Roller skates fail quality tests

Almost half of children's roller skates tested by Shanghai's consumer council were substandard, officials said on Wednesday.

The council tested 20 samples with prices ranging between 89.9 yuan (US$13) and 880 yuan bought online and from stores.

Eight failed for brakes, connections, bearings or adjustment mechanisms, according to the council.

Substandard brakes problem can result in injuries, officials said.

The skates which failed included the Avigo brand from an outlet of Toys R Us in Minhang District, and those sold on Suning Yigou, an online shopping arm of home appliances retailer Suning, as well as xiaohongshu.com and JD.com.

Regulations state that the distance between the lower end of the brake and the ground should be no less than 10 millimeters, while the angle between the horizontal line of the contact roller and ground should be between 12 and 25 degrees when the brake touches the ground.

If the gap and angle are too big, users may fall; while if they are too small, normal use of the roller skates is affected, council officials said.

The connection between shoes and shoe frames of three samples were not firm, posing safety hazards, the council added.

The three samples broke during tests. Two were branded Changkuai and Soft and sold on e-commerce platform Tmall. The other one was sold by Suning and made by Shanghai Leshi Sports Goods Co.

A sample from Liangqi Industry and Commerce Co failed as its bearing stuck during sliding, while another sample branded Powerslide failed for its adjustment mechanism, the council said.