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Freeline skates are a pair of skates designed to give the feeling of skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and inline skates all in one. They consist of two separate metal or wooden plates with two wheels attached by a form of “truck” designed specifically for the skates. The technique used to skate with Freelines is unique to the skates, and is a challenging wave-like motion. The individual skates, when ridden together, produce speed, agility, and natural self-propulsion, allowing for uphill motion.
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History
Freeline skates were developed in 2003 in San Francisco, California when Ryan Farrelly was attempting to design a better way for downhill skating. His prototype for the skates was a row of four wheels in the center of a wooden board. After test runs and adaptations, Farrelly realized he could simply stand on each set of wheels and not bother with a board. The skates combine elements of both skateboarding and in-line skating, and can be ridden on flat land as well as downhill or uphill. Out of this idea, Freeline skates were born. There are also other companies that exist to support the skating community. Since Freeline Sports went bankrupt and shut down in 2015, rider Mattie Tyce helped to set up JMKRide, who sell a similar skate. Professional skaters in Japan call the sport free skates and in Taiwan prefer drift skates after Freeline skates departure from the scene. (see also Street Skurfing)
Models
There are currently three different models of Freeline skates: