Wheels that lock up when they hit something

[Sonny01]

I have been skating on Powell Bones 103A 57MM urethane wheels for years and I like them very much. The problem I have is if I hit any tiny little piece of junk on the floor the wheel locks up or skids and I end up sky-ground sky-ground. The floor is concrete. I have been hurt several times when a wheel locks up and it happened twice yesterday. My question is: are there wheels that will run over something instead of lock up?
Sonny01

[CNQuadSkater]

Originally Posted by Sonny01

I have been skating on Powell Bones 103A 57MM urethane wheels for years and I like them very much. The problem I have is if I hit any tiny little piece of junk on the floor the wheel locks up or skids and I end up sky-ground sky-ground. The floor is concrete. I have been hurt several times when a wheel locks up and it happened twice yesterday. My question is: are there wheels that will run over something instead of lock up?
Sonny01

With 78A-85A wheels.

[ursle]

Originally Posted by CNQuadSkater

With 78A-85A wheels.

I agree.
Are you skating outdoors or indoors.
Indoors with 103a wheels requires an extremly clean floor, outdoors with a 103a would wear the wheels down fast, to much friction eating the urethane, so you must be indoors.

Either clean the floor well or switch to a slightly softer wheel, 96-98a.
Or, are you a slider, I'd consider wrist guards.

[Sonny01]

Not a slider...and I wear wrist, knee and elbow guards on an indoor floor. The knee and elbow guards saved me the last time. I'll try a softer wheel.
Thank you!

[Mort]

Higher velocity will keep a wheel from locking up on floor debris.

[Sonny01]

I used to race around and dance and if I got slow it got me into trouble and it took me forever to do the same stuff at a slower speed. I didn't know slow had consequences.
I looked at 57mm x 30mm wheels around 92a and I haven't a clue as to what's good. Any recommendations?
Sonny01

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi Sonny01,

Not a slider...and I wear wrist, knee and elbow guards on an indoor floor. The knee and elbow guards saved me the last time. I'll try a softer wheel.

Very Smart of you to be wearing that Protective Gear. You might also consider Hip and Tail Bone Padding. These have saved me many times over thru the years, in addition to the Knee & Elbow Pads.

Softer wheels will be less likely to "Lock Up" on smaller objects - but they can still Lock Up. So don't think they will totally eliminate the issue.

Even keeping an "Eagle Eye" out for floor junk won't eliminate the issue, as you simply can't and will not see everything on the floor. (even with good lighting - which many Rinks are not providing these days)

Should you try the "Higher velocity" option, any "Lock Up" will cause you a worse Fall, and possibly more damage.

I'm currently Skating a Slick floor in Vegas. (needs resurfacing) Started on my 101A's (nice & tight on Floor back in KC) - slid all over the floor and Locked Up twice before changing to my 92A Derby wheels - 20 mins into my first Skate Session here. Got Better traction but have still Locked Up on Floor Junk - they don't do so well on cleaning the Floor here either.

Skate Safe

Harold

[zebra1922]

Even with softer wheels you can end up taking a flyer if you hit something.

I had 2 plate nuts fall off my brand new skates a couple of weeks ago. A skater in my lesson group was unfortunate enough to roll right over one, and even with 78a wheels she took a big fall to the ground.

A lesson learnt never to trust a manufacturer will actually ensure your plates are secure - and more practice apologising!

[Sonny01]

I mount my own plates and I always use nylock nuts. Sounds like the company that put your skates together was trying to cut a little cost.

[Mort]

Originally Posted by Sonny01

I mount my own plates and I always use nylock nuts. Sounds like the company that put your skates together was trying to cut a little cost.

It's not uncommon for mounting hardware to loosen up at all.

After some edging the hardware is often pulled further into the sole(over time) and the nuts can become loose. It's part of a skaters responsibility to check their equipment often. Such as before/after sessions/use.

I dont use nylock bolts or nuts for mounting plates. I use loctite and tee nuts.

[Sonny01]

I dont use nylock bolts or nuts for mounting plates. I use loctite and tee nuts.

That works too but I wouldn't think new skates would lose their nuts so quickly.

[rufusprime99]

Physics is against you. You are on a shorter wheel. That means, whatever debris you run into looks bigger to your wheel than if you were on 62mm wheels. Your wheels are also hard. It will tend to push more. I hit something that pushed a few months back. I happened to be going forward, and was able to avoid a fall. I have also hit debris of roughly the same size that I have rolled over. Oh, it made an impression, and I circled around and picked it up. Had I been on small hard wheels, it would have been a different story.

I don't think anybody can offer you a fix besides taller softer wheels. If the debris shows up often enough, and your body is no longer up for the falls, you have no choice. Well, lots of pads is another route.

[Kassus]

I locked them up about a month ago on some nearly-invisible debris at my home rink on a 95A wheel. Floor is ALWAYS dirty. The wannabe rink rats that "clean" the floor run the dust mop over the floor at a fast speed while they already have their skates on.

[Mort]

Originally Posted by Kassus

I locked them up about a month ago on some nearly-invisible debris at my home rink on a 95A wheel. Floor is ALWAYS dirty. The wannabe rink rats that "clean" the floor run the dust mop over the floor at a fast speed while they already have their skates on.

Sh!t at least they run the mop around...... dust mopping here is a rare thing.

I can't remember the last time floor debris was an issue aside from hearing / feeling me run it over lol.

Less than 10mph ya gotta be careful, so we're always cooking it

[Sunnyape]

Same as others have said, the larger the wheel, the more it will roll over smaller things. Also, a bit softer also helps.

[fierocious1]

[IMG]Outdoor skates completed and tested. by fierocious1, on Flickr[/IMG]

85mm

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi fierocious1,

Aside from those Xtra Large Wheels, That Long WB helps out too. Nice !

Harold

[fierocious1]

Originally Posted by Skatervideoguy

Hi fierocious1,

Aside from those Xtra Large Wheels, That Long WB helps out too. Nice !

Harold

Yeah the long frames are stable. I have one frame that is 8 3/8" axle centers. You notice slower response with it on your feet. Big wheels not an issue though.I finally cut these wheels down a bit. 73mm tall and removed the outer face back to the hub.

Edit: The wheels cut down in this pic.
[IMG]Cut face off and made a small bevel on the outside/face of the wheel. by fierocious1, on Flickr[/IMG]

The tread face is the same width as it was before cutting the bulging face off, but you lose 10% of the total weight to get the wheel cut to this shape.

[Sonny01]

fierocious1 your custom skates make mine look boring. Riedell 297's, Roll Line Ring and Powell Bones 57mm.

[fierocious1]

Originally Posted by Sonny01

fierocious1 your custom skates make mine look boring. Riedell 297's, Roll Line Ring and Powell Bones 57mm.

I must admit, I never did any look up or compare skates very much before building, so I don't know much about production boots. Pretty disappointed after having skated 5 pair in the first year. I just used cheaper boots to allow me to test plates. This just naturally led to modifying stock plates. Then making my own plates along the same lines. The boots just came from trying inline skating for several years and finally giving up on it, hurt my knees too much. However the boots were awesome.
I had a goal to build awesome handling skates, inexpensively. Having the machines to do it made it much easier.