Contact Patch
The Contact Patch is the area of a wheel that actually makes contact with the ground. Freestyle wheels traditionally have a wider contact patch than street wheels because wider offset wheels are necessary for protecting the axle and providing stability for Rail Tricks. A wheel with a wider Contact Patch may feel a little sluggish, but also very stable. A narrower Contact Patch will be more responsive and quicker turning than a wider one, so former street skaters may want to look at these.