LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4107

Could well be, but even so there's no problem with a little filing on your lightning frame. Obviously be careful, if it looks like you're going to be removing enough to decrease structural strength, then a no-no. That wasn't the case on my frame when I filed it back in 2003, I need to take off just a half-mm on one frame for wheel 3, and nothing on the other frame at all.

Plus I've done the exact transition you're planning, with putting those same lightning frames on my bont zero boots. It's a super cheap option, and you'll be amazed how light your skates are!

Tim · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 381 Location: leytonstone E11

I have some spare 5x80mm powerslide frames if you want to borrow them. I'll be down hyde park on the serpentine sometime monday afternoon/evening. Just give me a call on 07786643375.

fzurro · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 796 Location: Middlesex

Tim · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 381 Location: leytonstone E11

I can probably hang around until about 7:30 so yeah no problem.
see ya monday mate.

KateB · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 11:52 am Subject:

I'm with XSFred on this one. for my twopennethworth:

Boots: It's all about fit. I tried on everyone's boots I could find (ladies size 7, so there are a few around), to compare shapes e.g. Bont boots are very long and thin, Powerslide are (I think) the widest around. All the wrong pairs were painful within a couple of minutes - especially in the ankle area. When I tried on Powerslides the ankle was immediately a near perfect fit, and the width only needed a little stretching with ball & ring pincers. So try on every Brand you can lay your hands on until you work out what shape your feet are. Of everyone I've seen with custom boots only about 50% seem happy with them, so I personally would recommend finding a stock boot that is close enough and working on that for at least your first year.
It's worth getting low ankle speed boots as they give you better reach on the end of your stride, and the close fit gives you precise energy transfer. But many people start with a cuff to help with ankle stability

Wheels:
In general bigger wheels will help you go faster at top speed. My first Salomon Ivy's are supposedly 80mm, but fit 84mm wheels, and the speed difference was fantastic, so it's worth modding your lightning frames With 100mm I believe you get the same effect, but they are also harder to accelerate from low speeds (i.e. harder on a hill climb), so I haven't been tempted yet.

Frames:
Longer frames are good because:
a. they fit bigger wheels
b. you get less speed wobble at high speed (for me, that's coming down a steep hill)
Shorter frames are more manoeuverable (hence why hockey & slalom skates have short frames)

Bolt spacing:
Most of the faster skaters have now moved to 100mm*4 wheels. But the shortest frame that can take that doesn't fit on a classic boot, as the frame bolt spacing is wrong, and interferes with the wheels. This is why the extended 100mm frames and the 100,100,84,100 frames have been around this year, so people can keep their current boots

enjoy
Kate

fzurro · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 796 Location: Middlesex

Kate, Thanks for the answer there. I think I'm going to stay with my boots for now and try a few different setups. Will also try other people's boots when I start meeting some of you if you don't mind ...

I didn't know about people having problems with custom boots also. I have quite wide feet so maybe powerslide are good for me ..., but again, just got to try it ...

Bought a cheap 5 wheel frame on ebay and will hopefully geat it in a couple of weeks time so I can try the setup with that. I think I'm going to end up liking the 5 wheel.

My boot is quite low at the moment (not as low as the racing ones, but I think it's a good start).

And of course. I'm looking forward to give Tim's frame a try later on today Smile