Skate Skills:

Presented by Asphalt Beach
Ask Bill Begg!
Skating's top coach answers your questions

World renowned speed coach Bill Begg shares his vast knowledge of skating every week in his "Ask Bill Begg!" column on the Inline Planet.

• Find out more about Bill Begg and his column.

Sept. 2, 2009

How Should I Align My Frames for Road Skating?

Hi, Bill: I have tried every frame placement that I could imagine, but I still don't feel like my frames are in the right place. Could you please tell me where or how to set up my frames correctly for outdoor skating? Thank you, Walter Langley

Hi, Walter: Frame placement is pretty straight forward. Please refer to my column "Should I put shims on my skates?" of June 17, 2009. It includes a diagram (reproduced below) of the standard frame alignment for outdoor skating.

This alignment should work for you. It's favored by most top road skaters.

Another thing to consider is the front and back alignment of your frames. The preferred alignment is to have an equal length of frame extending from the front and the back of your boots.

When that's not possible, due to the position of your frame mounts, it's best to have the longer extension behind your boot.

If after aligning your frames, you still feel that something is wrong, you might be a good candidate for shims. In that case, follow the instructions in the shim column.

Cheers, Bill

• Ask Bill a question
• Go to the Ask Bill Begg! Archive
• Skate Tip of the Week Archive
• Beginners Guide to Outdoor Racing
• Beginners Guide to Inline Skating