Inline Skate Rockering

skatingwheelsIf you have been into inline skating for any decent amount of time, then chances are you have heard the term rockering before. You might even know what rockering is, and this will just be remedial information for you. But if you do not, then this could be quite enlightening for you.

Out of the box, most inline skates are configured in what is known as a “flat setup”. All three, four, or five (child’s skate, standard recreational or short racing skate, and full size racing skate wheel counts, respectively) wheeled skates will have the wheels set at the same height. This is a flat setup, and is an all around good way to start out skating. It is also the standard setup for recreational / fitness skating.

The next main setup is known as a full rocker, or banana / crescent. This involves setting your front and back wheels slight higher than your middle two wheels. This is going to provide the inline skater with great maneuverability, which is good for those who wish to emulate ice skating on dry land. It also provides less stability, so balance can be an issue. Obviously it should go without saying that use of full rockering should be used with great care, and then only by skilled inline skaters. Novice inline skaters will likely find them selves unable to control their direction very well, and will also spend large amounts of time on the ground, possibly with skinned palms or knees.

The next type of rocker is called a front rocker. This style of rockering has the lead wheel on each skate set high, with the trailing 3 in their regular placement. This rockering style is generally used by street skaters, and has two main purposes: the high front wheel allows the skate to better go over imperfections in the ground instead of digging in and stopping, while the remaining 3 flat wheels still provide you with a decent flat profile for pushing power, so that good speed can be kept.

Another type of front rocker setup is one sometimes used by inline hockey skaters, and involves the rockering of the rear 2 wheels, and using smaller wheels for the front two. This makes it resemble a flat setup, sine all 4 wheels are in fact touching the ground. It is purported that this setup provides better maneuvering in corners while still giving the speed of larger wheels when going straight, but this is debatable.

Lastly is the anti-rocker setup. This is the reverse of standard rockering, in that your front and back wheels will be on the ground, while your middle two will not. This, coupled with devices called “grind plates” facilitate ease of sliding along hand railings, curbs, benches, and other surfaces on which an aggressive, or trick skater may wish to grind. The means by which this rocker is accomplished can be done in one of two ways: use small wheels for the two center wheels, or raise the center two wheels. The use of small wheels is the most prevalent means.

Photo Credits: digicla

Originally posted 2009-10-09 03:47:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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How to Rotate Inline Skate Wheels

skatingweeIt is important for you to know why it is important for you to rotate the wheels on your skates, and it is also important for you to have an understanding of when you should do it. There are a number of different available approaches to take when it comes this process as well.

Why you should rotate your inline skate wheels

If you have been riding your inline skates for any decent amount of time, then you have probably noticed that your wheels do not wear evenly. The inside edges wear down, and for most people, the rear wheels wear down much quicker than the front ones do. Rotating at proper intervals helps slow this process, making your wheels wear more evenly, and last longer.

When you should rotate your inline skate wheels

If you are reading this, chances are you are new to inline skating, or have never taken the time to learn everything you should about your inline skates. There are a lot of factors that can change the timing for when you will want to rotate, the main ones being wheel hardness, and how often you ride. If you know what hardness of wheel you prefer and always skate for the same amount of time each day, then figuring out a rotation schedule will be much easier.

There are actually three different strategies that you can consider when it comes to rotating your wheels, which are:

  • The first is to keep things relatively simple by rotating the same exact wheels in the same exact manner every time you do this.
  • The second process is to turn the wheel rotation process into an all day kind of project, which is really only ideal when you enjoy messing around with your wheels.
  • The third and final method is a reasonable sort of middle ground, and so it is recommended option for rotating your skate wheels.

Lets look at the conventional strategy, which involves rotating your wheels from 1 to 3 and 2 to 4. This is the system that many manufacturers of inline skates recommend because it keeps things simple. Flip the wheels over so that they are on the opposite edge. The front wheel goes to the middle back, the middle front wheel goes to the back, the middle back wheel goes to the front, and the back wheel goes to the middle front.

If your skates have five wheels, then the front goes to the middle back, the middle front goes to the back, the middle goes to the front, the middle back goes to the middle front and the back goes into the middle.

If your skates only have three wheels, then the front goes to the largest wheel number one, the middle goes to the smallest wheel and the back goes to the second largest wheel.

Pretty easy, right?

Photo Credits: cesarastudillo

Originally posted 2009-11-12 03:15:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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More on Inline Skate Wheels

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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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  • skatingwheelsInline Skate Rockering If you have been into inline skating for any decent amount of time, then chances are you have heard the term rockering before. You might even know what rockering is, and this will just be remedial information for you. But if you do not, then this could be quite enlightening......
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