I think I found that skate to ski app on here a while back and was working my way through it. My plan was to get good enough when it was still dark that I was less of a liability when it got to the light evenings and I was easier to spot. It was actually really good. When I started skiing again a few years back the instructor kept asking if I skated, which I did loads as a kid. I wasn't sure why he was so convinced that I was a skater but after working through that app I can see why it's such a help with balance and control. If you can balance on skates then skis aren't such an issue.
Once my S20BB leg 'issue' is resolved I'll be back on the skates for sure. I bought some with 3 larger wheels, like 120mm I think, and they roll really smoothly. Really fun to skate on, I'd recommend checking out that style if you're buying some skates and not skating on super smooth surfaces.
I really need to work on stopping. I'd like to be able to hockey stop but got a long way to go before that I think.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Dubmuffin, Well done that Snowhead, I have only got the EoSB booked this year, so I have been keeping up skating to try and boost my fitness for that. Luckily I've been in the Australian sun and got the chance to cruise along the seafront at Manley and Glenelg which I can't complain about
I can turn 180s on ice but not so well on concrete, there is a never ending list of moves to practice
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Seahoob, Hope you enjoyed the bash - I think you even got some snow didn't you? Has skating in the Australian sun helped?
@B., Yes, I have that app too, the only issue I had was finding a space suitable to practice those slaloms! I'm not a good stopper either - snow plough is a useful technique, but I am t stopping a bit now too. I'm on 4 x 80mm softish wheels - beginner skates - but can see the benefit of the larger ones on uneven and rough ground - not ready to treat myself to an upgrade yet!
I've dropped in here to share my latest discovery. I've progressed from the park and tennis court to the newly surfaced side road which is a little less busy after about 7pm. I now have somewhere I can actually get up a bit of speed and attempt some turns (traffic permitting). I also took a trip to Crystal Palace last weekend as I heard it was a good surface to practice on, and I got a couple of tips from a skater there. I can now turn 180 at slow speeds, and yesterday I managed what I think was a proper slalom across the centre line in the tacmac - that's progress! I can also skate home on all the higgledy piggledy paving slabs but yet to skate out as they are downhill so a bit risky. I'm ready to remove the heel brake, just waiting for a shorter axle bolt to arrive - can't come soon enough.
Where did you go in Crystal Palace? The skate park? I was lapping Dulwich park, it's about 1400m I think, pretty flat but the surface isn't super smooth. Vibes in your boots but a good place to try and get some practice in - if it's quiet. Evening are usually fine. Sat morning is park run chaos.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Dubmuffin, Take care and practice your "T stops", something I dont do enough of.
Now the weather is geting better skaters are coming out of hibernation and there seem to be a few meet ups occuring.
I just need to build up my stamena and link up the patches of smooth tarmac to create a long distance route to practice on.
Found this video I filmed from back in 2002 when we used to skate around the mean streets of Paris - including William doing some nice spins on les Champs
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@B., It wasn't the skate park, it was the elevated bit by the entrance to the sports centre, I read somewhere it was smooth and dried quickly! It's not very long but reasonably wide so good for practising turns. I think a few people go there to skate so I was hoping to go and copy people with more skill than me.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Are you guys using the wheels rockered or flat? When my kids used to play roller hockey (ice hockey on Rollerblades) we used to change an insert on the middle two wheel bolts to make the wheels sit lower and make the skates easier to turn. You really need to be on top of your fore - aft balance when you have them set like this especially when others are crashing into you.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
There are some old Salomon inline skates that are the opposite to what you mention with the middle two wheels higher than front and back, these are supposedly the best for technical alpine ski training.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Glosterwolf wrote:
There are some old Salomon inline skates that are the opposite to what you mention with the middle two wheels higher than front and back, these are supposedly the best for technical alpine ski training.
Sounds a bit strange, no point in middle wheels on smooth ground. I would have thought with rockered set up weight forwarded to initiate turn and weight on the heels a little to accelerate out of the turn would be good much like SL/GS technique. Not disagreeing BTW but just doesn't seem logical at least on a smooth surface.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
No idea, was told this by a qualified race coach though. I guess they couldn't be much higher or they wouldn't even make contact with ground even when on edge as they don't flex like a ski. It was a few years ago and he did send me a link of the skates. The middle wheels did seem to be slightly higher but not much, they were also a different colour so could have been an optical illusion that led him and then consequently me to believe that was the case. Me and my daughters have inline skates but they are just 80mm and all level.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@davidof, Are you in any of the videos? There are some good skaters in the first video, but the numbers in the second look massive 1000+?
"I couldn't even stand up on inline skates now !"
Give it a go, Decathlon has skates for 60 Euros, it's the best thing i've ever done for improving my fitness and skiing.
@Glosterwolf, Yes rockered skates are thing, it shortens the wheelbase and improves the turning circle. It is often used with longer 5 wheel setups. A whole new Google wormhole to go down, wizard skating.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Seeing a Tom Moyse video linked here wasn't on my 2024 snow heads bingo card!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I just found the old camp group chat, salomon fsk was what he recommended and it looks like I misunderstood. It is infact the way @Chris_n, described with rocker. It must have been the colour of the wheels making them look the opposite to what they actually were.
A special case of a pre-rockered (or not) frame is the Salomon FSK EA series:
The Salomon FSK EA frames don't have the axle holes on the same level - this is what Salomon calls a 'HiLo' setup, but which, in reality, is a flat setup with different wheel sizes.
If you want to create any of the setups above on this frame you have to subtract twice the axle height difference (2mm on these frames) from the 'normal' wheel size (think about it... radius vs diameter..., e.g. the same proper HiLo from above requires 80-78-72-70 wheels now.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Seahoob wrote:
@davidof, Are you in any of the videos? There are some good skaters in the first video, but the numbers in the second look massive 1000+?
I took both videos and it was a bit "new" for people then to video stuff so no one wanted to take my camera - it was a chunky sony digital 8mm back in the day. I was nowhere near as good as William doing the 180s on les Champs but I used to skate back down there after work most days - it was great slalom practice but the side roads were "priority from the right" so you had to watch out for cars wizzing straight out onto the main road.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Hello again, how's the skating coming on? I've been doing a fair bit of practice lately and looking at lots of Instagram and YouTube people for inspiration. At what point do you decide to upgrade your skates? Slightly frustrated with the rough terrain around here but also aware of my stupid, still a bit of a beginner, status as anything slightly downhill scares the life out of me, stopping quickly is somewhat impossible and two backwards falls (I know, touch your knees) make me over aware of my age!
Interesting clip at 11.35 of reverse rocker set up with 2 centre wheels higher...
Interesting clip at 11.35 of reverse rocker set up with 2 centre wheels higher...
having normal rocker (two center wheels larger than end wheels) I think I will go back to flat as it makes the skates more unstable. I only tried rocker because I had two sets of 2mm different wheels to fit.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
davidof wrote:
Dubmuffin wrote:
Interesting clip at 11.35 of reverse rocker set up with 2 centre wheels higher...
having normal rocker (two center wheels larger than end wheels) I think I will go back to flat as it makes the skates more unstable. I only tried rocker because I had two sets of 2mm different wheels to fit.
I guess that most of the time having a rocker set up means balancing on two centre wheels rather than four making life harder than it needs to be for little benefit!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Dubmuffin wrote:
davidof wrote:
Dubmuffin wrote:
Interesting clip at 11.35 of reverse rocker set up with 2 centre wheels higher...
having normal rocker (two center wheels larger than end wheels) I think I will go back to flat as it makes the skates more unstable. I only tried rocker because I had two sets of 2mm different wheels to fit.
I guess that most of the time having a rocker set up means balancing on two centre wheels rather than four making life harder than it needs to be for little benefit!
yes, probably great for people who are looking for a very dynamic setup
what was the idea of reverse rocker?
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I recently took part in the Sunday Stroll skate from Hyde Park which was fantastic I have wanted to do this for years and it was a great thrill skating down Oxford Street and Park Lane. It has made me realise that I have to perfect my T stops after nearly wiping out a couple of the regulars.
"At what point do you decide to upgrade your skates?" Whenever possible obviously! They are a damn sight cheaper then skiing equipment
v
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@davidof, I can't see any benefit of the reverse rocker - he referred to "rec" in the clip that showed them - maybe some old inlines used to be set up like that?
@Seahoob, Well done for getting to the Sunday Stroll, I do have my eye on that to pick up some tips and escape the local block, where I have now progressed to skating badly up the road and round the back to get to the good bit. I'm not really sure my street skating ability is honed enough yet though.
I'm trying convince myself that my wheels are the only barrier to my progression and an upgrade will surely make the uneven paving slabs and concrete magically disappear. This would mean new skates though!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I've noticed some people do front rocker - say 2 x 80mm on the back 2 x 76 mm on the front.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 7-07-24 18:26; edited 1 time in total
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
80 mm rear 2, 76 mm front 2 are what I have for inline hockey.. Most hockey boots use this "Hi/Lo" chassis set up.
The "reverse" rocker alluded to is usually used by park/aggressive skates and they're called "anti rocker" wheels.. Made of harder urethane and help lock in on rails etc (?)
Going to try to get to London for the Friday Night Skate or Sunday stroll this summer looks like fun
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@limegreen1, thanks, it is a long time since I paid any attention to wheel arrangements
I've been trying to get back on the skates after breaking my leg in Feb. I figure it's good rehab, no real impact, builds individual leg strength and really works the small balancing muscles in the ankle. They're re-doing the road next to me so it's closed at the mo, been going out or 15 mins most evenings trying to get some balance back and some confidence in my leg. Slow process. Getting better again though. Really need to work on the stopping. Still heel breaking though not really got the confidence to glide on my left for a t stop yet.
Had a check up yesterday and was told no running or impact sports, or skiing, till next year. Bone still isn't fully fused but it's getting there. Skates might be the closest I get to skis till Easter. Been nice weather for the skates though.
I've been trying to get back on the skates after breaking my leg in Feb. I figure it's good rehab, no real impact, builds individual leg strength and really works the small balancing muscles in the ankle. They're re-doing the road next to me so it's closed at the mo, been going out or 15 mins most evenings trying to get some balance back and some confidence in my leg. Slow process. Getting better again though. Really need to work on the stopping. Still heel breaking though not really got the confidence to glide on my left for a t stop yet.
Had a check up yesterday and was told no running or impact sports, or skiing, till next year. Bone still isn't fully fused but it's getting there. Skates might be the closest I get to skis till Easter. Been nice weather for the skates though.
They are for cross country skiing and the boots are hinged at the toe same as cross country boots. Lots of the local ski club cross country kids use them. We even had a triathlon using them (we called it BiRoLa, Bike / Roller / Lauf) the last 2 summers that attracted kids from all over Tirol.
Been getting out on the skates a few times a week for 20 mins or so. My leg is still not totally stable but i think it's def helping and, more importantly, it's fun. Still having issues developing any kind or decent stopping technique. Did come across this vid which seems to be the easiest / most straight forward intro I've seen. Going to try it if it stops raining at some point. Practicing on grass seems about my level.
@B. @Dubmuffin - probably would have made more sense for me to post this in the summer when weather was better but if either of you fancy a skate sometime in Crystal Palace (the smooth bit opposite the entrance to the sports centre) or Dulwich Park give me a shout. I use to inline quite a bit (doing the LondonSkate etc... ), not so much the last couple of years but something I want to get back into. I am in Gypsy Hill / Upper Norwood area, in the summer i'd normally travel to the Serpentine but skating locally is good too. Cheers.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Mr Blue Sky wrote:
in the summer i'd normally travel to the Serpentine but skating locally is good too. Cheers.
One of those in lycra weaving backwards in-and-out of little cones on the road on the north side of the Serpentine with a ghetto blaster blaring?
I def need to improve before I go skating anywhere near anyone else... Really want to do one of the londonSkate things though so maybe sometime in the future. I've done critical Mass a few times, which I think is kinda the same but on bikes, and it's a load of fun.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ster wrote:
Mr Blue Sky wrote:
in the summer i'd normally travel to the Serpentine but skating locally is good too. Cheers.
One of those in lycra weaving backwards in-and-out of little cones on the road on the north side of the Serpentine with a ghetto blaster blaring?
I’m guilty to one of out of three of those things - the cones - Also to be found opposite the Albert Memorial.
After all it is free
After all it is free
B. wrote:
I def need to improve before I go skating anywhere near anyone else...
Doesn’t really matter what level you are at as can both pretty much do our own thing within what is quite a small area. if you welcome any pointers happy to assist - but I won’t be giving any unsolicited advice so don’t worry on that front! Also just a good chance to chat ski! Anyway I’ll leave it with you but feel free to private message me at some point if you’re up for it. Either way good luck with it.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
, e.g. the same proper HiLo from above requires 80-78-72-70 wheels now.
