LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

ed! · Last edited by ed! on Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:25 am; edited 1 time in total

Just curious how many people switch between different types of skates / frames, and whether or not you adapt quicker over time / through increased frequency of switching.

Currently, I'm skating on aggressive skates with a 247mm frame and rockered setup. I've recently switched to a 275 frame (flat setup) as part of an experiment.

Yesterday, having switched back from the 275 to the 247 (for skate park and a bit of street skating use), I found it quite challenging to adapt - prob not a good idea that I throw myself down ramps etc.

Your thoughts?

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

I have two pairs of skates I use regularly: the xmax (237mm frame) that I use for marshalling and the occasional NTWNS, and the Simmons/Bont 4x100 combination that I seem to be using for almost everything else. It seems to take around five minutes or so to get used to the xmax these days - mostly it's "hey, why am I skating in slippers?", plus remembering not to fall off the back of them. I suspect that the quite marked difference betweeen the two setups makes it harder to confuse them and come a cropper.

Has to be said that last Friday was about the first time I'd used the crossmax in three weeks

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

I switch about quite a lot. But then I have so many pairs to choose from. The difference between a flat profile speed setup and a short rockered frame takes quite a lot of adjustment as the technique is quite different. I spend more time in short frames which probably explains a lot about my speed technique.

Switching from short to long gives me problems turning for a few minutes. Switching from long to short and rockered gives me problems balancing for a few minutes. After that it all goes away except for the remembering to skate differently when trying to go fast.

Gav · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:31 pm Subject:

I have one setup that I like. I try to perfect my technique on that setup and no others. There's no reason for me to swop frames all the time.

Other frame setups for me would just be a distraction and change my technique.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

However, some of us aren't particularly dedicated speed skaters.

I do intend to wear my speedies more this year in the UK to see how they handle the road surfaces. I anticipate a natural change in my technique to correspond to this if the vibration is bearable. Might have to wait until I order and get my new customs though.

Michi · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 658 Location: Hamburg

I have some frames at home (5*84, 5*80, 4*84) but I only use the 5*84. When I swich back to the 4 wheel frame (last time I did that was last year during Skate London...) I feel uncomfortable - like falling over.
So I stick to my setup all the time.

Adam B(GMF) · Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Posts: 237

I switch all the time and feel good on all frames (speed, UFS, Aggro, rocker - are currently used) - apart from extreme banana rocker that takes a little while to remember that my stopping power is greatly reduced

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

I skated to work this morning. Stopping power, what's that?

ed! · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:06 am Subject:

Thanks for the comments - I think I can relate to Rick's one quite a lot (rockered and non-rockered, coupled with length of frame).

I'm skating various disciplines at the moment, each requiring a specific setup: Aggressive / Street / Speed (I'm currently combining the last two with the same setup). Eventually I want to make a better attempt at the speed skates that I've got, which means I'll be switching all the time.

Based on some of the comments, it sounds like over time I'll get used to it.

peterc · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 1284 Location: M3 somewhere

I don't have too big a problem, not falling much, but tight turns and stopping is effected.

BTW I find my agro set up (very flat, 255) quite similar to speed skates in the way they move/react, but just a touch slower.

But yes, you will get used to it, after a whole day on speed skates, FSKs will feel strange, and watch the "falling off the back" for a minute or so.