• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
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.

:(
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,900
Location
Behavioral sink
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.
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
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.

Thanks. No offense taken. I've listed the inline skates for sale and will pick up another, better pair for relearning. I'm a tenacious learner and don't normally give up so easily but last night was utterly discouraging.

Can you recommend a pair for me to buy. The reason I got the ones I have is because they were cheap yet still brand new. I don't want to invest in a lot of money until I'm sure this is going to be a thing for me to do. If someone can recommend a pair I'll go on an ebay hunt. Best yet if someone has a pair to sell, even better.
 

neonorchid

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
6,686
Location
Mid-Atlantic
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.

:(
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.
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
I will try them on again and investigate the fit and go from there. At least if I go to an indoor rink I can hug the wall lol. I wish they had lessons. I feel I need to start from scratch. At least at an indoor rink they'll have music playing and music is a motivator for me. 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. I'll see if I can gather my sisters for a night out at local rink, this way I'll have falling buddies :). Would ski poles help/hinder me at this point when I'm outside? We have a couple pairs laying around that aren't used any longer.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,900
Location
Behavioral sink
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.
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
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.

Ahhh a parking lot, what a grand idea. I feel like an idiot for having issues with this, if anyone wants to PM me that would be dandy.
 

Fuller

Semi Local
Skier
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Posts
1,522
Location
Whitefish or Florida
I would sort out whether your issue with the Salomans was due to being the wrong design for you or perhaps fit? I'm not an expert at all, in fact I'm in the learning curve too, but I would think the 5 x 80 set up would be a pretty good skate to start out with.
 

Tim Hodgson

PSIA Level II Alpine
Instructor
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Posts
688
Location
Kirkwood, California
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.

equipes.gif

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. But it was and is a solid urban skate. Fast enough for an 6 mile skate with a group, and then slalom to spin to jumping off little jumps to rolling over almost anything including tree root-cracked sidewalks until 4 in the morning long after the micro breweries have closed. Although I would prefer the same three buckle ratchet solid shell boot with an aluminum wheel frame.

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. (But newer than the TRS.) It's not a fitness freak count the miles skate. It's a go to the college where there are some relaxed stairs and a lot of inclined wheel chair ramps and some mild jumps type of skate.

surfsnowgirl IMHO you will kick yourself in the butt later if you sell your five wheel skates now. You will want them later. But they are likely not the best skate to get back into the sport. 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
 

neonorchid

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
6,686
Location
Mid-Atlantic
I could never use those things. The mid-cuff on my K2 Mod 125 "marathon skates" has been driving me crazy (I like the support but they bother my achillies tendon when in the air on the pendulum push swing around after the outward push, same reason why I chucked my orginal first gen K2 Radical Pro for a cross-over race boot over 10 years ago).

But @Tim Hodgson, your skates are fine if your idea of skating looks like this -

 
Last edited:

neonorchid

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
6,686
Location
Mid-Atlantic
@cantunamunch, have you seen the Rollerblade Endurance Pro 125? Powerslide did the concept several years back only to be axed from the line after a short two year run. -
FWIW, I have zero expectations for them. The only Rollerblade brand skate which I skated and ever cared for wasn't a Rollerblade at all, it was a Davide Mariani boot Rollerblade Problade 195 Race, I couldn't deal with any of their "marathon" skates except for their 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.
 

neonorchid

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
6,686
Location
Mid-Atlantic
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
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..
 

Tim Hodgson

PSIA Level II Alpine
Instructor
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Posts
688
Location
Kirkwood, California
neonorchild Yes, that's it! Only outdoors for 12 miles on Friday night in San Francisco with a pint first, like this:


David Miles will encourage you surfsnowgirl. Find a group.

4 wheel skates were particularly helpful for crack the whip with 175 skaters in the Palace of Fine Arts.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,900
Location
Behavioral sink
I would think the 5 x 80 set up would be a pretty good skate to start out with.

Not for (re)learning to heel brake - the lever arm is extra long on the brake side and really short on the cuff side.

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.

equipes.gif

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.

That was a good skate. It didn't quite soft-boil the feet like the unvented Lightnings, it had a lower delta than the Lightninga and a lighter feel. RB went on to change the buckles on it (which was a good thing) but then all the kludgey cuff-brake ABT versions kinda killed interest, and then softshells came in.
Plenty of cones, plenty of garage ramps at 40mph+, and even lots of hockey was played on those things.

FWIW, the secret is not in the gear, the secret is in the stride. Even wearing ^those skates you could be fit enough to outspeed most intermediate cyclists on pop-up hills. And, if you can click the bottoms of your wheels together when gliding \/, you can learn what we used to call Stride 3. 20+ miles will be easy, rain skating will be OK and you can even double push.
 
Last edited:

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
I have to be honest in that I've never been a fan of heel braking. I've only been on inline skates 2x before this YEARS ago and didn't like it then, don't like it now. Perhaps Inline skating isn't for me. I come from a roller skating background and braking in the front always seemed more logical to me. Back in the day we'd make sneakers into roller skates; put trucks on them with skate board wheels and would just have a blast. Do people still do that? I'm totally dating myself here. I'm way younger than my years..... I'm 25 really.......
 
Last edited:

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,900
Location
Behavioral sink

I have extremely strong prejudices against those designs. The cuff band isn't stiff enough or even in the right place for proper edging support so you have to work on lateral ankle strengthening anyway. Further, chances are the cuff angle is wrong and there's chafe at the top cuff edge. Then if one tries to pad the chafe out one has an even chance of cutting off the blood vessels at the back of the ankle. I don't think RB has nailed the design, ever, I don't think K2 has, ever, and Salomon is gone. I've never tried one from Powerslide because I actually like Powerslide :D

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.

OMG the ones with the cowcatcher front-lipped frames? HAHHAHHAA. They might have been good for indoor. Maybe. I used two pairs, with Mogema frames, for about a season before giving them up for pointless.

Now for the real esoteric bonus - do you remember RB's hardshell marathon design? Those had good balance and reasonable damping.

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.

IMO the big advantage to those is that they can be padded into some semblance of on-foot comfort and stability and balance to those who are used to an alpine boot feel. Don't forget, a lot of alpine skiers have trouble transitioning to low-cut nordic boots. What you call a 'cast' is comfort and stability to others. Especially 2-3 miles down the (possibly quite rough) road when their ankles get tired :D

(Why yes, I think I could have some fun on on a pair of Imperial Megacruisers, yes I do :D )
 
Last edited:

Sponsor

Staff online

Top