Express Ride: What Gives Rollerblades Speed?

To the average rollerblade user, these skates might seem like they’re just for leisurely activities—enjoyable rides on summer afternoons, grooving to music, staying flexible, and boosting physical fitness. While these are the basic functions of rollerblades, they are not the only ones. For some, the “appetite for rollerblading grows with what it feeds on”. Those who find traditional, recreational rollerblades insufficient often turn to speed skates, which can zip along at speeds of several dozen kilometres per hour. But what determines this speed?

In competitions, skaters can exceed 30 kilometres per hour, and on closed tracks, they can even double that speed. The Jabra Roller Team, an amateur group of skaters consisting of students, police officers, and a brewery employee, exemplifies this. These men have participated in the Polish Track Championships in marathon skating and have been top contenders in the Polish Cup in speed skating. This is the professional term for their fast-paced rollerblading. What characterises the rollerblades they use? These are specialised pieces of equipment, often worth several thousand zlotys, with enhanced features that give any rollerblade its speed. These skaters use speed skates, and their example clearly shows what gives rollerblades their speed.

 

High-Performance Rollerblades

The speed of rollerblades depends on several factors: wheels, bearings, frame placement, and boot shape. In speed skates, also known as racing or speed rollerblades, these parameters are typically as follows:

• Inline skate wheels range from 90 mm to 125 mm in diameter. They are narrow, which reduces friction. The wheel texture is crucial for racing skates—it must be hard, typically ranging from A84 to A100. Bearings are key to wheel rotation speed. The higher the ABEC rating—1, 3, 5, 7, 9—the lower the resistance, resulting in greater speed. Racing skates often feature open “C” shaped bearings to minimise air resistance, though they require frequent maintenance as they are more prone to dirt accumulation.
• Racing skate boots are distinctive: lightweight, crafted from high-quality materials, without brakes, and featuring a low cuff. Despite this, they are generally stiff, ensuring that every leg movement translates fully into speed. They are also very snug for enhanced stability. Unlike recreational skates, where comfort is paramount, racing skates prioritise fit.
• Choosing the right size for racing skates should be straightforward. It’s best to select the same size as your regular shoe, ensuring a snug fit that closely hugs the foot. This ensures optimal speed transfer with every push.
• The frame is made from lightweight materials, accommodating 3 or 4 wheels. The front and rear of the frame on racing skates can be adjusted, and importantly, the rails are mounted close to the ground, lowering the centre of gravity for better control. Additionally, the wide wheelbase enhances stability at high speeds.

Riding racing skates is demanding—it requires fitness and cardiovascular endurance, which improve with such training. However, remember: speed skating is for advanced users. As demonstrated by numerous athletes and professional skaters, these skates offer record-breaking capabilities.

Speed Thrills: From Amateur to Pro on Rollerblades

In 2004, German athlete Otmar Buhl skated over 2,000 kilometres in 200 hours, earning a spot in the Guinness World Records. During this incredible feat, he used over 100 wheels, several pairs of specialised socks, and four pairs of custom-made professional rollerblades. This wasn’t his first record; the 46-year-old has been rollerblading for 15 years, covering approximately 15,000 kilometres annually.

Another Guinness World Record attempt was made in 2014. Stuntman “Indi 200”, also known as Jürg Schläfli, has been practising speed skating for many years. A few years ago, he conceived the idea of reaching speeds over 300 km/h on rollerblades. While human power alone makes this impossible, Jürg skated while holding onto a motorcycle that accelerated to 100 km/h in seconds. His extraordinary rollerblades featured carbon fibre boots and wheels equipped with ceramic bearings, allowing for over 100,000 revolutions per minute at speeds exceeding 200 km/h. The wheels’ design was highly specialised to adapt to the terrain navigated by the motorcyclist and skater.

Stylish Skating: From Beginner to Pro

However, it’s best to start your rollerblading journey gradually, whether you’re interested in men’s or women’s rollerblades. Begin with the most popular recreational skates. These skates have relatively soft wheels, with hardness ranging from approximately 78A to 84A and medium size, typically between 78 to 82 mm. They often come with ABEC-5 or ABEC-7 bearings. Don’t forget about rollerblade brakes! Once you feel the allure of speed, you can try fitness rollerblades. These have stiffer boots than recreational ones to keep your foot in the correct position and are lightweight, often more aerodynamic, and have three relatively large wheels. Fitness rollerblades are considered long-distance skates and a good prelude to the fastest racing skates.

For those transitioning from recreational to fitness skates, we recommend checking out the Movino brand, specifically the Movino Cruzer B4 fitness rollerblades. They are stable, feature a lightweight aluminium frame, and have 80 mm wheels with top-class ABEC-9 bearings. This is an excellent choice for intermediate skaters looking to enhance their skills.

However, the possibilities of rollerblades don’t end there. Due to the different types of rollerblades and their uses, users have identified various skating styles, which in turn have led to distinct sports disciplines and rollerblade types.

Recreational skating on freeride or freeskate rollerblades involves free, unrestricted movement. Speed skates are used for freestyle slalom and speed skating. The former combines figure skating with dance, where skaters manoeuvre through narrowly spaced cones. The latter resembles the skating of speed skaters on a specialised track. There’s also the Nordic style, inspired by Nordic walking enthusiasts. Here, the skater uses poles and rollerblades with very large, inflatable wheels, allowing for skating on diverse terrains.

Aggressive rollerblades are designed for the aggressive style, which involves navigating urban infrastructure like railings, curbs, stairs, and ramps. Skaters perform tricks and stunts on these elements. Aggressive rollerblades have a unique look: a hard boot with a high cuff for ankle protection, small wheels, and a low frame with a “V” cut between the second and third wheels. Most have a built-in shock-absorbing insert under the heel. These rollerblades appear robust and heavy. Compared to fitness rollerblades, aggressive ones are slower and heavier but offer greater stability.

The range of possibilities offered by different types of rollerblades means we have choices. Speed isn’t always the most important factor, but enjoying and benefitting from the equipment certainly is.

Regardless of your preferences, skill level, gender, or age—at movino.com, there’s something for everyone. Our assortment includes rollerblades for adults (recreational, fitness, adjustable) and kids. Discover our range today!