Editing Inline skates (section)

=== Wheel rotation ===

[[File:Worn Wheels-Labeda Gripper Asphalt 80mm 85A inline skate wheel-IMG 7242-bg-FRD.png|thumb|right|x170px|Severely worn (left) vs moderately worn (right)]]

Inline skate wheels are consumable components that '''wear down''' with use and require periodic rotation and eventual replacement. Typically, front wheels experience faster wear than rear wheels, and the inside edges degrade more quickly than the outside. Right-handed skaters often cause greater wear on the wheels of the right skate, the dominant foot, compared to the left. Excessive lopsided wear on one edge causes that side to lose its original wheel profile, compromising its intended performance. Severely worn polyurethane tires may become too thin and risk de-coring (disbonding from wheel hub) while a skater is in motion.<ref name="rollerblades-dryland-training-1985"/>{{rp|81–86}}<ref name="powell-svensson-inline-skating"/>{{rp|45–50}}<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation">{{cite web
|url=https://skating.thierstein.net/Knowledge/Inline_Skating_Rollerblading_Information_Wheel_rotation.html
|title=Inline Skating Knowledge: Rotating Wheels
|first1=Markus
|last1=Thierstein
|website=Skating Thierstein
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228235646/https://skating.thierstein.net/Knowledge/Inline_Skating_Rollerblading_Information_Wheel_rotation.html
|archive-date=2025-02-28
|access-date=2025-04-29
}}</ref><ref name="inlineskates-wheel-rotation-and-maintenance">{{cite web
|url=https://www.inlineskates.com/Inline-Skate-Wheel-Rotation-and-Maintenance/article-5-7-2012,default,pg.html
|title=Inline Skate Wheel Rotation and Maintenance
|website=Inline Skates
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018235539/https://www.inlineskates.com/Inline-Skate-Wheel-Rotation-and-Maintenance/article-5-7-2012,default,pg.html
|archive-date=2021-10-18
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Regular wheel rotation helps distribute wear evenly, similar to tire rotation in car. This practice prevents any single wheel from becoming prematurely unusable and extends the functional lifespan of the entire set.<ref name="rollerblades-dryland-training-1985"/>{{rp|81–86}}<ref name="inlineskates-wheel-rotation-and-maintenance"/>

'''Wheel rotation''' generally involves three types of adjustments. First, wheels can be '''repositioned''' between axles to balance diameter differences, typically by moving less-worn wheels to positions that experience faster wear. Second, wheels can be '''flipped''' to reverse the inside and outside edges, mitigating lopsided wear caused by specific skating motions such as push-offs. Third, wheels can be '''swapped''' between the left and right skates to address asymmetrical wear due to foot dominance.<ref name="usenet-chen-FAQ-inline-wheels"/><ref name="joyner-inline-hockey-1995"/>{{rp|41–42}}<ref name="miller-get-rolling-2003"/>{{rp|41–45}}<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation"/>

[[File:Wheel rotation-pattern 1 3 2 4-for 4 wheel setup-inline skates.svg|thumb|right|x180px|1-3/24 rotation]]

The most commonly-used rotation pattern for a four-wheel setup in the 21st century is the '''1-3/2-4 rotation'''. This method involves exchanging the first (frontmost) wheel with the third, and the second with the fourth (rearmost). This repositioning helps balance differences in wheel diameter caused by uneven wear. Simultaneously, each wheel is swapped between the left and right skates, effectively flipping them so that a worn inside edge becomes the outside edge on the opposite skate. This process addresses both lopsided edge wear and asymmetrical wear between skates. At some point, all of these regularly-rotated wheels become severely worn and can be replaced together with a new set.<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation"/><ref name="inlineskates-wheel-rotation-and-maintenance"/><ref name="powell-svensson-inline-skating"/>{{rp|45–50}}<ref name="miller-get-rolling-2003"/>{{rp|41–45}}

[[File:Wheel rotation-pattern 4 1 2 3-for 4 wheel setup-inline skates.svg|thumb|right|x180px|4-1-2-3 rotation]]

Various other rotation patterns may be appropriate depending on the skater’s style, discipline, and equipment. The optimal rotation method and frequency should be determined based on observed wear patterns, which can be influenced by factors such as the skater's weight, technique, skating surface roughness, and local climate conditions.<ref name="joyner-inline-hockey-1995"/>{{rp|41–42}}<ref name="powell-svensson-inline-skating"/>{{rp|45–50}}<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation"/>

Another widely used rotation pattern, the first documented method, is the '''4-1-2-3 rotation'''. It was first described in ''Rollerblades: Dryland Training for Ice Hockey'', a book commissioned by Scott Olson in 1985. In this pattern, the frontmost wheel is moved to the fourth axle position, while the second, third, and rearmost wheels each shift forward by one position. Over time, each wheel rotates through all four axle positions in a typical four-wheel setup. Like the 1-3/2-4 rotation, this method helps distribute wear evenly across all wheels, allowing the entire set to be replaced at once when fully worn.<ref name="rollerblades-dryland-training-1985"/>{{rp|81–86}}<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation"/><ref name="usenet-chen-FAQ-inline-wheels"/>

[[File:Wheel rotation-pattern Hi Lo-for 4 wheel setup-inline skates.svg|thumb|right|x180px|Hi-lo rotation]]

Yet another rotation method, known as the '''hi-lo rotation''', is designed to minimize abrupt changes in effective wheel diameters that can occur following full wheel set replacements, an unintended side effect of both the 1-3/2-4 and 4-1-2-3 patterns. In this method, four wheels are removed from each skate, and all eight are stacked into a vertical column, sorted by observed diameter from largest (at the bottom) to smallest and most worn (at the top). If needed, the '''two most worn wheels''' at the top are '''discarded''', and '''two new wheels''' are '''added''' to the bottom of the stack. The smallest remaining wheel is then mounted on the frontmost axle of the non-dominant skate, with its worn side facing outward. The second smallest wheel is mounted on the frontmost axle of the dominant skate. This process continues in ascending order of diameter, ending with the largest new wheel mounted on the rearmost axle of the dominant skate. The result is a '''hi-lo wheel setup''' that simulates forward flex, which some skaters prefer. Additionally, this method introduces minimal perceptible variation in '''ride height''' across rotations.<ref name="markus-thierstein-wheel-rotation"/>