I'm writing this in hopes that it will be a guide, as I've answered probably half a dozen questions just today about bearings, and to a lesser extent, wheels. I am a skateboarder of 17 years, played derby from 2008-2012, and am coming back to the roller skating community, waiting on my Moxis, haha. I've worked in several skate shops (board and roller).

Cleaning bearings. I don't clean bearings because I'm a prince and like fresh ones, but there are a few good cleaning kits on the market, or you can use acetone (please dispose of properly) DO NOT USE WD-40 or other "lubricants". DO NOT USE WATER. DO NOT USE SOAP. Isopropyl alcohol above 90% is ok, but make sure they dry out really well first, because there's still 10% water in there. The Bones bearing cleaning kit is the gold standard and pretty affordable... but I'd rather just pay a little more and get some new bearings.

The "spin test" really doesn't tell you much about the quality of your bearings, as they are designed to spin under weight loads, not from someone flicking the wheel with their hand. Of course... if they're not spinning and making wookie noises when you do that, it might be time to clean or change them.

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The easiest way to remove bearings without special tools is to use the axle of your skate to pry it off, like opening a bottle of beer. To put bearings back on, put a bearing ring side up on the axle and press the wheel down on it until it is all the way in, and give it a spin to make sure its seated straight. Repeat this for the other bearing in the wheel, and then for each wheel. If you're good at not losing small things (I am not), Bones makes a bearing remover tool for <$10.

Bearings and wheels are separate components and interchangeable. You are not stuck with bearings in a set of wheels, nor are you behooven to use new bearings in a new set of wheels.

Bearings go in with the "shield" on the outside. There will be a colored plastic shield on one side, and a transparent ring on the other. Ring goes inside the wheels, shield goes outside. (Unless you use bronson G2s which have shields on both sides, in that case it doesn't matter). The shield protects from dirt.

Since I recommended just getting skateboard bearings (as I've found them to be cheaper to buy in sets of 16 than the "good" roller skate/inline bearings), my absolute favorites are Bronsons. This is under the assumption you are running 8mm, and its likely you are. The G2s are about $13-$15 for an 8 pack, so coming in <$30 for a set of 16 for skates. These are bright orange. I've had a set on a skateboard for almost a year now and they're just starting to get kinda sluggish. G3s are the next step up, run around $20-$24 a set (~$45 for skates), and are fast as heck. The "pro skater" models also come in really cute colors (check out the lavender Nora Vasconcellos and hot pink Leo Baker pro models! The Leos may not be out yet). Some other good brands are Andele, Bones (they DO make a 16-set of roller skate bearings but I vastly prefer the Bronsons for longevity. Bones also makes 7mm bearings), and Cortina.

Bearings that are NOT skate-rated are given an ABEC number (3, 5, 7) These are "general use" bearings and honestly, I don't recommend them for skating. The number is marketing for unscrupulous bearing sellers and is an industrial rating that's useless for our purposes. I only use "skate-rated" bearings. Bearings designed for high-impact roller sports will last much longer and not blow out on you nearly as quickly. What this means is when the bearing takes an impact from a hard landing, the cheaper bearings can actually compress the little balls inside, and if you're lucky to not have them explode outwards in a hail of shrapnel, the balls and/or races inside will be dented and seize up. Skateboarders have been very demanding of good, fast, high-quality bearings that can take a beating and have kinda outpaced the roller brands, so that's where I look when I buy and I suggest the same for anyone else.

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My last tips: I put a set of bearings in each set of wheels, even if I'm not using them at the moment. Much easier to swap in and out if I'm going from outdoor to rink or park.

Bearings/wheels come in 7mm or 8mm. 8mm is BY FAR the most common size. Some vintage skates, as well as specific high-end plates for artistic/derby skates will be a 7mm axle. This is a minority, so if you're buying Moxis/most Riedell/Sure Grip/any other out-of-the-box skate, chances are 99.9% that you're getting an 8mm axle.

Wheels! There are four main considerations when choosing wheels: durometer, width and height, and whether they have a core or not. Durometer is the softness and generally runs from about 75A to 101A, with 75A being really soft and good for outdoors/beginners, and 101A being rock-hard and good for park. Width and height are both down to personal preference, but generally speaking the bigger the wheel the better it rolls over things like cracks and pebbles. I personally prefer width over height when street/park skating, for more stability, but like skinnier wheels for derby for better agility because I am a jammer and part-hummingbird. Cored wheels are usually seen on derby wheels (with the plastic core) and are made for speed and lightness. Some wheels have dual-core with a softer outside and a harder inside; these generally make a good hybrid wheel or experienced outdoor skater wheel (hard = more speed).