MAINTENANCE TIPS

All your equipment will benefit from a little cleaning and maintenance from time to time.  You will often find that a comprehensive instruction book is included when you buy a brand new pair of skates, our advice is you follow it.  For those who have purchased a second hand pair and don't have the manufacturers guidance the following tips are designed to help you.

Ensure that you check your helmet for cracks and damage every time you use it. Check that the chin strap is in good condition and that the fastening is threaded correctly. You can keep the helmet clean with a damp cloth and the inside odour free with a little anti-bacterial spray.

Check these regularly for signs of wear and tear, if there are any splits in the plastic or tears in the fabric we recommend you replace the pair, as in our experience, they are not easily repaired. Cleaning is much the same as the helmet although most pads will withstand a cool wash in the machine - but check the manufacturers recommendations first.

There are two main areas to focus on when maintaining skates

(a) the boot and inner liner

(b) the chassis and wheels.

a) If you have a hard shell boot (plastic moulded) then check these thoroughly for damage, pay particular attention to stress points which are more liable to split. Ensure that if they are hinged at the ankle they still rotate properly and check the laces and buckles for signs of wear. Remember the boot is designed to hold your foot and ankle firmly, any damage to fastenings or fabric will affect your ability to skate safely.

If you own soft boot skates, check any seams for tears or rips, replace worn laces and keep the insides smelling sweet with either an anti bacterial spray or a proprietary skate spray (Stink Out!) available from specialist skate shops (especially those who specialise in roller-hockey equipment). Talcum powder is also an effective back-up if you don't have anything else.

b) The chassis and wheels are the business end of the skate and it is essential you give this area a regular maintenance check. Undo the axle bolts with the allen key provided, if you don't have one visit your local skate supplier who can also provide you with a tool to remove the bearings from the wheels. The photo below shows a close-up view of the wheel and bearings. You can see the two different types of spacer shown in the photo, you may come across other types depending on the skate manufacturer.

ROTATING THE WHEELS FOR EVEN WEAR

Rotating the wheel positions on a regular basis allows for a more even wear across the wheel and thereby giving your wheels a longer life.  You may find it helpful to number the wheels using a black biro before removing them from the chassis, also, make a note of where the printed side of the wheel is facing.

The first rotation of the wheels should simply involve rotation on the same chassis, turning them around so that the printed side of the wheel is facing the opposite way and moving their positions as noted at (1) below. Firstly, take a look at the diagram on the left to see how to number the wheels

1. Swap wheel numbers 1 & 3, 2&4, 5 & 7 and 6 & 8 for the first rotation.

2. When you need to rotate the wheels for a second time (usually a couple of months later - just keep checking their wear) you move the wheels from one skate to the other as illustrated in the diagram on the right.