Nowadays, there is significant pressure to look good and stay healthy; however, many of the routes to good fitness can be a little boring! Not so with inline skates, as whilst they may be a little daunting for the beginner, learning to blade is a great way to improve fitness – and have lots fun while doing it.

If your new to inline skates, there are lots of things that you need to be aware of. Firstly, when you get a new pair, it is generally a good idea to buy a size bigger than your normal shoes size, as even if the rollerblades seem a bit loose on your feet, you can always purchase some handy liners.

Next, you’ll need to find an appropriate place to skate; of course common sense should tell you the kind of places where you shouldn’t be skating, such as busy roads etc. Luckily, in the UK there are plenty of spaces that are perfect for skaters of all hues, such as skate parks, and even boardwalks.

Whilst good technique with your rollerblades is only going to come with practise, there are some techniques that it are worth knowing from the off. For example, getting the hang of a good standing position will give you a good head start when learning more difficult “tricks.” With this in mind, try adopting a v-shaped foot position, bending your knees and keeping the weight on your heels – and before you know it you’ll be a master!

After selecting the hardness and diameter of your roller skate wheels, it’s time to start thinking about how the wheels are actually made. On our skate equipment pages at skates.co.uk you will sometimes see the term “core” mentioned in relationship to wheels. While this is generally not an issue on entry-level children’s roller skates, it becomes important when you begin roller skating at a more advanced level, as does the wheel profile.

The core is the area covered by the hub and the spokes, i.e. everything except the rolling surface. The outer hub and spokes attach to the polyurethane of the tyre. The inner hub is where the bearings and spacer are housed, the spacer being where the axle is located. The better the core design and materials, the more strong and stable the wheel will be.

The wheels of inline roller skates undergo stress from many directions, often linked to the type of skating being done. Cores vary from the solid wheels used in aggressive skating, to the lightly-built spoked wheels used for fitness skating and racing. Generally, the hub is a standard 608 size, meaning it takes a 608 bearing. However, more specialised skates may be different.

The profile of the wheel is its appearance seen head-on, where it touches the ground. Wheels may be more or less curved, allowing more or less of the tyre to be in contact with the ground at any on time. The wheels on most adult and kids inline rollerblades are 24-mm thick, but they vary in profile. Wider profiles allow more stability and traction – most kids inline skates are of this design.

We at skates.co.uk have an entire section devoted to aggressive inline roller skates. It’s important, however, that parents remember aggressive roller skating is an extreme and demanding sport, and kit their youngsters out with appropriate safety gear.

Aggressive rollerblades have very different wheels to those of recreational and fitness skates. They are generally harder, for a start. If you look at the durometers (hardness) of our aggressive skate wheels, you’ll see they average 88 – 94A. Compare this to recreational wheels, which average 80 to 84A. Indoor retro roller skates are even softer.

Aggressive skate wheels are made from extremely hard and durable urethane. This is for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the product has to withstand a lot of abuse. Aggressive skaters perform drops, grinds and other tricks, landing heavily onto a hard surface. The wheels must be able to take these stresses and still keep rolling. Additionally, the wheels are much smaller in diameter than other types of inline skates, so being harder offsets the fact they wear out more quickly.

Aggressive skate wheels have to be small, as the skater needs a lot of control which larger diameters don’t offer. Although small wheels are slower, this isn’t a problem as aggressive skating is not based around speed. Instead, all the energy is gathered into making explosive, spring-like movements. Aggressive wheels are typically less than 60mm in diameter.

Anti-rockers are very small, hard wheels which we at skates.co.uk also sell. Measuring just 44mm in diameter, they are designed to go in the centre of aggressive inline roller skates, to create a better sliding surface for grinds.

When you buy inline roller skate wheels, they can be very confusing objects! Many of them come in a variety of hardness ratings (the A number) and diameters (measured in mm). The hardness is largely a matter of choice combined with the type of roller skating you plan to do, with harder durometers offering faster speeds and longer life, but less comfort over uneven ground. Parents buying rollerblades for kids often start them off on softer wheels, progressing to harder durometers as the kids start getting more adventurous.
The wheel diameter is a bit trickier. Every pair of inline roller skates we at skates.co.uk sell have a prescribed maximum diameter. While you don’t have to buy exactly the same diameter wheels as the skates were fitted with, if you go too far over this the wheel will catch against the underside of the boot.

Your manual will tell you what range of wheel sizes your roller skates can accommodate. In both adults and kids inline skates, this can vary with the boot size, For example, our Stateside Bronx kids skates can hold up to 64mm size wheels in the smallest sizes, 70mm wheels in the medium sizes and 72mm in the largest sizes. These sizes are dictated by the wheelbase of your skates, so if you’re planning to go up or down a size from the original wheels your skates were fitted with, it’s important you know the size range your wheelbase will accommodate.

Remember, we at skates.co.uk can always offer telephone advice, if you have any doubts over what roller skate wheels to buy.

Adults and kid’s quad skates vary less in wheel diameter than inline roller skates do. If you look at the quad roller skate wheels we sell at skates.co.uk, for instance, you’ll see most are a standard 62mm, although there are some 59mm versions for smaller kid’s skates. However, inline roller skates are a different matter. Our inline skate wheels range from 44mm to 90mm, but why the disparity?

The first thing to recognise is that when it comes to replacing your roller skate wheels, you don’t necessarily have to buy exactly the same size. Roller wheel sizes are quoted as the outside diameter in mm. The larger the wheel, the faster it will roll due to decreased friction i.e. rolling resistance. Combined with a higher durometer (hardness) this makes them extremely fast – something to keep in mind when you’re buying adult beginners or kid’s skates.

Recreational and fitness skates are generally furnished with wheels in the 72 - 80mm range, which are the perfect size for distance, recreational and fitness skating. They provide speed and manoeuvrability, and when combined with a mid-range durometer will be comfortable over most terrains. However, if speed is your thing you’ll need roller skate wheels in the 84 – 90mm range. These produce the fastest performance. However, they are less stable than smaller wheels and thus require a higher level of skating ability.

At the other end of the scale are aggressive skate wheels, which typically roll in at under 60mm. These are extremely hard, but built for durability rather than speed. They offer a high level of control when doing tricks and grinds.

Kids inline skates are equipped with the same sort of skate wheels that adult skates are fitted with. Provided the wheels are removable, they can be replaced. This comes as a relief to parents, since the wheels on new children’s roller skates tend to be soft, and thus wear out quickly.

It’s important to know that harder skate wheels last longer – but are harder to control and less comfortable on uneven surfaces. They are rated by durometer value, also called the ‘A’ rating, which is the degree of hardness. The lower the number, the softer the wheel. The wheels of inline roller skates range from 74A to 88A, with most recreational skates falling between 78A and 82A. Within this range you get good traction and control, and smooth rolling ability.

So what if you have a choice of two wheels for your kid’s inline skates, say a 78A and an 82A; which do you choose? Well, the harder wheel will be better for skating fast on smooth surfaces e.g. tarmac; it will be more durable so lasts longer; it will be better for heavier children, but will vibrate more on rough surfaces e.g. pitted or gravelly paths. The softer wheel will be better for lightly built children; offer better traction on smooth or wet surfaces; offer greater shock absorption and grip on cornering, and have an enhanced rebound.

Some parents buy two sets of wheels for their children’s roller skates, one for summer and one for winter, as temperature also makes a difference to the wheels. We at skates.co.uk sell a range of skate wheels at extremely low prices.

Both adult and children’s roller skates vary in the type of wheels they are fitted with. However, unlike the boot skate wheels can be changed – we at skates.co.uk have a wide range of both inline and quad skate wheels, to fit both adult and kids skates.

When it comes to inline roller skates, the wheels have the greatest effect on performance so it’s essential you are kitted out properly. Wheels vary enormously in size, shape, composition and hardness, owing to the wide number of roller skating styles that exist, and the range of skaters’ sizes and ability levels. Even when you are buying rollerblades for kids, you still need to think about their body weight, skating style, ability and comfort zone (i.e. the speed they feel safest travelling at).

Manufacturers can often bury simple facts in complicated jargon. We at skates.co.uk try to remove the mystique, explaining things in an easy-to-understand manner. Nonetheless, to buy the best skate wheels for your needs it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the terms used to describe the physical characteristics of different wheels.

The four key properties of roller skate wheels are size, core, profile and durometer, (hardness). All quad and inline roller skates carry a wheel durometer value, telling you how hard the wheels are. The higher the value, the harder the wheel and the longer it lasts. However, against this must be weighed the fact that hard wheels have lower shock absorbency and roll at faster speeds – something to consider when buying wheels for kids roller skates.

Whether you’ve been wearing ice figure skates for years, or are just looking for an excuse to take off your fitness skates and come in out of the sun for an hour, ice rinks are great places in the summer. Because everyone wants to be outside, they’re less crowded, making this a popular time for exams, competitions and special events to take place. If you’re lucky enough to live near an ice rink, why not pop in and see what’s going on?

Training camps. Ideal for a youngster who’s just been given their first pair of ice skates, –  these cover every area of ice skating, from novice to advanced levels, By the end of the week, kids are typically playing their first ice hockey game, or putting on a choreographed show for the parents to watch.

Summer ice dance weekends. Popular in the US and Canada, these sometimes take place in UK holiday centres too – though generally out-of-season, when the pool can be converted to a temporary rink. Everything you’d expect from a “special interest” weekend – but on skates. One for enthusiastic grown-ups, with plenty of workshops and tuition on figure ice skating techniques.

Freestyle practice afternoons. For the pros, these are definitely not your usual public skating sessions. If you’re proficient at figure ice skating, don your favourite sparkly dance wear and show off your Torville and Dean moves. Or just watch to see how it’s done.

We at skates.co.uk have a great selection of adults and children’s ice skates, so why not swap your wheels for blades once in a while?

Keeping an eye on the wheel wear pattern of your quad or inline roller skates can help improve your skating skills. For instance, if you notice more wear on the left side of your skate wheels, it means you need to place more power into your right-footed strides, as you are favouring your left leg more at present.

With inline skates, you also need to keep an eye on the wear pattern of the outer and inner edges. If this is pronounced on one edge, it means you are pronating or supernating the foot i.e. rolling it out or in. Keeping a check on your wheel wear, and adjusting your stride accordingly, will help you avoid back and foot problems, as well as lengthening the life of your skate wheels.

However, few people are completely “even footed” when they skate, which is why we advocate rotating your roller skate wheels to make them last longer. Even the top pro skaters do this. It’s far better to wear your skate wheels out evenly, replacing them as a complete set, than replacing them one at a time, mixing brand new with old. If you notice excessive wear on one or more of your wheels (the inside edge is most common) it’s time to get your tool kit out. Be careful, though, that you haven’t left it so long that the wheels are different sizes. This is one time that rotation won’t work.

We at skates.co.uk sell a full range of skate accessories, including wheels, tools and bearings.

Of all the skate accessories we at skates.co.uk sell, skate wheels are the ones most regularly reordered. Even the best wheels have a finite life span, and if you enjoy your roller skating as much as we do, you’re going to tot up a fairly hefty mileage.

Roller skate wheels vary a lot in hardness, but it’s a mistake to choose hard wheels simply because they last longer. While it’s true that softer wheels wear more quickly than those of a harder durometer, they also provide better traction and shock absorbency. They also tend to be slower, so are ideal for beginners. Many parents buy entry-level kids rollerblades with soft wheels, upgrading to a harder durometer as their children get more proficient. The same is true of adult novices.

The diameter also affects durability of skate wheels. Fitness inline skates tend to have larger wheels than aggressive skates, and so rotate fewer times for a given distance, meaning they wear out slower. However, this is offset by the fact that aggressive wheels tend to be harder than those used for distance skating. In other words, skate wheels tend to wear out at roughly the same rate irrespective of size.

Whatever the hardness and size of your roller skate wheels, you need to check them regularly for signs of uneven wear and tear. Few people skate completely evenly, meaning you’ll probably notice one edge wearing out faster than the other. With quad skates, the wear will be the wheels on one side. Regularly rotating your skate wheels will help overcome this, as will improving your skating style.