Roller hockey, also known as inline hockey, requires inline skates. You can keep your skate wheels in good condition longer by rotating them regularly. Skate wheels tend to wear out unevenly, often wearing out more quickly on the inside edges, at the front or back of the skate or on the dominant foot. Rotating the wheels compensates for this uneven wear.
Step 1
Remove the wheels from your skates using an Allen wrench or screwdriver. The tool you need depends on the way your skates are put together. Carefully set aside all screws, nuts and bolts.
Step 2
Arrange the wheels on a flat surface in the order of their original location on your hockey skates. Line up the left skate's wheels in a column in front of you and the right skate's wheels in a parallel column.
Step 3
Alter the order of the wheels according to a pattern. One common wheel-rotation pattern requires you to switch the wheels between the skates in an "X" pattern. Switch the left skate's front wheel with the right skate's back middle wheel, the right skate's front wheel with the left skate's back middle wheel, the left skate's front middle wheel with the right skate's back wheel and the right skate's front middle wheel with the left skate's back wheel.
A second common rotation pattern requires you to switch the wheels in a circular pattern. Move the left skate's front wheel to the middle front position of the right skate, the left skate's middle front wheel to the middle back position of the right skate, the left skate's middle back wheel to the back position of the right skate and the left skate's back wheel to the front position of the right skate. Make the corresponding changes for the right skate's wheels.
Step 4
Flip each wheel so that the more heavily worn side faces a new direction. If your wheels appeared more heavily worn on the insides of the skates, flip them so that the worn sides face the outsides. This change ensures that the wheels will wear more evenly.
Step 5
Secure your wheels in position using the Allen wrench or screwdriver.
Step 6
Follow a different pattern to rotate your wheels next time. For example, if you rotated the wheels according to the "X" pattern, follow the circular pattern next time, then return to the "X" pattern. Alternating the rotation patterns will help you avoid returning wheels to their previous position the next time you rotate them.
Tips and Warnings
- Rotate the wheels as soon as you notice any wear. If you let the wear continue to develop unevenly, you'll have to replace the wheels sooner than you would otherwise.
- Wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads when playing roller hockey.
Things You'll Need
- Allen wrench or screwdriver
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