Roller Blade Wheels - How to Choose and Buy
If your roller blades just don't seem to ride as smoothly and efficiently as they use, it might be time to invest in some new wheels to get you moving fast again. Roller blade wheels come in many different sizes, so it is important to know which ones your roller blades will need. Sizes range from as low as 45 millimeters all the way up to 125 millimeters. Factors such as your body size, what you use the roller blades for, and the prices involved with new replacement wheels all play a role in which Rollerblade wheels you purchase.
The size of the wheel that you buy should ultimately depend on what type of skater you are. If you feel comfortable with the wheels that are already on the Rollerblade, you can purchase a pack of the same size wheels as you have right now. However, if you feel that you are not getting as much speed out of your rollerblades as you would like, you may always switch to a thinner style of wheel. Be careful, however, as larger wheels tend to be harder to skate on than thinner wheels.
You also will want to check the manual that came with your roller blades to see what size of wheels your roller blades were manufactured to handle. Be careful not to buy replacement wheels that are too big or too small for your rollerblades, as they might not fit. It is also important to purchase wheels that fit what you use the roller blades for. Using rollerblade for sports, such as hockey, are going to require smaller wheels while just general riding or racing is going to use larger wheels, as these are the wheels that give you more speed.
Larger rollerblade wheels will also not last as long as smaller wheels are going to because less of the wheel is used through the movement of the skate. Due to the fact that smaller Rollerblade wheels need to turn more often that larger wheels to go the same distance, larger wheels are not going to wear out as fast. You'll also want to check the wheels' durability, as some are made of a pseudo-rubber that breaks
down much easier.
When you start to see an edge on your skate, that will be a good indication that the tires need to either be rotated or changed completely. When purchasing replacement roller blade wheels, you want to make sure that they are set up to rotate easily. Rotating your wheels will save you a great deal of money than going out and purchasing a brand new pair of wheels would. Normally, once you have to start rotating your roller wheels, this is a good time to think about purchasing replacement wheels for the old ones.
Rollerblade wheels are usually very easy to find on the Internet or in a local skate shop. It is critical, however, that you purchase roller blade wheels that fit correctly. Remember that smaller wheels give you more control over the skate while larger wheels allow you to go faster.