FR Freeskate Range: Buying Guide

What is the difference between an FRX and a FR1?
Hello Hello, Stephen @Whataspoon here to inform you guys of the key differences between some of the cheaper FR Freeride skates versus the more expensive versions. One of FR Skates most popular skates is the FR1 and it comes in many forms so you can have a few options for everyone's budget and needs.

• FRW/FRX
• FR3
• FR2
• FR1
• FR1Deluxe
• FR Boot Only/90/310/325 models
• FR Junior Adjustable

The FR1 shell is one of the most popular on the planet. The wide design is great for anyone with a wider foot yet many people with narrower feet can still skate them perfectly fine. FR Skates strive for quality when building their skates and the FR1 is a great example of this.

The differences between each version will be a combination between strength, durability, price and choice of wheel size/frame options. Let’s have a deep dive into the range.

The FRW and FRX

The main difference between the FRW and all the other versions, (besides the Junior Adjustable), is that it is the only skate that comes with the FR 4 wheeled brake. So if you need a brake and you don’t want to pay an extra £15 to add it on then maybe this is the option for you. Otherwise the only differences between the FRW and FRX would be the colour choices and the material of the 45 degree strap. The FRW comes with a snake skin strap and the FRX comes with a thicker smother strap across the top of the shell. Both of these models do not come with metal mounting plates at the bottom. Only plastic mounting areas. The FRW and FRX both come with 80mm Street King wheels at 85a and Twincam MW7 Freeride bearings. The skate also features a rockerable 80mm Frame allowing you to change between a flat set up or a rockered one with the front and rear wheels raised. These models come with a stock FR removable liner which is extremely padded for maximum comfort which can expand loads to adjust to the shape of your foot.

The FR3

The FR3 is a slight level up from the FRX with the added metal mounting plates below for extra power transfer and durability. These plates also feature many holes in a few different positions so you can choose exactly where you want your frame to sit and at which angle you prefer for your type of skating. It also includes a ratchet 45 degree strap across the top of your foot to hold it more secure for an overall more responsive feel. This strap can be adjusted by taking out the screw on one side and placing the screw back into the secondary hole if you feel like you are having to put it too tight. The FR3 also comes with 80mm Street King wheels at 85a and Twincam MW7 Freeride bearings. This skate also features the same rockerable frame as the FRX and FRW along with the same stock liner.

The FR2

The FR2 is the first of the range to introduce the adjustable cuff which allows you to move the cuff up/down/left/right to suit your style of skating. An example of a reason to adjust this would be if you were looking for more support, then you would have the cuff raised but if you wanted to have more manoeuvrability and flex in your ankle then you could lower the cuff to allow for this. The FR2 also comes with a ratchet 45 degree strap to hold your foot in nicely and secure similar to the one found on the FR3. The main differences with the FR2 from the previous models is that the frame is more durable (ie. stronger) yet is still rockerable and it comes with the newer 80mm Downtown wheels at 85a. This skate comes with Twincam MW7 Titalium Freeride bearings and the same stock liner as the previous models.

The FR1

The FR1 is considered the original version of the skate. All the previous models were made with cheaper parts with the rockerable frames just as some options for people with different budgets and needs. The FR1 comes with the same adjustable cuff button but features a stronger metal top buckle which is much longer lasting and more flexible than its plastic counterparts on previous models. It includes the ratchet strap across the top of your foot which can be adjusted from both sides of the skate and also the metal mounting plates below. The frames used on the FR1 are flat instead of rockered and are made of a stronger material from the frames used on the skates mentioned above. This version is coming with the fan favourite 80mm Street Invader wheels in black at 84a and with some super strong Twincam MW9 Titalium Freeride bearings. These bearings are really popular with anyone who needs a reliable bearing when it comes to landing from height as they are very difficult to break. Believe me, I’ve tried. This skate features the same stock liner as the previous models except this time we have the added shock absorber. This has a few benefits like shock absorption of course when landing from height along with giving your toes some extra room at the end of the skate due to your heel being raised and your foot moving back slightly.

The FR1 Deluxe Intuition

In my eyes, this is the best skate we have in the shop. The FR1 Deluxe has all the good stuff. Take a standard FR1 and give it an even stronger frame and an Intuition liner. The Intuition liner has many advantages. Not only is it made of high quality material, it is thinner, allowing some foot sizes to size down and take a smaller shell size for a more responsive feel. I was fortunate enough to benefit from this myself as I have a 9UK shoe size but the 8UK FR1 with the intuition liner fits me perfectly. I can fit in a standard FR1 in an 8UK but it usually takes me around 20 hours of skating before I can feel my toes.. When it comes to the quality of the liner, it will probably last longer than the skate itself. Intuition is a company from Canada that creates premium Ski replacement liners for ski boots and now, inline skates. When choosing skate parts it’s always a good idea to get each part from a company that specialises in that said part. Ever since I first placed my foot in one I was impressed by the overall feel and how comfortable it was. The liners are also heat moldable so if you are not finding them very comfortable straight away like I did, then simply shove them in the oven for about 15 minutes at 100 degrees. (See Intuition’s website for the exact heat moulding instructions). It’s great to see that Intuition has teamed up with FR to create this liner that is specifically designed for the FR1 shell.

Another benefit of having an Intuition liner is that it is taller and more rigid giving you extra support and responsiveness in certain skating manoeuvres. This ultimately helps you skate faster and perform more complex turns/tricks. It also has its own shock absorber included which is much more cushioned than the one coming with the FR stock liners on the standard FR1.

The Deluxe edition comes with 80mm Street Invader wheels in black at 84a with the Twincam MW9 Titalium Freeride bearings.

FR Boot Only/90/310/325

FR have also supplied the world with a few different triskate options with this amazing shell. You can go all out and get yourself a FR1 Deluxe 310 which has all the benefits like the Intuition liner and stronger buckles but with 3x110mm FR Speed wheels or you could get yourself an FRX with 3x110mm FR Street King wheels for nearly half the price. There are also a couple of options for all budgets with 3x125mm wheels along with a FR1 90 edition featuring 4x90mm FR Urban Speed wheels on a standard FR1 shell. Finally you can also get the skate boot only so you can add an aftermarket frame of your choice without paying for/receiving a frame with wheels and bearings that you do not need.

FR Junior Adjustable

Lastly we have the options for our little humans. FR supply this skate in smaller sizes starting at a UK1 up to a UK6 with slightly smaller wheels. The wheels are 76mm Street Kings with Twincam MW7 bearings inside. The skate comes with the FR 4 Wheeled Brake included and some elastic laces instead of normal ones. A great thing about these adjustable skates is that it is not the skate that changes size itself. The stock FR liners come with extra insoles inside that can be removed to make the skate bigger inside.

Every Freeride model comes with a cuff that can be cut to suit each person's calf size. If you feel like you cannot tighten the skate enough at first, try stamping your feet and tightening again. If that doesn't work then maybe you will need to use the cut lines supplied on the cuff to make it easier for you to tighten your cuffs. Just use some basic scissors.

You can find all of the skates mentioned above in our FR Skates section or come visit us in store to have a chat about which one is best for you. I personally chose the FR1 Deluxe boot only and shoved an Endless 90 frame on the bottom with 90mm Undercover Endless wheels with Twincam MW9 Freeride bearings to have one of the, (in my eyes), best skate setups for urban skating that exists today.

Check FR SKates out here.