Rollerblade Wheel Replacement: A Beginner's Guide

Question
I have gone rollerblading on a local bike path a couple of times and the other day my wheels cracked and fell to pieces.  The rollerblades are just some basic department store skates, but right now I just want to replace the wheels and possibly the bearings.  However, I have no idea what to even look for.  I will probably have to purchase them online because I'm not aware of a skate shop in my small midwestern town in Kansas.  Can you tell me what I look for when purchasing the wheels and bearings?  The bike path is asphalt and I'm fairly athletic as I also lift weights, run and bicycle on a regular basis.  Another question is when I see a price online for wheels is that the price for one wheel or a set of them?  As you can tell this is all very new to me, but I'm excited to add rollerblading to my workout routine.

Answer
Teri,
I will answer your question, however, my advise to you would to invest in a good pair of inlines, because what you have told me indicates to me that your skates, to put it gently, are not up to par & you would do well to replace them.

However, the wheels I would recommend, since you are skating on a hard surface, get a set of nice forgiving 78A durometer (hardness) wheels & millimeters somewhere in the low to mid 80s. Taller wheels are more for racing & are less stable for recreational skating. The advertised price for wheels are for a set, not a single wheel.

The bearings - I would recommend that you opt for an ABEC 5 or 7 bearing. 1 & 3 are too slow & 9 is overkill unless you are on a speed track.

If you haven't already done so, invest in a helmet, knee & elbow pads & wrist guards. Enjoy your new found sport - it is most rewarding & skate safely.

Roll on!!...........................Lezly Ziering (director - Lezly Skate School - estab. 1979) www.SkateGuru.com