Inline skating, popularly known as rollerblading, is a trend of the 90s and is making a comeback. In 2020, some TikTokers started uploading videos with complex footwork. This was followed by the #rollerblading trend on Instagram!
Now, with rollerblading comes the addictive urge to increase speed. The key to Rollerblading is to maintain stability while increasing your speed. Train your edges to ensure that you aren’t pronating. Use crossovers to add to initial speed, and learn 180 turn arounds. This would help you with stability, and allow you to move around without compromising on speed.
If you’re into rollerblading like me, you should read on. I’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to help you while keeping safety in mind. Let’s get into it!
What Is a Good Pace for Rollerblading?
Inline skates are designed to move at high speeds. With the right technique in place, you can skate faster. Additionally, your stamina and the landscape you’re in can affect this pace a great deal. Based on your training levels and purpose, the ideal speed would vary.
As a beginner, it is advised to start at around 2 – 8 miles per hour. This is the pace I go at if I’m skating for leisure. As an intermediate, however, this pace can be taken up a notch, around 10 – 16 miles per hour. I try to keep at this pace if I want to commute somewhere.
With some practice and confidence, you can take it up to around 16 – 25 miles per hour. I ensure I’m skating at this speed if I’m skating for some cardio. I end up burning around 450 calories an hour too, while having fun, so why not!
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t pace above anything that’s 25 – 27 miles per hour unless professionally trained.
What Speed Does the Average Rollerblader Ride At?
A study conducted recently reported that most rollerbladers ride at around 8 – 16 miles per hour. The pace varies with experience, stamina, technique, and landscape. When riding downhill, your speed can increase up to 40 miles per hour. When going uphill, it usually ranges between 6 and 15 miles per hour.
Rollerblading speed can also vary with some external factors like the wind, kind of surface, bearing type, wheel durometers, and wheel size.
1. Wind
Wind can sometimes get unpredictable, and consequently, does your speed. If the wind direction favors you, this can increase your speed. If not, this can decrease your speed by posing resistance.
However, it’s not easy to cope up with the wind, as it plays with your balance. If possible, try to avoid skating if it’s too windy.
2. Surface Condition
This aspect plays a crucial role in determining your speed. Due to the friction levels, coarse surfaces tend to decrease speed. Additionally, viscous surfaces (asphalt, for example) might look smooth but can slow you down, due to the stickiness they exhibit.
3. Bearings
Bearings can qualitatively affect your pace. Inconsistent bearings can cause a dip in your speed because they can interfere with gliding. To maintain a decent pace, it is advisable to have bearings of a decent quality.
4. Wheel Durometer
The durometer is a measure of the wheel composition, along with its hardness and material. Its value could be any number between 1 and 100. The higher the durometer rating, the harder (and more durable) the wheels are.
5. Size of the Wheels
An average wheel has a diameter of around 80 mm. However, there are larger wheels available, if you need an upgrade. Typically, the larger the wheels are, the faster they go, due to the ground covered in every rotation.
However, wheels don’t contribute quantitatively. More wheels can provide extra grip, but increase rolling resistance. This, in turn, reduces speed. So, if speed is your focus factor, you can reduce the number of wheels on your skate. Do this only if you’re confident about your balance and experience.
Hacks for Rollerblading Faster
If you want to rollerblade faster, I highly recommend trying out the below hacks and tips:
- Build on Balance
A famous person once said that people speed only because they know about braking.
Similarly, you can ride much faster if you work on your balancing abilities because that’ll give you the confidence that you’ll be safe. Additionally, learning tricks like Heel Wheelies and T Stops that’ll help you stop just as quickly if needed.
- Learn Direction Changers
Most people usually lose their speed when it comes to turning or changing directions. Hence, I advise you to learn tricks to change directions, like Crossovers, without having to compromise on speed.
- Practice Hard
Practice induces perfection over time. Try exercises that’ll help improve your speed while rollerblading. The best one I have come across and used is the Three-Cone Exercise.
In this exercise, you need to keep 3 cones in a straight line and rollerblade in different loops, ensuring that you cover all the cones. This helps with both stability and agility at high speeds. It also adds familiarity to tight turns on both sides.
I suggest you do this on different kinds of floors, to get used to them all. This would also help get to know your rollerblades better, and how they react to different surfaces.
- Focus on Power Box
While rollerblading, the most important aspect is to be aware of your power box. For this particular exercise, your power box is located underneath your hips and extends downwards.
So, when you rollerblade, make sure that you push sideways, make a full circle and bring your feet back into the power box. This ensures that you are agile while adding to your stability.
- Work on Hand Movement
Remember, your hands should enhance your skating, and not hinder it. So, make sure it is streamlined to help with the air resistance while keeping it simple.
How To Train Your Edges (Inside & Outside) for Rollerblading Faster
A common mistake most rollerbladers commit is pronating on inside edges. More often than not, it happens due to the constant tendency to glide.
It is also observed that it happens more on one skate. However, down the lane, this could call for ankle injuries and knee strains, and hence, is to be worked on.
To correct this, I made it a point to stride with a lesser distance between my skates. I noticed that standing with my feet apart used to put me on my inside edge. So, when I stood with my knees almost touching, I stopped pronating. This also increased my speed, because it made transferring of weight seamless!
You can additionally try to gain control over your gliding edge. To do this, try knee exercises in the Lunge and Toe Roll Positions. This will allow you to gain dominance over your outside edge and ensure smooth gliding.
Does Your Average Speed Really Matter?
It’s a pretty common thing to wonder about your average speed, and compare it with others. But, is it really important, isn’t a very tough question to answer – it isn’t. While it is good to take note of it mentally, it’s not the best idea to live by it completely.
Average speed comes into play when rollerblading over long distances. On your ride, multiple factors can affect your speed. Sometimes, it increases, and other times decreases. So, judging your ability, skills, or fitness levels based on any part of the speed, either the highest or the lowest is right.
However, comparing your own average speeds over time helps to monitor your progress. Apart from that, it doesn’t do much. Occasionally, it might encourage you to take risks because the importance of speed takes over. Again, except for these rare occasions, it doesn’t do any good.
How To Make Rollerblades Faster?
The equipment plays a big role in deciding the seamlessness of anything. In this case, it’s the rollerblades. I found a considerable difference when I got my rollerblading wheels to spin more efficiently.
You can use a wheel of a different size if you aren’t comfortable with the current one. Wheels of different sizes have different purposes. The smallest is for anti-rockers, while the largest is for marathon skating.
If you’re just about to buy your rollerblade, ensure that you buy one of the right durometers. Indoor skates are usually between 72A and 78A, while outdoor ones range between 80A and 84A.
You should also dry your skate boots. While continuously using it, you sweat, and the boots accumulate all the moisture. This could lead to a lot of issues, including a decrease in speed. To avoid it all, dry it naturally once in a while. However, don’t use an artificial heat source, as this could ruin the boot.
Make sure the wheels and bearings are smooth. Replace your wheels in case you find any sort of wear and tear. Take them off, clean them and lubricate them, too. This will help with internal friction, and thereby, increase your speed.
Master List of Wheels and Specs
| BRAND | TYPE | WHEEL SIZE | HARDNESS |
| RollerBones | Indoor Recreational Roller Skate | 57MM | 98A |
| Pacer | Indoor Speed Wheels | 63MM | 98A |
| RC Medallion | Indoor Roller Skates | 57MM | 96A |
| Cwdew | Quad Roller Skate Wheels | 58mm | 95A |
| Backspin Wheels | Inline Skate Wheel | 59MM | 95A |
| VNLA | Uprock Roller Skate Wheel | 62MM | 95A |
| Hyper Shaman | Quad Speed Wheels | 62MM | 95A |
| Riedell | Indoor Wheels | 62MM | 95A |
| Juice | Indoor Wheels | 59MM | 95A |
| Canine Coddler | Inline Skate Wheel | 58MM | 92A |
| Cosmic SuperfLy | Indoor/Outdoor Wheels | 62MM | 90A |
| SzBlaZe | Resist Sliding FSK Inline Roller Skate | 72MM | 88A |
| Flying Eagle | Speed Skate Wheels | 110MM | 88A |
| you-beat-you-land | Indoor or Outdoor Inline Skate | 80MM | 88A |
| Radar | Indoor or Outdoor Recreational Skating | 59MM | 88A |
| Reckless | Indoor Dual-Hardness Roller Skate Wheels | 59MM | 88A |
| Roll-Line | Indoor or Outdoor Recreational Skating | 62MM | 88A |
| Rollerex | Indoor or Outdoor Recreational or Inline/ Roller Hockey Skates | 24MM | 85A |
| AOWISH | Outdoor Inline Skate | 72MM | 85A |
| LABEDA | Outdoor Roller Hockey | 76MM | 85A |
| Damsale | Inline Skate Wheel | 80MM | 85A |
| Z-FIRST | Inline Skate Wheel | 100mm | 85A |
| ZORA SKATES | Indoor or Outdoor Roler Hockey / Streat Skating | 80MM | 85A |
| RaceBon | Inline Skate Wheel | 80MM | 85A |
| Sonar | Outdoor Quad Roller Skate Wheels | 62MM | 85A |
| Luminous | Inline Skate Wheel | 80MM | 85A |
| Volcanic | Indoor/Outdoor Quad Wheels | 62MM | 85A |
| Dr Pepper Sonic | Quad Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels | 62MM | 85A |
| Rollerblade | 84mm | 84A | |
| SKT HP | Inline Skate Wheel | 90MM | 83A |
| C7skates | Outdoor | 58mm | 83A |
| TOBWOLF | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Tanzfrosch | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Nezylaf | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Skylety | Outdoor Quad Roller Skate | 58MM | 82A |
| FOMOTEAM | Indoor or Outdoor Quad Roller Skate | 58MM | 82A |
| Locisne | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Mopoin | Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Yeipower | Indoor or Outdoor High-Speed Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| COLICOLY | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| MASHART | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| SIKEMAY | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Saad and Sons | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| NICODASHEN | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| QICHONE | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| INSOUR | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Tolkiskins | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| zmr | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Grekaida | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Sumind | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| REDESS | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| SKONHED | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Player’s Choice | Outdoor Inline Skate | 76MM | 82A |
| SUWJELANY | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| KSS | Inline Skate | 64MM | 82A |
| Ikevan | Indoor Quad Roller Skate | 58MM | 82A |
| PURATEN | Indoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| florybercea | Indoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| B&A | Indoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| NONMON | Indoor or Outdoor Recreational Roller Skate | 57MM | 82A |
| Lekit | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58MM | 82A |
| Wheeloont | Indoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| Lshield | Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| XMSound | Inline Skate Wheel | 70MM | 82A |
| Vornennen | Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| OIZEN | Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| CALIDAKA | Indoor Quad Skate | 58mm | 82A |
| Sharova | Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| GZSXXTS | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row/ Quad Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| Xino Sports | Inline Skate Wheel | 70MM | 82A |
| AOWESM | Outdoor Inline Hockey Wheel | 72mm | 82A |
| KANGQING | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| jessie | Indoor Four-wheel Skates | 58mm | 82A |
| QWXNRG | Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| Kang | Indoor Quad Roller Skate Wheels | 54MM | 82A |
| NOTHER | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | 82A |
| RLD | Quad Double-Row Skate Wheels | 54MM | 82A |
| Bigfoot Wheels | Inline Skate Wheel | 64MM | 82A |
| LINEAR | Indoor or Outdoor Inline Skate | 76MM | 82A |
| Fothon | Inline Skates Wheels | 84MM | 82A |
| Impala | Quad Roller Skate Wheels | 58MM | 82A |
| K2 Skate | Outdoor Recreational Skating | 76MM | 80A |
| Bont | Outdoor Recreational Skating Asphalt Sidewalk | 62MM | 78A |
| CLAS FOX | Outdoor/ Indoor | 65MM | 78A |
| Blue Bellys | Inline Skate | 76MM | 78A |
| Revision Hockey | Indoor/Outdoor Inline Roller Hockey | 72MM | 78A |
| Sure-Grip | Boardwalk Outdoor | 65MM | 78A |
| Crazy Skates | Outdoor Roller Skates | 65MM | 78A |
| Twinbuys | Outdoor Roller Skates | 60MM | 78A |
| Moxi Store | Outdoor Roller Skates | 65MM | 78A |
| Chaya Cloud 9’s | Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels | 62MM | 78A |
| Atom | Outdoor Quad Wheel | 65mm | 75A |
| ILMU | Indoor Skating/ Derby Skating | 58MM | |
| FONLAM | Indoor or Outdoor Inline Skate | 70MM | |
| Yaegoo | Inline Skate | 64MM | |
| Firefly | Indoor or Outdoor Quad Roller Skate | 58MM | |
| VECELO | Double Row Skating | 58MM | |
| Duomu | Double Row Skating | 58MM | |
| FuTaiKang | Inline Skate Wheel | 64 mm | |
| KINPAR | Inline Skate Wheel | 64MM | |
| Madiou | Indoor or Outdoor Double Row Skating | 58mm | |
| Marbe | Indoor Inline Skate Wheel | 70MM | |
| B.LeekS | Inline Outdoor Skate | 70MM |
Final Thought
Keep in mind that – ‘Speed might be thrilling, but is certainly killing’. So, while it is understandable if you want to increase speed, you need to do it in the right way, so that it is safe.
Moreover, to sum it up, while average speed matters, it doesn’t matter as much as skill and technique. But, if you still want to work on your speed through your skill and techniques, there are methods, and I’ve mentioned them above.
So, I hope you found this article informative!
