- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 1,863
Too many years on the mail route?
No offence, but that experience comes as no surprise at all. I wasn't being snarky up thread, I have spent every season since 1993 rebuilding skate technique from basics starting April 15th, and very much refusing to ski during skate season. Two things happen: Skiing makes sloppy skaters. Sloppy skaters make rubbish skiers.
That may sound more than a little bit all or nothing - but here is the encouraging part: with less than 3 weeks on skates you will recover both balance and form. You have to start from basics and review, rebuild, practice everything from the ready stance (where were your knees when you were off balance? where were your elbows?) on through every skill you wish to own.
This take time and dedication. 3 days/week on skates is maintenance-level. It takes 4-5 days/week to build.
Here is the second part of the good news: a basic urban level skate will expedite the re-learn. The Vitesse was always meant as a marathon-level trainer and never as a skills mastery skate.
Does that answer your question? If you can commit to re-learn from basics, absolutely you should buy a new learning skate. If you can only commit to 1-2x week laps around the block, then you should not spend money.
Here's the third part of good news: within 40 days of active practice, you will own a very new level of balance. And then it only takes ~100 days to get to levels of fitness and ability you have never had before. And that's all still feasible between now and the October/Nov rest break to get ready for skiing. After 4th July the window closes, fast.
How do the Salomons fit? Does your foot move around in the boot when skating? Do you find yourself pronating in one or both skates? Did you adjust the frame position? Starting point, center line of front wheel should be between the big toe and indea finger toe at the front and below the center of your heel in the back. skate them then move inward or outward from there. If you are having a fit issue then sell the skates, if the fit is good then by all means keep the Salomons and work with them. If you can, go to an indoor roller rink and pratice there before hitting the asphalt. Having your leg in a cast with a higher cuff will only be a hindrance to good form, and the Vitesse is not a low cut boot, I don't even consider it a mid-cut boot, it is on par with many of the current "higher end" recreational skates in Powerslide's line. Additionally, a shorter ~10" - 11" 4 or 3 wheel frame will be even more difficult to balance then the ~12.8" 5 wheel frame setup. Your skates were the first pair I owned and I found them 10X easier to ballance fromt to back then the shorter frame high cuff skated I had demoed. Yes once upon a time K2 and Salomon would do demo days in our city. One of the few Philly Landskater group skates I particapated in was their "Mural Skate" thru the city on a pair of spanking new K2 Mod something or another demo skates. When I demoed the 5 wheel Salomon Vitesse along with their 4 wheel skates I knew then and there that they were the way to go.I took my inline skates out yesterday and didn't have a good time. I used to ice skate, roller skate all the time and have been on inline skates before..... However, last night wasn't good. I've done nothing but ski the past 5 years and my skis are obviously way longer than the skates and my balance was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off. I feel like I have no idea any how to balance on such little things. I'm so used to long sticks on my feet that I've never felt so unstable in my entire life on the skates. I constantly felt like I was going to hurl backwards and go a$$ over head. I did it for a few minutes with Michael next to me. Used my brake a couple times and only fell once but OMG it was very, very, very discouraging.
I'm wondering if I should sell the Solomon's I have and buy an entry level, easier skate to use. Either that or pick up another pair of roller skates.
I know I didn't learn to ski in a day and have worked very hard on that but I'm just very disheartened right now because I thought with my background I'd have an easier time.
Can you recommend a pair for me to buy. .
I'll have to wait til the weekend again when Michael's available to go around with me as I'm not going out there by myself during the week.
There is a *lot* one can practice in a small parking lot. Including falling onto the gear
The Vitesse was a relatively high volume last. I don't have long toes so I went from a 27.0 in a flat-foot-but-wide K2 to a 25.0 in the Vitesse.
Pretty amazing FAQ. Wish i had it when I bought my 5 wheel skates 12 years ago.. Maybe this guide could help? But it is 9 years old and doesn't cover the 3wd which looks like a very cool straight line road skate:
http://www.skatefaq.com/buyingguide.html
Actually, back in the era of 5 wheel set-up's, more then a few "city skaters" (Philadelphia Landskaters), used 5 - wheel marathon skates for how well the extended 5 x 80mm wheel set-up dampened road vibration compared to a shorter frame 4 x 80mm wheel set-up. Wasn't just the racers and straight line fittness skaters who where on the 5 wheel set-ups..Pretty amazing FAQ. Wish i had it when I bought my 5 wheel skates 12 years ago.
I had no idea they were for people who want to do speedskating ! Certainly not me !
LOL
I would think the 5 x 80 set up would be a pretty good skate to start out with.
This is my skate. Bought new in 1994 and then a second pair bought for the liners from Philly from a very cool skate lady decades later.
A multi-purpose skate, the 1994 Rollerblade Macro Equipes (EQ)
I only did the 21 mile skate once or twice because the five wheeler low cut speed skaters just dusted me.
I would love to hear what cantunamunch and others have to say about it. It is not a go straight road skate. It is old tech.
@cantunamunch, have you seen the Rollerblade Endurance Pro 125?
very first carbon fibre outsole 5 x 82mm aluminium hubbed wheel skate of which I returned four new pairs due to cracked shells at the front frame mount and moved on.
Although not something I'd be interested in and haven't tried, the Rollerblade Maxium 100 "urban" skate and it's variants are popular with skaters around my city so could be half decent for somone in need of rock solid cast like support. K2, Seba and Powerslide all have versions of that "urban'ish" skate too.