If you’re an avid skater, roller-skates are a great investment. You can choose your favorite skate style, customize your skates for skating sports, and save money on skate rentals. But with great skates comes great responsibility. Do you know how to maintain your roller-skates? You can extend the life of your skates with just a few simple tricks.
How to Maintain Roller-Skates
Clean them up. Dirt can erode your boot, trucks, bearings, and wheels, wearing out your roller-skates faster. Keep the boot clean and dry, wiping away excess moisture if they get wet from sweat or spills. Let your boots dry naturally in a well ventilated area. Clean your bearings and wheels to keep things rolling smoothly.- Tighten your trucks. While more advanced skaters may loosen their trucks to improve maneuverability, most skaters should make sure their trucks stay tight to the boot. Unsecured trucks can be dangerous, so ask a pro if you’re not sure what to look for.
- Touch your toes. Some skates have adjustable toe stops. Skaters can experiment to find the right toe stop position. For non-adjustable trucks, check them occasionally to make sure the toe stop stays tight to the boot.
- Spin your wheels. If they’re slow or catch mid-spin, there’s likely a dirt build up. Clean your wheels and they’ll be as good as new. If your wheels are worn or marked with divots, replace them before they cause a problem. Nobody wants a pile up on the skating floor!
Looking for a new pair of wheels? Check out our roller-skate buy guide. Then swing by Skate World Center and ask about our options!