Freeline skates
Encyclopedia
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
, snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, and inline skates
Inline skates
In-line skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four, or five wheels arranged in a single line...
all in one. They consist of two separate metal plates with two wheels attached by a form of “truck” designed specifically for the skates. The technique used to skate with Freelines is unique to the skates, and is challenging to learn. The individual Freeline skates, when ridden together, produce exceptional speed, agility, and natural self-propulsion, allowing for uphill motion. Freeline skates ride faster than many skateboards, inline skates, scooters and most bicycles.
History
Freeline Skates were developed in 2003 in San Francisco, California while the inventor Ryan Farrelly was attempting to design a better way for downhill skating. His prototype for the skates was a row of four wheels in the center of a wood board. After test runs and adaptations, Farrelly realized he could simply stand on each set of wheels and not bother with a board. The skates combine elements of both skateboarding and in-line skating and can be ridden on flat land as well as down or up hill. Out of this idea was born the Freeline Skates.Models
There are currently two different models of Freeline Skates :- Freeline OG - the original model of skates made out of reinforced aluminum.
- Freeline Grom - a newer light-weight model designed for beginners that supports a set of training wheels. Released in November 2009.