Order roller skate plates online A roller skate plate is the part where your shoe rests and your wheels are attached . It consists of many different components, all of which affect how you experience your skates. With or without toe stops? 7 or 8 millimeter axles? Plastic or aluminum? You'll find the answer below.
Sucker Punch Skate Shop is the largest roller skate store in Europe. Browse through our wide range of roller skate plates in our online shop. Or visit our physical store in Ghent. With more than 12 years of practical experience , we answer all your questions and provide personalized advice.
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The components of a roller skate plate Here’s how your roller skate plates are built The plate forms the connection between your shoe and your wheels . These components appear on almost every pair of plates:
✔️ Base plate (2x) ✔️ King pins (4x) ✔️ Cushions (8x) ✔️ Cushion retainers (8x) ✔️ Trucks (4x) ✔️ King pin lock nuts (4x) ✔️ Truck axle lock nuts (8x) ✔️ Toe stop (2x) ✔️ Toe stop lock screws (2x) Buying roller skate plates: What to consider For beginners, we recommend buying complete roller skates . Advanced skaters customize the various parts of their quads to suit their style and discipline. Think of your roller skate boots , your plates, and your roller skate wheels . When choosing the right plate, it's best to consider the material, the wheelbase, the kingpin angle, whether you want a toe stop or not, and whether you prefer 7 or 8 millimeter axles. We’ll break down each component below.
Materials for roller skate plates Most roller skate plates are made of plastic, aluminum, extruded aircraft aluminum, magnesium, or carbon (listed from cheapest to most expensive). The material affects the weight, agility, durability, and stiffness of your plate. The choice depends on your budget, but also your comfort and skate discipline.
The wheelbase of your plates The wheelbase is the distance between the axles of your trucks, from axle to axle. The larger this distance, the more stable you are. The smaller the distance, the more agile you are . Of course, there are limits to how big or small you can go in each size.
Plates for roller derby typically have a standard wheelbase. Skate park roller skates generally have a larger wheelbase. And for roller dance, you often see a smaller wheelbase. Keep in mind: it's all about personal preferences . It is perfectly possible to use the same wheelbase across all disciplines.
The kingpin angle for your roller skate plates The angle of your kingpins, the connection between the plate and the truck, also determines how stable or agile you are . The kingpin angle ranges from 0° (very stable, less agile) to 45° (very agile, less stable), and everything in between. In the past, an angle of 0° was standard, but it’s less common today. Naturally, beginner skaters need more stability.
Roller skate plates with or without toe stops Braking with your roller skates is done using rubber blocks on the front of your quads, called [toe stops]. Most plates have toe stop inserts to screw in toe stops or plugs. At Sucker Punch Skate Shop, you will also find NTS (No Toe Stop) plates. These were previously mainly used for speed skating, but nowadays they are more popular for roller dance .
Axles of 7 or 8 millimeters In Europe, plates generally have standard 8 millimeter axles . In the past, 7 millimeter axles were mainly seen in speed skating. Nowadays, they are still common in artistic skating, and sometimes in roller dance. Italian brands like Roll Line, Boen, Boiani, and Rogua still produce plates with 7mm axles. Remember to also change your bearings when switching from a plate with 8mm axles to one with 7mm axles.
Buy your roller skate plates at Sucker Punch Skate Shop Your plates have a significant impact on how stable and agile you are while skating. At Sucker Punch Skate Shop, you can choose from a wide range of roller skate plates from trusted brands like Powerdyne , Roll Line , Sure Grip , Sunlite , Brunny , Atom , and Bont .
Find your perfect match in our webshop and order them easily online. Or visit our physical store in Ghent. There, you can feel the difference between plastic and carbon for yourself. Questions about your plates? Feel free to contact us, we're happy to help.
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Related categories Roller skates | Roller skate boots and plates | Roller skate boots | Junior roller skates | Adult roller skates
