"I just watched a YouTube video from Downhill254 comparing downhill wheels and discussing how wheel companies use some sort of oil to aid in releasing them from the mold. They mentioned that these wheels need to be washed out of the package to remove that substance. I've been riding for 19 years and have never heard of this before. However, a friend recently warned me about it, but only in relation to magnums. Normally, I just ride my wheels until they're broken in.
Is this something you do? Do you consider it absolutely necessary for casual riding, or is it just at a competition level? I'm asking because I recently purchased some Red Leaves magnums and haven't decided whether to blindly follow the advice or rely on my previous experience.
Thanks, Fam!"
Could you feel the wheel if there's oil on them? Just curious how often do you wash your wheels? Sometimes I just wipe the dirt of them. How do you clean your wheels? Soap and water?
If you've never really noticed it or had a problem, or done it the past 20 years, then it should be fine?
If you've never really noticed it or had a problem, or done it the past 20 years, then it should be fine?
💯 this is something that has never occurred to me in a decade of experience of my own. I've been aware of mold release pretty much this whole time, and I just take my fresh race wheels to a few grip runs to take advantage of the skin before I do the inaugural slide. I don't bother wiping or cleaning them in any way and haven't noticed anything wonky. For any round lipped wheels that aren't stone ground I'll just throw a couple fast hand downs to get the skin off immediately.
Curious for a more competitive perspective, but I'm pretty confident saying this is totally unnecessary for lifelong amateurs like myself (though perhaps still slightly beneficial so I am curious why they supposedly "need" to be washed)
I have never done this either. Mold release can be oily, but I've never actually found mold release or any other oily residue on my new wheels. I feel like if people start finding this on their wheels, like serious amounts of oil or anything like that, then it's a quality control issue more than anything.
Just let the pavement take care of it
I remember that people were talking about this a few wheels ago. Seems unnecessary to me but allegedly it makes the first few slides feel better? It was some pro guy that was washing magnums in a bathtub.
Has anyone actually done this?
@Gabriel Fockler does anyone know about the boiling wheels meme 😈😈. U ain't a true skater if you don't boil your wheels
Context for the groms/uninitiated
Idk if Powell washes ALL of the wheels that leave the factory, but I do know that we send out batches of wheels to get washed after they're de-molded and cooled down, but before printing graphics and packaging, so perhaps the mold release is being washed off long before the wheels are making it out to skaters?
The mold release we use is some seriously slippery and oily stuff tho
@Carlos Cabrera having washed my red leaf magnums they went from very slippery when touching each other to having vice like grip. It's more a thing for racers on a highly competitive level to know their wheels will be consistent on the first slide in a race heat/qualifying
