Are large skate wheels right for me?

Bigger wheels can make you go faster, but it is harder to maintain your balance.  A well-trained athlete or an experienced skater could handle the switch to bigger wheels better than a beginner.

If you’re not stable on your inline skates, you are not in control, and likely won’t be able to go fast. If that’s the case, it’s better to take a step back and choose a 4x100 mm frame. That is often more fun and will give you more speed. Your shoe size can also play a role: from shoe size 42/43 you can opt for 4 x 110mm. That frame is a bit longer and will fit your shoe size better.

There is also an intermediate step: a shoe that will give you more stability and compensate for the downsides of being higher up. The semi-race shoe, for example, gives you more stability, so you can more easily make the switch to bigger wheels. These shoes will give you a bit less freedom compared to the speed skate shoes. And because of the rotation speed, your wheels will wear faster than bigger wheels. The good news is that smaller wheels are less expensive.