The Bee’s Knees behaves more like it has filed the necessary permits to flatten it.
At 90mm in diameter, this wheel is designed for commuting, pumping, distance pushing and riders who want to maintain speed instead of constantly rebuilding it. Its 54mm overall width and 44mm contact patch provide a confident footprint, while the centerset bearing seat concentrates the rider’s weight evenly and lets the wheels be flipped for more uniform wear.
The Bee’s Knees uses large rounded lips with substantial roundovers. This gives the wheel a smooth, forgiving profile when crossing pavement cracks and helps reduce the likelihood of the edges chunking during real-world riding. Unlike the stone-ground freeride models, it comes with the original surface skin intact for maximum initial traction.
One of the standout specifications is the 21mm urethane depth between the core and outer riding surface. That thick cushion of Happy Thane helps absorb vibration and soften harsh pavement while also storing plenty of rolling momentum. Orangatang still managed to keep the weight to approximately 10.1 ounces or 286 grams per wheel, which is relatively light and responsive for such a large diameter.
The pink 83a version brings a firmer, faster personality to the Bee’s Knees family. Harder urethane generally slides more readily, wears more slowly and rolls faster on smoother surfaces than softer compounds. This version will feel less plush than the softer colours, but it is an exciting option for riders who want the rollover benefits of a 90mm wheel with a livelier and more durable 83a feel.
The product page currently offers the pink 83a option even though part of its general specification section still lists only the original softer durometers.
The centerset Kegel-style core is also compatible with many popular electric-skate drive systems. That makes the Bee’s Knees a useful crossover wheel for bracket boards, push setups and powered boards, provided the board has enough wheel clearance.
These things are bright pink, absolutely enormous and surprisingly quick. There is nothing discreet about them, which is exactly the point.
Orangatang Wheels began in 2008 as a means for advocating the civil liberties of the indigenous river Capybaras of Southern California.
We are passionate about materials, are committed to environmentally conscious design and production, appreciate the subtleties of process (the devil's in the details) and are devotees of functionally driven design.
Like a shot of adrenaline for a stale economy of shredding, the Orangatang wheel is here to breathe new life into your ride.
Also famous for their unrelated foray into exotic animal jerky manufacturing. Orangatang Wheels, makers of Bees Knees, BEEF Cake, Dad Bods, Caguama, Skiff, Kegel, Moronga, In Heat, 4President, Durian, Stimulus, Fat Free, The Cage, The Kilmer, and The Keanu. How soft do you let these soft wheels get? Blue 77a!
