Roller Skate Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is your return policy?

Items can only be returned if they are in like new condition, have not been customized in any way, have and authorized Return Authorization number, and within 30 days of purchase. Custom figure skates and custom figure skating dresses (this includes pattern changes, crystalling, custom sizes, etc) are not eligible for return or exchange. To read our full return policy CLICK HERE to go to our Returns & Exchanges page.

 

What is your shipping policy?

In stock items are normally shipped within 24 hours. We try to stock everything you see on our website but due to the vast number of styles, colors, and sizes this is just not possible at this time. If an item is not in stock it will be brought in from another warehouse which can take 5-7 business days if it’s in stock. Items not in stock at our main showroom or warehouses, that have to be produced, can take 3-6 weeks depending on the manufacturer. There are some figure skating dress makers that only make dresses to order and do not stock items. If you need your item by a specific date please be sure to include that in your order notes and we will do our best to meet your deadline. To read more about our Shipping Policy CLICK HERE


What does business days mean?

Business days are Monday through Friday. This does not include weekends or National Holidays. Please keep this in mind when choosing a rush option on an item, shipping method, and your need by date. If you need any assistance in choosing the correct rush and shipping option please contact us and we would be happy to assist you.


Why is it important to have your plate professionally mounted by DiscountSkateWear.com?

At DiscountSkateWear time and accuracy is spent on every pair of skates we assemble.  There are several steps to having a plate professionally mounted. 

First is size selection.  All boots may vary in sole size even between skates in the same brand.  Selecting the appropriate plate size so that the axles are in the correct place under your heel and ball is imperative to achieve the proper balance, maximize speed, control and overall performance. 

Secondly, the boot sole may need to be profiled to match the blade plate.  This is done so there is not a large space for the boot to flex over the plate.  There are very few people left who actually do this, and it is absolutely essential to mount a plate properly.  Every pair of skates we mount gets profiled or wedged so the plate correctly sits flat on the boot sole.  If this is not done, when you bolt the plate down, the plate will not sit flat and this causes your skate to hook when you are rolling.

Third, once you profile the sole, you then need to treat it to be moisture resistant.  This can be a 2-3 day process to soak in urethane and wax to seal the sole correctly. 

Lastly, the plate is attached and positioned slightly inside center, with the axle directly below the ball of the foot and heel.  When mounting we set the position of the plate, axles and wheels to the correlate to the position of your foot inside the boot. 

We charge $55 for our “setup” which is generally 2-4 hours of work depending on the skate. We also guarantee our mounting process, whereas if you take it elsewhere or attempt it yourself we cannot warranty any of the components including the boot, plate, bearings, wheels, etc, etc. 

How many bearings do I need/should I get?

There are two bearings per wheel; one goes on each side of the wheel hub. So if you have 8 wheels, you’ll have 16 bearings. Beware ordering bearings from a skateboard shop as they typically only come in an 8 pack. We on the other hand sell them in packs of 16. For more information regarding bearings Click Here to go to our Bearings 101 page.

 

What does ##A on the wheel mean?

The number followed by the letter A is the Hardness or Durometer of the wheel. For Example: 88A. The higher the number, the harder the wheel the wheel is going to. The lower the number the softer the wheel. For more information about wheels Click Here to go to our Wheels 101 page.

 

How do I tell the difference between and Indoor Wheel and an Outdoor Wheel?

Indoor wheels are harder than Outdoor wheels. Typically and indoor wheel will have a hardness of 88A-103A, anything lower than 88A is suitable for an outdoor wheel.  A really soft wheel outdoors will give you better grip and a smoother ride than an harder wheel will. The hardness of an indoor wheel varies as much as is does to give the skater choices depending on their skill level and type of skating they are doing. As a wheel gets harder you have less grip and the ride stiffens. For more information about wheels Click Here to go to our Wheels 101 page.

 

What does ABEC mean?

ABEC stands for Annular Bearing Engineers Committee. It is not a brand of bearing. This committee works to determine the standards for bearings for the anti-friction bearing manufacturers association. (AFMBA). The ABEC scale classifies different accuracy and tolerance ranges for bearings.The scale is ABEC-1, ABEC-3, ABEC-5, ABEC-7, and ABEC-9. Bearings with labels like Swiss and Ceramic are “skate rated” bearings and tend to be better than a bearing with an ABEC rating. For more information regarding bearings Click Here to go to our Bearings 101 page.

 

What does 7mm and 8mm mean?

This is the size of axle that you have. The majority of skates sold today have a standard of 8mm. You typically find 7mm in older skates or very high end skates. If you aren’t sure what size bearings you need for your particular skate please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help you. We on the other hand sell them in packs of 16. For more information regarding bearings Click Here to go to our Bearings 101 page.

 

What are “Pusher” wheels?

A pusher wheel is something used in Roller Derby. A softer wheel is put on the outside of the left foot, and the inside of the left foot. (If you can imagine putting one foot in front of the other with your skates on the softer wheels would be on your left, or towards the inside of the track).  This is done to give better grip when going into turns. Its better to have half soft and half hard wheels as opposed to all soft wheels because it gives you a better balance of grip and speed. For more information about wheels Click Here to go to our Wheels 101 page.

 

Will [insert any bearing name here] make me go faster?

Yes and no. Bearings don’t necessarily make you go faster; they just have a longer roll to them. That basically means that it’s less work to maintain a certain speed with upgraded bearings than say with an ABEC-1 bearing. We on the other hand sell them in packs of 16. For more information regarding bearings Click Here to go to our Bearings 101 page.

 

How do I maintain my roller skates?

Click here to go to our Boot Maintenance page.

 

What is the best way to clean my wheels/bearings?

Click here to go to our Wheel/Bearing Cleaning page.


I think my new quad roller skates out of the box do not fit what should I do?

Many customers find that their new quad roller skates out of the box do not fit as they expected. Before you return your quad roller skates try the following steps to ensure a proper fit.  Pull the insole of the quad roller skate out and stand on it with your heel at the back edge of the insole. You should be able to see approximately 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch of the insole in front of your toes. If your heel is to the back and your toes are hanging over the insole the skate is likely too short. If there is 1/2 inch or more in front of your toes the skate is likely too big. If the length seems to be fine, it may be the width of the skate that is too narrow or wide. Your foot should roll over the entire sides of the insole. If you can see the width of the insole when standing on it, the skates may be too wide. More commonly your toes will hang off the insoles sides slightly. It is normal for 1/2 of your pinkie toe and big toe to be hanging off the insole. Again this is completely normal as the skates will stretch. If more than half of either toe is hanging off the insole the skates may just need to be stretched or punched out. Most Pro Shops have the equipment to do this, or you can send your skates back to us and we will happily do it for you.