January 31st, 2012 — Clothes Shoes and Gear, Skating, Surf Skate Wake
When it comes to inline skates, the wheels you choose to ride on could quite possibly have the biggest impact on how well you skate. Inline skate wheels come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials (or composition). Different wheels are made for different skating styles, so picking the proper set of wheels is going to prove to be a very important choice.
When you are out shopping for that perfect diamond engagement ring, if you have done your homework your choice of diamond will be based on a set of criteria known as the 4 C’s. Well, buying wheels for your inline skates also has its four basic criteria to be considered: your body weight, your skating level (novice, intermediate, advanced, pro), your skating style, and lastly, your comfort zone in regards to speed. There are 4 properties, those being size, profile, core, and hardness. These are all equally important, since they all have a direct bearing on your choice of wheels.
First up, we will go over the hardness, or durometer, of the wheel. The higher the durometer is, the higher the hardness of the wheel. Harder wheels will last much longer, but they will also transmit much more of the bumps and shocks of the ground to your foot and knees. In general, you will be able to find wheels in the range of 74A which is the softest, up to 88A, which is quite hard. The A denotes the durometer scale. The average recreational skater will be interested in wheels in the range of 78A to 82A, since these wheels provide a fairly decent compromise between grip and smoothness or roll.
In general, you will want harder wheels for skating on smooth surfaces like skating rinks or smooth concrete, if you are a heavier skater, or you value your wheels lasting longer over comfort of ride. In contrast, a lower durometer wheel will be wanted if you will be riding on streets and other rough surfaces a lot, area lighter rider, desire better shock absorption or just want better traction overall.
Next up is wheel size. Larger wheels will allow you to skate faster since they will provide less rolling resistance. Sadly, as you get larger, stability goes down, and requires the skater to be of higher ability to make good use of them. Smaller wheels will have lower top speed, but will provide for a much more stable ride. Aggressive skaters will generally go for smaller wheels for stability, because speed is not quite as much of an issue, whereas speed skaters will use the much larger diameter wheels for the decreased rolling resistance. Recreational skaters will generally find themselves with a choice of wheels between 72mm and 80mm. Be sure to check the users manual for your particular skates, because different models will have limits to the minimum and maximum wheel sizes they accommodate.
There will be more about wheels next time. Trust us, there is plenty to be said!
Photo Credits: y_katsuuu
Originally posted 2009-10-06 03:24:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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October 12th, 2011 — Skating, Surf Skate Wake
The Core
The core of the wheel is comprised of the hub and the spokes. The bearings and spacers are housed inside the inner hub. The spokes and outer hub are what the polyurethane itself is attached to.
The way the core is designed, and the materials from which the wheel is constructed are what give the wheel its stability. These same two things are also what give the wheel its strength. Aggressive wheels tend to have a solid core, while racing wheels tend to be lightly spoked. Your standard hub is generally called a 608 hub, meaning it takes a standard 608 type bearing.
The Profile
The definition of profile is the wheel’s cross section where the wheel and the ground meet, as viewed head on. This profile is what determines the amount of wheel in contact with the ground while being ridden.
Per industry standards, all inline skate wheels are twenty four millimeters thick. However, it is the variation in your wheel’s footprint that provides your wheel with different functionality. The larger the wheel’s footprint is, the better stability and traction it has.
Selecting Your New Wheels
The hardness of the wheel and the size of the wheel are the two biggest factors, so you have to base the choice you make on these two properties. The core does have a significant influence, but it is more subtle. You will want to make your core and profile choices after you have decided on what hardness and diameter you want.
Choosing a Hardness
The harder your wheel is, the longer it will last, but the less grip it will have, and the more road shock and vibration you will feel. The average recreational skater will use wheels between78A and 82A. These ratings generally provide a good balance of grip and shock absorption. That said, you do not have to use the same amount of hardness for all the wheels on each skate. If for the first set of wheels you do use the same wheels all around, you will likely find that different wheels wear in a different pattern or rate. For instance, my wheels always wore the most under the heel, and graduated evenly up to the toe, which wore the least. The heel also wore flatly, while the toe wheels wore more wedge shaped. To combat this, you can use differing durometers of wheels to even out the wear.
Picking a Size
In general, wheels between 72mm to 80mm are appropriate for recreational or fitness skaters. Lighter skaters will find 72mm appropriate, while mid-weight skaters will generally want 76mm. Heavier skaters will want 80mm or larger. You will also want the larger diameter wheel if you plan to speed skate, are going to be going long distances, or practicing short sprints, something like 84mm or larger will be appropriate.
Just how large a wheel you can use is limited by the design of the skate, so you need to keep that in mind when purchasing your inline skates.
Photo Credits: Paleontour
Originally posted 2009-10-16 03:58:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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