Can the traction pads be used on any generation of wheel?Updated 3 months ago

To a certain degree, yes, but newer generation pads will look a bit odd on older wheels. First off, some generations already use the same pad size:

• Generations 1 through 4 all had the same size wheel, so Gen 1-4 pads will fit any of these older wheels.
• Generation 5 had a wider running surface than Gens 1-4, so it has its own pads.
• Generation 6 and generation 7 are close enough in size that they use the same pads. Gen 6-7 pads will work for either of these wheels.

All of our pads are cut slightly long to prevent any gaps, so bear in mind that you will typically need to trim the last pad of a set to make it fit no matter which generation pads you get. 

Now, we no longer make new colors in the older generation styles, so you may be wondering if the Gen 6-7 pads can be used with Gen 5, or with Gen 1-4 wheels. Technically they can; in fact, Gen 5 is so close to Gen 6 and 7 in size that Gen 6-7 pads require only a bit more trimming than normal on the last pad to fit on a Gen 5 wheel. 

The story is a little different, though, if you want to apply Gen 5 pads or Gen 6-7 pads on a Gen 1-4 wheel. The Gen 1-4 wheels had a more narrow running surface and a larger inner circumference, so if you use any newer gen pads on the wheel, you will have to space them out and you will need to trim about an inch off both sides of each pad to make it fit. It might be easier to DIY your own pads from adhesive foam sheets instead, since you'll be cutting the pads down to size no matter what and you can at least fill the space without leaving any gaps.