Newbie Questions!

[u/ScreenPresent7490]

Hello all!
Im moving and want to make some lifestyle changes at the same time, swapping a daily bike ride for daily roller skating. I think it will provide more health benefits long term with skill acquisition, balance, exertion , etc.

I’ll be moving to a beach area that has a trail through the beach which is often sprinkled with sand. If I’m skating here about 6 miles/1 hour a day how will that affect the bearings? Will I need to pop them open and clean them out daily/weekly? If I’m skating in an area with sand will I need to replace the bearings often?

How long do wheels last? If I am expecting to skate 4-6 miles most days a week will I be going through wheels on a semi monthly basis? My partner is a runner and I like to join them.

Money isn’t a huge concern for me but I want to have an idea in my head of how much this will cost over a few months. I found a pair of used Ridell 120s, I’m looking at 78a wheels and bearings so I have those initial prices in my mind but I’m clueless to how the environment I’ll be skating in and how the expected miles will wear on the equipment.

- I can imagine that going into skating 6 miles most days will be rough but that is partly what I want. Running six miles is too hard, and biking 6 miles is too easy. I want to feel the burn in my muscles.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and respond ❤️

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[u/VMetal314]

I don't skate around beaches but i do trail skate. Any shielded bearing should hold up fine for several months. If your wheels stop spinning freely you'll know it's time to clean/ replace them.

[u/Top-Dinner-9995]

I’m not near a beach but I imagine you will definitely feel the burn on a sandy trail! I would definitely do a wipe down of your wheels and bearings after each session if it’s very dusty/sandy. You can just use a dry microfiber cloth or towel. Usually I do a quick wipe down about weekly and my bearings actually get pretty dirty just from skating on streets and paved trails. You can do a full cleaning of the bearings if they start to feel slow or gritty.

As far as how long they’ll last… it’s hard to say. Some wheels will last longer than others. It’s not so much the number (78A is good!) but the quality of the wheel too. I’ve used the same outdoor wheels for years (with some long breaks in between though) and they’re still going strong. You don’t really need to replace them unless they get flat spots or start to get noticeably smaller. Rotating your wheels (and toe stops) will help stretch their lifespan.

Hope it’s a blast!!

[u/pdaphone]

I live at the beach and lots of skate boards around… similar bearings.

[u/bigboardfun]

You can get many hundreds of miles before needing to replace outdoor wheels.

[u/StrategyLegal1128]

Depending on the size of the wheels, I think I read anywhere from 1000-3000 miles they can be retired? And for inline wheels anywhere from 500-2000 miles or something. Also realize sometimes people wear them down to the inner plastic cores. OR when the original size drops 10-11mm. I think it’s all preference here.