Skate Know How

Yes, they are replaceable on all our skates. Please note that the Adjustable and Standard toe stops are not interchangeable as they feature differing bolt thread sizes.

Adjustable – 5/8ths Imperial
Standard - 5/16ths Imperial

78A-80A- These are really soft wheels that are super grippy and should be used either exclusively outdoors on asphalt and concrete OR on very slippery indoor surfaces.

84A-85A- Also considered soft wheels, these wheels are often considered a hybrid wheel that can be used either indoors or outdoors. These wheels are good for a beginner (even if you only skate indoors) as they give you more grip and control.

86A-89A- These are the softest wheels truly made for indoor courts like gyms, polished concrete or really slippery indoor wood that has not been treated.

90A-93A- These medium hard wheels provide a normal grip. They are great for medium grippy floors like polished concrete or sport court.

94A-96A- These are the first class of truly hard wheels. They have a low level of grip and are good for stickier floors.

97A-103AThese are super hard wheels only appropriate for roller rink floors and rubberized gym floors that have been treated and are sticky. Anything over 100A is so hard that it technically falls in the B category. This means the wheel is really hard and only meant for more experienced skaters on a sticky, indoor surface.

When you first purchase your skates the bushings, trucks and hardware are all brand new so may not be 100% level when you rest the skate on the floor. This is because the skates are manufactured and designed to have the user's weight put in them. After time the bushings and hardware will adjust, soften and ‘bed-in’ to your own skating style. Every skater is different and the urethane hardware will adapt overtime to suit your skating style/position.

It is possible to swap a plastic plate for an aluminium plate, however Rookie skates are tested for safety with their original hardware. If you do choose to change your plate, you will most likely need to re-drill new plate fixing holes to fit the new plate, which should be done by a professional. We currently do not sell plates on their own so you will need to buy a different brand’s plate to affix to your Rookie skates. Please note that changing any hardware on your skates will void your warranty.

Slide blocks are designed to fit various plates and third party brands tend to be universal (barring sizing etc). We recommend speaking to the brand you wish to buy slide blocks from to ensure you get the correct block to fit your Rookie skates.

Currently you cannot swap a standard toestop for an adjustable one on Rookie skates, as they have different thread sizes that screw into the plate.

"Standard toestop - 5/16""

Adjustable toestop - 5/8"""

To change your bushings, first you need to remove the kingpin nut located on the trucks by turning anti-clockwise using a 9/16" or 14mm socket. Once you have removed this nut, you can take off the washer and conical bushing, remove the truck from the pivot cup and take out the barrel bushing and the second washer (if there is one). You can then put the new bushings on by repeating the previous instructions in reverse. Make sure the new bushings are the correct size and will fit your specific skates. You can find more information in the bushings explanation on our Getting Started page.

Sometimes new wheels and bushings can squeak when compressed or when the top surface of your wheel rolls in certain directions for the first time. This is normal so do not worry – it will reduce once you wear your skates and wheels in. You may also find that your wheels squeak on different floor types. This is because the standard wheels on all Rookie skates are generally on the softer side to give you more grip, but subsequently means they move about more. Again, this is normal and will subside over time. Cleaning your wheels with some bearing lubricant will usually solve the problem.

We highly recommend wearing protective gear when in your roller skates. A helmet, knee, elbow, and wrist pads will give you the best protection from falls, especially when learning!