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Rollerblade Unveils Its Fashion Skates
Some of the new Sugarfree models will sport new low-profile frames
By Planet staff
posted Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006

Click photo for Sugarfree gallery

Photos: 2007 Rollerblade Sugarfree Miami
 

Rollerblade will introduce its own line of women's fashion skates in 2007, two of which will include a new low-profile frame designed to make it easier to balance.

Rollerblade's Sugarfree line will come in four candy-colored flavors: Miami, New York, Paris and Rome (for kids).

The three adult models are basically dressed up and updated versions of Rollerblade's 2006 Wing line of entry level rec-fitness skates.

The skates will cost $149-169 (USD), making them $50-70 less expensive than the competition: the Jette Joop fashion skates, which K2 introduced this year.

Rollerblade's new Easy Balance frame will come on the Miami and Paris models. The frame, along with the redesigned boot, will lower the skater's center of gravity, providing increased stability.

Rollerblade did a couple of things to lower the center of gravity. First, it positioned the frame's weight closer to the ground. "The axle holes are higher up on the frame so more of the weight is lower," said Nick Skally, marketing manager for Rollerblade USA.

It also moved the boot closer to the ground. It managed this by putting grooves in the bottom of the skate to provide clearance for the middle wheels.

Rollerblade designed the skates in-house with help from designers from its parent company, Tecnica, and sister company Nordica.

The new skates will be available March 1, 2007, Skally said.

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