I know this video is a year old BUT exceptions can be made for omnibus excellence.
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
2022 Inline skating thread.
- Thread starter cantunamunch
- Start date
I enjoy a lot the training videos of Joey Mantia...both off skates and on inline and ice...
Yes! Got my first new pair of inline skates in 20+ years last week and planning to make inline skating a big part of my offseason fitness and fun regimen this year. With ice hockey and tris/running in my past, longer distance speed skating intrigues me and I've picked up a lot about basic technique from his channel in a short amount of time.
@cantunamunch do you use insoles in your speed skates?
Not tuna, but I'll take a crack at it.
All depends on what you are referring to, i.e., "speed skate" or "marathon skate"?
Actual Speed skate boots do not have room for insoles, rather you buy the boot that best matches your foot or go full custom where you can have the casting (mold) done while standing on your preferred insole, the cast will conform to it and the carbon fiber layup of the speed boot with take the shape.
"Marathon skate", may or may not have room for an insole, some do some are made more like a Speed boot and don't. In general the more traditional (skeleton boot) "soft boot" design will usually accommodate an insole.
I have used the Superfeet Yellow capsule insole designed for skates in the marathon skates I've had which allow for an insole. I tend to not like the soft boot (skeleton boot) Marathon skates, the support breaks down fast and they become too sloppy to skate in, think rental ski boot.
Thread Starter
TS
Pretty much what he said.
Also, using insoles in tight marathon skates can create problems at the top of the foot. Numbness , blood circulation and nerve pinch. Vibration bruises if the insole has a lot of give. Walking insoles that have give and rebound are *bad* for skates. Chafing against whatever top of heel support is in the boot and against the Achilles tendon cutouts.
As a first principle, whenever I want to use a footbed I stop and look at the outside of the skate. If the problem can be fixed by changing frame alignment or shimming outside the bootie, I do that *first*.
So - sometimes
. Except when I use them I avoid cushioning ones and I sand them to absolute minimal vertical rise and the flattest bottom surface I can get.
Also, using insoles in tight marathon skates can create problems at the top of the foot. Numbness , blood circulation and nerve pinch. Vibration bruises if the insole has a lot of give. Walking insoles that have give and rebound are *bad* for skates. Chafing against whatever top of heel support is in the boot and against the Achilles tendon cutouts.
As a first principle, whenever I want to use a footbed I stop and look at the outside of the skate. If the problem can be fixed by changing frame alignment or shimming outside the bootie, I do that *first*.
So - sometimes
. Except when I use them I avoid cushioning ones and I sand them to absolute minimal vertical rise and the flattest bottom surface I can get.
Superfeet YELLOW
"The Superfeet YELLOW insoles feature an elevated heel and biomechanical shape that help to stabilize your foot. YELLOW's exact heel-to-toe profile match the angled midsole to help transfer torque and energy more efficiently. The result is a more comfortable fit with better alignment that can help you drive power through your skates, bike shoes or track spikes."
newer version -
Hockey Cushion
Experience the improved skate fit and enhanced comfort only Superfeet insoles can provide. Move more efficiently across the ice, while minimizing foot fatigue, friction, blisters and hot spots. Hockey Cushion insoles keep your feet feeling great, from ponds to rinks, through power plays and...
www.superfeet.com
Sorry, talking ice; I've never seen marathon skates in my life until just now haha. They're speed skates & I don't own them, so I can't do a whole lot as far as modifying the skates themselves unless I buy my own. Just trying to get my left foot to stop pronating quite so badly. Any other options other than insoles that you guys can think of?
Blind leading the blind here, I'm not an ice skater, sometimes I think about an ice blade for my skates.
With inline skates, countering pronation is almost always 100% attributable to skate fit, and a lesser extent form (technique) and skate set-up.
A few things inline people try are:
Moving the frame inward
Installing wedges between boot and frame
Creative heat molding of the boot, (think, Fischer Vacuum ski boot process of pseudo woodworking vacuum bag to squeeze the shell as close to the foot contours as possible).
Ankle bootie(s) to take up space in the boot which can help and also helps prevent blistering
OTT and likely what's needed, get a different boot, your own skates, and or go 100% custom.
eZeefit for Skating
Bont Ezeefit is a revolutionary new product that is designed to eliminate blisters and hot spots while inline skating. Made from a soft and comfortable material, Ezeefit fits snugly around your foot to provide a second-skin layer of protection.
bont.com
Short Track Carbon Wedges
Designed to improve cornering speed and technique, Bont Short Track Wedges Ice are the perfect addition to your skate setup. Precision-made from durable materials, they're built to withstand the rigors of short track speed skating.
bont.com
Thanks @neonorchid! What would you look for in terms of skate fit, if you know? I'm not quite sold on getting my own, but also the skates I'm in seem to fit basically how I would expect & I'm not sure what would need to change. Little worried about going on a wild adventure considering how few brands seem to be available in the US haha.
Also luliski if you're watching and just saw me say I'm considering buying yet another pair of skates, close your eyes. It didn't happen. Thank you.
Haha-so am I (but not ice)!
I have a closet full of skates that proves I don't. Not to mention the numerous boots I put my own frames/wheels on with a thin nylon washer between the boot and frame so as not to leave frame marks, or the complete skates I put my own wheels on to gingerly demo, figure out if they'll work and if I could tolerate them which didn't make that first cut and were send back in new salable condition for refund (frowned upon by merchants, I have no moral compass, plz keep that to yourself).I'll leave this one for @cantunamunch to answer!
Btw @cantunamunch did you know a speedster/cityskater, (a civil engineer), went by the online handle 80mm (as well as email address)? Anyway, he used to tell me I'll never get it right with an off the shelf skate, it's buying someone else boot, must go custom made to get it right.
Thread Starter
TS
Are these a loaner from a friend then? If yes, you can totally tweak the cup position on the bootie (change blade toe-in) and put in shims between the cup and the booties as needed. The friend will understand and none of the changes will be irreversible.
If you're talking rentals - well yeah.
And then there's ankle training. Yes, it is a thing. Skate on your outside edges _only_ , only as fast as you can go before you start to pronate. Expect to spend a lot of time just above walking pace. Yes it's embarassing. Yes, it's embarassing for weeks.
Naturally our new assistant coach fixed it after watching me skate for like 20 seconds. Crisis over; putting the Bont site away for at least another week haha.
I'm now 20 days and about 160 miles into the Great 2022 Offseason of Inline Skating. A few observations along the way, and a couple questions as well.
- I started off in a brand new set of Powerslide Swell Lites, and I think they're finally somewhat broken in now. I baked the liners once when I got the skates, and again about a week ago. That seemed to help. I'll still get a bit of metatarsal pain sometimes after a 12-15 mile skate, but it's getting to be less and less as the weeks go on.
- The new skate smell is barely off those PSs, but I'm already thinking about getting marathon skates, because skating a marathon or two later on this year is a goal. This is how it begins, right?
- I'm definitely feeling core, hip and upper leg muscles getting strengthened and stabilized in ways I've never felt before (and I've been skiing and playing sports like soccer on the regular most of my life.)
- Mild (50-60 degree) spring days are quite lovely for skating an hour or two. We'll see how things go when the muggy-ass 90-95 degree days of summer in the northeast arrive.
- Mist or even a slight spitting drizzle, just enough to slick the pavement a little is also kind of nice to skate through. I haven't made a practice of going out in the rain, but I've been caught out by it a time or two. However - am I going to f*** up my wheel bearings if I don't disassemble and clean them after days out in the rain? Some internet people seem to think so. That sounds like a huge PITA.
- This is probably me asking to be pointed to a big ol' rabbit hole, but: are there any foundational physiology/technique/biomechanics-of-inline skating fast over distance books out there, akin to what we find for skiing (Joubert, LeMaster, etc.)? There are plenty of videos on Youtube - I've gotten to know Messrs Briand and Mantia and Thorup, etc., pretty well and learned some cool stuff from them but the burgeoning PSIA dork in me can't help but wonder if there's some deep, dense tome full of fundamental concepts and schematic diagrams and whatnot.
- I started off in a brand new set of Powerslide Swell Lites, and I think they're finally somewhat broken in now. I baked the liners once when I got the skates, and again about a week ago. That seemed to help. I'll still get a bit of metatarsal pain sometimes after a 12-15 mile skate, but it's getting to be less and less as the weeks go on.
- The new skate smell is barely off those PSs, but I'm already thinking about getting marathon skates, because skating a marathon or two later on this year is a goal. This is how it begins, right?
- I'm definitely feeling core, hip and upper leg muscles getting strengthened and stabilized in ways I've never felt before (and I've been skiing and playing sports like soccer on the regular most of my life.)
- Mild (50-60 degree) spring days are quite lovely for skating an hour or two. We'll see how things go when the muggy-ass 90-95 degree days of summer in the northeast arrive.
- Mist or even a slight spitting drizzle, just enough to slick the pavement a little is also kind of nice to skate through. I haven't made a practice of going out in the rain, but I've been caught out by it a time or two. However - am I going to f*** up my wheel bearings if I don't disassemble and clean them after days out in the rain? Some internet people seem to think so. That sounds like a huge PITA.
- This is probably me asking to be pointed to a big ol' rabbit hole, but: are there any foundational physiology/technique/biomechanics-of-inline skating fast over distance books out there, akin to what we find for skiing (Joubert, LeMaster, etc.)? There are plenty of videos on Youtube - I've gotten to know Messrs Briand and Mantia and Thorup, etc., pretty well and learned some cool stuff from them but the burgeoning PSIA dork in me can't help but wonder if there's some deep, dense tome full of fundamental concepts and schematic diagrams and whatnot.
It depends. You surely are shortening their operating life. So, either you "run them to the ground" then throw them away and buy a new set. But you still neew to lubricate them every now and then, otherwise you'll risk bearings seizures. Or clean them regularly. Dirt tend to find its way inside the bearings anyway. Old way was to boil them in water, then to lubricate them. There are, though, available cleaner/lubricating liquids that will make the process a little bit easier and quicker. Just disassemble the bearings from the wheels, throw them into the liquid, shake as need and as long as wish, take them out, dry the excess, reassemble. You are ready. Not really a big PITA. After all you regularly maintain your skis, or not?
Last edited:
I got the Phantom treatment on the skis I bought at the start of this season, so...not really?
(Actually, since I'm a East Coast skier who spends most of his days at a place fabled for its "packed powder", I do have to keep them edges sharp or I'm gonna have a bad time.)
I guess I'll have to look up this bearings maintenance process, then! My experience with cleaning and repacking bearings was with my bike wheel hubs, and that was a slightly tedious process - it sounds like skate wheel bearings are somewhat easier.
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
- Mist or even a slight spitting drizzle, just enough to slick the pavement a little is also kind of nice to skate through. I haven't made a practice of going out in the rain, but I've been caught out by it a time or two. However - am I going to f*** up my wheel bearings if I don't disassemble and clean them after days out in the rain? Some internet people seem to think so. That sounds like a huge PITA.
Yes, you will. First they get crunchy. Then they get sticky. Then they loosen up again but have a noisy spin. The bad news is that by the time things get crunchy or sticky, the bearings are already out of round. When they loosen the race is out of round too. And no, ceramic bearings don't help since the race is steel. If you catch them before they get sticky, a slightly thicker grease can make for a less noisy roll - but not a faster roll.
Cleaning bearings is not that hard and you'll want to clean the frame contact zone of the wheel anyway - rain transports grit in there and these things have a way of sanding themselves out of spec. Basically, any grit that's currently *on* the bearing will eventually work its way into the bearing as it grinds itself finer and finer against the rotating surfaces. Read: even if you don't skate in the wet or off pavement, you will want to take a rest night once a week and clean your gear while streaming a horror movie or something. Also use the chance to rotate your wheels, especially if you're not using a heel brake. Wheels that have uneven wear on them accumulate *more* grit against the axle than new-profile wheels.
One trick of cleaning bearings fast is to leave the inner shields off permanently. This means you no longer have to eff with prying the C-clips off but you have to remember to turn the open side towards the inside of the wheel.
The bearing rabbit hole goes much, much deeper, but no one needs to know about ultrasonic cleaners, zinc-content motor oils or lubricating soaps at this stage of the game.
Deep and dense? Not really. Foundational? Yes - Barry Publow's Speed on Skates. Inline is a bit of a scattered lore culture - finding random articles by Barry or Eddy Matzger, whether online or in old print mags is very much the norm and the current YouTube tips culture is an outgrowth of that. Part of that is due to the politics behind instructor certification organisations - which I won't get into here.
Sweet
Just the tidbit about you enjoying skating in the wet tells us that you're beyond beginner heel-pushing mode and probably have some fair measure of weight transfer, hip opening, and outside/center edge engagement
Last edited:
Not sure if this should be a separate thread.....
Thinking I might need new in line skates, they are 7 years old or maybe I need zip fits, intuitions or a foam injection or maybe a custom footbed as my liners are packing out. Thinking a booster or power strap with a Full Tilt #40 tongue would really help stiffen the boots. Not sure what else I can do to make the boots stiffer as I can crush them just standing in them, but I can skate from a neutral or forward stance and can crank out either long or short radius turns down the fall line...... ok in all seriousness I am and have been a hack inline skater since the early 90s. I can carve, skate one legged, and imitate a power skater when I'm skating into15 knot ocean breezes on my tiny wheels. I skate a 5 mi +/- loop randomly throughout the year for low impact cardio and to keep legs fit. I am in awe of the $1,000 skates linked on this site. Unfortunately I have no local resources to even access some of the mid priced skates mentioned. I would literally have to drive 6+ hours (similar to find any good boot fitter). I will admit at this point that I have an older pair of K2 Alexis X Pro Inline skates. Yup these are serious recreational skates. LOL. Whats different about these is they are Hi-Lo set up with 84mm wheels in back and 80mm wheels in front, they have ILQ5 bearings. I have replaced the wheels / bearings as needed, Ok maybe not as much as they should be and now I'm not sure if I can get a replacement set from K2 or if I will have to order 2 diff seized sets..... As I understand, these are cheater skates for carving with the Hi-Lo set up. But I love to carve on them. The boots suck in that they are so soft, I really do have to be balanced which may actually be a good thing (translates to my back country skiboots?). So as I have no aspirations for speed and really only use for a workout, where to do I go? Those super big 3 wheeled skates seem a bit intimidating? I think I could get another K2 boot and simply bolt to the frame? Or is there something else out there that is a comparable as far as ease of carving? or do I just get off my "straight skis" and get onto something more modern........
Thinking I might need new in line skates, they are 7 years old or maybe I need zip fits, intuitions or a foam injection or maybe a custom footbed as my liners are packing out. Thinking a booster or power strap with a Full Tilt #40 tongue would really help stiffen the boots. Not sure what else I can do to make the boots stiffer as I can crush them just standing in them, but I can skate from a neutral or forward stance and can crank out either long or short radius turns down the fall line...... ok in all seriousness I am and have been a hack inline skater since the early 90s. I can carve, skate one legged, and imitate a power skater when I'm skating into15 knot ocean breezes on my tiny wheels. I skate a 5 mi +/- loop randomly throughout the year for low impact cardio and to keep legs fit. I am in awe of the $1,000 skates linked on this site. Unfortunately I have no local resources to even access some of the mid priced skates mentioned. I would literally have to drive 6+ hours (similar to find any good boot fitter). I will admit at this point that I have an older pair of K2 Alexis X Pro Inline skates. Yup these are serious recreational skates. LOL. Whats different about these is they are Hi-Lo set up with 84mm wheels in back and 80mm wheels in front, they have ILQ5 bearings. I have replaced the wheels / bearings as needed, Ok maybe not as much as they should be and now I'm not sure if I can get a replacement set from K2 or if I will have to order 2 diff seized sets..... As I understand, these are cheater skates for carving with the Hi-Lo set up. But I love to carve on them. The boots suck in that they are so soft, I really do have to be balanced which may actually be a good thing (translates to my back country skiboots?). So as I have no aspirations for speed and really only use for a workout, where to do I go? Those super big 3 wheeled skates seem a bit intimidating? I think I could get another K2 boot and simply bolt to the frame? Or is there something else out there that is a comparable as far as ease of carving? or do I just get off my "straight skis" and get onto something more modern........
Last edited: