| ABEC n. A scale, established by Annular Bearing Engineering Council, which measures the precision of a ball bearing, with ratings of ABEC-1, -3, -5, AND -7, with 7 being the most precise. |
| aggressive adj. A type of skating where the emphasis is on stunts, performed either on street courses or specially-built ramps or -pipes. |
| anti-rockered n. When two middle wheels are smaller than front and back wheels on an inline skate, to allow for grinds and curbsides. |
| ANSI n. American National Standards Institute. Establishes standards for protective eqipment. ANSI-certified means the gear complies with certain design specifications for safety. |
| artistic adj. see freestyle |
| ASTM n. American Standards for Testing Materials. Establishes standards for protective equipment. ASTM-certified means the gear complies with certain design specifications for safety. |
| bearings n. Mounted in pairs in the hub of each wheel, these make inline skate wheels turn with near-frictionless ease. “It’s all ball bearings, these days. Maybe you need a refresher course.’ – Fletch |
| black ice n. A smooth, recently paved street. This is an ideal surface for skating. |
| blur n. An unbelievably fast skater. |
| coping n. The upper edge of a ramp where vert meets a horizontal hanging, along which one can perform various tricks. |
| curbside n. Sliding along a curb (usually a waxed one) with skates perpendicular to edge. |
| diameter n. Width of a wheel measured through its center, in millimeters (mm). E.g., 72mm. |
| durometer n. The measure of a wheel’s hardness, on a scale from zero to a hundred, with one hundred being hardest. Durometer is denoted by the suffix “A.” E.g., 80A. |
| fakey n. The rolling backward down a half-pipe after rolling forward up the half-pipe. |
| frame n. Part of a skate which holds the wheels in place, also called the chassis |
| freestyle adj. Type of inline skating most similar to ice figure skating, also called artistic. |
| grind v. To slide along a rail or other edge, using skate surfaces (see grindplate) other than the wheels. |
| grind plate n. A piece of metal or plastic affixed to bottom of skate frame between middle wheels, which makes grinding possible. |
| half-pipe n. A U-shaped ramp on which skaters perform a variety of moves. |
| liner n. The inner boot of a skate that cushions and supports foot and ankle. |
| precision adj. Term used to describe non-ABEC-rated bearings. |
| profile n. The thickness and shape of a wheel. E.g., racing wheels have a narrow, v-shaped profile. |
| quads n. Traditional roller skates where wheels are mounted in pairs, as opposed to in line. |
| quarter-pipe n. A ramp that is flat at the bottom and curves to form a vertical skating surface. |
| recreational adj. Casual, non-specialized skating or skates |
| road rash n. The scrapes and burns that come from falling on unprotected flesh. This can be prevented by wearing full protective gear! “I can’t wait till this road rash heals so I can wear pants again.” |
| rockering v. When wheels on an inline skate are configured to simulate the curve of an ice skate blade to enhance maneuverability by shortening turning radius. As opposed to anti-rockering, all the wheels are the same size, but placed differently in the frame. |
| rotate v. To switch the positions of inline skate wheels to prevent uneven wear. |
| Snell n. Foundation which tests and certifies helmets to a high standard. |
| spacer n. Plastic or aluminum hub that separates bearing casings |
| street 1. adj. Skating on public thoroughfares, includes jumping obstacles. 2. n. type of competitive course. |
| transition n. The curved portion of a ramp that connects horizontal and vertical skating surfaces. |
| vert 1. adj. Short for vertical, refers to inline skating on ramps and -pipes. 2. n. The part of the riding surface in a quarter- or half-pipe that rises straight upward. |
Anson
My name is Anson Nakamura and I have been inline skating for fun for 18 years. My friends and I skate at our local skate park and we just love to skate. I have been a big fan of the sport since I was a little kid. I started with a pair of Rollerblades that I got from a garage sale. I was terrible at first, but I kept at it and eventually I got pretty good. Now, I can do all sorts of tricks and I love skating more than ever. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cruising around on your skates, wind in your hair. f you've never tried skating, I urge you to give it a go. It's an incredible feeling and you might just get hooked like I did.