Question regarding the right Wheel size....

[tarozi]

It's actually a 2 part question.

I'm new to inline but I'm a very capable ice hockey skater so I'd like to take up inline for fitness. I stopped by a local store SportChek, to try on some skates for fitting purposes and tried on a pair of Rollerblade Aero RS. They felt really nice and were on sale however, I can't find any info on this skate anywhere. The max wheel is 82mm. Are you familiar with this model and what are they comparable to? I'm also not exactly sure if this size wheel is best for my needs.
I was thinking of buying a pair of Crossfire TFS and they have a max wheel of 84mm.
Any advise on what a perfect size wheel would be for someone who wants to skate 3-4 time per week for 30-45 min each time. I'd be skating on paved roads (semi smooth)

Thanks, Tom

[IW Staff]

I can't say I've heard of that one. 84mm is an intermediate to advanced level wheel as you'll get good speed out of it.

You're comfortable on skates (although ice), so I doubt it will take much to get used to being on inlines. So you'll be fine. I can't speak about the RS, but the TFS I am familiar with naturally. Very nice skates. 84mm would be a good size for you I'm thinking. Agile enough for all types of skating whether wanting to go for long or short skates.

Thanks for the post!

[chaosdsm]

What is the right wheel size??? That's a question even the pro's are still asking.

It's hard to just say xxx is the right size or yyy is the right size. It has more to do with personal prefference than anything else.

Basicly, the larger the wheel, the faster the top end speed that can be reached, while the smaller you go, the more agility you gain... this is why agressive & inline hockey skates use small wheels while speed skates use large wheels. However, as size goes up, so does strength requirements for reaching top speed, while acelleration & maneuverability decreases, & it becomes more difficult to go up-hill. Also, as wheel size goes up, so does the strain on your ankles, although this is actually related to the distance from the ground that your ankle is & not how large the wheels are, larger wheels do tend to move your ankle further from the ground. Certain skate & frame designs negate this to some extent. For example, my Bont Vaypor race skates with 110mm wheels put my ankles lower to the ground than my Rollerblade Lightning 10 Fitness skates with 100mm wheels. So despite larger wheels, they actually present less ankle strain than the Rollerblades with smaller wheels.

I have personaly skated on wheels from 70mm up to 110mm, & almost everything in-between, & if there's one thing I've learned from all the different wheel sizes I've used, it's that there is no such thing as the "Right wheel size".

My personal take is this: sizes 70-82mm are for recreational skating (couple times a month, couple miles per skate at most) 84mm IMO is a basic starting ground for fitness skates with 90mm being a good middle ground & 100mm & 110mm being for serious skaters who may be entering an occasional race or two...

Just for the record, I'm neither affiliated with Inline Warehouse, nor am I a professional skater. I have been inline skating for about 6 years which includes more than a dozen races from 10K to 26.2 miles, & I've tried to learn as much about every aspect of inline skating as possible in those 6 years.

[tarozi]

Just a question regarding picking a skate. I'm looking to buy a skate that will grow with me. So if I was to buy a skate that has a max wheel size of 90mm but I'd like to first start out on a 82mm wheel and then swap out wheels as I gain experience, is this possible? Will putting on 82mm wheels on a frame meant for 90mm cause any problems that I'm unaware of?

I like the looks of the crossfire TFS and its right at my budget limit, but the max wheel for this skate is 84mm and ultimately, I'd like the option of being able to put on 90mm wheels. What other skate should I look at that is 90mm capable and is very comfortable to skate on for 45-60 per session?

Thanks for the replies,

Tom

[IW Staff]

You can put smaller wheels on there, but your problem would be that going with smaller wheels would bring your brake a lot closer to the ground. May be better getting an 84mm skate that can take up to a 90.

Thanks,
Stan

[Alexo]

Any advice on 84mm vs. 90mm for a recreational skater?

[IW Staff]

I like the 90's. Both are good size wheels. 90's will help keep your speed. If you are just doing short skates and in tighter areas without really getting a chance to open it up a bit, 84 would be great. If getting the chance to stay on a trail and do some skating, then go for the 90's.

Thanks.