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What's the Best Setup for Young Skaters?

Dec 14, 2011

 

 

 

QHello, Bill: I am getting ready to switch my 10-year-old son, who wears a size 4 shoe, from quad to inline skates. But I am not sure whether to get him skates with three or four wheels. Do three-wheel skates perform as well as four-wheel skates? Also, are three-wheel skates allowed in competition?.Thank you. - Ajit from Belgaum, India.

 
Ask the Coach!
 

Hi, Ajit: Recently, we switched the young skaters on our club to setups with three 100mm wheels. They had been on four-wheel setups with smaller wheels. But on these, they couldn’t keep up with young skaters on big wheel setups.

For a boy with a size 4 foot, I would recommend a 3 x 100mm setup. It would give him the superior roll of big wheel skates without the weight and length of a larger setup.

A 4 x 100mm setup would be much to long for your son and could hinder his technical development. Similarly, a 3 x 110mm setup would probably be too heavy for your son.

In general, skaters need to have a foot size of at least 5 to comfortably handle 4 x 100mm setups and a foot size of at least 7 to handle 4 x 110mm setups.

In most countries, 100mm and 110mm setups are allowed for children. But I am not sure about the rules in India.

Roller sports in India is governed by several competing organizations. So it may not be so easy to get a simple answer.

I would suggest that you consult with the governing body that sanctions races in your area or talk to a local speed coach.

Cheers, Bill

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