Good news friends! It’s Skate May-tenance Month!
As decided by us, Lucky Skates.
What is skate May-tenance, I mean maintenance? It’s when you check your roller skates for wear and tear, replace the parts that need replacing and clean the parts that need cleaning.
Ideally you would do this every 6 months but if that’s too much commitment, at least every year.
Why?
Because you can’t just skate on your skates, week after week, month after month, year after year and not check them over, replace the bits that need replacing and clean the bits that need cleaning.
Your skates are not self cleaning or self healing.
Just like any machinery if you do not regularly service them then there are parts of your skates that can break down, slow down, come out, perish and flake off.
This blog is about skate maintenance for quad roller skates, if you have blades stay tuned for the inline skate maintenance one.
It’s Gonna Be May!
Question: Who is is charge of checking your skates?
Answer: It’s you, hi, you’re the person, it’s you.
That’s why we encourage you to learn about the different parts of your skates and how to get the best out of them.
Honestly, it is super simple and easy to learn.
Here’s what to check.
Cushions/Bushings
Cushions (sometimes referred to as bushings) are the rubber urethane bits that sit on your kingpins and between your trucks.
Over time the cushions becomes hard and less responsive making it harder for you to turn on your skates.
It’s like bouncing on a trampoline with rusty springs.
Eventually if you never replace your cushions they can crumble and flake away which is scary and dangerous.
Replace these when needing more movement for turns and tricks or approximately every 12 months.
Pivot Cups
Pivot cups are small, circular components that fit inside your plate and around the roller skate truck. They provide a cushioning effect and allow your trucks to turn smoothly and effectively.
Most skaters will replace them approximately every year to 2 years but it depends on the type of skating and frequency.
They can wear out over time and if they are not replaced they can disintegrate underneath you.
Inspect them every year and replace as needed.
Toe Stops
There are lots of aspects to toe stop maintenance including wear of the toe stop, grease on the stem and making sure toe stops are correctly inserted.
Toe stops should be replaced when they have worn down, make sure you’re not skating around on the stem. Some skaters will also rotate them and switch from right foot to left foot.
Have you ever cleaned out the thread? This is especially important if you haven’t skated in a while or you’ve had the same stops in for years.
All toe stops need grease around the thread and this will dry out over time. To maintain your toe stop thread: take your stops out, clean the internal thread and the toe stop thread, relubricate the thread with grease and carefully insert them back.
Always make sure that the toe stop is held into the plate by 1cm or more of the stem. Less that this can cause plate issues such as cross threading.
Inspect regularly and maintain your toe stop thread every 6 months.
Bearings
When you spin your wheels do they roll consistently without too much noise?
As we have previously blogged, bearings help you roll good.
The better the bearings the smoother the roll.
Bearings should be cleaned and lubed at least every 6 months or replaced every year for a consistent and smooth roll.
Laces
While you’re checking things over take a look at those laces.
If they’re a bit dirty, you can give them a wash. If they are hanging on by a thread it’s time to change them out before they snap.
Replace laces as needed.
Insert/Insole
Is the insole of your skate all crushed and crusty?
Over time they can wear down to a very hard and thin little wafer.
If you want more cushioning for your tired tootsies it might be time to throw them away and invest in some new insoles.
Check on these every 2 years.
Wheels
Check your wheels over to make sure they’re not too worn or coned.
Are they different sizes because you never rotate them?
Are they dirty and in need of a wipe down?
Wheels can also harden over time and become more slippery.
If you’ve had the same ones on since 1962 it might be time for new wheels.
Also, check behind your wheels and clean the axle. You will often find that there is a ball of hair behind your wheels – ew gross!
Inspect these as needed.
Wheel Nuts
Do your wheel nuts keep loosening on their own?
Are your wheels magically working their way off?
That’s because the thread on the nyloc nuts used for most roller skates will eventually wear down and they wont hold onto the wheel anymore.
If you have never replaced your wheel nuts ever, it’s probably time to replace them.
Replace these every year or more regularly if you’re constantly changing your wheels.
Plate
If you’ve had your skates for a while now you can check to make sure your plate hasn’t come loose.
Over time, and with all the cool tricks and jumps you’ve been doing the mounting bolts can come loose.
It’s very easy to tighten them all up.
Take out the insert covering the bolts, hold them from the inside of the boot (using a screwdriver or allen key) and tighten the mounting bolts with a spanner.
If you check your plate and you think there are wobbly bits that shouldn’t be wobbling, take them to your local skate shop for advice and help.
Check your plate every 2 years or as needed.
Final Clean
While you’re busy checking your skates over you might find other things to upgrade, replace or repair like buffing or cleaning the boot, changing out your toe guards and refreshing your protective gear.
Like most things in life, if you give your skates and skate gear a bit of love they will last much longer.
