POWERSLIDE

FRAME GUIDE
FRAMES GUIDE

Frame

Inline Skate

FRAME LENGTH
Frame length is often expressed in either inches or in millimeters. Frame sizes on the market range from 8.1”
(205mm) to 13,8” (350mm ). SUV off-road skats usually are equipped with even longer frames. When selecting
your frames be sure that the length accepts the max wheel size you want to use.

LONGER SHORTER
Stable Agile

Heavier Lighter

Stronger push Faster push

Longer stride Shorter stride

Racing Fitness Slalom

Marathon Urban Hockey
Downhill Transportation Aggressive
PITCH AND DECK

The ‘pitch’ is the regular height difference between the front and rear deck of the frame. The standard in the
skating industry is 11mm.
The ‘deck height’ is the vertical distance between the axle line and the deck. Generally speaking, it’s better to
have a low deck height to get more stability.
width

Pitch

Deck height

WIDE DECK NARROW DECK

More stability Less stability

More difficult edge to edge Easier edge to edge

The “deck width” is also in important factor with frames. A wide deck will give you better stability, in contrast to
a narrow deck which will help you to move faster from edge to edge.
MOUNTING SYSTEM

Unibody Riveted Side UFS 165 195 165 & 195 TRINITY

Unibody
The shell and frame are made out of one single piece. This unique construction drastically minimizes the hard-
ware, thus reducing the weight. Another benefit is the lower ride height to the ground which offers you much
better control maximizing the possibilities of larger wheel use with all the benefits of this new, low center of
gravity.

Rivet mounting
In Inline hockey, most frames are fixed with multiple rivets to the bottom of the boot. Rivets are also use in
budget fitness or urban skates. Mounting the frames with rivets gives the skate a very stable platform but has
the disadvantages that the frame can´t be shifted or replaced if needed.

Standard Side mounting

Frames mounted at the side of a skate are a fast and cheap way to produce skates and is mostly used in kids
and fitness skates. This method of fixation doesn´t allow you to adjust or customize the frame position under
your boots, which is helpful to correct any disbalances or to improve the overall performance of your skates.

UFS mounting
Universal Frame System. This mounting system was developed specifically for aggressive skates in order to
simplify and standardize aftermarket frame production. Defined by the distance between the front and rear
bolts, this new standard opened up the floodgates for customization and aftermarket product sales as it was
now possible to assemble any UFS frames to any sized UFS boots.
MOUNTING SYSTEM

165:
Standard 2-point mounting with 165mm distance
This traditional 165mm 2-point mounting has been one of the dominate mounting standards for inline skates
for the past three decades. This same mounting you are familiar with was entirely revolutionized thanks to the
Powerslide X-Slot mounting system, which allows you to customize the frame / boot position to your own per-
sonal preferences giving you the most optimal skating experience. This mounting system is used nowadays
mostly for urban skates or in kids racing.

195:
Standard 2-point mounting with 195mm distance
The 195mm 2-point mounting standard was developed when larger wheels like 100mm and 110mm rose to po-
pularity. After approval in the racing world, this standard was transferred to modern fitness skates as well.
Compared to 165mm mounting the longer distance between the two mounting points helps to lower the
frames center of gravity, especially those featuring 4x100mm or 4x110mm or a 110mm/100mm HIGH-LOW
wheel setups. Creating a better and safer platform to skate on with larger wheels.

165 & 195:

A frame that includes both 165 and 195mm mounting
MOUNTING SYSTEM

TRINITY
The best mounting system available on the market for inline skates.
TRINITY is our patented three-point mounting system, it is the cutting edge of modern Inline skate technology.
TRINITY features dual front mounting points to create a deep grooved channel for the wheels allowing them to
sit as close to the foot as possible, dramatically lowering the center of gravity. This triangulated mount creates
a solid platform and increases energy transfer efficiency. TRINITY works perfectly for 3 wheels setups but also
provides outstanding advantages to 4 wheeled skates:

· Better power transfer: Thanks to the power triangle formed by the 3 mounting points.
· Stronger: Because the forces are spread over 3 mounting points.
· More control: Due to the strong 3-point connection of the boot and frame and the wide distance between
the two-front mounting points.
· Easier skating: The power triangle also helps with your weight transfer and balance.
· Lower center of gravity: This means more control, stability, and thus safer skating.
· X-Slot mounting to customize the frame position under your boots
· Fatigue control: TRINITY not only boosts your performance but also absorbs more vibration and eases
the roll over cracks and rough surfaces making every moment on your wheels as effortless and enjoyable as
possible.
WHEEL SETUPS

4 WHEELS 3 WHEELS
PROS: PROS:
4 wheel setups usually use smaller wheels. 3 wheel skates come with bigger wheels.
Lower and closer to the ground for more stability. Bigger wheels offer a better roll on any surface.
The 2 wheels in the center make the skates less agile and more stable. The central wheel makes the skates more agile.
The lower center of gravity releases stress from the ankles. Less wheels means less weight.
Bigger wheels offer more push and grip.
CONS: Higher top speeds.
Slower. As you are higher you can lean more on slides and turns.
Less agile.
Very sensitive to bad floors and bumps. Cons:
Easier to touch with the boot on slides and close turns. Higher and more unstable.
Wheels are more expensive.
More pressure on the ankles.

In the last 3 decades frame designs and standards have changed a lot, going from 5 wheels set ups to 4
wheels set ups and now 3 wheels as a new standard. Having less wheels on a skate reduces the frames length
but with this we can compensate with an increase of the sizes of the wheel’s diameter. This creates a frame
that is very fast with its 110mm wheels, yet still very agile with its short length. Currently 3X110mm is the bestse-
lling setup now across most inline skate segments. However 4 wheels are still very widely used and some frame
companies still even offer 5 wheel options in segments like downhill.
FRAME SETTINGS

WHEEL ALIGNMENTS

Flat Rocker HIGH-LOW Anti-rocker Freestyle

Usually all 3 or 4 wheels In certain skate This setup combines Used just in aggressive Also used just in
of an inline skate are in disciplines athletes combines different skating, this set up has aggressive skating. This
contact with the require a so called diameters of wheels in smaller middle wheels to style of frame uses just
ground. This wheel ROCKER frame setup. the same frame but create extra space two wheels, with the
set-up is called FLAT This means that not all 3, distributed in a way that around the ‘h-block’ to entire space between
setup. A flat setup offers 4 or even 5 wheels have all wheels touch the reduce wheel bite on the wheels as one large
the most contact with contact with the ground. ground when skating. grinds. It can also be grinding area, or
the surface for a smooth A rockered wheel set-up Smaller wheels used to create space for ‘h-block’.
and fast ride. It also increases the agility of a accelerate a little easier a grind block.
helps to keep your skate, but has while larger wheels
balance – especially for disadvantages such as provide a higher top
beginners. reducing your balance or speed.
skating in fast straight
lines.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Extrusion & CNC machining
Premium frames are made by extrusion and CNC machining. Extrusion is a process used to create objects of
a fixed profile. The aluminum alloy is pushed through a die of the desired profile resulting in a profiled alumi-
num block which is then CNC machined into its final shape. The two main advantages of this process, over
other manufacturing processes, are firstly its ability to create very complex profiles and secondly to work ma-
terials that are brittle because the material only encounters compressive and shear stresses. It also forms
parts with an excellent surface finish.

Single Voided and Double Voided

Another notable difference in frames is their construction. Frames with a bridge between the wheels are
called “double voided” frames. The bridges give additional support for the frame against torsion, etc. and
these bridges also make the frame stiffer which helps transfer more power into speed than regular frames.
Frames without these bridges are called single voided frames. But there are also frame designs like the TRIPLE
X frame (X Bridge) or the ICON frame (CNC machined out of a single large block) that can be even stiffer al-
though they are not built with a double voided construction.

Triple Voided
Triple Voided extruded frames are engineered to be as stiff as possible to provide excellent strength and res-
ponsiveness. Designed with a focus on intense urban skating, Triple Void frames include a bridge in the center
of the frame and on the bottom edge between the wheels to augment strength and stability. Triple void ex-
truded technology gives you high-performance urban frames that can take a beating.

X-Box
Extruded frames with X-Box extrusion provide the best strength to weight-ratio possible. Engineered with “X”
technology in all 3 dimensions, X-box construction ensures a light, strong, precise frame. X-Box extrusion is a
race-proven technology, used in POWERSLIDE’s famous Triple X frames that have brought countless racers to
the top of the podium, including World, European, and national championships.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS

3D stamped
This is a high-quality manufacturing process to develop stiff, yet lightweight frames. Most stamped frames on
the market are made of two pieces, meaning two side walls individually stamped and later joining together by
the mounting blocks. Higher quality and more advanced frames are made of a single piece. In the first step a
sheet of high-quality aluminum gets stamped, then following this, two bending and stamping processes give
the frame it´s final look. The 3D shape of this one-piece frame provides the stiffness and rigidity that is requi-
red of a modern inline skate frame. 3D stamped frames are mainly used for kids’ skates and fitness skates
where having a lower price is very important. It is also used in some budget urban skates. The 3D stamped
sing

3D casted
This is a high quality manufacturing process to create very stiff and stable, yet lightweight frames. POWERSLI-
DE’s 3D casted frames are perfectly shaped around the wheels to enclose them and optimize the space. Per-
formance wise they can easily compete with any other frame on the market. The 3D construction enhances
the stiffness and power transfer and offers similar performance characteristics to those found in CNC made
frames. Thanks to its lower center of gravity and sturdy construction, TRINITY 3D casted frames score very high
in terms of acceleration, control, and top speed. These facts have been race proven by many skaters and the
most outstanding achievement would be when Katherina Rumpus, one of the strongest and revered Marathon
skaters ever, won the Berlin Marathon in 2018 and also took second place in 2019. 3D casted frames are also
very strong and durable and so able to withstand jumps, slides and stair rides etc. making them a popular
choice for urban skating.
MATERIALS

The material of a frame is one of the key differences amongst the various models. Most of the frames are
made of aluminum which can be found in many different varieties. Another even more lightweight alternative
are frames made of magnesium or carbon fiber.

Aluminum
Aluminum alloys are alloys in which aluminum (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are
copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. The 7003 aluminum we use for urban and racing frames
contains more zinc and has a higher tensile strength than 6000 series aluminum. It’s important for the strength
and rigidity of the frames that it undergoes T6 heat treatment. The 6061 aircraft aluminum we use for frames
contains more magnesium and silicon which gives the material more elasticity which is easy to work with. It
has less tensile strength than 7000 series aluminum. It’s also very important for the strength and rigidity of the
frames that it undergoes T6 heat treatment.

Magnesium
Powerslide offers various magnesium frame options. These lightweight yet strong frames are becoming increa-
singly popular once more as each gram of weight saved helps you to skate with better technique and impro-
ves your overall performance. Besides steel and aluminum, magnesium is the most commonly used metal.
Magnesium in pure form is quite similar to aluminum, but Magnesium is 20% lighter than aluminum at the same
strength. Both are also commonly used across a variety of other industries, for example in the automotive in-
dustry as well as for commercial vehicles. We use casted MG frames 60B.
MATERIALS

Carbon
Since around 2004 carbon frames have been available on the speed skate market, with Korean brands being
the first to introduce them. Carbon is a high-tech material which is used a lot in speedskating, but also espe

Plastic
Plastic frames are very popular on both entry level kids skates or fitness skates but is most commonly used for
aggressive skating frames. Injection molding is a manufacturing process in which a liquid plastic compound is
injected into a mold to shape it into the final product. Injection molding offers the complete creative freedom
to make truly unique frame designs. There are many different composites on the market, basic frames for kids
skates or fitness skates are made of polypropylene (PP) while high end frames like the ones used in aggressive
skating are made of high end nylon like PA 66 with added glass-fiber or even carbon fibers for reinforcement.
AXLE SYSTEMS

There are two standards of axles for inline skates – 8mm and 6,3mm. At Powerslide we mostly use 8mm axles
on almost all our frames.
You can find axles featuring either a 4mm hex or T25 Torx (star) head. A Torx axel has the advantage of not
stripping out so easily.

Single axles
Single axles are very common in high-end skates, such as the ones used in race or slalom. One-piece axles
allow for a fast wheel exchange, so athletes can maintain and exchange wheels effortlessly with just one tool
in a very short time. This is particularly useful in races or at competitions.

Double axles
Double piece axles are strong and durable against impact resistance. Which is very useful in some segments,
especially in disciplines where skaters perform lots of jumps.

DOUBLE
AXLE
SYSTEM

SINGLE AXLE DOUBLE AXLE

Lighter Heavier
Fast to exchange Slow to exchange

Please make sure you always use POWERSLIDE axles on POWERSLIDE frames. Using a different axle than the
one specified for a frame could result in a wheel coming loose and even falling out! It could also result in an
axle getting stuck in your frame.
PITCH- AND STRIDE CONTROL

Pitch Control
This helpful little tool can easily increase your setups performance and is predominantly used by speedska-
ters. You can lean more forwards for sprint races or more backward for long-distance skating by placing
these small plastic blocks between the boot and frame. The blocks can also be used if your individual skate
setup doesn´t match and you are facing a wheel touching problem. The blocks add more space for the
wheels and so give them sufficient room to spin. The Pitch Control is available for regular 2-point mounting
standard as well as for the TRINITY 3-point mounting standard.

Stride Control
Small plastic wedges placed between the boot and frame can help to improve a skaters performance. The
Stride Control can provide a longer stride (push), especially in corners and also can correct the offsets from
mal foot positions like “O-legs” or “X-legs”. The Stride Control is available for regular 2-point mounting stan-
dards as well as for the TRINITY 3-point mounting standard.
The placement of the angled plate can help to offset leg imbalance (pronation or supination).
FRAME SETTINGS

Front to back
The front to back setting option can be used on either the boots/shoes or on the frame depending on the
mounting system you use. In general, 165 and 195 frames don’t have the option of front to back but the shoes
should offer it. For TRINITY frames, the front to back adjustment is on the frame as the side to side is on the
shoes. The front to back on a TRINITY frame has an 8mm range.
Side to side
The side to side range on a 165 or 195 is about a 12mm range, whereas the TRINITY offers a 4mm range and
the TRINITY X an 7mm range.

X slot
Frame adjustment functions both side to side and front to back
The combination of the ‘along’ mounting block in Powerslide boots and the ‘across’ mounting slot on Powers-
lide frames forms an “X”. The X-Slot Mounting System allows skaters to shift the frames under their boots in all
directions to find the best ‘Individual Frame Alignment’ for them. The X-Slot technology can be found in
Powerslide skates featuring both a regular 2-point mounting system and our TRINITY/TRINITY X 3-point
mounting standard.
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