Now that it’s time to trade in your ice skates for your Marsblade O1 off-ice training skates, it’s also a good idea to perform some basic skate maintenance to keep your equipment working as it should. The frequency of maintenance really depends on how often you skate outdoors, and on what types of surfaces you are training on. 

There are a few things you should keep an eye out for to determine when it’s time for a skate tune-up. The first sign would be looking for any wear and tear on the wheels. When skating outdoors and on rough surfaces, the urethane of the wheels can wear down and deform from the original rounded shape. 

Second, you’ll want to take a look at the bearings on your skates. If your wheels aren’t spinning as they should, it’s likely a sign that the bearings need to be cleaned or replaced, depending on the condition.

Step 1: Inspect the wheels for any sign of wear
More than likely, one side may be more worn out than the other depending on your skating stride. Depending on how worn out they are, you’ll either need to rotate the wheels so that they outside now face inwards or you’ll need to replace the wheels entirely. It’s a good idea to try to rotate your wheels before they wear down too much to extend the life of the wheels.

Step 2: Inspect your bearings
Give the wheels a good spin with your hands and notice if any wheel has trouble spinning or turning smoothly. Proper cleaning and maintenance will help keep your bearings lasting longer. When skating outdoors, your bearings are prone to gathering dust and dirt that clings to the oils in the bearings.

Step 3: Let's swap 'em
Now that we’ve determined it’s time to swap out wheels for a new set for a summer of training, you’ll want to use the HEX4 on the Marsblade Multi-Tool to loosen the Allen bolts on the chassis to remove each wheel. Need new wheels? Get a nice kit of outdoor 82A wheels here.

Step 4: Clean your bearings
With all the wheels removed, you’ll know what to give each bearing a quick wipe down using a towel. There will likely be dirt and grime stuck to the outside of the bearing. If you have a specific Bearing Cleaner, now is the time to give the bearings a good cleaning. This step is optional.

Step 5: Remove the bearings
Now use the Marsblade Multi-Tool to remove each bearing from the wheels. You’ll want to push the axle through the wheel using the tool and pop each bearing out.

Step 6: Fit bearings into fresh wheels
Now, with the bearings removed from the old wheels, you’ll want to reinstall the bearings into your new wheels. Dont forget the bearing spacer between the bearings! Also, make sure that each bearing is completely flush with the outside of the wheel once installed, so that it fits back into the O1 chassis as it should. Now is the time to add a few drops of bearing lubricant or oil, should you wish.

Step 7: Wipe down O1 chassis
Before reinstalling the new wheels back into your chassis, now is a great time to clean the inside of the O1 chassis. Use a damp cloth to wipe down any dust, dirt, and grime that may have built up inside the chassis.

Step 8: Inspect bolts
With the wheels still removed, we suggest using your Marsblade Multi-Tool to check all the bolts on the chassis to ensure that everything is tight.

Step 9: Install wheels
Reinstall the new wheels on your chassis by using the HEX4 on the Multi-Tool to fasten the wheel axles.

Step 10: Inspect laces
Check your skate laces for any rips or possible tears. If damaged, we recommend you get them replaced. Check out these waxed skate laces from Howies!

Step 11: Go skating!
Regular maintenance of your wheels and bearings will help extend the life of your skates. The Marsblade Revision Static wheels are a great option for outdoor training due to the hardness rating that brings the optimal combination of speed, grip and wear for outdoor surfaces.