Skate Term Glossary
ABEC: ABEC is the acronym used to refer to the Annular Bearing Engineer Council, the council that provides ratings for steel ball bearings. Bearings are rated on the Annular Bearing of Engineering Council or ABEC scale. The ABEC scale of tolerance classes includes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Higher numbers indicate closer conformance to certain critical bearing dimensions.
ABT: A type of assisted braking system developed by Rollerblade. An ABT brake involves the use of pressure on the rear cuff of the braking skate to trigger the brake downward to the ground. Found primarily on beginner skates.
Bearings: Part of the inner workings of your wheels…basically they are what allow you to skate smoothly. Two bearings lie in the hub of each of your wheels. Can be present in a number of forms, most notably the 608 (a.k.a. Standard) or 688 (a.k.a. Micro). Most bearings are typically rated on the ABEC scale.
Bearing Spacers: One part of the inner workings of your wheels. Bearing Spacers, commonly referred to simply as Spacers, are located in between each of the bearings that exist in your wheels. This allows the axle to go through your wheels and the wheels to mount to the chassis (frame) of your skate.
Crossovers: Crossovers, also referred to as Crossing Over, is a term used for a skating tendency. A Crossover is simply the continuation of skating while in a turn or curve. Crossing Over occurs when you continue your skating stroke in a turn or curve, as opposed to simply coasting with both skates on the ground. To perform a crossover, the outer skate crosses over the inside skate, allowing you to maintain your speed.
Durometer: Used to describe the hardness of a wheel on an inline skate. Durometer ratings are typically found in a format such as the following: 78A or 84A. A lower Durometer represents a softer wheel while a higher rating represents a harder wheel. Durometer ratings do not exceed 100, although few skaters will ever go above a 92A rating. A typical indoor skate will range from 72A-78A, outdoor skates 80A-84A, and aggressive skates 88A-92A.
Fakie: A common term of the extreme sports world. Fakie is a phrase coined to refer to any trick that is done backward and is often heard in snowboarding, skateboarding, and aggressive skating.
Grind Plates: Found exclusively on aggressive skates. Grind Plates are metal or hard plastic plates that are bolted onto the chassis (frame) of aggressive skates. Grind Plates are used for grinding and rail slides, protecting the original frame of the skates.
Hop-up Kits: A hop-up kit is an upgrade kit that includes frame spacers, bearing spacers, and axles. Most hop-up kits are made of aluminum with the primary advantage being that you can crank down real hard on your wheels without compressing the spacers. If your skates have plastic stock spacers, most will compress or even crack if you crank down hard frequently on your wheels.
Road Rash: Any scrap, gash, or other injury that is incurred from wiping out and sliding on pavement during skating.
Rail slides: Â A Rail Slide is a skating trick that involves sliding along a rail in one of many stances. Most often an anti-rocker or all-small-wheel setup is used in order to let the frame slide along the rail. Due to the wear and tear on plastic runners, most rail sliders will elect to utilize grind plates.
Stair Riding: Another trick of the Aggressive Skating world is Stair Riding. This stunt is relatively common and involves literally riding down a set of stairs. It is bumpy, but with the proper stance and balance it is pretty fun. Always wear protective gear when performing stunts such as this.
Wheel Rotation: Proper wheel rotation can often extend the life of your wheels. By flipping and/or rotating your wheels amongst themselves you can ensure your wheels are never worn too far down on one side. This creates a better overall skating experience, and less money to maintain your skates.
Tags: aggressive, bearings, brakes, fitness, grind plates, quad, recreational, skate, skates, skating
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