Pair of Ritter road skates with rubber tyred wheels and fitted with jointed leg supports, made by D.Napier and Son, c. 1896. Previously skating was restricted to ice-skating. Road skates made skating possible at all times of year and on road. The Ritter brochure boasts that its skates were being used by London’s District Messenger Service, proof of their convenience and ease compared to their biggest rival – the bicycle. The Ritter Road Skates design simply look like mini bicycles and have a resemblance to modern in-line skates. They are arguably more convenient than the modern boot skates, only needing to be attached to the shoe rather than replacing the shoe, however this design made them slightly less stable than modern designs.