Beverly Hills firm recalls Orangatang skateboard wheels

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Skateboarding is an inherently rough sport filled with plenty of spills, but a blown-out wheel isn’t usually one of the hazards.

So, after receiving 10 reports of its Orangatang brand In Heat wheels falling apart during riding, Loaded Boards Inc. of Beverly Hills recalled about 1,200 sets of the wheels today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

The recalled wheels can come apart at their core, shearing and then blowing out, causing the wheel to separate from a board’s truck axle and bearings, the commission said in a recall statement.

The In Heat series wheels were sold this March and April in two models: a purple, 75-millimeter version with 83a durometer (a measure of hardness, for you non-skater types) and an orange, 75mm, 80a-durometer version, the commission said.

Both models are being recalled and are typically used on longboard-style skateboards.

The words “Orangatang” and “In Heat” and the size and durometer of the wheels are written on the wheels’ sidewall, the recall statement said.

The wheels were sold for about $55 per set of four at various skateboard and longboard shops, it said.

No injuries have been reported, the commission said.

Owners of the recalled wheels can trade in their old sets for a free replacement at any store selling Orangatang wheels or through Loaded Boards, the statement said.

Loaded Boards Inc. can be reached at (877) 855-0708 or by e-mail at coreissue@loadedboards.com.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles