The teflon coating basically just makes keeping the wheel clean easier. Just like teflon coated pans...the road grime in theory just hoses right off...if it sticks in the first place. Teflon is a fairly soft coating thats why you are not to use metal utensils with coated cookwear...so if probably will scratch easier. There are a few VXers on here that have the teflon chambers that might chime in on how they have held up.