When it comes to wheels, I like ones that roll fast, grip well and last long. I don’t have the luxury of buying and trying out wheels all the time, so I carefully pick out the ones that I buy.
In today’s review, I will be talking about the Cult Raptures. If you live in Europe, you’ve probably seen a couple of sets of these on the hills.
These wheels met all the above requirements but did have some drawbacks. I go deeper into this below and what you can expect when you buy them. Check it out.
*I’m not a big racer, so my review will be focused mostly on what they do AFTER the skin is gone.
Specifications:
- Diameter/Height – 74mm
- Width/Thiccness 👅👅👅 – 66mm
- Contact Patch – 66mm
- Urethane options – 73a, 75a, 77a
- Special features – BIG F**KN CORE
Cult Raptures Review
They aren’t as grippy as they look
Once the skin comes off, they become a bit slippery, especially when compared to other dh wheels without their skin (with the skin on, they really grip).
I think this is to your advantage as a rider. When you’re doing open road stuff, you want something that is slippery and controllable enough that you’ll feel comfortable using on a variety of roads, conditions and situations. And I would say this wheel is perfect for that. (Psst, if you’re looking for something grippier, check the Abec 11 Reflex Bigzigs out)
Also, another factor that will affect grip is the temperature of your environment. I bought these wheels when I was in the UK (cold weather, rainy, gloomy, cold pavement) where the temperature was typically between 10-18* most of the time. They were grippy and had good slowing down power.
When I came to Kenya where the temp was around 19-24*, the wheels felt more slippery and typically slowed me down less but were easier to ride. The temperature really affects these wheels, so think about where you want to ride them. Check how slippy they were on this really hot day
They are fast rolling, consistent …
The big core and dense urethane isn’t for nothing. It allows them to maintain their roll speed throughout their life, even as you get closer to the core. I love this because you get a wheel that feels the same for a long time, whether they are 75mm or 65mm tall.
I think this is important if you’re trying to figure out your skating, learn something new or change up your style. Having consistent equipment is key to this.
Personally, there is nothing I dislike more than how wheels feel once you get closer to the lip/core. A lot of wheels begin to feel sluggish, slow and really undesirable to ride. Kind of like a riding a flat tire.
You can thank this consistency to the dense urethane and the big core. A big core stiffens up the wheel and makes it feel harder. So you could have a 77a soft wheel with a big core which will make it roll as fast as a 80a wheel.
It is a heavy f**king wheel, which is good … and bad
Cult raptures are easily one of the heaviest wheels on the market, these are no joke. Even with a big core, that much dense urethane makes it heavy.
This is in some ways is pretty great because it means you’ll have so much momentum and will thusly have a higher top speed as you go down the hill. But it will be slow when you’re trying to push off the start line (or in general) and when you’re trying to stop.
Though I can say my calf muscles were looking pretty toned after a few weeks on these.
They last forever!
I rode these wheels on and off for a year (but I think collectively for 4 months in total) and have only gotten them down to 65mm. They got oval (because of bad riding from me) so I don’t ride them anymore.
I am thoroughly impressed with how they have held up and their durability. Well worth their expensive price.
Plus when they get too small for downhill, you can put them on your cruiser board to have a smooth rolling cruiser setup.
What should you consider as you buy this wheel?
I recommend you get some sharp, fresh grip if you buy them. These wheels aren’t so grippy but they are pretty grippy. They are on the lower spectrum of really grippy downhill wheels (if that makes sense).
I used to think they were super grippy and hard to slide, but once I got Seismic lokton grip that changed. Before this, I simply didn’t have enough grip to handle them properly.
When I would initiate slides, I would feel like I was slipping off my board, the old Vicious grip I was using really wasn’t up to the task. But with fresh grip, these slide beautifully, easily and consistently. You won’t fear high siding anymore.
Check how they slide with shitty grip in the Insta video below, watch how that hookup really pulls me back.
How would these fit under you board?
Cult raptures are wide wheels. At 66mm in width, with an offset, these are gonna stick out from your board if you haven’t ‘compensated’ for them with narrower trucks or a wider board. When they stick out, it makes them harder to control and slide. You can’t accurately place your weight over the core and urethane if the wheels are sticking out too much. But if the core of the wheel lines up with the rails of your board, you’re ok. If the wheels stick out a bit, it is fine.
You could always flip them and ride them that way. This will solve the issue but it isn’t how they were intended to be ridden.
They’ll grip just as well and ride normally but they will be a few differences. You won’t have much ‘edge feel’. You won’t get that edge of traction feeling just before you start sliding. They will grip, and then slide.
I have the 73a wheels, and this grip to slide thing might be amplified if you get the harder wheels. You will understand this and it will make more sense if you experiment with them this way.
This shouldn’t be an issue for most riding, but if you are racing you might need that ‘edge of traction’ feel to know when you’re on the edge of scrubbing round a corner.
These are a ‘no fuss’ wheel
All the above considered, I categorise these as ‘no fuss’ wheels. Once you chuck em on you don’t have to think about them for months. They will grip consistently, roll consistently and just work the same for a long time to come.
This is important because then you can focus and worry about other things like getting better at sliding, dialing in your trucks ….
Should you buy them?
I think these wheels are great, but they are not for everyone. If you are a beginner, don’t look at these wheels. You’re just gonna stress yourself out and you won’t have an enjoyable time riding them. Instead, check out the Orangatang Kegels, they are more forgiving when it comes to beginners.
If you’re a beginner/advanced rider who has tried one or two dh wheels and wants something they can push themselves on. These one will work well for you.
Finally, if you’re an advanced/experienced rider who wants a no-fuss wheel. This is the one for you. You just put them on and you’re done. You only really have to think of your next wheel months down the line.
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