They
decided to stay with it and try again. Maybe they didn't need
such a big wheel. Maybe they didn't need such a long wheelbase.
They decided to build a new pair of skates with two 8-inch, air
filled tires on each skate. Because the rear wheels were much
smaller, they could put both wheels closer together on a smaller
frame. They continued to angle both wheels in order to maintain
balance... and it worked!
They now had a skate that could glide over dirt roads, grassy slopes, cracked pavement and smooth surfaces. Not only did it work well, but test skaters thought that the air-filled tires provided the smoothest riding skate they had ever tried. There was only one real problem. The skates were still too heavy and some what unwieldy. The front wheel at 8 inches was still too big. It extended too high above the boot and restricted a skater's ability to cross over. They were not there yet.
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