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
Related Posts -
Skate Shoes for a Skateboarding Edge Skate boarding and the entire skater culture seems to become more and more popular every year. Twelve-year old girls who've never even stood on a skate board suddenly beg their parents for skater shoes. Shoe store employees are then faced with befuddled parents who aren't quite sure of the differences...... -
How are Roller Blading and Inline Skating Different? Roller blading is a name that has been applied to the inline skating sport as a result of the large role that the "Rollerblade Company" played in creating popularity out of the inline skating sport. Rollerblade, Inc. was not responsible for inventing, manufacturing or designing the very first inline skates....... -
Gear Basics for Kitesurfing Kite surfing is a sport that has gained significantly in popularity over the past couple of years. This is very understandable, at least if you watch some of the champion Kite surfing events and see how much fun it looks. Kite surfing is also known as kite boarding or fly...... - Choosing the Right Board for Wakeboarding Wakeboarding is a sport that is booming all around the world. Many people are describing this unique sport is the new age of surfing. Anyone all around the world can take advantage of wakeboarding, providing that there is a body of water nearby that can be considered suitable. In order......
-
High Tech Deck Skate Park Choices There is a great deal of interest in high tech deck skate park materials today as more and more people are becoming interested in the sport once again. As you watch the interest in skateboarding becoming more popular every year, there is more reason than ever for the innovations in......
Related Websites -
More Cycling Glossary Terms A good part of understanding your triathlon training and performance is having a grasp on the lingo. Here is a guide to cycling terms that you should know in order to get the most out of your experience. Derailleur - When gears are shifted on a bike, the derailleur is...... -
Callaway Ball HX Hot Plus Golf Balls (12-Pack) User Reviews Send this to a friend Callaway Ball HX Hot Plus Golf Balls (12-Pack) Manufacturer: Callaway Golf Customer Rating: List Price: $35.00 Sale Price: $17.99 Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours Free Shipping Available Buy Now Product Description Our longest 3-piece golf ball just got a distance upgrade...... -
Me Time I'm not a morning person, yet my favorite part of the day is right before the sun rises. Everything at this time is on the brink of waking up. Everything is still. The sun is almost on the horizon, ready to brighten the sky. I enjoy the quiet and...... -
Choosing the Right Triathlon Bike pt 2 You are really going to want to choose a bicycle that fits your body perfectly, comfortable, and also fits your budget. You can buy an extremely expensive bike, but if it does not fit your frame, then it is completely worthless when it comes to meeting your bicycling needs. The...... -
Snowboarding 101 - Learning to Skate Mastering the concept of skating from point A to point B is a really useful skill that you can learn when it has to do to snowboarding. You are going to have to know how to skate whenever it comes to making transfers mid-mountain from one lift to another, or......