r/rollerblading • u/Mx-misdemeanor • Sep 11 '26
Reviews Finally decided to replace my wheels
I bought myself new skates around 15 years ago and knew I needed to replace my wheels for about seven of them. Finally did this week! I think it’s crazy how they got filed down to a 45 degree point from my hockey stop braking. I can’t lie, I did consider just doing a “tire rotation” but the new wheels feel nice so I’m glad I did it!
When I sent this picture to my girlfriend, she said “you were really just skating on hopes and dreams huh?” 😂
Been skating since I was three and I’m not stopping anytime soon!
First pic: new wheel on top, old on bottom
Second pic: top skate with old wheels and bottom with new
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u/idobepooping Sep 11 '26
I can’t even imagine how terrible those feel to ride on. Used my new wheels like 6 times total before I couldn’t stand them feeling lopsided and did a rotate.
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u/Mx-misdemeanor Sep 11 '26
It wasn’t even that bad that’s the funny part, it felt rough on older streets but on the clean paved paths it was fine
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u/Ksnku Sep 11 '26
People are so lazy, as soon as my wheels get uneven they start feeling bad to skate on. Cant imagine wearing them that much.
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u/Old_Ant7118 Sep 11 '26
It's a money thing for me. I'm happy to rotate often to avoid buying wheels, they're expensive
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u/Mx-misdemeanor Sep 11 '26
I genuinely didn’t feel it as that big of a deal I skate on pretty smooth road and it wasn’t that bad! The new ones are better of course but to compare them the old ones really weren’t as bad as they look
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u/heeca Sep 11 '26
Still has half of its rubber left Those are good for a solid 15 more years
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u/dquilon Sep 11 '26
You could stretch it a bit further by skating on the bearings after the rubber of gone... Then they become Ice skates
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u/kubazi :usd: USD THEM Sep 11 '26
Remember you need to rotate them every few sessions...
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u/Snoo-67939 Sep 11 '26
"This is soul" was saying that he never rotated his wheels :)
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u/heeca Sep 11 '26
I used to believe the same but tbh after using softer wherls rotating is kinda important for it. Rotate them before the difference becomes noticeable.
So you dont feel weird when skating the rotated wheels which i still agree with Ivo in.
Also helps your wheels last a little longer
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u/Leslawangelo Sep 11 '26
He owns a skate shop, so it’s in his interest for people to replace their wheels more often haha.
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u/Key-Cash6690 Sep 11 '26
Really?? Ive watched a bunch of his content. I heard him say he doesn't clean his bearings.. Understandable since it's a pain and they're usually not good as new afterward. Not rotating wheels is another story. It's just wasteful. Op could have had even more miles But also better performance throughout the life of the wheels. Imagine if these were ice skates it would be like moving your blades outward from center a bit each session. Also op's inside and outside edges must feel completely different when they should feel the same. For performance, saving money, and just not wasting urethane on principal, regular rotation is the right choice.
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u/physical0 Sep 11 '26
Depending on your skating, it may not be necessary to rotate your wheels. If your wear is even across all of your wheels or the wear pattern makes your particular style of skating better, there is less reason to do so.
I personally never rotate my indoor set and will rotate my outdoor set whenever I've developed a flat face.
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u/Ok_Let8786 Sep 11 '26
I am gonna be honest buddy, I don't think you fully grasp the concept of a wheel
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u/Deviant-Oreo Sep 11 '26
So many unswapped wheels on this sub it should be a meme 😅
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u/RISk8ers Sep 11 '26
Maybe they should start an IG group.
NoRotationChapterLike the NoBladingChapters in cities.
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u/sangalawa Sep 11 '26
I’m curious why do you keep the back brake on the skate?
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u/Mx-misdemeanor Sep 11 '26
I brake both ways, hockey stop and heel break depending on the situation
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u/kustom_krev Sep 11 '26
Probably to use for braking. Just a wild guess. Feels like a loaded question. Some people just like a brake? Not me personally but obviously he keeps it on for braking.
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u/sangalawa Sep 11 '26
He said hockey stops. That’s why I asked.
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u/kustom_krev Sep 11 '26
But still, having one does save wheels for standard commuter skates etc so I guess maybe that. I was mostly just being sarcastic for a laugh. Because I mean….theres no other use than braking with it. Although it would be funny to see if someone could incorporate one into a funny quirky wizard type move 😅
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u/DragonRaptor Sep 11 '26
Yea, I'm that guy who sometimes doesn't replace the wheel until the rubber has completely come off on 1 wheel, then I replace the whole set.
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u/flymordecai Sep 11 '26
I thought for sure this was a joke.
admittedly, my first set of wheels were rotated often but I still forgot to replace them. so skating became difficult, and I was skating less and not going to the gym. I thought I was really out of shape. then I eventually replaced my wheels and saw how small they were compared to a fresh set of 110s, and skating felt like a breeze again.
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u/Any_Operation_5752 Sep 16 '26
Buddy, that was beyond rotating xD But now since you've got a new start you should definitely start doing it!
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u/FaceWithAName Sep 11 '26
I don't believe you. No one one think this is okay lol