K2 Will Also Roll Out Big Wheel Skates for 2005

Company's New Lineup Includes One 100 mm Skate and two 90 mm Skates

By Robert "Recovering Skate Addict" Burnson

Rollerblade won't be the only

Its Radical 100 ($299) will come with four 100 millimeter wheels; it's Radical 90 ($250) and VO2 Max will both carry 90 mm wheels.

"Big wheels are going to be the big story in 2005," said Michael Powell, marketing manager for K2 skates.

The Radicals will both feature a low-cut "Marathon" cuff. The newly designed cuff will be lower than those found on typical fitness skates but not as low as those found on racing boots.

The Radical boots will be fully heat moldable, just like high-end racing boots, with a base of "White Quartz" carbon composite.

The Radical 100 will be equipped with K2's Four Hundred Longmount frame (with a spacing of 195 mm). The company had designed a new frame for the Radical 90s.

"The Radical is for the serious skater --- someone who likes the support of a cuff but also likes the low cut of a race boot," Powell said.

The Radicals will replace the skate maker's Mod line, which included it's five-wheel training skate. K2 will not sell a five-wheels skate in 2005, although it will continue to offer a five-wheel frame, Powell said.

The VO2 Max will be more like a standard fitness or recreational skate than the Radicals. It will have a high cuff for full ankle support along with the 90 mm wheels.

With the VO2 Max, "you will get the same amount of support as you get on your fitness skates, plus the benefits of big wheels," Powell said.

The VO2 Max will be part of company's new X-Training family of skates. The other member of the family will be the VO2, which will have four 84 mm wheels.

All the new skates will come with ILQ-9 bearings.

All the Big Wheel skates will come with easily removable heel brakes.

The VO2 Max should be in stores by Christmas. The other new big wheels skates by late February.

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Related Reading:

• Rollerblade's New 100 MM Skates

Photos:

• K2's 2005 Big Wheel Skates

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Copyright © 2006 by Robert Burnson