{"id":13759,"date":"2026-03-06T09:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elpex.se\/wheel-guide-for-roller-skis\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T09:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:23:15","slug":"wheel-guide-for-roller-skis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.elpex.se\/en\/guides\/wheel-guide-for-roller-skis\/","title":{"rendered":"Wheel guide for roller skis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rolling resistance 2, 3, 4 and PU<\/h2>\n\n<p>When choosing roller skis or wheels for your roller skis, you\u2019ll often come across labels such as <strong>rolling resistance 2, 3 or 4<\/strong>, and sometimes <strong>PU wheels<\/strong>. But what does that actually mean in practice? <\/p>\n\n<p>Here we go through the differences and how to choose the right wheels for your training.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is rolling resistance?<\/h2>\n\n<p>Rolling resistance describes how heavy the wheel rolls on the asphalt. The higher the number, the more resistance. <\/p>\n\n<p>It mainly affects:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>how hard you need to work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how ski-like the feel is<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how fast the roller skis go downhill<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Most manufacturers use a scale from <strong>1 to 4<\/strong>, where <strong>2\u20133 is most common for training<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rolling resistance 2 \u2013 easy rolling<\/h2>\n\n<p>Rolling resistance <strong>2<\/strong> is the easiest option normally used for training and racing.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Suitable for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>roller ski races<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>technique training<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>easier training sessions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>less experienced skiers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Advantages:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>easy to maintain speed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>gentle on the body during longer sessions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>often used in racing contexts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Disadvantages:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>can feel faster than skiing on snow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>requires more control on downhills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Many roller ski races are held on <strong>resistance 2<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rolling resistance 3 \u2013 the most ski-like feel<\/h2>\n\n<p>Rolling resistance <strong>3<\/strong> is the most common choice for training.<\/p>\n\n<p>It gives a feel that many experience as closer to <strong>skiing on snow<\/strong>, because the resistance means you have to work more actively in every pole push.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Suitable for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>most training sessions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>recreational skiers and elite athletes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>technique training<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Advantages:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>more ski-like feel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>better training load<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>more stable speed on downhills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>For many skiers, <strong>rolling resistance 3 is the best all-round choice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rolling resistance 4 \u2013 heavy training<\/h2>\n\n<p>Rolling resistance <strong>4<\/strong> provides significantly more resistance and is mainly used when you want to make training harder.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Suitable for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>strength training on roller skis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>double-poling training<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>strong and experienced skiers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Advantages:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>very high training load<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>great for strength and endurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Disadvantages:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>can become very heavy during longer sessions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>less like the feel on snow<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Most skiers use <strong>4s more as a complement<\/strong> than as their standard wheels.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PU wheels \u2013 what are they?<\/h2>\n\n<p>PU stands for <strong>polyurethane<\/strong>, a durable rubber-like material often used in roller ski wheels.<\/p>\n\n<p>PU wheels have several characteristics that make them popular:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>consistent rolling resistance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>very good wear resistance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>good grip on asphalt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Many modern training wheels today use <strong>PU compounds<\/strong> to provide a more stable feel across different temperatures and longer service life.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which rolling resistance should you choose?<\/h2>\n\n<p>A simple rule of thumb is:<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Skier<\/th><th>Recommended rolling resistance<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Beginners<\/td><td>2 or 3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Recreational skiers<\/td><td>3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Racers<\/td><td>2 or 3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Strength training<\/td><td>4<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<p><strong>Resistance 2<\/strong><br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24 Fast rolling<br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u25cb\u25cb Load<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Resistance 3<\/strong><br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u25cb\u25cb Speed<br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u25cb Load<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Resistance 4<\/strong><br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u25cb\u25cb\u25cb Speed<br\/>\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24\u2b24 Load<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How rolling resistance compares to skiing on snow<\/h2>\n\n<p>Many skiers wonder which rolling resistance feels most like cross-country skiing in winter. It of course depends on snow conditions, but in general it\u2019s usually experienced roughly like this: <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Rolling resistance<\/th><th>Feel compared to snow<\/th><th>Comment<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>2<\/strong><\/td><td>Fast conditions<\/td><td>Similar to hard tracks or race conditions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>3<\/strong><\/td><td>Normal ski conditions<\/td><td>Most ski-like feel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>4<\/strong><\/td><td>Heavy conditions<\/td><td>Similar to wet snow or a headwind<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<p>That\u2019s why many coaches recommend <strong>rolling resistance 3<\/strong> for regular training \u2013 it provides a load and rhythm that are closer to the feel on snow.<\/p>\n\n<p>If you\u2019re only going to have <strong>one set of wheels for training<\/strong>, most people choose <strong>rolling resistance 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p>It provides a good balance between speed, control, and training load.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip: choose the right rolling resistance from the start<\/h2>\n\n<p>Choosing too light a rolling resistance can make training less effective, especially on downhills where speed quickly becomes high.<\/p>\n\n<p>That\u2019s why many coaches recommend choosing <strong>at least rolling resistance 3<\/strong> for regular training.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rolling resistance 2, 3, 4 and PU When choosing roller skis or wheels for your roller skis, you\u2019ll often come across labels such as rolling resistance 2, 3 or 4, and sometimes PU wheels. But what does that actually mean in practice? Here we go [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":12301,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13759","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Wheel guide for roller skis - Elpex<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elpex.se\/en\/guides\/wheel-guide-for-roller-skis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wheel guide for roller skis - Elpex\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rolling resistance 2, 3, 4 and PU When choosing roller skis or wheels for your roller skis, you\u2019ll often come across labels such as rolling resistance 2, 3 or 4, and sometimes PU wheels. 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