Inline skates are a modification of ice skates which are also a derivative of roller skates. They are composed of an ice skate or ski like boot with a frame attached to the bottom to which 3, 4 or 5 polyurethane wheels are set. These are set in a line (hence the name "inline") and the result feels much like ice skates on concrete. The birth of the successful inline skate design, occurring in the late 20th century, were grass skates with rolling treads designed for professional and amateur skiers to practice off-season. The first inline skate, however, was patented in 1819 by Monsieur Petitbled.
There are many sports based on the inline skate: roller hockey, downhill racing, Inline_speed_skating and distance skating, aggressive inline, etc.
In the past years aggressive inline skating has taken the world by
storm.Aggressive inline skating refers to stunt skating. (grinding rails and
ledges,and flying through the air.)
Unlike any other sport aggressive inline skateing has the strongest
underground. The bar is always being raised. Skaters are alwasy grinding
longer, higher, and steeper rails or jumping bigger gaps. The underground
community feeds off eachothers energy or "juice" to give them courage and
adrenaline to pull the stunt. It is a very social underground like a group of
friends who gather around a pokertable or group of guys that go out for
drinks, skaters call up there friends and go to a spot to skate.
To many people outside of rollerblading they see it as easy because the
skates are attached to your feet. This is because they are looking for an
answer to how the skaters do what they do. The fact that the skates are
attahed to your feet gives you the freedom to explore new architechture and
discover your own creativity on how to skate it. The skaters are more that
incrideble athletes they are artist. Like artist they see the world
differently. When a skater sees the world he looks at things like "how could
i skate that" or "wow that would be cool if you could....." Skating consumes
them. It becomes a passion. For more information on real aggressive inline
skating go to www.be-mag.com
Skating has evolved and will continue to in the future.
Throughout the world; Los Angeles, Paris, San Diego, San Francisco, Taipei there are groups of people, sometimes numbering in the thousands, who don their inline skates for the Friday Night Skate.
