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Inline skating

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I also have been using an ancient version of those for years.
 

Dtrick924

Angel Diva
I just put a new set of wheels and bearings on my skates. My wheels were getting really worn down despite rotating them regularly. I went from ABEC 3 to ABEC 5 on the bearings and from 78 to 80 hardness/durometer on the wheels. The local shop I ordered the wheels through said rollerblade (my skate manufacturer) doesn't make a 78 durometer wheel anymore, at least in my size wheel (76 mm). Should be interesting to see if I notice a difference.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
I was thinking of purchasing new skates - the hi-low system seemed so intriguing. My skates are pretty old, and I have rotated and turned the wheels so many times. Trying to decide if I should purchase new skates or just buy new wheels and bearings. I have 90/83 wheels on my k2 skates and have ordered from in line warehouse in the past. Their choices were somewhat limited. Any other good websites out there to order from? Should I bite the bullet and just buy new ones? Skates are so comfortable and broken in.. Maybe wheels and bearings?
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
If there is nothing wrong with the boots, why not just wheels and bearings....
 

Dtrick924

Angel Diva
I was thinking of purchasing new skates - the hi-low system seemed so intriguing. My skates are pretty old, and I have rotated and turned the wheels so many times. Trying to decide if I should purchase new skates or just buy new wheels and bearings. I have 90/83 wheels on my k2 skates and have ordered from in line warehouse in the past. Their choices were somewhat limited. Any other good websites out there to order from? Should I bite the bullet and just buy new ones? Skates are so comfortable and broken in.. Maybe wheels and bearings?

My purchase of 8 wheels and 8 bearings from the local shop cost me $75 with a discount for buying 2 sets of bearings since they came in packs of four. If you like your skates it's definitely cheaper to just replace wheels and bearings.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Yes indeed. Except I was so intrigued by the hi-low system. Where did you buy your wheels and bearings?
 

dianakate

Angel Diva
I just got back from skating and I have to say I really like the hi-lo system. I am having a much better time this year with this system vs. the 4 80mm wheel Rollerblades I used for the past 5 years. Plus the support of the new skates was better, the old ones get broken down.
 

Fluffy Kitty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You could buy different sized wheels and spacers to fit on your skates and try the hi-low system out that way.

If you have a non-hi-low frame, you can't convert it to hi-low, as the wheels won't be even. Camber and rocker, you can convert, but not hi-low.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was thinking of purchasing new skates - the hi-low system seemed so intriguing. Trying to decide if I should purchase new skates or just buy new wheels and bearings. I have 90/83 wheels .......

If you have a non-hi-low frame, you can't convert it to hi-low .

@santacruz skier
I don't think you can convert, and I thought this was an enabling forum:bounce:What about keeping old skates as speed/cardio and getting the Hi-Lo for the added carving experience -- (like having a frontside and a pair of all mountain powder skis!)

I think it depends on what you really want to get out of your skating. If I had the boardwalk availability as you may do or as you mentioned the path around Venice or the SouthBay I may be persuaded to have the 90s or 100s for the pure cardio workout and the ability to cover a lot of mileage at speed. If you want to have the "carving" experience, then the Hi-Lo is the way to go.

After switching between DD's straight set up and my Hi-Lo I appreciate the carving ability on the Hi-Lo setup. I am primarily using the skating to stay in shape for skiing so I carve a lot and work on other drills for balance and strength.
 

Dtrick924

Angel Diva
My lux rollerblade wrist guards came in the mail. Unfortunately, they are going back. They had a very strange fit. Instead of being completely open on the sides like I wanted they had mesh panels.

That's fine, but unfortunately the mesh isn't very stretchy so they were too tight around my wrists. Meanwhile the hole that you put your thumb and fingers through was huge and seemed like my hand would slide around too much. I got the size large and I have small hands, I wear a women's small/junior xl ski glove.

Maybe I will try exchanging them for these atom wrist guards. https://www.inlinewarehouse.com/Atom_Armor_Wrist_Guards_V2/descpage-AAWG.html From the video review here https://www.rollergirlskates.com/atom-armor-elite-wrist-guards.aspx they are open at the top and sides.
 
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Fluffy Kitty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, I'm still planning to get new skates in a year or two, but I got a good deal on Qube Juice bearings, normally $32, so I thought I'd try them. I've had them on for about a month now.
juice.jpg
They made a HUGE difference! I didn't have the proverbial "skates flying out from under me" experience; they needed about an hour of riding to "break in". I can't say that I'm going faster, since I really can't go any faster at the indoor rink, but I'm noticeably less tired. The rolls are much smoother and more even than the ABEC 5 sealed bearings that came with the skates, and I have a lot less of the "catching" feeling. Freespinning of the wheels last about double the original (8 sec vs. 4 sec), and every wheel freespins the same. More confidence, more control, more maneuverability, faster foot work, all that.

Now, I think a lot of the difference came from the aluminum spacers I got. (Image is from a different vendor; $8 - $16.)
spacer.jpg
In contrast to the plastic 6-to-8mm spacers, the aluminum spacers allow you to tighten the axles all the way without creating any drag, which means no wobble in the wheels. Much more stable. Much smoother.

Again, I'm not a better skater for having new bearings, but I'm enjoying it more. If you have factory bearings, especially with plastic spacers, I recommend you try new bearings before upgrading the skates.
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah, it was a dramatic difference when I went to ABEC 5 bearings, aluminum spacers and 80 mm wheels rather than the 78 mm that my skates came with.

Last weekend while we were biking and stopped to chat with a friend on a paved multi-use trail, a speed skater went totally blowing by us on skates with gigantic wheels (and I mean HUGE wheels).....he had to be going well over 20 mph. Super impressive.
 

dianakate

Angel Diva
Speaking of wheels, I changed mine out last week and wowie what a difference! Same wheels, just new ones. The front ones started getting that "D" shape and I had already rotated them and skating was getting harder. I didn't think the back ones were that bad, but when I took them off they were really worn down and so much smaller than the new ones.

So check your wheels, ladies!
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Has anyone in the skating group here ever tried Aggressive skates? I am finding myself getting bored with the regular fitness skate and have just purchased a pair of Aggressives. At a size 5 for skates, these only come in a Junior skate. I learned that this style of skate is sold in mens' sizing only unless you get one of the two manufactured models for kids. Are they wanting to discourage us ladies from the sport?:tongue:

I'm not planning on joining the skate culture over at the specific skate parks, but wanted to play on the tiny wheels and challenge myself with some skills I don't have presently and thought these skates might help me manuver more easily. (like a beginner skier using a shorter, softer ski). Aggressive skates are built for lots of abuse; probably stiffer than my recreational skates, but more nimble. Any thoughts?
 

Fluffy Kitty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Has anyone in the skating group here ever tried Aggressive skates? I am finding myself getting bored with the regular fitness skate and have just purchased a pair of Aggressives.

How are they working out? Do they require different techniques?
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
:frown:AAhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I had to send those back. They didn't fit me well enough to discover what I could have done with them.
 

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