LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Mr. T · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 65 Location: London

I am curious about where you guys go to buy high end skates for both speed and speedness (or vitness like others call it) or high level fitness skating. I am aware of buying over the internet of which I am fond, except for boots since they rarely work as one expect. Do you go to France? Germany? Holland?

Last year I made do with my Rollerblade Lightning 09 + Tru-Rev 5x90. However, those boots have 2 good seasons on them and start showing signs that it is time to retire them. I have custom made low-cut boots, but I hardly use them these days. I bet that if I try to push fast on the North Carriage Road I am going to fall, anyway. I would like to put my hands on a pair of 2006 Rollerblade Pro-Marathon, but I would probably be forced to travel all over Europe to see if I fit in them. Rollerblade only makes them up to size 10.5 (UK), I believe, or 29 in mondopoint size. I am really at my limit depending on the last. I am also discouraged by the fact that Rollerblade on the other high-end skates is abandoning the carbon shells and I think, after many years, I will have to stop my love story with the brand and switch, perhaps, to Fila. But, where do I get to try on high end Fila speedness products? I went around and it seems to me that in London you find a lot of skates but only on the mid-low ends.
And, if this is the situation in London, I expect it to be even worse anywhere else in the country. Any suggestion would be very much appreciated.

Gav · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:56 am Subject:

Well, here's a few links to get you going, to other topics on the board on similar type stuff. Personally I have customs, which are the only skates I use and want Smile

Custom boots
http://www.londonspeedskaters.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1142&highlight=buy+boots

Boot/frames and all that stuff
http://www.londonspeedskaters.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1142&highlight=buy+boots

Skating Shops - links
http://www.londonspeedskaters.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=991&highlight=shops

Some shops
http://www.londonspeedskaters.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=237&highlight=shops

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Big marathons in Germany also have fairs where there will be vendors with fitness and speed oriented skates for sale, usually at discounted prices, which you can try them on.

Be nice and take a clean pair of socks with you if you intend to try on skates.

Beatrice · Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 11:34 am Subject:

it is not clear from your post whether you are looking at speedskates or fitness skates. i recently looked at changing my speedskates and here are the info i gathered:
in the UK:
skate attack - north london - i have never been though.
Dave Belotti - i think he now has speedskates to try, dave lives in Essex.
Bont Skates - Vincent Henry is the Bont rep and has a boots and packages to try. he lives in Birmingham but comes down to london sometimes (esp if there is a race event). Bont skates are really good speedskates, no fitness skates.
In France:
Paris centre - Nomad store in Bastille i believe has fitness skates but no speedskates.
Paris suburb - Hawai Surf Roller shop in Ivry - this is their website, they have a huge range. http://www.hawaiisurf.com/asp/home.asp?Id_Rub=1 (site in french only i think). I was considering to go there for the day with the Eurostar (£60 return if you buy your ticket well in advance). The shop attendant is charge of "roller" was really helpfull on the phone, he checked sizes et offered to order products. you can also buy online.

Finally there are custom boots - see the previous thread on this subject with tips from various members of the team.
Good luck

Mr. T · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 65 Location: London

I am mostly looking for the top speedness products (Fila M 100, Rollerblade Lightining 10 and the like).

For speedskates, I would only consider custom made as my experience taught me that otherwise they would not be good to my feet. I already have a pair of Powerslide Custom-made. I believe I was the first one in the US to have a pair of custom-made Powerslide, Chad Hedrick was the second! They were well done and don't hurt, but on super-rough roads like in London, my ankles are not strong enough for me to use them.

On a second thought, I was thinking that if you guys,who train hard to race in marathons, if you could train on the carriage roads all the times, then if you were to race, say in the Duluth Northshore Inline Marathon, you are probably going to fly given that it is so smooth compared to here. Some may even fall asleep, so relaxing is the skating on nice pavement.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Skating rough ground does help you in some areas. It actually teaches you to skate faster as it make everything smoother. I only recently started street skating in the UK in my speed skates as I tried it with smaller frames on before and was very quickly worn down by vibration. Now I am using the 4*100s everything is a lot more comfortable.

BTW The only way to get your ankles stronger in your speed skates is to wear them. Since you've got some, get out on them in a couple of weeks you'll wonder why you every thought of buying another pair of skates.

Xia · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 874 Location: Geneva (Suisse)

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Thus I am the voice of experience with wasting money on buying stacks of skates that I don't use.....anyone want some RB Lighting 09s size 9½ hardly used no frames.

Started learning the lesson though as I didn't buy any skates in 2005. I have only worn my speed skates so far in 2006 and only wear 2 pairs in general these days.