Rollerblade RB 80 Cruiser W - Black/Aqua Inline Skates

Rollerblade are known for making great urban skates. Their dedication to freeskating is obvious when you consider that they are the only company to ever release a pro-model for an urban skater, and not just one, too. Three pro skates for Greg Mirzoyan and one (so far) for Danny Aldridge speak for themselves – Italian brand treats freeskating very seriously.

In recent years the amazing Twister Edge skates serve as the “flagship” skates of Rollerblade urban line. The company has not forgotten about customers with slimmer wallets, too – they also offer a very well-made, cheaper RB line of skates, the very same ones which Danny has used as base for his incredibly popular pro-model.

We won’t describe a story behind RB 80 skates here, as it’s a subject for another article. If you want to learn more, you are in luck, because we have such article ready right here. Beware – it is written by rollerblading geek and is packed with technical details! As the piece you are reading right now is a product description, we’ll just focus on technical details of the RB 80 Cruiser skate here. It is a new edition of the popular entry-level freeskate which won acclaim of skaters worldwide.

One can said that current RB 80 Cruiser skates are simple repaints of last year’s models, but that is not entirely true.

We get the same liner as last year, a “Performance” line one. It is thick, comfortable and anatomically shaped. Furthermore, the mesh material in which foams are covered does excellent job at expelling moisture and letting air inside.

Liner resides inside a strong, well ventilated shell which have metal plates embedded in places of frame mounting points. This makes the boot and frame connection very rigid and strong, improving energy transfer and making the skates really fast. On top of the cuff you’ll find a plastic buckle and the shell itself can be laced above the ankle, providing a great, snug fit. The 45 degree buckle is helping to lock the heel in place.

The boot offers a high level of comfort and comes with a wide toe box, giving plenty of space for toes. There are six vent holes in upper part of the shell: two by the toes, two big ones on the sides and two by the heel. The underneath of it also have holes in central area, giving a superb air flow inside. A replaceable slider protecting the side of the shell from damage is a nice touch.

The frames is another big change for year 2022. For last few years, Cruiser version of RB 80 skate has came with embossed frame with double-piece axles. This was a simple and cost effective solution for lowering the price, but comparatively to rest of Rollerblade's freeskates, it was the worst frame of them all. New version of the skate comes with the same frame as more expensive RB Pro X version. Thus, you are getting a real deal and true RB 80 experience - it is extruded and CNC machined frame. More seasoned skaters should recall that before Pro and Cruiser versions were introduced, there was simply an one model - Rollerblade RB 80, which came with this exact frame. You can say that new Cruisers are a throwback to these times, as the parts they are made of are exactly the same. That's a good thing!

As it is commonly found in freeskates, the frame measures 243 mm, making it a manoeuvrable, versatile gear for urban adventures. The skate comes stock with four 80 mm wheels in flat setup, but all it takes to make it a rockered setup is replacing outer ones with 76 mm diameter and the skate is ready for freestyle fun.

But surprises do not stop here. The two biggest sizes, EU47 and EU48, now come with longer frames, measuring 261mm. Why? To make the skate better suited for people with big feet, increasing stability. To put it simply, the 243mm long frame coupled with shell of this size not only looks silly, it is also wildly unstable front to back. This is a welcome change - Twister Edge skates have received such treatment years ago (biggest sizes have 255 mm long frames). It is worth to point out that Rollerblade is one of two companies (next to Powerslide) which care about this kind of stuff. The frame is still as low as the smaller one, so fits 80mm wheels.

Stock wheels are Rollerblade Urban of 85A hardness, a basic model in brand’s catalogue. They won’t receive any awards for best wheels, but it’s worth to note that they have a lot of urethane on them and very durable core – which isn’t given in a world of budget freeskating wheels. SG7 bearings complete the package and will give you a smooth roll.

Last part worth to mention is the brake. A lot of companies forget about less advanced users and do not include one with their skates. After all, advanced freeskaters do not need one, and will be quick to take it off. However, if someone is learning how to skate, a brake is a great help before person will gain enough confidence to learn other stopping techniques.

RB 80 Cruiser are perfect for anyone looking for a pair of solid freeskates without forking out for premium models. Not only they have a good balance of quality and price, but also give you a path for easy upgrades down the line, if you would wish to experiment with different 165 mm mount spacing frames. Overall, they are a lot more than just “cheap freeskates”.