Yes, I have been rollerblading a lot
06 Jan 2026now I’m going to talk about it
Rollerblading is a polarising thing to do. I can’t think of many other hobbies which draw so much comment from passers-by. If you like to keep a low profile, if you like to avoid talking to strangers, don’t do rollerblading.
By the sea.
I used to love rolling around as a kid. It was interrupted by injuries (I broke my arm twice when I was nine) and other interests came along at 12. We’re talking Magic the Gathering, Quake 3, Terry Pratchett. Oh also I learned to ride a bike about that time. Before 12 though, there were about four years where being outside meant being on tiny wheels.
By the end I was pretty good! I could skate backwards pretty much as quick as forwards, I got picked for a roller hockey team, I had plenty of good times on my blades. It’s okay to grow up.
Now it turns out being grown isn’t all great
I think I’m doing pretty well at being an adult. I do a job I enjoy and it funds doing plenty of fun stuff. I’ve got nice adult toys (no not in that sense, you sleaze) like guitars and camping kit and photography gear and the BMW. On the other hand, I’m only getting older! No amount of sim racing gear or guitar pedals will slow that.
So why not treat myself and take up skating again, with the kind of set-up I would have loved as a kid?
There’s no reason, the question was rhetorical
So I grabbed some from a charity shop (which happened to be the same boots as the ones I had as a kid! Obviously a tad bigger now) but it turns out I’m a bit more sophisticated (and heavy) than I was at that age and I needed something better.
Here’s what I’m rolling on lately:
Skates.
They are a pretty great ride!
This is all fun and games but I’m only here for the tech specs
I’m rolling on Roces M12 UFS Lo with some modifications.
Roces have apparently existed since 1952. I wasn’t around then but I will take their word for it. The M12 boot was launched in 1996, so it was the latest and greatest when I was starting! I would have loved some then. I love these now instead!
UFS is the Universal Frame System. Yes, the rollerskate companies agreed on some basic compatibility long before anyone even dared to ask Apple to make any effort to co-operate with other PC manufacturers. It just specifies a couple of mount points on the sole and the dimensions of the frame, which is the piece the wheels are mounted in.
Lo on the Roces means that the cuff and the liner don’t go so high up your calf at the back. This is a preference thing. The liner in these boots is a basic one from Loco Skates.
The stock Roces frame is probably great if you’re under 40kg but I had two issues with it. The middle wheels are “antirocker” types, which means they are actually just spacers really. They don’t roll and don’t have bearings in them. Again, this is probably fine for kids and people who are very serious about rollerblading but I’m a busy dad who eats too many biscuits.
Additionally, the stock frame is quite flexible. I think it’s made of nylon and I didn’t have much confidence on it.
A word on configurations
Antirocker wheels are called that because your first and fourth wheel on each boot wear down much quicker and so if you have equal wheels (flat configuration) then you end up with a bit of a rocking sensation as your foot seesaws over the middle wheels. This feels bad, so antirocker exists.
Antirocker.
If you want a flat setup (i.e. four equal wheels) then you need to periodically swap the positions of your wheels around to prevent it becoming a rocker.
You can also get a “freestyle” configuration where you just take out the middle wheels and so have two wheels on each boot. This is lighter but you lose grip on tight turns or hard stops.
Some people do ride a rocker setup apparently. Weirdos.
Modifications
I added a foam insole of some sort to help my weird feet. Plastic boots need plenty of padding whoever you are though.
The laces are now these really classy yellow ones. They match…all of my things. A great style upgrade.
Laces.
The stock wheels (though not the inside wheels remember) were Revolver branded. I think they are 64mm and 88a hardness rated. They have a very round profile. It felt to me like I was on stilts and there wasn’t much rubber on the road. I switched them for some Iqon wheels which were 55mm 85a and have a square profile, so a large contact patch. These are indoor wheels really, so they have super high rolling resistance and you feel every molecule of imperfection in the road.
I’ve now swapped the frames for 50-50 Prime frames. Rosie got me these for a present and I am very happy with them. Each boot is a little heavier but the frame has an aluminium structure and feels absolutely rock solid. It has given me the confidence to put the Revolver wheels on the front and back and the Iqon wheels in the middle positions, which honestly feels so great!
Skating time.
I’m rolling on Bones bearings and they are okay but honestly I hoped for more from them. Fancy ABEC 9 bearings on the outside wheels at least would be the next thing to do.
In a straight line, there’s much less rolling resistance so it is less difficult to get moving. On a turn, the middle wheels with their softer rubber and flatter profile really help bite into the tarmac and turn me around.
So what?
Hey, this is my website and I’ll talk about rollerskating if I want to. And if that makes you want to throw things at me, well I’m still laughing because I’ve got this classy helmet!
Helmet.
