Your wheel diameter, the height of the inline skate wheel in millimeters, has an effect on your skating performance. If all other wheel, skate and skater conditions are the same, a taller wheel will roll faster than a shorter one when you exert the same effort. However, small wheels do accelerate faster than the big ones that need more initial effort on takeoffs.
- Inline racers need the tallest wheel diameters they can get for speed.
- Experienced recreational skaters often prefer wheels with the biggest diameter that will fit on their inline skate setup to get a combination of speed and a longer wheel life.
- Hockey, slalom and inline figure skaters tend to pick a small to mid-sized wheel diameter that is relatively fast, but allows control for quick turns and maneuvering.
- Aggressive skaters need very short wheels for superior stability in stunts.
All-purpose recreational wheels can be used for many styles kinds of inline skating until you are sure of the wheel diameter size and other wheel properties needed for your specific skating needs.