I've a couple of pairs of old skates and the cushions are really hard. They seem to harden or dry out over time and the advice on forums is to swap them out for new ones.
In the beginning of my skating, I had another skater tell me, “you’re working way too hard” and that I needed to loosen up my trucks. Then through the years they kept getting looser because people would say you need them loose to do this or that. Then I had a coach teaching me, and I had the hardest time with backwards edges. She told me I was not able to hold them because my trucks were too loose. So tightened them up a lot. HA at first I about fell on my face but then I learned to use my body and feet to make the edges happen. WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE ! I finally got it and was able to do beautiful crisp deep edges and felt more secure on the backwards edges. After I understood how to hold the edges loosened them up a little.
@@akiraroyal677 depends on the skates, how skilled you are and what you are actually trying to do on the skates. If the skates are working against you then loosen a small amount but if you have already loosened them or have skates that are pretty loose and you can't hold an edge especially backwards, or balance like in figures then you need to tighten a bit.
turning the toe cap inside out is genius omg! i knew you were supposed to have the nut touching the metal, but i’d keep having to twist the toe cap to get to the nut to tighten it. this helps so much!!
Sound advice. I've been experimenting with my trucks for the six months I've been taking skating deadly seriously, and I've found an excellent way to get the setup perfect every time. When they're adjusted perfectly, wind the nuts out - counting the revolutions very carefully - until the nut falls off. Then, get the nut *just* seated correctly on the kingpin and wind it in by the same number of turns. For a Sure-Grip Rock plate with 88A cushions on the plate side and 85A cushions on the floor side, used by a 210 lb behemoth, seven turns inwards gets them perfect. If it's 85A cushions both sides, it's seven and a half turns. See, as per your previous advice to lube my cushions to stop them creaking, I've had to completely dismantle the trucks on two pairs of skates - so it's been very handy to know how to get them perfect first time, every time.
Oh wow, Katie! I've been having a little trouble with my edges for a while, and I was sure I shouldn't go too much looser because it got extremely wobbly, but I had no idea the cushions were the culprit. Installing the new ones once I ordered them (there's no skate shops near me, unfortunately!) seemed really intimidating at first, but between your skatenance and anatomy of a roller skate videos, I felt like I understood what I was doing enough to try. Everything was actually way simpler than I had imagined, and once I got them all set up, the difference was like night and day! I can't wait to actually get out and skate on them properly, I just tried them on for a quick test because it's pretty late where I'm at, but this has made me super excited to get out there and practice more. Thank you so so much for your channel, getting back into skating as an adult has been SUCH a pleasure, and you make it feel very approachable and fun instead of scary
Fantastic!! Well done! It’s definitely intimidating at first but I’m so glad you took the plunge and made the change. It’s surprising how much difference a small change like this can make to your skating. Happy rolling xx
This is such an important video - thank you for sharing this message Katie! I've recently swapped out the hard stock cushions on mine for some soft Powerdyne Reactors and it has made a huge improvement to my skating!
my trucks use to be so loose they'd make clicking noises as i pressed each edge. i ended up changing the cushions on my suregrip fames to some softer impala ones and now i can press on my edges with more control. if you're a lighter skater softer cushions will make a world of a difference🙂
I am just starting so am unsure when to try different things. Should I just get used to my skates first? The only thing I have done so far was to loosen the wheels a little as they were hardly spinning which helped. I have only skated 3 times now but I am enjoying it. I have put in a request for your facebook page. You can never get too much help and tips. Thanks for sharing all this advice.👍
Great idea to loosen the wheels. You can try to lean on the big and little toe and see if you have movement. Having a bit of moment is going to help you as you learn. Bubbles will need inside edges etc….
I am 5'11" and 230lbs. I run 101a durometer cushions super tight, on Reactor Neos. I pivot on toes and heels, sliding the non-planted wheels, to change direction. I enjoy riding edge and toe manuals. I have 20+ years on inlines. Soft setups seem to be for amateurs or short light people. If I were doing maintenance for a rink's rental fleet, I'd have cushions get harder with larger boot sizes.
Ahhh so I’ve been putting my toe caps on wrong with the nut outside .. thank you! You will save me an accident! I have worked out the cushions, I found out by having the trucks too loose with soft cushions and then changing them for different mediums 😂 I had a lot of trial and error, if I’d seen this it would have saved me wasting money on different attempts 😅
Phew, glad you changed the toe caps. It’s really difficult to figure out all these technical aspects. Sounds like you did a great job of working out what you needed. ⭐️⭐️🤩
I had the hardest cushions, tightened only enough as not to be dingling loose, and still barelly had edges at all. Then I got the softest I could find 🤣 seems like I tight them forever and it's still easy to move with my hands 😅 (but I'm liking it much better than before! And expect to improve my skating to loosen it too. I have seen someone of similar weight being happy with a similar skate setup, though he didn't mention the tightness...).
Very useful information. Thank you very much for this video. Could you please do a video about pivot cups as well? And is it me but it seems a bit difficult to find them? There are loads available for skateboards, but not for roller skates (mines are almost completely gone!)
Yes! A friend's pivot cups disintegrated all over the floor of our practice space, and I haven't been able to find replacements. The ones for skateboards seem to be enormous in comparison.
@@AM-hf9kk similar situation here. Not sure if it is safe to use the skates with pivot cups that have been crumbled into pieces in most places. If I find out where to get some good replacements, will write it in here, please do the same.
This was the most helpful video! I’ve been skating for almost two years and never got a clear explanation. Still trying to figure out if I should stay on the blue or switch to clear roll line cushions 🤔
Thank you, one of the most enlightening videos I've seen yet. Very informative and explained very well. One question. Would the advice change for plastic trucks? I know metal is always better, but I'm a 40 year old only ice skated a few times and wanted to start roller skating (nothing at all to do with Starlight Express coming back to London at all lol!) and they were cheap and good for me to get used to.
Hi. Glad the video helped. Unfortunately I really wouldn’t recommend skating on plastic trucks . They’re ok for children but they cannot handle the weight of an adult. If you’re going to roll them please make sure you wear full safety gear incase they fail whilst you’re wearing them.
On the toestop nut subject, isn't it good to have something softish (and under pressure) between the nut and the plate, to reduce/absorb the vibrations of skating outside which often loosen them? Btw, I have put a discarded super hard skateboard cushion as an extensor of my fixed toestops 😆 They came too high, now they have the perfect hight. But I needed a new bolt too, wich was only a thread too long, and it did come loose a couple of times. It seems to have been fixed with a washer to take up this little lenght that was preventing me from fully tightening the bolt.
Hey hey, I've been following you for a while now and slowly improving my skating (thanks for that!!!) but I'm thinking of getting new skates and need some advice please Are riedells worth the hype? There's a nice pair of velour ones I could get secondhand in good condition for 150€ but idk if it will be worth it...I like my impalas a lot but I've been wanting to try velour ones. Does that even make any sense? Please help 😅
Riedell are a great brand but personally I don’t recommend paying for the Moxi skates (also made by Riedell) as you pay extra for the name. Suede or leather skaters are a great buy as they will conform to your foot over time.
I've noticed with roller blades some of them have a wider Wheels. Do you have any video explaining different? Types of wheels to use the like different surfaces end thickness or widendness? How would you also fix if you're foot is A little bit why there and the tongue is showing a little bit of your Sock but your fate feel comfortable in the shoe?
Thank you I actually found thank you so much. I looked on your website also offer Private video lessons. I'm here in Australia and I would like to know as you explain things really spot on. You also explained that the roller blades can be narrow wide and scandal. I'm really confused as my foot is 245mm or 24 cm Long. 100mm or 10cm Wide. Really Confused do I need to go for a wide or standard structuroller blade. With the measurements i've given. Also, do you have any vacancies For private lessons. As I really would like to join as well. Is that kinda like a membership for advice information If i've got any questions or needing more advice. thank you very much.
Are all skates adjustable? I’m older and quite tall and heavier than average. Used to skate as a young girl but just wanting to get back into it. So surprised when I went to a rink and couldn’t skate at all! I’m thinking it was the skates I rented. I’m interested in buying skates.
When an instructor at my rink loosened my trucks for me and recommended changing the cushions on my vintage rentals, it made a world of difference.
It’s crazy the difference it can make! Glad you got sorted 🛼⭐️😎
I've a couple of pairs of old skates and the cushions are really hard. They seem to harden or dry out over time and the advice on forums is to swap them out for new ones.
In the beginning of my skating, I had another skater tell me, “you’re working way too hard” and that I needed to loosen up my trucks. Then through the years they kept getting looser because people would say you need them loose to do this or that. Then I had a coach teaching me, and I had the hardest time with backwards edges. She told me I was not able to hold them because my trucks were too loose. So tightened them up a lot. HA at first I about fell on my face but then I learned to use my body and feet to make the edges happen. WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE ! I finally got it and was able to do beautiful crisp deep edges and felt more secure on the backwards edges. After I understood how to hold the edges loosened them up a little.
You’d be surprised how common stories like yours are. I’m so glad you found that happy place. What a great coach to take the time to help. ⭐️🤩😎🛼
So should the back trucks be loaded or tightened
@@akiraroyal677 depends on the skates, how skilled you are and what you are actually trying to do on the skates. If the skates are working against you then loosen a small amount but if you have already loosened them or have skates that are pretty loose and you can't hold an edge especially backwards, or balance like in figures then you need to tighten a bit.
turning the toe cap inside out is genius omg! i knew you were supposed to have the nut touching the metal, but i’d keep having to twist the toe cap to get to the nut to tighten it. this helps so much!!
It’s so much easier like that! Glad this helped.
Sound advice. I've been experimenting with my trucks for the six months I've been taking skating deadly seriously, and I've found an excellent way to get the setup perfect every time. When they're adjusted perfectly, wind the nuts out - counting the revolutions very carefully - until the nut falls off. Then, get the nut *just* seated correctly on the kingpin and wind it in by the same number of turns. For a Sure-Grip Rock plate with 88A cushions on the plate side and 85A cushions on the floor side, used by a 210 lb behemoth, seven turns inwards gets them perfect. If it's 85A cushions both sides, it's seven and a half turns.
See, as per your previous advice to lube my cushions to stop them creaking, I've had to completely dismantle the trucks on two pairs of skates - so it's been very handy to know how to get them perfect first time, every time.
Perfect!! ⭐️😎🛼🤩
Great info! I was trying to explain putting on the toecap correctly to a friend online and they didn't understand. Now I can share this!
Perfect! 🛼⭐️😎🤩
As a larger skater this was so helpful. Ordering those harder cushions now!
So glad it helps x ⭐️🤩😎🛼
Thank you! I had this exact issue and as a beginner skater, it took me forever to figure this out on my own.
This type of thing can be so frustrating, glad you got it sorted 😎🛼⭐️🤩
Honestly the best video about trucks. Thanks Skatie
I needed this advice about a year ago when I bought the Barbie Patin Kismet skates XD
Omg! Yes. Those cushions are granite!! 😂 changed mine out for clouds in yellow. Much better.
Oh wow, Katie! I've been having a little trouble with my edges for a while, and I was sure I shouldn't go too much looser because it got extremely wobbly, but I had no idea the cushions were the culprit. Installing the new ones once I ordered them (there's no skate shops near me, unfortunately!) seemed really intimidating at first, but between your skatenance and anatomy of a roller skate videos, I felt like I understood what I was doing enough to try. Everything was actually way simpler than I had imagined, and once I got them all set up, the difference was like night and day! I can't wait to actually get out and skate on them properly, I just tried them on for a quick test because it's pretty late where I'm at, but this has made me super excited to get out there and practice more. Thank you so so much for your channel, getting back into skating as an adult has been SUCH a pleasure, and you make it feel very approachable and fun instead of scary
Fantastic!! Well done! It’s definitely intimidating at first but I’m so glad you took the plunge and made the change. It’s surprising how much difference a small change like this can make to your skating. Happy rolling xx
An excellent video on what is likely the most important skate hardware subject
Thank you so much xx ⭐️😎🤩💕🛼
This was such a good, thorough explanation.
Thank you so much 💕😎🤩
Skatie, I mean Katie... Well Skatie and Katie you've been a big help for me. I'm ready to go outside now! 😮 Hi from 🇺🇸 👋🏾 ❤
Fantastic! Have fun xx 🛼⭐️💕😎🤩
This is such an important video - thank you for sharing this message Katie!
I've recently swapped out the hard stock cushions on mine for some soft Powerdyne Reactors and it has made a huge improvement to my skating!
It’s amazing the difference it can make! So glad you got your skates sorted.
my trucks use to be so loose they'd make clicking noises as i pressed each edge. i ended up changing the cushions on my suregrip fames to some softer impala ones and now i can press on my edges with more control. if you're a lighter skater softer cushions will make a world of a difference🙂
💯 👆
I am just starting so am unsure when to try different things. Should I just get used to my skates first? The only thing I have done so far was to loosen the wheels a little as they were hardly spinning which helped. I have only skated 3 times now but I am enjoying it. I have put in a request for your facebook page. You can never get too much help and tips. Thanks for sharing all this advice.👍
Great idea to loosen the wheels. You can try to lean on the big and little toe and see if you have movement. Having a bit of moment is going to help you as you learn. Bubbles will need inside edges etc….
@@Skatie Cool, will give it a try. 😊
Thank you for this WONDERFUL video of explanation! Excellent break down of such an important part. 💙💙💙
Thank you very much x 🤩⭐️😎🛼💕
Very very very interesting and of course correct !! I am now skating on a lower than my weight, because it just feels better !
It makes a huge difference doesn’t it. 💕⭐️💕😎🌟
I am 5'11" and 230lbs. I run 101a durometer cushions super tight, on Reactor Neos. I pivot on toes and heels, sliding the non-planted wheels, to change direction. I enjoy riding edge and toe manuals. I have 20+ years on inlines. Soft setups seem to be for amateurs or short light people. If I were doing maintenance for a rink's rental fleet, I'd have cushions get harder with larger boot sizes.
Excellent tutorial! Information understood!
Thank you so much xx
Ahhh so I’ve been putting my toe caps on wrong with the nut outside .. thank you! You will save me an accident! I have worked out the cushions, I found out by having the trucks too loose with soft cushions and then changing them for different mediums 😂 I had a lot of trial and error, if I’d seen this it would have saved me wasting money on different attempts 😅
Phew, glad you changed the toe caps. It’s really difficult to figure out all these technical aspects. Sounds like you did a great job of working out what you needed. ⭐️⭐️🤩
@@Skatieyes, thank you I changed my toecaps & not only do I feel it’s more secure, it looks neater too 😊
I had the hardest cushions, tightened only enough as not to be dingling loose, and still barelly had edges at all. Then I got the softest I could find 🤣 seems like I tight them forever and it's still easy to move with my hands 😅 (but I'm liking it much better than before! And expect to improve my skating to loosen it too. I have seen someone of similar weight being happy with a similar skate setup, though he didn't mention the tightness...).
It can be trial and error to find what works for you. 😎⭐️🛼🤩
Good god such a helpful video 😮 thank you Skatie!!
So glad you found it helpful.🤩
Very useful information. Thank you very much for this video.
Could you please do a video about pivot cups as well? And is it me but it seems a bit difficult to find them? There are loads available for skateboards, but not for roller skates (mines are almost completely gone!)
Yes! A friend's pivot cups disintegrated all over the floor of our practice space, and I haven't been able to find replacements. The ones for skateboards seem to be enormous in comparison.
I have seen mini-cruiser(like Penny) pivot cups that SEEMS to be the same time as my roller skates.
Wow yes that’s a great idea!!
@@AM-hf9kk similar situation here. Not sure if it is safe to use the skates with pivot cups that have been crumbled into pieces in most places. If I find out where to get some good replacements, will write it in here, please do the same.
@@luablau Thank you for your reply. If you have any links as to where to buy them, could you please share them on here? :)
This was the most helpful video! I’ve been skating for almost two years and never got a clear explanation. Still trying to figure out if I should stay on the blue or switch to clear roll line cushions 🤔
If it helps, I find the blue (medium) too hard. I use the soft (grey).
So helpful! Thank you for always explaining everything so clearly!
So glad it helped. Thank you 💕😎🤩
This is why I like the Arius plate design, forces you to change cushions only.. although it's not that great for outdoors.
Very true. Cool design. 😎🤩
I will put a harder bushing at the top a slightly softer one at the bottom. Will let you know how it works out.
🤞⭐️🛼😎🤩
Thank you, one of the most enlightening videos I've seen yet. Very informative and explained very well. One question. Would the advice change for plastic trucks? I know metal is always better, but I'm a 40 year old only ice skated a few times and wanted to start roller skating (nothing at all to do with Starlight Express coming back to London at all lol!) and they were cheap and good for me to get used to.
Hi. Glad the video helped. Unfortunately I really wouldn’t recommend skating on plastic trucks . They’re ok for children but they cannot handle the weight of an adult. If you’re going to roll them please make sure you wear full safety gear incase they fail whilst you’re wearing them.
Thank you for this!!
💕🤩😎⭐️
I could use a pair of skates 4 my lessons beginner,great videos
Thank you. Have fun on your 8’s. 🤩🌟🛼🛼
Ohhh this makes so much sense!!
On the toestop nut subject, isn't it good to have something softish (and under pressure) between the nut and the plate, to reduce/absorb the vibrations of skating outside which often loosen them?
Btw, I have put a discarded super hard skateboard cushion as an extensor of my fixed toestops 😆
They came too high, now they have the perfect hight. But I needed a new bolt too, wich was only a thread too long, and it did come loose a couple of times. It seems to have been fixed with a washer to take up this little lenght that was preventing me from fully tightening the bolt.
Great hack with making the fixed toe stop lower!
Thank you 😊 💓
You're welcome 😊
How do I adjust the trucks on my Sure Grip Nts plates?
I would suggest a search on UA-cam or google as I believe the Suregrip are a slightly different design to usual plates.
Hey hey, I've been following you for a while now and slowly improving my skating (thanks for that!!!) but I'm thinking of getting new skates and need some advice please
Are riedells worth the hype? There's a nice pair of velour ones I could get secondhand in good condition for 150€ but idk if it will be worth it...I like my impalas a lot but I've been wanting to try velour ones. Does that even make any sense? Please help 😅
Riedell are a great brand but personally I don’t recommend paying for the Moxi skates (also made by Riedell) as you pay extra for the name. Suede or leather skaters are a great buy as they will conform to your foot over time.
I've noticed with roller blades some of them have a wider Wheels. Do you have any video explaining different? Types of wheels to use the like different surfaces end thickness or widendness? How would you also fix if you're foot is A little bit why there and the tongue is showing a little bit of your Sock but your fate feel comfortable in the shoe?
I have lots of wheel videos for quads but I’m not an inline skater I’m afraid so I don’t have any inline specific videos.
Thank you I actually found thank you so much. I looked on your website also offer Private video lessons. I'm here in Australia and I would like to know as you explain things really spot on. You also explained that the roller blades can be narrow wide and scandal. I'm really confused as my foot is 245mm or 24 cm Long. 100mm or 10cm Wide. Really Confused do I need to go for a wide or standard structuroller blade. With the measurements i've given. Also, do you have any vacancies For private lessons. As I really would like to join as well.
Is that kinda like a membership for advice information If i've got any questions or needing more advice. thank you very much.
That tip for the toe caps is amazing. My toe stop kept coming undone and now i know why
So glad it helped xx
Are all skates adjustable? I’m older and quite tall and heavier than average. Used to skate as a young girl but just wanting to get back into it. So surprised when I went to a rink and couldn’t skate at all! I’m thinking it was the skates I rented. I’m interested in buying skates.
I ❤ skatie ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Too loose and the left skate wheel will dig into the bottom of your boot when you take a hard turn. It will act like a brake.
Absolutely. Wheel bite can be a real issue if the trucks are too floppy. Leaning over on an edge and the wheels stopping suddenly is very very bad! 😱
Why can't I spin
Sweeeeeet ✊🏾😎🛼🛼🛼🛼
🤩😎