Tune ups aren’t just for cars
You just bought a pair of the perfect roller skates. They are high top boots, low speed or jam boots, leather or vegan and you love them. Pretty color wheels and awesome bearings. Roller skating on your new skates is amazing, gliding around the floor effortlessly. Trying to do an edge but it’s really hard. Must be because the roller skates are new. Well, that’s part of it. Read on.
The Roller Skate Plate
The plate is something that we find skaters don’t know much about. It is made of metal, carbon or plastic and holds the wheels on right? Yes, and the part that does that is called an axle.
The Cushions on the Trucks
What we are focusing on today is the cushions that every roller skate has a few of. Some plates have 2 cushions on each truck, the part that holds the axles that holds the wheels and bearings on. Right by the cushions is typically an adjustment nut, mechanism as a way to adjust the movement of the trucks. The movement of the trucks is how roller skates work. They have to be able to flex when you put pressure on them to create the edges, inner or outer that skaters need to enjoy the sport of roller skating.
Hips and why they matter
Why is my Hip sticking out? After you skate on your new roller skates a couple times, visit the pro shop and let the techs adjust your trucks. The more movement the trucks have the easier it will be to edge and the easier it will be to maintain proper body posture. If you have to stick your hip out to get your new roller skates to edge, the trucks are too tight. Experienced roller skating teachers can look out over a roller rink floor and tell you who and who does not have their skates properly adjusted.
Let’s get Local
Adjustments to roller skates are different for everyone, depends on your skate ability and your local rink owner/pro shop tech can help you out! Can’t get that online! Rollarama is staffed with experienced folks that know roller skating and can help!