Did you know that inline skates were actually created before quad skates? The first known skates were created as a single line of wheels. It was until about 4 years later that the quad skate was invented for better control. The quad skate become a hit and knocked the popularity of the inline skate off the charts for a while.
- 1819: the first roller skate patented, an inline.
- 1863: James Plimpton invents the quad skate and roller skate manufacturers nearly abandon inlines.
- 1905: John Jay Young creates an inline adjustable roller skate.
- 1986: Rollerblade, Inc., begins to market skates as fitness equipment.
- 1992: USA Roller Skating’s speed skating competition divides into quad and Inline divisions.
- 1995: Aggressive Inline added to X-Games; later removed in 2005.
- 1996: USA Roller Skating holds a separate division for inline artistic skating competitions for the first time.
- 1997: Inline skates and skating accessories become a billion dollar international industry, with nearly 26 million Americans participating.
We hope that you are now a little more educated on the history of roller blades and quad skates. At Sparkles Family Fun Centers in Hiram and Kennesaw, GA, we offer both types of skates for you to enjoy.
Which skate do you prefer and why?