t wait to try mine at some point. The Weather is just trash In Minnesota and reserving skateparks sessions is terribly hard.
I am riding 56mm 101a OJ's elites mini combos too, I have had them 12 months, I have used them a majority of the time, but yeah they work great, smooth slide, very durable, all around great wheels dude I hope they treat you as well as they have me, I just got the same wheels but 58mm now, haha.
@@zaintaylor2358 58s sound sick I will try them one day I know Kader skates 58 spitfires. I just don’t like how small wheels look on my setup right now just looks strange now after almost 20 years so I had to step it up. I’ve been on 54s since 2018 and love them but 56 seems reasonable.
Just switched from bones V1 101a from the last 10 years to spitfire 99A tablets. Really digging them. Before my bones I rode rictas.
That slappy front crook was so sick!
Wow, these Spitfire wheels have been on my mind lately. Good timing.
Same
I got those Spitfire 99’s about two months ago after riding pretty much Bones only for the last 15 years. Wish I had made the change waaaaay sooner.
I got some 99a formula four about a month ago, size 52mm. My advice is unless you're getting tablet style wheels, get 53 or 54mm. They're great for tech, street, park. Awesome all arounders~ One thing I will say is the formula is hard enough that a pebble can throw you if pinched the wrong way. I like them for more aggressive skating, but my rictas are much more comfortable in rougher areas... But can't do slappies or slides with the rictas.
If you don't mind me asking how much are they going for where you live?
@@deckdaler5643 there like 40$ on ccs.com I don't have a local shop so I have to order everything
East Coast Canadian rider who rocks 97a wheels for the shoulder seasons of Fall and Spring for the cold/moist weather.
Winter is just a write-off here!
For me getting a backside slappy involves slighting lifting up my heel side wheels and once I feel my trucks grind I do the motion of a backside power side (but with less force) to get locked on
yo i see you rocking the primitive naruto deck!! such a sick board, ive been skating that one for about a year now and it's held up very well. im saving up for a baker now i think if it doesn't hold up as well as the primitive did then i'm gonna switch to them permanently. the shape and durability is unmatched
Primitive's shapes are dope!
I like the broad shape of nose and tail. Baker has always been a little pointy for me
My first set of spitfire wheels were classic and I couldn’t stand them. Took me years to try formula fours but I’m glad I finally did
Yup. I was late to the party as well.
Thanks for sharing Ben.
Video quality looks great in this one
101 all day! I am in California and I need to slide. Cold is in the 40's here. You gotta come down sometime.
This is what I needed
New camera Ben? Good quality shot!
Good to hear people like the 99s for sliding. I love them so much and slide all over the place now. They feel like no other wheel I have ever had. I have been wondering if 101s would be even better but it sounds like that might not be tru.
99a F4 Conical Full 58mm . That's my favourite one.
Got those exactly same wheels to skate bowls. My "old" 101a F4 Tablets 52mm wore down to 49mm or less were not up to the task.
Best feeling ever with those Conical Full at transition.
You must be in the bowls 😉
What kind of trucks do you skate? Do you ride your trucks loose? Any wheel bite? I've been wanting to get some bigger wheels. Just not sure how I feel about adding a riser. If you ride a riser what size? 1/8"?
@SIOUXICIDE * Yeah, I used to skate back in the 80s. One of the better decks I skated was a Vision Kele Roscrans. I got a reissue of that deck about a month ago. I put Indy 159s on it with a 1/4" riser and the same 53mm wheels I ride on a Popsicle board. The board angle was steeper than the Mini Logo popsicle board I've been skating. Felt weird. Used to be able to ollie a lot better back then. Of course part of that is that I'm an old fart now, but, I'm thinking a steeper board angle is better for pop. Which is what a riser will give you. Also, the Roscrans deck has a much more kicked up tail.
@@idmhead0160 Hi. I skated in the 80's too old fart as well X)
I use indys 159 standard stage 11 with 1/8 risers, stock bushings (orange) loose. No wheel bite so far but I wax the board in the wheelbite zone and don't skate intensively as I am recovering from injuries.
About steep tails, I had a Santa Cruz Corey O'brien. The old late 80's early 90's zorlacs or G&S were steep as well. Nowadays an "steep" board is mellow compared to those, at least they have concave. The 90's with the flat boards, skinny trucks and bearing condoms were tuff.
I've been riding Arrow 85a with a core. And it's been good.
I always watch your vids and think to myself “this guy is like a way less toxic version of feedback_TS” and I JUST found out you guys are brothers.. mind = blown
Crook nollie front shove was sick!
That truck grind sound at 4:57 is soooo nice
Would be really cool to see a review on the OJ Elite Nomads. I've been curious about them for a while now.
They are super light and snappy. With the tablet shape, you can clearly feel where the edge of the wheel is. The ride is real nice.
Still the best skate content in the UA-cams.
My formula 4s have never flat spotted. Absolutely amazing wheels
He’s doing God’s work🙏🏻
Great video thanks! 👍 If I go to plywood miniramp I ride spitfire lock-ins 52mm 99. Smooth concrete park I find conical full 52mm 101 fun. I was hesitating a lot buying wheels 101 durometer. When I started skateboarding 95 here in Finland all spots had really rough asphalt. 101 durometer wheels was no option. After Eastern exposure film we all bought big wheels. 😅Nowadays luckily we have nice concrete parks made by skateboarders.
:)
I watch anything you upload but hearing you talking about my favourite wheels is sweeet.
:)
Coming from Ireland I completely agree with what was said about cold weather effecting wheels/bushings.
ireland isnt particularly cold, it's just wet all the time :D
@@mulldriftyr True, I actually have a spare board just for wet weather.
@@cabaiste i do the same here in north eastern france and it sucks so much right now ...
Ireland has basically the same weather as Vancouver sooooo
@@bendegros do you eat potatoes everyday too ? :D
I just switched over from years of riding bones to Spitfire Classics Formula Fours. I am enjoying them. Pretty comparable to bones so far, really i just liked the off white colour lol
I live in the Boston area on the east coast and our ground is really chunky.
I picked up some bones stf 101 and the vibration was too much for my 43 yr old legs. Got me some spitfire 80hd and it was night day on the streets. At the skatepark 101 all the way, but streets especially in the subfreezing weather softer was way to go.
Funny thing is I skate Venture Hi 5.8's and you're not wrong I rode the same 99 euro 53 tablets last year and it was almost impossible to lock into a crooked grind because the square wheel profile always wanted to kick back into nose slide. I switched to classic shape 54s and I don't have this problem any more.
dude, i ride the 99's out here in Vegas in our 110 degree summer heat but strictly park only and they're perfect. way better than the regular spitfires as i flattened them out within the first week so moved into the formula fours.
crazy how the parking lot of my old chinese school is a part of skate history. time to go skate some more curbs around richmond
🙂
Me: Thinking about literally any skate relate question
Ben: Makes video about it
Babe wake up new Ben Degros video
Lol
The ground isn’t great in London and it’s often cold and rainy, but if I’m not skating 101s, I tend to get flatspots when I do a lipslide/noseblunt. I’m also nearly 15st though, lol 😂🍔🍺
What is 15st
@@AustinHartwig 15 stone
Love this new camera 😅
It's just a different lens
Noticed the same thing on my tablet shaped wheels where I couldn’t slappy however my oj elite hardlines have been amazing for slappies
Every time I see you in those black shoes with the white laces I think of my OG Sal 23s from like 95. What are they, I love the silhouette.
Fallen patriots
@@bendegros rad, I already bought the next two shoes I'm going to skate(adidas superstars and vans old school pros) but the Patriots are on my list for what I'll be getting after them. I loved Chris Cole's signature fallen their first time around.
So cool of you to let tom penny in your video
That crooked Shuvit out was sick!!!!!
Totally agree. The 99s do slide better, especially on asphalt. The 101s slide well too but the 99s are more responsive to me. Another great review to validate my setup nuttiness.
Can i ask which wheels you have and size? Cant decide which to get😔
@@Iz_0707 Conical Fulls 54mm 99As. I had the same in 101 before this set I’m riding now.
@@Iz_0707 They’re both good. 101s are faster on smooth stuff. I think 99s are better all-around though.
Funny you should mention bushing stiffness in cold weather. One cold day last week tried to skate a board that had the stock white bushings that come with titanium Indy's and could not turn. I grabbed another board out of my trunk with Bones bushings and they were fine. I have never noticed it before, but I usually do use Bones bushings.
Hey Ben I recently got back into skating after 15 years and i found your channel. I just bought a new setup I got a powell flight deck some indie mids and I was looking for a good wheel to go with it im literally doing everything with my board from parks and street to tech and bowl im really looking for a decent all rounded wheel. Do you have any recommendations?
As long as their Classic shaped F4s..ill skate either 99a or 101a. I currently ride Spitfire 53mm 99a Classic F4s.
I actually have venture highs and 55mm spitfire classics and just relearned slappy crooks and it gets in super well my biggest problem is slipping out into nose slide
Ben! a tip for the nollie crook fs shuv! I saw antwuan Dixon do those a year or two ago and u gotta go super fast and have the ledge waxed up and kinda float the nollie shuv. also goes for nollie back 180 out
🙂
Ive got soooo many sets of wheels.
53mm blanks
50 mm spitfire classic
51mm spitfire radial slims 99a
51mm spitfire radials slims101a
51mm spitfire radial (regular) ( skate like a girl green ones)
Not to keen about thr green but it was thee only set i could find tht were size 51 in radials.
They don't use or make 51 radial wheels, its usually size 52mm n up.
So i jumped on them.