Sucrose Initiative is Arbor Skateboard’s stand alone wheel program. They produce wheels using environmentally friendly materials that simultaneously improve the quality of the wheel while reducing the petroleum footprint of production and long term environmental impact from use. What happens to those ‘thane lines afterall?

Arbor recently refreshed the Sucrose Initiative for late 2018. The lineup now features fiberglass reinforced cores and two new wheels – Axel Serrat’s pro model and the Highlands.

The Arbor Collective

Arbor has made a longstanding, concerted effort to keep preservation of the environment at the forefront of their endeavors. They’ve incorporated unique and thoughtful applications of recycled materials in all manner of their business – you might remember their recycled glass griptape, the reclaimed wood they used in their shop or the relentless dedication to the use of sustainable materials in their products.

The Sucrose Initiative is no exception. As Arbor has grown, so too have their wheels – first, as a urethane called the Sucrose formula and later as it’s own standalone wheel program. The latest line-up includes a larger, race oriented shape – a first for Sucrose! To get a better idea of where they’re coming from, take a look at what they’ve done.

In The Beginning

The wheel program has modest roots. Lineups usually included 3 shapes, that catered to skaters in urban, freeride or cruising disciplines. Here’s some throwbacks from August 2011 and February 2014:

Before Sucrose was standalone, the wheels were still listed as components of Arbor. They referred to the Sucrose urethane formula as a sucrose-based, bio-urethane. The shapes were versatile, cross-discipline choices that appealed to riders at all skill levels. Even in the beginning Arbor was out to make eco-friendly products that performed well.

2014

In March of 2014, the Sucrose Initiative was born. It ushered in a new era for Arbor’s wheel game. All new names, graphics and colors meant a new image for the lineup while a new shape signaled an entry into the downhill scene.

The latest tech featured a longer-lasting urethane dubbed, the Sucrose Formula and a new Groovetube core. The new urethane improved on the already venerable bio-urethane compound and lasted even longer. The Groovetube was wider and more robust than their previous cores so the urethane would deform less around it. These wheels were grippy, performance driven and discipline specific machines.

The freeride series loosely translated into the Bogart and Vice. Slightly offset cores, rounded lips and stone-ground contact patches made ideal freeride wheels with choices for large or small boards. The Mosh carried on many attributes from the previous hybrid series, making it a great cruise-commuter option.

The Summit represented a new direction. Designed for fast, technical downhill, it was a shape Sucrose hadn’t previously released. The offset core, thick lip and wide contact patch made it grip while the Groovetube made for a smooth, consistent slip.

Response to the new Sucrose formula was positive. Riders reported waxy, top-of-the-pavement  slides and grip on the straights with a lifetime that lasted seemingly indefinitely.

2016

In March of 2016, the Sucrose Initiative became Arbor’s standalone wheel program. With newfound freedom, they introduced some big changes. We saw a division of the wheels along their intended disciplines and the introduction of two new urethane formulas.

The Sugar formula was renamed the Speed formula and accompanied by two new additions in the Fusion and Thane formulas. Speed was a continuation of Arbor’s bio-urethane, previously known as the Sucrose formula, and like it’s name – built to go fast. The Thane formula was all about drift and the appropriately named Fusion formula was a balance between the two.

The Bogart, Mosh and Outlook became a part of the new Easyrider series – a line of wheels focused primarily on cruising and offered in a wide range of colorways. These wheels were poured in the Fusion urethane formula and feature the Momentum core. If you were after the Thane formula, ordering any of these wheels in the Amber color would get you it.

The Summit, Vice and Spud continued on as members of the Groovetube series featuring the Speed urethane formula and Groovetube core. These wheels were intended to go fast, get sideways or a little of both.

For the most part, the lineup continued unchanged until 2018. There were a handful of limited-release and special editions made available through the years – look for the Grillz or Whiskey if you’re interested in learning more. Did we miss anything? Hit the contact form and let us know!

2018

For 2018, Sucrose has been hard at work in the R&D department. The Groovetube and all new Revolver cores now feature fiberglass reinforcement. True to the ethos outlined when Arbor began, they improved performance with a sustainable and environmentally friendly material.

Sucrose also added two new wheels – the Axel Serrat Pro Model and the Highlands. Both help to round out the Sucrose lineup by extending it’s utility.

Axel’s wheel is a performance hybrid. He’s a rider who is equally at home bombing hills or tearing up city streets. His pro model wheel reflects a true Skate Everything mentality. At 58x32mm it’s a good compromise. The wider contact patch means less rolling resistance and more stability, while keeping it short reduces rotational mass. A stone ground contact patch, 80a urethane and the Groovetube core tie it together.

The Highlands is yuge. At 75x60mm, this wheel is gonna get you to the bottom with rip and grip. It features the new Revolver core – 40mm wide, 38mm tall and fiberglass reinforced. It’s stiff and wide to minimize wheel deformation on the descents. A tall lip, slightly offset core and wide contact patch all combine to maximize grip on this one. Notably, this is the first time we’ve seen a shape like this from Sucrose but it indicates an industry trend of wider race wheels.

The Spud, Vice and Summit remain as well. All featuring new colorways and the updated Groovetube core.

For more than 20 years, Arbor has shown us that environmentally-friendly and performance are not mutually exclusive. Likewise, the Sucrose Initiative has done it again with their 2018 lineup. With each release they’ve raised the bar a little further and we look forward to more.

Bottom-Line: The 2018 line-up is available now. Use the links in the table below to order.