Yes, you can buy rollerblade replacement brakes, remove the old brake, and put in the new brake pad.
Rollerblades suffer wear and tear after every session, even if it is minimal and not visible with the naked eye. It may be necessary to tune up your rollerblades from time to time.
It is a good idea to always check your rollerblades for signs of wear and tear before you put them on for an enthralling rollerblading session.
If you feel that your inline skates need some mending, you can either take them to a shop to have them fixed by a professional. Whether it’s replacing wheels, replacing brakes, cleaning bearings, or whatever it takes to get the skates ready for skating, you can have them done in preparation for your next excursion.
Alternatively, if you feel handy and have some knowledge, you can finetune your inline skates yourself using basic tools like an Allen key.
Your inline skates can be fixed by changing the brakes, which is one of the basic quick fixes. In order to install your brakes, you need to first determine the type of brakes on your rollerblades. There are three types of brakes on inline skates: 4D brakes, standard brakes, and pin brakes.
Depending on your inline skate model, you can browse online to find the right brakes for your skate. Once you have the new brakes, all you need is an Allen key to remove the screws. Prior to the test run, make sure the new brakes on your skates are properly tightened.
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What You Need to Know About Skate Brake Replacement
It is important to periodically check your inline skates’ brakes so that you can determine when they need to be replaced. In order to prevent rollerblading problems, you should replace your brakes as soon as possible.
A good rule of thumb is to inspect your brakes before every skate session. If you notice any visible signs of strong wear, you should replace your brakes immediately.
Additionally, if you have difficulty stopping while rollerblading, it is a sign that your brakes need to be replaced. Each rollerblade brake has a wear line. As soon as your brakes reach that line, you need to replace them.
Each brake is replaced in a different way. However, Installing rollerblade brakes and completing the replacement requires a Phillips-head screwdriver.
The two most common methods of replacing brakes are as follows:
- Vertical Brake Attachment – To do this, turn over your inline skates. Find the screw hole at the bottom of the rollerblade brake. You can remove the screw with a Phillips-head screwdriver so that the brake pops free. Install a new brake after gently removing the old one. Place the screw back into the brake and tighten it. You’re done! With new skate brakes, you’re ready for rollerblading.
- Horizontal Brake Attachment – To use this method, turn around your skates. If you cannot find a screw attachment for the brake at the bottom of the rollerblade, then the brake may be horizontally positioned toward the top. Now, You will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the screw which holds the brake in place. Replace it with a new one. Now that you have successfully replaced the screw and fastened it, you are ready to roll!
What Kinds of Inline Skates Come With Brakes?
If you are an inline skater, you already know not all rollerblades come with a stopping mechanism. Generally, only beginner-level inline skates, recreational inline skates, and fitness inline skates come with brakes.
In most cases, the brakes consist of a rubber pad mounted on a plastic frame.
In fitness skates and recreational skates, the brake is usually already attached to the right skate. Rollerblader manufacturers design the right skate with a brake as they presume that most people are right-foot dominant.
What if you are a left-foot dominant player? If that is the care, you just simply need to remove the right brake and attach it to the left skate.
However, not all skates come with a braking system. It is common for skate manufacturers/sellers to pack the brake mechanism separately, usually in a plastic bag.
In that little plastic bag, you’ll find the following brake replacement parts:
- 1 rubber/plastic brake pad
- 1 plastic mounting bracket
- 2 washers
- 2 screws, one quite long and the other one pretty short
In some brands, the brake comes as a separate component and can be mounted onto your skate if you need it. Some skaters, however, may have difficulty mounting their braking system on the back of their skates.
If that’s the case for you, please stay with me. I’m going to show you how to install a new brake on inline skates if they don’t come mounted. Moreover, I’ll show you how to replace a worn-out brake pad so you can stay safe out blading.
However, many inline skates don’t have brakes
A high-performance skate usually does not have a brake. The most popular types of skates without brakes are speed inline skates, aggressive inline skates, rough-road rollerblades, forest trails inline skates, freestyle slalom skates, inline hockey skates, and urban and street skates.
A rollerblade without a brake generally has large-diameter wheels and a lightweight aluminum or carbon frame that is relatively long. Additionally, these skates are usually equipped with high-resolution ABEC-rated ball bearings which make them really, really fast to roll.
Beginners shouldn’t use brake-less rollerblades. Due to the speed that these inline skates roll at, you need good skating skills. In addition to being able to control them at speed, you must also be able to stop them without using brakes. Those skills aren’t readily acquired by beginners or even intermediate skaters.
The majority of beginner-level inline skates and fitness inline skates come equipped with a braking mechanism. However, speed skates, marathon skates, long-distance skates, aggressive skates, slalom skates, urban skates, off-road skates, and forest trail skates usually don’t have brakes.
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Rollerblade Brakes
A rollerblade brake allows you to catch your breath quickly when you’re skating fast. There are many types of brake pads and brakes available on the market that ensure a safe and easy stopping mechanism.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a newbie getting your first steps in rollerblading or a pro cruising the streets at an impressive pace, you need a braking system that has the power to stop safely, conveniently, and effectively.
It is for this reason that brakes are an essential component of your safety equipment. With the same standard brake pad attachment, rollerblades come with three main types of brakes. Among them are:
- Standard brake
- Brake with pin
- 4D Brake
Replacement of brake pads is relatively straightforward for all kinds of brakes.
Step 1: Use a 4mm Allen Key to remove the wheel
Unscrew the heel wheel using the 4mm Allen Key that came with the package. Put the wheel on a table, countertop, floor, or wherever you like. Make sure you keep the existing short axle in your toolbox or somewhere else in case you need to remove the brake in the future.
Typically, inline skaters throw out their brake once they outgrow their beginner phase. The reason for this is that brakes are almost always a hindrance for advanced skaters.
Step 2: Remove the parts from the plastic bag
Take out the brake pad, brake bracket, two washers, and two screws from the plastic bag. You should place these parts on a working surface and make sure you don’t lose them while doing so.
Step 3: Insert the brake system into the frame
You should push the brake pad forward over the frame’s portion where it should go (the brake pad usually comes attached to the bracket). As you push the pad/bracket combo into place, you should hear it click.
There are usually tabs on the frame designed to hold the brake in place as you work. When the two holes on the brake bracket match the holes on the wheel axle, you know that you have mounted it correctly. If you want the holes to line up perfectly, you can also run the Allen Key from either hole.
Step 4: Put the wheel in, add the washers, and then add the axle
After you have lined up the holes, place a frame washer over the first hole. Ensure that the flat side of the washer faces outside and the bumped-up side faces inside. After that, put in the longer axle, the one that came with the braking system.
Normally, the replacement brake axle is slightly longer than the existing wheel axle to accommodate the mounting bracket’s extra thickness.
Step 5: Adding the other washer and tightening it
Tighten the bolt down until it’s snug and secure. Then, turn the boot upside-down. In the same way as above, place the second washer with the flat side facing outward. Then, Once the bolt is in place, screw everything down tightly. Ensure the wheel does not overtighten, though, as it will not spin properly.
Most skaters, particularly beginners, are unsure when to replace their brakes. I think the answer is pretty straightforward. If you have any trouble coming to a halt or feel that the brakes are not functioning to their full potential, then, it’s time to replace them.
Whenever your rollerblades show signs of wear or tear, install a new set of brakes to ensure a pleasant skating experience.
Video from rollerblade on how to remove and replace inline skate brakes
Swapping Your Heel Brakes
It is common for rollerblades to come with a brake on the right skate. It may be necessary to swap the heel brakes from the right skate onto the left skate if your dominant foot is left. Prior to that, you need to know which foot is your dominant one.
Well, it is quite simple to figure out. Every time you pull up your pants, climb up a stairway or kick a ball, your dominant foot takes the lead. A skater may change his or her original habits due to an injury, so right-handed sportspeople may become left-footed skaters.
If you’re a first-time skater, finding your dominant foot is very important. In most new skates, brakes are mounted on the right skate, which is problematic for left-footed beginners.
By swapping the brake, they can easily learn how to use the brakes and reduce unwanted speed. These steps will guide you through switching brakes between right and left skates:
- You will need an Allen key of metric size 4. You often get one with your rollerblades when you buy them.
- On the right skate, remove the bolts, wheels, washers, and brake mount. In some rollerblades, the brake mount is firmly attached to the wheel frame with a tiny metal pin. By using a screwdriver and a hammer, you can remove the pin.
- Remove the left skate’s rear wheel gently. You may find a shorter bolt with or without washers on it.
- Attach the brake mount and wheel to the left frame carefully. In order to align the floating bearing spacer with the center, you must hold the wheels horizontally.
- Once you have finished the left skate, you need to install the wheel on the right skate. A brake mount can easily be installed on the left skates of different rollerblade brands including K2, Rollerblade, and Salomon. There are, however, some models that cannot be swapped, such as Rollerblade ABT Lite.
