Spitfire Wheels

The Spitfire story

Spitfire was founded in the early 1980s by Jim Thiebaud and Fausto Vitello as part of San Francisco's Deluxe and Thrasher family, and grew into the most iconic wheel brand in skating. The introduction of Formula Four urethane was a genuine leap forward, giving wheels that are fast, grippy and highly resistant to flatspotting, and it cemented Spitfire as the choice of pros and everyday skaters alike. The classic Spitfire logo is one of skating's most recognisable marks.

What size Spitfire wheels do you need?

Wheel size is measured in millimetres of diameter and follows how you skate:

• 50 to 53mm — lighter and lower, quick to accelerate, best for technical street skating.
• 54 to 56mm — the versatile all-round range for street and park. The most popular size.
• 56mm and up — carries speed and rolls better over rough ground, best for transition, bowl and vert.

Which Formula Four hardness should you get?

Formula Four comes in different durometers, and the choice is about grip versus slide:

• 99a — the all-round benchmark, a great balance of grip and controllable slide for most street and park skating.
• 101a — harder and faster with quicker slides, favoured for smooth skatepark surfaces and technical skating.
• Grippier options — Spitfire also makes softer, grippier formulas for rough surfaces and cruising, where you want the wheel to hold rather than slide.

Most street and park skaters run 99a in the 52 to 54mm range. Tell us how and where you skate and we will match the size and hardness.

What makes Formula Four different?

It is Spitfire's proprietary urethane, engineered to keep its shape and speed longer than standard wheels. The headline benefits are strong flatspot resistance, so hard slides are less likely to leave a flat spot that makes the wheel thump, plus consistent grip and slide and good speed retention. It is the reason Formula Four became the street and park benchmark that other brands are measured against.

Buying Spitfire in Australia

Full range of Formula Four sizes and durometers in stock, from a genuine core skate shop run by skaters. We match wheels to your skating, build custom completes, and ship free on orders over $90 with same and next-day dispatch from Richmond.

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