Floor surfaces
Unfortunately there is a common misperception that roller skating causes extra wear on the timber flooring within sports stadiums and centres. This wrong assumption has previously been an issue for skating clubs and events gaining access to suitable venues for both trainings and competitions.
This should go a long way to dispelling some of the myths and presumptions that surround skate sports.
Because of this perception and possibility to cause damage the design of all skates manufactured recently has been done to ensure that they cause no damage at all to any flooring surface, including timber sports courts. In many cases the skater is more worried about the wear that the surface will have on their expensive wheels.
Wheels
Wheels for all skates are made of soft non marking rubbers and polyurethane. Polyurethane is a type of durable plastic that is often softer than the surface it is being used on. It is this softness that allows grip for turning and stopping manoeuvres in the same way that a sports shoe provides these actions.
Brake pads
Brake pads are designed to be non-marking and made of almost the exact materials of a sports shoes sole.
Bearings
Any moving bearing parts are all hidden within the cover of the soft wheel plastics and rubbers. They are designed to be encased within the wheel and do not protrude anywhere near the outside of the wheel edge, therefore not touching the floor surface at any time.
Axles
Again all hard axles are well designed to be non protruding from the skate and therefore at no time do they become a point of contact to the flooring surface, instead of soft wheels, brake pads and boot act as a cushion around the hard axles to avoid this part touching or making any contact with the floor, equipment or other players. The design features are also done to ensure the safety of other skaters.
Boot
As per all sports shoes and boots the body /shoe of the skate is made of traditional materials including leather, fabric and rubber. Although this material is firm and designed to support the ankle it has no different impact on the flooring surface than any other type of sports shoe.
Before all events or Skatescool lessons skates and equipment are checked by our instructors to ensure they are safe to both the surface and skaters. Please find below two references from venues who Skatescool uses weekly.
