Artistic Roller: Cushion Fun facts & Easy firmness test!

Do you choose Roll-line suspensions hardness based on your body weight?

Read our Artistic Tech Talk: Suspensions & Body weight

Fun facts about your suspensions:

1.
Cushions will lose their “bounce” over time. As they wear down, you may notice a decrease in responsiveness, and your click action might stop “clicking” properly. For skaters who train intensely, it’s recommended to replace suspensions every 3-6 months(Urethane cushions) or every 6-12 months(Rubber cushions) to maintain optimal bounce and performance.

2.
The default cushions provided by Roll-Line for your plates are carefully selected to achieve optimal balance. They serve as an excellent starting point for you to fine-tune the cushion hardness according to your needs. To determine your ideal cushion hardness, scroll down to find a quick and easy tutorial.

3.
Rubber cushions offer greater stability, while urethane cushions provide more agility. The default cushions are specifically chosen to work best with the discipline for which the plates are designed. As a general rule, it’s advisable to stay within the same family of cushions and avoid switching to a different cushion compound unless you have a compelling reason to do so.

4.
You can choose to have a harder lower cushion compared to the upper cushion for improved stability during jump landings. This setup can help absorb the impact and provide a more secure landing platform.

Determine your ideal cushion firmness based on the default cushions.

You can easily determine your ideal cushion firmness by using the default cushions. Continuously adjust the kingpin nut by tightening it counterclockwise or loosening it clockwise until the desired level of firmness is achieved. Pay attention to the position of the kingpin nut: if it resembles picture 1 (left), the cushions are too hard for you, so consider opting for a softer grade. If it resembles picture 3 (right), the cushions are too soft for you, and you should consider getting a firmer cushion. If it resembles the second picture (center), it is perfect, and there is no need for any changes!

We hope this article is helpful in your cushion selection process, so that you won’t be misled by false information when someone claims that a cushion is “wrong” simply because it doesn’t fit within the skater’s body weight range. Remember, default cushions work for most skaters, and you should only make changes after conducting our “cushion test”!

Until next time 🙂