Comprehensive Analysis: A Guide to Inline Skate Frame Types and Wheel Configurations

Inline skating attracts people with diverse interests, whether it's speed skating for those chasing velocity, the intricate moves of freestyle skating, or the casual enjoyment of street skating. Each type of inline skating has its unique appeal, and to accommodate these varying styles, the design of inline skates—particularly the frames and wheel configurations—differ. 

Below, we'll explore several common inline skate frame types and their wheel configurations to help you better understand the rationale behind these designs.

Flat Setup

The flat setup is the most widely used configuration. It is highly stable, making it perfect for beginners, occasional recreational skaters, or those who require high stability at high speeds. This setup provides excellent balance and speed stability but lacks some flexibility. Therefore, this setup is ideal for recreational skating, speed skating, and urban skating.

A flat setup can involve three, four, or five wheels. Using the more common four-wheel setup as an example:

A flat setup does not necessarily mean that all four wheels are the same size. Instead, a flat setup refers to a combination of wheels and frame holes that ensures all four wheels touch the ground simultaneously—no wheel is left hanging. There are multiple ways to achieve a flat setup:

1. Four identically sized wheels installed on a frame where the four holes are aligned horizontally.

2. Wheels of different sizes installed on a frame with holes that are not aligned horizontally. Typically, the first and fourth wheels are larger and frames positioned higher, while the second and third wheels are smaller and set lower. This dual-purpose design allows for banana rocker wheel configuration without changing the wheels or frame; only the positions of the wheels need to be switched.

Full Rocker Setup (Banana Rocker)

The full rocker setup, also referred to as the banana setup, prioritizes flexibility over stability and is suited for individuals who already possess a foundation in inline skating and have higher demands for flexibility. As such, the full rocker setup is commonly applied in freestyle slalom skating, and its origins trace back to this discipline.

A full rocker setup always features four wheels. In this setup, the inline skate is placed on the ground so that the second and third wheels touch the ground while the first and fourth wheels are lifted off the surface by 2mm. This creates a curved shape similar to a banana, hence the alternative name "banana setup." There are multiple methods to achieve a full rocker setup:

1. Four wheels installed on a frame where the frame holes are aligned horizontally. Two larger wheels and two smaller wheels are used, with the diameter of the larger wheels differing by 4mm (or 2mm in radius) from the smaller ones. This is the earliest form of the setup.

2. Four wheels of the same size installed on a frame where the frame holes are not aligned horizontally. Here, the first and fourth frame holes are positioned 2mm higher than the second and third frame holes. Installing four equally sized wheels on this frame results in the first and fourth wheels being lifted off the ground by 2mm.

3. Four wheels installed on a frame where the frame holes are not aligned horizontally. This time, two larger wheels and two smaller wheels are used, with the diameter difference being 2mm (or 1mm in radius). The first and fourth frame holes are positioned 1mm higher than the second and third frame holes. This setup appears more complex. When the larger wheels are installed in the second and third holes and the smaller wheels in the first and fourth holes, a full rocker setup is achieved, lifting the first and fourth wheels by 2mm off the ground. 

This is similar to the second flat setup mentioned above. By installing the larger wheels in the first and fourth frame holes and the smaller wheels in the second and third holes, a flat setup is achieved, with all four wheels touching the ground simultaneously. This dual-purpose design allows for easy conversion between setups simply by repositioning the wheels.

Stanley inline skates factory employs this setup in children's leisure inline skates, enabling the skates to offer greater stability when beginning skating. Once the child masters the basics, they can switch the wheel positions to create a full rocker setup, enhancing the child's ability to control the inline skates more flexibly and practice freestyle slalom techniques.

Anti-Rocker Setup (Inverse Rocker)

The anti-rocker setup is also referred to in China as the Freestyle Slide Setup. From the name, we can see that it is the opposite of the full rocker setup. This configuration offers better stability and reduces the friction between the wheels and the ground, making it suitable for those who perform freestyle slide maneuvers. Aggressive inline skating uses a similar setup, but we won't discuss that here.

An anti-rocker setup also uses four wheels. In this setup, the inline skate is positioned so that the first and fourth wheels touch the ground while the second and third wheels are lifted off the surface. There are multiple ways to achieve an anti-rocker setup:

1. Four wheels installed on a frame where the frame holes are aligned horizontally. Two larger wheels and two smaller wheels are used. The larger wheels are installed in the first and fourth frame holes, while the smaller wheels are installed in the second and third holes.

2. Four wheels of the same size installed on a frame where the holes are not aligned horizontally. In this case, the first and fourth frame holes are positioned slightly lower than the second and third holes. Installing four equally sized wheels on this frame results in the second and third wheels being lifted off the ground.

Another option would be a variation of the third method used in the full rocker setup, but reversed. This third method can achieve two states: one where all four wheels contact the ground, and another state where the second and third wheels are lifted after switching the wheel positions. Such a setup could be used for both basic skating practice and freestyle slide training. However, since freestyle slide enthusiasts are relatively few, there is currently no demand in the market for such a configuration, and thus, it has not yet appeared.