Why do suitcases have plastic wheels instead of, maybe, rubber tyres?

Question

Why do suitcases have plastic wheels instead of, maybe, rubber tyres?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Because you do need them to give you a smooth ride or have good traction. You need them to be easy to roll (low rolling resistance) and last a long time with lots of weight on them which means they need to be made with something hard like plastic.