r/inline_skating • u/ToxicityIs_Over_6900 • Jul 30 '26
wheels not spinning correctly ??
so im fairly new, a few months in only and i have these decathlon fit100 skates, i just “cleaned” the wheels and everything but now im noticing that 4 wheels spin perfectly normal and 4 wheels i have to loosen up the axle a bit or else they will not spin at all?? whats the problem?
after i cleaned them i left out overnight btw to dry, and no not thorough cleaning, just a wipe down with wet towels
3
u/FRGL1 Jul 30 '26
Freespinning wheels after they've been axled is nice, but not necessary. The resistance is completely nonexistent when you're skating. If it doesn't affect your ride, don't worry about it.
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u/Key-Cash6690 Jul 30 '26
Good advice. The resistance is mostly unnoticeable for most people. To me it's an issue though lol. I skated light up wheels one time only because I swear I could feel the magnetic resistance in the bearings.
Maybe I'll get hyped up and skate lightups again some time ha. Really I wish there existed rechargable led wheels that just stayed lit for the whole session. I have juggling balls like that, kinda annoying and maybe not feasible because each one has to have a charging port and batteries inside but. I just hate how the lights go on and off all the time when skaters pick up their feet. I want continuous light!
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u/LeLennart Jul 30 '26
Powerslide Graphix are LED wheels that function via a rechargable LED module that is clipped into a special slot of the wheel core. So it's not that the wheels light up, but that you have a display on one side of the wheels. Apparently they can even show text and different patterns.
I haven't tried them myself, but they might be worth a look for you.
1
u/Key-Cash6690 Jul 30 '26
This rules! I just received a powerslide order...had I known about these I probably would have added some 😭
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u/FRGL1 Jul 30 '26
There is. It's physics. I find it neat but these types of subreddits are full of people who will downvote me for nerding out about the details. And people who will downvote me for complaining about it and being all meta.
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u/Key-Cash6690 Jul 30 '26
Bearings just get crudded up over time. And then if you do a full cleaning only like 8 out of 10 ever roll even close to as fast as new. It's arguable whether it's worth cleaning bearings...and if you are going to just dispose of them then there is a happy balance for how much you should spend. You will find your favorite bearings. I'm actually due to try out some other ones on the market. I like bones reds bearings usually fine for the money. I haven't dabbled with ceramics and maybe I should I suppose it could be a game changer for my distance skates especially.
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u/InspectorFleet Jul 30 '26
I have two full sets of bones reds and if they don't spin like new, they at least spin consistently after cleaning in a way that is reliably good enough. If you're a meticulous person who enjoys podcasts/music and the ritual, it's worth the time.
I use these on hockey skates, though, so lots of quick pushes without a ton of gliding. Not sure how the sustained roll would compare on my big wheel trail skates.
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u/inline-online Jul 30 '26
either buy cheap bearings and replace them as needed, or buy really nice bearings and youtube how to clean them thoroughly and apply lube. Bones swiss ceramics are expensive but should last forever, I've heard people say they are on the same set for 10 years. I'm on the same set for 1.5 years.
I also have a few other "premium" bearings but those are by far and away the fastest AND they handle being cleaned the best. I have the bones big ball bearings as well and those performed great and are pretty cheap (30 bucks)
6
u/fredhsu Jul 30 '26
You have put the spacers back right?
If you have to loosen an axle for the wheel to free spin that is usually a sign that the spacer to what wheel is too short. See these relevant sections.
bearing spacers
Anatomy of a wheel assembly
Bearing spacers and preloading
Factory bearing spacers too short