Whether you have bought inline skates or plan to buy, you may ask "how long is the life of the inline skate wheels". The following will explain how long the life of inline skates is, how to extend the life of the wheels and when should new wheels be replaced.
What is the average life of inline skate wheels and bearings
Most people use inline skates in different ways, so the life span of inline skate wheels is uncertain, but we can get an average usage time, which is about 12 to 18 months.
Material and quality are the biggest factors that determine the service life of wheels and bearings. If you buy the cheapest wheels and bearings on the market, you cannot expect them to have a long service life. High-end equipment and good skating maintenance can extend the life span of several years or even decades to a certain extent.
How to make inline skate wheels and bearings more durable?
Do you want to know how to make your wheels and bearings last longer? Even if you have a limited budget and do not buy high-end products, you can easily get a longer service life.
Choose better materials
If you can't buy the best equipment inline skates on the market, then all you have to do is not to buy the cheapest ones. Buying the cheapest product can really save you a lot of money at first, but this will quickly cause you huge problems, and may even cost you much more than you save.
Obtain high-quality polyurethane wheels and high-quality steel bearings. If you invest more cash by acquiring better materials, you can expect the wheels and bearings to last longer.
Choose the inline skates that suit you
As I mentioned before, there are variants of inline skate wheels and bearings. These things are not suitable for all use cases. Different factors make each factor different, and they all have a very suitable standard.
Wheels come in many different sizes, diameters and durability classes. According to the main purpose of your inline skates, you can choose different sizes of wheels. The size difference helps in certain situations. The size of rollerblades is not universal.
Then there is the durability level of the wheel. Traditionally, different durability levels have been set for different use cases, but higher durability levels mean harder wheels. Although harder wheels can last longer, softer wheels will make your ride more stable. So, you want to make a balanced decision.
As far as bearings are concerned, bearings are rated according to ABEC grades based on their speed and accuracy. Again, you want to strictly see which one is best for your use case. How much speed and control you need depends entirely on your usage and personal preferences.
Choosing the right equipment can greatly help extend the life of wheels and bearings.
Proper maintenance
No matter how good the equipment is, if it is not maintained well, it will not last long. Like other parts of inline skates, if you want to extend the life of wheels and bearings, you also need to maintain them.
You need to be careful with your wheels. Do not use them in unsuitable environments. If they are used too roughly, they can easily cause physical damage or even breakage.
Keep the wheels clean and rotate them. Rotating your inline skate wheels means changing their position in a specific way. There are various techniques that allow you to try spinning the wheel. After the rotation is completed, they all have a uniform wear pattern. The uniform wear pattern of all wheels helps to extend their service life.
Next comes the bearings. Do not put oil into the dirty bearings to make them run faster. This can easily damage them; you need to open them with tools and use a suitable cleaning fluid to remove the dirt and debris inside. Fully lubricate clean bearings to ensure smooth driving. Following these instructions can extend the life of the bearing.
How to rotate the wheels of inline skates?
4 Wheels inline skates: 1-3-2-4
For inline skates with the same wheel size, flip the wheels so that the side facing out is now facing in. Then the wheels at positions 1,3 are replaced, and the wheels at positions 2,4 are replaced.
Five-wheel inline skates: 1-3-5-2-4
Change the No. 1 wheel to the No. 3 position, No. 3 to the No. 5 position, and the No. 5 wheel to the No. 1 position.
2, 4 wheel replacement position. Remember to turn the wheels when changing.
When and how to replace new wheels
- After you have completed all the rotations that can be performed on a set of wheels, you need to replace your wheels at this time.
- Once your skates become difficult to glide and they no longer lie flat on the surface, you should consider replacing them.
- If you see a very obvious angle on your wheel, it may be time to replace your wheel.
Inline skate wheel shape and degree of wear
- Brand new or relatively unworn wheels look similar to this one. At this point, you don't need to take any action.
- Early stage of uneven wheel wear. Consider rotating and flipping at this time. This will help balance wear and extend the life of the wheel.
- Advanced stage of wheels with uneven wear. The wheels have rotated and turned several times, and wear has begun to appear on the sides, as indicated by the pointed ends formed in the middle. If skating becomes difficult, you should consider replacing it.
- Serious warning about wheels that need to be replaced. It must be difficult to slide at this point, and sliding further may cause the core and hub to rupture.
Compare your wheel with the image above to determine your best course of action. If you need to replace them, please determine the size and hardness you need, then follow the simple replacement steps outlined below:
- Unscrew the shaft with a suitable tool
- Remove the bearing and pad from the old wheel
- Put the bearing and gasket into the new wheel
- Reconnect wheels with axles
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