Inline skates
Encyclopedia
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. Some in-line skates, especially those for recreation, have a "stop" or "brake" which is used to slow down while skating; most have a heel stop rather than the toe stop, particularly indispensable for inline figure skating
.
The modern style of in-line skates was developed as a substitute for ice skates, for use by a Russian athlete training on solid ground for Olympic
long track speed skating
events. Life
magazine published a photo of American skater Eric Heiden
, training for the 1980 Olympics, using such skates on a Wisconsin road.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Rollerblade
, Inc., a company founded by Scott and Brennan Olson in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, widely promoted inline skating; they were so successful that their trademarked name Rollerblade became synonymous with inline skates.
allow the wheels to rotate freely around an axle. Finally, the rubber brake typically attaches to the frame of the right foot.
There are different types of inline skates for different types of skating such as aggressive skating
, speed skating
, Inline hockey and artistic inline skating
. Those differ in the boots, frames and wheels that are used.
boot which provides greater support with a lower cut allowing more ankle flexion.
For recreational skating a soft boot is used for greater comfort, but many other disciplines prefer a harder boot, either to protect the foot against impact or for better control of the skate. The boot may also contain shock absorbent padding for comfort. Downhill skaters often use boots that are heat-moulded to the shape of the foot, with a foam liner.
Most aggressive skates use a hard boot or a hard/soft boot for increased support.
Typical recreational skates use frames built out of high-grade polyurethane
(plastic). Low-end department or toy store skate frames may be composed of other types of plastic. Speed skate frames are usually built out of carbon fibre or extruded
aluminium
(more expensive but more solid), magnesium, or even pressed aluminium, which is then folded into a frame (cheaper but less sturdy).
Carbon fibre frames are expensive but generally more flexible, making for a smoother ride at the expense of worse power transfer between the leg and the wheels. In general, carbon fibre frames weigh about 160-180 grams. Recently, high-end carbon fiber frames with a monocoque construction have been introduced. They offer the same level of stiffness as aluminum frames while weighing only around 130g. Aluminum can weigh from 170 to 240 grams. Frame length ranges from 2 wheel framed freestyle wheels (used in aggressive skating) to around 230 mm for short-framed four wheel skates (used in most inline designs), up to about 325 mm for a five wheel racing frame.
Ball bearing
s allow the wheels to rotate freely and smoothly. Bearings are usually rated on the ABEC scale
, a measure of the manufactured precision tolerance, ranging from 1 (worst) to 11(best) in odd numbers. The ABEC standards were originally intended for high-speed machinery, not skating applications, and do not account for the quality of steel used, which is also important. While higher rated bearings are generally better in overall quality, whether they automatically translate to more speed is questionable. Since at least 2007, Rollerblade brand amongst others have begun using their own rating system. For instance, Rollerblade brand is currently using a SG1 to SG9 rating system, whereas TwinCam brand is using its own "ILQ" (InLine Qualified) rating system and Bones brand is using its own "Skate Rated" rating system.
The vast majority of skate bearings on the market are produced in China, and tend to be of much lower quality and durability than bearings produced in Canada, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, or the USA. Newer bearings on the market now use ceramic ball bearings instead of steel, the merits of which have yet to be determined.
Two bearings are used per wheel. The bearings slip into openings molded into each side of the wheel hub, and a flange molded into the wheel hub holds the bearings the correct distance apart. Additionally there is an axle spacer either machined into the axle or that slides over the axle (depending on the axle system used). Since the outer race of the bearing contacts the wheel spacer and the inner race of the bearing contacts the axle spacer, it is critical that the relationship between these two spacers is correct. If the wheel spacer is wider than the axle spacer the bearings will bind when the axle bolt (or bolts) are tightened. This can be seen when installing the wheels: first ensure the bearings are fully seated in the wheel hubs, and that the wheels do not contact (rub) the frame. Install the wheels in the frame and tighten the axle just finger tight. Spin the wheel and then fully tighten the axle. If the wheel immediately slows down or stops, it's most likely because the axle spacer is narrower than the wheel hub spacer, and the bearing races are being forced out of alignment. If the wheel continues to spin freely, grab the wheel and push it back and forth along the axle axis. If it noticeably moves or "clicks" slightly, it means the axle spacer is wider than the hub spacer.
Wheel sizes vary depending on the skating style:
Wheels are nowadays almost universally made of polyurethane
(a kind of durable plastic). Most other plastics and rubber either wear down too quickly or have too much rolling resistance
.
In general, the bigger the wheel, the faster the skate.. However, large wheels take more energy to start rolling. Smaller wheels allow faster acceleration, maneuverability, and a lower center of gravity. Wheel hardness is measured on the A scale (see Durometer) and usually ranges between 78A-93A (higher numbers are harder). Harder wheels are faster and more durable, but soft wheels may have better grip (grip is determined by many factors, and wheel manufacture is arguably more important than durometer) and are generally less affected by road bumps. Wheel profiles and thicknesses again vary by application. Elliptic profiles minimise friction for a faster ride; more rounded profiles have better grip and are more stable. To increase stability at high speed, skates intended for downhill skating usually have five or six wheels, in contrast with recreational skates, which typically have four wheels.
Heel brakes can interfere with a useful technique called a crossover turn, in which a skater crosses one leg over another to make a sharp turn without losing much speed; for this reason, some users prefer not to use heel brakes. Skaters in the freestyle slalom and aggressive inline skating
disciplines also tend not to use heel brakes, since they can limit the skater's ability to perform tricks effectively. Most aggressive inline skates and racing skates have no heel brake, thereby permitting extra speed and control. Inline skaters lacking a heel brake can use various other methods to stop, such as the T-stop in which the skater moves one skate perpendicular to the other, making a "T" shape to increase friction and reduce speed, or the more advanced maneuver of a hockey stop
, in which the skater quickly moves both skates perpendicular to the path of motion.
experimented with single to many rowed devices worn on feet in 1780. Inline skates, skates designed to work like ice skates during periods of warm weather, were invented by Louis Legrange of France
in 1849. Legrange designed the skates for an opera where a character was to appear to be skating on ice. The skates were problematic and unsuccessful as the wearer could not turn nor could they stop.
The first U.S. patent for modern in-line skates, designed to behave like ice runners with individually sprung and cushioned wheels, was granted under patent number in July, 1953 to Ernest Kahlert of Santa Ana, CA. They were briefly described in the April 1954 issue of Popular Science in the section called "New Ideas from the Inventors." The first commercially available inline skate for this form of Rollerskating is in 1987 by Rollerblade
.
Forms of inline skating:
Roller skates
Roller skates are devices worn on the feet to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels. A first basic type of roller skate consists of a boot with four wheels with ball bearings, arranged in the same configuration as the wheels of a typical car.-History:...
used for inline skating
Inline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
. Unlike quad skates
Quad skates
The four-wheeled turning roller skate, or quad skate, with four wheels set in two side-by-side pairs, was first designed in 1863 in New York City by James Leonard Plimpton in an attempt to improve upon previous designs. The skate contained a pivoting action using a rubber cushion, and this allowed...
, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four, or five wheels arranged in a single line. Some in-line skates, especially those for recreation, have a "stop" or "brake" which is used to slow down while skating; most have a heel stop rather than the toe stop, particularly indispensable for inline figure skating
Inline figure skating
Inline figure skating is figure skating on inline figure skates -- three or fourwheel frames with a toe-stop, mounted on figure skating boots in rockered configuration.Inline figure skating began as an off-ice training alternative for ice figure skaters...
.
The modern style of in-line skates was developed as a substitute for ice skates, for use by a Russian athlete training on solid ground for Olympic
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
long track speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
events. Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine published a photo of American skater Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heiden, M.D. is an American former long track speed skater and road cyclist who won all the men's speed skating races, and thus an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York,...
, training for the 1980 Olympics, using such skates on a Wisconsin road.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Rollerblade
Rollerblade
Rollerblade is a brand of inline skates owned by Nordica, part of the Tecnica Group of Trevignano, Treviso, Italy.The company was started by Scott Olsen and Brennan Olson in Minneapolis as Ole's Innovative Sports; when they sold the company, it became Rollerblade, Inc...
, Inc., a company founded by Scott and Brennan Olson in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, widely promoted inline skating; they were so successful that their trademarked name Rollerblade became synonymous with inline skates.
Parts
A skate is composed of a boot, worn on the foot. To the boot is attached a frame, which holds the wheels in place. BearingsBearing (mechanical)
A bearing is a device to allow constrained relative motion between two or more parts, typically rotation or linear movement. Bearings may be classified broadly according to the motions they allow and according to their principle of operation as well as by the directions of applied loads they can...
allow the wheels to rotate freely around an axle. Finally, the rubber brake typically attaches to the frame of the right foot.
Aggressive inline skating
Aggressive inline skating is a form of inline skating, performed on specially designed inline skates with focus on sliding stances known as grinds with a focus on new tricks, stunts and personal style. Participants refer to the activity as "'rollerblading'", "blading", "skating" or "rolling"...
, speed skating
Inline speed skating
Inline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on traditional roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and...
, Inline hockey and artistic inline skating
Artistic roller skating
Artistic roller skating is a sport similar to figure skating but where constestants run on roller skates instead of ice skates. Within artistic roller skating there are several disciplines:* figures...
. Those differ in the boots, frames and wheels that are used.
Boot
For most skating a high boot is used, which provides more ankle support and is easier to skate in, particularly for beginners. Speed skaters often use a carbon fiberCarbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
boot which provides greater support with a lower cut allowing more ankle flexion.
For recreational skating a soft boot is used for greater comfort, but many other disciplines prefer a harder boot, either to protect the foot against impact or for better control of the skate. The boot may also contain shock absorbent padding for comfort. Downhill skaters often use boots that are heat-moulded to the shape of the foot, with a foam liner.
Most aggressive skates use a hard boot or a hard/soft boot for increased support.
Frame
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
(plastic). Low-end department or toy store skate frames may be composed of other types of plastic. Speed skate frames are usually built out of carbon fibre or extruded
Extrusion
Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section...
aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
(more expensive but more solid), magnesium, or even pressed aluminium, which is then folded into a frame (cheaper but less sturdy).
Carbon fibre frames are expensive but generally more flexible, making for a smoother ride at the expense of worse power transfer between the leg and the wheels. In general, carbon fibre frames weigh about 160-180 grams. Recently, high-end carbon fiber frames with a monocoque construction have been introduced. They offer the same level of stiffness as aluminum frames while weighing only around 130g. Aluminum can weigh from 170 to 240 grams. Frame length ranges from 2 wheel framed freestyle wheels (used in aggressive skating) to around 230 mm for short-framed four wheel skates (used in most inline designs), up to about 325 mm for a five wheel racing frame.
Bearings
Ball bearing
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races.The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls and transmit...
s allow the wheels to rotate freely and smoothly. Bearings are usually rated on the ABEC scale
ABEC scale
The ABEC scale is an industry accepted standard for the tolerances of a ball bearing. It was developed by the Annular Bearing Engineering Committee of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association . There are five classes from largest to smallest tolerances: 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9...
, a measure of the manufactured precision tolerance, ranging from 1 (worst) to 11(best) in odd numbers. The ABEC standards were originally intended for high-speed machinery, not skating applications, and do not account for the quality of steel used, which is also important. While higher rated bearings are generally better in overall quality, whether they automatically translate to more speed is questionable. Since at least 2007, Rollerblade brand amongst others have begun using their own rating system. For instance, Rollerblade brand is currently using a SG1 to SG9 rating system, whereas TwinCam brand is using its own "ILQ" (InLine Qualified) rating system and Bones brand is using its own "Skate Rated" rating system.
The vast majority of skate bearings on the market are produced in China, and tend to be of much lower quality and durability than bearings produced in Canada, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, or the USA. Newer bearings on the market now use ceramic ball bearings instead of steel, the merits of which have yet to be determined.
Two bearings are used per wheel. The bearings slip into openings molded into each side of the wheel hub, and a flange molded into the wheel hub holds the bearings the correct distance apart. Additionally there is an axle spacer either machined into the axle or that slides over the axle (depending on the axle system used). Since the outer race of the bearing contacts the wheel spacer and the inner race of the bearing contacts the axle spacer, it is critical that the relationship between these two spacers is correct. If the wheel spacer is wider than the axle spacer the bearings will bind when the axle bolt (or bolts) are tightened. This can be seen when installing the wheels: first ensure the bearings are fully seated in the wheel hubs, and that the wheels do not contact (rub) the frame. Install the wheels in the frame and tighten the axle just finger tight. Spin the wheel and then fully tighten the axle. If the wheel immediately slows down or stops, it's most likely because the axle spacer is narrower than the wheel hub spacer, and the bearing races are being forced out of alignment. If the wheel continues to spin freely, grab the wheel and push it back and forth along the axle axis. If it noticeably moves or "clicks" slightly, it means the axle spacer is wider than the hub spacer.
Wheels
- 44–59 mm for aggressive skating.
- 68–72 mm for artistic inline skating.
- 47–80 mm for roller hockeyRoller hockeyRoller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
skating. - 72–80 mm for freestyle slalom skatingFreestyle slalom skatingFreestyle slalom skating is a highly technical field of skating that involves performing tricks around a straight line of equally spaced cones. The most common spacing used in competitions is 80cm, with larger competitions also featuring lines spaced at 50cm and 120cm.-Equipment:Most freestyle...
and downhill skating. - 72–90 mm for general recreational skating.
- 84–110 mm for speed skating.
Wheels are nowadays almost universally made of polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
(a kind of durable plastic). Most other plastics and rubber either wear down too quickly or have too much rolling resistance
Rolling resistance
Rolling resistance, sometimes called rolling friction or rolling drag, is the resistance that occurs when a round object such as a ball or tire rolls on a flat surface, in steady velocity straight line motion. It is caused mainly by the deformation of the object, the deformation of the surface, or...
.
In general, the bigger the wheel, the faster the skate.. However, large wheels take more energy to start rolling. Smaller wheels allow faster acceleration, maneuverability, and a lower center of gravity. Wheel hardness is measured on the A scale (see Durometer) and usually ranges between 78A-93A (higher numbers are harder). Harder wheels are faster and more durable, but soft wheels may have better grip (grip is determined by many factors, and wheel manufacture is arguably more important than durometer) and are generally less affected by road bumps. Wheel profiles and thicknesses again vary by application. Elliptic profiles minimise friction for a faster ride; more rounded profiles have better grip and are more stable. To increase stability at high speed, skates intended for downhill skating usually have five or six wheels, in contrast with recreational skates, which typically have four wheels.
Brakes
A hard rubber brake attached to the heel of the frame allows the skater to stop by lifting the toes of the skate, forcing the brake onto the ground. Learning how to use the heel brake is very important for beginners, as it is the most reliable, safe way to stop in emergencies and to control speed on downhills.Heel brakes can interfere with a useful technique called a crossover turn, in which a skater crosses one leg over another to make a sharp turn without losing much speed; for this reason, some users prefer not to use heel brakes. Skaters in the freestyle slalom and aggressive inline skating
Aggressive inline skating
Aggressive inline skating is a form of inline skating, performed on specially designed inline skates with focus on sliding stances known as grinds with a focus on new tricks, stunts and personal style. Participants refer to the activity as "'rollerblading'", "blading", "skating" or "rolling"...
disciplines also tend not to use heel brakes, since they can limit the skater's ability to perform tricks effectively. Most aggressive inline skates and racing skates have no heel brake, thereby permitting extra speed and control. Inline skaters lacking a heel brake can use various other methods to stop, such as the T-stop in which the skater moves one skate perpendicular to the other, making a "T" shape to increase friction and reduce speed, or the more advanced maneuver of a hockey stop
Hockey stop
A hockey stop is a specific and primary way of stopping on ice skates while playing ice hockey.The hockey stop allows the skater to change directions quickly, keeping up with play. It takes practice to effectively stop facing both ways. As with dribbling in basketball, most skaters are stronger...
, in which the skater quickly moves both skates perpendicular to the path of motion.
History
John Joseph MerlinJohn Joseph Merlin
John-Joseph Merlin was a Belgian inventor and horologist.He was born Jean-Joseph Merlin in 1735 in the city of Huy, Belgium....
experimented with single to many rowed devices worn on feet in 1780. Inline skates, skates designed to work like ice skates during periods of warm weather, were invented by Louis Legrange of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1849. Legrange designed the skates for an opera where a character was to appear to be skating on ice. The skates were problematic and unsuccessful as the wearer could not turn nor could they stop.
The first U.S. patent for modern in-line skates, designed to behave like ice runners with individually sprung and cushioned wheels, was granted under patent number in July, 1953 to Ernest Kahlert of Santa Ana, CA. They were briefly described in the April 1954 issue of Popular Science in the section called "New Ideas from the Inventors." The first commercially available inline skate for this form of Rollerskating is in 1987 by Rollerblade
Rollerblade
Rollerblade is a brand of inline skates owned by Nordica, part of the Tecnica Group of Trevignano, Treviso, Italy.The company was started by Scott Olsen and Brennan Olson in Minneapolis as Ole's Innovative Sports; when they sold the company, it became Rollerblade, Inc...
.
See also
- Inline skate wheel setupsInline skate wheel setups-Flat Setup:A flat setup is the most common setup used on inline skates. Almost all non-aggressive inline skates are sold with a flat wheel setup. Flat means that all the wheels touch the ground at the same time when resting on flat ground. Flat setups are not the most maneuverable but what they...
Forms of inline skating:
- Inline speed skatingInline speed skatingInline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on traditional roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and...
- Road skatingRoad skatingRoad skating is the sport of skating on roads, much like road cycling. It shares much with Inline speed skating....
- Freestyle slalom skatingFreestyle slalom skatingFreestyle slalom skating is a highly technical field of skating that involves performing tricks around a straight line of equally spaced cones. The most common spacing used in competitions is 80cm, with larger competitions also featuring lines spaced at 50cm and 120cm.-Equipment:Most freestyle...
- Artistic roller skatingArtistic roller skatingArtistic roller skating is a sport similar to figure skating but where constestants run on roller skates instead of ice skates. Within artistic roller skating there are several disciplines:* figures...
- Aggressive inline skatingAggressive inline skatingAggressive inline skating is a form of inline skating, performed on specially designed inline skates with focus on sliding stances known as grinds with a focus on new tricks, stunts and personal style. Participants refer to the activity as "'rollerblading'", "blading", "skating" or "rolling"...
- Powerblading
- Inline HockeyInline hockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport similar to ice hockey but played with inline skates. Like its parent sport, skaters on two teams use hockey sticks to direct a disk-shaped puck into the opponent's goal; however, various details of the game, such as...
- Freestyle inline skating
- Inline figure skatingInline figure skatingInline figure skating is figure skating on inline figure skates -- three or fourwheel frames with a toe-stop, mounted on figure skating boots in rockered configuration.Inline figure skating began as an off-ice training alternative for ice figure skaters...