Bones wheels: the best skateboard wheels or not?

For most skaters, the Bones brand name has one long-standing association – good (if not the best) skateboard wheels. And this is easy to prove, because all its life the brand has been working on improving the wheel formula for its products.

Within the framework of this material, we do not want to talk about the history of the formation of the company as a world famous brand. A squat on your toes will decompose all the technological aspects of Bones’ modern wheel line. In the article we will tell you about all the lines of Bones wheels, dropping them to the very root. Next, you yourself can make a conclusion about why the skateboard wheels of this brand are considered one of the best on the market.

Bones or Formulas Wheels Series

On the official website of the manufacturer bones.com there is a clear division of all wheels produced by the brand into Formulas (wheel formulas):

1. Street Tech Formula
2. Skatepark Formula
3. Original Formula
4. All-Terrain Formula

A quote from the official Bones website, which generally reflects the company’s approach to manufacturing its products:

Many skaters assume the performance and quality of skate wheels are all the same. A wheel is a wheel is a wheel, they might often say. That’s actually not the case. In fact, very large differences exist between the raw materials, manufacturing process, quality control and performance of different wheel brands …
… BONES WHEELS may not be the lowest-priced, but our abrasion test chart shows why BONES WHEELS are the best value.

Street Tech Formula (STF)

Initially, STF wheels were made only with a hardness of 103A, but today the company has made changes to the line, and now BONES STF can be bought with a hardness of 99A.

These are the wheels that are suitable for any type of riding (if you are not picky). They glide and grip where needed.

Among the key characteristics, BONES highlights the following benefits in Formulas STF:

• hard;
• fast;
• are erased for a long time;
• 100% suitable for sliding (yes, even a back clip on the edge can be laid without fear);
• 100% no “flat spots”;
• manufacturer’s warranty.

The Street Tech Formula wheels have received the following shape options:

• V1 – Standart: perfect balance of radius, width and speed characteristics for better skiing on any surface;
• V2 – Locks: narrow profile to improve lock-in on pipe grinds and copings;
• V3 – Slims: even narrower and lighter for quick clicking and easier grinds;
• V4 – Wide: increased wheel-to-ground contact for stable and more confident landings;
• V5 – Sidecut: cutouts on the side walls of the wheels give more stability and less drag when sliding;
• V6 – Wide-cut: Increased contact patch combined with side cutouts give better stability and reduced drag for the longest grinds.

More information about the weight, diameters and width of the contact patches of each series of wheels, within the framework of this formula, you can find on the official BONES website in a specialized section – here.

Skatepark Formula (SPF)

BONES Skatepark Formula (SPF) are made of a special high quality polyurethane that prevents the appearance of “flat spots” (flashpots) due to the smooth surfaces of skateparks. At the same time, the SPF wheels maintain a fast click response and high rotational speed. It is worth noting that the “durometer” of the wheels of this series is not measured in the usual A scale for Russian skaters, but according to the more progressive (having a greater number of stiffness values) – B. Within the series, you can buy either 81B or 84B wheels.

These wheels grip best on slippery surfaces. These are the fastest and most durable wheels on the market from the manufacturer Bones.

For SPF wheels, the manufacturer highlights the following advantages:

• double baking to maintain maximum speed;
• maximum resistance to the appearance of flat spots;
• better grip and speed control;
• smooth ride and durability.

Only 2 Sidecut and Wide-cut shapes are available for this series. Details on the dimensions, weight and size of contact spots for SPF can be found on the official website of the manufacturer – here.

Original Formula

Classics of the genre from BONES in the Original Formula series. As the manufacturer writes on his website (here) – for the production of these wheels, the proprietary MDI polyurethane was first used already in 1977. The raw material for these wheels is currently the industry standard. Due to the use of the highest quality materials for the production of components, BONES Original Formula wheels are the best staff based on MDI polyurethane for abrasion and resilience. Just as “Mr. Krabs” had his own signature recipe for crabsburgers, BONES has the Original Formula as an exclusive development.

For this wheel arrangement, only the following shapes are available:

• V4 – Wide;
• V5 – Sidecut.

All-Terrain Formula

From the very name of the formula, it is clear that these wheels are designed for all surfaces. They are made of special soft polyurethane, which the manufacturer calls ATF.

It is difficult to say specifically for what kind of skateboarding these wheels are suitable, but we can confidently interpret that whatever “peanut” does not meet your All-Terrain Formula wheels on its way, these wheels will overcome it without problems. Speed ​​and smoothness of movement on surfaces of any degree of scabby is ensured.

Among the key features of this wheel arrangement within the finished product are:

• stiffness 80A (some brands have wheels positioned as for operators / cruisers / longboards have greater rigidity);
• increased cross-country ability;
• retention of “moves”;
• resistance to damage and abrasion.

You can see how the BONES team riders roll these wheels across forests, mountains and other rough terrain here.

Manufacturer’s warranty

BONES give a guarantee for all their products (these are not only wheels, but also bushings, bearings, etc.) for the entire life of the product. To paraphrase, the warranty is lifetime.

Of course, for any return, the item must be sent to the factory for inspection by inspectors. Details and a feedback form on warranty claims can be found here. But do not worry – the quality, operating experience, riders’ reviews of BONES wheeled products scream that this is a high-quality product and the percentage of factory defects is minimal here (but still there, as in any production).