Big Wheels Keep On Turnin'
David A. Dodson

Rollerblade's Lightning 10 Skates

It is a problem that man has struggled with since the invention of the wheel: How can I use this to make me go faster? The roller skate was good, but the dual axle setup was quickly deemed inefficient. Four-wheeled inline was better, but serious speed freaks soon learned that a fifth wheel was needed to gain that extra boost. Now we're finding out that even though five wheels are fast, the extra weight will wear you down in a hurry. Why can't someone find a happy medium that has the speed of a five-wheel racer and the light weight and forgiveness of a four-wheel cruiser? Well wait no more, fellow punishers of polyurethane, for the skate sensei over at Rollerblade have you covered with their Lightning 10 skates. The big idea: four giant 100mm wheels give you the thrust of five wheels without the significant weight increase.

Sounds great, but how do they skate? Like heaven. We tested a pair of size 10.5 Lightning 10s and were simply blown away by the way that they handled. The speed is definitely there as we were getting significantly greater velocity out of each thrust than standard skates. And the Lightning 10's Auto Shaping™ dual-density liner with Coolmax® ensured that the fit was perfect, no energy was wasted and the feet stayed high and dry.

Also worth mentioning is the hardware that goes into the Lightning 10s. The Four Wheel "Performance Race 100" Dual Box 7000 series, 326mm aluminum frame technology is the ultimate on the market for low mass-maximum energy transfer. The ultra light, racing carbon fiber shell with laces, 3 power straps and an adjustable locking buckle provides unwavering support without unnecessary drag. The Lightning 10s also come standard with four 100mm 84A Hyper Stripe Wheels, ABEC7 bearings and a removable wear pad on the skate's upper.

But don't take my word for it. We handed off the Lightning 10s to Bob Pratt, an experienced long distance skater who regularly skates the MS150 (a two day bicycle ride to raise money for a cure for multiple sclerosis). Here's what he had to say:

"Four wheel, 100mm Hyper's, Abec 7's in a SOFT lined, mid height cut, Carbon fiber boot that has laces, three Velcro straps and a ratcheting top buckle. Complete adjustability! If you can't get comfortable in these, you won't get comfortable in anything. And finally, a "soft lined" performance skate that doesn't weigh a ton! They look heavy, but somehow they kept the weight down. I did one trip around the block and started thinking about MS150 distance. Got a bike buddy to go with me and hit the road. At 15 mph, it feels like 10 mph. What's going on? At 22 mph, it feels like about a 16 mph effort. Very stable at high speed. Didn't get an exact measurement with the bike, but on a small bridge descent that usually results in a wobbling 30+ mph, these skates were running true and smooth. I did 20 miles in my very first outing on them and they felt great. No pain anywhere in my feet and no hot spots. They encourage a proper stroke and the energy transfer is just super. I will be skating them more!

The only negatives:

Because of the length (exactly the same as my five wheel racing skates), the skates do not like to short stroke at all; I climb hills by short stroking. Also, the brake does not work in its current configuration. It needs to be rotated up about 15 degrees to allow any leverage to be put on it to facilitate stopping. Very few racers even install a brake, but it's helpful in traffic and saves wear on wheels from T-stopping or wedge-stopping. I will modify this brake. Lastly, the instructions specifically state "not for rough surfaces, for use on road and track". What does that mean? Roads are sometimes rough. I think they were implying "not for aggressive use", but whatever...they worked fine on the road!"

The bottom line is that Rollerblade's Lightning 10s are the skates to get if you're interested in speed, comfort and ride longevity. The Lightning 10s for men come in sizes 6 through 13 ½ (full and half sizes). For about three hundred and change you can pick up a pair at your local sporting goods store, skate shop or one of the dealers listed at www.Rollerblade.com.