Skate May-tenance Month continues as we see out the last few days of May.
Skate May-tenance is when you check your inline skates (rollerblades) for wear and tear, replace the parts that need replacing, rotate the parts that need rotating, and clean the parts that need cleaning.
Ideally you would do this every 3 months but if that’s too much commitment, at least every 6.
Why?
Because you can’t just blade around, 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 inline skates, if you have quad roller skates you can check out the skate maintenance blog here.
It’s All About You
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.
Your skate is made up of lots of small parts to check. Here’s an example of the anatomy of inline skates.
Now let’s give them a once over.
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.
Wheels
Check your wheels over to make sure they’re not too worn or coned.
Inline wheels should be rotated regularly to get the most life out of them. You should rotate them when you notice signs of uneven wear and coning.
Wear time depends on lots of factors, including the wheel hardness and the quality, skater’s size and style, the surface and frequency of skates.
Eventually all wheels wear down, if your wheels are starting to crack, peel or pit then it’s time to get new wheels.
Also, take your wheels off and clean the axles. You will often find that there is dirt and hair behind your wheels – ew gross!
Inspect these regularly.
Buckles and Laces
While you’re checking things over take a look at those buckles and laces.
If they’re a bit dirty, you can give them a wipe down.
If your laces are hanging on by a thread it’s time to change them out before they snap.
If the buckles, ladders and fasteners are looking a bit worn down or wont hold anymore then it’s probably time to replace the parts.
Brake Pad
If you use your brake pad to stop it will eventually wear down and need to be replaced. Wear time will depend on lots of factors such as surface.
Most brake pads have a wear line, and you should use this to decide when to replace it. Make sure you replace it before you get to the bolt holding the brake pad on.
Check on these after each session.
Axles, Nuts and Bolts
If you’ve had your skates for a while now you can check to make sure your nuts, axles and frame bolts are not loose.
Over time, and with all the cool tricks and jumps you’ve been doing the frame bolts, nuts and wheel axles can come loose.
It’s easy to remove them, wipe them down and tighten them all up again.
Replace any parts that may need replacing or have worn and rounded out from use.
If you check your skates and you think there are wobbly bits that shouldn’t be wobbling, take them to your local skate shop for advice and help.
Important note: Not all frames are replaceable or removable. If your frame is fixed in place then you will not be able to remove it and you wont need to.
Frame Position
Apart from checking that your frame bolts are secure you may also be able to adjust the position of your frame which can help skaters who supinate or pronate.
Some skates have frames that can be adjusted to correct stability and weight distribution for better balance while skating.
In extreme cases if your frame bolts have come loose there is a chance that your frame has slipped into the wrong position.
So check that they are either in the standard central neutral position or wherever you have chosen to set them up.
Important note: Not all frames are replaceable or removable. If your frame is fixed in place then you will not be able to remove it and you wont need to.
Liner
If you have a 2 piece hard shell inline with a removable liner then you can remove the liner to air it out or give it a wipe down.
I wouldn’t recommend putting this in the wash because it can ruin the foam.
Once your liner gets to the point where it is way too stinky, sweaty and dirty to keep you can always replace the liner out with a new liner.
Final Clean
While you’re busy checking your skates over you might find other things to upgrade, replace or repair.
Like most things in life, if you give your skates and skate gear a bit of love they will last much longer.
