rec.sport.skating.inline Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1 of 17)

Tony Chen

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Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

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r.s.s.inline FAQ: General Q and A
_________________________________________________________________

GENERAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS *

Frequently Asked Questions for Rec.sport.skating.inline

(last changed May 9, 1995)

This Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) file is Copyright © 1995 by
Anthony D. Chen and is made available as a service to the Internet
community. It may not be sold on disk, tape, CD-ROM, packaged or
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without the explicit, written permission of the copyright holder.

License is hereby granted to redistribute on electronic or other
media for which no fees are charged (except for the media itself), so
long as the text of this copyright notice and license are attached
intact to any and all republished portion or portions.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this file represents the views of Florida
State University. This file is presented with no warranties or
guarantees of ANY KIND including correctness or fitness for any
particular purpose. The author(s) of this material have attempted to
verify correctness of the data contained herein; however, slip-ups
can and do happen. If you use this info, you do so at your own risk.

This FAQ may be cited as:

Chen, Anthony D. (1995) "rec.sport.skating.inline Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ)" Usenet rec.sport.skating.inline, available via
anonymous WWW: http://garnet.acns.fsu.edu/~adchen/rec.skate.html
_________________________________________________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
* Q: What is the difference between in-line skating and
"rollerblading"?
* Q: What are the origins of in-line skates?
* Q: I'm interested in getting a pair of in-lines for outdoor
skating. I want to get decent stuff, but I'd rather not spend a
lot of money. What do I need to get?
* Q: Are buckles better than laces?
* Q: I want to get good in-lines, but I can only afford $150.
* Q: How do I stop on in-lines?
* Q: I've learned how to slow down. how do I go faster?
* Q: How do I learn to skate backwards?
* Q: What sort of maintenance do I have to do on my in-lines?
* Q: How do I handle dogs chasing me while skating?
* Q: What can I do to help prevent skating bans?
* Q: What other information is out there to help me with in-line
skating?

* Glossary of Inline Skating Terms

(Compiled and authored by Tony Chen, Phil Earnhardt, and George
Robbins.)

Q: What is the difference between in-line skating and "rollerblading"?

A: In-line skating is the official term for the sport commonly called
"rollerblading" or simply "blading". The commonly misused term of
"rollerblading" is due to the company called Rollerblade, which
although wasn't the first to produce in-lines, but managed to
popularize in-lines faster and farther than anyone previously (in the
States anyway). Most likely this was due to the increased fitness
awareness, coupled with a growing need for more cross-training
methods.

Rollerblade was the only company in the in-line market for a while,
which has lead to the term of "rollerblade" to stand for all in-lines,
even if made by different companies. This is similar to the use of
"kleenex", "coke", "Q-tip", "xerox", and other products.

_________________________________________________________________

Q: What are the origins of in-line skates?

A: (Merged paraphrased text from Wheel Excitement, The Complete
Blader, and Blazing Bladers)

The first in-line model was developed in the early 1700s by a Dutchman
who wanted to simulate ice skating in the summer by nailing wooden
spools to strips of wood and attaching them to his shoes.

The next version appeared in 1760 when a London instrument maker,
Joseph Merlin, decided to make an entrance to a masquerade party by
skating in on metal-wheeled boots while playing a violin. He ended up
skating into a huge mirror at the end of the ballroom, not having
learned to stop or steer.

In 1823, Robert John Tyers of London designed a skate called a
"rolito" by placing five wheels in a row on the bottom of a shoe. The
rolito was not take seriously at the time.

In 1863, an American, James Plimpton, found a way to make a workable
skate. He came up with a four-wheel skate with two pairs of wheels
side by side, and so the modern four-wheel roller skate was created.
Roller skates allowed turns, and also forwards and backwards skating.
The invention of ball bearing wheels in 1884 helped the sport even
more.

Tyers' design did not go entirely unnoticed however. In the
Netherlands, after the canals had melted, "skeelers" (5's) were used
as a means of dry-land cross training, competition and transportation
for over two decades.

Finally, in 1980 when two brothers from Minneapolis were rummaging
through a pile of equipment at a sporting goods store, they found an
old in-line skate. Scott and Brennan Olson were ice hockey players and
so they realized the cross-training potential of the in-line skate.

They redesigned the skate, using a hockey boot, polyurethane wheels
and adding a rubber heel brake, and found they could skate as they did
on ice. Soon after, they began selling skates out of their home and
eventually Rollerblade Inc. was born.

(end paraphrased text)

There were also some Soviet in-lines from around the same time. These
in-lines were being developed for Speed Skating dryland training.
Besides having inferior wheel material, they only had a single bearing
cartridge in each wheel.

The first mass-produced Rollerblade skates had two-part metal runners.
The smaller skates had more overlap between the two metal parts; the
large skates had less. The "bushings" were 4 plain vanilla washers per
wheel; they were cumbersome to assemble/remove and mechanically
flawed: dirt/sand would get between the inner washer and the bearing.
Also, there was just a washer's worth of clearance between the rail
and the wheel: it was very easy to trash a wheel by rubbing it against
a rail. The holes along the side of the runners were oval; the rock of
the skate was determined by how much you slid the bolt up or down when
you tightened it. Finally, the brakes were old roller skate toe stops
-- they were not very efficient.

The first massively successful Rollerblade skate was the Lightning. It
had a robust fiberglass runner for each size of skate. The bushings
fit into oval holes in the runners -- rock was set by whether you put
the bushing in up or down. The linkage between the wheel and runner
was far more mechanically efficient and there was no way to rub wheels
on the runners. Wheel removal/insertion was far easier. And
Rollerblade's brake, while far smaller than the old "toe stop" brake,
was much more efficient and lasted longer.

_________________________________________________________________

Q: I'm interested in getting a pair of in-lines for outdoor skating. I
want to get decent stuff, but I'd rather not spend a lot of money.
What do I need to get?

(See the Buying Guide for Inline Skates for more in-depth tips.)

A: First off, your budget should include protection: knee pads, wrist
guards, and a helmet. Elbow pads are optional. These "pads" should
have a hard plastic shell -- they should slide on the asphalt when you
fall. Good brands of protection are the Rollerblade TRS or the Dr.
Bone Savers (DBS) set of accesories. For helmets, any well-fitting
ANSI/Snell approved bicycle helmet should be fine.

The in-line industry is a lot like the bicycle industry -- specialty
shops generally sell and support more expensive functional skate
brands and department stores generally sell inexpensive lines that
will never work well. Also, there's usually a much greater chance of
getting spare parts and service from a specialty shop than a
department store.

Rollerblade is the best-known brand of in-line skate; they make a
whole family of different in-line skates. Any skate in Rollerblade's
line at or above the Lightning skate should work well and last a long
time. Other reputable manufacturers are Ultra Wheels, Bauer, Roces,
and K2.

You may wish to rent a model of skates before buying. Some shops will
discount part of the rental from purchase price if you buy skates
later.

Fit of skates should be comfortable but snug. Unlike hiking or running
shoes, it's OK for your toes to be loosely in contact with the front
of the boot.

Unless you have a background of speed skating, beginning skaters
should avoid the 5-wheel skates. The problem with isn't the inherent
speed of the skates, but since manueverability and flexibility are
sacrificed for the sake of racing performance, so turns and other
maneuvers require more commitment. The 5-wheelers are great fun, but
master the fundamentals on a shorter wheelbase first.

_________________________________________________________________

Q: Are buckles better than laces?

A: If you're looking to buy skates nowadays, you'll notice a wide
variety of support systems: laces only, laces with one buckle, one
buckle (rear-entry style), two buckles, three buckles, or maybe even a
multitude of straps like in K2 skates.

Hockey skates are usually laces only. 5-wheelers come in various
types: laces only, lace and one buckle, or multiple buckles (typically
recreational 5-wheelers).

The issue of buckles vs. laces is still a fairly often debated
subject, and the bottom line is whatever works for you. Anyway, here
are some good and bad points of each support system (recreational
skates only).

BUCKLES:
+ PROs
1. Faster to put on.
2. More durable.
3. Adjustable on the fly.
4. Allows for vented shells.
5. Maintain their hold, no loosening.
6. Possible to adjust support in separate areas.

+ CONs
1. More expensive (in general).
2. Can cause too much pressure on parts of the foot.

LACES:
+ PROs
1. Cheaper (in general)
2. Much less prone to point-loading pressure on specific
spots, pressure is distributed evenly.

+ CONs
1. Slower to lace up than to buckle up.
2. Prone to breakage.
3. Cannot easily adjust tension without stopping and
re-doing the whole thing.
4. Laces don't allow for much venting in the shells.
5. They eventually loosen while you skate.
6. Not very easy to adjust support in sparate areas.

LACES & BUCKLES:
+ PROs
1. Support adjustment is easy (if you normally only adjust
the ankle).

+ CONs
1. Laces don't allow for much venting in the shells.

+ NEITHER
1. Mid-range pricing.

Buckles may seem like they've got a lot of good points going for them,
and they do. However, the two bad points can be big ones. Cost is the
most obvious factor. If you can't afford buckle skates, you'll likely
have to settle for laces only, and/or add your own. The other factor
is fit. If the skates don't fit you quite right, the buckles can cause
over-pressure on certain parts of your feet. Fit is one of more
important aspects of choosing a skate, and while liners of most skates
eliminate this point- loading problem to a good extent, it may not be
enough for some people.

So what can you do if you've got lace-only skates and want to have the
convenience of buckles but can't afford to buy a new pair? You might
consider adding buckles. Either adding one buckle at the ankle or
doing away with laces altogether and adding two or three buckles. Many
ski shops will be willing to do this for you. Or you can add your own.

To fit buckles:

From: holr...@student.tc.umn.edu (James A Holroyd-1)

Need:
1) Buckles: can be obtained at ski shops, snowboarding shops, or from
an old pair of ski boots. I got mine from a snowboard shop, sold as an
extra buckle kit for snowboard binding ankle straps.

** NOTE ** Make *sure* the mounting surfaces of the buckle are only
slightly curved. Too much curvature in this area (the bit that touches
the boot) will pull your boot out of shape and be very uncomfortable.

2) Drill with various bits.

3) Mounting hardware for buckles: you can rivet them, or use T-bolts.
I used T-bolts with loctite on the threads, and they stay on well.

Step 1.
Put your skates on and figure out where you want to put the
buckles. I would recommend leaving the eyelets for the laces
accessible. This way, you can still lace up your skates, then
tighten the cuffs with your buckles The laces sit behind the
strap, and don't loosen up as much as if you leave them tied
off below the cuff. Remember to place the buckles far enough
apart so you can tighten them, but not so far that you can't
get the tongue into the ratchet.

*** IMPORTANT *** The buckle levers go on the *outside* of the
skate :) This is very embarrassing when you get it wrong (I
did, first time), as every time your skates get close together,
they either catch on each other or unlatch the lever, or some
combination of the two. Not pretty.

Step 2.
Mark where you will have to drill holes to mount the buckles.

Step 3.
Take the liners out of the boots and drill the holes. Start
with a small, sharp bit (that boot plastic is *tough*, it could
take a while) and work up to the size that accomodates the
mounting hardware you're using.

Step 4.
Mount the buckles. If you are using the snowboard buckles, the
mounting hardware that came with them should work. Just make
sure that nothing sharp is sticking into your liner, as it
could chew up the liner and/or your ankle. Don't forget the
loctite (although it's really not critical until you've got the
placement right, or until you're 10 miles from home :) )

This method works great with my lightnings. I got a pair of
skates that, IMHO, are as good as those costing a lot more.
However, I would not try this trick with any of the skates with
flimsier liners. The Zetra's are pretty uncomfy after a while,
as the edges of the cuff do tend to dig in. I ended up putting
extra foam padding (ensolite) around the ankle area before I
sold them to a friend. He took it out, and apparently has no
comfort problems. Your mileage may vary.

Buckle add-on kits are now being sold in skate shops
specifically for in-lines. They run about $20 or so per pair of
buckles. Ask your local skate shop or call up one of the
mail-order shops in the FAQ.

__________________________________________________________

Q: I want to get good in-lines, but I can only afford $150.
(See also the Buying Guide for Inline Skates)

A: At this price point, you'll have to be pretty resourceful.
First, note that the in-line "season" begins somewhere around
the end of March. You'll probably find some good bargains in
stores in the Jan-Mar time frame. Like many sports, the in-line
market is style-oriented: you may find last year's style at a
huge discount.

Even at this price level, you should avoid "department store"
skates (unless you want to buy skates that you won't use).
You're far better off buying a pair of used Rollerblade
Lightning skates. If you don't see anyone selling your size,
consider putting an ad advertising that you want to buy skates.

Make sure to get pads too. Don't skimp on protection! A knee is
a terrible thing to waste. Used protection in good condition is
fine.

__________________________________________________________

Q: How do I stop on in-lines? (see also, the stopping file, for
more details)

A: Good question. You've taken the most important step --
realizing that there is a need to be able to slow down. The
rest is just practice.

There are several general techniques for stopping while
remaining on your skates: generating friction by dragging your
brake pad, generating friction by sliding your wheels laterally
against the ground, jumping onto grass and killing your speed
by running out, and pushing against a slower-moving or
stationary object with your hands.

I finally learned how to brake well when someone described this
image: your brake foot has just slipped on a banana peel.
Whoops! Your brake foot will be about a foot in front of your
body. The leg will have a slight bend. The rear wheel and the
brake will be in contact with the ground.

At first, your non-brake foot will be bearing almost all your
weight. That leg will be directly under your body, and the knee
will be bent. The amount of bend in your knee will determine
how much braking force you can apply.

Your feet should be very close to your centerline. This should
help keep you going straight forward when braking (pretty
important!).

There should be a slight forward bend in the waist. It may also
help to keep the hands at waist height or so. This keeps your
center of gravity lower. Try to keep your hands (and your whole
upper body) loose; clenched fists do not make the brakes work
any better! Relax.

After you've tried a dozen or so stops, add one more
refinement: drive your back knee into the back of the front
knee while braking. This creates a triangle with your lower
legs and the pavement between your skates. As all the
Buckminster Fuller fans out there know, triangles provide
structural stability. This triangle should enhance your braking
power and ability to run smooth, straight, and true while
stopping.

As you master braking, begin to shift more of your weight to
your front foot. The Masters of Speed Control can actually
decelerate while standing only on their front foot. Good trick,
that.

__________________________________________________________

A: First off, keep learning how to slow down! Learn new
techniques; refine the ones you already know. Until you master
slowing down, your mind will limit how fast it will let you go
on skates.

Watch good skaters. Notice that they rarely have both skates on
the ground at the same time. This independent leg action is
something you'll master over time; you can practice by seeing
now long you can glide on a single skate. When you can glide on
a single skate for more than 30 seconds (both left and right
legs!), you're well on the way.

Notice that almost all of the side-to-side motion is happening
below the waist. Eliminate any twisting motion in your
shoulders -- keep your shoulders square to your direction of
travel. If you want to move your arms, move them forward and
back -- crossing patterns may have you twist your shoulders.
Relax the muscles in your lower back to allow your upper body
to remain quiet.

Watch your stride. Are you pushing more to the side or to the
back? Shift your stride to be pushing almost exclusively to the
side.

Where do you set your skate down at the start of your stride?
Shoulder width? Start setting your skate down on the centerline
of your body. After you're comfortable with that, start setting
your skate further in beyond your centerline.

Do you flick your toe at the end of your stride? If so, stop.
Instead, flick your heel -- drive your heel out at the end of
the stroke. This will feel very strange for the first 10,000 or
so times.

Relax. Then relax some more. Discover levels with levels of
relaxation. Travel fast while moving your skates slowly -- your
body is swimming through air. Consider beginning to practice
T'ai Chi Ch'aun postures daily. Relax some more.

__________________________________________________________

Q: How do I learn to skate backwards? See part 2.1 of the FAQ
Q: What sort of maintenance do I have to do on my in-lines?

(See also: part 4 of the FAQ)

A: Things that need maintaining are the wheels, bearings, and
brakes.

Wheels sometimes need rotating to keep the wear on all the
wheels even. To rotate a set of wheels, you simply move wheels
to different positions. The swapping scheme you use it ups to
you. Some people have a set rotation they always do (wheel #1
-> #2, #2 -> #3, #3 -> #4, etc.) and some people just try and
place the wheels so that the wear is more evenly distributed.
Do what's best for you.

For bearings practice preventative maintenance: avoid sand,
dirt, and water as much as possible. These guys are what cause
bearing failure. If you want bearings to last, vacuum in/around
your runners with an upholstery accessory after every day. If
you do want to skate in sand/dirt/water/mud, get a set of
sealed bearings.

Buy a Rollerblade "Y" tool to remove bearings from spacers, or
buy one of the aftermarket bearing spacer kits. These make
bearing removal much easier.

__________________________________________________________

Q: How do I handle dogs chasing me while skating? (From George
Robbins)

On the physical side
Many people recommed a bicycle style water bottle, dogs
tend to be confused/diestressed by getting a spray of
water in the face. Since you can spray from a distance,
this is generally safe and the bottle is also useful for
you own refreshment.

On the psych-warfare side
Threaten back by either skating directly towards the dog
or making some kind of striking/throwing motion with your
arms, preferably with a stick or some kind other sort of
safety extension. Dogs generally thtreaten potential
territorial invaders and become more or less agressive
depending on the response.

On the chem-warfare front
Some people recommed mace or other chemical deterrents.
These will cause the animal severe pain, so be sure that
the dog is really threatenting and not just putting up a
noisey territorial display. Also don't rely on these
100%, since while skating you may miss or the dog may
attack anyway, so be prepared to strike and run. Some
folks also recommend ammonia in the water bottle, but
make sure you don't get confused and take a sip.

On the legal front
Take note of what property the dog seems to be defending
and it's description, especially collars or tags. If
you're in an area with an enforced leash law, don't
hestitate to report the animal. If not, you can still
report the dog to the police, sheriff or animal control
authorities, especially if it did physically attack
and/or bite you. This may or may not get a positive
response, but the owner *is* legally responsible for
keeping his animals under control and one that attacks
you today may attack child skater or cyclist tomorrow.

On the other side
Be prepared to sprint through or away from the dog's
territory. Motions or sounds will attrace the dogs
attention, but they usually won't chase seriously beyond
a predetermined territory. Keep your arms up/close to
your body, so that if the dog does try to bit it will
probably and up with a mouth full of boot. If the dog
does bite an break your skin, clean the wound immediately
and seek medical attention.

__________________________________________________________

Q: What can I do to help prevent skating bans?

SOME COMMON SENSE APPROACHES FOR AVOIDING SKATE BANS

(A Letter For Skaters) As more and more in-liners take to the
roads and paths of this great country, encounters between
skaters and the civilians (any non-skater) become more likely.
Cities, parks and educational institutions are taking a second
look at in-line skaters and asking whether they can abide by
wheeled beings plying their pavement. In large measure, their
decisions to give in-liners the green light are formed by the
image they have of the local skate talent. Here are ten common
sense things you can do to get out in front of the
restrictions in your community. By presenting the image of a
sane and reasonable collection of carbon molecules you might
avoid future unpleasantness:

1. Skate Smart - Build the image of the in-line skater as a
safety conscious individual.
2. Align With The Bicyclist - Bikers are pursuing a legitimate
sport, let this rub off.
3. Sponsor Family Days - Any time Grandma and the kids do
something...it must be o.k.
4. Skate With Community Leaders - Most have always "wanted to
try it" Educated them.
5. Offer The Law Enforcement Community Help - Extra eyes for the
police, our friends.
6. Sponsor Safety Clinics - Who knows, you might even get paid.
7. Attend Regulatory Meetings (Traffic, City, School) - Wear
your nice clothes.
8. Sponsor A School Program - Get the educators behind the
movement.
9. Visit The Rental Shop - Help them have safe customers.
10. Police Yourself - Organize (or don't), but make sure skaters
obey the right laws at the right times.

Remember that the sport of in-line skating is very cool, very
fun and can be quite wacky, but as a role model for the
beginner we all have a responsibility to execute our stranger
and more dangerous maneuvers out of eye and camera shot. By all
means, push the sport, make the best of your skate, but also
Skate Smart, Skate Polite and, when appropriate, skate stealth.

For more information on specific programs that can help your
area - please contact the IISA.

Dave Cooper
International In-line Skating Association
Government Relations Committee

__________________________________________________________

Q: What other information is out there to help me with in-line
skating?

A:

InLine Subscriptions Dept.
P.O. Box 527
Mt. Morris, IL 61054
or call customer service at 1-800-877-5281
jw...@aol.com Inline Magazine, Natalie Kurylko, editor

Speedskating Times
2910 NE 11 Ave
Pompano Beach, FL 33064
(305) 782-5928

Daily Bread
280 Highland Rd.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(714) 497-2636

Box Magazine
818 Lincoln Blvd.
Slab 103
Venice, CA 90291

Roller Hockey Magazine
12327 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 202
Los Angelas, CA 90025
phone 310-442-6660
fax 310-442-6663
9 per year @ $20

Inline Skater
4099 McEwen, suite 350
Dallas TX 75244-5039
E-Mail SKA...@FLC.MHS.COMPUSERVE.COM
6 per year @$17.95

Global Skate
PO Box 8400-361
Westminster, CA 92683
E-mail GLOB...@AOL.COM
4 per year @ $8

Inline Retailer
2025 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO 80302
303-440-5111
fax 303-440-3313 12 per year @ $30, or free to qualified dealers

There are several videos that are marginally good at training. One of
these is the Rollerblade/Ski Magazine Skate to Ski video. Your
local Rollerblade dealer should have training videos available
for viewing in the store and/or rental.

Reading list: (mini-reviews by George Robbins)

Blazing Bladers by Bill Gutman
A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1992.
Cover price: $6.99 ($7.99 CAN)
ISBN 0-812-51939-6

One of the two easier to find books, this provides a reaonsable
overview of the sport, but suffers somewhat from "generic
how-to" publishing. The author tends to recite what "experts"
have told him without much conviction and some of the
photographs don't fit well with the text. Still has a good
section on "street tricks".

The Complete Blader by Joel Rappelfeld
St. Martin's Press, NY, New York, 1992.
Cover price: $8.95
ISBN 0-312-06936-7

This book is nearly as good as _Inline Skating_, but is more
oriented towards fitness/health aspects. There seems to be as
much space allocated to stretching and conditioning as skating.
One useful section describes construction and use of a
slide-board for off season training.

The Complete Guide and Resource to In-line Skating
by Stephen Christopher Joyner
Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH - 1993
Trade Paperback, 176 pages, $12.95
ISBN 1-55870-289-X

As a resource guide, this is a useful book, the appendices list
Magazines, Manufacturers, Retailers, Organizations, Roller
Hockey Leagues, IISA certified instructors and also a rather
eclectic bibliography. The rest of the text is OK and has a few
interesting features, but either of the first two in-line books
(The Complete Blader and Inline Skating) mentioned above would
be more useful, especially for the beginning skater. Some
Specific irritations are only the briefest mention of roller
hockey where I would exepect at least an information
presentation of rules, equipment and game play, and a strong
anti-quad bias including a history of skating which leaps from
Plimpton's error (a steerable truck quad skate) to Scott
Olson's Rollerblade as if no-one enjoyed skating in the
interiem.

Inline Skating by Mark Powell & John Svenson
Human Kinetics Publising, 1993
Trade Paperback, 134 PP, $12.95
ISBN 0-87322-399-3

Of the recent rash of in-line skating "how to" books, this is
probably best and most balanced one. It has good coverage of
equipment and basic skating skills, mention of dance and fun
skating, and doesn't suffer from any fitness obsession.

Laura Stamm's Power Skating by Laura Stamm
Leisure Press, 1989
Cover price: $17.95
ISBN 0-88011-331-6

Wheel Excitement by Neil Feineman with Team Rollerblade(R)
Hearst Books, New York, NY 1991.
Cover price: $9.00
ISBN 0-688-10814-8

At one point, this was the only book on in-line skating and it
still serves as a decent introduction to the sport. Lots of
pictures of California kids having a good time. The actual text
is a little thin and any of the above books are better if you
can find them in your area.

__________________________________________________________

[ This file is Copyright 1994 by Anthony D. Chen. It may be
freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this
copyright notice is not removed.

License is hereby granted to republish on electronic or other
media for which no fees are charged (except for the media
used), so long as the text of this copyright notice and
license are attached intact to any and all republished portion
or portions.

It may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial
documents without the written permission of the copyright
holder.

Permission is expressly granted for this document to be made
available for file transfer from installations offering
unrestricted anonymous file transfer on the Internet.

This file is provided as is without any express or implied
warranty. Nothing in this file represents the views of Florida
State University.]

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

__________________________________________________________

INLINE SKATING GLOSSARY

ABEC:
Stands for Annular Bearing Engineer Council. The ABEC-1,
ABEC-3, ABEC-5 ratings you see for bearings are supposed
to be indications that the bearings meet the stated ABEC
specifications of a certain precision level. ABEC-5's are
supposed to be fastest but there is yet no hard evidence
that in real world situations that this is true.

bearings:
These are those metal things inside the hub of your
wheels. There's two per wheel. Inline skates currently
use bearings that were already standard in the bearings
industry, before inlines were popular. They are "608"
bearings, indicating the inner (6mm) and outer diamters
(8 mm).

bearing spacers:
These are those small parts that go in between your
bearings so that the axles can go through your wheels.
Most stock spacers are plastic, some may be metal. Hop-up
kits provide metal ones. Some spacers may also be
threaded (so that axles screw directly into the spacers
instead of just passing through).

anti-rocker:
This is a wheel configuration used by many rail-sliders
which has normal (or larger) wheels on the toe and heel
positions, and real small (like Lil' Roxx or Midgets) in
the middle to allow the sliding to take place without
getting wheels in the way.

bashing (stair bashing):
A synonym for stair riding. Also sometimes called "stair
bumping".

crossovers:
Skating crossovers is simply skating along a curved path
while still stroking. To do this, you have to cross the
outer skate over the other one and hence the term
"crossover". Done properly, a crossover will not only let
you maintain your speed going into the turn, but also let
you increase it to an extent. The turns that ice
speedskaters do during the Olympics are all crossover
turns. Figure skaters will often do backwards crossovers
during their routines, and hockey players do a variety of
both during games.

durometer:
Durometer is an industry hardness rating for
polyurethane, which is the primary wheel material.
Ratings such as 78A or 85A are usually seen on wheels.
The higher the rating the harder the wheel. 100 is the
highest (although no skaters probably go beyond 92 or
95).

frame spacers:
These are those small parts on your skates that go
between your wheels and the runners. Many skates have
eccentric, oval shaped frame spacers so that you can flip
them 180 degrees to rocker your skates.

fakie:
A prefix used for any trick done backwards, as in a
"fakie 360".

grind plates:
These are flat metal or hard plastic plates that are
bolted on to runners for grinding and rail slides so that
the original runners won't get shredded to pieces.

hop-up kits:
Hop-up kits are simply upgrade kits that include frame
spacers, bearing spacers, and axels. They're made of
aluminium or brass or some other metal. Some incorporate
threaded spacers too. The advantage in using hop-up kits
is that you can crank down real hard on your wheels
without compressing the spacers. The stock plastic
spacers on most skates will compress or even crack if you
do this a lot.

monocoque:
This means the entire skate (boot and runners) is
manufacturered in one solid piece. This can produce a lot
more stiffness in the skate, which may or may not be
good, depending on your skating style and purpose.

rail slides:
This is a skating trick where you slide along a rail in
various stances. Most often an anti-rocker or
all-small-wheel setup is used in order to let the runners
slide along the rail. It wears down plastic runners
fairly quick so rail sliders usually put on grind-plates
on their runners.

road rash:
Any scrapes, gashes or other injuries incurred from
wiping out and sliding on pavement.

rockering:
Rockering your skates means to arrange the wheel heights
to approximate a curved (ice skate) blade. Normally this
is done by raising the front and rear wheels slightly by
flipping the frame spacers, or by lower the middle two
wheels, or by doing both. Rocker provides for much more
responsive turning at the cost of some stability.

skitching:
Skitching comes from "skate hitching". Skitching is
simply hanging on to some moving vehicle and letting it
pull you along. Potentially dangerous of course.

stair riding:
This is a common skating stunt where you literally ride
down a set of steps. It's bumpy, but with the proper
stance and balance it's pretty fun. Always use protective
gear when doing this!!!

wheel rotation:
Polyurethane wheels eventually wear down, but you can
often extend the life of your wheels by flipping and/or
rotating your wheels amongst themselves so that you can
skate on the less-worn areas of your wheels.

__________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
__________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted © 1995 by Anthony D. Chen.
Permission is granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML
files so long as this copyright notice is included as either an
HTML comment alongside the invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or
otherwise) of the logo, or in the visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in
commercial documents or merchandise without prior written
permission of the copyright holder.

__________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

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Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

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Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part2

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Stopping, backwards skating, etc.
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - STOPPING, BACKWARDS SKATING, ETC.

Table of Contents:
* Stopping Techniques
* Skating Backwards

_________________________________________________________________

The In-line Stopping Techniques File

(written February 1992)
(lasted changed Jan 24, 1994)

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

NOTE: This list is arranged in order of increasing difficulty as per
my experience. Your experiences WILL undoubtedly vary from mine. This
list does not purport to be the definitive list of stopping
techniques, but it does strive to be as complete and descriptive as
possible.

It is not expected that everyone will learn, or even want to learn,
all the methods discussed in this file. It is simply a catalog of
techniques to choose from. Some techniques require more flexibility,
some require more finesse, and some require more guts 8-)

Good luck, and skate smart.

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

List of stops:

BEGINNER LEVEL
* runouts
* wall stop
* windbraking
* the brake-pad
* V-stop/snowplow

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
* advanced runouts
* (regular) spinout/lunge stop
* spread eagle spinout
* crossover stop
* slaloming/parallel turns

ADVANCED LEVEL
* T-stop (includes a picture tutorial)
* toe drag
* backwards T-stop
* Stepping stops
+ backward stepping stop
+ forward stepping stop
* reverse stop (forwards snow-plow)
* backwards heel drag
* toe-drag spinouts
* heel-drag spinouts
* curb ramming
* power stop/power slide (includes a picture tutorial)
* chop-stop
* New York stop
* "Wile E. Coyote" stops

Combination stops

Related topics:
* falling
* collisions with stationary objects

_________________________________________________________________

While the basic repretoire of stopping techniques includes the
brake-pad, the T-stop, spinouts, and the power slide, this file is
meant to go one step beyond merely teaching and outlining the basics.
The basics should be learned first, but once skaters progress beyond
them, they often look for more advanced or different techniques, hence
this compilation of techniques.
_________________________________________________________________

BEGINNER LEVEL

The following set of stopping methods, most beginner skaters should be
able to handle. They keep both feet on the ground throughout the stop,
and don't require as much independent leg action as more advanced
stops.

* RUNOUTS:
Assuming the path you're skating on has grass or packed dirt
(or some other hard-to-roll-on surface), you can just skate off
the path and reduce your speed by running onto the grass
(hop-hop-hop-hop-hop). In the worst case scenario, you can
tumble and hopefully you won't take any damage.

* WALL STOP:
This stop is simply to skate towards a wall (or any reasonably
stationary object, really) and use your arms to absorb the
impact. At low speeds, this should be quite safe (make sure you
turn your head to the side so as not to smash your face). You
may or may not bang your skates, depending on your speed and
how you hit. The key is to use your arms as cushioning springs
(like doing a standing push-up.) One way to practice this is to
stand a few feet from a wall (with your skates on). Now fall on
your hands against the wall, and you should be able to bounce a
little, while still avoiding banging your head. The faster your
approach, the less bounce will result.

A variation on the wall stop is the billiard ball stop. Instead
of stopping against an object, use a fellow skater to push off
and transfer your momentum to them. To be safe, warn the
receiving person about your approach. It works well on flat
surfaces and at low to moderate speeds. It's not recommended at
high speeds and especially on people you don't know 8-)

See the collision section for more extreme cases.

* WIND-BRAKING:
Wind-braking is more for speed-control than to stop (although
on windy days, this can stop you). Just stand up, spread your
arms out and catch the air like a sail. You'll probably need to
lean forwards slightly, to counter the force of the wind.

* THE BRAKE-PAD:
The brake-pad is subject to much debate amongst skaters. Many
people with ice skating and rollerskating backgrounds find the
brake in the way, in the wrong place, or simply ineffective.
However, those of you taking the little time to learn to use
the it proficiently, the brake-pad becomes a very versatile
piece of equipment because:

1. you can use it to stop, even at very high speeds;
2. it allows you to keep both skates on the ground while
stopping (good for keeping your balance);
3. you can maintain a narrow profile (good for high traffic
areas where cars or bicycles might be passing you);
4. you can still steer yourself;
5. the sound of braking can often alert others to your presence;
6. the brake-pad is the most cost-effective technique there is
so far for in-lines.

To learn how to use the brake-pad, first coast with both skates
shoulder-width apart. As you coast, scissor your feet back and
forth a few times to get used to the weight shift. To apply the
brake then, scissor your skate so your braking skate is out
front. Lift the toe of your brake skate and press with the heel
too. Your body weight is centered and even slightly on your
back skate when you're just learning it. The key is a straight
back and bent knees.

If you have trouble balancing or find your braking ankle a
little weak, you can try the following trick: form a triangle
with your legs (from the knee down to your skates) and the
ground. This means putting your back knee either right behind
or next to, the brake-foot knee to form that triangle.

Eventually you'll want to stop at high speeds. Basically, the
more pressure you use on the brake pad the faster you stop.
Maximum stopping power is achieved by putting your entire body
weight onto the brake by lifting your back foot, and leaning
onto the brake. This takes some practice but is very effective.
It is possible to stop within 15-20 ft even when going over 20
mph. Practically speaking, you may still want to keep the other
skate on the ground for balance.

Note that the amount of leverage, and therefore the amount of
stopping power you have, is dependent on how worn your brake
is. A half-worn brake will provide better leverage than either
a new brake or a worn-out brake. Some people sand or saw off
part of new brakes to avoid the annoying breaking-in period.

One important point to keep in mind when using the brake-pad:
You can still steer while braking. Just keep the brake-pad on
the ground and pivot on your heel wheel slightly to go the
direction you want. This is very useful while going down a very
narrow and curvy path or while trying to avoid curbs,
pedestrians, parked cars, trees, and the like.

A brake-pad generally runs from $3 to $6 depending on what type
you buy. Compare this with wheels which are $5.50 or more each
and the freebie stops: runouts, wind-braking, billiard ball
stop (freebies since you're not wearing anything down). Wheels
are expensive, and the freebie stops are infrequently
available, if at all, for the large majority of skating
situations. The brake can be your standard stop, provided that
you learn it well. (see "Wile E. Coyote" stops for a rather
interesting variation)

* V-STOP/SNOWPLOW:
For a low-speed rolling stop, point your heels inward (for
backwards) or your toes together (for forwards) and let your
skates bang into each other. This might throw you in the
direction you're going (depending on your speed), so take care
to be prepared to lean forward or backwards to compensate.

You can do a more exaggerated snowplow by spreading your legs
out past shoulder-width and pointing your skates inward or
outwards as before (and you won't bang your skates together.)
Here, use leg strength to press your inner edges against the
ground, and you'll slow down appreciably. This can work even at
very high speeds.

_________________________________________________________________

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

* ADVANCED RUNOUTS:
Skating off pavement onto grass. You can weave from pavement to
grass and back to pavement to control your speed, especially
when going downhill. To stop completely just stay on the grass.

As you hit the grass, knees are kept bent, and one foot is
ahead of the other. Nearly all weight is distributed on the
foot that will hit the grass first, and you keep that leg real
stiff, as if plowing a path for the trailing leg to follow.
Very little weight is on the trailing leg. Muscles in the
trailing leg are relaxed. The only function of the trailing leg
is stability and balance. The leading leg does most of the
work.

Beginners are often intimidated by this procedure, but it is
really a very simple physical feat. The hard part, if any, is
simply understanding mentally what it is you are trying to do,
as I explained.

This is a lot of fun, too. I like to hit the grass full speed,
and then skate as far down a slope as possible before the grass
stops me.

One important requirement is that the ground should be dry. Wet
dirt or grass will clog your wheels and your skates will also
sink into mud (yuck).

* (REGULAR) SPINOUTS/LUNGE STOP:
This is where you skate into a spin to transfer your linear
momentum into angular momentum. To do this, you sort of
stop-n-hold one skate at an angle to act as the pivot foot and
the other traces a circle around it (and you). It may help to
think of having each skate trace concentric circles, with the
pivot skate tracing the much smaller inner one. The pivot skate
will be turning on its outside edge, while the outer skate will
be on its inside edge.

* SPREAD EAGLE SPINOUTS:
A spinout with your skates in a bent spread eagle position
(i.e., heels pointed towards each other, skates at slightly
less than 180 degrees). There is no pivot foot here, instead
both your skates trace the arc.

There are inside and outside spread eagles, where you skate on
both inside or both outside edges. The above paragraph
describes the inside spread eagle.

A sustained outside spread eagle is more of an artistic skating
move than a practical stop, although I use it occasionally to
stop on flat surfaces.

NOTE that all types of spinouts require a fair amount of room.
Your forward motion is quite suddenly changed to angular motion
so I'd recommend this mainly for low traffic areas where you
won't have people running into you from behind when you do the
spinout.

* CROSSOVER STOP:
This stop works both forwards and backwards at higher speeds. I
call this the crossover stop because your feet are held in the
position of a spread-out crossover. In this stop, you're going
to be arcing to one side. The harder and sharper you turn, the
faster you stop. If you tend to trip on your skates, spread
your skates farther apart (forwards-backwards).

The braking pressure comes from the turn. The harder you press
with the outer edge of your back skate, the faster you stop. So
if you're turning left, your right skate is in front, the left
skate is almost right behind it (so that all your wheels are in
line). Press on the outer edge of your left skate (your back
skate) and on the inner edge of your right skate.

There is also the inverted crossover stop where your feet
positions are reversed: so you turn left with your left foot
forward and right foot back (and vice versa for right turns).
Watch ice hockey players just after play has stopped. More
often than not, the circle around in the inverted crossover
position.

Both crossover stops are good for high speed stops but make
sure you have plenty of open space.

* SLALOMING/PARALLEL TURNS:
For skiers, this maps over very nicely. This is more of a speed
control technique rather than a stop, but it's very useful to
know. Explaining slalom turns can take an entire book in
itself, so I will merely suggest that you find a skier or a ski
book to show you how.

One way to practice this is to find a nice gentle slope with
plenty of space at the bottom, set up cones in a line, and
weave through the cones.

_________________________________________________________________

ADVANCED LEVEL

This next set of stops require good independent leg control. These
advanced stops will require you to be skating only one foot for some
portion of the technique.

* T-STOP:
This stop uses your wheels as a source of friction. To do the
T-stop, place one skate behind you, nearly perpendicular to
your direction of travel. Bend a little in both knees to drag
your wheels. You should think more of dragging the heel than
the toe. Apply the braking pressure to your heel. If you drag
the toe too much, you will end up spinning around. Keep your
weight mainly on your skating (front) foot. As you learn to
stop at higher speeds you will apply more downward pressure to
the back skate (but your weight is still on the front skate).

If you have a World Wide Web (WWW) browser, Check out Scott's
picture tutorial on T-stops.

NOTE: One particular phenomenon to avoid in the T-stop, or any
wheel-dragging stop (such as the toe drag) is the "flats". If
you T- stop or toe drag such that the wheels do not roll as
your drag, you will end up with a flattened wheel which will
not roll smoothly at all. In effect, ruining your wheel(s).

* TOE DRAG:
Similar to the T-stop except you drag only the toe wheel
instead of all four or five wheels. Unlike the T-stop it's not
critical to keep the skate perpendicular to your line of
travel. In fact, you're free to drag the wheel anywhere in a
180+ degree arc behind you. Also, your toe can be pointed into
the ground at pretty much any angle. (If you have old wheels,
the toe position is a good place to put them if you want to
avoid shredding your good wheels.)

The toe drag is better than the T-stop in that you wear down
only one wheel, and more importantly, you are also allowed much
better control over steering, since you can still stop
effectively even if the drag wheel rolls too much. The toe drag
can stop you even when at cruising speeds, although at
significantly longer breaking distance than the brake-pad or
the T-stop since you are dragging only one wheel.

* BACKWARDS T-STOP:
This is a T-stop when you're rolling backwards. There are two
ways to perform this stop. The first way is to stop by dragging
the outside edge of your skate (i.e., toe pointed outward). The
harder way is to point your toe inward, much like a reverse New
York stop (see New York stop).

STEPPING STOPS

These three stepping stops are essentially advanced low-speed stops
("advanced" since they require good independent control over each
skate). They could also be called "pushing" stops, since most of the
braking action is done by pushing a skate against your motion. Many
advanced skaters will do this intuitively, but I will detail them here
for completeness.

* BACKWARD STEPPING STOP:
This is like while wearing shoes, and someone pushes you from the
front. One foot automatically steps back to keep you from falling
backwards. On skates then, while rolling backwards, you simply put one
skate behind you, 90 degrees to the other skate, and hold it there so
that your body doesn't roll any further. This is basically a very low-
speed power stop, and so without the sliding and scraping action of
the wheels (see the Power Stop).

The faster you are moving, the closer you are to doing a true power
stop. This may be a good method to learn the power stop, gradually
building up speed.

* FORWARD STEPPING STOP:
A low-speed stop very similar to the backwards stepping stop except
you're rolling forwards, of course. This time you plant your skate 90
degrees out in front of or right next to the rolling skate. Your front
heel will be pointing inwards (it's probably easier for most people to
keep the toe pointed outward here). This is especially useful at
curbs, like just before you accidentally roll into an intersection, in
crowded indoor places, or if you just want to get a little closer to
people you're talking with.

This stop should halt you immediately. Once you plant your foot, your
body should stop moving forward. You may find it easier if you bend
slightly at the waist and knee to give your skate a better angle to
grab.

You can also use this stop in a sort of shuffling fashion: stop, roll
a little, stop, roll a little, etc., until you get to precisely where
you want to be.

* REVERSE STOP (FORWARDS SNOW-PLOW):
While rolling, point one skate (only) inward, lift and set it back
down. Roll on it and push off slightly at the heel. Now lift the other
skate, and do the same.

Essentially you are skating backwards even though moving forwards.
Keep doing it and you will eventually start skating backwards. This
can be done even at high speeds.

* BACKWARDS HEEL DRAG:
This is for rolling backwards. Similar to the toe drag except you drag
your heel wheel. If you find your drag skate rolling sideways, apply
more pressure to your heel wheel.

Now that you can do toe-drags, heel-drags and spinouts...

* TOE-DRAG SPINOUTS:
This is a one-footed spinout with an accompanying toe-drag on the
other foot. The toe drag will be in the inside of the spinout. So for
a right-foot toe-drag spinout, you will be carving a right turn. It
takes a bit more balance and strength and will shred your toe wheel a
lot. The more pressure on the toe, and the sharper/harder you carve
your turn, the faster you stop.

At maximum effectiveness, it can stop you very quickly. The skating
foot will be nearly doing a power slide (see Power Stop) and the
dragging foot will be doing a very hard toe-drag. Done correctly at
low to medium speeds, it takes up at most a sidewalk's width. At
downhill speeds, expect to take up most of a car lane.

NOTE that hitting a crack or rock during this stop really bites since
you've got most of your weight on one skating foot. Look for any
debris or holes ahead of you and be prepared.

* HEEL-DRAG SPINOUTS:
For this spinout, just plant one of your heel wheels on the ground out
in front of you and spin around it. The only tricky part is that the
pivot heel wheel may roll a little, so keep some downward pressure on
it. It probably helps to keep your pivot leg straight and slightly
locked to help stabilize the pivot.

A variation on heel-drag spinouts is to use your brake-pad as the
pivot.

This stop looks pretty neat when going backwards, although you should
be careful to protect your knees if you have to abort. To perform this
backwards, start a heel-drag stop (you're skating backwards), carve
the skating foot behind and to the inside, and you should spin around
the heel wheel/brake.

* CURB RAMMING:
You approach the curb at around 90 degrees (i.e., straight on) and
lift your toes enough to clear the curb. This should jam your wheels
and runners into the curb. You should be prepared to compensate for
the sudden change in your motion.

An alternative curb ramming stop is to do a spinout near the curb and
ram the back of your skate into the curb.

Both these techniques cause quite a bit of shock to your skates
(especially at high speeds) so if you really love your skates you may
not want to do this stop too often 8-)

* POWER STOP/POWER SLIDE:
This is one of the most effective stops, and also one of the hardest.
To do this stop, you should be able to skate forwards and backwards
well, and also be able to flip front-to-back quickly.

There appear different approaches to learning the power stop. The end
result should be the same, or nearly so, but both are detailed below.
It is left to the reader to decide which one is easier to follow.

One way:

You can piece the power stop together by combining two things:
1. flip front to backward.
2. place one foot behind you and push the entire row of wheels at a
very sharp angle into the ground.

You can practice this by skating backwards, gliding, and then with
nearly all your weight on one foot, bring the other foot behind you,
perpendicular to your direction of travel (see the Backward Stepping
stop).

You should start out doing this while traveling slowly. Your wheels
should scrape a little. If they catch, you need to hold your braking
skate at a sharper angle. Once you get this down, you can practice
flipping front-to-back, coast a little, and then stop. Eventually, the
combination becomes one smooth move: just get the braking leg extended
as soon as you flip.

You can use any flip (mohawk, 3-turn, toe-pivot, etc.) for this stop.
This stop is good for hockey, and a good stop when going backwards
(especially at higher speeds). A power-stop using a jump turn is
called a chop stop (see following section).

The other way:

The second method involves one continuous motion instead of two: Skate
forward on an outside edge, while extending the free leg to the side.
All weight is on the skating leg. The free leg is dragged along the
ground. Now sharpen the turn on the outside edge of the skating leg
(with its knee greatly bent), and swing the free leg in front. This
continuous transition causes the skating leg to turn, so it's now
skating in reverse.

The key is to have all the weight on the skating leg. If you place any
weight on the free leg, you will go into a spin and lose control.

Some prefer this method because you do not need to go into a complete
power slide to stop. At any point in the continuous motion, you can
abort if something is going wrong. Only at higher speeds is it
necessary to completely turn the skating foot. There is less risk of
catching the free leg on an uneven surface because it is already
extended and dragging before you swing around.

If you have a WWW browser, check out Scott's power-sliding picture
tutorial.

* CHOP-STOP:
For skating forward or backward at low to moderate speeds. This is
much like the hockey stops done on ice except, since you can't shave
asphalt, you need to jump and turn both skates and hips perpendicular
to the direction of travel. Land with the skates at an angle (like in
the power stop) and push your wheels against the ground. To maintain
balance you can keep one skate mainly beneath you, while the other
goes out forward to stop you.

Most of the shredding will be done on the lead skate, where the inside
of your lead leg should make a sharp angle against the ground.

Basically what this is, is a power stop using a jump turn.

The jump isn't so much for air time as for lifting your skates off the
ground so you can reposition them sideways. The lower the jump you can
get away with, the less off balance you should be when you land.
However, if you don't jump high enough you may not be able to place
your lead skate at a sufficient angle. Caution should be used even
more so in this stop than in others.

The particulars of the jump aren't crucial. You can lead with one foot
followed by the other, and land in that order; or jump and land with
both feet at once. Pick whatever style you're most comfortable with.

* NEW YORK STOP:
Harder than even the power stop, the New York stop is mainly a power
stop but you don't turn your gliding foot! It doesn't appear that just
anyone can perform this stop, since it seems to require quite a bit of
knee flexibility. L = the track left by the left skate, R = ditto by
the right skate

------ direction of travel --- >

L---------------------- |
This stop requires your knee to be twisted inward (not a natural
position, by far), so if you can't do it, I wouldn't say it's a big loss
since it seems to have above average potential to cause injury if
done wrong.

* "WILE E. COYOTE" STOP:

This stop requires brakes on both skates and is very reminiscent of
cartoon charaters, Wile E. Coyote in particular 8-), when they stop
on their heels after going very, very, VERY fast (meep meep! 8-).

* COMBINATION/SEQUENCE STOPS:

Once you've got some stops perfected, the next thing you might want to
try is a sequence or combination of several stops. These are definitely
more fun and a bit more showy. These are some of the random combination
stops that I do. You can easily make up your own. (Sequences are denoted
with "->" and combos with "+")

S-stop
Crossover stop -> turn opposite direction -> toe-drag spinout.
So for example, you can crossover stop to the left, ride your
left skate and do a toe drag (right toe pivot) while turning to
the right to complete the S-pattern.

Double crossover stop
crossover stop -> inverted crossover stop (or vice versa). This
also traces out an S-pattern.

Braking T-stop
T-stop with non-brake foot + brake with brake-pad

Braking toe-drag
Brake with brake-pad + toe-drag on other skate. The braking
toe-drag and the braking T-stop are the two of the most
effective ways to stop that I know of when cruising.

Braking spread-eagle
Spread-eagle (follow w/ spinout optional) with braking skate in
front + braking with brake-pad

Braking glide stop
glide -> reverse feet positions -> brake-pad. The effect is
that of shuffling your feet quickly and stopping. (Glide: a
heel-toe glide, one skate out, and one skate back; use only the
back toe and front heel wheels. The back skate should be the
one with the brake since the assembly gets in the way on the
front skate)

__________________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

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Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

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Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part3

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Stairs, Grinds and Rails
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - STAIRS, GRINDS AND RAILS *

Table of Contents

* Stair riding
* Curb grinds and wall stalls
* Rails
* Skitching (skate-hitching)

See the pictures index for the graphical tutorials.
_________________________________________________________________

STAIR RIDING

From: ai...@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Jim Aites)

I'm pretty comfortable riding stairs (frontwards and backwards), but
discovered something which in hindsight should have been obvious, and
might be worth mentioning to those who are looking for stairs to ride.

Simply put, there are stairs worth riding and the are stairs that
you'd be nuts to do anything but jump down/over.

Dangerous stairs: Ride-able stairs: Fun/easy stairs:

|__ |____ |______
| | |
|__ |____ |______
| | |
|__ |____ |______

Too obvious you say? Yeah, me too. I durn near nailed myself going
backwards down a dangerous set the other day. I guess I figured that
stairs were stairs. Wrong thinking is punishable...via PAIN!

From: rbu...@owlnet.rice.edu (Robert John Butera)

Tonight I finally did my first competent stair bashing, doing 6-8
stairs at the Party-on-the-Plaza in downtown Houston. I thought I'd
share some of what I learned with others, since this thread comes up a
lot.

* I was surprised how EASY is was - a lot of it is overcoming the
confidence factor and being relaxed.

* It really helps to watch someone. I decided to try it when I saw
someone that I KNEW was a much less experienced skater than me,
and decided, dammit I'm going to tackle this thing.

* The BIGGEST tip I have for getting started is to constantly remind
yourself to keep one foot in fron tof the other. The ride is a lot
smoother. After about an hour of doing it, I could get myself to
do it with my skates almost side-by-side, but your much more
likely to lose your balance.

* At first I kept on tripping on the bottom stair or two (yet
miraculously I never fell!). The guy who showed me how to do it
noticed that as I progressed down the stairs, my rear foot was
moving forward and becoming more "side-by-side" with my front foot
(see the previous note). The trick was to relax yet concentrate on
foot placement.

* When I got back to campus, I tried skating backward down some
wimpy 2-4 stair spread out stairs. The people here are right: I
think backwards stair crashing might actually be easier. I intend
to go downtown tomorrow night and try the backwards thing on some
larger stairs.

Overall, a great night for skating. I also found the "ideal parking
deck" with those two important prerequisites: no visible security and
a working elevator (its really steep, but has 6-7 levels). Such
parking decks are becoming few and far between around here as more
skaters start "invading" them, making the security dudes a lot more
testy.

From: @sedona.intel.com (Kenneth Creta)

In article , prok...@acf2.nyu.edu (Andrew) writes:
> I've been skating for about 3 month now, but still can't skate down-
> stairs. I tried to go up the stairs and it works well, very fast! I saw peop
le
> going upstairs and did not find it difficult at all. But looking down from th
e
> top of even 7 step stair scares the shit out of me.

Try a smaller set first. A wouldn't advise going straight to 7 stairs.

>I tried going down from the
> fourth step of a 15 step stair, but I ended up running downstairs, not skatin
g.

This will never work. You need some speed to prevent your skates from catching
on them. My friend and I (we do stairs all the time) have recently started
hit the stairs at a snail's pace. Not as easy when going slow.

> Do you have to keep the blades horisontally, when you go down, or at a 45 ang
le?

Although I don;t really think about it, I guess I'd have to say horizontal.

> It seems that if you keep the skates at an anlge, you end up running downstai
rs,but if you keep them horisontally, the brake would definitely get in the way
on
> almost any stairs, except very flat ones. Or you have to approach the stair a
t
> an angle, to make the path longer?

A good way to start. Stairs are much easier at an angle. The easier way is
if your front foot is opposite the angle your going. In other words, if
your back foot is your right (mine is) try angling right to left.

If you go slow, your brake will definitely be a concern. I don't bother with
one anyway. What could make someone want to stop anyway :)

Ken

From: ma...@unidata.ucar.edu (Matt Hicks)

I saw some street freestyle on Prime Sports Network (I think it was) a
few weeks ago and I noticed that the guys doing stairs seemed to be
just dragging the toe wheels of their trailing foot (feet?). All their
weight was on the leading foot and the trailing foot seemed to be just
a rudder or for balance only. Anyone had any experience with this
technique? See the worst ASCII drawing in the world below if this is
not clear.

/ /
/ / \
/ / \
O|---------- /\ \
| | / | |
O| ----------/ | |
______ O| / | |
| |__| |----|
|_O_______ | |
| | \__
|________ | \
| |________|
|___@ @ @ @_
|
|
--

From: kcr...@sedona.intel.com (Kenneth Creta)

Hi,
I've been stair bashing for a LONG time now. However, I've always
wondered about my form and whether I was doing it right because it has always
seemed that my ride was ALOT rougher and bumpier than others I've watched.

Last night proved that something was wrong. My friend and I were
taking our favorite set of stairs REALLY SLOW. This isn't so easy. Howver,
while my friend was able to do it OK, I found that my back (right) foot kept
on catching on the steps. My friend thinks I put too much weight on the back
foot and I think he might be be right because when I listen, he sounds like
CHUNK-KA CHUNK-KA where I sound like CHUNK CHUNK. You know what I mean.

Any of you find yourself in a similar situation?

Ken
--

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

In article har...@leland.Stanford.EDU (Lawrence Chr-Jr Liu) writes:
>Jeff writes:
>
>Out of curiosity, do most skaters think 180's or 360's off stairs are easier?
>I'm trying to learn 360's, but I can't quite get the hang of it -- any
>suggestions? (These 360's are on flat ground for now, I don't have the full
>no fear mentality -- yet ;) )

I haven't quite gotten there either yet, so I'm going to say 180s :)

My typical approach to 180's:

Approach the stairs at a moderate speed and when I reach the first one, jump
up like I was going to do a curb jump. I usually land on the 3rd or 4th step
and stop there quite solidly and firmly. As soon as I'm sure of my purchase on
that step(about a second or so), I push back with my front wheels and turn
around to land facing forward.

is it much of a transition to make this a 270?

I think the reason I haven't done a 360 yet is that I'm not that comfortable
landing backwards. Although I am getting better with the heel-to-heels, so
I do feel more comfortablke landing and then spinning or doing wide circles.
(Thats the best I can manage with this so far...but they are getting WIDER! :)
)

ObTrick: Found another cool office over the weekend. TThis one not only has
a deep curb ramp, but also a long cement one running up to the front
door. I was catching some major air off this, almost enough to start
doing tricks in midair..
For those in the area,this is the Dept. of the Interior building over in
Sir Isaac Newton Square in Reston...they've got some pretty cool stairs too..

--

From: kcr...@sedona.intel.com (Kenneth Creta)

In article , cd...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Douglas J. Narby) writes:

> Stairs (this one not explained too well; and I haven't had the Testes to
> try it without some clues).

Remember to bend you knees and put more weight on the back foot than the
front. I put my left foot 1/2 a foot length ahead of my right (my right
leg is the stronger of the two) and bend my knees to absorb much of the
impact. When people get scared, they straighten up which winds up in a
wreck. Also, while going down, try to be light on your feet. I know that
sounds funny but picture it and "float" over the stairs. Use the force,
Luke :)

If you try backwards, put your stronger leg forward (uphill) and put your
(most of but not all) weight on your toes. Like forward, put most of the
weight on your stronger leg. Too much weight on your heels can result in
catching the foot throwing you on your back.

We have two flights of 6 steps with about 5 feet of flat in between and I
like to hit the first going forward and then switching backwards for the
next flight. Or going down the first set, and jumping into a 180 over
the second and so on.

> My best trick so far is jumping a flight of four stairs. Now I am trying
> to learn to do crossovers whilst skating backward.

I think backwards cross-overs is one of the best techniques that develops
overall skating ability. It really forces you to balance and takes quite
a bit of practice before you are really comfortable. BE SURE TO PRACTICE
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT EQUALLY. I see alot of people who can go one way but
not the other.

New Tricks:

Work on 360 jumps off the ground (forward and backward). Once you
have those down, hit a jump and do it (again, forwards and backwards).

Try a "Dutchman". Jump off a ramp, grab both feet behind your back
while in the air and land (on your feet :)

--

From: co...@elec.canterbury.ac.nz (DAve.)
Subject: Re: Stair/Wall Jumps..

In article , ho...@netcom.com (Will Leland) writes:
> RE: how to ride down stairs
> SPEED! just get going a good clip, put your weaker foot in front of
> the other for more stability, and ride down with most of your weight
> on the back skate.
> I ran into an upper limit on stairs though. When I got up to 10 steps
> I ran out of speed (and balance) and did a major face plant. Do those
> hockey helmets come with face cages :)

Speed is nice - balance is better! :-)

Once again, though, you need to be able to skate more or less one foot in front

of the other. I like to push my front foot out, almost straight so that if
it gets caught on a step it 'springs' back in front really quickly.

Then place the trailing knee really close and almost behind the leading one.
This forces one to bend that trailing leg, which takes up a lot of the bumpines
s.
The more relaxed the back leg is, the smoother the ride goes.

I have managed 15 consecutive steps this way. The only reason that that is
the limit, is that I have not found more than 15 consecutive steps. :-)
It is real easy to lose your nerve after 12 or so. As soon as you stiffen or
straghten up the back leg, it is all over :-\

Anyways, this is *MY* method (MHOs only) - it is certainly not everyones.
I think one just needs to find what is most comfortable for oneself.

--

From: ki...@iat.com (Kimon Papahadjopulos)

First of all, like most everything else, this skill comes with practice,
and at first that is really hard to do since you don't know how to do
it yet.

The first thing you have to do is find is a good bunch of stairs to practice
on. On the Berkeley Campus there is an ideal sight: one of the buildings
is built on an incline so that the bottom floor is underground at the
top of the hill and completely exposed on the bottom.

Because of this, a stairway that runs the length of the building
"fades away", so that there are no stairs at one end, but it builds
up gradually to about twenty steps at the other end.

Besides being very wide, the the steps are also very long. If you
can find a set up like this, your halfway there already. This way
you can practice with one or two steps, and move up one at a time when
you get more confident.

>When skating down narrow stairs, is it easier to go straight down
>or is it easier to go at an angle? It seems like going at an
>angle might be easier because it would provide more opportunity
>to have both skates in contact simultaneously.

Can you really go down truly narrow stairs at an angle? On a wide
bunch of stairs, going down at an angle is much easier because you don't
go nearly as fast. This is essential when you are learning.

>How should your weight be distributed? Should it be equally
>distributed, shifted mostly to the leading leg, or shifted mostly
>to the trailing leg?

Almost all on the trailing leg. The front leg is mostly a guide.

>Does having a brake on one skate increase the risk of a fall?
>Since the brake extends beyond the rear of one skate, my concern
>is that it might get caught on the edge of a step. Therefore,
>should the skate with the brake lead, follow, or does it matter?

Learn how to t-stop before you learn stairs. The back break is a hazard
for any sort of trick, whether it be crossovers, skating backwards, or
going down stairs.

If you are interested in doing any of the above, it's well worth your
while to learn how to get by without the back brake. It will probably
save you a bunch of nasty falls.

IMO, anyone that is trying to learn stairs with a brake is just asking
for it. Generally, learning a t-stop is your first trick, since it's
easier to learn, and makes most other tricks easier.

It also kind of proves that you know what you are doing, and are ready
for the next level.

And you're right about the brake getting caught on the edge of
each step.

Also, when you are practicing, you often times are not in the best balance
when you finish a set of stairs. If you happen to catch your brake
when this happens, you are probaly going to end up on the pavement.

>Is there a safe, piecemeal way to learn skating down stairs, or
>should I necessarily expect to fall as part of the learning
>process?

Again, if you can find a nice set of stairs, you don't necessarily have
to murder yourself. Practive on two or three stairs and then move up.

But of course, wear full protective gear, and don't complain if your
skates break. Rollerblade Lightnings are very sturdy, and hold up fairly
well. I'm sure TRS's are good too, maybe even Macroblades and Aeroblades.
But don't use Zetra's or any skate with a metal blade. SwitchIts in my
experience are somewhat frigile for this sort of thing.

!*!*!

It should be understood that if you push beyond the level of your
abilities, and you happen to land on your head, even with a helmut,
you could kill yourself.

!*!*!

>Is stair skating always risky, even for those who have mastered
>it, or is it fairly safe once a skater understands how it is
>done?

I have not done a lot because I have concerns about my knees: going
down stairs really puts a lot of stress on your knees, as well as your
skates. From what I have done, I believe that skating stairs
becomes as easy as anything else after a while, as long as you know the
particular staircase that you are going down, and there is no one walking
up it.

From: ahe...@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Sean Ahern)

>IMO, anyone that is trying to learn stairs with a brake is just asking
>for it. Generally, learning a t-stop is your first trick, since it's
>easier to learn, and makes most other tricks easier.

No way....I learned you to skate down stairs by teaching myself to be
aware of the brake and what I was doing with it.

I have also taught other people how to do this as well.

I think leaving the brake on makes you more aware of what your skates are
doing.

>It also kind of proves that you know what you are doing, and are ready
>for the next level.

Exactly my point about leaving the brake on.

Now while I don't use the brake except when I have to do SUDDEN stops like
when a car pulls in front of me, I think it's a good thing to leave on for
safety's sake.

>And you're right about the brake getting caught on the edge of
>each step.

Well, not if you have enough speed. I have found that stairs are actually
harder at slow speeds. Going slowly, the edge of the stair will give a pivot
that can throw off your balance. If you are going moderately fast, you just
skate right down the stairs, almost as if they are one surface.

You MUST make sure that one skate is in front of the other and your knees are
bent deep. You also might crouch down a bit and lean forward. I have found
that this helps me keep my balance. Don't lean forward too far or you will
tumble forward. (not fun on stairs)

>Also, when you are practicing, you often times are not in the best balance
>when you finish a set of stairs. If you happen to catch your brake
>when this happens, you are probaly going to end up on the pavement.

Ahhhh, if you are not leaning backwards when you are going down, you shouldn't
be in a position to catch your brake anywhere.

>Again, if you can find a nice set of stairs, you don't necessarily have
>to murder yourself. Practive on two or three stairs and then move up.

Yes, this is very true. Start out on a wide set of stairs. If you can get
one stair (kinda like a curb), try to keep going and get the next one. If you
get pretty good at this, try doing them a little faster. You will learn the
basic techniques of stairs this way and will soon be able to move onto steeper
and steeper stairs.

>>Is stair skating always risky, even for those who have mastered
>>it, or is it fairly safe once a skater understands how it is
>>done?

>I have not done a lot because I have concerns about my knees: going
>down stairs really puts a lot of stress on your knees, as well as your
>skates. From what I have done, I believe that skating stairs
>becomes as easy as anything else after a while, as long as you know the
>particular staircase that you are going down, and there is no one walking
>up it.

It DOES get easy, after a while, but they are still challenging as every flight
of stairs has a different slope and width to them.

--

From: j...@lvld.hp.com (Jim Aites)

re: stair-riding (from an e-mail discussion...possible FAQ submital)

>For the intermediate skater who hasn't tried stairs yet, what would you
>say are the basic skills?

Practicing curbs is a good idea, specially if you 'drop off' instead of
'hop off'. The difference being one of jumping vs riding. A short set of
two or three easy stairs (with wide risers) would be the next step.

>...t-stops with either foot. Probably backwards skating, too?

180's and 380's are probably part of that as well. Not that these are
*needed* for stair bashing, but if someone is doing this level of stuff
then they could certainly handle stairs.

>Is there anything else that people should master before they begin?

No...not 'master', but there are a few things a person needs to know in
order to be relatively successful at handling stairs:

1) a 'reasonable' speed is required!

Contrary to common knowledge about the laws of physics, folks generally
lose speed when going down stairs. Backwards bashing however, will
actually cause one to GAIN speed. No, it's not 'magic'...

Many of us have started down a flight of stairs at a good speed, only to
slow to a crawl, and end up 'bailing out' before reaching the bottom. This
'leap of faith' (hoping you can reach a flat spot when you throw yourself
over the last few steps) is probably the most dangerous thing about riding
stairs. So, if going forward - hit them at speed!

The loss of speed is mostly due to that fact that folks tend to ride the
stairs 'flat', instead of leaning into it and angling the skates as though
on a hill. Riding 'flat' means that the slope isn't really affecting your
speed. While bashing backwards, however, EVERYONE lets their heels lead
the way and the foot naturally angles (er...toes up), thus restoring the
'slope' and gaining speed.

While flat-riding, it doesn't matter what style you use...but keeping
your weight on the trailing skate is relatively standard. Aggressive
bashers often use a wider front-to-back skate placement, but more
importantly, they LEAN into the slope to avoid losing speed.

Note: go easy on this folks...nobody wants to see you do a header down the
stairs.

2) they call it 'bashing' for a reason. Accept it!

Yup, bashing, bone jarring, bouncing, slamming, and in general, beating
yourself up (ok, your skates) while riding stairs is an expected part of
the game. A willingness to accept that it feels uglier than it looks is
needed. Hummm...some folks may argue that it 'looks as bad as it feels'
as well! Either way, you've got to go with it.

3) backwards *IS* easier. But more intimidating.

Honest! Because there is an extra 'shock absorber' (ie your ankle can flex
to your toes whereas your heel is pretty solid) and because your feet will
naturally angle down, the backwards ride is a heck of a lot smoother than
riding stairs frontwards. If you have trouble just 'going-for-it', then
start slow, and use a hand-rail. (normally this is NOT a good thing to do)
Keep a reasonable front-to-back stance and let everything flex!

Note: If you find that going backwards is NOT easier/smoother, then please
let me know. Not that anyone can help you at this point, but rather
because I'd be curious to hear about the 'exception to the rule'.

4) failure to wear a helmet ANYTIME you are rolling backwards or doing
stairs is (of course) enough to get you 'certified' (as insane) in most
states.

I was the first in our group to do 'killer' steps (4 flights of seven
stairs each) backwards. I started from a standing-start at the top while
clutching a hand-rail. The clutch turned into a light balancing guide
after the first three steps...and then I was free-wheeling down the rest.

From: shoo...@onramp.net (Shooshie)
Subject: Re: Stairs...
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 19:43:55 -0600

In article , sj...@Lehigh.EDU wrote:
|> What type of stairs would be the best to start on? Do I want long, flat
|> stairs, or short, steep ones? SHould I take them forwards, backwards, fast,
|> slow, should I lean forward or backwards? All info will be appreciated.

When I began attempting stairs backward, I found some shallow stairs
(long, flat ones) about six steps deep, with a handrail. I found that
using the handrail for security saved my rear end repeatedly. Had I used
the same combination when learning them forward, I might still have
complete use of my shoulder. So... find long, flat stairs and a handrail.
Or you can learn them as I did and fall a few times. Some of those falls
will send you tumbling down stairs and you'll learn what it is that stunt
men get paid for in movies, as well as why they retire young.

It doesn't hurt to go REALLL slow at first with a handrail, just to get
used to the idea, and to see that it really doesn't amount to much more
than straight level skating. But from then on, try it at a nice cruising
speed. Taking them too slow will just make you end up hanging a wheel on
the last step or two, and you'll fall... and grab the rail, of course.
Take it at a speed with which you could almost jump the stairs, and you'll
probably do fine. If I lean at all, it's forward, but I'm not aware of
leaning, so it would be ever-so-slight. Whatever you do, don't lean
backward... unless, of course, you want to practice dribbling your head on
concrete. Which brings up the standard thing that you should know by
now... Wear Your Helmet!

And one more thing: stagger your feet. Your heel of the leading foot
should be at least even with your toe of the trailing foot. That's not a
rule or anything, but it gives you much more security at first. Which
means you need to be sure you are a competent skater with your feet in
that position before you go bustin' down stairs with it. And because your
forward foot will be lower than your trailing foot, you need to bend your
knees and relax your stance as much as possible to let your hips and
ankles do the necessary cantilevering. There's nothing you really "do" to
go down stairs but relax and wait for the last one to come up, hoping that
you aren't in an awkward balance position in the meantime. That word,
"relax" is a killer though. It'll take about a hundred times before you
can relax. Then you've only learned ONE staircase. You have to find a
different kind then, and another, and another. Finally, you are confident
that you can do any staircase. I haven't tried fire escapes, escalators,
or anything like that, though. To be honest, I really like to stick to the
shallow ones. I'm not a slinky, you know.

There's probably more to tell, but I can't think of it. Someone else will,
though.

Shooshie

From: tb...@wam.umd.edu (Nelson)
Subject: Re: Stairs...
Date: 11 Apr 1995 10:29:23 GMT

sj...@Lehigh.EDU wrote:
: What type of stairs would be the best to start on? Do I want long, flat
: stairs, or short, steep ones? SHould I take them forwards, backwards, fast,
: slow, should I lean forward or backwards? All info will be appreciated.

Some of the basics...

* Don't attempt to go backwards if you can't skate backwards well....you'll
end up falling backwards and bash your skull.
* Go forward first...it's rougher, but easier to learn, and more natural.
* Forward stair riding.
- keep feet staggered.
- BEND KNEES!...Like you're about to tackle somebody.
get into that atheletic, and balanced position, and KEEP IT.
- More weight on back leg
- Front leg sort of like a out-rigger. Do Not put too much weight on
front leg. A fall on your butt, and elbows (WEAR PADS!) is better than
a face-plant-tumble down the stairs....I went to the hospital that
way for dislocated shoulder.
- Keep hands in _ready position_ ... ready for a fall. :-)
- Concentrate on keeping your back leg in position. Many beginner stair
riders concentrate so much on the steps they let their back leg get
limp. Then the back leg lags behind more and more, and you end up in a
bad position! If stairs are short, then you just end up catching your
back skate every time. If they are long, then be ready for face-plant.
- So, in my opinion, the biggest thing to remember when learning is to
CONCENTRATE ON KEEPING YOUR LEG POSTIONS (back leg!)

Wear pads, wear a helmet.

Curb Grinds And Wall Stalls

From: stcl...@aol.com (StClair4)
Date: 5 Jul 1995 13:10:33 -0400

Here is a basic guide to grinds.

1. Frontside and backside grinds:Many people think that these grinds
are easiest. I think that this is true on rails, but not on curbs.
Find a low rail (4-8") that is small enough to fit between your 2nd
and 3rd wheels. To start out, go directly AT the rail. Jump slightly,
and land with your FEET SPREAD with the rail between your 2nd and 3rd
wheels. Once you can do this consistantly, start approaching the rail
from less and less of an angle. The secret to frontsides on rails is
to keep your feet spread or you will end up on your ass.

2. Soul Grinds: Aaaah Soul Grinds. Soul grinds are definately the most
fun for me. You can soul grind just about anything (curb, planter,
rail). To learn how to soul, stand next to a curb 4 to 8 inches high.
Jump up onto the curb with the edge of the curb in between your 2nd
and 3rd wheel on your front foot and on the outside sole of your back
boot. If you can do this no problem, you are ready to grind. Find a
curb which is not on a set of stairs, and has enough space for you to
get some speed going parallel to it. (Got it?) Wax about ten feet of
that curb. If you can't find parrafin you can use bar soap. Wax all
around the edge of the curb and about three inches wide on the top.
Approach the curb riding almost parallel to it. Jump onto the curb in
the soul position with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. If
you are having trouble staying on the curb, then try looking down the
curb, This helps keep your front foot on the curb. (You will usually
come off the curb backwards when doing this)

3.Mizou grinds: A mizou grind is like a soul, except the foot that is
grinding on the sole of the boot is the front foot, and the back foot
is grinding in between the second and third wheel. Learn how to soul
before you learn how to Mizou. Do the same learning process that you
did for the soul (stand next the the curb and jump on it). Approach it
much like a soul. If your front foot is coming off the curb, then bend
your knee over the curb more. (crappy art)

knee[ ]
\ \
\ \
______________[ ]

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

>har...@leland.Stanford.EDU (Lawrence Chr-Jr Liu) writes:
>>In an effort to revive the trick thread, I was wondering if anyone out there
>>in netland has performed a "front-side curb grind", as described in the lates
t
>>issue of InLine. They mentioned rubbing surfboard wax on the steps to get a
>>better grind, but I was also wondering if the trick can be performed without
>>waxing.

Saw it, haven't tried it...

On the subject of 180's though, I've been trying something new during lunch
at work the past couple days. Skate down/across a parking lot, 'till you get
to a median/island. Curb-jump, followed by a 180, landing backwards, then
do whatever...(I've also been working on heel-to-heels, so I've been going
into one of these after I land, partially to practice them, but also because
they can start from a backwards skate, so it looks pretty cool)

I've avoided curb grinds 'cause I'm not sure how well my rails would hold
up to something abrasive like your average concrete curb. I'd probably
try it on something like one thats been painted "No Parking" and more
or less sealed though. Wax? ---maybe, but modding the turf seems a little
bogus to me...

--

From: dma...@is.morgan.com (David Madeo)

In article har...@leland.Stanford.EDU (Lawrence Chr-Jr Liu) writes:

>In an effort to revive the trick thread, I was wondering if anyone out there
>in netland has performed a "front-side curb grind", as described in the late
st
>issue of InLine. They mentioned rubbing surfboard wax on the steps to get a
>better grind, but I was also wondering if the trick can be performed without
>waxing.

You'll definately want to put some wax on. Find out where the
skateboarders in your area wax the curbs and you'll be able to feel
the difference. Rub the wax all around the edge of the curb. I
suggest being precise where you start and stop the waxing. When first
learning you can do a left foot plant on non waxed curb and then bring
the right foot on to the wax, start sliding and bring the left foot
on. It's really important that you get used to skating up to a curb
and jumping onto and off of it at different speeds and angles. It
takes a while to get used to landing and balancing with a curb between
the 2nd and 3rd wheels.

A trick that people are just starting to do around here is to do a
plate/frame scrape and click into a curb grind.

Another much harder is to do a 180/360 to land on the curb for a curb
slide. Start by just trying to land, then move on to the slide.

Supposedly the "latest" is to do sole grinds, but I don't see any
great reason to try them. Stand next to a curb, put the outside edge
of your frame and the bottom of the boot (the sole) against the corner
of the curb. Put your whole weight on this, take the other foot and
out it in front in the traditional grind angle. Do this at high
speed.

I just learned how to do stairs at the courthouse. If you saw that
ABC show two weeks ago, it's the same stairs Aton tumbled on.

--

From: j...@kepler.unh.edu (Spectre)

The reason they suggest waxing, is because they don't suggest
taking off the 3rd wheel back. If you take off the 3rd wheel, you will
slide a lot better. I suggest that you make some type of a shield or plate
to protect your frame. If you look in the same issue of In-line, thereis
an article about people in New York. Look at the picture of the FR group's
skates...one has a shield to protect his frame, one doesn't. If you look
between the wheels on the skate that doesn't, you will see what will
happen if you do too many curb grinds without the shield (his frames are
chipped away between the 2ond and 3rd wheel, and the 3rd and 4th). When
you take off the wheel, you won't really need the wax...but it's easier
to learn with the wheel in, since your skates will 'lock' onto the stair
between the wheels, instead of having a free sliding space, and you'll
slide better with the wax. once you get good at angling your feet, you
will be able to slide on your frames without having to take off the wheel.

>Another question -- has anyone tried those smaller wheels for tricks, like
>"Little Roxs" (I think that's what they're called). Are they necessary for
>rail slides, or can one just remove the third wheel and either slide on one's
>frame or add a teflon plate?

I havn't tried the little wheels yet (actually I don't see myself
trying them at all, I don't really want the loss of speed, or the added
wear on my bearings...) Right now I have a sheet metal plate on my skate
where the 3rd wheel was, and I'm looking around for a hunk of plastic
(any suggestions in the eastern MA, southern NH area?) to make a more
sturdy and less makeshift slider.

>The one trick I'm thinking of learning next is the 180 into stairs and riding
>the rest of the stairs the rest of the way -- how important is it to land one'
s
>wheels on the stairs? Do I have to land both skates at the same time squarely
>on the steps, or is it just jump and land and ride?

It all depends how you bash. Do you have to keep your weight
distributed evenly, or can you pick up a skate when you are going down.
If you bash with even weight, then you will want to land pretty much im
the same position that you would be if you bashed to that point...if you
can pick up a foot, then you just need to land on the dominant foot, then
you can adjust yourself to a more comfortable position as you bash down.
One suggestion...work on just jumping into the stairt and going from there
before you start trying 180's into them....it will hurt alot less if you
screw up going forwards then going backwards (spines smacking cement stairs
isn't really my idea of a good time :)

--

From: holr...@student.tc.umn.edu (James A Holroyd-1)

Jeff, I noticed this, too. The frames look *really* hacked on.
Your shield sounds like a good idea, but it doesn't sound like metal would
either last too long or slide too well to be of any use... I recommend
that you use some skateboard rails (Powell-Peralta Gorilla Ribs were my
favorite, but I don't know if they still make them)... they last forever
and slide forever. Just cut one down so it fits between your wheels,
epoxy it to your shield, and slide on.
I've also been thinking about making a rail that fits between the
2nd and 3rd wheels on my skates... just a small piece of plastic that
would either clip or screw into the cross brace in my lightning should
work. Anbody seen anything like this? It would reduce the ground
clearance of the skate, but this shouldn't be a problem. I think it would
make it way easier (and less harsh on the frames) to rail-slide.

Steve: Yep, they're fun, aren't they? Haven't done them (180 jumps over
curbs) to a
heel-to-heel, but I have kept rotating and sort of spun around in a crouch
to a forward position again once I land... it's not that hard, and it
feels like a 360, 'cept you're only in the air for half of it. I still
haven't got the courage to try 360's over a curb yet.

--

From: kcr...@sedona.intel.com (Kenneth Creta)

In article , cd...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Douglas J. Narby) writes:
>
> Sounds cool, Ken, but now we have three jargon terms:
>
> Stall, Curb Grind and Rail Slide.
>
> Anybody care to DEFINE them? Throw in any more us newbies are unlikely

Imagine standing in front of a wall about 3 ft high or so (on your feet).
Now imagine jumping up onto it with both feet, "stalling" there for a second,
and jumping back down. That idea except on blades is a stall. That is also
a VERY basic stall. Now try jumping off the wall to one or more other nearby
walls and doing a 360 in the air before landing. That's a cool stall. Keep
in mind that in order to land stable on the wall, you really have to land on
the corner such that the front two wheels are above the wall and the rear two
wheels are below: o
___o foot
|o
wall | o

I think a curb grind might be the same thing but on a curb instead.

A rail slide is just what it sounds like. Approach a low rail pretty much
parallel. Then jump up onto it as if you're stalling it but instead of jumping
onto it and stopping, you slide down it as far as you can. I can't seem to
find a railing that would lend itself to this (i.e., low enough).

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

Well, after exchanging messages with some of our resident bladerats
here on the group, I went out and thought I'd try a few of the tricks
that have been described here with varying degrees of success...
The university here I usually blade around has some interesting structures,
so I used those for this.

Rail Slide: Didn't work so hot, but I think thats 'cause I'm too
worried about losing my balance, my hands won't let go of the rail,
or let me rest on my wristguards to let me slide down. A good
way to practice this is to find a "double" railing to do on.
Should look like this:

\
\ \ \ \ easier)
on this one| \ \
|\_/

__________________________________________________________________________

Rail Slides

From: j...@kepler.unh.edu (Spectre)

I don't know if we've gotten much into rail-slides, so I thought
I would be the one to bring it up.

For those who don't know rail-slides, they are sliding sideways along
a railing. They aren't the easiest things, unless you take off one of your
wheels. If you take the 3rd back (of the 4) out, and at least put the axle
back in for support on your frame. A lot of people have teflon or other
plates designed to go in place of the wheel so you slide on the plate rather
than the frame.

I was working on stair bashing this weekend and got a bit bored, so
I started doing rail-slides on the railings instead.

Jump up on the railing (You can stay the direction you are going,
but I like to do a 180 on the way up so I'm facing the way I'm gonna fall :)
With the wheel removed, you want to land on the gap, where the wheel was, then
you simply (Not quite :) just let your feet slide along the railing down the
stairs.

Best way to practice, find something like a railing that is about
3-12 inches off the ground, skate up, land on it, and slide as much as you
can. I don't recommend that you try it right off the bat going down a
stairway, since the sensation of sliding backwards is REALLY strange. The
skate park that I practice at has 2 railings that are about 6 inches off
the ground. One is a railing that was taking off of a wall, and the other is
just a 3 inch diameter pipe that is placed on some wood so that the pipe
sits in the wood structure with 1/2 above the wood.

__________________________________________________________________________

Rail Slides

From: j...@kepler.unh.edu (Spectre)

I don't know if we've gotten much into rail-slides, so I thought
I would be the one to bring it up.

For those who don't know rail-slides, they are sliding sideways along
a railing. They aren't the easiest things, unless you take off one of your
wheels. If you take the 3rd back (of the 4) out, and at least put the axle
back in for support on your frame. A lot of people have teflon or other
plates designed to go in place of the wheel so you slide on the plate rather
than the frame.

I was working on stair bashing this weekend and got a bit bored, so
I started doing rail-slides on the railings instead.

Jump up on the railing (You can stay the direction you are going,
but I like to do a 180 on the way up so I'm facing the way I'm gonna fall :)
With the wheel removed, you want to land on the gap, where the wheel was, then
you simply (Not quite :) just let your feet slide along the railing down the
stairs.

Best way to practice, find something like a railing that is about
3-12 inches off the ground, skate up, land on it, and slide as much as you
can. I don't recommend that you try it right off the bat going down a
stairway, since the sensation of sliding backwards is REALLY strange. The
skate park that I practice at has 2 railings that are about 6 inches off
the ground. One is a railing that was taking off of a wall, and the other is
just a 3 inch diameter pipe that is placed on some wood so that the pipe
sits in the wood structure with 1/2 above the wood.

__________________________________________________________________________

Skitching

From: dy...@mobius.mfg.sgi.com (Dyer Crouch)

Sender: ne...@odin.corp.sgi.com (Net News)

Date: Fri, 10 Feb 1995 00:28:53 GMT

First, don't grab a vehicle which is going a much different speed than you
are. Smaller cars and trucks can feel the slight momentum change and often
figure out what is going on and will hit the brakes or find the nearest
phone & call the cops on you. Both have happened to me. :(

Second, do it on streets which you are real familiar with and know have a
good surface. When you change grades of road or hit potholes at high speed
it sucks.

Third, look where the exhaust pipe is. Hooking city busses is my favorite,
but they make this HUGE plume of SMELLY dust when they first come out of a
stop. Stop signs/lights are also great places to wait for a vehicle to come
up to and stop, saddle up behind the puppy & hook on.

Fourth, the bigger the better. Larger vehicles change speed much less and
do it slower than cars, vans etc... Big trucks that ride real high are good
too since you can see under the truck.

Fifth, careful of the turns. You can get slingshoted if you are on the
outside edge of a vehicle on a turn. LOTS of fun when you do it in control,
but when you aren't, it is a major butt puckering ride.

Sixth, HAVE A SAFE EXIT AVENUE! If you are hanging on at high speeds, you
need to make sure you have someplace to go when you let go. If you are
being pulled into tight areas, get off and change directions and or brake.
It sucks getting checked into stationary objects.

And last but not least, how to hold on. Use both hands. One hand you will
hook under the bumper or around what ever you are grabbing on to, and the
other hand you want to use to brace yourself with in case the vehicle slows
or stops. I usually have my palm straight out against the vehicle's bumper
for this. Your best position to do this is in a crouch with your arms out
in front of you until you get good and can do things in whatever position
and grab you want.

Ooops... one more.
Don't do anything to anyone's vehicle while hooking on which you would not
want done to yours, and mind the pedestrians. They see you as a maniacle
eight wheeled missle, which you are. :)

From: post...@cs.uidaho.edu (DuckMan)
Subject: Re: [INL] Skitching?
Date: 10 Feb 1995 23:16:37 GMT

I've found that the best way to 'Skitch' is just to 'lay on hands'. The
best way to do this is to skate to the vehicel approaching it from behind
(note: you have to be going as fast or faster then the vehicle for this to
work) then just place one hand on the vehicle (ie. the trunk or bumper).
Do not grab the vehicle, the friction from your hand should be enogh to
keep you with the vehicle, but if the vehicle make any rash moves it will
shake you without ripping your arm off.

This only works on flats or downhills. To go uphill you have to hang on.

btw: Stitchin is still dangerous anyway you do it, if you don't have
a death wish don't try it. :)

__________________________________________________________________________

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

__________________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice

__________________________________________________________________________

is granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as
this copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside
the invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
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The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
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__________________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part4

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Vert and Jumps
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - VERT AND JUMPS *

Vert and Jumps

TABLE OF CONTENTS
* Jumps
* Pipes and ramps

_________________________________________________________________

Jumps

From: dc...@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Daryl S. Cain)

dbr...@Mr-Hyde.aoc.nrao.edu (Daniel Briggs) writes:

Suggestions for exercises on how to work towards a good 360? How
high should I be able to jump in order to have a reasonable shot at
finishing the 360 before landing. For that matter, how should my
feet be set on take off and landing?

The trick is to power your rotation from your torso and just carry
your legs along for the ride. It helps me to hold my arms out in an L
shape (one arm out to the front and one out to the side) and swing
them to get the rotation going. The best way to practice is in your
shoes on the grass (softer when you fall). It's my theory that if you
can't jump and do a 360 in your sneaks (wear heavy shoes to simulate
the weight of skates) then there's no way in hell that your going to
do one in skates. Its also my theory that the best positionl for your
feet is about six feet straight down from your head, I mean, the
hardest part about spinning (on land or in the air) is staying
vertical and balanced.

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

holr...@student.tc.umn.edu (James A Holroyd-1) writes:

Steve: Yep, they're fun, aren't they? Haven't done them (180 jumps
over curbs) to a heel-to-heel, but I have kept rotating and sort of
spun around in a crouch to a forward position again once I land...

Well, its not really OVER the curb so much as it is using it as a
launchpad of sorts. But yes they are fun.... :)

Crummy ASCII art follows:

____ +--------Launch into 180 here...
/ \ | _
/ \ | / \
/ ___\|/__ \ curb hop
/ / \ \/---------- skating path
Land 180 here ^^^^^^^^^
curb/traffic island

From: j...@kepler.unh.edu (Spectre)

dbr...@Mr-Hyde.aoc.nrao.edu (Daniel Briggs) writes:

Suggestions for exercises on how to work towards a good 360? How
high should I be able to jump in order to have a reasonable shot at
finishing the 360 before landing. For that matter, how should my
feet be set on take off and landing?

Go back to basics. Take off your skates, stand in one place, jump up
and spin around. Concentrate on thinking on what you are doing, one
step at a time. Once you get to a point where you think you can
explain it to a crippled 12 year old, then put your skates on. Start
without moving. Just do the same thing, jump up, turn around (Pick a
bail of cotton if you really want to), and get the feel of what parts
of your body emphasize the speed and control of the spin. Then just
start rolling, and doing it. Once you get to the point where you can
do it with a good speed roll, then everything beyond (curbs, stairs,
etc) is just conquering fear...it's not any different wether you spin
over a perfectly smooth pavement, grass, stairs or a car. If you can
make the jump without any of the obsticals, you can do it with the
obsticals...just close your eyes at first and you won't kno the
difference :)

From: holr...@student.tc.umn.edu (James A Holroyd-1)

Regarding 360's:
I've almost got them now... I'm spinning most of the way round, but I
keep dropping one foot too soon, so I end up landing like this:
(apologies for the ascii art)

(spinning clockwise)

This isn't really a problem, but it looks kind of stupid... I think I
need to get more of a "pop." I also need to keep my skates closer
together.

The physics behind the spin is actually pretty simple:
While you're still on the ground (the wind-up phase), you give
yourself angular momentum by turning your torso in the opposite
direction to the one you're going to be spinning in, then twisting
into the spin and jumping. Hopefully, you'll give yourself enough
momentum to make yourself go some multiple of 180 degrees when you're
in the air. You can make yourself spin faster by pulling everything in
closer to your axis of rotation. I saw a TV program on PBS once about
video/computer analysis of ice skaters doing jumps... they had one
skater who couldn't do a triple-something-or-other, and they diagnosed
her problem as leaving her arms too far away from her body. They had
her lift weights, which strengthened her arms, which let her pull them
closer in to her body, which helped her finish the jump. One
interesting thing to note about ice skaters is that they usually start
jumps with one leg at least partially extended away from their body.
When they pull the leg in, it reduces their polar moment of inertia,
which increases the rate of the spin (since angular momentum is
conserved, neglecting air resistance). Because most in-liners start
their jumps on 2 skates, we can't get the slingshot effect of bringing
the leg in, consequently we can't do triples on flat ground. Anybody
out there doing ice-style jumps on inlines? Any thoughts from you
ice-skaters out there?

From: mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)

cer...@ait.com (Joseph P. Cernada) wrote:

I still haven't figured out how to get any height while jumping in
this position. I get maybe 5 inches off the ground. Anybody have any
suggestions on how to jump higher from the heel-to-heel position?

It's leg strength. And the ability to raise your legs up like an
airplane's wheels retracting.

If you're in New York, check out the now-somewhat-talked-about Victor
- the master of side-surfing. Before he moved (from Boston), I've seen
him jump a barrel (about 3' height & 1' radius) on it's side while
side-surfing, and have heard that he can do the same barrel standing
up!

What he does highly resembles retracting his legs as he goes up, and
dropping them back as he comes down. Quite impressive.

_________________________________________________________________

Pipes and Ramps

From: Spectre (j...@kepler.unh.edu)

Re: pipes

> I'd appreciate it if you could drop me a few pointers so that if I find one
> someday I won't kill myself on the first time out...

Pointers:

START FROM THE BOTTOM!!! Never start from the top until you get get
yourself to the top from skating, and not climbing. Even if it is a 3
foot quarter pipe...don't start from the top till you can skate up it,
turn around at the top, and come back down without falling. I was
teaching a friend of mine, he was fooling around on a 3 foot
quarter...I told him to work bottom to top. He skated up, up the ramp,
and stood on the top... the "dropped in" (Started from the top
standing up), fell backwards and sprained his wrist, now he doesn't
want to skate pipes anymore.

Work your way up, get used to the transition from flat to sloped..
it's a very strange sensation going up a curved incline vs. a flat
incline. Work on getting used to going up on the transition, turning
around, and coming back down, all fluid.

Once you get comfortable with the transition, you have to learn how to
pump. Pumping is what makes you gain speed when your in the pipe,
since gravity and friction will slow you down a little... I don't know
if I can explain this well but....as you come up to the transition,
bend your knees some...When you start up the transition push your feet
out...the result will just be you standing up...but pushing against
the centrifical (sp?) force will let you get a little more speed. When
you turn around at the "apex" of your ride up...do the same...turn
around, bend your knees a little, and extend against the pipe...you
will notice a BIG change in speed, since you will be getting more
speed than you would if you where just riding down the side of the
pipe. Repeat this for both sides...From the bottom, pump, up the
transition, turn around, pump, down the transition, across the flat,
pump, up the transition, turn around, pump, down the transition. If
there are skateboarders or other skaters there, watch them, expec.
their knees... You can ask them, but a lot of skateboarders don't even
realize they do it.

Pumping is the secret to riding...the better you can pump, the higher
you will go...with out pumping, you will never gain speed, and will
never get as high has you were when you turned around on the other
side.. (Simple physics)

Once you think you have control over that...say you can get to a point
where you can grab onto the top of the pipe and pull yourself up on
the platform, your almost ready to drop in. At this point, you want to
start by going in sitting down. Maybe the first time, sit on the edge
and slide down, just get used to the hight and the speed when you
slide... Then sitting down, put your hands on the coping (the metal
pipe that is on the edge of the pipe) and push yourself forward...you
have to go forward enough so when you stand up, your body will be
perpendicular with the pipe.. push off...and stand up...and go like
you did when you started from the bottom, except you already have some
speed. That part sound dificult, but after a couple of tries it gets
really easy.

Once you feel comfortable with that, you can either 1) drop in
standing up...(put first to wheels over edge..bend your knees and
touch your toes...you'll roll into the pipe, and your legs will be
perp with the pipe.. then you just need to stand up) 2) Start lifting
your feet some as you go in...lift yourself up on your hands, put your
feet behind you so that your feet are higher up with you go in
sitting./..that way you get more used to to the actual hight from the
top...keeping going till your comfortable with getting your feet all
the way to the coping before you push yourself in.

If there are any other skaters there, you can ask them for tips, but
do not "drop in" until you feel comfortable...I did that once...12
foot pipe 1 foot of vertical...dropped in...forgot to bend my
knees...face plant damn close to the flat....

Good luck...be careful....wear a helmet and knee pads at least.... let
me know if anything isn't clear.

From: sav...@csu.murdoch.edu.au (Duncan Savage)

Saw a neat trick that some guys (including one who looked about 13)
are doing in Sydney, Aus. Basically, they use a standard skate ramp,
skate into it, but instead of rolling up it, catch their toes (I don't
remember if it was with one or both feet) on the front of the ramp,
flipping themselves into a forward somersalt with their heads just
about scraping the ramp. They land on the other side of the ramp.
Needless to say they had a full complement of protective gear, and
given the protection even their stuff-ups didn't look too painful. I
don't think I'll try it just yet.

From: holr...@gold.tc.umn.edu (batty)

Charlie, I agree wholeheartedly with your construction technique, but
we found different geometry worked better for us when we built launch
ramps for skateboarding.

When you go off a launch ramp, you are launching so that you land away
from the ramp, so the top lip of the ramp doesn't have to be
perpendicular to the ground. If you build a ramp with a radius less
than 6 feet, it feels really weird. We found that the ramps that were
easiest to launch off were the ones that we could go fastest on, which
gave us more air time. 8 foot radius worked well for us.. You
suggested building a ramp with a 2.5 foot radius. The distance from
your center of gravity (somewhere around your bellybutton) to the
bottom of your skates is about 2.5 feet (less if you're crouching).
When you hit a 2.5 foot radius ramp that goes to vertical, your skates
will go up the ramp, but your center of gravity will stay in one
place... you'll also go straight up in the air and either have to
launch to one side, or you'll have to land back on the ramp.

Here's some really bad ascii art showing my favorite launch ramp:

____
* |
* |
* |
* |
* |
*______________________________

The "launch angle" was a little more than 30 degrees, the whole ramp
was about 8 feet long, and it was about 2-3 feet tall. It was (as I
remember) about a 10 foot radius. it had a small platform at the top
(which, combined with the length of the ramp, made it very stable) We
could hit this ramp going *very* fast, and it sent us a long way. This
is what worked for us.

From: ai...@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Jim Aites)

Hey, you SKATEBOARD'ers! Got any helpful hints for us fledgelings?

| found different geometry worked better for us when we built launch ramps
| 8 foot radius worked well for us.

Is it just me or are a lot of folks under the (obviously) mistaken
impression that some launch ramps use a parabolic curve? Ignoring the
fact that the previous poster indicatated that the ansi-art was poor,
this STILL looks like it isn't a radius type ramp.

____
| * |
| * |
| * |
| * |
| * |
| *______________________________

Also, I've jumped ramps where the vertical part of the ramp was MUCH
closer to 90' than it was to 45'. I'm not saying that they were better
than the above, as a matter of fact, you *have* to go fast so you
don't stall at the top of the ramp...and dribble over the top lip.
<grin> Hang time (altitude) gets outragious pretty quickly, and all
without landing more than 10' from the ramp. Does this match with
anyone else?

From: j...@oin.unh.edu (Spectre)

Fakies are A half-pipe trick. It's actually a un-trick. You go up the
side of the pipe like you are going to do a trick, go in the air, and
do nothing...not even turn around. You then come back into the half
pipe skating backwards (Which isn't nearly as simple as street skating
backwards :)

> Work on 360 jumps off the ground (forward and backward). Once you
>have those down, hit a jump and do it (again, forwards and backwards).

My favorite: 360's clearing 6-8 stairs.

One that I've been playing with, if you find a long bench, or low
wall, or something at least 10-20 feet long. Jump onto it with a 180,
land backwards with one skate on the bench and the other scraping
along the side of the bench, then jump off with another 180. I'm
pretty sure in half-pipe lingo, it's a backwards rail grind, but I'm
not sure.

|____| - one skate
||
other skate -> |____||-------
|| | bench

From: adc...@cs.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)

j...@oin.unh.edu (Spectre) writes:

>
> |____| - one skate
> ||
>other skate -> |____||-------
> || | bench

A more flashy version of bench riding is to jump on top of the bench
(or some kind of edge) and into a spread-eagle (I guess this would be
a 90? 8-) Ride all the way to the end and jump off with a 180 so as to
land in another spread-eagle, but with your feet reversed.

Another variation, find stairs that are sectioned with flats in
between flights. Ride the steps sideways (spread-eagle) and flip 180
in the flats. You could also flip to backwards-bashing or whatever.

From: jnew...@ecst.csuchico.edu (Gadget)

Just to add the simple ones to the list, here goes...
* Front wheels of both skates
* Front wheels of both skates in parallel
* Back wheels of both skates
* Back wheels of both skates in parallel
* One wheel (front/back/left & right)
* Heel & toe
* Front/back/mixed wheels while spread eagle

Of course all these can be done backwards as well.

Oh, and as a great drill. Cross over backwards while going forwards
and cross over forwards when your going backwards....

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

Subject: Stair/Wall Jumps..

In the ever continuing chronicle of attempts to break my neck, I
thought I'd share some thoughts on my stair and wall work that I did
last night.

I went over to a local high school that has some rather interesting
structures for thrashing on, so following a couple quick laps around
the parking lot, I set to work on the stairs, and while I have no
problem jumping up/over up to 4 steps at a time, or back down, I still
have absolutely no clue as to how to actually ride the damn
things...any hints/ideas would be much appreciated, esp. from our two
resident thrashers on the group...

Aerials are a different story. I can now say with a good degree of
confidence, I can do a 180 (and sometimes a 270) from back off of up
to 4 steps. The trick seems to be in starting your turn when you
launch. I've always fallen when I've tried this until I realized that
its just too much to think about if I try to turn in mid-air, so its
better to just start right off doing it.

Walls:
Had moderate success hurdling, getting over a couple walls/barriers.
The idea is to use head straight for the wall and use it as a vault of
sorts to propel yourself into the air with. My biggest problem with
this is that I need to remember to lift my feet higher. I kept
scraping the wall and consequently losing control, making for a really
sloppy landing... I did get over clean once or twice, which probably
looks really cool, but who knows...I was the only one there...

Another cool thing I noticed in my warmup skate: Those sloped ramps
that are often built into curbs as bike or wheel chair ramps make cool
jumps. Dip down the side closest to you and then ride up the lip of
the opposite side and if you're going fast enough, you'll clear the
curb and catch some air(Just make sure no cars are coming,as this does
kind of definitely put you out in the street). So I did that a bunch
of times and liked it a lot...Kind of reminds me of one of my favorite
skiing maneuvers: dipping down into the gouges made by other skiers
and popping out into the air on them.

Oh, I also tried the dual braking thing again, but at higher speeds
than before. Balance is definitely the key to this one. Everything
above your waist should be pointing forward, and everything below
should be leaning back on your heels. Anything else throws your
balance too much, IMHO.

Helmets:I have a Protec skateboarding helmet, that has the 1-impact
foam core with a hard plastic outer shell(none of this wimpy
'microshell' stuff) that fits pretty well. Good side coverage of the
side of my head down past the ears, and covers down the back of my
head. I've gotten some skateboarding/music stickers for it, and it
looks cool. Yes, its the full combat style of helmet, but I definitely
would not thrash without it.

From: IO0...@MAINE.MAINE.EDU

i've never seen "fakies" before. (well, i have a friend who will
occasionally "catch a fakie" but that is something _completely_
different, and not related to skating). the term comes from
skateboarding and means simply "backward". thus the usage would be "i
jumped 180 to fakie...", which tells you that the person started
facing forward. "fakie" preceding a trick name means that the person
was skating backward when the trick was started, i.e., a "fakie 540"
would be one and a half revolutions, starting from backward (and
landing facing forward, hopefully, for a 540 :).

you haven't mentioned anything about airs in your list. that is a
large area, and as far as i know there is no standard for skate airs
(regarding the airs that aren't duplicates of jumps performed in ice
skating, like grabs). well, one thing that could fit on the list of
"not airs" is skating crouched, with most of the weight on one skate,
the other leg being bent so that the knee is close to the ground
(several inches) and only the toe wheel is rolling on the pavement. if
you can't picture it, either see it on MTV sports or watch a man
proposing to a woman, same stance. anyway, it's known locally as a
crunch, as in, "gallivan to crunch".

From: a...@dsbc.icl.co.uk (Andy Wardley)

Last Saturday afternoon was a sheer joy for me. I spent nearly 4 hours
skating the half-pipes in my local park and seeing as it was my first
real (i.e. more than half an hour) session and I managed to get quite
good, I thought I'd share with you my trials and tribulations and tell
you about some of the interesting places I've got bruises.

The smallest of the pipes is about 2 foot high and absolutely bloody
useless because it is so small. The next is about 3 foot high and just
about skatable with inlines. (sorry, did I mention I was skating
inlines?) The 4 foot pipe was great - high enough to get some speed,
wide enough to give some maneuvre^H^H^H^H^H^Hmanoovre^H^H^H^H^H
movabilty room but not so big as to risk neck-breaking for the
uninitiated (me). Bloody good fun!

Whoever said in the FAQ that you shouldn't drop in straight away was
dead right! I skated about half an hour and pretty much got
comfortable with it before dropping in. The first two attempts,
however, resulted in me landing flat on my arse, causing the first
large bruise area and a severe jolt up the spine. Attempt three was
the success and when you've done it once, it's a piece of piss. You've
just got to throw all your weight forwards and get you body
perpendicular to the wall of the pipe. Bloody good fun!

Managing to keep my speed up was the next big task and I slowly got
the hang of it. The trick seems to be to bend your legs up towards you
as you go up into the curve and then extend them out again as you are
coming back down again. It's hard work, particularly on the stomach
muscles, as it requires a lot of trunk flexing. Bloody good fun
though!

Next step was to try a few rail grinds. Easy! Trying to slide along
the rails took a bit more confidence and after limited success, I
decided to leave that for next time. Bloody good fun!

I briefly tried the big pipe. It's about 10 foot high and not to be
skated lightly, IMHO. I didn't drop in because they didn't have the
ladder out to get to the top platform and I didn't really fancy trying
to build my speed up to jump up onto the platform. Again, maybe next
time. The other thing was that there is a sign saying that full safety
kit should be worn on the big pipe. I didn't have a helmet and
thinking about it, I don't reckon it would have been a good idea to
try it without. Bloody good fun though!

On that note actually, I really wouldn't recommend skating pipes
without knee pads and wrist guards *at the very least*. I have bruises
on my knees, elbows, shins, ribs (I landed with my arm under my chest
- Ouch!) and backside and that was with knee pads, elbow pads and
wrist guards. Without those, I would undoubtedly have plaster on at
least one wrist and both knees. I think you can safely manage without
a helmet on all but the biggest pipe but your mileage may vary. It
does take a few bruises to get the hang of pipes, but after the first
couple of hours, the falls are fewer and further between and generally
much more controlled. Bloody good fun too!

If you haven't skated pipes and get the chance - try it! It is really
good fun and doesn't hurt much. I tend to be a bit reckless when
skating - more conservative skaters may well find the experience less
painful.

Anyway, I better go because this post has got very long. Just thought
I'd let you know about my skating experience. If you want to hear
more, I've got Megabytes more I can write about the afternoon :-)

More importantly, if anyone wants to make the trip to South London on
a Saturday or Sunday afternoon (I'm not sure if it's open during the
week) then I can let you know exactly where to find the place.
Similarly, if anyone knows of any other pipes or good skating places
in London, let me know. Apologies to all overseas readers - I realise
it's a bit far to come from the US or Oz or wherever, but if you ever
do find yourself over here....

From: mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)
Subject: Re: Pipe-Dreams

a...@dsbc.icl.co.uk (Andy Wardley) wrote:

> Last Saturday afternoon was a sheer joy for me. I spent nearly 4 hours
> skating the half-pipes in my local park [...]

Hmmmm. So did I - at the indoor skate park in Cambridge - MA that is.
And, yes, it was (& still is) bloody good fun.

Pipes there range from a couple feet with about a 6' radius, to 10'
with an 8' radius - ie: 2', 4', 6', 8', 10'. The half-pipe is 9' with
a 1' extension on one side, with a 8' radius. (I think the 8' radii
are correct; but are close enough for this discussion.)

> Whoever said in the FAQ that you shouldn't drop in straight away was dead
> right! I skated about half an hour and pretty much got comfortable with
> it before dropping in. The first two attempts, however, resulted in me
> landing flat on my arse, causing the first large bruise area and a severe
> jolt up the spine. Attempt three was the success and when you've done it
> once, it's a piece of piss. You've just got to throw all your weight
> forwards and get you body perpendicular to the wall of the pipe.

Agreed with the "don't drop in until you're comfortable" thing. I was
on the coping & doing fakies, forward & reverse 180's, and almost
stalls before I dropped in. I remember the first time I tried on any
pipe I fell on my arse as well. But once I got the feel down, I
immediatly went up a couple of levels.

> Managing to keep my speed up was the next big task and I slowly got the
> hang of it. The trick seems to be to bend your legs up towards you as
> you go up into the curve and then extend them out again as you are coming
> back down again. It's hard work, particularly on the stomach muscles, as
> it requires a lot of trunk flexing.

It's called "pump"ing. It's supposed to be bending the legs, not from
the waiste. But most everyone I know splits the task. As you drop in,
you start with legs bent, then "pop" them straight during the
transition. As you approach the pipe to go up, bend slightly, and
"pop" the legs again during the transition. This "pop"ing transfers
potential energy into kinetic energy & vice versa using centripetal
forces, sort of (I won't get into the physics here). So the better you
get at "pop"s, the faster & higher things will go.

> On that note actually, I really wouldn't recommend skating pipes without knee
> pads and wrist guards *at the very least*. I have bruises on my knees,
> elbows, shins, ribs (I landed with my arm under my chest - Ouch!) and
> backside and that was with knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards. Without
> those, I would undoubtedly have plaster on at least one wrist and both
> knees. I think you can safely manage without a helmet on all but the
> biggest pipe but your mileage may vary. It does take a few bruises to
> get the hang of pipes, but after the first couple of hours, the falls are
> fewer and further between and generally much more controlled.

Definitely a good idea to wear full armor. This might even include
"hip-clips" - pads that clip for hip & thigh protection. Helmets & big
knee pads are a must. Wrist guards are good for sliding & such, but
you should be able to train yourself to fall onto your knees from ANY
position.

Last Saturday I was doing stalls on the 9' pipe - and on one occasion
I pushed off too hard. I knew I was not going to make the whole
transition, so to save myself I pulled my legs up & fell directly onto
my knees. Hit the last foot or so of the transition & slid the rest of
the way down. Because I knew I wasn't going to make it, I
automatically (w/o thinking out it) fell onto my knees. The big cushy
knee pads saved my back again!!!

From: a...@dsbc.icl.co.uk (Andy Wardley)
Subject: "Pipe Dreams 2" presented in glorious Inline-O-Rama

Another weekend of hard-hitting half-pipe skating action was had by
myself, and in a spirit of uncharacteristicly unselfish generosity, I
thought I'd share my tales of woe and joy with all you loverly people
out there. Yes, you too can experience Inline-O-Rama from the safety
and comfort of your own homes....

For those of you who read last weeks issue of "Pipe Dreams", you'll
remember my adventures on the half-pipes at my local park. Since then
I've got quite high up on the gnarly scale and even quite "rad"
according to the local sk8boarders. I'm told this is a compliment :-)

Dropping in, turning, jumping out, these are all second nature now and
bruises are certainly fewer and further between. I also junked my old
Bauer knee pads and got some serious thick pads (not cheap at #25 UK
Quids) after realising quite how much my knees were suffering even
with the pads. The new ones are infinitely better.

I've got the hang of popping/pumping to get some speed up. This means
I can catch some serious air on my way out of the pipe, 180 and drop
back in with little trouble. I reckon a 360 would be fairly easy but I
haven't attempted that yet. My pumping isn't perfect and I found that
I still can't get up and out of the 10' pipe, but practice will no
doubt make perfect. Thanks to Michael for the tips - they helped a
lot. Can anyone actually tell me what the physics are involved in the
process?

Stalling on the rail is a fave of mine and easy for the novice. I
still can't get any decent slides along the coping - maybe I'm just
not going in with enough sideways velocity. Anyone got any
suggestions? I've also tried to stall, jump 180 to a forward stall in
prep to drop in forwards. Didn't work - will keep trying.

The basic fakie (i.e. don't turn and drop backwards) and the stall to
a fakie (i.e. stall on the rail and then drop backwards) are also
quite easy to master and seem to generally impress people who think it
looks inherently dangerous to skate a pipe backwards. Actually, it can
be because you have to be used to taking a transition backwards. You
can then reverse-fakie (is that the right name?) at the other side to
get going forwards again. I bit of a jump when you r-fakie can be
impressive but make sure that your skates land back inside the pipe.
One time, mine didn't, and my left skate caught the top, rolled
backwards onto the platform and I smacked my shin badly on the coping
and slid face-first into the pipe. Well-bruised my shin but it was
BLOODY GOOD FUN!

If anyone has any hints or can tell me about other good trix to try,
I'd love to hear about them. At present, I am the only inliner who
skates the pipes so I don't have anyone else to watch, discuss trix
with or get inspiration from. The sk8boarders are a good laugh and fun
to watch but I worry that I might start to sound like them, man....
:-)

From: j...@kepler.unh.edu (Spectre)

mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens) writes:

>a...@dsbc.icl.co.uk (Andy Wardley)
>
>I think I'll go back and review my advanced calculus physics book to see
>what it said in the first place. After all, I never really read the book
>for class - just did problems out of it to pass.

I sat down and calculated what exactly was going on about a year ago
and it is completely out of my brain now (face plants don't help
physics memory very much :). It has to to with the combination of the
centrifital force and the action/reaction principle. by pushing
against the centrifital force you are adding more force, and since the
half pipe can't break (you hope) the force has to be evened another
direction, sideways, which is influenced because of gravity, so the
result is an encrease of speed. Take a look at vectors and force.

I'll try to put in a little more thought on this and get back to
everyone.

_________________________________________________________________

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted Š 1994 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is

granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

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Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part5

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Slalom
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - SLALOM *

(Last change: July 7, 1995)

Copyright notice

From: Jim Aites (j...@hpsmpk.lvld.hp.com)
Date: Unknown

The movement known as a 'slalom' is normally applied to the art of
dodging in and around a series of obstacles. Being pulled by a
ski-boat or weaving thru the poles on a ski slope are two well known
examples. This discussion will try to address some of the joys and
techniques used when effecting this move on in-line skates.

There is both a natural 'swing' and a physical 'compression' that come
into play while doing a slalom. The 'swing' is durn near natural, but
by understanding and making proper use of the 'compression' it is
possible to use this technique to slow your speed, maintain, or even
increase it.

Note: Although the slalom can be accomplished in a stylish manner by
almost any skater, the ability to use the technique to slow down
should not be considered a replacement for any of the more standard
braking methods. Also, I believe that serious slaloming is well within
the scope of the intermediate skater. Although novice skaters have
more important things to learn before slaloming...like stopping...I
feel that is is something that any skater can/should do.

Before trying to address the mode used to change your speed, let's
talk about the simplicity of the move while coasting or going down a
very slight grade.

Basics:
The slalom movement is based on the transfer of weight during a
continuous series of serpentine turns. This linking of alternating
turns can be a slow-and-easy movement, or it can be as fast as skiing
a tight mogul field.

Although there is a 'classic' position for doing a slalom (crouched
with knees and feet together), it may be done with feet in an open
placement or even in the water-skiing (one foot in front) position.
The most important thing to keep in mind is your ability to handle
your steering and speed.

Generally speaking, a couple of standard down-hill skiing suggestions
come to mind. The most reasonable of these is the idea of keeping your
shoulders and head facing straight down the hill (or direction of
travel). Your upper body can provide added stability and leverage to
manage the slalom movement itself. Giving yourself this extra
stability will help a lot in avoiding an 'over-rotation' which happens
when you just ride the turn, and then try to go the other way...only
to find that your momentum wants to carry you around even further!

Steering:
I mention this first because it is critical that you be able to steer
your skates without lifting them. As a point in fact, you will not be
able to do a free swinging one-footed slalom without mastering this
type of steering in one form or another. The following is a basic
practice move suitable for anyone, including novices.

One-footed slalom: (suggested method - author)

One of the simplest moves and most important ideas in skating (imho)
is the ability to do small slalom movements while on one foot.
Steering with one foot is basic for doing stable cross-overs,
free-style, surviving a one-footed recovery, or...doing slaloms.

While moving at a slow glide on one foot, simply shift your weight
comfortably onto your heel. Hey, easy there! Just lift your toes a
bit. No need to try heel-walking yet! Now, simply use your body and/or
free leg to help point your toes in the direction you want to go.
Weave.

Note: I know I said one-footed, but I meant either foot. Practice
both! This is easy, my 7 year old does it. She found that she needed
to practice it to help her do controlled T-stops.

The basics of slaloming hinge on your ability to steer in some manner
similar to this. PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

Safety thought:
The 'feet side-by-side' stance used often in slaloming is probably one
of the more dangerous (from a front-to-back balance perspective)
things about it. The one-foot forward water-skiing stance makes a
great deal of sense when moving between smooth/rough pavement. In
either event, beware sand and water! It is also suggested that your
first attempts at slowing while going downhill be done on a wide road
with no traffic. (nice grassy shoulders next to the road might be a
good idea as well) If you find yourself picking up speed instead of
slowing down, just continue a turn till you are coasting back up the
hill.

Changing speeds: (This is where it gets interesting.)
In the process of 'carving' a turn (with both feet), you will find
that there is a point of compression. Adding pressure before the
furthest swing of each turn will increase (or help maintain) your
speed. Letting yourself 'give' just after the point will slow you
down. (if this reminds you of changing speeds while on a child's swing
then you might have the idea ;')

When going down a hill, simply doing a slalom is not a sure way to
slow you down. It will probably keep you from going as fast as a
straight run, but that doesn't mean that you won't pick up enough
speed to lose control. Making your turns wider or 'deeper' will help
shed more speed because you are spending more time going diagonal or
crossing than heading down the fall-line. It is important that you
find the give-point (after compression) and learn to take full
advantage of it.

While practicing your slaloms, you may be tempted to try 'shreading'
some of your speed during each turn by unweighting the outside foot
and then shoving your heel outward with a bit of extra force. This can
help in slowing, but it is awkward and dangerous in execution. There
is a tendency for the heel to 'catch'. Fair warning!

Other pseudo-slalom moves:
* Linked cross-overs with a slalom type one-footed glide.
* Outside leans...use the opposing foot. (counter-intuitive...looks
great!)
* Catch the give-point of the compression, and use it for a 'spring'
type action. Care to try 'popping' a 360' in the middle of a hill?

Just for fun:
After you've proven to yourself that you can maintain or increase your
speed by pumping a slalom, try heading up a narrow sidewalk. Amaze
your friends or passing motorists.

_________________________________________________________________

From pbr...@math.berkeley.edu
Date: Sat Sep 4 19:47:25 1993

I have a few comments to add. My skating is currently cross-training
for veldrome racing (bicycles), but I also have experience racing
slalom and GS.

One of the things that you leave out is the necessity of keeping one's
weight forward. That is, imho, the main use of poles in skiing. The
pole shouldn't be planted next to you; it needs to be planted in front
of you. To maintain control in a slalom and use the "swing" properly,
your weight needs to be forward. My suggestion for practice is skating
by carving turns with alternate feet. The more you flex your boot, the
more your rear wheels drag, and the more speed you lose on each turn.

To practice pole planting, sit in a chair. Sit forward a little, and
move your feet back some, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Now,
reach out with your hand and lean forward. See how that feels? Now try
it on skis at 50 mph...

_________________________________________________________________

From: Hank Hughes (thi...@ccs.neu.edu)
Date: Unknown

Jim Aites (j...@hpsmpk.lvld.hp.com) wrote:

Note: I know I said one-footed, but I meant either foot. Practice
both! This is easy, my 7 year old does it. She found that she
needed to practice it to help her do controlled T-stops.

The basics of slaloming hinge on your ability to steer in some
manner similar to this. PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

Very true ... but

Another approach may be too shift the weight forward (onto the ball of
your foot). Start on a patch of grass/carpet with your feet in a
v-stance. Then lunge like a classic fencing champion by mimicking a
stroke, but keep the weight on the balls of your feet. You're more
nimble with the weight on the balls of your feet. Then lift the
trailing leg slowly.

Concentrating on the final stance:
With a lot of flex into the tongue of boot and knee, try to drop a
perpendicular from behind the support leg's knee down to the space
between the 1st & 2nd wheel. Basically, if you look down you should
not be able to see your foot because your knee is in the way. To
balance, press on your outside toes to turn in, or press on your
inside `BIG' toe to turn out

In motion:
To steer, point your knee into the direction you wish to turn. This
rolls your ankle & center edge into the appropriate inide/outside
edge. Now you can grind through turns (& hear the whoosh from breaking
traction).

_________________________________________________________________

From: Robert Schmunk (pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov)
Written: November 28, 1994
Revised: July 7, 1995

Having become a regular at New York City's Central Park slalom course,
I guess I'm qualified to throw in some comments on the topic:

The Course:
The slalom course lies in the recreational lane of the Central Park
loop, between Tavern on the Green and the Sheep Meadow. Just skate in
the West 67th St. entrance to the park on a sunny weekend afternoon
and you can't miss it. Due to its location, the course has a good
slope and you don't have to get up much speed before you start down.
Depending on the trick, the slope sometimes means that you have to
"slalom faster" near the bottom of the course. The course also has a
slight curve to the right, which has been known to disturb visiting
slalom skaters from other towns.

The standard Central Park slalom course is a series of 27 cones,
spaced six feet apart. However, the number of cones has varied on
occasion; when the National Slalom Championship was held here in
October 1994, the course was 30 cones long. I've heard that in other
towns, slalom courses are sometimes only about 15 cones long, but my
guess is that future competitions will use closer to 30 because it
provides more opportunity for video-genic combination stunts.

When measuring off an area for a slalom course, don't forget approach
and exit areas. The Central Park normally has a 60-foot approach, with
skaters starting anywhere within that distance, but when pedestrian
traffic is light, it may be extended to 200 feet. Depending on how
fast you're moving and how hard you can brake, you will also need from
5 to 100 feet to stop.

Occasionally, when the expert skaters want to demonstrate how good
they are relative to those who are merely advanced (i.e., separate the
men from the boys), or if they want to compete against each other
without anybody else getting in the way, they will set up a course
with the cones spaced at smaller intervals. Most frequently the
distance is decreased to four feet, but lately there's been a lot of
experimenting with three-foot separation and an occasional attempt at
a vicious two-foot separation. A clean run through a 30-cone course
with three-foot spacing is just about the finest thing I've seen done
on a pair of skates, and provides a rare satisfaction if you can do it
yourself.

The cone themselves are 8 inches tall and made out of orange plastic.
The original square bases have been amputated. Cones of this size are
available in different hardnesses, but the harder kind is best. Softer
cones are less apt to fly away when you hit one, and they often
"stick" to your skate in what seems like a deliberate attempt to
induce a case of road rash on your exposed flesh. You can usually get
cones at sporting goods stores like Herman's, at around $2-$3 per
cone.

When the Central Park slalom course is not open, I've seen desperate
cone skaters rummage for pop cans, paper cups, or Gatorade bottles and
use them for cones, perhaps filling them with water to keep them from
blowing away. However, the height of regular cones can be
disconcerting if you've practiced a lot using pop cans, so if you're
serious about slalom skating, get some real cones.

The Tricks:
One nice thing about learning to slalom skate is that everybody's
interests diverge after the couple tricks, and if you stick at it for
awhile, you may be doing tricks that the pros (or at least the
supposed experts) have never learned. One woman I know devoted herself
to learning every conceivable variant of the forward criss-cross (see
below) and was doing things after six months that guys who have been
skating cones for four years couldn't do.

One last comment before introducing types of tricks: You'll likely be
wasting your time if you make your first attempt at many of these
tricks on a real slalom course. For example, if you can't maintain
your balance on one skate for ten seconds as you skate down a smooth
empty street, you're not going to be able to do a forward one-foot.
Even after having mastered most of the basic tricks below and a few
major variants, I usually practice new ones away from the cones, or on
a short course that only has six or eight cones.

Dividing into categories, there are:

* Forwards tricks

Parallel:
The first trick all slalom skaters learn, and you don't
need a set of cones to do so. Just place your feet next
to each other, with one leading by perhaps an inch or so,
and alternate which one is leading, thus introducing a
serpentine motion into the line of your path. The posture
for the rest of the body is very much like that used by
downhill skiers, and whenever a newbie me asks how to do
a parallel, the first thing I ask is "Do you ski?"

Some other tips: 1) Remember that ski instructors are
always reminding newbies to bend their knees. 2) Keep
your hands out but not up (i.e., below shoulder level)
and somewhat in front of your shoulders. Avoid waving
them around a lot, but use small adjustments like a
tightrope walker. And 3) on your first few tries,
concentrate on a clean skate all the way down the course
and don't worry about skipping a cone or three if it
makes you feel safer.

I also found that I got the smoothest parallel if my
knees were practically glued to each other. I jettisoned
my knee pads in order to attain this, but you'll have to
evaluate that safety decision for yourself.

Monoline:
Exactly what it sounds like. The skates form a straight
line, with the heel of one just ahead of the toe of the
other. This is a good next-step trick to learn after the
parallel.

A variant of the monoline which one frequently sees is
usually called a "telemark" due to its similarity to the
cross-country skiing posture. Basically, the trailing
foot is tilted so that only its toe wheel is touching the
ground. Usually the skater is crouched low to the ground,
often with one knee almost scraping asphalt.

One-foot:
One of the first tricks attempted though not always one
of the first mastered (some people just can't balance on
one foot through a 150-foot slalom), the one-foot brings
out the greatest variety in different approaches to doing
it, all of them valid. It's simply skating down the
course with only one foot on the ground, but the variety
comes in when each skater decides what to do with his
extra foot. Some hold it out to the side, some hold it
behind, some in front. Some use the extra foot like a
rudder, some kick like a Rockette, and some hold it like
a dead fish on its way to the garbage can.

Perhaps the coolest variant is the "flying eagle", in
which the extra foot is held behind you and you get down
in so low a crouch that its wheels may actually be above
your head. This can be an extremely fast maneuver, and if
you're of short, stocky build, you'll move like a bullet
and excite applause.

Criss-cross:
Using a scissoring motion of the legs, you cause your
skates to pass each cone on opposite sides, with your
legs crossed at every other cone. To do this, you'll
likely need to cock your hips so that one foot is always
ahead of the other and so that your skates don't bump as
you cross and uncross your legs. (Learning the forward
monoline is an excellent way of getting your hips in the
right location.) If your leading foot also has a brake
mounted on the heel, you'll need even more clearance.

Even though the criss-cross is one of the first few
tricks a slalom skater may learn, it seems to be one
which you always have to pay a lot of attention to what
you're doing, because when your legs are crossed, there's
little room for recovery if something goes wrong. I've
banged up my left knee pretty badly from this.

Kickbacks (or crossbacks):
This looks a bit like a criss-cross, but the crossing
maneuver involves lifting one skate entirely off the
ground and swinging it around behind the other before
putting it back down. I haven't seen this one done much,
hence the confusion on the exact name.

* Sideways tricks

Sidesurf:
Think of this as a sideways monoline, with your trailing
skate oriented so that its toe is pointing from whence
you came. Because of the position that this puts your
body in, some people may call it a spread-eagle. However,
there is some room for variety, as some sidesurfers will
skate with their heels almost touching, and others will
hold them a couple feet apart; some skate standing almost
straight and others crouched down with derriere sticking
out.

A lot of sidesurfers use a pumping motion in their
leading arm to get their bodies to swing around the
cones, but with practice, you can turn a sidesurf into a
very graceful maneuver which requires only a little
movement by your leg muscles.

Getting your hips to turn out properly to do a sidesurf
and other sideways maneuvers requires differing levels of
stress depending on your personal anatomy. Some people
can do this almost naturally; some can't do it at all. It
took me a couple weeks of stretching and practice. In the
meantime, I had a couple skate sessions which ended with
my left knee feeling like I wrenched it because I was
twisting it rather than my hip joint.

If you're interested in learning a sidesurf, an exercise
that helps is lying on the floor in a frog-like position.
Turn your hips out and bend your knees so that the soles
of your feet are up against each other. Now try moving
your feet inward (towards your body).

Parallel sidesurf:
Instead of the wheels all being in a line, the skates are
side-by-side but still pointing in opposite directions.
If your skates are right next to each other, it can be
very difficult to turn doing this trick, but if they're a
few inches apart, it's much easier. Your feet may keep
trying to drift apart into a regular sidesurf, so this
can be difficult hold.

Independent:
Again, skates are pointed in opposite directions, but a
scissoring motion is introduced so that the skates pass
the cones on opposite sides. I found the most difficult
part of doing an indy was getting my trailing skate to
come around, as my leg sometimes seemed to lock into one
position. (This may be a symptom that you're relying on
one foot to do too much of the work. Try to even it out.)
Getting low to the ground, almost sitting on the cones,
seems to help.

While the other sideways maneuvers can be done fairly
gracefully, the independent is almost always raw action.
If you really push it, you can actually accelerate quite
rapidly, so that an indy becomes one of the fastest
slalom tricks there is.

Wave:
Seemingly uses the same posture as the sidesurf and a
similar sort of zig-zag motion, but rather than follow a
single line, the skates are spaced fairly widely and pass
each cone on opposite sides, like an independent. Because
of the latter, it's also called the "out-of-phase
independent". It's certainly easier to do than describe.

* Backwards tricks
In order to see where he is going, a backwards skater can either
look over or under one of his shoulders. My choice was to twist my
shoulders so that they're oriented just about in a line with
cones, and I hold my leading hand (a) low so that I can look over
the shoulder and (b) out a bit so that I look towards it and see
the cones coming up rather than watch what my feet are doing.

Monoline:
Perhaps the simplest travelling backwards trick, and
possibly the one I've most frequently seen. When learning
this I found that it helps if the toe of the leading foot
and the heel of the trailing foot are not really close to
each other but are separated by six inches or so. This
allows some slight independence in the motion of the two
feet. After you've got the basic motion down, you can
bring your feet closer together and synchronize their
motion.

Parallel:
Many skaters who attempt this keep slipping into a
backwards monoline. I believe this is because of a
feeling that they are losing control as they speed up,
and a monoline is easier to do at such a time. One reason
for this statement is that I see more children than
adults attempt and succeed at this trick, and children's
skates are notorious for having wheels that don't spin
very fast. Alternatively, maybe kids just don't know the
trick is "hard" and that they ought to learn something
else first.

One-foot:
Slaloming backwards on one foot is a real crowd pleaser
and also personally satisfying, so it's a good trick to
learn.

Like the forward one-foot, there is some variation in
what skaters do with the lifted foot, but not as much and
there is often a reason for the posture adopted. For
example, skaters who assume a backward one-foot by
approaching the course sideways often hold the lifted
foot so that it's wheels are perpendicular to the cones,
while those who approach skating backwards will hold it
so that the wheels are in a line with the cones. The
former style is useful when you are first learning the
trick because it allows you to move the entire lifted leg
(along with your leading arm) in a sawing motion that
shifts your weight so that you zig-zag around the cones.
On the other hand, holding the lifted foot in line with
the cones allows you to more easily put it back down the
same way so that you can continue skating backwards,
perhaps while doing a combination trick (see below).

Criss-cross:
Many practitioners feel this is easier to do than a
forward criss-cross because you have to cock your hips
anyway so that you can turn your head to see where you're
going. However, this presumes you know how to skate
backwards in the first place. I will admit, though, that
it seems safer to do a fast backwards criss-cross than a
forwards one.

The leg motion in a backwards criss-cross is very similar
to that of a monoline, so if you're having trouble
learning one of them, try practicing the other. Odds are
that if you can master one, you can get the other fairly
quickly.

Out-of-phase criss-cross (or backwards wave):
Another hard-to-describe trick, like its cousin the wave.
It is similar to the backwards criss-cross because the
legs are crossed at every other cone, but unlike that
trick, it has a more zig-zag motion like the backward
monoline.

Crossover:
Analogous to the forward kickback (or whatever it's
called). It looks a bit like a backward criss-cross, but
the crossing motion is done by lifting one skate off the
ground and swinging it around in "front" of you, by which
I mean the direction you came from. The basic motion
looks sort of like a series of crossover turns, but you
happen to be traveling backwards.

* One-wheel-down tricks
This is an awkward name for a category of trick variants in which
at least one skate has been tilted so that only one of its wheels
is actually touching asphalt.

Extended and double-extended tricks:
The word "extended" simply means doing one of the above
tricks with one skate (almost always the leading skate)
tilted so that only the heel wheel is touching the
ground. Most common are extended sideways tricks,
particularly the extended sidesurf.

Some of the extended maneuvers are surprisingly easy to
learn if you have removed the brake(s) from your
skate(s); I was able to do a clean 27-cone extended
sidesurf on only my third attempt (of course, I'd known
how to do a regular sidesurf for three months by then).

With a "double-extended" sideways maneuver, both skates
are tilted so that only their heel wheels are on the
ground. A double-extended sidesurf is not a fast trick,
but crowds think it's cool because it looks difficult (it
is to a small extent; it took me a couple months to build
up my inner thigh muscles so that I could do it). I've
seen people do a forward parallel with only the two heel
wheels on the ground, which I presume also counts as a
double-extended trick (note: in order to maintain
stability, their skates are usually spaced more widely
than in a simple parallel).

One-toe-down tricks:
The close cousin of the single-extended trick, just with
one skate tilted so that its toe wheel is down rather
than the heel wheel. The most frequent example is a
forward monoline with the trailing foot tilted, which if
done in a deep crouch is, as noted above, often called a
"telemark". Another example is the reverse of this, a
toe-down backward monoline, with the tilted skate leading
the way.

Toe-and-toe tricks:
The only tricks I've seen completed and/or seriously
attempted with only the two toe wheels touching asphalt
are a forward parallel and a forward criss-cross, and boy
do they look awkward. I've also seen a couple goofing
around with a toe-and-toe sidesurf, but they never make
it past the second cone.

Heel-and-toe tricks:
This time, one skate is on its heel wheel only and the
other is on toe wheel only. They can be done forwards,
backwards and sideways. A very popular heel-and-toe trick
is the forward monoline, but it requires building up some
strength in the calf of the leading leg (I still can't do
it but know several folks who can). Other heel-and-toe
tricks I've seen are the forward crisscross and the
sidesurf, plus an unsuccessful (but amusing to watch)
backwards criss-cross.

One-wheel-only tricks:
At the October 1994 slalom skating championship in
Central Park, a French skater went down the course with
only one (heel) wheel touching the ground. There's a
photo of him doing it in the February 1995 issue of
Inline magazine. Control on such a trick is difficult,
to say the least, and what might have been a winning
competition trick was marred by the five or six cones
that got knocked aside.

* Combinations:
A combination trick is simply that, a combination of tricks done
in a sequence. How many different tricks you attempt to do in one
run depends on how long your cone course is, and how many cones
you do with each trick. (At the Central Park course, we usually
require at least four cones per trick for the trick to count.)
Very often combos are signature moves; one NYC skater is
well-known for a forward criss-cross down the top half of the
course, followed by a 180° leaping jump into a backwards
criss-cross.

Not all combos are that difficult (or impressive), though; e.g.,
it's fairly simple to slide from a sidesurf into an independent.
Better skaters may even disguise a bad slalom run by converting a
trick about to go awry into an easier trick.

* Alternating tricks:
An alternating trick is much like a combination trick, except that
the transition between tricks is done once every cone or every two
cones and the skater alternates between two particular tricks.

Perhaps the most common example is an alternating forward
criss-cross, in which you alternate which foot is in the lead.
Thus, your right foot crosses in front of the left, then you
uncross, and then your left crosses in front of your right, etc.
If done well, this is a subtle trick, and spectators may think
you're just doing a vanilla criss-cross unless they're paying very
close attention.

Other examples I've seen are an extended alternating forward
criss-cross (the skater alternated which of her feet was crossing
in front of the other, but whichever was in front got tilted
upwards as soon as it started swinging around to the front), an
alternating backward criss-cross, an alternating backward
monoline, and what I call the Swiss monoline (because of the
nationality of the first person I saw doing it), in which the
skater alternates between a forward and backward monoline.

* "Unclassifiable" tricks:
Some tricks just don't fall very easily into the classifications
above. One such that I've seen is the "half Remi", in which the
skater was basically spiraling down the slalom course, doing a
180-degree spin around each cone (this implies that a full Remi
involves a 360-degree spin around each cone!). I got dizzy just
watching, and the skater looked a little ill when he finished. In
any event, it wasn't really a forwards maneuver or a backwards
maneuver. I presume that there are other tricks that can't be
easily pigeon-holed.

* Ballistics:
A ballistic trick is simply one of the above tricks done at high
speed. At the Central Park course this is done by launching from
100-200 feet from the first cone rather than the usual 30-60. A
ballistic flying eagle really hauls, and a ballistic backwards
combo is guaranteed to blow spectators away. Just make sure that
you have spotters watching to be sure that nobody blunders into
the course during your approach (this is a common problem in
Central Park).

* Grapevines:
The term "grapevine" apparently has a number of different
definitions in the skating world. The one that is most frequently
used at the Central Park slalom course is any slalom maneuver
which is done traveling uphill.

Some sort of self propulsion is obviously necessary in order to
keep your speed from tapering off, so the most frequent maneuvers
I've seen done on a positive slop are the backwards criss-cross
and the independent. However, I've managed to do an uphill
sidesurf, and I've seen others do uphill one-foots and backwards
parallels. The backwards criss-cross and independent are useful
for impressing spectators because, if done right, you can build up
some serious speed when doing them.

A good way to practice grapevines is to set up a flat slalom
course, but make sure that it's long enough that you're not just
coasting through on your initial momentum. If you can accelerate
through a flat slalom course, you're ready to try an uphill
course.

Also, equipment can play a large roll in a successful grapevine.
Clean bearings and larger wheels help, as do lighter skates. I've
found that a grapevine independent is much easier in Aeroblades
than in Lightning TRSes.
* Pairs:
There's pairs figure skating, so why can't there be pairs slalom
skating? Basically, it just requires two people going skating the
course together while holding one or both hands. A popular example
is for the leading skater to do a backwards criss-cross while the
trailing skater does a forward criss-cross (this is often done
when the leading skater is trying to learn how to do a backwards
criss-cross). Exceptionally cool, are pairs doing backwards
combos. Tres cool!

And lest you think that there's a limit of two skaters doing a
trick together, three of the best Central Park skaters will
occasionally do a ballistic independent together. And occasional
groups of four or more skaters will get together to attempt a mass
maneuver, but more often than not this results in cones strewn in
every direction.

There are presumably many more maneuvers, or variants on the above,
but the problem is that the names for them may also be regionalized.
Even within one locale there may be more than name, especially if a
trick has a lot of variants (e.g., the flying eagle variant of the
forward one-foot), and a name based on a combination of the above
terms may have a special, fancy name. For example, I've heard a
backwards monoline called a "rattlesnake" and a double-extended wave
(wow!) is a "tidal wave".

_________________________________________________________________

-rec.sport.skating.inline FAQs maintained by Tony Chen
(adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
-"Techniques - Slalom" edited by Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)

_________________________________________________________________

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granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
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invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
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_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

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Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part6

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Figure Skating
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - FIGURE SKATING *

Inline Figure Skating

(Last changed May 31, 1995) by Jennifer Kretschmer

Here's the first group of "tricks" that I have been able to take from
ice figure skating and translating it to in-lines. I'll do one of each
rating. The ratings again are:

Beginner = *
Intermediate = **
Int/Advanced = ***
Advanced = ****

TRICKS
* Swizzles *
* Spiral **
* 3 Turn ***
* Two-Foot Spin ****
* Waltz Jump ***
* Axels ****+
* Loop Jump ****

Swizzles *:
This is a move that can be used to skate forward or later to
skate backwards. (backwards requires your weight to be towards
the toe, and going forward requires weight toward the heels.)
It is good for building up groin muscles, and the inside of
your thighs. In swizzles, your feet do not leave the gound.
Start by gliding on two feet about 7-8 inches apart. Then allow
your feet to slide out while moving until they are about 24-28
inches apart. Here comes the harder part where your groin
muscles come in. Without lifting your feet off the ground,
glide and pull your feet back in until they are again 7-8
inches apart. Repeat the move over and over. You will soon gain
momentum, and the move will become easier to do with speed.

Spiral **:
This is a graceful move that you see figure skaters doing
often. This will be easier for more flexible people to do. It
requires good balance, so you should be able to skate on one
foot with ease before you try this. Gliding on one foot, point
your toe of your free skate and slowly lift your leg behind
you. Arch your back, and bend at the waist only. Don't throw
your body weight forward or you will loose your balance. You
shoud try to balance all of your weight on your skating leg. A
good spiral form is when you can get your free leg up higher
than your head.

3 Turn ***:
This is a move that allows you to turn backwards by skating on
one foot. This will require you to go almost onto one wheel
only for a split second. You will fall trying to learn this, so
be prepared. Once you get it, your friends will be impressed.
Use whatever foot you feel most comfortable skating on one
foot. Most people feel that this move is easiest if your
skating leg is your left one.

There are many types of 3 turns that deal with the "edge"
(direction), but right now I will just describe it generically.
Try holding onto something like a fence or bench when you first
try this, and watch your chin if you fall. I had a friend who
bumped her chin on a bench when she fell. Gliding on one foot,
allow your free foot to hang behind you. Swing the free leg
around slowly and shift your hips at the same time. Let your
foot rock up towards your toe, and swing it backwards at the
same time as your leg and hips go. You should now be skating
backwards on one foot.

Two-foot Spin ****:
This is so fun to do, but be prepared to get dizzy. This
requires you to be on only two wheels. You can do it on your
heels, on your toes, or the easiest on one toe and one heel.
Most people feel comfortable spinning counter-clockwise. This
is the common direction to spin in figure skating unless you
are left-handed and do everything in the opposite direction. I
will explain a right handed, toe-heel two foot spin like would
be done on ice.

You will be on the toe of your left foot and the heel of your
right and will spin counter-clockwise. Start with your arms out
to your side and feet slightly apart. "Wind up" by swinging
your arms 90degrees in the clockwise direction. This will turn
your body a little but don't let your feet move. All at the
same time, swing your arms back the other way and pop up onto
your toe heel position. Pull your arms into your body like your
are trying to hug yourself. This will make you spin faster. Let
your arms out to slow down and drop back to all your wheels.

Waltz Jump ***:
You should be able to do 180s before you try this one. I will
explain first how to do just the moves, with no grace attached.
However, this is a very graceful jump, and when done properly
almost gives the allusion of doing splits in the air. While
skating forward, glide on your left foot (if you are
left-handed or feel more comfortable skating on your right
foot, do the exact opposite as I describe). Begin rotating your
body counter clock-wise. Allow your free leg to come forward.
When your body is 90 degress and your foot is still forward,
jump off of your left skate. While in the air rotate you body
the last 90 degrees, change feet in the air and land on your
RIGHT skate backwards.

To add some more grace, let your right leg swing forward to
help you take off. Try this a few times holding onto a wall or
bench or couch, with your skates on or off. Getting your body
used to jumping off one leg and landing on the other is the
hard part of this trick. Once you get this jump down, then more
advanced figure skating jumps become easier to understand.

Axels
I've heard some poeple asking about axels on inline skates.
Although I mentioned before that I will only discuss those
figured skating moves that I can do on inlines properly, I will
talk about axels anyway. My main problem is landing on one
foot, so I two foot the landing. I tend to land with my weight
a little forward (an old habit I also had on ice) so that on
inlines, I roll up to my toe, and fall. I know that I can
correct if only I would keep my body straight, but old habits
die hard.

An AXEL is a ****+ maneuver on my scale. It requires excellent
balance, and a lot of strength to pull off on inlines. This
jump takes off forward off your left foot (outside edge),
rotates one and a half times (540 degrees), and lands on your
right foot (outside edge) going backwards. An important part of
the take off is usuing your free right leg to "kick" forward
helping you to take off. If you are new to trying this
maneuver, try doing it on carpet or grass without your skates
on. If you can't get the rotation without your skates on, you
won't be able to do it with the extra weight of your skates.
Another tip for the takeoff, is that most ice skaters like to
skate into the jump going backward, and then stepping forward
onto your left foot an immediately taking off. You can do it
this way, or from skating forward depending on your comfort. I
have noticed that most roller skaters do axels from a forward
skating position. Try both, and use the one that allows you to
get the most height and control.

Loop Jump
Here's a new figure skating maneuver it's called a loop jump. I
would consider this and advance jump to try. you must already
be able to do a 360 jump starting backwards and landing
backwards.

LOOP JUMP: is a jump where you take off backwards on two feet,
but land backwards on one foot. Skating backwards, scissor your
feet so that your left foot is slightly in front of your right.
Bend your knees deeply and glide in a counter clock-wise
circle. Take off on an outside edge on your right foot still
with your left foot trailing in front, and use your knee bend
to "pop" yourself into the air.

Turn your body in the air in a counter clock-wise direction and
pull your arms into your body (grabbing your left shoulder with
your right hand sometimes helps in the rotation). Also, while
taking off, lift your left leg up slightly higher than your
right ankle.

When you have completed the 360 rotation, land on your right
leg skating backwards on an outside edge, and allow your free
leg to extend behind you. (Like the way you see ice figure
skaters land) Remember to try this only when you can do a 360
in the counter clock-wise direction on two feet from backwards
skating to a backwards landing.

You will fall many times learning how to do this so please wear
protective gear including a helmet. The most common fall for
this jump is in the landing. If you lean forward, you will roll
up on your toe and do a face plant. Make sure that you bend
ONLY AT YOUR KNEES AND NOT AT YOUR WAIST! Keep your back
straight.

_________________________________________________________________

OTHER STUFF

From: mi...@cnj.digex.net (timothy mizerak)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.inline
Subject: Re: Figure Skating on InLines!
Date: 3 May 1995 22:21:45 -0400

>|> *** 3 TURN: This is a move that allows you to turn backwards by skating
>|> on one foot. This will require you to go almost onto one wheel only for
>|> a split second. You will fall trying to learn this, so be prepared.
>|> Once you get it, your friends will be impressed. Use whatever foot you
>|> feel most comfortable skating on one foot. Most people feel that this
>|> move is easiest if your skating leg is your left one. There are many

Most people are right-handed and prefer to rotate counter-clockwise, so that
would make the left outside 3 turn the easiest. The direction of turn is
very critical with 3 turns. You'll want to find your strongest direction
and stick with it until you have that mastered, then start learning the other
way.

>|> types of 3 turns that deal with the "edge" (direction), but right now I wil
l
>|> just describe it generically. Try holding onto something like a fence or

What really made the difference to my three turn was to *really* stress the
edge. My first 3 turn was the right outside, and once I realized that was
what I was trying to do, it started to come much easier. I had always been
holding a straight line and finding it so difficult. So, think about drawing
that 3 when you do this move and it will help.

>|> friend who bumped her chin on a bench when she fell. Gliding on one
>|> foot, allow your free foot to hang behind you. Swing the free leg around
>|> slowly and shift your hips at the same time. Let your foot rock up
>|> towards your toe, and swing it backwards at the same time as your leg and
>|> hips go. You should now be skating backwards on one foot.

This is basically it, but I can picture a lot of over-rotated turns. The
key is to set your arms and shoulders first, then to let the rest of your body
and foot complete the turn. I wouldn't stress the swing on the free leg
either as it would also seem to over-rotate or pull the whole thing off
balance. It's in the shoulders first, the hips second, then the foot.

Shooshie's advice to practice these with two feet at first is very good.
If you realize it or not, you have actually taught yourself two 3 turns that
way, one outside and one inside!

Timothy Mizerak, mi...@cnj.digex.com

On Tue, 2 May 1995, Shooshie wrote:
> I'm still pretty lame on 3-turns, but I'm in no hurry, and I notice
> improvement all the time. I do have a question for you. Do you "snap" your
> body around, or just gracefully turn it and snap your foot at some point
> in the turn? Also, when doing it in reverse (from backward to forward), do
> you still do it on your toes, or do you use your heel? I have done both,
> but I suspect that the heel version probably goes by another name. I've
> been needing to ask someone this... maybe you would help.
>

Shooshie,
I tend to do the slow, "graceful" move with my body turning and at the
last second when my body is almost backwards I "snap" my foot. I use my
arms too, but that's mostly from my figure skating traing when I had a
coach yell at me to keep my head up and my arms out to the side. I even
position my hands the way she used to make me.
The backwards one, I always did with my weight towards the heel, even on
ice. I'm not sure how you mean when you say you use your toes. If you
can go from backwards to forwards going up on your toe, I believe that
you have invented a new turn. I'll check my handbook to see if I can
find it. If not then we should call it a "Shooshie Turn!" I like the
sound of that.

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part7

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Techniques - Speedskating and Racing
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNIQUES - SPEEDKSATING AND RACING *

Table of Contents:
* Road Rash
* Lacing
* Boots
* General Race stuff
* Skinsuits

ROAD RASH

From: ah...@boi.hp.com (Andy Hill)

Not a cure, but lots of Neosporin will help keep the rash from getting
infected (a big problem with large-area road rash). Makes the scabs
look really nasty, 'tho - be prepared for some really grossed-out
looks if you don't gauze it over.

From: g...@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com (George Robbins)

There is no "cure".

The traditional treatment is to wash the area, let it scab over and
wait for it to heal. If there is a lot of imbedded dirt, glass or
gravel you want to see a doctor for extra pain and cleansing.

The underground remedy (for small spots) is to use "Bag Balm", a
vetrinary product for soothing cows udders, found at your local farm
supply outlet. It provides a waterproof covering for the wound, which
apparently prevents the formation of a thick, inflexible scab.
Actually Vaseline does pretty much the same thing, with people asking
you what breed of cows you prefer.

In either case, the overall healing time is simlar, however the latter
may cause less interference with skating, scarring and hassles with
scabs cracking or being torn off.

Another possibility is to use a "Newskin" type product, the one I've
seen comes in a bottle, you put it one, the alcohol (sting!)
evaporates, leaving a thin, flexible membrane, which seems to work on
the same idea as above, but it's dry on the outside, not gooky.

Please treat such wounds with respect, infection, scarring or
prolonged healing periods are always a possibility, especially with
larger area's of damaged skin or contamination.

From: ma...@unidata.ucar.edu (Matt Hicks)

Well, I checked out what everyone else suggested and I didn't see this
one exactly, so here goes. I have a friend who is a (semi?) pro speed
skater and has taken some nasty spills at high speed. Last year he
ripped up his right thigh/buttock when he hit a wet spot in a turn--it
was uuugly. Anyway, he used either neosporin or a burn creme (road
rash is 90% burn anyway) and he covered the wound completely with
plastic wrap held on with medical tape. There was nothing special
about the wrap--just Saran Wrap or the equivalent. I've had a lot of
rash from bicycle racing and I've never seen anything heal as quickly
or as well as this lump of hamburger did. He never got a scab going;
the wound just got smaller and smaller until it was gone. The main
thing you need to do with this treatment is clean the wound really
well--I'm guessing he probably cleaned it thoroughly twice a day
(morning and evening). The next time I get scraped up I'm going to try
this treatment myself--if nothing else it will keep the wound from
oozing through my clothes--yuck!

From: gt3...@prism.gatech.edu (Steven Malcolm Nichols)

Finally, on the subject of road rash. I've heard people advocate both
covering the area to try to keep a scab from forming and airing it. I
have tried both and don't really have a preference. I believe that the
most important thing you can do is keep it clean (i.e. wash/clean it a
couple of times a day) and of course, keep it from getting infected.
3M makes a product called second skin, I think the original
application was for burn victims. Second skin is something like 96%
water & 4% miracle plastic that acts as a skin. A couple of people
mentioned Neosporin; I was told by a paramedic that Neosporin in large
quantities can be toxic -- he couldn't really be quantitative about
what this means, but just be aware. I have found antecdotally (and
maybe I even read this somewhere) that sunlight seems to encourage
pink shiny scar tissue (dang! I'll never be a swimsuit model now!), so
you might want to let the rash heal up before you go tanning at the
beach.

From: prat...@david.wheaton.edu (Adam Pratt)

I do not have any quick fixes for road rash, though I have had a lot!
I mean a lot! Nine days ago I launched off a 4 and a half foot ledge
from one parking lot to another. There is about 12-15 feet of mulch
and bushes slanting between the parking lot I jumped from and the
parking lot below I was jumping into. It was an awesome jump, but at
the bottom, I did not quite make the pavement. My skates hit soft
mulch at the botom, dug in an inch, and my 10+ mph threw by body on
the pavement. Most of the weight hit my wrist guards and the front of
my helmet. If I did not have wrist guards on, I would have shattered
by hands, wrists, and forearms. It was intense! I could not hold all
my weight aand slid out on my right elbow and right hip (OUCH on the
hip!)

Anyway, I just wanted to share my awesome spill with you friends. It
was one of the most intense spills I have seen. Now back to the road
rash part...

I already had a scar on my right hip from a previous spill. Now I have
a bigger one. The way to get rid of it is to COAT it with vitamin E
oil. Do not wait for it to heal, then use it. Scrub it hard, ointment
like crazy, let it scab, and then DON'T pick! As soon as it is starts
to get hard, keep vitamin E oil on it constantly!

I have had two major surgeries on each shin and the cut me alle the
way up and down. I did not use Vitamin E the first time and the scars
were nasty. I used it the second time and you can barely see them! I
really believe this stuff helps! You can buy it at GNC and other
health food stores.

From:

After my first crash, where the Fire Department guys had to clean me
up, I started to cary first aid supplies (each crach statistic is a
statistic in favor of baning inline skating). I have the following in
my bag:

Large bandaids (2 in.) Gauze pads (for covering wounds and for
cleaning wounds) Anticeptic wipes Neosporin ointment

I even found use for these at the ice rink this past winter, when I
cut my self on my blades. Yes, I have goten road rash from the ice
rink although, I think it was where the elastic underwear band abraded
my skin.

From: ai...@lvld.hp.com (Jim Aites)

: Anticeptic wipes : Neosporin ointment

DERMABLAST - a spray-on topical anesthetic. (smaller container
required)

How about something for the 'shockies'? I hate seeing black-n-white
(with stars)! I know, "sit down and put your head between your knees",
but I was thinking of something more along the line of Asperin, a shot
of scotch, or some other good analgesic. ;)

_________________________________________________________________

From: gins...@sun.lclark.edu (Mark Ginsberg)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.racing
Date: 12 May 1995 03:00:03 GMT

I race and fall off of bicycles far too often, and now to increase the
departure of my skin from my body I race skates too. so for road rash
there are a few things you can do.

1. Keep it clean, the day it happens take a bath in some
anti-bacterial soap (aka Laundry detergent -seriously!)

2. then thre are two theories I have seen:
2a. keep it dry. Let cuts air dry and scab up. yummy
2b. Moisture (buddy) keep covered with neosporin, or the like then
cover with saran wrap (sorry for all the name brands) and a big
bandage to soak up all the oozey stuff. Change dressing 2x a day or
more. I use both methods depending on where a cut is, I keep my hips
moist b/c they will heal faster that way, but be messier for the first
few days. my knees, they get to scab. keeps my mom upset 3000 miles
away!

Also to keep them moist you can by these product that look alot like
pre cut saran wrap with vetilation slits which you place over a cut
and leave on for 7 days, does the same thing, but looks a lot cooler,
so if chosing bandaging for looks check those out.

_________________________________________________________________

LACING

From: Sir Erick (sire...@ix.netcom.com)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.inline
Subject: Re: speed skate laces

In ez00...@rocky.ucdavis.edu (Michael
Kin Wong) writes:
>
>Is there anyone out there who has a method
>of making laces slip less as you are tightening
>them up? I've heard of waxing the laces...does
>this work and more importantly how do you do it?
>Other suggestions welcome...
> -mike

I don't know if this is even relevant but, when you tie your skates at
the top, you know, the crossover tie before you make the little bow?
Well, instead of doing one crossover, do two. This is called a
surgeons knot and it will hold tight while you make the pretty little
bow at the top. Get it? I hope so because without this knot, I'd
still be asking people to "put your finger here while I tie this
please"...

From: grams...@aol.com (GRamsey887)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.inline
Subject: Re: speed skate laces
Date: 14 May 1995 21:50:20 -0400

>Is there anyone out there who has a method
>of making laces slip less as you are tightening
>them up? I've heard of waxing the laces...does
>this work and more importantly how do you do it?
>Other suggestions welcome...
-mike

While you might be able to wax laces, most people buy laces that are
pre-waxed. You won't find them at the mass merchants, but most of the
decent rinks or skate shops should have some.

From: ian...@ccnet.com
Subject: Re: speed skate laces
Date: 15 May 1995 07:26:20 GMT

Try the following lacing style if you haven't already.

top
-------o- +0++++++
\ +
+\
o++++++0
+
+ \
o------o
\+
+ \
o++++++0
+
+ \
o------o
\+
+ \
o++++++0
+\
+ \
o------0
bottom

Two points to keep in mind...

1. The diagonal laces are always underneath the laces going
straight across.
2. The laces that go straight across are always on the outside
of the lace holes.

+---------------+
======|== ==|======
----+ +----

To tighten, start at the bottom and pull each straight-across
lace tight working your way to the top. This pattern keeps
the tension on previous lace while you tighten the next.
The laces also tend not to come loose as easliy.

Hope this helps,

From: ma...@gladstone.uoregon.edu (R.Manes)
Subject: Re: speed skate laces
Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 08:55:04

I just wanted to second the notion of the waxed laces- my Raps boots came with
them, and they work. Another trick taught to me by the guy who sold me the
skates is to lace with the laces going down into the holes, rather than up
through them, as is conventional. This way you can adjust each lace crossing
to the tension you like, and it'll stay there since the down lacing sort of
locks it in place. Try it- you'll like it.

From: Glenn Rasmussen
Subject: Re: inline laces
Date: 15 May 1995 16:11:33 GMT

ez00...@rocky.ucdavis.edu (Michael Kin Wong) wrote:
> Is there anyone out there who has a method
> of making laces slip less as you are tightening

Try lacing your skates by putting the lace in the top of each eyelet. It
locks the lace down as you pull it tight. This is a trick I learn from
ice speedskating. I find it a very effective technique.

_________________________________________________________________

BOOTS

From: mr...@escape.com (Michael Rainone)
Subject: Re: Simmons Boot sources
Date: Sat, 13 May 1995 13:47:51 -0400

In article , dr...@athena.mit.edu
(Mark Drela) wrote:
> I'd like to get the Simmons boot, so...
>
> 1) Is there a local source near Boston?
>
> 2) Does anyone have the phone # for Simmons?
> I heard that you can order from them directly.
>
> 3) Is there a mail-order place that has them?
> I know you can get them from Team Paradise, but it's
> been over a month since I called for their catalog
> with no results.

Simmons fax # is 816.454.2668. I've heard that the Twister model is very
backordered. The most popular boot through Paradise is the Typhoon whic
is a lower cut, more like the Viking. I was lucky enough to have gotten
my Twisters last season. They are excellent boots, High Quality
materials and superb craftsmanship are Daves trademark. It's money well
spent.

From: ki...@iat.com (Kimon Papahadjopoulos)
Subject: Re: Viking Boots
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 1995 11:54:58 -0800

In article , ak...@cse.ucsc.edu (Adam Katz )
wrote:
> What are people's opinions of the Viking boots? The bont boot looks
> like it would give more ankle support, how much difference would this
> make? I would most likely get the non-moldable Viking boots, how should
> they fit?

I would definetly not recommend the Viking Marathon or Thermo for that matter
as a first racing boot because they really do have minimal ankle support.

This means that if you have never skated on racing skates before, it could
be a good long while before you will be able to skate faster than in your
four wheelers.

Also, because they have so little support and because they expand over
time, you should try to get the smallest size possible that will fit your
foot. Which means that unless you happen to have just the correct shape
of foot, the break-in time is both long and painful.

Furthermore, the Vikings use a variable distance mounting system which for
most sizes means that the frame you will buy will be incompatible with
other racing skates like the Bont. So the frame you buy for your Vikings
will probably not work for the next pair of skates you buy unless you buy
Vikings again.

On the plus side, Vikings are very well made and very precise skates. They
give you a lot of control (as long as your ankles don't get tired) and
because they have such low ankle support they will make you a better
skater, because you can't rely on the boot to hold your edge for you.

But even once you learn to use them, for most people they leave something
to be desired for the sprint (you know, the most important part of the
race) and in tight turns. I know several people who once they switched
away from Vikings say while they loved their Vikings, they are faster in
other boots.

In my opinion, Vikings are still useful as a training boots, but I think
you will see fewer and fewer Vikings on the starting line as boot building
know-how gets better. After all, Vikings are long track boots, and there
are finally some boot manufacturers that understand the subtle differences
that an inline boot requires.

For your first racing skate, I'd try the K2 Extreme Speed. It's being
sold in modular components, and the boot seems to sell for $200-$300 vs
>$400 for the Thermo. I saw several of them at the last race I went to
last week, including a friend of mine who was previously skating on the
Marathon. He likes them a lot, and had no trouble with them in the 27
mile race, and I think he got them last week. Now that's an
endorsement...

From: wonsu...@mail.utexas.edu (Wonsup Song)
Subject: Re: Viking Boots
Date: 5 Apr 1995 21:54:00 GMT

In article , icus...@teleport.com (Marc Abrams) says:
>
>Unless you are really going to be training 3 hour a day, I doubt
>whether you will develop enough ankle strength to skate competitively
>in Vikings. Look at the Fitness Fanatics Veloce or K2 Extreme Speed or
>2 Extreme boots. They fit much nicer than Bonts, are made better, and
>are less expensive. Give me a call if you have questions.

If you decide not to get Vikings because of the low-cut, I would not buy
2 Extreme boots either. 2 Extreme has no cuffs, and it took me for a while to
get use to it (I used to skate on Bont Hustler boots, now I use it for
In-doors). Go for Extreme Speed. They give you better lateral support than 2
Extreme (no support).

It is true (at least for me) that K2 fits better than Bont. But it does not
mean you should get K2. There are other fine boots such as Simmons(Great Boots)
.
Everyone's feet are different so some brand boots fit you better than others.

About the price of K2 2 Extreme, I paid $199(retail $339.95). It is the best
boots for that price range ($300-450 racing boots). I can buy Extreme Speed for

$189. So shop around.

From: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)
Subject: Re: [INL] Narrow Feet
Date: 11 Apr 1995 13:07:28 GMT

When I bought my ski boots (later returning them) the specialists
at the shop told me that they could expand or contract the plastic
in the boot, specifically fitting it to my needs. When I bought
my Roces CDG '94 the booklet that came with it gave information
on a RPF [Roces Personal Fit] which is essentially a system to
inject silicon(e) into the boot liner, which later hardens.
There is also the ThermoFlex which can be used in some boot shells,
but it costs about $150.

_________________________________________________________________

GENERAL RACE STUFF

From: sim...@eeel.nist.gov (Eric Simmon)
Subject: Re: [INL] Race question..
Date: 6 Apr 95 20:25:01 GMT

eig...@uiuc.edu (Amy Ryan) writes:
>I have only participated in traditional distance races, but they are
>going to sponsor a criterion (sp????) locally. They say its 25 minutes
>and then 2 laps... I read an article about a similar race at the PanAm
>games.. can someone explain exactly how these races work?

A criterium is (originally) a type of bicycle race.

The course is usually .6 to 1.5 miles long (ie. short)
with sharp corners (usually around a city block or two).
The races are usually fast paced, with a lot of body contact.
There can also be preems (sp) (premiums) which are prizes given at
different points in the race to whoever is first at that
moment (usually given at the halfway point). they are
great spectator races because the cyclists come around once
every couple of minutes instead of once (as in a road race).

As far as the 25 min + 2 laps goes, this just means you race
for twenty five minutes, at which point you have two laps to
finish.

Strategy:

Stay near the front of the pack drafting as much as you can, while
keeping the leaders close by. If one or two people make a breakaway,
let them go (unless you KNOW they are strong enough to stay out front
the rest of the race). If a larger group makes a breakaway, and
you feel good, jump on it, just be prepared to do your share of pulling
(skating in front so others can draft). Try to conserve strength
as much as you can. Criteriums usually come down to a sprint finish,
so your best chance of winning is to stay fresh and be in good
position for the finish. Unless you feel strong enough to just
break away and leave everyone in your dust. One other thing: turning
is key! I was in a inline race where the eventual winner was a beginner
ice track skater (the rest of us where distance skaters). He got out front
near the beginning of the race and because his speed was greater in the
corners (and he didn't have to watch out for people around him) his
lead just got greater through every corner.

_________________________________________________________________

SKINSUITS

From: wonsu...@mail.utexas.edu (Wonsup Song)
Subject: [INL][SPEED] Skin Suits for In-line skating?
Date: 18 Apr 1995 05:06:04 GMT

I have been speed skating for a while but, I was never concerned about what I
wear. I usually wear a Lycra/Nylon tight shorts and a bycicle jersey (I bike
too). It worked fine for me so far. My friend Dean who races for Team K2 wears
this cool purple skin suit. He told me it was made especially for K2 racers by
Pearl Izume. He said that, what you wear makes a big difference in air
resistance and dragging.

Out of curiosity, how many non-profesional skaters out there wears skin suit?
O.K. what do you speedsters wear? I know all these professional skaters from
team Rollerblade, K2, Hyper, etc all wear these skin suits. I heard it reduces
about 5% of the air-resistence than normal tight clothes. Does it make a big
difference? or would it give me about same effects as wearing Lycra tight
shorts and bike jersey?

Where do people get one? I am talking about skin suit especially made for
In-line skating because these bike skin-suits have pads in the middle and I
don't like it. How much do they cost? I know bike ones cost about $99. Who
makes one?

Do they have back pockets like bike jersey, to put watter bottles, keys and
stuff? One thing that I don't like about bike jersey is that I can't put my
water bottle in the pocket. Everytime I go up hills or speed up(swinging both
of my arms), the bottle in my back pocket would swing left and right and
through me off rhythm (because it moves left when I move right, and right when
I move left). So I ended up holding the bottle in my hands all the time. Does
skin suit has same problem or they hold stuff better? (All the skin suit that
I have seen didn't have back pockets though)

Where do professional skaters put their watter bottles? ( I guess for long
distances such as N.Y. 100K and Athens to Atlanta 85miles,etc ) Or maybe they
don't carry ones around? I saw Eddy Matzger holding these watter bottles in
his hands and racing for pretty long distance/time.

From: eh...@fwi.uva.nl (Erik de Haas)
Subject: Re: [INL][SPEED] Skin Suits for In-line skating?
Date: 18 Apr 1995 14:21:50 +0200

> Out of curiosity, how many non-profesional skaters out there wears skin
suit?
>O.K. what do you speedsters wear? I know all these professional skaters from
>team Rollerblade, K2, Hyper, etc all wear these skin suits. I heard it reduces
about
>5% of the air-resistence than normal tight clothes. Does it make a big differe
nce? or
>would it give me about same effects as wearing Lycra tight shorts and bike jer
sey?
>

Hi,

Here all (even remotely) serious ice speed skaters wear skin suits, at
least in the races. For marathon
and very long distance there are even skin suits that have pockects at the
back (approximately in the place where the pockects are on cycling clothes).
In summer, with nice wheather, on inlines, these suits are a little too warm,
I would think. That is where those skinsuits you mentioned come in handy
(short sleeves and legs). Here (in Holland) I only saw those suits at
races. But almost all the racers wear them, (we do not have any proffesionals
here, only some good inline skaters get sponsors for cloathing and
equipment). When on ICE I changed from 'tight' cloating to a skin suit, I
instantaniously smashed my personal records. It does make a difference.
In summer, on 5-wheelers, I never squeezed myself into a skin suit. But then
I do not race on my inlines; I only use them in summer for training, for
remembering how it should be done on ice in winter.

Erik de Haas
Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science
University of Amsterdam
The Netherlands
http://carol.fwi.uva.nl/~ehaas/

From: stick...@aol.com (SticksSk8s)
Subject: Re: [INL][SPEED] Skin Suits for In-line skating?
Date: 19 Apr 1995 00:09:31 -0400

Skin suits are alot more comfy that bike shorts! Also, they DO keep you
cool in the summer, since your sweat will evaporate off the lycra pretty
quick. Most custom made suits can be made with a pocket in the back for a
water bottle. I've gotten suits made by a place called Young
Originals...517-688-4860. Call them and they'll send you a catalogue, all
you need to do is pick out a design (one of theirs or one of your own),
the colors, and send them your measurements. An inline suit with short
sleeves and legs cost from $50-70 depending on the designs. Right now I
get them made by a woman in the area who also makes artistic skating
outfits, you might want to check out local skate rinks to see if they have
anybody who does the same. Good luck!!

--karen

From: "K. S. Manning"
Subject: Re: [INL][SPEED] Skin Suits for In-line skating?
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 1995 19:56:55 GMT

Don't steer clear of cycling clothing entirely. I'm coming
off a long period of bike racing, so I have lot's of shorts.
I have found it little trouble to take the chamois (the "pad")
out of the shorts using a seam-ripper (available at any fabric/
sewing shop).

I now wait for Performance to have a clearance sale, get a pair
of cheap cycling shorts or a skinsuit, and take the chamois out.

BikeNashbar's sales seem better but less frequent.

Performance 800-727-2433
Nashbar 800-NASHBAR

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part8

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Guide to Buying Inline Skates
_________________________________________________________________

MARKETPLACE - GUIDE TO BUYING IN-LINE SKATES *

(last changed June 15, 1995)

What This Guide Is

This guide to buying in-line skates is to provide an organized method
for skate shopping. It is intended for those readers with little or no
knowledge of in-line skates. This guide is not review-oriented and any
specific skate manufacturers and models shown or mentioned is only for
use in examples. (See part 3.3 of the FAQ for skate reviews.)

As with all purchases, read the fine print before buying. Make sure
you can return the merchandise if it is found to be broken or
otherwise defective after you purchase it.

Warning: this guide may be offensive to salespeople who pretend they
know what's going on when they sell skates in stores. Tough noogies.

If you really want to thank me for writing this article, do me a favor
and wear your helmet. Wear your helmet, your knee pads, and skate
under control. Learn to brake. Be courteous to pedestrians, bikers and
other skaters. If you've already done all that, then send me a
postcard or a picture of you skating or something 8-)

-Tony Chen
adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
700 N. Woodward Ave., Apt C7-3, Tallahassee, FL 32304
(904) 224-0230

_________________________________________________________________

Here's a checklist for you to print out to take to the store.
_________________________________________________________________

Table of Contents:

1. Before you go to the store
+ Deciding on your skating needs
o What type of skating will I want to do?
o What's most important to me?
+ Deciding on your price range
o The Crummy Skate Threshold
o Remember you'll also need safety gear
o Mail order versus local stores
o Some mail-order shops
+ Learn the terminology
o Wheel terms
# Diameter
# Maximum wheel size
# Durometer
# Rockering
o Bearings and ABEC ratings
o Braking systems
2. At the store
+ Bring the right socks
+ Ignore the sales hype
+ Trying on skates
+ Things to look for
o Liner fit
o Closure systems
o Shell design
o Wheels and other stuff
3. After you buy
+ Testing out your skates

_________________________________________________________________

Before You Go To The Store

Okay, so you've heard about "rollerblades", you've seen the ads,
you've watched rollerhockey on TV, you see skaters on the streets and
on the sidewalks, and now you want a piece of the action too. Where do
I go? What kind of skate should I buy? How much will it cost me?
What's the best skate out there?

While this guide doesn't pretend to be the final word on all skating
matters, hopefully it'll help shed some light on those questions and
how to go about choosing the proper skates.

Shopping for in-line skates is much like shopping for a car. Your best
bet is to go armed with information and to know what each skate
feature means for you and your skating. Don't listen to the hype. Use
your brain. About 99.5% of the salespeople in stores I've come across
know less than I do about the skates they're selling. Many times I
pose as an uninformed shopper and ask the standard questions. Almost
always the answers are rehashed phrases from manufacturers' brochures.
They throw out buzzwords like "durometer", "ABEC", and "ABT" to sound
like they actually know something. Don't be thrown off. Just show them
a printout of this guide, and tell them Tony said they're full of
baloney.

DECIDE ON YOUR NEEDS

If you go into the store without a clear goal in mind, you could
easily end up getting something you don't want. Salespeople love it
when you do this. It's like grocery shopping while you're hungry, you
tend to buy everything that looks appealing. So before you put a
single big toe inside the store answer these questions first:

1. What type of skating will I want to do?

You can do all sorts of things on skates...figure skating, hockey,
ramps, stair riding, hills (both up and down), speed skating,
commuting to work or classes, and on and on. The thing to decide
here is mainly between three types of skates: multi-purpose,
hockey, or speed.

Multi-purpose skates

Most of you will probably be looking at multi-purpose skates.
These are sometimes broken down into other categories like
"cross-training/fitness" and "recreational". Translation: "costs
more" and "costs less", respectively. Another type of
multi-purpose skate that has become very popular is the
"aggressive" or "street" skates which are specifically designed
for grinds, railslides, and other common skating tricks.

Multi-purpose skates probably encompass about 75% of the general
skate market (my guestimate, not a hard fact so don't quote me).
These skates are usually made of plastic with a foam liner inside.
Some have all laces, some all buckles, and some have combinations
of both. A typical example is the Rollerblade Macroblades Equipes:

RB Equipes image

Hockey skates

Skates made for hockey are made of stitched leather, like those
you see ice hockey players wear. Very few, if any, use a foam
liner. Hockey skates will tend to be great on the rink, but won't
stand up as well to shocks and abrasion from outdoor surfaces. All
serious hockey skates use laces, with some models having an
additional velcro strap at the ankle. Some models also have toe or
side plates to protect the leather when you fall. An example of a
hockey skate is the Bauer H6-comps:

Bauer H6-comps image

Speed skates and 5-wheelers

Speed skates are also made of leather and come with a long
wheelbase to accommodate 5 wheels. Usually speed skates won't be
an option in most sports stores, unless it's a shop specializing
in skates (in which case, ignore my previous remark about
salespeople and baloney). Speed skates are cut low at the ankles,
and all have laces, some with one buckle at the ankle. If you're
looking at racing skates you'll might pick out your components
separately. The 4 main components you'll have to consider are the
boots, frames/runners, bearings, and wheels. An example of a boot
and frame are the Viking Marathon Special boots and the Mogema
frames:

viking boot image mogema frame image

Buying compenents separately is typically the most expensive
approach (short of getting entirely custom skates) but also
provides the best fit for your skating needs. The other route is
to buy pre-assembled 5-wheel production skates which are generally
considered more for recreational speed and long-distance skating.
These are plastic boot 5-wheelers with either metal or plastic
runners. They will be a lot heavier than component speedskates in
almost every case. Some are cut lower or higher depending on their
intended usage. For example, the Roces Paris (CDG) skates has a
plastic vented boot with laces and one buckle, and metal runners:

Roces CDG image

Technically, it's not the extra wheel that makes these skates go
faster, it's the extra length in the wheelbase. The longer
wheelbase also makes the skates more stable at higher speeds. The
trade-off (there's always a trade-off) is that they're much less
maneuverable than 3 or 4 wheel skates. You may find some 4 wheel
skates that have their wheels spread a lot farther apart than
normal to acheive a longer wheelbase. One of the K2 skates even
has axle holes for either 4 or 5 wheels.

2. What's most important to me? (price, fit, speed, etc.)

Okay, now that you've chosen the type of skate to buy, the next
thing to do is to decide what's most important to you in a skate.
Let me quote the all-purpose law of consumer goods:

"GOOD, FAST, CHEAP. PICK TWO."

For skates, "good" usually translates into "comfortable and
durable". Basically you have to choose what's the LEAST important
to you. For most people that I've counseled in skate shopping, the
price usually turns out to be the least important ("What?? Is he
crazy? I only have $X to spend!" you say? Read on.)

In general, the more money you put up front, the less it'll cost
you in the long run. But on ONE condition! This is assuming you
will be using your skates, and continue to skate for years to
come. If you're going to buy them and throw them in the closet,
then go directly to Toys-R-Us or K-mart and buy the $35 skates
with bright neon green and purple colors. Do not pass GO, and do
not collect $200.

Okay, since you're still reading this, you haven't gone off to
Toys-R-Us, so I'll assume you're committed, or at least committed
to being committed, to skating. So how does paying more up front
save you more in the long run? If you buy cheapo skates, your
skating experience will suck. Plain and simple. If you buy bad
skates, then after a couple weeks of aches and pain, you'll say
"See, Tony I told you so. Good thing I didn't spend more money."
Wrong. Don't confuse cause and effect. Like most things in life,
the rule is GIGO: garbage in, garbage out. You get out of it, what
you put into it.

To put it another way, the better skate that you buy, the better
it fits. The better they fit, the less pain you endure. The less
pain you endure, the less blisters you'll get on your feet. The
less blisters you have, the less blood that oozes from them, and
the more you like skating. I said it'd cost you less, and it
will...in terms of pain, sweat, tears, blood, time, and bandage
money. Not only that, if you enjoy the skating, you'll want to go
out and skate even more. In turn, this means you'll learn to skate
better and get more for your money. Make sense? Good!

DECIDE YOUR PRICE RANGE
The CST

Now, in the previous section I made it seem like you should go out
and spend your life savings on the best skate you can find. Only
if you want to. As with most things, diminishing returns takes
effect. $150 skates are definitely more than 5 times better than
$30 skates. But are $300 skates twice as good as $150 skates?
Well, it depends. The bottom line is to stay above what I call the
Crummy Skate Threshold, or CST for short (ABT, PBS, PCMCIA, PCI,
CST, ATM, RISC...skate and computer acronyms are one big happy
family, eh?). In my experience, the CST is at around $110-120 (all
dollar figures are US$; adust for your standard of living and
currency as needed). Skates retailing under $110-120 usually
aren't worth their money. You'd be a whole lot better off putting
that money towards a good pair of $150-250 skates. You may find
good skates on clearance sales (if so, go for it), but as a
general rule, stick with the CST.

Safety Gear

Make sure you factor in $40-$80 for protective gear when trying to
estimate your total cost. I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend
(I'd make it mandatory if I had the power) wrist guards ($15-17)
and knee pads ($17-20) for beginners. A helmet and elbow pads are
also highly recommended. A bike helmet works just fine, if you
already have one (if you have a really old helmet though, toss it
and shell out $40 for a nice new safer one). Once you're bleeding
at the hands and knees, it'll be too late to wish that you had
spent that puny extra $40 up front. Sounds like the bloody blister
scenario? That's right.

Mail Order vs. Local Stores

If all this sounds like you have to spend your life savings again,
let me quote what Mr. Spock said to Scotty in the Galileo 7
episode of the old Star Trek series, when their shuttle crashed on
a planet and Scotty exclaims that all is lost because most of
their fuel was lost in the landing:

"MR. SCOTT, THERE ARE ALWAYS ALTERNATIVES."
Of course in the end through Star Trek magic, Scotty converted their
phasers' energy to shuttle fuel. Amazing. Wish they would show us
how to convert bullets to gasoline.

In your case, you don't have to find Scotty, but you can go find a
mail-order shop. Mail-order can save you a substantial amount of
money without sacrificing quality. However, the trade-off is
(there's that "t"-word again) that you can't try on the exact
skates you'll be getting before you buy. You might have to ship
the skates back once or more, if things aren't quite right or what
you expected. And of course, you have to wait for UPS or
snail-mail (USPS), to ship it to your door.

One thing that will help is to try out the same skates at your
local store. This only works if you're shopping for recreational
skates, mainly. Don't count on finding speedskates at most stores
unless you're lucky enough to have a dedicated skate shop around.
Try on skates to figure out the size that fits best, and then you
can go shopping for price.

To some people this may seem like you're using the store for free.
However, if you feel like the service they give you is worth the
extra price and you want to do your business in town, then by all
means buy them there. You'll get to use your skates immmediately
too. NOTE: sale prices in stores can often be lower than
mail-order, so keep an eye out!

One other thing you might try is to negotiate the price with the
manager (ask to talk to him or her, as most salespeople don't have
the authority). Tell them, "You know I really like these skates,
but the price is a little high for me. I see them listed for
$xxx.xx in the catalogs but I want to keep my business in
town...do you think you could help me out?"

Maybe they won't match the mail-order price, but you might get
enough of a discount to make a difference. Or maybe not. But you
won't know until you try.

Having said all that however, let me just say that my own
experiences with ordering skates and other accessories through the
mail have been very satisfactory. And on the plus side, pretty
much all the salespeople at the mail-order shops know what they're
talking about.

For a list of mail-order shops, look at part 3.2 of the FAQ

LEARN THE TERMINOLOGY

All right, now we're on a roll, so to speak. You know what sort of
skate you're looking for, you know your target price range, and you're
ready to jump into that store and start trying on skates. Before you
do though, go through the following terms and get an idea of what each
means. Once you're beyond trying on skates for comfort and fit, you'll
want to compare the other features to see what's best for you.

Wheel terms:

(For more in-depth wheel information, see part 4 of the FAQ.)

Diameter:
If you'll recall from grade school math, the diameter is the
length across the widest part of a circle. Twice the length of
the radius, if you prefer. For wheels, this is measured in
millimeters (mm). Most production skates come with 72 and 76mm,
with some high end skates equipped with 80mm wheels (other
sizes are available through mail-order). The shorter the wheel,
the more stable and maneuverable your skates will be. However,
they'll also be slower. Conversely taller wheels will let you
go faster, but are less maneuverable.

Maximum wheel size:
Although maximum wheel size won't seem like a big deal when
you're just beginning, it will be important once you become a
proficient skater. Low-end skates generally come stocked with
70 or 72mm wheels, while the higher-end skates come with 76mm
wheels. This is no accident. Most skaters eventually want more
speed, and taller wheels are faster, all other things being
equal. Some 76mm skates will vary in their ability to take 80mm
wheels too. Smaller skate sizes might not have the option due
to the whole skate being smaller.

Not all skates can take larger wheels though. Most every 76mm
skate will take up to 80 or 82mm (plenty large for most
people). 72mm skates are another story. Depending on the runner
and chassis design, some can take only up to 72.5mm wheels,
while others can squeeze on 76mm ones. Some people actually
shave or grind down parts of their skates so that they can fit
larger wheels. In any case, if you can afford it, I'd suggest
going with skates that can take at least 76mm wheels. You can
always switch to smaller wheels if you want.

Durometer:
Durometer has to do with the DURAbility of wheels. More simply,
it means how hard the wheel material is. The industry (plastic
industry I guess) "A" scale is used, with 0 being softest, and
100 being hardest. (It's rumored that Rush Limbaugh's skull is
rated above 500A, but like I said, it's just a rumor.)

Most wheels are 78A or 82A. 78A is considered on the softer
side. They don't last quite as long as 82A's, but since they're
softer, they absorb bumps better for a smoother ride. That's
the primary trade-off when you go about selecting wheel
hardness. For most stock skates, you won't have a choice, since
they almost all come in 78A. If you want or need harder wheels,
you can buy a harder set when your original wheels wear out.

For indoor surfaces, most skaters go with really hard wheels,
like 85A or higher. For real rough outdoor terrain, you might
want 74A. You can also mix your durometers and have some wheels
harder than others. This let's you gain the advantages of both
worlds somewhat, by getting the better shock absorption of
softer wheels, while getting the durability of harder wheels.

Rockering:
Rockering sounds like something grandma does while knitting
sweaters, doesn't it? Well, for skates, it means that you can
adjust the heights of the axles (and therefore the wheels
also), to approximate an ice-skate blade's profile. Those
blades are usually curved upwards at the front and back (hockey
skates anyway). The curvature allows for more maneuverability,
but at the cost of stability at higher speeds. Trade-off once
again? You bet. If you think you might want rockering sometime
in the future, get skates that let you adjust it. Most all
middle and high-end skates will let you rocker your wheels.

Bearings and ABEC ratings: (For more in-depth bearing information, see
part 4 of the FAQ.)

The two bearings inside each wheel are where the turning action takes
place. Bearings come in various ratings, based on the ABEC scale. This
acronym is pronounced "ay-beck", and it stands for the Annular Bearing
Engineering Council (don't ask me what that means). Basically, the
higher the ABEC number the more precise the bearing has been made. The
ratings you'll come across are ABEC-1, ABEC-3, and ABEC-5. Generally,
the more precise the bearings will spin faster, although this is still
subject to some debate. After you skate outdoors long enough, ABEC-5's
will be indistinguishable from ABEC-1's for the most part. It's more
important to keep your bearings clean and well-lubed, in the long run.

Braking systems:
Before 1994 the only thing you had to worry about with brakes was
learning to use them. Now, you have to decipher the SSHA, or Silly
Sales Hype Acronyms. Rollerblade has the ABT (Active Braking
Technology), Oxygen skates has the PBS (Power Brake System), Bauer has
the Force Multiplier, CCM has the Arrester Dual System, Roces has the
Tartaruga, Ultra-wheels has the DBS (Disc Brake System) and I'm sure
someone else will come with yet another system. What we REALLY need is
an industry-standard for brakes, not everyone trying to come up with
the next better moustrap. Right now, every single manufacturer has
their own brake design. None are compatible (without modifications)
with any other manufacturer's skates. Even Rollerblades ABT and
non-ABT brakes are incompatible.

In any case, Rollerblade's ABT is essentially a brake on a long screw,
running up the back of your skates. You can adjust the height of your
brake by turning the screw. It also means the brake can be activated
if you tilt lean back on your skate. An example is the Rollerblade
Bravoblade GL ABT skate:

RB Bravo GL w/ABT image

If you have an older skate and want ABT, there is now an add-on system
called GEM which does much the same thing:

GEM image

The Oxygen PBS doesn't allow you to adjust the brake height, but
instead it works like most brakes, with the added effect of pressing
the brake pad against the rear wheel when you brake.

PBS image

The DBS is a cylindrical brake oriented to roll in the same direction
as the wheels. Inside the brake is a disc-braking system that provides
extra braking power.

DBS drawing DBS picture

The Roces Tartaruga system is a spring-loaded device that clinches
brake pads on the two rear wheels (from the side) when you press down
in a certain way with your heel.

The bottom line is that these system are neither bad nor good. On the
plus side, they help beginners brake easier and allows a good degree
of adjustability (on the ABT anyway). On the down side, the brake pads
may be harder to find (ABT brakes have been hard to find, last I
heard). Also, for real power-braking, these systems are superfluous.
(See part 2.1 of the FAQ for braking techniques.) Learning to brake
effectively under various conditions still takes practice, not just
spending money on a fancy braking system.

One last thing to mention. Not all brakes are equal. Bauer and Roces
brakes are notorious for poor durability. Rollerblade brakes last very
well. Anecdote time: back in 1991 or 1992, my buddy Dave got some
Bauer skates from the rest of us for his birthday. Boy, was he happy.
That is, until he found out that Bauer brakes last about as long as a
snowflake at noon in the Sahara Desert. He went through one brake in
about 2 hours. Good thing for him, the rest of us were about ready to
order some wheels and he ordered 5 brakes. We get our stuff in a few
days and it turns out the catalog meant 5 SETS of brakes, meaning 10
brakes in all. Good thing too. He needed every one of them!
_________________________________________________________________

AT THE STORE

Ignore the hype

All righty. Now you know what you're looking for, you know all the
nifty terms that go along with skates, and you're ready to head to the
stores and see what they have. Before you go though, bring two things
(well, three if you want to be picky): athletic socks and a ruler with
cm/mm markings (a ruler? you'll understand why later on.)

Socks

Wear the socks that you'll be wearing to skate, when you try on
skates. Double-layered anti-blister socks aren't bad. Make sure
they're not too short or thick however. You want the socks to cover at
least 4-5 inches or more above your ankle bone (assuming you are
trying on regular production skates, and not speedskates). Some people
do actually skate barefooted, but I won't judge anyone on this point.
Seems to cause more chaffing though, without socks. Personally, I
think my skates smell enough with me wearing socks, but hey make your
own call on this one.)

If you do have problems with blisters, try polypropylene sock liners
under your other socks. These are very thin and hydrophobic (won't
absorb moisture from your sweat) which act to wick away sweat out to
the outer socks and liners. This keeps your feet dryer and less prone
to blistering. You might need thinner outer socks too, if they're
tending to bunch up in your skates.

Get ready

Okay, now you're in the store. Remember our strategy? That's right,
"Ignore the sales hype." If you've prepared ahead of time as I've told
you to, that should be a piece of cake. Ice cream cake. Chocolate-mint
ice cream cake even (I've always been partial to chocolate-mint).

Trying on skates

Okay, here's one part that the salesdroids are good for and good at.
Pick out a skate that is exactly at your target price (there might be
several models) and ask to try on one (or all of them if you want to
be really thorough; or heck, if you just want to make the salesdroids
work for their money). You might find that your skate size will not be
exactly your shoe size. Usually skates run a tad large (meaning you'll
have a smaller skate size than shoe size), and besides, you want a
snug fit -- as snug as possible without hurting.

Try on skates a half-size larger and a half-size smaller than your
normal shoe size to see the difference. Some manufacturers are better
than other at providing skates for different shaped and sized feet.
Rollerblade skates, for example, aren't really built that well for
wide feet. Bauer and Roces tend to be better in this regard.

After you've got the skates on, wiggle your toes. You'll want to press
your ankles back against the heel of the skate, while you wiggle. If
your toes are crammed against the front of the skates, they're too
tight. If your foot can jiggle around inside the skates while you hold
your foot up (like a clapper in a bell), then they're too large.

Okay, the skates are on and snug, so now stand up (slowly!) and put
your weight on each foot and see how it feels. Wiggle your toes some
more if you want. Remember that most people have asymmetrical feet. If
one foot feels less comfortable than the other, you might ask to try
on a skate of a different size for that foot. Most stores probably
won't let you buy skates sized different for both feet, but you can at
least try to minimize the discomfort for both feet combined.

Walk around in the store for a couple minutes (hopefully it's
carpeted) and let the liners conform to your feet a little bit.
Re-tighten the skates and make sure they're still snug.

Now, the comparisons. Ask to try on two other skates, one in the price
bracket below your target skate and one above. This is so you'll see
exactly how different quality liners, boots, and buckles feel.

For those of you buying for kids (or if you ARE a kid physically, not
mentally), you'll know that kids' feet grow almost faster than the
U.S. budget deficit. In this case, you might want to look for skates
that will take multiple liner sizes, so that you can just buy larger
liners instead of having to buy an entirely new skate each time. I
haven't personally investigated this (since I started to skate after
my foot size was stable) but the Roces STL Jr. model takes 4 different
liner sizes. Most other (adult) skates shells come in full sizes, with
liners coming in half sizes.

See the Kids/Small Skate reviews and FAQ in section 3.3 for more
details.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR

The liners are most important!

Your first criteria should be the liner quality and fit. If your
skates aren't comfy, the rest of the gadgets won't mean diddly. You
get better liners in more expensive skates, naturally.

Closure systems

Now once you've found good fitting skates, decide on whether you want
laces, buckles, or both. If you want convenience, an all-buckle setup
is for you. Buckles are nice in that you can adjust them while you're
skating, and they're very fast to put on and to take off. Buckles also
don't break nearly as much as laces do. The one trade-off is that
buckles don't give quite as good an all-around tightness as laces do.
For most people, that trade-off is a very worthwhile one, but everyone
has their own preferences.

Beware of bad buckle design, however. Even the K-mart skates have 3
buckles. Part of the buckle quality will be in the construction and
design quality of the shell (the plastic boot). If the shell is flimsy
or poorly made, the buckles won't align very well. There are also
various types of buckles. Some will feel more solid than others. Try
on different types and see the difference.

Many skates compromise and have both laces and an ankle buckle for
added support. This approach usually works pretty well.

Shell design

You'll find many types of shell these days. The most notable
difference will be vents. Some have them, some don't. The Rollerblade
Aeroblade was the first to sport this feature. It works quite well to
cool your feet and also makes the skate lighter. What's the trade-off,
you ask? (I've taught you well, haven't I?) You trade cooling and
weight-reduction for strength and durability of the shell.

Normally, this isn't an issue. But for you thrasher types, who like to
pound on your skates, vents make the skates a little less sturdy than
their non-vented brethren. The non-vented classic Rollerblade
Lightnings are about the most indestructible skates around. This isn't
to say vented skates aren't sturdy, but it's that they're LESS sturdy,
relative to non-vented skates.

Wheels and other stuff

Having compared liners, buckles/laces, and shells, now you can start
paying attention to the more subtle features, like rockering ability,
replacement parts availability, and maximum wheel size that the
runners can fit.

Rockering

Rockering is nice if you skate in a wide variety of situations. For
hockey or slaloming through cones, many people like to rocker their
skates for that added maneuverability. Then when they switch to hills
or long-distance skating, they can put the wheels flat again.

Replacement parts

Although replacement parts is another one of those plan-ahead type
things (like max wheel size), it can turn out to be a big one. Finding
replacement parts, namely for brakes and sometimes axles or spacers,
is not always trivial. Rollerblade, being in the market first, has
it's distribution set up fairly wide so you can pretty much find RB
brakes at any store that also sells RB skates (which is a lot of 'em).

With other brands, you won't generally be so lucky. In fact, the only
other brakes that I've ever even seen sold in stores is Bauer's
(granted in big cities, shops will probably carry a more diverse range
of brakes, but in very many instances you won't find a good choice).
Even with Rollerblade, there are sometimes brake shortages. I now keep
a stockpile of half a dozen brakes so I don't have to worry about it
and I can carry a spare brake in my fanny pack all the time.

So I should only buy a Rollerblade or Bauer skate then, you say? Nah.
Mail-order to the rescue again. You can pretty much find any brand
brake through catalogs. However, note that brakes aren't discounted
much (if at all) through most catalogs, and once you factor in
shipping and handling, you'll most likely want to order brakes along
with other equipment to help defray the extra cost. Might as well as
order more brakes at a time too (4 or more should be plenty). Also,
remember what I said about brakes and braking systems previously.

Brakes are a good thing by the way. They only cost $4 or so, while
wheels will cost you anywhere from $3 to $7 PER WHEEL. Sure, you got
fancy-pants skaters out there doing their macho T-stops and
power-slides, but at 8 times $3-$7 dollars...that's anywhere from $24
to $56 folks! Okay, so you only do T-stops with one skate, that's
still $12 to $28, and you want to save your wheels for rolling on
anyway, right?. Economics alone should convince you to at least learn
to use the brake properly. All those other stops are good to know, but
build your skills foundation from the bottom up. Learn to brake.

Max wheel size

Maximum wheel size, as I said before, will be important as you get
better at skating. For the most part, unless you're stuck with really
small skates (i.e., your feet are really small), then try to get a
skate that will take at least up to 76mm wheels. Don't believe the
spec sheets 100% though. The officially stated max wheel sizes are
sometimes just the wheel size that all of the skate sizes can fit.
Your size skates might be large enough that if you actually tried
larger wheels they'd fit.

Easy way to tell the *real* max wheel size: bring along a tape measure
or ruler (one with centimeter and millimeter markings, unless you're a
total whiz at converting English units to cgs in your head). If you
want to see if a skate will take 76mm wheels, jam your ruler in there,
with the 38mm mark at the axle center. If the 0mm mark doesn't rub
against the frame, you're halfway there.

You also want to measure the distance between axles. Can't have the
wheels rubbing against each other, can we? Make sure the distance is
76mm plus a couple mm (so approximately 78mm or more). If that holds,
then you know the skates can take 76mm wheels. You can try the same
thing for 80mm wheels.

Wheels and Bearings

The wheels and bearings you should leave as the last detail to
consider, since they'll wear out and you can buy your ideal wheels and
bearings after that. Of course, if two skates are pretty much equal in
all other aspects (including price), go for the one with better wheels
and bearings. For pure beginners, this may or may not be a good idea.
Many beginners tend to be better off with *slower* wheels. By the time
they've skated enough to wear out one set of wheels, they should be
proficient enough to move up to better equipment.

Bearings usually last longer than wheels, especially with proper care,
so consider the bearings before wheel quality. ABEC-1's are standard
on most all skates (except maybe kid's skates), and ABEC-3's are very
common amongst the high-end skates. Some even sport ABEC-5's, so check
up on it.

AFTER YOU BUY

Okay, so you finally did it. You tried on all sorts of skates, you saw
how the various models differed, you chose your skate, picked a nice
color-scheme, pulled out your plastic and made the salespeople happy.
Time to go out and skate down Mt. Everest, right? You want to hit the
road and skate the Athens-to-Atlanta race, right? Not so fast.

Testing out your skates

Before you go out and go skate-crazy, unpack all the stuff that you
bought in a nice orderly fashion (otherwise you can't return it if you
need to). Put everything on slowly and snugly, and walk around your
house in it. On carpet preferably. Make sure everything fits like it's
supposed to and feels comfortable. Now take your gear off and visually
inspect your skates. Make sure there's nothing loose that isn't
supposed to be. Make sure everything moves that's supposed to. If not,
go right back to the store and exchange them.

Let's say everything looks good so far, and you finally go outside to
try them out. Since you're a beginner, I'd highly recommend that you
go with an advanced skater (or at least someone who has skated more
than you have). The ideal place is a flat, empty parking lot with no
traffic (car or otherwise), smooth pavement, and grass surrounding the
edges.

Okay, congrats! You're now ready to join the millions of the other
people who have learned to enjoy inline skating! For more information
on general techniques, see part 2.1 of the FAQ.

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

Buying Guide Checklist

This is a checklist you can print out from your web browser to make
sure you cover all the bases before, during and after the store. I'd
suggest using a graphical browser so that you can make use of the
nifty checkboxes. If you only have Lynx, download Netscape or Mosaic
onto your computer. Then download this section to your hard drive.
Open the copy on your hard drive with the browser, and from there you
can print it out with all the graphical formatting.

Before you go to the store
* Deciding on your skating needs
+ What type of skating will I want to do?
Multi-purpose
Hockey
Speed
+ What's most important to me?
Price
Fit and comfort
* Deciding on your price range
+ The Crummy Skate Threshold
<$110, less than the CST
$110-120, around the CST
$130-190, middle range
$200+, high-end skates
+ Remember you'll also need safety gear
Wrist guards
Knee pads
Helmet
Elbox pads
+ Mail order versus local stores
Does the local shop have:
Good selection? (more than one brand, and multiple models)
Accessories (brakes, wheels, bearings, safety gear, etc.)
Knowledgable salespeople?
Competitive prices?
* Learn the terminology
+ Wheel terms
Diameter
Maximum wheel size
Durometer
Rockering
+ Bearings and ABEC ratings
+ Braking systems

At the store
Bring the right socks
Ignore the sales hype
Trying on skates
* Things to look for
+ Liner fit
Smaller than shoe size
Same as shoe size
Larger than shoe size
+ Closure systems
Buckles only
Laces only
Buckles and laces
+ Shell design
Sturdy?
Vented?
* Wheels and bearings:
Diameter: _______ mm
Durometer: 76A 78A 82A
Max wheel size: _______ mm
Rockering: yes no
Bearing rating: ABEC-1 ABEC-3 ABEC-5
Lubricant: Greased Oiled

After you buy
Test out your skates on carpet
Make sure nothing is broken

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted 1995 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is
granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part9

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Manufacturers and Mail-order Shops
_________________________________________________________________

MARKETPLACE - MANUFACTURERS AND MAIL-ORDER SHOPS *

Table of Contents

* List of organizations
* List of manufacturers
* Bearing companies
* Wheel companies
* list of in-line mail-order places
* Inline Instructors (on the Net)
+ California
+ Canada
+ Maryland
+ Massachusetts
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Texas

_________________________________________________________________

(last changed May 10, 1995)

NOTE: Much of the following manufacturers list is here thanks to Joe
Clark (joec...@scilink.org). Most of the manufacturers do not sell
skates direct over the phone. They will most likely point you to a
sales rep or dealer to talk to in your area.

INTERNATIONAL IN-LINE SKATING ASSOCIATION

5101 Shady Oak Road
Minnetonka, MN 55343
800-FOR-IISA
(this could be an incorrect address-- as of January 1994, I had heard
they were moving to Atlanta)

ROLLER HOCKEY INTERNATIONAL

[Day-to-day office]
5182 Katella Ave., Suite 106
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
310 430 2423
310 431 2928 fax

[Executive office]
13070 Fawn Hill Drive
Grass Valley, CA 95945
916 274 0923
916 274 1115 fax

NATIONAL INLINE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (NIHA)

See the complete NIHA info in the rollerhockey section (part 7).

Canada, 1-800-668-NIHA or (403)455-6442 (Edmonton)
United States, 1-800-358-NIHA
FAX: 305 358 0046

See also the list of NIHA sponsors.

WORLD ROLLER HOCKEY LEAGUE

6358 N. College Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317 283 2900

Skate Manufacturers:

BAUER

Canstar Sports USA Inc.
50 Jonergin Drive
Swanton, VT 05488
800 750 1713 in VT
800 362 3146
800 451 5120
802 868 2711
802 868 4713 fax

Canstar Sports Group, Inc.
6500 Millcreek Drive
Mississauga, ON L5N 2W6
905 821 4600
905 821 1860 fax

Canstar Sports AG
Talgut-Zentrum 19
CH-3060 Ittigen
Switzerland/Suisse/Schweiz
+41 585886/585887
+41 31 586375 fax (this number is suspicious, but I'm reporting it
verbatim)

ROCES

Exel Marketing, Inc.
1 Second Street
Peabody, MA 01960
800 343 5200
508 532 2226
508 532 3728 fax

Exel Marketing, Ltd.
56 Churchill Drive
Barrie, ON L4M 6E7
705 739 7690
705 739 7684 fax

[also the following]
9 rue Plateau
Pointe Claire, QC H9R 5W1
514 694 1077
514 694 3284 fax

Roces srl
Via G. Ferraris 36
31044 Montebelluna
Italia
+39 423 609974 r.a. (r.a. means automatic searching of a free line
(when there are multiple lines with the same number)
+39 423 303193 fax

http://www.riv.nl/roces/

Riedell: 612-388-8616
ROLLERBLADE

Rollerblade, Inc.
5101 Shady Oak Road
Minnetonka, MN 55343
800 232 ROLL
800 68 BLADE (?)
612 930 7000
612 930 7030 fax

Benetton Sportsystem Inc.

3520 Alphonse-Gariepy
Lachine, QC H8T 3M2
800 661 ROLL
514 631 6331
514 631 1005

ULTRA-WHEELS

First Team Sports, Inc.
2274 Woodale Drive
Mounds View, MN 55112-4900
800 458 2250
612 780 4454
612 780 8908 fax

OXYGEN

Atomic for Sport (Atomic Ski USA)
9 Columbia Drive
Amherst, NH 03031
800 258 5020
603 880 6143
603 880 6099 fax

Atomic Ski Canada
Somewhere in Mississauga, ON
905 569 2300
(U.S. 800 number works in Canada)

CCM

Maska U.S. Inc.
Box 381
Pierson Industrial Park
Bradford, VT 05033

Sport Maska Inc.
7405 Trans-Canada Highway, Suite 300
St.-Laurent, QC H4T 1Z2
514 331 5150
514 331 7061

K2
K2 Corp. - (800)345-2754

Other OEMs:

N&Co. (Benetton Sportsystem/Rollerblade apparel organ)

Princeton Pike Corporate Centre, Building 3
997 Lennox Drive
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
800 688 2288
609 896 3800
609 896 3244 fax

KARHU

Karhu Canada Inc
1200 55th Avenue
Lachine, QC H8T 3J8
514 636 5858
514 636 5751 fax

Karhu USA Inc.
Box 4249
55 Green Mountain Drive
South Burlington, VT 05406
802 864 4519
802 864 6774 fax

STREET LINE (accessories)

Charlie Parcells
313 331 7371
Char...@Delphi.com

BORDER PATROL (portable rollerhockey rink perimeter)

In-Line Sport Systems, Inc.
821 Marquette Ave., Suite 2300
Minneapolis, MN 55402
800 809 RINK
612 342 2337
612 338 2302 fax

_________________________________________________________________

GENERAL MAIL ORDER SHOPS

* Dante Cozzi Sports: 1-800-28-DANTE
* D-WING: 1-800-443-9464
* East Coast Skate Connection: 800-397-5668
* Great Skate Hockey Supply: 1-800-828-7496
* Grind Zone Skates: 1-800-322-3851, P.O. Box 524, Albertville, AL
35950
* Hard-line: 1-310-306-5376
* Hudson Bay Inline: 1-800-447-0400
* ICU Skate Co., 800-362-3434, icus...@teleport.com
* (out of business) Inline USA: 1-800-685-6806,
http://www.terminus.com/inline/skate.htm
* (out of business??) In-line Skate Accessories (ISA):
1-800-766-5851, 1800 Commerce St., Boulder, CO 80301
* Inline Sports: (408) 252-5233, 19998 Homestead Rd., Cupertino, CA
95014
* Figure 8, 1408 Bank St., Ottawa, Canada, 731-4007, 736-7747 (fax)
* GUI 'N DA HOOD - Skates Away: 1 (800) 488-9257, email:
g...@dnai.com,
http://www.dnai.com/~gui/skatesproductinfo.html#top
* The House: 1-800-992-7245
* Just Hockey Pro Shops, 900 Don Mills Road, Don Mills, ON M3C 1V6,
416 445 3300, team sales: 416 445 3500 team sales, fax: 416 445
4564
* Lakeshore Skate Shop: 1-800-477-8477
* Millenium: 1-800-M-INLINE (out of business?)
* Ocean Hockey Supply: 1-800-631-2159
* Performance Bicycle: 1-800-727-2433
* Rainbo Sports: 1-800-752-8370
* Rainbow Sport Shop: 1-312-275-5500, 4836 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL
60640
* ReRun Sports: 1-800-555-3936, Atascadero, Cal. 93422,
re...@callamer.com
* Roll With It: 310-434-0063 (out of date?), 920 Manhattan Ave,
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
* Roller Warehouse: 7236 Owensmouth Ave, Bldg A, Canoga Park, CA
91303, 800-772-2502, Fax 818-348-3281, Email: Roll...@aol.com
* Skates Away http://www.dnai.com/~gui/skatesproductinfo.html
* Skater's Choice: 1-800-STICK-60
* Skate City Supply Inc.: 505-294-6699, PO Box 379, Ceder Crest NM
87008
* Skates on Haight (800) 554-1235 / Skates Off Haight (415)
244-9800, P.O. Box 170010, San Francisco, CA 94117-0010
* Slap Shot Sports: 1-800-HOCKEY-6
* South Windsor Arena: 1-800-hockey1, 585 John Fitch Blvd., South
Windsor, CT 06074
* Street Smart: 1-800-523-8486
* Superior Inline: (612) 888-3482, 10510 France Ave. So. #203,
Bloomington, Mn. 55431
* Team Paradise : 800-756-5629, tmpr...@ix.netcom.com

Grind plates:

* CDS Detroit - 1-313-331-7371

Bearings companies/mfrs:

* Blackhole - 1-800-327-9393
* Powell Swiss "Bones" - 1-805-964-1330
* Boss - 1-714-890-7236
* Grizzly Gear - 1-612-535-2035
* Bearing World: 1-800-488-7590
* (No name Bearing Company): 1-800-314-1117

Wheels:

* CYKO: 1-800-438-2956
* FR Progressors - 1-212-691-1237 (grinding wheels),
http://www.frprogressors.com
* T.he W.heel F.ederation: 1-800-488-7144
* KRYPTONICS

Kryptonics, Inc.
5660 Central Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301
800 766 9146, orders only
303 665 5353
303 665 1318 fax

* HYPER WHEELS

15241 Transistor Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
714 373 3300
713 373 2525 fax
email: hype...@aol.com

* >CORE Speed wheels

CORE Speed Wheels
2544 Lincoln Blvd., Suite #244
Venice, CA 90291
orders/info 800.987.4450 or 310.574.8110
fax 310.574.8110
Email: CORE...@ix.netcom.com

Pads:

* Rector: 800 248 5633
* Boneless: 801 627 3292
* Pro Designed: 713 957 0341

Videos:

* Anywhere Sports: 1-310-825-5464 (NISS '94 video)
* Mar Productions: 1-800-775-5507
* Video Groove Productions: 1-800-960-8486
* Video Action Sports: 1-800-727-6689

Ramp plans:

Ramptech Design and Construction
7015 Westmoreland Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-573-RAMP
703-560-VERT fax

Professional skaters:

Team Adventures - 1-408-646-5378 (inline stunt team and can be hired)

Other stuff:

* The Duck Company(Inline shirts): 1-800-807-7746
* Paragon Racing: 1-800-328-4827ext.4656
* SKIDS: 1-800-766-9146

_________________________________________________________________

Boston area: From da...@osf.org Mon Jan 10 17:38:29 1994

Eric Flame's Motion Sports, located on Newbury Street across from
Tower Records, specializes in in-line skates.

From: mldi...@bbn.com (Michael Dickens)

City Sports (many locations): Carries the whole line of RollerBlade,
nothing else. You can buy a 10% discount for $10 (ask them), which can
save you $20 or $30 (depending on what you REALLY want to buy).

Zwicker's: Somewhere North of Boston, near route 3 and 128. Best
prices but not easy to get to. Carries RollerBlade and others; but is
being limited by RollerBlade's new policy (requiring dealers to limit
themselves to ONLY RollerBlade products or not sell the whole line).

Bob Smith's: Near Downtown Crossing, Boston. Average prices, but the
staff Skates & is reasonably knowledgeable.

Lechmere: CambridgeSide Galleria, Cambridge. Carries the bottom line
models; average prices; staff is unhelpful and unknowledgeable.

NOTE: For what you buy, you will get NO warranty (except the usual
Manufacturer's warranty). Mail order is probably going to be as cheap
if not cheaper than the best price you can find around town, and with
the same warranty. IMHO a good way to buy skates is to go to City
Sports and try on all the models you might want to try; possibly rent
(for $10 or $15) the skates to make sure the model and size are
correct.

Then call around to the In-Line 800-number Mail Order places (see FAQ
4) to get the best price (including shipping & time), and compare this
with the price and delay you'd pay in you local area. Go with the one
that suits you better.

Murray Sandler's on Concord Ave in Belmont 484-5100 has inlines,
quads, and ice Ice House in Wellesley 237-6707 has quads and ice as
fas as I know. Beacon Hill skates, 482-7400 has inlines quads and ice.
Ask for Chris.

California: Hudson Bay Inline (800) 447-0400 5405 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618 Courtesy Sports 4856 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA
94022 415-968-7970 Orders 1-800-729-1771 FAX 415-968-4609 Skate Pro in
S.F. (415) 752-8776
Ohio: Northland Ice Center in Cincinnati Ohio (513) 563 - 0008.
Others: Built for Speed (315) 492-6620
SMR Sports (708) 387-0283

Competition Skates (205) 854-9617
c/o John Skelton
501 Springville Cr.
Birmingham AL 35215

Trailways Skate Rental (813) 461-9736
c/o Tom Sehlhorst
611 Palm Bluff
Clearwater FL 33515

Montrose Skate (713) 528-6102
c/o John McKay
1406 Stanford
Houston TX 77019

Shop Skate Escape (404) 892-1292
c/o Janice Phillips
1086 Piedmont Ave
Atlanta GA 30309

_________________________________________________________________

Inline Skating Instructors (on the Net)

* California
* Canada
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* New Jersey
* New York
* Texas

CALIFORNIA
1. Name: Liz Miller, IISA Certified, Level 1
2. Address: 32108 Alvarado Blvd. Suite 189
3. City, State, Zip: Union City, CA 94587
4. Phone: (510) 471-1953
5. Email: 75010...@compuserve.com
6. Years teaching: 2.5
7. Type of instruction: Specialty is beginner adults, but also
building on students' current recreational skills as much as time
allows. Can teach slalom skating as an expert skier (but not Level
III-certified for slalom.)
8. References: 1) Clifford Pagan, Past Recreation Supervisor, (510)
471-6877, Union City Leisure Services Department: Holly Center,
31600 Alvarado Blvd., Union City, CA 94587, 2) Marci Adams, East
Bay Regional Parks, Recreation Director (510) 635-0135 2950
Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605-0381

1. Name: Sandy Snakenburg
2. Address:
3. City, State, Zip: San Francisco CA
4. Phone: 415-665-0336
5. Email: ki...@iat.com
6. Years teaching: 7
7. Type of instruction: All types, from beginners to pros, ranging
from speedskating to stunts to freestyle dance.
8. Comments: I have been a professional skater for 12 years,
specializing in speed skating and freestyle dance. I have been
competing nationally as an inline speedskater for 6 years, with
many first place and podium performances, including a first place
finish in the longest inline skate race held to date, the 136 mile
Fresno to Bakersfield race. Currently Manager of the Stow Lake
Skate and Bicycle shop in Golden Gate park.
1. Name: Anna Stubbs
2. Address:
3. City, State, Zip: San Francisco, CA
4. Phone: 415-221-4317
5. Email: ki...@iat.com
6. Years teaching: 5
7. Type of instruction: Beginner to advanced, Street skating and
racing
8. References:
9. Comments: Specializing in private instruction. I have been skating
on inlines for over five years, focusing primarily on inline
racing. I am currently ranked in the top ten nationally (National
Points Challenge), and am the only woman to participate in the
Inline descent at the 1995 ESPN Extreme Games.

Whether you are just starting out, or want to refine your skills,
I can help you become a smoother, more complete, and more efficent
skater.

CANADA
1. Name: Alien In-Line
2. Address: #304-328 Cedar Cr SW
3. City, State, Zip: Calgary Alberta, T3C 2Y8 Canada
4. Phone: e-mail for phone #
5. Email: psel...@canuck.com
6. Years teaching: 4
7. Type of instruction: Beginner, Intermed, Speed & Fitness, Tours.
8. References:Instructors are all NCCP (Nat'l Coaching Cert Program -
Canada) certified coaches in either speed skating or skiing (no
Canadian certification is available yet for in-line skating) - all
are at least level 1, some up to level 4
9. Comments: Calgary's only in-line skate school - featuring world
class and Olympic athletes as instructors.

1. Name: Keith O. Gare
2. Address:
3. City, State, Zip: London, Ontario CANADA
4. Phone: (519) 679-0428
5. Email: den...@julian.uwo.ca
6. Years teaching: 1.5
7. Type of instruction: beginner to intermediate, faliing, starting,
STOPPING, transistions, backwards movement, crossovers.
8. References:
9. Comments: IISA Level 2 certified instructor. Teach privately and
with a skate school "The London Rollers". Have my own skate club
"The Forest City Rollers". Stress SAFETY, FUN and LEARNING. ALL
GEAR IS REQUIRED FOR LESSONS and can be supplied if needed.

MARYLAND
1. Name: Joe Lembo
2. Address: 5614 Lansing Drive
3. City, State, Zip: Camp Springs, MD 20748
4. Phone: (301) 449-3086
5. Email: jle...@wam.umd.edu
6. Years teaching: Ice Hockey, Powerstoking, Ice Skating - 6 yrs.,
Certified Associate member of ISIA - 1 yr. Rollerblading - 3 yrs.
7. Type of instruction: all levels, great with kids, specialize in
hockey, have contacts if interested in trick
8. References: Maryland National Capital Park and Planning, Teresa
Arias - (301) 248-3124
Ice Skating Institute of America (ISIA), (708) 808-SKATE
Terripan Inline Skating Club (TISC), John Gunn - (301) 314-xxxx
(Please call me first, be willing to give his number, after
getting his approval)
9. Comments: Love working with kids, kids love working with me, I
make skating fun and interactive, play many self-developed skill
enhancing games; Speciality in hockey - ice hockey national
semi-finalist as youth; Points, Goals, and Assists leader for
Maryland Street & Roller Hockey Association last year, have
attended many skating schools including Ridley College in St.
Catherine's, Canada; Willing to work with groups and teams, have
experience with this! Willing to work in Washington Metro Area.,
including parts of Southern Maryland.

MASSACHUSETTS
1. Name: Lesli Woodruff
2. Address: 120 W. Concord St. #3
3. City, State, Zip: Boston, MA 02118
4. Phone: 617-424-7883
5. Email: LRWoo...@aol.com
6. Years teaching: 2nd season
7. Type of instruction: Basic Technique (i.e. Beginner/Intermediate
rec skating)
8. References: Camp Rollerblade NY/Boston, 1994 Eric Flaim's Motion
Sports InLine Club of Boston (Clinics Director),
Boston/Cambridge/Brookline Center for Adult Ed Ski Market
9. Comments: I have my own skate school: "Skate Boston", IISA
Certified Level 2, Do Clinics, privates, groups. Teach in Boston,
but will travel outside city for big enough clinics. Have access
to rental skates and demo van(s) InLine Club of Boston VP of
Events.

NEW JERSEY
1. Name: Timothy Mizerak
2. Address: 145 Front Street
3. City, State, Zip: Dunellen, NJ 08812
4. Phone: 908-968-7123
5. Email: mi...@cnj.digex.com
6. Years teaching:
7. Type of instruction: Ready to teach beginner, intermediate and an
intro to figure skating
8. References:
9. Comments: Available in central and Northern New Jersey. IISA
Certified Level I (just this past April 1995) I have been hired to
teach skating at Rutgers University for their recreation classes.

NEW YORK
1. Name: Alan Gerber
2. Address: (Omitted)
3. City, State, Zip: New York, NY 10023
4. Phone: 212-581-2994
5. Email: ger...@panix.com
6. Years teaching: Just started 4/95
7. Type of instruction: Beginners & advanced beginners, individual
and small groups
8. References: None yet
9. Comments: IISA Level 1 certification, Teach in Central Park or any
other convenient location (Wollman Rink, Chelsea Piers, etc.)

TEXAS
1. Name: Shooshie
2. Address: by request
3. City, State, Zip: Dallas, Texas
4. Phone: 214-324-2456
5. Email: Shoo...@onramp.net
6. Years teaching: professionally - 20; skating - 1
7. Type of instruction: beginning to advanced
8. References: IISA Certified
9. Comments: Central, North, and East Dallas, also available in
Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ., ***IISA Certified Instructor***

1. Name: Laura Winters
2. City, State: Richardson, TX
3. Phone: 214-690-5220
4. EMail: llwi...@aol.com
5. Years Teaching: 1 year
6. Type of Instruction: Level 1: beginners (adults & kids)
7. References: Gordon Sanders, IISA Level 2/Examiner
8. Comments: I am an IISA Certified Instructor. Level 1 consists of
learning the basics: balance, stride, stopping (heel, spin and
grass stops), turning (A-Frame and parallel turns). I mainly teach
in the North Dallas, Richardson, Plano area. Protective gear
required. If you don't own your own equipment, ask me about rental
information.

1. Name: David (Daave on news groups)
2. Cities: Dallas, Arlington, Irving, Ft. Worth
3. Phone: (214)247-3682
4. Email: webe...@dallas.net
5. Years teaching: certified -1 year
6. Type of intruction: beginner, intermediate
7. References: IISA Certified
8. Comments: I love to skate and to teach skating. I have skated
ramps, Stairs, play hockey, and trail skate for fittness. Skate
hard, fast, safe.

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part10

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Skate Reviews
_________________________________________________________________

MARKETPLACE - SKATE REVIEWS *

(last changed April 29, 1995)

NOTE: While these reviews include many facts and first-hand experience,
much of the text here is necessarily opinion. Also realize that the in-line
market is changing rapidly, so prices and specifications may be out of
date.

If you have a forms-capable web browser, feel free to use the product
review form for your convenience. For you others, the plaintext
review sheet is at the end of this file.

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
_________________________________________________________________

Table of contents

Skates
* Rollerblade Lightning TRS
* Rollerblade Racerblades
* Rollerblade Coolblades
* Rollerblade Macroblade EQs
* Rollerblade Aeroblade ABT

* Roller Derby BX-5000

* Bauer XS-5's
* Bauer H3's

* CCM RH555 Tacks

* UltrawWheels Zephyr/Neon

* K2 Extreme Workout skates
* other K2 skates reviews

* Performance Bike Edge II

* Turbine
* Roces (FCO) Rome Jr.
* The Kids/Small Skates FAQ and reviews

Much older reviews
_________________________________________________________________

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)
2. Product type: skate
3. Brandname: Rollerblade, Inc.
4. Model name/number: Lightning TRS
5. Purchase price: $180 (can be found for less: $150-$170)
6. From local store or mail order: Herman's Sporting Goods. They agreed
to match the price of any local skate shop. I don't believe they carry
this skate anymore though.
7. Date purchased: 11/93
8. How long have you used it: 9 months
9. Pros: Incredibly durable.
Most accesseries are made to fit it.
Priced nicely.
Great for almost any kind of skating: street, vert, hockey,
recreation/fitness, transportation, etc.
10. Cons: A little heavy, but not too heavy.
Fits well, but not as well as some of the other skates on the
market.
Kinda ugly.
A friend of mine owns a pair of '94s and I noticed that the
plastic between the wheels is a little thinner. Looks like
Rollerblade, Inc. cut back a little bit.
11. Additional comments: The Lightning TRS comes with rather low-grade
components (ABEC-1 bearings, plastic rockers, no hop-up kit) but
you're really paying for the durable boot and frame. The bearings,
axels, and rockers can all be easily upgraded. So, if you put a
little more money into them, they can potentially be one of the best
skates out there. If you want to get into street or vert skating,
this skate has pretty much become the industry standard (Although
two new skates, the Tarmac CE from Rollerblade and the Moscow Ramp
from Roces, might change that). If you want to get into hockey, this
is a fantastic, low-budget skate to look into. It sure can take a
beating.
12. My personal rating: For street/vert: 9
For hockey: 8
For recreation/fitness/transportation: 7

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: thi...@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (William W. Thigpen - RC)
2) Product type: skate
3) Brandname: Rollerblade
4) Model name/number: Racerblade
5) Purchase price: Free
6) From local store or mail order: Rollerblade (Blade for Breath award)
7) Date purchased: Sometime around March of '93
8) How long have you used it: I skate between 50 and 200 miles/week year
round

9) Pros: There are a number of things I like about this skate, however,
I've only had the TRS's to compare them against. I like to commute on skates
(12.5 miles each way), so I need a skate that is comfortable and has good
speed to it. From the first time I put on the Racerblades, I was able to go
several hours in them. I upgraded the bearings to bones and upgraded the axle
system... before I used them the first time, so I can't speak to the off the
shelf quality of the running gear. For me, the brake is an important feature
and it seems like most five wheel skates don't have that as an option. I'm
still working on my form, so I'm not very competitive in races yet, however,
I did notice a significant differance on who I could keep up with on these
skates. They hold a good line on downhill portions with no wobble. Overall, I
like these skates and would recommend them.

10) Cons: They are a little heavy, you can't change the position of the
frame, and they are a little high on the ankle

11) Additional comments: I think that this is a good entry level race skate,
however, I am already ancy to upgrade to a different skate...I guess you
could say that 5000 miles is enough for any skate, however, my wife thinks
under two years is not long enough.

12) My personal rating: 9.5

__________________________________________________________________________

1. Review by: Marianne Sedacki (Mar...@aol.com)
2. Product type: Skate
3. Brandname: Rollerblade
4. Model name: CoolBlade
5. Purchase price: $249 + tax
6. Purchased from Sportmart in Orland Park, IL Rte 45 (LaGrange Rd)
7. Date purchased: 6-9-94
8. How long have I used it? Since June 9, 1994
9. Pros: 3 buckles--good fit. Vented boot--niice. 80A hardness on
the wheels that came with--perfect hardness for me. ABT brake easy
for beginners, didn't feel like I was going to fall down when
braking. I like the fit...after I broke them in, that is. The ABT
brake is good for beginner's, altho many fellow skaters complain
that the ABT is a money making gimmick--I've tried the regular brake
and I prefer the ABT. The vented boot is nice for those very warm
days, altho it isn't as wonderful as walking in sandals! :)
10. Cons: The ABT brake sometimes gets in the way doing backwards
cross-overs with the braking boot. The ABT brake can be cumbersome
when doing any maintenance on the wheels.
11. Additional comments: Overall I'm quite happy with my investment.
12. Personal rating: 8.5

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: baby...@medisg.Stanford.EDU (Timothy Chen)
2) Product type: InLine Skate
3) Brandname: RollerBlade
4) Model name/number: Macroblade Equipes
5) Purchase price: Something ridiculous like 220$ or something with
a lifetime warranty on everything above the wheels (basically if
straps/buckles break)
6) From local store or mail order: Nuvo Colors, San Mateo, CA
7) Date purchased: June 19th, 1994
8) How long have you used it: 'bout a year
9) Pros: Easy in, convenient carrying straps, easy out, high
ankle support
10) Cons: High ankle support prevents you from doing high jumps...
at least for me. There are also kind of heavy, and cannot
accelerate as quickly as other blades I've noticed.
11) Additional comments: Great Blades, love 'em.
12) My personal rating: 1 to 10 -> 9.

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: Robert Schmunk (pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov)
2) Product type: Skate
3) Brandname: Rollerblade
4) Model name/number: 1994 Aeroblade w/ABT
5) Purchase price: $299 - 10% NYRSA discount + 8.25% NYC sales tax
6) From local store or mail order: Local, Blades Second Ave., New York, NY.
7) Date purchased: Dec 29, 1994
8) How long have you used it: 1 month, avg 3 times per week
9) Pros:
Compared to my 1993 Lightning TRSes, lighter in weight, vented,
and holds larger wheels. All of this means that the Aeros are a
*lot* faster, and even when I'm standing still, I almost feel
like dancing around.
The three-buckle system allows quicker entry and exit, handy
during shopping or other intermittent non-skate activity. I now
consider myself an advocate of buckles in the buckles-vs-laces
argument, provided one is not engaged in radical skating activity
which might destroy the buckles.
The pump used to inflate the liner for a snugger fit around the
heel seems fairly useful, although once I'm out on the road, I
don't particularly notice whether I "pumped up" or not.

Cons:
I removed the ABT brake before I took the skates out for the first
time, so I can't comment on how (non)useful it might be. However, just
trying the skates out in the store, the ABT mounting got in the way
when I tried some forward/sideways/backwards transitions. I skate
brakeless, but two friends of mine who also got Aeros in the past
month, have replaced the ABTs with the brakes from their older
Rollerblades. (Give Rollerblade credit for not re-designing this
capability out of the skate.) New skaters probably won't even
realize that there's a "problem".

The frames aren't as rigid as on my TRSes and seem to be putting a
little sideways pressure on the axle of the second wheel (from the
front) so that those the axles put up a small fight when you're
trying to remove them for wheel rotation.

After the second day of skating on the new skates, I had one bearing
start to lock up on me. I had skated for about five blocks on a
slightly moist street on that second day, but all the other bearings
were okay, so I can't quite decide if it was a bad bearing from the
get-go or just bad luck.

The Aeros are definitely narrower than my old TRSes, so that people
with wide feet may find them unwearable. (Macroblades seem to be
even narrower, but I understand that Bravoblades are a bit wider.)
I've had a little trouble around the bottom of the rear half of my
feet, but this seems to come and go depending on if I've been dinking
around with the liner.

After one month of mixed slalom and street skating (no stair bashing
or curb grinding), one of the stock (77mm/78A) wheels is showing
signs it will come apart *very* soon and I have ordered my first of
replacement wheels (80mm/82A).

11) Additional comments:
An excellent skate for slalom skating and for tooling about town,
especially group skate activities, in which I found they make a
noticeable difference in whether you're at the front or back of
the pack. Also a good exercise skate for those who have not moved
up to 5-wheel or long-frame 4-wheel skates.

There are a few features which suggest that they could not handle
serious abuse (note my comment above about the non-rigid frame),
but they can apparently sustain quite a bit, as I have one friend
who does occasional stair bashing and curb grinding in his 1992
or 1993 version of this model.

Be sure to test out the pump system thorughly when purchasing a
pair, as one friend who purchased a pair found that one local
store had several pairs with one or both pumps somehow screwed up.
My rating below would be a 9/10 if I hadn't had to replace a
bearing and my wheels so soon.

My personal rating: 8 / 10

Addendum:
Two months after writing the above review, I would like to note
that I have grown to increasingly depend on the pump heel-
retention feature. These days, my heels feel naked and the skates
feel just a little sloppy unless I have given each side 3 pumps
before I hit the road. I've heard complaints about other heel-
retention systems, but this this one. So upgrade my rating from
8/10 to 9/10.

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: Ana & Rick Langlois [ ric...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu ]
2) Product type: In-line Skates
3) Brandname: Roller Derby
4) Model name/number: BX 5000
5) Purchase price: $149.00 + tax, (U.S.)
6) From local store: MC Mages Sporting goods store.
(13 Chicago area locations).
7) Date purchased: March, 1994

8) How long have
you used them: 12 weeks.

9) Pros: Comfortable fit, quality construction and components.
Large brake, good styling, fast, GREAT price.

10) Cons: Boot shell not hinged. Some may not like the black
w/pink color scheme.

11) Additional comments: Very, very good skate for the price.

12) My personal rating
1 to 10 (10 = best): * 9 *

Product Description:
Shell: One piece, ventilated, 'BASF Elastollan' polyurethane.
Front entry, 3 buckles (screwed on; not riveted).
High gloss black finish w/flat black "scuff areas".
Removeable insole.

Liner: Foam interior (single or dual density?) w/ removable
insole. Ballistic nylon lower, vinyl cuff and bottom.

Frame: Bolt-on (2 bolts; 1 heel, 1 toe) 'DuPont Zytel' nylon resin
in two halves.

Wheels: 80mm 78a Team Labeda MDI Race Series.

Bearings: SKF brand, ABEC-3 (made in ITALY).

Axles/Spacers: 2 piece, steel axles (bolts) w/Allen heads on both ends.
Can not be over tightened. Steel spacer between bearings,
plastic bushings on the outside and through the bearings.
Wheel 2 & 3 rockerable via replaceable spacers (supplied).

(see diagram)

*BOOT*
\ ______ /
\ \____/ < Screw /
\ \_|__|_/ < "Washer" /
\_________|__|____________________________________________/

{ |__| }
{ } (other frame-)
{frame } rail & rockering
{ } spacer omitted)
__ { } __
| | { }[] ______ ______ [] | |
| | { }[]| | ___________ | |[] | |
| |___ []{----}[]-------|_ _|__ _ _ _ __|_ _|------|[]_ _| |
| ///////// []{ }[]| | | | | |[] |
| ___///////// []{ }[]| |_ _|__ _ _ _ __|_ _| |[]_ _ |
| | []{----}[]-------| |___________| |------|[] | |
| | []{ }[]|______| ^ |______|[] | |
|__| { }[] ^ ^ [] |__|
^ {____} ^ ^ ^ ^
Allen head ^ ^ Bearing Steel ^ Bearing ^ ^
Bolt ^ ^ ^ Spacer Through ^ Through
^ Frame ^ Bolt ^ Bolt
^ Plastic Plastic
Plastic Bushing Bushing
Rockering
Spacer

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: amy (ry...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
2) Product type: Skates
3) Brandname: Bauer
4) Model name/number: XS5's. (street skates)
5) Purchase price: $129.99 first new pair
$ 30.00 second used pair
(before getting your hopes up.. everything
on these skates were shot except the boots
and laces)
6) From local store or mail order: Johnston's Sporting Goods
University Ave
downtown Champaign IL

Pelican Ski and Pool Shop
Route 22
East Brunswick NJ
7) Date purchased: July 1993, July 1994
8) How long have you used it: Just over a year (except snow)
9) Pros: made in small sizes** in the 1993 line
decent wheels (hypers 72mm 78A dur.)
rockerability (3 wheel model.. front and back move
horizontally, middle goes up and down)
brake foot is swappable for lefties and righties
comes with 72 mm wheel, can hold upto 76 mm
with the rockers adjusted
10) Cons: 1994 line doesn't come in very small sizes
NMB bearings.. not exactly quick
slow skates.
all laces
new bauer brakes wear out easily

11) Additional comments: I added a top buckle for ~$25 dollars.
this was a tremendous improvement on the skate.
I also added a hopup kit, speed increase was
incredible
the smaller sizes (atleast < 4) have 3 wheels

*** I purchased a second pair of these skates because the chassis
of the first pair cracked by the front wheel. Although, the first skates
broke, I still feel confident in Bauer and bought an identical pair.
I am sending the first pair in to be looked at by Bauer. They said
they may be able to replace the broken chassis. If you are buying ANY
skates, please look carefully at the chassis before purchasing it.
Remember you need a stronger chassis for grinds, slides and jumps
than you do for casual skating. My rating for these skates hasn't changed
because of this problem.

12) My personal rating: 1 to 10 8 for regular skates
9 for small feeted persons

__________________________________________________________________________

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledu.edu)
2. Product type: Skate
3. Brandname: Bauer
4. Model name/number: H3 (Hockey 3)
5. Purchase price: $149.99
6. From local store or mail order: Play it Again Sports,
7. Date purchased: April 29, 1994
8. How long have you used it: 3-4 months
9. Pros:
- All laces, nice fitting boot, includes toe guards, rockerable chasis,
solid feeling while skating, nice beginner skates (was for me anyhow).
Stock equipment:
Narrow radius, vented core, 72mm/78A wheels.
ABEC-1 Bearings (China)
Aluminum Threaded Spaces
Big headed axel bolts.
Bauer Super-Light Chasis
10. Cons:
- The stock wheels are narrow radius, and cheap. The wheels started
to seperate from the hubs after 2 months of everyday usage. The
wear on the wheels was ok. The chasis is easily deformed by over
tightening of the axels, and the bearing spacers fit too tightly
into the bearings, to the point that they are hard (or in two cases
impossible) to seperate. The chasis only accepts 72mm wheels.

11. Additional comments:
- Other than the problems with the frame and the stock equipment I
really like this skate. I used these to learn how to skate in,
so thy have taken quite a bit of punishment from falling and such,
but have held up well. I would recommend these to someone looking
for an all-purpose mid-range skate. Look to upgrade the wheels
and axels sooner than later.

12. My personal rating: 7

__________________________________________________________________________

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)
2. Product type: Skate
3. Brandname:CCM
4. Model name/number: RH555 Tacks
5. Purchase price: $260
6. From local store or mail order: Tam-O-Shanter, Sylvania Ohio (Local Store)
7. Date purchased: July 31, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since July 31, 1994
9. Pros: Reebok Insta-Pump, provides a nice firm fit around the ankle.
All lace.
Stock Equipment:
Kryptonics Tri-Spoked core, 72mm/82A Powerplay Wheels
German GMN ABEC-3 bearings
Non-threaded aluminum spacers.
Small headed axel bolts.
Aluminum frame spacers.
Slightly rockered frame nylon/glass-reinforced frame.
The frame is easily removable for easy maintanence.
Frames will take 82mm wheels.

10. Cons: Axle holes in the frame will not allow for axel kits such as the
Hyper Hop Up Kit to be used. The frame is non-adjustable
(rockered/unrockered).

11. Additional comments: I like these a lot. I would recommend these skates
for anyone looking into rec/hockey skates.

12. My personal rating: 9.5

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)
2) Product type: Skate
3) Company: UltraWheels (this specific model made by Atomic)
4) Model name: Zephyr/Neon, Size: 11-allows for at supposed most size 76mm wh
eels
5) Model year: 1993; Discontinued on UltraWheels' Line
6) Price: sale for $139.00-usually $189.00-now $139.00
7) Purchase date: July 1993
8) From: Herman's-out of business-Grind Zone has it 139
9) Approximate length of use: 1 year
10) Pros:*Wheels are okay for extreme, bearings were mixed-Rocks, GMN, etc.
good though.
*Frame inside like TRS I think-never saw TRS-but it has walls
seperating the wheels-better frame stability
*Monocoque boot and frame construction supposedly for better stabilit
y
*Liner is no big deal-like a shoe interior with no footbed
*Rear entry is nice & easy, but not special
10) Cons:*Hot rod style axles bent-needed a wrench and two hours to take out
*Plastic frame & bearing spacers sucked
*Frame is okay, but bends easy
*Probably a result of hard wheels-but much vibration
*Hard to get good fit-no instep strap or buckle, and...
*No way to tighten fit from top buckle down-only one buckle
*Brake sux, as do all other standard brakes
*Only way to rocker is to wear down front and back wheels :)
*Sometimes even if I didn't put the buckle on tight, I got blisters
and the tongue, not movable, put a dent in my skin and caused odd
bone growth in that area
*Forward flex is the only thing available, rest of boot is steel rigi
d
*Regardless, the boot scraps up real easy-probably PE or PU-
it's softer than my grind plates!
11) Additional comments: Buy the Lightning TRS instead-more likely than not,
it's better.
12) Personal rating: against other companies-1, for advanced-1, intermediate-
4, beginners/lazy careless people-10-(not to imply they're the same)

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review By: Marty Gold (mg...@smtplink.mssm.edu)
2) Product Type: Skate
3) Brandname: K2
4) Model Name: Extreme Workout
5) Purchase Price: Approx. $300

6) Purchased From:
Emilio's Ski Shops
112-32 Queens Blvd.
Flushing, NY
(718)544-0404

7) Date Purchased: June 1994
8) Have used skate approx. 6 weeks/200+ miles

9) Description: mid-cuff 4 wheel skate convertible to 5 wheels with the
purchase of additional axle and wheel assembly.

Wheels: Hyper Wheels: Cross-Trainers X-360 [77.5MM],
Durometer 78-A
Bearings: Twincam ABEC-1, Serviceable Spacers: Aluminum
Frame: Glass composite

10) Pros:
1 - A reasonably priced entry-level racing skate with the addition of
the 5th wheel.
2 - Can be used with only 4 wheels which is helpful when getting used
to the longer frame (5th wheel can be added later).
3 - The sneaker-like construction (no liner, padding and boot are one
piece) provides added comfort especially when utilized as a
cross-training skate. Yet solid construction provides greater ankle
support than other racing skates.
4 - Combined laces and upper buckle closure allows greater adjustability.
5 - Heel brake can be worn on either left or right skate by moving bracket.
6 - Axle is the screw type which prevents over-tightening.

11) Cons:
1 - Skate is on the heavy side, especially with the addition of the
fifth wheel (wheel, axle, spacers and bearings.
2 - The heel brake and bracket are long and can be clumsy when
attempting cross-overs.
3 - The brake is extremely soft and requires frequent replacement. My
first replacement was necessary after approx. 5 weeks. When speaking
with K2 they informed me that the break was designed soft to provide
extra stopping power.
4 - The bearings were ABEC-1, for the price one would expect 3's
5 - The buckles/laces have a tendency to loosen up once in a while.
skating. (Laces are unwaxed-nylon and can be replaced with waxed to
hold better)
6 - The axles are removed via an allen/hex key (provided) but while
attempting to reposition the wheels to accommodate the fifth wheel the
key caused the screw-head to round out requiring a new axle.

12) Additional Comments: At the time of this writing, replacement parts
had not yet been shipped to local dealers due to backlog, but K2 was
very accommodating about mailing the replacement parts directly to me.

I would like to stress the comfort aspect of this skate. I have been
preparing for a long-distance marathon, skating on average of 20 miles
a day/6 days a week and have found the skates to be extremely
comfortable and provide strong ankle support. Although, I have been
considering the addition of ankle straps since road workouts are
stressful on the ankles (potholes, traffic, etc.).

13) My Personal Rating: 8

other K2 reviews

From: le...@husc10.harvard.edu (Patrick Lee)
Subject: REVIEW- K2 Power Extremes
Date: 12 May 94 13:00:46 GMT

Seeing as nobody has posted a review of the new K2-Exotech skates
yet, I guess I will.

I just bought a pair of K2 Power Extremes, and they're pretty
good skates. For those of you who aren't familiar with them, they're the
new skates that use a sneaker-like boot with an external hinged cuff for
ankle support. As such, they're pretty comfortable and really breathable.

Anyway, some points that you wouldn't be able to tell from the
Inline buyer's guide issue...

The bearing spacers in the Power Extreme (and presumably the
Extreme Flight and the Extreme Z) are nylon, not steel as stated in the
buyer's guide. The Skate uses an axle system similar to the Roces type
in which the axle is threaded on the inside of one side and the bolt
screws into that, preventing over-tightening.

The rockering spacers are really neat, but have some potential
problems. They're hexagonal, giving one six positions for each wheel.
(much more flexible than the RB system). Now for the tricky part. On
one side, the spacer has a hexagonal hole, on the other side, a hold
slightly smaller than the axle. The axle itself has a hexagonal bit next
to the head that fits into the spacer and a slightly thinner bit a the
end, which fits into the other spacer. The net effect is that one only
needs one wrench to remove the wheels (kind of like the wave, but
without the annoying wavy bits). Unfortunately, I have no idea how you
could put a hop up kit on these skates. They don't seem like they'd need
it (except for aluminum spacers, which I installed) but doing so would
require getting another set of rockering spacers (in order to get a
complete set of either hex or circular holed spacers). In addition to
this, the spacers are pretty easy to mix up. One can substitute a hex
spacer for a circular one (but not vice-versa) if one doesn't look too
hard, in fact, this was the case on my skates out of the box, so I'd
advise that anyone buying a pair of these skates check the spacers to
make sure that they're correct.

On a better note, the skates come with servicable Twincam
Abec-3's, pretty decent hyper wheels, and possibly the nicest
wrench/bearing pusher I've ever seen come standard with a skate. The
brake pad is plenty big/effective, and uses the same size hex bolt (so
you only need to carry one tool). The skates will take up to 82 mm
wheels with no modifications (in size 9), rather surprising for skates
with RB Lightning style crossbars between the wheelwells on the frame.

As someone mentioned before, the skates are a bit tight in the
ankle for some people. In my case, I had to have the store expand the
ankle using a heat gun before they were comfortable. The combination of
laces (covered by a flap) and buckle/straps is very supportive, with much
much more fore/aft flex than any other skates I've owned.

Anyway, in general, a really nice pair of skates, though I
wouldn't really reccommend it for someone who's not comfortable with the
front/back flexibility. Otherwise, very comfortable/breathable, nice
standard bearings, flexible wheel options, and an interesting but
potentially annoying spacer system.

-Pat

From: tro...@aol.com (T Robert)
Date: 21 May 1994 15:07:04 -0400

In article (Z2Jomc...@cellar.org), dar...@cellar.org (Thomas
Darling) writes:

Tom, I bought a pair of K2 Extreme Power skates several weeks ago
and I am very happy with them. I'm new to inline skating but I
didn't want an entry level skate that I would have to upgrade to
enjoy. Theses skates are much more comfortable than ANY of th hard
shell skates I tried on and I shopped at 8 or 10 different stores and
tried on maybe twenty different pairs of good skates. The Power
Extreme is pretty high tech. The closure system combines laces over
the lower part of your foot ( not very quick but an excellent way to
"wrap" the soft lower boot around your foot to achieve a good fit)
with a velcro instep strap that covers this laced portion. Higher
up, where the boot becomes a hard plastic piece again there is a
ski-boot style buckle and another velcro strap above that at the
cuff. These skates take me a few minutes to put on but I have no
chafing, movement or DISCOMFORT. They come standard with ABEC3
bearings, an excellent rockering capability built in, Hyperwheel 78A
wheels in 76mm and a very convenient mounting/ dismounting tool. I
paid $239 plus tax here in Massachussetts and I think they're worth
it. I don't play hockey, I skate recreationally and for fitness.
People seem to be concerned about the soft portion of the boot but I
haven't had any incidence of scuffing or tearing yet...I haven't
fallen very much either. The toe end IS hard plastic and the brake
seems to be fine, it is big and easily replaced using the same tool
that mounts the wheels. The 78A wheels seem a little soft however, I
weigh 183 lbs and have been practicing T-stops so that may explain
the seemingly quick wear. I'm going to try switching to 80mm 80A or
82A wheels when I need to replace them. Just this afternoon I
started disassembling the wheels and bearings, cleaning the bearings
in acetone and relubing them with a fine grade machine oil. It's
time consuming! Anyway..if you can try on a pair of K2's I think
you'll end up buying them. Good luck, Tim

From: le...@husc7.harvard.edu (Patrick Lee)
Date: 21 May 94 22:00:22 GMT

dar...@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes:

>I'd avoid them. I tried out K2's "Rock Ice" model at a local ski shop. On
>the plus side, they were pretty comfortable. Unfortunately, they had little
>else going for them. They have a "gimmicky" upper with velcro and such that
>does not look like it could possibly stand up to the kind of abuse
>associated with outdoor skating. The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
>affairs. The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.

Well, I've been skating for about 5 years now, and the K2 Power
Extremes are pretty much the best recreational skates I've had. (Before
that I had a pair of Macros, and then a some Aeros). The upper actually
isn't all that gimmicky. That big velcro-flap is there to keep the laces
from coming untied and getting jammed in your skates. The integral Power
strap helps keep your ankle anchored. As for the boot, it's well
protected in the places where it needs to be (the toe, the sides of the
toe, and the heel) where shredding tends to take place. The frames are
big, yes, but they're also one of the few recreational skates I've seen
that will take 82mm wheels with space to spare, in most sizes (80's were
pushing it on the Aeros, had to scrape some brake off before they'd
fit). As for the cheapness, it's probably just the textured plastic
that's throwing you off, they're the same material that most high end
rec. skates use for frames, glass/carbon reinforced nylon. Just because
they bothered to put some texture on it doesn't mean it's vinyl.

One final thing. As a skater, one of the _primary_ things I look for
in a skate is comfort. If it's a great technical skate, but it kills
your feet, forget it, it's not worth the pain. These skates are comfy
and probably the best ventillated I've seen.

-Pat

From: so...@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)

Date: 23 May 1994 01:13:38 GMT

In article (Z2Jomc...@cellar.org) dar...@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes
:
>mk...@dmp.csiro.au (Michael Koop) writes:
>I'd avoid them. I tried out K2's "Rock Ice" model at a local ski shop. On
>the plus side, they were pretty comfortable. Unfortunately, they had little
>else going for them. They have a "gimmicky" upper with velcro and such that
>does not look like it could possibly stand up to the kind of abuse
>associated with outdoor skating. The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
>affairs. The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.

I tried on a pair about a month or so ago and found them to be pretty much
the opposite. For starters, they were the most comfortable skate I'd ever
tried on. They fit quite well around my foot and there were no gaps or
spaces I could feel in the fit.

As for the frame, I don't think they're all plastic. I believe they're
a carbon composite reinforced plastic frame. I just can't see K2 putting
out an all-plastic skate. Even RB uses fiberglass reinforcement on their
low end models. I could be wrong and you're entirely free to correct
me, but I don't think I am.

Despite this, I would have to agree with Tom on the durability issue.
These are a line of racing or cruising/distance skates.
These are *NOT* street/thrash skates. I would be more than a little
hesistant to take a pair of these out on my usual rounds, esp. given the
boot on them and that they are more than a little pricey($200 seems to be
the floor for a decent model).
If you are looking for a good race skate or cruising/path skate, these
are great!. I almost bought a pair but couldn't promise myself I'd stay
off stairs and walls and stuff.

From: jjr...@rogue.Princeton.EDU (Joshua James Roman)
Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 16:52:05 GMT

I, too, tried out the K2 skates at a local ski shop and talked to
the rep for a while. My observations...
1. The Power Extremes are comfortable, with plenty of forward lean-
too much if you are used to TRS type boots.
2. The Rock Ice is a solid boot, and very comfortable, but I wouldn't
trade my RB's for them.
3. The only solid paaart on the front/sides of the skate is the plastic
toe cup, which the rep swore was the same thickness as TRS.
Looking at the many srapes and scratches on my skates
made me realize that the K2's toe cup was woefully inadequate
to protect the soft 'exotech' shell from most toe drags or
slideouts. The stuff may be touch, but 'gorilla mesh' isn't
plastic!
4. K2 is having problems with some of their higher-end racing skates,
They are having problems with the factory in Taiwan.

5. Their convertible 4-5 wheel skate (cool concept!), was, in the rep's
words, 'An inexpensive introductory racing/workout skate'.
As it is a well put together and good looking skate, I expectantly
asked the price-- $329.99!!!!!!!!!! I almost choked!

From: g...@crunch.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Date: 23 May 94 17:34:13 GMT

In article (Z2Jomc...@cellar.org) dar...@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes
:
> mk...@dmp.csiro.au (Michael Koop) writes:
> associated with outdoor skating. The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
> affairs. The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.
>
> I'd heard about the new K2 skates for a long time, and was really looking
> forward to them, but I found them highly disappointing.

I think you may be jumping to an overly broad conclusion. While the boot
design might not be well suited to the abuse of hockey or street tricks,
it might be quite adequate for more ordinary skating. You don't need any
more plastic than required to provide the needed footbed and ankle support
and don't want anymore weight tied to your foot than neccessary. If these
boots perform well and are as cool as the "ventilation" suggests they might
be a real improvement over the RB style klunkers.

I had some reservations about the rails too - they're just parallel slabs
of 1/4" thick fiber-glass reinforced plastic. While they're probably pretty
strong, the attachment to the boot looked pretty wimpy and they just screamed
for some kind of cross-bracing. One intersting feature was that the 5-wheel
frames were also drilled for an alternate wide-space 4-wheel arrangement if
you preferred that. I guess you could also get creative with super-rocker
or other odd wheel setups if you had a drill-press to insure that your
holes were square though all the rails.

I don't know if I would buy these, but I wouldn't rule them out. The local
ski shop had 3-different models of the ~12 shown in the brochure, but not
the high-end ones.

_________________________________________________________________

Date: Sat, 6 May 1995 10:03:20 -0400
Subject: Re: Opinions on Performance Edge II Skates

I got the Edge II 1 year ago for $225. My observations are:

* The boot sucks.
* The frame/wheels/axles are pretty good.

The boot is comfortable and quite light, but it's very bulky and does
not bend forward anywhere near enough for speed skating. It feels
a lot like a XC skating ski boot. I quickly swapped it for a real
leather racing boot.

The frames are cast aluminum and fairly stiff. The alloy appears
to be fairly soft, but after over 1000 miles, they're still in pretty
good shape. I'm only 140 lb., though, so that may be a factor.

The wheels appear to by Hypers -- can't do much better. Mine are worn
down to 72 mm from their original 76 mm, but they're still in fine shape.

The axle system is all metal and high precision. No slop anywhere.
You can tighten the axles hard with no wheel binding. However,
the axles are hollow and not that strong. I sheared one in half by
tightening very hard (knowing it wouldn't bind...). I had to machine
a replacement axle, since you can't get replacements.

Since I value my life, I also machined a brake holder to take
a cheap Rollerblade brake block.

My overall opinion is that it's a good buy for $180 even if you toss the boot.
The lack of a brake will be a problem for hilly road skating.

Mark Drela

Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 14:26:55 +0800 (SST)

Review by: Kenneth Wong (Art4...@leonis.nus.sg)
Product Type : Skate
Brand Name : Turbine or Spoga
Model : Turbine
Purchase Price : US$200
>From local store : Gallen Sports
Date purchased : Did not buy. Was given as a sample as I am their tester.
How long you have used it : 1 month
Pros : Zytel Dupont frame (bloody tuff frame)
SKF ABEC-5 bearings (Made in Italy)
Rockering capability
Very thick and tuff inner boot
Can be converted from 3-buckle to lace and ankle buckle or just laces
Cons : Rather heavy
Buckles may apply too much pressure on some parts of foot (ouch)
Frame is not rigid enough for stunts.
Additional comments :
This blade may not be available in some places. In Singapore , it's
marketed under the Spoga brand but I don't know about overseas. It's
still called the Turbine no matter which label they use cos only one
company produces it. The Turbine is NOT a serious stunt blade but it can
take hell of a thrashing. The ABEC-5 bearings may not seem fast at first
but after wearing it in for 1 week, they spun like crazy. The inner boot
is very cushy and hasn't flattened out on me yet. The unique frame design
allows the user a lot of options and is good for recreational, speed and
even hockey. Has good alue for money.
My personal rating : 8 1/2

__________________________________________________________________________

1) Review by: amy (eig...@uiuc.edu)
2) Product type: Skates
3) Brandname: Roces
4) Model name/number: FCO Jr. (Rome Jr.)
5) Purchase price: $80-100
6) From local store or mail order: Campus Skate Company
1 503 683 3516
Mailorder out of Oregon
7) Date purchased: February 1995
8) How long have you used it: 3 Months
9) Pros: made in small sizes
one of the few small skates that hold 72mm wheels with 4 wheels
durable boot
one buckle / lace setup
10) Cons: Just plain lousy wheels to start (64mm 85A)
Slow bearings (unrated??)
not rockerable
slow skates.
11) Additional comments: though the wheels are bearings are slow and lousy
to start on, that can easily be fixed with new
wheels, bearings, and a hopup kit. this puts the
skates closer to the $150 range.. not bad for a
small skate. Probably the best you can do in the
1995 line of skates for small feet. (note i said
small, not growing)

_________________________________________________________________

A GUIDE TO SMALL SKATES ON THE MARKET

by Amy Ryan

Advice for Buying Small Skates

There are lots of small skates on the market, but its difficult to
find skates that are of high quality in small sizes. When thinking of
skates you need to worry about durability and design as well as cost.
Another factor to consider in children's skates is that children's
feet grow, so the cost of replacing skates can be high.

Some companies have come up with skates to deal with this problem like
the Roces STL Jr. that adjusts among four sizes. In buying small
skates, you may also want to consider used skates from stores like
Play-It-Again Sports. Many other children are also outgrowing their
skates. I once picked up a pair of Bauer skates for $30 at a used
sporting good store. (They originally retailed for $189)

When looking at skates, be sure you examine the durability of the
skate, flimspy buckles or thin liners will break and render the skates
unusable. Remember that buying a more expensive skate can save you
money in the long run, if you don't have to replace broken parts.

One problem with small skates, is that they come with low quality
wheels and bearings. if you buy new wheels, bearings, or a hopup kit
the skates will be a much faster and more enjoyable for the child (or
yourself, if you have small feet like I do.)

Until recently, finding a 4-wheeled small skate was very difficult.
Recently, vendors have been adding the 4th wheel at the sacrifice of
wheel size. You should check to make sure the skates will hold larger
wheels (as a rule of thumb, the skates should hold at least 70mm
wheels).

Here's a guide to the 1995 line of smaller skates:
* Roces STL Jr.
* Roces FCO Jr.
* Roces Lil Streets
* Rollerblade Bravoblade Jr.
* Rollerblade MicroBlades
* Oxygen Ne01 Jr.

Roces STL Jr. (St. Louis Junior)
Sizes: 12 (fits 12-3), 4 (fits 4-7)
Boot: Monocoque, vented stitched foam liner
Closure: Buckle/Lace
Frame: Uni-tech (one piece boot/chassis design)
Braking system: traditional heel
Spacers: Nylon
Wheels: 70mm 85A, Aero wheels
Bearings: ABEC 1 (personally I thought they were slow)
Price: $100
Advantages: Adjustable Size for growing feet, will accomodate up to
72mm wheels.
Disadvantages: the bearings are slow, the skates are hard to find
anyway other than mailorder.
Rating: ****

Roces FCO Jr. (Rome Junior)
Sizes: 1-5, whole sizes only
Boot: Two piece polyrethane, stitched foam liner
Closure: Buckle/Lace
Frame: Composite
Braking System: Traditional Heel
Spacers: Nylon
Wheels: 64mm, 85A Aero
Bearings: ABEC-1 (I think they are much slower)
Price: $90
Advantages: Durable boot, comfortable, good liner, will accomdate up
to 72mm wheels.
Disadvantages: Wheels that come with skates are too small for
practical skating.
Rating: ****

Roces Lil Street
Sizes: 1-5
Boot: Two piece polyrethane, stitched foam liner
Closure: Buckle/Lace
Frame: Composite with plastic grind plate
Braking System: Traditional Heel
Spacers: Nylon
Wheels: 70mm, 85A Aero
Bearings: ABEC-1 (I think they are much slower)
Price: $145
Advantages: Durable boot, comfortable, good liner, will accomdate up
to 72mm wheels.
Disadvantages: I've yet to find a store that can actually get any of
these in once they are ordered. FCO Jr's can be upgraded to be like
this skate.
Rating: ***

Rollerblade Bravoblade Jr.
Sizes: Children's 19.5-23.5
Boot: Two piece polyethelene, polyurethane cuff, vented.
Closure: Two buckle
Frame: Glass Reinforced Nylon
Braking System: Active Brake Technology (ABT)
Spacers: Nylon
Wheels: 64mm, 85A
Bearings: Rollerblade (Semi-precision)
Price: $79
Advantages: Durable Frame, skates should last over time
Disadvantages: Comes with small wheels and slow bearings, the
prototype model that I saw only allowed the brake to be on the right
foot (this may have changed), two buckles don't allow enough
adjustment for comfortable and proper fit. Accomodates only upto 70mm
wheels
Rating: ***

Rollerblade Microblades
Sizes: 10-11, 12-13, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Boot: Two piece polyurethane
Closure: buckle/lace
Frame: Glass reinforced nylon
Braking System: Graduated Brake Design
Spacers: Nylon
Wheels: 64mm, 88A wheels
Bearings: Rollerblade semiprecision
Price: $79
Advantages: Can be found very easily in most stores
Disadvantages: Buckle broke when I tried these skates on in the
store. slow bearings, hard, small wheels. Doesn't accomodate very big
wheels. Chassis looks like it could easily brake.
Ratings: **

Oxygen Ne01 Jr
Sizes: European 18-24.5
Boot: Monocoque, vented
Closure: Single Buckle
Frame: Nylon
Braking Sytem: traditional heel
Spacers: nylon
Wheels: Oxygen 64mm, 85A
Bearings: precision
Price: $99.95
Disadvantages: Weird brake, single buckle doesn't allow for
comfortable adjustment. Hard to fit a skate with only one buckle.
Rating: ***

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part11

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Other Product Reviews
_________________________________________________________________

MARKETPLACE - OTHER PRODUCT REVIEWS *

(last changed April 29, 1995)

NOTE: While these reviews include many facts and first-hand experience,
much of the text here is necessarily opinion. Also realize that the in-line
market is changing rapidly, so prices and specifications may be out of
date.

If you have a forms-capable web browser, feel free to use the product
review form for your convenience. For you others, the plaintext
review sheet is at the end of this file.

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
_________________________________________________________________

Table of contents

* Hop Up kits
+ Hyper Hop-up kit (1)
+ Hyper Hop-up kit (2)
+ Lazzy Legs X-treme Pro Hop-up kit
+ Lazzy Legs Speed Demons Hop-up kit
+ Cyko HurricanZ hop-up kit
+ J&J Titan aluminium rocker inserts
* Bearings
+ GMN ABEC-3 bearings
+ YAK ABEC-3 bearings
+ Black Hole Rocks bearings
+ Powell Swiss "Bones" ABEC-1 bearings
* Wheels
+ Cyko HurricanZ 72mm 82Awheels
+ Kryptonics VR series wheel
+ Kryptonics PowerPlay hockey wheel
+ Kryptonics Rampage wheel
+ FR Progressors
* Miscellaneous products
+ CDS boot grind plates (2 reviews)
+ Lazzy Legs grind plate
+ Lazzy Legs heel straps (2 reviews)
+ Rollerblade Powerstrap
+ Jofa Speed Puck
+ Paragon Bearing Guards
+ The Grip cable braking system
* Protective gear
+ Bell Image helmet
+ Rollerblade protective pads (knee, elbow, wrist)
+ Rector Fat Boys kneepads
+ Bones Bone Guardz (wrist guards)
* Shops
+ Don Thomas Sporthaus (Detroit, MI)
+ The Skate Shop: (Youngstown, OH)
+ Millennium In-Line (mail-order)
+ Team Paradise (mail-order)
+ Hudson Bay Inline (mail-order)
+ Inline USA (mail-order) (closed shop!)
* Much older reviews

_________________________________________________________________

HOP UP KITS

From: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
Date: Tue, 3 May 1994 13:23:53 -0400

NOTE: you'll need to calculate the purchase date from the mail date (May 3)

1) Review by: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
2) Product type: Accessory (hop-up kit)
3) Brandname: Hyper
4) Model name/number: "Hyper Hop-Up Kit"
5) Purchase price: $20
6) From local store or mail order: Local sports chain
7) Purchase date:
8) How long have you used it: 1 year +
9) Pros: o Aluminum spacers *do* have internal hex hole for axle removal
o Includes two slightly longer axles to account for
brake mounting (Rollerblade, for example)
o Each axle has a loctite patch for safety
o Kit also includes washers, if you need them
10) Cons: o Aluminum spacers...supposedly these deform easier
during extreme skating (I wouldn't know)
o Loctite...no star washers, if that's your bag...
11) Additional comments: I've had no problems with these
12) My personal rating: 9

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)

2. Product type: Axle Kit
3. Brandname: Hyper
4. Model name/number: Hyper Hop up kit.
5. Purchase price: $25
6. From local store or mail order: ISA (Mail order)
7. Date purchased: June 13, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since June 13, 1994
9. Pros:
- Comes with:
8 Red aluminun threaded spacers w/ hex lock.
16 Regular length, small headed axel bolts.
16 Washers
2 Brake wheel length small headed axel bolts.
2 Hex tools.
10. Cons: None to report.
11. Additional comments: I would recommend these over the Lazzy
Legs Speed Demons.
12. My personal rating: 9

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: hop-up kit (accessory)
3. Brandname: Lazzy Legs
4. Model name/number: X-treme Pro
5. Purchase price: $25.90 for 8 wheels.
6. From local store or mail order: mail-order, don't recall where though.
7. Date purchased: 3/94
8. How long have you used it: 5 months.
9. Pros: Made of steel. Most hop-up kits are made of aluminum. Steel
is a lot more durable.
10. Cons: Steel is a little heavier than aluminum but the weight
difference isn't even noticable so I wouldn't worry about it.
11. Additional comments: If you're looking to upgrade your skates, a
hop-up kit is probably the best place to start. You will certainly
see a speed increase, it will cost you a little over twenty bucks,
and it's a one-time cost. Once you install it, you won't have to
worry about it again. The Lazzy Legs X-treme Pro is the Cadillac of
hop-up kits.
12. My personal rating: 10

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)

2. Product type: Axle Kit
3. Brandname: Lazzy Legs
4. Model name/number: Speed Demons
5. Purchase price: $21
6. From local store or mail order: Play it again sports. (Local store)
7. Date purchased: May 24, 1994
8. How long have you used it: 1-1/2 Months
9. Pros: Comes with:
8 Aluminum threaded bearing spaces with hex locks.
16 Normal length small headed axel bolts
2 Brake wheel lenght small headed axel bolts.
1 Hex tool
10. Cons: Easy to strip the threaded spacers. The axel bolts would actually
loosen up and fall out during normal skating sessions.
11. Additional comments: I was not impressed with these. All three sets that
myself and friends
have owned have had the bolt loosening problem.
12. My personal rating: 3

----------

1) Review by: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)

2) Product type: Accessory-Axle Hop Up Kit
3) Company: Cyko
4) Model name/number: HurricanZ
5) Purchase price: $20.00
6) From: Millennium In-line
7) Length of use: 4 months; 1993, Discontinued
8) Size: 8 Wheel set
9) Pros:*Aluminum-speedy
*Threaded
*Hex lock
*Comes with instructions-really no need
10) Cons:*No frame spacers
*Aluminum-bad for extreme
*Threads are lost after time
*Bolts too big-huge profile
*Bolts slide like CDS Detroit Grind Plates, but in this case, it is
a disadvantage-gives new meaning to power slide
*Bolts get scuffed and flattened easily
*No tools provided, though a Torx T25 helps, as I prefer handled hex
wrenches over hex keys
*Brake bolts aren't big enough for my brake
11) Additional comments: The guy who sold me these practically forced me into
these over the Blading Edge-should've bought the Hyper, it sounds/looks
good
12) My personal rating: 3-better than plastic, seems like any other, but
Roces, Hyper, Mogema, Sure Grip, and other race frames are better

-----

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: aluminum rockers (accessory)
3. Brandname: J&J Titan
4. Model name/number: Aluminum Rockers
5. Purchase price: $20 for all 8 wheels (16 rockers)
6. From local store or mail order: some mail-order house.
7. Date purchased: 6/94
8. How long have you used it: 2 months.
9. Pros: Aluminum rockers won't crack or warp like plastic ones will.
They may increase your speed a little, especially if you
have plastic ones that are already broken or warped because
they touch the bearing more preciley and won't rub up against
it.
10. Cons: $20 is a little expensive for 16 little pieces of aluminum but
they're pretty much the only place that I could find that
makes these things.
11. Additional comments: I'm not sure what skates these things fit. I'm
pretty sure they're made for the Rollerblade line. I know Roces makes
their own aluminum rockers, specifically for their skates. I would
recommend consulting your dealer to make sure that they'll fit on your

skates.
12. My personal rating: 9

_________________________________________________________________

BEARINGS

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: bearing
3. Brandname: GMN
4. Model name/number: ABEC-3, greased, tin-shielded
5. Purchase price: $1.25/bearing
6. From local store or mail order: Some mail-order place.
7. Date purchased: 6/94
8. How long have you used it: 2 months
9. Pros: Very inexpensive.
10. Cons: Shields aren't removable so you have to pry them open to clean
them.
They pretty much felt like my old ABEC-1s to me.
11. Additional comments: I bought these because they were inexpensive
but I'm sorry I did. They didn't do much for me. If I could go
back, I would have probably spent a little extra money on a better
set of bearings. If you're looking for a cheap set of bearings
to replace a set of ABEC-1s and aren't really looking for a speed
improvement then these will suit you fine.
12. My personal rating: 4

---------

NOTE: Inline USA has closed shop!

1) Review by: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
2) Product type: Bearing
3) Brandname: YAK
4) Model name/number: YAK ABEC-3
5) Purchase price: $2 per (normally) $1 per (on sale)
6) From local store or mail order: Inline USA
7) Purchase date:
8) How long have you used it: 3 months

9) Pros: o Removable Shields
o Very nice bearing, no wobble, blah blah blah
10) Cons: o Greased (you might be able to order oiled sets)
o Having to listen to "DA YAKMAN" rant about them :-)
11) Additional comments:
Some people gripe that these aren't much better than ABEC-1s.
I noticed a marked difference, though.
12) My personal rating: 7

----------

1. Review by: Rob Remus (rwr...@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu)
2. Product type: Bearings
3. Brandname: Black Hole
4. Model name/number: Rocks
5. Purchase price: $21.95 for 16
6. From local store or mail order: Wildcountry in Normal, IL. (No joke, the
name of the town is Normal.)
7. Date purchased: Sometime in April '94
8. How long have you used it: About 3 months
9. Pros: (list good features) The bearings are faster (better) than the ones
that came in my Macro EQ's. That however is the only thing about them
that is better.
10. Cons: The bearings get dirty VERY quickly. The bearings came lubed with
grease and within one day of skating they were dirty enough to start
making noise. I then replaced the grease with oil, which made them even
worse.
11. Additional comments: Spend a little more money and get some good
bearings.
12. My personal rating: 5

----------

1. Review by: Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
2. Product type: bearings
3. Brandname: Powell Swiss "Bones" bearings
4. Model name/number: ABEC-1's
5. Purchase price: $2/bearing
6. From local store or mail order: Skates Off Haight (mail-order)
7. Date purchased: Fall 1991
8. How long have you used it: 3 years (review dated: Nov 12, 1994)
9. Pros: For a long time the Bones bearings were rumored to be ABEC-5
quality, but in the end the company said they were only
ABEC-1's. Doesn't matter. These bearings spin very well. They
are one-sided bearings, with only a plastic snap-cage to
secure the ball bearings. The ones I ordered were in sets of
8 and came with a small plastic pouch of Bones speed cream.

In an extreme case of laziness and negligence, up until
last week I had only relubed 2 out of the 16 since I first
bought them 3 years ago. My main laziness stemmed from the
fact that they still spun like crazy, and still sounded clean.
I have since cleaned and relubed all of them, out of guilt 8-)
but they're all in amazing shape still.

In terms of maintanence, the Bones are very easy to clean and
handle because they have only two parts: the bearing and the
snap-cage. With most of the two-sided bearings (like Yaks,
TwinCams, etc.) you have to pry off the C-ring on each side
and you end up with 2 rings, 2 shields, and the bearing.

Also, when you take the snap-ring off, the balls inside aren't
constrained by a brace of any kind, so you can really clean
out the whole inside pretty well. This also means you can
apply your lube easily as well, since the balls are in full
view.

Putting the snap-cage usually takes longer than putting a
C-ring and shield back on (on the other bearings), but it's
still pretty simple for the most part.

In any case, I have noticed ABEC-5 rated Bones for sale in
some mail-order places now. 1 or 5, I don't think you can
go too wrong with Bones bearings.

10. Cons: ABEC-1s are fast, but tend to have slightly more vibration overall
than some ABEC-5 bearings like Boss or TwinCam. If you want
ultra smooth rolling, you might have to go for the Bones ABEC-5's
or other ABEC-5's.

11. Additional comments: (See Pros section)
12. My personal rating: 9.7-10

_________________________________________________________________

WHEELS

1) Review by: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)

2) Product type: Accessory-Wheels
3) Company: Cyko
4) Model name: HurricanZ
Model year: 1993; Discontinued
5) Purchase price: $20. for 8-$2.5 each (on MI-L sale), usually $40. for 8
6) From: Millennium In-Line
7) Length of use: 2 days-sold them-not hard to review them though.
8) Size, Hardness, Radius: 72mm, 82A-Flat 22
9) Pros:*Reinforced fan-blade core makes it fast and light-hard wheel-
nice wear, nice cooling
*Black color is nice, no prints or other obstructive stuff
10) Cons:*Real bad on hard surfaces and on any extreme skates
*Dull wheel-no laminated gloss surface (tread, sidewall)
11) Additional comments: In my opinion, it's just like any other wheel
but it's fast and cool.
12) My personal rating: 5-Not good, not bad

-------

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)

2. Product type: Wheels
3. Brandname: Kryptonics
4. Model name/number: VR Series 72mm/78A Narrow radius, tri spoke core.
5. Purchase price: ~$40
6. From local store or mail order: Play it Again Sports (Local store)
7. Date purchased: June 28, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since June 28, 1994
9. Pros: Nice wheel, with decent wear. Hub fits the bearings tightly.
10. Cons: Not made for quick turns.
11. Additional comments: I don't have a lot to say about these wheels,
because the narrow radius isn't very useful for the kind of skating I do.
12. My personal rating: 8

-----

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)

2. Product type: Wheel
3. Brandname: Kryptonics
4. Model name/number: PowerPlay 72mm/82A w/ Krypto hockey radius, tri spoke co
re.
5. Purchase price: Came stock with skates (CCM RH555 Tacks).

6. From local store or mail order: Tam-O-Shanter, Sylvania Ohio (Local Store)
7. Date purchased: July 31, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since July 31, 1994

9. Pros: Nice even wear, even with heavy usage. Great stability at high speed
s.
Can really hold tight turns, I have yet to have them slip out on me
while turning.
10. Cons: None to report
11. Additional comments: My favorite wheel by far.
12. My personal rating: 9-1/2

1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoledo.edu)

2. Product type: Wheels
3. Brandname: Kryptonics
4. Model name/number: 72mm/82A Rampage Full Radius, tri spoke core.
5. Purchase price: $32 for 8
6. From local store or mail order: ISA (Mail order)
7. Date purchased: June 13, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since June 13, 1994
9. Pros: Nice wide radius, nice for turning and such. Good even wear (with
proper rotation).
10. Cons: Hubs do not have a nice tight fit around the bearings, which causes
the wheels to wobble from time to time.
11. Additional comments: These are good wheels, I am not sure if the bearing
problem above is a problem with just my set or found with all Rampages.
12. My personal rating: 8.5

1. Review by : Kenneth Wong (Art4...@leonis.nus.sg)
2. Product Type : Wheels
3. Brand Name : Kryptonics
4. Model : 76mm Rampage 78A and 82A durometers
5. Purchase price : US$35
6. From Local store : Gallen Sports
7. Date purchased : Nov 1994
8. How long have you used it : 5 months
9. Pros : Durable, Good for street
10. Cons : None that I can see yet
11. Additional comments: These are very durable wheels and are pretty good
for roadskating but don't try skitching on them coz they'd probably melt.
Good grip and are stable.
12. My Personal Rating : 7

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: wheel
3. Brandname: FR Progressors
4. Model name/number: 60mm/88A
5. Purchase price: $7/wheel
6. From local store or mail order: mail-order (don't recall where)
7. Date purchased: 7/94
8. How long have you used it: one month.
9. Pros: Nice size/hardness for street skating.
Solid core.
10. Cons: Difficult to find.
I expected them to be a little flatter on the bottom (a la
Hyper Midgets) but they were shaped a lot like your generic
wheel, only smaller.
11. Additional comments: For 88A, they seem to be a little soft. It
seems that Hyper's version of an 88A wheel is harder. And for a
little tidbit: I've heard that FR stands for "Fuck Rollerblade".
12. My personal rating: 8

_________________________________________________________________

MISCELLANEOUS

1) Review by: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)

2) Product type: Accessory-Boot grind plates
3) Company: CDS Detroit
4) Model name/number: Boot grind plates, Size: 4 plates, 1x3 inches
5) Purchase price: $9.99 or so for a set of 4, bought 1 set
6) From: Millennium In-Line, sold many places
7) Purchase date:
8) Length of use: 2 weeks, then got kinda sick of it, and one plate fell off
-just starting to use them the right way now
9) Pros:*Great if you can get it to work-helps with power stops, other boot
grinding maneuvers
*Very versatile-use for other stuff
10) Cons:*Hard to attach velcro lanyards, for me at least
11) Additional comments: Works better on CLEAN surfaces; unscathed ones
recommended. All CDS products are probably good when used correctly,
but I didn't really need the boot plates-my boot was screwed from the
start. It works best on boots of the leather type probably.
12) My personal rating: 3 if you don't apply correctly, 10 if you do

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: Grind plate (accessory)
3. Brandname: CDS Detroit
4. Model name/number: Street Line Frame Grind Plates
5. Purchase price: $5.99 for two.
6. From local store or mail order: some mail-order house.
7. Date purchased: 6/94
8. How long have you used it: 10 minutes.
9. Pros: They're made of plastic and plastic slides a lot better than
steel does because there's a lot less friction.
Inexpensive.
10. Cons: When I power-slide, I slide on the grind plate because it
sticks out so much and since it's so smooth, I keep on
sliding. Sometimes, I'll even do a split.
When I cut sharp turns, I will sometimes hit the grind plate
on the ground and since it's so smooth, my legs just slip out.
11. Additional comments: They are a good idea. They'll protect your
frame and they'll slide better than any metal grind plate could ever
dream. But I just couldn't sacrifice maneuverability and power-slides
for it.
12. My personal rating: 5

-----

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: Grind plate (accessory)
3. Brandname: Lazzy Legs
4. Model name/number: Steel Bridge Grind Plate
5. Purchase price: about $20
6. From local store or mail order: random mail-order house.
7. Date purchased: 6/94
8. How long have you used it: 2 months.
9. Pros: It's made of steel so it's strong.
It's thick so it will last a while.
10. Cons: The largest wheel size you will be able to fit on a skate with
a bridge grind plate is around 65mm.
11. Additional comments: If you put a steel grind plate on your skate,
it will slide nicely on metal but grinding a curb is a little more
difficult because there's a lot of friction. There are many different
ways you can outfit your skate for grinding. With this plate, you can
skate with all small wheels or you can skate anti-rocker. I still
haven't discovered the perfect grinding combo.
12. My personal rating: 8

-----

1) Review by: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan)

2) Product type: Accessory-Heel tighteners
3) Company: Lazzy Legs
4) Model name/number: Heel tighteners
5) Purchase price: 12.99
6) From: Performance Bicycle-they don't sell it anymore, but many MO shops
have them
7) Length of use: a month, until I came to my senses and thought "Why did
I buy this?" Started using it again.
8) Size: standard, 2 to a set
9) Pros:*Great for: reducing road vibration at high speeds
*Reducing heel lift due to weak instep area
*Tightening boot fit
*Protecting side of boot from crash-not intended use though
10) Cons:*Mainly useless on unflexible boots such as plastics
11) Additional comments: It seems to be more intended for racing, to prevent
heel lift, but for some reason I look in Inline
magazine issues, and many extreme skaters are wearing
it.
12) My personal rating:8-nothing else to compare to.

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: arch and ankle tighteners (accessory)
3. Brandname: Lazzy Legs
4. Model name/number: Arch and Ankle Tighteners
5. Purchase price: $20 (can be had for less)
6. From local store or mail order: Blades in Manhattan.
7. Date purchased: 6/94
8. How long have you used it: 2 months.
9. Pros: They really give you a lot more support.
Nice price.
Durable.
10. Cons: None.
11. Additional comments: These aren't really meant to tighten your boot
more around your foot. They're meant to hold your foot in place.
The arch tighteners can be used as a replacement for laces but I
would recommend leaving your laces on.
12. My personal rating: 10

-----

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: Heel tightener (accessory)
3. Brandname: Rollerblade, Inc.
4. Model name/number: Power-strap
5. Purchase price: $8

6. From local store or mail order: Herman's Sporting Goods

7. Date purchased: 12/93
8. How long have you used it: 8 months.
9. Pros: Give you a lot of support.
Inexpensive.
Very durable.
10. Cons: None.
11. Additional comments: They come with a little patch of velcro that
you are supposed to attach to the heel of your skate. When you put
them on, a piece of velcro on the heel strap sticks to that to help
it stay secure, under your heel. I just thought that was a nifty
idea so I mentioned it. I used a hot glue gun to keep that little
patch on. The Lazzy Legs heel straps look a little thicker and they
look like they might be a little more secure so you might want to
check those out before purchasing these. But, on the other hand,
for $8, you can't really go wrong.
12. My personal rating: 8

-----
1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kir...@cse.utoleod.edu)
2. Product type: Hockey Puck
3. Brandname: Jofa
4. Model name/number: Jofa ISD Speed Puck
5. Purchase price: $10.95

6. From local store or mail order: Tam-O-Shanter, Sylvania Ohio (Local Store)

7. Date purchased: August 7, 1994
8. How long have you used it: Since August 7, 1994
9. Pros: Puck comes installed with 12 (6 per side) nylon runners for textured
surfaces. Also includes 12 runners for smooth surfaces. I have only
tried the puck on parking lot type surfaces, were it works really
well. Feels like puck, handles like a puck, etc...
10. Cons: It doesn't get on the edge too often, but when it does, it doesn't
like to lay back down. The runners are not easy to remove.
11. Additional comments: The puck is wieghted around the edges and is spoked
in the center, it is completely made of rubber with the exception of the
runners. This is the puck used by the RHI.
12. My personal rating: 9

-----

1. Review by: (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
2. Product type: wheel/bearing accessory (bearing guards)
3. Brandname: Paragon
4. Model name/number: bearing guards
5. Purchase price: $4.99 for 20 guards
6. From local store or mail order: Paragon Products, Inc.
690 Industrial Circle S., Shakopee, MN 55379 (612) 496-0091
7. Date purchased: March 25, 1994
8. How long have you used it: (used it only for one month)
9. Pros: They DO keep the grit out and off of your bearings, and
they're plenty cheap.
10. Cons: The price for keeping the grit out is that you increase
rolling resistance by a very substantial factor.
11. Additional comments: The guards do their job well, but the way the
work requires that they rub slightly against
the wheel hub. This makes for very, very
slow skating, compared to w/out them.
12. My personal rating: 8, if you don't mind the large rolling friction
caused. A rating of 1 if you do! 8-)

-----
From: ma...@unidata.ucar.edu (Matt Hicks)
Date: 12 May 94 16:20:40 GMT

Thomas A. Creedon writes:
>Does any inline skater out there have any experience with or information
>about a hand held hydrolic braking device for inline skates? I beleive
>the device is called The Grip. I saw it demonstrated on that "Why
>Didn't I Think Of That" invention TV show with Wil Shriner as the host.
>It was my understanding that it was just about ready to go to market.
>I'd be interested in the price, purchase source and any other
>information you may have.

I meant to post this a long time ago. The Grip has been around for about a
year. It was invented (and I believe it is manufactured) by a company here
in Boulder. My opinion: Don't bother. I tried these things out at a demo
last year. Yes, they do stop you. Are they quicker than heal brakes? Maybe,
slightly. Are they clunky, annoying, cumbersome, and generally inconvenient?
You betcha.

The brake works like this: You have a handle in each hand (kind of like
those Dymo label makers that use the adhesive tape). Each handle has a cable
running down the back of your leg, secured about half way down by a velcro
strap. The cable runs through a couple of guides mounted on your skate's
frame and running almost it's entire length (on the outside of your skate).
When you squeeze the handles (you pretty much have to use them both at the
same time) a couple of pieces of "automobile brake material" are pressed
into the inside of the hubs of their specially produced wheels. (Are you
starting to see how this setup could be a pain in the ass yet?)

The problems with this setup:

1. Your arms and legs move away from each other on each side. Having your
hand and foot connected by a cable sort of limits your stride length/arm
swing, unless...

2. You've got a lot of cable. Well you don't really (see problem 1) but it's
enough to be a hassle.

3. The hardware runs along the bottom of the frame. I pointed out to the guy
who was demoing (one of the company partners) that I kept scraping the
hardware against the ground when I tried to do crossovers. "Oh, that's
okay," he said, "That's why we made it out of metal, so it would stand up
to that." "But, you don't seem to understand," I replied, "when I'm
leaned over into a turn with my legs crossed, I want nice grippy polyure-
thane in contact with the ground, not hard, slippery metal." "Whatever,"
he said.

4. You still have to adopt the one-foot-forward braking position or you'll
get dumped on your head. Having the braking force originate at your
wheels leaves your feet stopped and the much greater mass of your body
still in motion.

5. You _have_ to use their wheels and those wheels have to go in the two
middle slots, so your rotation pattern is completely screwed.

6. ~$80; more in some outlets. And replacing 4 wheels is definitely going to
cost more than replacing one brake pad.

7-10. I'm sure someone can think of drawbacks to fill these slots; I
probably could if I spent a few more minutes.

Good points?

1. Keeps all your wheels on the ground.

2. Probably lasts longer than a brake pad.

3. Technoweenie bonus points.

This product was much hyped locally. I thought it had dubious merits before
I tried it, and found much more to dislike after trying it. My advice is to
stay away.

_________________________________________________________________

Protective Gear Reviews

1) Review by: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
2) Product type: Safety gear (helmet)
3) Brandname: Bell
4) Model name/number: Image
5) Purchase price: $80 (normally) $40 (on sale)
6) From local store or mail order: Bike Nashbar
7) Purchase date:
8) How long have you used it: 2 months
7) Pros: o Well-vented
o Light (sub-8 oz.)
o Easy to fit (adjustable pads/straps)
o Microshell (compromise between hardshell and foam)
8) Cons: (none, really)
9) Additional comments: **insert typical helmet rant here** :-)
10) My personal rating: 8

----------

1) Review by: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
2) Product type: Safety gear
3) Brandname: Rollerblade
4) Model name/number: Standard Pads (knee/elbow/wrist)
5) Purchase price: $15-$25 per set
6) From local store or mail order: Local sports store
7) Purchase date:
8) How long have you used it: 1 year +
9) Pros: o They work very well
o Wrist guards have velcro pocket near right thumb
10) Cons: o They're somewhat bulky, sometimes get in the way
o Velcro pocket won't hold car key
11) Additional comments: **insert typical pad rant here** :-)
12) My personal rating: 6

----------

1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (sco...@wam.umd.edu)

2. Product type: knee pads (safety gear)
3. Brandname: Rector
4. Model name/number: Fat Boys
5. Purchase price: about $50
6. From local store or mail order: Skates Off Haight (I think)
7. Date purchased: 4/94
8. How long have you used it: 4 months
9. Pros: Nice and big with about an inch of padding between the plate
and your knee. Your knees will survive any fall.
Instead of a tube, it has four thick straps. These straps work
as well (perhaps better) than any tube and you don't have to
take off your sneakers or skates to get them off.
Cheaper than Boneless Knee Pads.
When you fall, the plates are made to slide across the ground
instead of sticking. I found that some pads like the
standard ones that Rollerblade, Inc. makes stick to the
ground when you fall so all that momentum you have forces
you to roll on the ground. With these pads, when you hit
the ground, you just slide on your knees for a few feet
instead of rolling. Does that make sense?
Goes well with any wardrobe.
10. Cons: You may find that your knees don't bend as well as they might
with a smaller knee pad but as far as "extreme" pads go, these
are the least cumbersome. You'll get used to them very quickly.
11. Additional comments: None.
12. My personal rating: 10

--------

1) Review by: William Bradley (wbra...@thor.ece.uc.edu)
2) Product type: Safety gear (wrist guards)
3) Brandname: Bones (???)
4) Model name/number: Bone Guardz
5) Purchase price: $12
6) From local store or mail order: Local bike shop
7) Purchase date:
8) How long have you used it: 1 month +

9) Pros: o Comparable to most every wrist guard in existence
10) Cons: o Somewhat smaller than the rest, though
o No velcro pocket to not hold your car key :-)
11) Additional comments: Well, my wife likes them
12) My personal rating: 6

_________________________________________________________________

From: ay...@yfn.ysu.edu (Martin Sripan) Don Thomas Sporthaus: Detroit
* "Whatever makes you happy, we'll do". I'll go with that! * Sell
classy women's clothes and ski stuff. * Carry many skates from Atomic,
Roces & Rollerblade. * Have a whole ton of models from last year at
like 30% off. * Help you a LOT-especially Tom Adams (I think that's
his name) * Real skaters too, most knowledgable. * They sell many
wheels, accessories, CDS, protective gear. * Roces ATL CDG MOW R,
Rollerblade Pro Bravo Cool and others. The Skate Shop: Youngstown, OH
* Owned by a lady who has a son who skates (quad, inline, board). *
Sell little stuff * The only in town * They sell only UltraWheels,
Cyko, Flyaway and other boarding stuff. Millennium In-Line * Has a
*great* selection * OK service-I call the guy practically every day,
so he hates me. * Messed up my shipping twice! (probably because I
changed it both times) * Everytime I order (if they don't have
something I'm looking for) They're VERY quick to point me to a
replacement-a product I know nothing about-but obviously he knows what
he's doing because it always ends up I get a better product. When I
just ordered my stuff from them, I said: "...I would like to have the
CDS Detroit 57mm Grind Stones..." and the guy said something like: "I
don't have those because they sell slow. So that would be the 52mm
you're getting" Of course, lucky me, I didn't need to use the 57mm
anyway. * Have a long-distance tech support line-they should have a
secret exception for kids whose parents would get totally phissed if
they called long distance (me). Or they could get on the
Internet-seems everyone's doing it. * They're usually missing
something I want (could be coincidence) * I saw ABEC-3 Bearings for
17.60 for 16-you saw me type this in, with a warning that it could be
a typo-turns out it was-they're 1. * This was only in my experiences,
YSituationMV greatly cause the guy knows and doesn't really like me. *
One time I asked to speak to the owner, and since I had called many
times earlier, I knew his voice. Turns out I had been talking to the
same person every time. But, today I called twice (at least) and it
turns out that there are more people there that sound just like him.
Odd ain't it? Team Paradise * GREAT!!! No I wasn't paid to say this,
I'm serious. * 20.00 minimum-perfect excuse for buying something
totally senseless for my application. * Changed my order several
times, and... * Called them many times, and... * Verified my order
twice, and... * Added stuff to my order-they didn't get mad * No crap
* No pushing * Not too many missing products and typos * Knowledgable
* Internet Connections (Great, so we can get good advice) Hudson Bay
Inline * I'm pretty sure that they run on a "what's good" basis :) I
asked to buy Mearthane RollerEdge Starlight 77mm/84A wheels but he
said he wanted to hear if it was good first. Then he says: "What did
you hear?" So I told him something like: "I just want to buy them,
I'll tell you if they're good." :) So...You should probably tell them
whether or not certain wheels are good so he can bulk order blems and
you can order them. Especially good when you want a wheel no one
sells, like DA Bump. He had 4 left, which I bought. Dang cheap too. *
Good service, I called them many times without them getting mad and I
even reserved my wheels for a day (turned out to be useless, I ordered
my wheels the same day). * Great selection Inline USA * Internet
Connections (Great, so we can get good advice) * Great even though I
haven't ordered from them yet. * 1-800 tech support * Carpet testing *
Skate assembly with free stuff * Price beating * Nice support and
people will go out of their way to help you. * Great selection of
skates but not enough products (I think) or not as many as MI-L, but
that's ok. * They seem to have gone to more race than extreme skating
* I called them 5 times and asked for a catalog/catalist- I only
recieved their 93 catalog, and for months it hasn't come out. Please
contact me if you're reading this Jack. :) I think it's nice that
Inline USA cut the crap out of their catalogs, but I also miss it
because I like to see what certain products look like before I buy
them-how are we supposed to know if we like a product if we've NEVER
SEEN IT? Someone or some company should make a color catalog of
products for inline skates- or how about another FAQ section?-:) Need
non-mail-order addresses or phone #'s, e-mail me. More to come as I
order more and more (if I do).
_________________________________________________________________

In-line Product Review Sheet

Fill out each question as completely as possible. There's no rush to
turn these things in, so if you have to wait a couple days, couple
weeks, a month, whatever, then take your time. The goal here is to
provide as much information and informed opinions as possible. Thanks.

If you're reviewing a skate, please try and cover all features, like
wheels, bearings, braking systems, wheel-rockering systems, liners,
fasteners (laces, buckles, combo), chassis (the shell and runners),
plus any other neat/adjustable features.

1. Review by:
2. Product type: (skate, safety gear, wheel, bearing, clothing,
accessory*)
3. Brandname:
4. Model name/number:
5. Purchase price:
6. From local store or mail order: (name the store too, with the
address and phone number if it's a local store, otherwise just
name the mail-order shop)
7. Date purchased:

8. How long have you used it:

9. Pros: (list good features)
10. Cons: (list not-so-good features and possible improvements it
could use)
11. Additional comments:
12. My personal rating: 1 to 10 (10 being the best)

*use accessories as the catch-all, when it's none of the other types
_________________________________________________________________

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted © 1994 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is

granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part12

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Wheels, Bearings and Hop-up Kits
_________________________________________________________________

WHEELS, BEARINGS AND HOP-UP KITS *

Table of Contents

* Inline Wheels
* The Bearing Maintenance File
* Hop Up Kits (axle upgrades)

_________________________________________________________________

Inline Wheels Files

(written May 17, 1992)
(last changed June 11, 1995)
_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

TECHNICAL INFO

Most standard inline wheels are made mainly of polyurethane. Some
wheels are designed for sliding and use use a mix of different
durometers (like the RollerEdge wheels), or plastic rings (like the
BrakeWheel). Wheels are classified on diameter, hardness, rebound,
profile and core. Some are even classified by weight. However, most
often you will see only the diameter and hardness printed on the
wheels (e.g. 76mm 78A or 70mm 82A, etc.). The profile and core you can
tell by visual inspection.

DIAMETER

The diameter of the wheel means simply how tall the wheel is. The
usual diameters range from 43mm to 80mm. Most common sizes you'll come
across for recreational skating are 72 and 76mm. Skaters wanting speed
tend to use 80mm wheels, although 76mm's are used too, depending on
the skates and racing course and distance. Vert/ramp skaters use short
wheels with a high durometer to do rail slides. These range from 43 to
76mm, depending on the skating situation (vert, ramp, rails, etc.).

Generally, racing skates will fit up to 80mm wheels, high-end skates
up to 77mm (sometimes 80 now), and the rest of the models up to 72mm.
Although these are the designated max-sizes, skates can often take
slightly taller wheels than the official specifications. For instance,
in the old Bauer XF/3's, with the front and heel wheel spacers moved
in (for a shortened wheelbase), can use 76mm wheels for all four
positions. Extension modification (i.e., scraping down) of skates are
need for wheels much larger than the intended size.

In general, taller wheels will let you cruise faster but take longer
to spin up. Taller wheels also tend to be less manueverable than
shorter wheels. Shorter wheels are cheaper, but in general don't last
as long since they have less material to wear down overall, given the
same durometer. However since many of the small wheels are for stunts,
they all tend to be sold in higher durometers anyway (they slide
better), so they won't necessarily wear out that quickly.

70mm 72mm 76mm 80mm
Average speed____________________________________________Fast
Quick Turns______________________________________Slower Turns

DUROMETER (HARDNESS)

Durometer is a relative hardness measure frequently used for rubber
and plastic products. There are several scales, with the "A" scale
(hence the 78A, etc.) used for wheels. The number is the rating from
0-100, with 0 being no resistance and 100 being very hard plastic.

Note: there is a Rockwell scale which is used for steel. Only one
wheel uses it now, Pebbles by Kryptonics, with a rating of 50R
Recreationa wheels generally run from 74A to 82A. For outdoors, the
softer the wheel, the better the shock absorption. The trade-off is
that softer wheels wear out faster. Harder wheels, since they have
less drag, are preferred on indoor surfaces which are usually very
smooth (e.g. hockey).

Some skaters vary their wheel durometer depending on the temperature
outside. Cold weather will mean the ground is harder so soft wheels
are more suitable. In really warm weather the road might start
literally melting, in which case a high durometer setup would be more
preferrable.

74A 78A 82A 85A
Average Wear_________________________________Longest Wear
High Grip____________________________________Average Grip
High Rebound______________________________Average Rebound
Low Body Weight__________________________High Body Weight
Smooth Ride_____________________________________Hard Ride

REBOUND

A higher rebound will provide more response on each stroke. The only
reference to a rebound scale in the inline industry now is the Bashore
Rebound, used by Roller Edge. Otherwise, rebound is referred to as
low, medium or high. The rebound labeling seems to have been phased
out as not many people seem to compare wheels based on this feature.

PROFILE

The profile of a wheel is defined by the cross-section of the wheel
where it meets the ground. All wheels are 24mm thick as an industry
standard, but the variation in a wheel's "footprint" is what provides
different functionality. The larger the footprint, the greater the
traction and stability. Many made-for-hockey wheels tend to have a
wide footprint for those sharp turns. Racing wheels on the other hand,
tend to be more tapered near the edges. More recently, FR Progressors
has developed an asymmetrically-profiled wheel, to help align on curbs
or rails.

Wide/fat Normal profile Narrow (race)
Best Cornering___________________________________Less Stable
Slow____________________________________________________Fast

HUBS/CORES

The hubs or cores (either term is okay) are very important to the
overall performance of the wheel. The core is everything other than
the wheel material. The core holds the bearings and connects to the
wheel material. Some wheels are open core (spokes showing), closed
core (spokes covered), or no cores (real small wheels don't really
need cores.) If the bearing core is slightly too large (as it often is
for shoddy wheels), it will not hold the bearings tightly enough. This
can allow the wheel to become "cocked" so that it rubs against the
frame. Only one wheel needs to be out of alignment to mess things up.

Misalignment is a serious problem, not only because it causes drag,
but because it heats up the wheel. This will soon cause it to seperate
from the hub and expand, and eventually destroy the wheel.

The first sign is that the wheels creak as you switch your weight on
the skate. If you remove the wheel from the frame, you can see an arc
clear of dirt and dust where the wheel was rubbing. If you notice
this, put your hands on your wheels after a long fast skate and see if
any of them are much warmer than the others. If so, they are probably
rubbing.

This can happen a lot easier on frames like the Mogema and the
Darkstar that have very close tolerences and the side of the frame is
close to the side of the wheel. I'm not sure if is as big as a problem
(or a problem at all) for recreational skates like the Aeroblade. The
creaking is bothersome in any event.

Closed Core Tri Spoke Core Racing Core
High Wheel Weight_________________________________Low Wheel Weight
Longest Wear__________________________________________Average Wear

AXLE KITS

Another important aspect of your wheels is the axles. There are
several axle replacement/upgrade kits (such as the Hyper Hop-up Kit
and the Blading Edge Kit) designed to let your wheels roll much faster
than your stock axles will allow. These kits are usually made of
aluminium or steel. What they consist of is two axle bolts per wheel,
each screwing into the threaded spacer in the wheel (the part that is
sandwiched between the bearings). This prevents overtightening, which
is common with regular axle systems, and will allow your
wheels/bearings to spin freely. When putting your wheels back, make
sure the wheels are just snug enough so they don't move around.
Anything more just increases the friction on your bearings.

MAINTENANCE

Wheels of any durometer will wear out, given enough mileage. There's
only so much polyurethane on your wheels, while there's thousands of
miles of asphalt out there. Much less wearage occurs for indoor
skating, however.

In general, your wheels are due for maintenance when your skates are
much slower and not rolling as smoothly as when new. The inside edges
will wear more quickly, which you will eventually notice:

For those of you without the benefit of a graphics-ready computer:

new wheel worn wheel

There are two things you can do to get the most from your wheels:
rotate and flip. Rotating your wheels means to switch the positions of
the wheels. Different positions (like the heel or toe wheels) receive
varying amounts of wear. By rotating the wheels, you can even out the
wear on each wheel.

Flipping your wheels means to turn each wheel so that the worn edge
now faces the outside. This lets you wear down the other edge of the
wheels.

There are several patterns for wheel rotation. The one you use isn't
crucial, since there's no "magic" rotation formula that works for all
situations. The main point is to maintain an even wear on your wheels.
Often times you may find yourself swapping wheels at random until you
get a good wearage distribution on your skates.

Some common rotation patterns:

The front wheel is "1" and the back wheel is either "4" or "5".

For 3-wheel skates: 3->2, 2->1, 1->3

For 4-wheel skates: 42, 31 OR 4->3 3->2 2->1 1->4

For 5-wheel skates: 5->3, 4->2, 3->1, 2->5, 1->4
OR 5->3, 4->5, 3->2, 2->4

Whiled you're rotating and flipping your wheels, you might as well
wipe off your skates, rails, wheels and bearings with a damp cloth.
Some people wipe down their skates everytime they go out, even if they
don't do any rotation, but I recommend you do it at least everytime
you rotate your wheels. This keeps the amount of dirt on your skates
and wheels to a minimum, which helps keeps grit out of your bearings.

ROCKERING YOUR SKATES

Having skates non-rockered means the axles and wheels are all at the
same height. This is the way the skates come when you buy then
(usually). What many skates allow you to do is to change the height of
some or all of the axles, to provide a different "blade" to skate on.
Rockered skates then, have the middle two wheels lower relative to the
front and heel wheels. This is accomplished by having oval spacers
with an offset axle-hole; each spacer can have an up or down position.

Racing skates are also adjustable, but only in the horizontal
direction, allowing for a longer or shorter wheelbase.

Although subject to some disagreement, many skaters find rockering
provides much more maneuverability due to the curved "blade" of the
wheels. Whether you rocker or not is really up to you. Many hockey
players prefer to have their skates rockered for sharper turns on the
court, while racers keep their blades flat for more stability at high
speeds (rockers at high speed will produce speed wobble). Artisitic
skaters may also prefer rockered, while extreme skaters may opt to
keep them flat.

Depending on your skates, there are various rockering configurations
possible. If your skates can adjust the height of only the middle two
wheels, you can have your skates flat or rockered:

Flat : ==frame==

1 2 3 4

Rockered: ==frame==
1 4
2 3

If your skates can adjust the height of all four wheels then you have
the positions of

short even rocker: ==frame== (wheels closer to boot, for more
control)
1 4
2 3

tall even rocker: ==frame== (taller, for sharper turns)

1 4
2 3

front-lift rocker: ==frame== (a little more stable than regular
rocker)
1
2 3 4

front-lift, : ==frame== (tilts skates forward)
rear-down, rocker 1
2 3
4

Wheels run from $3.00 to $10.00, depending on the 5 criteria referred
to at the beginning of this section. There are many inline wheel
manufacturers out there: Hyper, Kryptonics, FR Progressors, Senate,
Labeda, UFO, Cyko, Cozmo, Grizzly Gear, Kuzak, RollerEdge,
BrakerWheel, Ultimate, Bullzeye, Chaos, Core, Heavy, Kopp, Square,
Sims and probably several others.

_________________________________________________________________

The Bearing Maintenance File

(written May 2, 1992)
(last changed Jan 6, 1995)

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

CONTENTS:
* General Info
* Sealed or Shielded?
* Bearing ratings
* How to maintain your bearings
+ 1st method : If you don't mind taking off the seals.
+ 2nd method : If you don't want to pry off the seals.

GENERAL INFO

Inline skates all use 608 bearings. The "608" means that the bearings
are from the 600 series, with a 8mm inner diameter (the width of the
hole, i.e., internal bore). The "6" appears to be for the 6mm
difference between the inner and outer radii (from the outside edge to
the edge of the hole).

608 bearings are also the standard size for skateboard bearings. Quad
skates use either type 608 (8mm internal bore) or type 627 (7mm
internal bore). The 608's for quads are the outdoor bearings. If your
bearings have letters following the "608" (like "S", "Z", or even "ZZ"
or "SS") it is the manufacturer's way of denoting sealed or perhaps
double shielded bearings. An "RS" label means shielded but that the
shields are removeable (i.e., serviceable bearings). To make sure what
they mean you should probably check with the manufacturer, since it
can vary from company to company.

A little cross-reference on part numbers for bearings, the 7MM ones
are for quality indoor skates, the 8MM ones are used for in-lines,
other indoor skates and skateboards.

Double Shielded:
NTN Fafnir MRC ND SKF HCH YW
7MM 627-ZZ 37KDD 37FF 77037 R7-2Z 627Z 60027
8MM 608-ZZ 38KDD 38FF 77038 R8-2Z

Double Sealed (neoprene rubber):
NTN Fafnir MRC ND SKF
7MM 627-LL 37PP 37ZZ 99037 R7-2RS
8MM 608-LL 38PP 38ZZ 99038 R8-2RS

Single shielded/sealed bearings usually delete one of the doubled
prefix/suffix characters. (Thanks go to George for the above chart).

Bearings for recreational use generally come grease filled. Some
bearings like GMNs are sold either greased or oiled (but usually
greased).

Some of the bearing manufacturers are: Black Hole, Boca, Boss, Cyko,
DF, Fafnir, FKD, Get Your Bearings, GMBH, GMN, Grizzly, Hyper,
Kryptonics (Russian), M&A Smith Stealth, NHBB, NMB, Powell Swiss
"Bones", RPM, Sonic, Terminator, Twincam and Yak. (The NMB's are
common as a stock ABEC-1 bearing in production skates, but they also
make ABEC-5's).

SEALED OR SHIELDED?

There are basically two types of bearings: shielded vs sealed. Very
likely you will have shielded bearings, which all stock skates come
with (as far as I know). Shields make it hard for dirt and grime to
get in, but they certainly aren't dust or watertight. For superior
protection against the elemnts, you need sealed bearings.

There are three kinds of shielded bearings: 1) two shields (metal), 2)
one metal shield & one pop-out cap for maintanence, 3) two pop-out
caps. If you have types 2 or 3, you'll have an easier time re-lubing
your bearings (see below)

Sealed bearings have a teflon or rubber lip seal that actually touches
the race and come packed with a fairly heavy grease. These are quite
impervious to dust or water. Rollerblade sells sealed bearings under
the name Max Trainers. You may find other brands as well. The
advantage is that they should last a long time without any maintenance
at all. The trade-off is that these bearings generally cost more and
you also encounter a much higher rolling resistance. Slower bearings
are not necessarily bad, since many people like the added resistance
for a better workout.

BEARING RATINGS

Bearings are rated on the ABEC (the Annular Bearing Engineering
Council) scale. There are many brands of bearings out on the market
now, although you should know that some are just bearings from the
same factory, just labeled differently. Some brands are NMB, Powell
Swiss (commonly called Bones bearings), GMN, Fafnirs, Black-Hole,
YAKs, Twin-cam, M&A Smith Stealth, (Super) Sonic, Terminator, Hyper
(Boss & RPM), FKD, NHBB, GMBH, DF, Grizzly.

The higher the ABEC number, the greater the manufactured bearing
precision. So ABEC-5 is the most well-machined, followed by ABEC-3,
and ABEC-1. (Not sure if even numbered ratings are even used). You may
still find cheaper skates with bearings not even rated on the ABEC
scale (primarily on "toy" in-lines and real low-end/kids skates).
These will often be labeled as semi-precision bearings.

The usual reasons for using the higher AEBC rated bearings are in
machines needings to meet particular mechanical tolerance or vibration
levels, or to operate at a high speed, but *not* for minimum rolling
resistance. The speed issue is a bit indirect, but basically at the
point where the balls stop rolling nicely between the inner and outer
races and skid or bounce.

Buying bearings rated any higher than ABEC-5 will probably not do any
good since they aren't be meant for use in in-lines. Also, the higher
precision will deteriorate down to ABEC-3 or 1 due to contaminating
dust and dirt anyway. If it's speed you want, cutting down
wind-resistance and improving your technique is the better way.

Really precise bearings are only used in high speed (read: rotational)
applications, as in machinery. The next higher grade up from in-line
bearings are in machines which are rotating at speeds of at least
10,000 rpm which is around 80+ mph. You probably won't want to go that
fast on your skates 8-) At 50,000 rpm you would be traveling 400+ mph.
So which happens first? the wheels melting, or the skin ripping off
the skater? Gives new meaning to shredding 8-)

WHEN TO CLEAN AND RE-LUBRICATE YOUR BEARINGS

Exposure to dirt and water are the main reason that your bearings
slow down. Bad bearings will be ones which don't let your wheels spin
for a respectable amount of time (the definition of "respectable"
depends on on your type of bearings). If you hear or feel the
vibrations of metal rubbing on metal, chances are your bearings are in
need of some maintenance.

If some of the balls or bearing surfaces have become roughened,
there's basically nothing you can do. They won't get any better, but
they may last a long time anyway. You can always replace your bearings
a few at a time.

Take care of your bearings by cleaning and preping them as needed.
Assuming normal usage, they should last through several sets of
wheels, depending on how much skating you do.

REPLACING YOUR BEARINGS

You probably want to replace some of your bearings if (1) any of them
them have somehow stopped spinning well, despite all the cleaning you
do or (2) you want to change to different types of bearings (racing or
sealed or whatever).

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BEARINGS

1st Method: Taking the shields off
1. Remove your wheels from the skates, and push the bearings out with
a spare bushing (the plastic/metal part that goes between the
bearings) or one of the several types of bearing tools available
on the market.

2. Now there's three types of situations you'll be in:
+ If you have shielded bearings with pop-out caps (Powell Swiss
or Black Hole brands), simply pry/pop out the plastic cap on
each bearing.
+ If you have other serviceable bearings like Twin-cams or YAKs
you need to pop out the snap rings before you take off the
shields (use a small screwdriver to snap out the snap rings).
+ For non-serviceable bearings like NMBs, GMNs (Germans), or
sealed bearings, FIRST make this decision: do you want to
take the shields off?

Some people tell you to never pry off a shield/seal, some say it's
okay. It's really up to you. In general, if you think you will be
doing a lot of maintainence on your bearings, you are much better
off taking the shields off. Whatever you do, the new lubrication
always helps.

NOTE: if you have sealed bearings you might not want to pop the
covers since you could ruin the seal integrity a little, which is
what you're paying extra for in the first place. Still, I have some
people say they put their bearings back together with no harm, so it
is possible. For more nitty-gritty on maintaining sealed bearings,
look at http://www.svi.org/~nates/bearing.html.

If you decide no then skip down to the section marked 2nd Method.

If you decide yes then carefully puncture or pry off the shield
(or seal) on one side. Use a very small screwdriver, and pry along
the edge of the shield until you can get under it and pop it off.
If this is difficult, you can always push the screwdriver into the
shield (or tap it through (lightly!) with a hammer or heavier
tool). You don't need a whole lot of force since the shields
aren't all that thick or hard.

When removing the covers of entire sets of bearings at once, be
careful to only take off one cover per bearing. Otherwise you'll
be left with a shieldless/sealless bearing (which won't last long
against outdoor conditions).

Once you have the cover off, you should be able to see the ball
bearings inside, held in place by a retainer. You won't need the
old metal covers anymore. In Bones bearings the cap is ALSO the
brace, so you won't see a brace. Bones users should obviously keep
the plastic cap when reassembling their bearings.

NOTE: You don't want to take the ball bearings out since they
aren't meant to be removed and replaced.

3. Personally I soak my bearings in Simple Green or other
biodegradeable detergents since they're much safer and very easy
to use (don't have to worry about disposal) than solvents like
paint thinner or mineral spirits. The choice of cleaner/solvent
isn't crucial so long as you can get all the dirt and old grease
cleaned out. However, to be good citizens on this here green
earth, I'd highly suggest using one of the biodegradeable
cleaners. Plus, they're good for all-purpose cleanups as well.

Handy tip: If you're using Simple Green or another biodegradable
detergent, use it in the concentrated form right out the container
(i.e., don't dilute with water), and also heat it up if you can.
This will speed up your cleaning time significantly.

Avoid low-flash point solvents like gasoline, xylene, lacquer
thinner, etc. which are dangerously flammable. Also wear
latex/chem lab gloves if possible when handling these chemicals.
Solvents are no fun to ingest or absorb through your skin. An
alternative is to use a pair of tongs or tweezers to handle your
bearings.

How long you soak depends on how dirty and dried out your bearings
have gotten. Previously maintained bearings won't need to soak
very long. Bearings that have gone dry and have lots of grit in
them may need to soak overnight, or even several days.

If necessary use a brush or swirl your bearings around in your
container to make sure everything breaks loose. Small coffee cans,
peanut jars, or even those little black film canisters, all make
decent containers. Dave Woodall (woo...@adrs1.dseg.ti.com) has
his own way of swirling. He uses a battery operated drink mixer
and spins his bearings to cleanliness. He says it works really
fast, so if you like, try it out 8-)

You don't really need large amounts of solvent. Just enough to
immerse your bearings. You also don't need to refill with clean
solvent with each bearing unless the solvent you were using has
gotten really dirty. The essential thing is that the dirt and
grease is broken up. Step 4 will remove most of the gunk.

WD-40 is generally not recommended as a solvent since it leaves a
sticky, dust attracting film on the bearings. Note, however, that
some people swear by WD-40. It has become somewhat of a
heavily-debated topic.

Ultrasonic cleaners are ideal for cleaning bearings. If you have
access to one, you can clean your bearings en mass and avoid
getting your hands dirty. An interesting supplement is described
below: Simple Green. Just soak the parts in pure Simple Green and
rinse with water. Thoroughly dry everything off and lubricate
immediately, since Simple Green can leave a water-attracting film
This can make the oil-free metal start to rust almost instantly!
Parts come out much cleaner and much faster than with other
solvents. You should stay cleaner and there are no nasty fumes to
inhale. Simple Green should be available in most grocery or
hardware stores.

4. Now rinse out your bearings with hot, soapy water to make sure you
clear out all the solvent. You now have some clean bearings.

Clean, unlubricated bearings appear to have the lowest amount of
unloaded friction, but don't expect them to last very long if you
skate on them. After a fairly short time, the surface of the balls
will start to flake and roughen and they won't spin very well.

5. Use a hair dryer or just air/sun dry to make sure that all traces
of water are gone. Using a hair dryer or basking in the sun also
preps the bearing nicely by heating the metal somewhat.

6. Now lubricate with your favorite lubricant. Lubricant choice
always seem to be somewhat preferential. Lots of people find one
lube that works for them and they just stick with it. It's hard to
try out multiple lubricants and get a thoroughly accurate
comparison throughout all types of skating conditions. 1) people
don't always have the extra money to do so, 2) to change lubes you
need to clean and relube (unless you have an extra set of
bearings) and 3) there's still no real good way to measure how
well a lube helps speed up or slow down your skating. A no-load
"finger-flick" spin test doesn't really cut it since it doesn't
entirely translate into the equivalent rolling resistance with
your weight on it.

Ideally, you'd have an indoor incline and/or flat surface,
multiple sets of identical bearings for each lube, and you'd see
which one gave you the most glide. Of course, this still doesn't
take into account how fast the lube dries or bleeds from the
bearings, or how easily it collects or repels dust/grime/water,
and on and on.

In the end, it doesn't make a huge difference unless you're into
serious racing. Your main choice will be choosing betwen oil,
cream/grease, telfon based lubes, (bicycle) wax/paraffin, and
whatever else is out there. Most people end up using grease or
oil. Oiled bearings have slightly less resistance, but need to be
maintained more often (as often as once a week). It is very
helpful to have a little hypodermic style oiler with a long needle
to let you put the oil right where you want it.

Grease works well because after a while most of it gets shoved out
of contact with the balls and only a little bit smears onto the
workings. However, newly greased (or heavy oil) bearings, will
take a while to expel any extra grease and move the rest out of
the way.

For oiling, light oil, although you can use stuff like sewing
machine oil, or 5W-20 motor oil, household oils (3-in-one, etc)
may gum up after a while. In any case, most mail-order shops sell
their own brand of lubricant, as do many of the bearing
manufacturers (e.g., Bones and BlackHole). Although it's not
proven these "special" formulas are all that better, it's usually
only a few bucks for a nice little bottle of lube that should last
you for a long time. Some brands also come in a very handy
hypodermic-style dispenser which is perfect for put a drop exactly
where you want it.

NOTE: Use only a few drops of oil per bearing! Overlubing will not
only waste your lube, but you'll also make the bearings more
sticky and more prone to attracting dust and grime, which is
exactly what you don't want. Spin the bearing to spread the oil
around inside.

Let the bearings sit for an hour, and wipe them off.

7. 7. Put one bearing back into the wheel, with the open face towards
the inside of the wheel. Insert the bushing and then put on the
second bearing (with the open face towards the inside again). It
is pretty hard for contaminants to get into the bearings from the
inside.

2nd Method: Keeping the shields on

First do Step 1 (from 1st Method).

If your bearings are permanently sealed (or you don't want to remove
the seals) you can still soak in solvent (see step 3) for several
hours or as long as you feel necessary. Enough solvent should soak
through to remove some of the grease.

Then you can lubricate the seams and/or press some in with your
fingers. Enough oil should seep through to lubricate your bearings
(see step 6).

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

Hop-up Kits

Nothing for this section just yet. If you want, look at the hop-up
kit reviews in section 3.4.

_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted © 1995 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is
granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part13

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Where to Skate - Western North America
_________________________________________________________________

WHERE TO SKATE - WESTERN NORTH AMERICA *

(Last changed: July 29, 1995)

Note: The r.s.s.i "Where to Skate" FAQ merges the Indoors and Outdoors
sections of the old rec.skate "Where to Skate" FAQ. Because the
Indoors section of the older version included much material that had
become dated (i.e., material that was in excess of three years old)
and was not easily verifiable, little of that material appears in
this newer version. Any information which you can provide on your
local skating rink will be greatly appreciated. Please e-mail it
directly to r...@panix.com.

Recent changes include:
* Added general info from Kathy Hand (7/18)
* Added Davis, CA, info from Chris G. Pagliccia (7/25)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
* General Info
* Alaska
* Arizona
* British Columbia
* California
* Colorado
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Montana
* Nevada
* Utah
* Washington
* Wyoming

Other "Where to Skate" sections of the r.s.s.i FAQ are: 5.2: Central
North America and 5.3: Eastern North America and Abroad.

_________________________________________________________________

General Info

From: kh...@primenet.com (Kathy Hand)
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 1995 01:01:01 GMT

Re: 500 Great Rail Trails

I ordered this book a couple weeks ago (from Book Stacks Unlimited,
online) and it finally came. It is published by the Rails to Trails
Conservancy, a non-profit group devoted to converted abandoned
railroads and the like to trails for various sporting activities.

The book lists trails by states. For each entry, they list the
beginning and ending of the trail, the type of terrain (dirt, asphalt,
concrete, etc.), the type of activities for which it is appropriate,
the county where the trail is located, and the length. Each section
has a map of the state with the trails listed by number. They also
tell you who to call for more information on each trail.

I would have liked better directions or a more detailed map (or both),
and it also would have been nice (for us out-of-shape beginners) to
read whether the terrain is flat or hilly. But all in all, it is well
worth the $9.95 price, particularly if you travel and are always
looking for a safe place to bike, skate, run, etc. (Shipping is $3.50,
regardless of how many copies you order, apparently.)

You can order it online by pointing your Web browser to:

http://melville.books.com

You can also call 1-800-888-7747 ext. 11 to order by phone (MC or
VISA) or send a check to:

Rail-to-Trails Conservancy
Shipping Department
P.O. Box 295
Federalsburg, MD 21632-0295

From: g...@tharsis.com (George Robbins)
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 1995 17:10:07 GMT

Re: National Parks

The park service has a national policy that give individual park
directors the option of allowing only those activities that are "safe
and compatible with the goal/character of the park", and most then
play it safe by forbidding skating. The best action you can take,
aside from sending a nice letter to the park director, is to send some
money to the IISA [International In-Line Skating Association] and
encourage them to attack this policy at the national level and aim for
one that allows skating to be prohibited only when demonstrably unsafe
or seriously inappropriate.

_________________________________________________________________

ALASKA

Anchorage

From: witz...@corcomsv.corcom.com (Gil Kruschwitz)
Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 13:41:43 -0500

I think anyone coming to Anchorage should be sure to bring their
blades. We have miles and miles of bike trails (groomed for diagonal
and skate skiing in the winter) including 20 paved miles along Chester
Creek and Cook Inlet, connecting the University, Downtown (hotels,
etc.) and Kincaid Park). The trail has cracks in some areas and short
sight distances in a few places but is generally smooth and in good
condition. There are several tunnels and a few bridges but no road
crossings and relativley little foot traffic out of the immediate
downtown area. There are several hills but they are gentle enough to
run with little or no braking, unless the wind is blowing downhill.
Skate season is generally late April/early May to the end of October.
Much of the trail is through natural areas and it is unusual to not
see moose. Eagles and beluga whales are often in the inlet right below
a portion of the trail. For the last five years, I've skated the trail
from a point a few blocks from my office to Kincaid and back (about 9
miles each way) after work almost every day that weather has allowed
and can't imagine getting tired of the terrain and scenery.

_________________________________________________________________

ARIZONA
* Phoenix/Scottsdale
* Tucson

Phoenix/Scottsdale

From: shoo...@onramp.net (Shooshie)
Date: 15 Sep 1994 09:36:22 GMT

I travel a lot in my work as a music director/arranger, and I take my
Aeroblades with me wherever I go. I am in the Phoenix area a lot, so
when I discovered the trail on Hayden Blvd. in Scottsdale, I was in
blade heaven. There are over 20 miles of interconnected trails, and
lots more if you consider all the skate-friendly sidewalks and
streets. Some of the under-street tunnels flood right after a rain, so
you have to be prepared to stop, turn around and go over the streets
if the weather has been bad during the past week. I just got back from
a two-week stay there while making a video at the Phoenix Symphony
Hall. I spent every spare minute on that trail, and discovered some
great things I had not even noticed before. For anyone who might be
interested, here's the scoop.

There is a recreation center on Indian School and Hayden. It is called
the Indian Bend Wash Visitor Center. Large parking lot, big plaza,
lots of concrete, stairs of every configuration, walls, jumpable chain
fences, concrete-surrounded palm trees at regular intervals for slalom
fun, skatable restrooms and water. Up behind it was a big surprise - a
small skating rink, about the size of a tennis court, and square.
Smooth concrete, with ramped sidewalks all around, stepped edges
growing out of an incline from zero to three steps, and a nice view to
boot. Skate down from the rink onto the plaza (be careful - the
concrete joints radiate outward... you will drop a skate in one now
and then) and you will find a trail leading between volleyball courts
and baseball diamond, and it leads you to a tunnel under Hayden which
connects with the aforementioned trails. The main trail is superb,
from rolling to moderately steep hills, but none so terribly long as
to be painful. It winds around through parklands, around ponds, next
to streams, behind golf courses, and goes under most of the streets.
One street crossing is at an arched pedestrian bridge which gives a
nice boost going down the other side.

But the best part of the trail is... "the Wedge!" It's about a 15 or
20 minute skate from the visitor center along the trail. At any time
of day or night you are liable to find the experienced skaters here
showing their stuff, and it's pretty impressive. You hear about it
from street skaters who speak of it reverently, although most of them
have not been there and seem to register a certain awe or fear of
actually finding it. The Wedge is a long (about 60 yards?) concrete
dam right next to a huge concrete plaza (with wooden expansion joints
- nothing's perfect) underneath a wide street bridge. The bridge
provides merciful shade from the desert heat, and the wedge provides
the site for some great jumping. At one end of the wedge is a stream
which is normally benign, but which briefly floods during the late
summer monsoons. That is the Wedge's raison d'etre. But the engineers
almost certainly had us in mind when they designed and built it. It's
just too perfect. The dam is about five feet high at its highest
point, and the entire length of it is wedge shaped such that its sides
slope upward at 55-60 degree angles. The top is broad, flat, and
smooth; I'd guess 15 feet or more across the top, and as I said
earlier, about 60 yards long. A side trail comes down from street
level, down the ravine, crosses a short bridge, right to the base of
the wedge.

You can reach quickly just about any speed you want going down the
trail. Then... you hit the incline in a crouched position, rise,
spring and shoot off the top - the sky is the limit. An expert few
manage to go clear over and across the top, airborne, (definitely not
for the faint of heart or weak of ankle) and come down the slope on
the other side. 180's, 360's, obstacles, grinds, you name it... you'll
see it all there. An aluminum picnic table provides two levels for
grinds, and barrels provide good jumping material. At night, the dark
shadows under the bridge bring out a new dimension. One side of the
wedge is visible, the other is in darkness... you learn to trust your
feet. The chatter around the Wedge is generally about competition, and
a number of the regulars travel to compete in meets. Apparently, some
of them are doing well, too. Average age appears to be about 18. I
made the mistake of using the "when I was your age" line once and
offended a guy who, at 20, was pretty much one of the elders of the
wedge community. I explained that I was nearly 40, but I don't think
he believed me; maybe it was my ponytail. Something about the wedge
knocks a few years off your age... a 15 year-old asked me if I was old
enough to buy him cigarettes.

Near the Wedge is another "made for skaters" plaza with all kinds of
stairs, walls, and such for various kinds of practice. The whole
experience of the trail and its extras is almost too good to be true.
If you get to the Phoenix area, go nextdoor to Scottsdale and find the
trail along Hayden road. The Wedge is in the southern part of the
trail, between Thomas and Roosevelt, beneath the MacDowell Street
bridge (I think... I never went up to confirm that). Let the rest of
the family go see the Grand Canyon. Go to the Wedge. It's enough to
make you want to move to the desert.

Now... if the flood control engineers of Arizona could just find it
within their needs to install a 10 foot high, 60 yard-long half-pipe
beneath the other side of the bridge...

From: R22...@waccvm.corp.mot.com (Renee Ramirez)
Date: 30 Mar 1995 08:35:27 MST

[...] in the N. Scottsdale area is the Scottsdale Airpark. It's a
large business park adjacent to the Scottsdale Airport. It's at about
75th Street and Greenway. You'll find a lot of business parks in the
Phoenix area, and a lot of them are dead on the weekends. Since the
traffic flow on a daily basis through them is light, the pavement is
still in good shape.

Tucson

From: mcb...@PrimeNet.Com (Budd Turner:N7EOJ)
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 13:46:34 -0700

Rillito Pathway
6 1/2 miles of two lane, multiuse, asphalt pathway along the North
bank of the Rillito ("Little River"), connecting several city parks.
Surface varies from very smooth to slightly coarse, level to slight
inclines. Accessed off River Road with parking lots at each major
North/South Intersection, and in the two City Parks midway between N/S
intersections. The path underpasses each N/S road bridge. Water
fountains are located on one or both sides of each N/S intersection,
and in the City Parks. Being multiuse makes it get busy at times,
especially mid-summer, when 100+ degree days will concentrate usage to
early morning and sundown. The pathway is closed during hours of
darkness.

Santa Cruz Pathway
Shorter, less used than the Rillito, 5 miles , two lane, multiuse,
asphalt pathway along both banks of the Santa Cruz River connecting
several city parks. The path underpasses each E/W road bridge. Surface
varies from very smooth to coarse, level to slight inclines. No
fountains.

University of Arizona campus
Lots of sidewalks, non-vehicular streets, fountains, stairs, ramps,
rails, curbs and skaters.

Pima Community College campus (East, West, Downtown)
Lots of sidewalks, fountains, stairs, ramps, rails, curbs and skaters.

_________________________________________________________________

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Vancouver

From: pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov (Robert B. Schmunk)
Date: Tue, 06 Sep 1994 14:29:39 -0500

During a recent trip to Seattle, I also had a chance to visit
Vancouver, BC. While I didn't have my skates with me that day, I did
spot what seemed to be the locals' favorite skate-path. The place I'm
referring to is the trail which follows the perimeter of Stanley Park,
just NW of downtown. Being right on the waterfront, it doesn't offer
much challenging topography, but it did seem smoothly paved and wide
enough that bike/ped/skate conflicts shouldn't be too much of a
problem. My visit was during a weekday, and during the daytime there
were a fair number of teenagers (particularly junior high school age)
out and about. In the early evening, I noticed several cars pull into
the parking lot and disgorge a young adult or two with a set of blades
over his/her shoulders. One potential problem with this path is the
high concentration of geese in the area, suggesting that one may have
to be careful about cleaning off wheels and bearings after a skate.

From: fmcq...@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Fiona McQuarrie)
Date: 6 Sep 1994 17:07:51 -0400

As a veteran of the Stanley Park Seawall path which Robert correctly
identifies as a prime inline skating area, I want to add to his
posting:
This path is indeed wide in most parts but in some places it is
extremely narrow, and as such users should be careful to follow the
clearly marked bike/pedestrian divisions. I'm not sure which side
inliners should go on, come to think of it (only having run on the
path, which is clearly a pedestrian function :), but I would say look
at others and follow what they are doing. Also there are some parts of
the path where users on bikes are asked to dismount and walk. This is
because the path is too narrow to have bikes bombing through crowds of
pedestrians....so inliners should be careful too.

_________________________________________________________________

CALIFORNIA
* Sacramento
* Davis
* Napa Valley
* Marin County
* San Francisco
* East Bay
* South Bay and Peninsula
* San Luis Obispo
* Los Angeles
* Long Beach
* Orange County
* San Diego

Sacramento

From: rhoade...@both1.nmo.gtegsc.com (Dave Rhoades)
Date: 10 May 1995 15:20:40 GMT

I had a chance to visit the Sacramento area last week and was very
dissapointed with the area for skating.

First of all I received a good tip from Owen Meany telling me an area
called the Pocket area which was good but too many streets crossed the
river trail from what I did see. For learning skaters this is probably
fantastic.

Now the bad news. The American river trail I was told by a park
official is outlawed for skater because they go too slow. Although
baby carriages are allowed for people walking. Anyway this was at
discovery park, which flooded out two days later from rain. (I'm Glad)

I did get a chance to skate around the Arco Arena which was alright
especiall trying to race the Jackrabbits. Came close to one before he
went over an island in the parking lot.

I also skated back and forth on W. El Comino for about 10 miles, got
the days workout but almost was hit by some cocky teenagers in a VW
bus and MANY, I mean MANY cars that don,t look where they are going
when coming out of small streets. I was even in a bike lane. I don't
think it means anything in that town.

Davis

From: "Chris G. Pagliccia" (pagl...@atm23.ucdavis.edu)
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 95 15:37:04 -700

First, UC Davis is in the last stage of building a top of the line
outdoor in-line skating rink. It will be of regulation size and
feature a sport court. It is slated to be ready in early August
[1995]. No word yet, however, on what access privileges will be or who
will have to pay to use the court. Its primary use will be for IM
rollerhockey games.

Next, the Davis In-line Hockey Assoc., a member of NIHA, has had their
facility resurfaced and painted. The rink is a converted tennis court
so it's size is small and is enclosed by a chain-link fence. Youth
league games are currently in progress and free skate times are
weekday mornings and all day Sunday. I do not have the exact times.
The rink is at West Manor Park on Portage Bay Drive.

Finally, Davis has many miles of safe bike paths that are great for
skating, and it is pretty flat here! The bike path along the south
side of Russell Blvd. is well shaded and pretty smooth; a very popular
place to skate! Hope this helps!

Napa Valley

From: p...@easynet.com (Peter W. Richards)
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 1995 23:30:43 -0600

I recommend the Silverado Trail (Site of David Miles of CORA's Roll
thru the Wine Country). You can cruise about 27 miles from Napa to
Calistoga and another 27 back if you're ambitious. (I did it once.
Don't ask what my socks looked like...) Moderately rolling with no
really scary hills. Quite adequate bikelane/shoulder most of the way
except for in some of the hills near the Calistoga end, and a funny
road surface/shoulder ridge even nearer Calistoga. Cool stuff for
distance enthusiasts....

Marin County

From: new...@netcom.com (Charles E Newman)
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 1995 04:04:58 GMT

[...], do not use your inlines anywhere in public in Larkspur, they
outlawed the use of skatboards, roller skates, and inline skates some
years ago. And the Tamalpais Union High school distrct banned them in
1986 on district property. If you want to skate, don't go to Marin,
period!!!!

From: jham...@uclink.berkeley.edu (Jennifer Lynn Hammond)
Date: 16 Jan 1995 23:19:39 GMT

There is a paved multi-use path in Tiburon that has incredible views.
It's only two miles long (one way), but you can add in some streets in
Tiburon; there are lots of skaters on weekends, and it seems skate-
friendly. [We were fooling around on a residential street one day, and
one of my friends fell just as a police car went by on the cross
street. The officer doubled back and came down our street, and we were
sure he was going to tell us to get off the road. But he just wanted
to make sure my friend was okay, and he drove away saying "enjoy!"]

The path is just off of Tiburon Blvd. We usually park in the lot for
Richardson Bay Park, because street parking in Tiburon can be scarce.
On the weekends it can get a bit crowded, and sometimes it's pretty
windy out there, so be prepared!

There's also a paved bike path in Sausalito, but the surface is a bit
too rough for my taste.... it's do-able, but not esp. enjoyable.

Other than that, I don't know of anywhere special in Marin. My
boyfriend and I live in Novato, and we just go out on the streets
here... there are some really nice routes.

San Francisco

From: lfl...@netcom.com (L. Floyd)
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 06:19:32 GMT

Midnight Rollers
San Francisco Friday Night Skate

Every Friday night, weather permitting, skaters from San Francisco and
around the Bay Area get together to skate the streets of San
Francisco. Skaters begin gathering between 8:00 and 8:30 in the
parking lot in front of the Ferry Terminal on the Embarcadero near the
east end of Market Street (just about where Market Street would
intersect The Embarcadero). Parking is usually plentiful in the lots
where the skaters meet, but it costs $3.00; although it is supposed to
be a self pay system, an attendant was collecting cash at the parking
lot entrance the last time we skated. There is street parking nearby,
but finding an open space may be difficult.

Just before 8:30, the "leader" of the skate [...] will give a quick
introduction to the skate and go over the commonsense rules of the
road. He/she usually emphasizes that a lot of what the skaters do
during the skate could be considered illegal, but the San Fransico
Police are willing to tolerate it so long as the skaters don't push it
too far...

* Wear helmets and protective gear
* Wear "blinky" lights and reflective clothing
* Skate on the right side of the road and do not impede the flow of
traffic
* Yield right-of-way to pedestrians
* Obey all Police and C.H.P.
* Obey all traffic laws
* Do not run red lights
* Do not skate on the street through the Broadway tunnel (use the
pedestrian walkway)
* No skitching (i.e. no holding on to cars or other vehicles)
* Do not drink alcohol during the skate
* Follow the instructions of the Night Patrol
* Be considerate and respectful of others; don't let your skating
endanger others

Then, at about 8:30, the skate begins!

The route first heads west along the Embarcadero then does a U-turn at
the Exploratorium and heads east. Eventually, the group ends up south
of Market (not too far from the starting point) to have fun at one of
the many clubs in that area. There are several stops along the way
where skaters regroup and perform tricks (you wouldn't believe what
some skaters do at the Powell Street BART Station).

Skaters of all skill levels do the skate. It helps to know how to
skate streettocurb and curbtostreet. There are some hills (we're
talking about San Francisco, ya know), but even the newest skater can
waddle up these without much trouble. With the uphills are the
downhills: know how to stop!! If you are worried about not making the
full skate, just bring along taxi fare as insurance.

It's a great group of people to skate with. There are lots of regulars
and always some firsttimers. Usually 200 to 400 people participate.
Come join in the fun! Hope to see you there!

From: garv...@aol.com (Garvin 888)
Date: Unknown

When in San Francisco check out Golden Gate Park; on Sundays the
park's closed off to cars. Also, there's the Embarcadero area
(Fisherman's Wharf, pier 39, etc.) and the Marina district. If you're
a fairly skilled skater, you can try and tackle other areas in SF, but
there are plenty of hills.

From: lfl...@netcom.com (L. Floyd)
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 1994 19:20:36 GMT

While you are in SF, you might want to check out the skating in Golden
Gate Park on Sundays. One of the main roads (John F. Kennedy Drive)
that goes through the park is closed off (well, most of it is closed
off) from noon until late in the afternoon. Runners, cyclists,
walkers, and skaters fill the stree. There is usually a group of
regulars who set up a boom box (powered by car batteries!) near 6th
Ave... some of the best skaters in town dance the day away there.

East Bay

From: be...@alf.sybase.com (Betsy Burton)
Date: Unknown

In addition to the places I can tell you about, there is a book out
from Karim Cycley that talks about some other places.

1) My personal favorite for a nice long run, is the back streets to
Richmond. There are a number of streets starting near Gilman and
Albany. These streets go through Albany and El Cerrito. In addition,
Richmond Street goes out past the El Norte Bart Station. This route
has good small hills and allows for a good workout.

2) The Nimitz trail takes off at the top of inspiration point and goes
out about 4 miles. At the end of this path is a rather large hill,
which after struggling to the top, is great to fly down.

3) Tunnel road takes a bit of experience and some good breaking
skills. I just heard that someone biked up tunnel road the other
day..so it may be open after the fire.

4) Berkeley Marina is good for a quickie. A full lap is 2.5 miles. The
only draw-back is that the view gets a little boring after a few laps.
My last and most favorite is Bancroft Hill, next to the University.
Late at night it is a nice fast down hill.

From: ji...@hkn.Berkeley.EDU (Jim Young)
Date: Unknown

You might want to try skating around the Berkeley hills. I usually go
up Euclid or Spruce, skate across Grizzly Peak, and then down Tunnel
road. If you go early in the morning, you might see Eddy Matzger and
Sandy Snakenberg there.

From: HQPYR1:ki...@orac.holonet.net (Kimon Papahadjopoulos)
Date: Unknown

Experts only! Nasty hill climb, nasty descent.

Path or area location: Tunnel Road on the Berkeley/Oakland Border
Directions:

>From Berkeley: Take Ashby out of Berkeley, past the Clairmont Hotel
and towards highway 13 and 24. Turn left at the stoplight (As if going
towards highway 24, not 13). When you get to the top of the hill, make
a left and Park.

Orida side of 24: I believe you take the Tunnel Road Exit.

^
|
TheRoute...__ To 24
\ |
Tunnel Rd --> | |
|__|
| |
| |
Hiller --> | |
/ |
/ |
|
|
|
|

>From Berkeley ---S---- To 13 ->

* Parking information: On the the start of Tunnel itself
* Path length: ~6mi (I don't really know- cound be 7-8)
* Loop or non-loop: Loop: Up and Down.
* Average path width: Two lane street
* Minimum path width: Two lane street
* Average surface: Pretty good asphalt, some rough spots
* Worst surface: One very pitted rough spot for about 10 feet.
* Number of hills: Up hill all the way
* Severity of steepest hill: 8 on a scale of 1-10
* Average steepness: 7 on a scale of 1-10
* Obstacles: One very pitted spot near the bottom, cars, occasional
trucks
* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Yes
* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Yes
* Number of roads which cross the path: It is a road. It crosses
several roads, but no stop signs or lights.
* Number of stairways on the path: None
* Distance markings: No
* Any other pertinent information:

For experts only! If you cannot brake well at high speeds, don't try
this course. If you are unsure, drive it first.

The climb up is a great workout, and not too severe. There are also
great views of San Francisco and Oakland. Tunnel Road turns into
Skyline about half way up.

Watch for problems in the road going up so that you will be aware of
them when you come down. Take it easy coming down the first time.
There are several areas that require care!

There is a water fountain a little past the top (if you continue along
Skyline Blvd about 200 meters) at a ranger station.

This is in the burned area of Oakland, so there is construction going
on in places, some trucks coming up.

It takes between 15-30 min to get to the top, depending on ability.

There are other places you can explore when you get to the top, but
Tunnel is generally the most tame, and the safest bet to go back down.
Be careful and have fun!

From: nee...@aol.com (Needeep)
Date: 2 Feb 1995 22:52:52 -0500

Try the Alameda Creek Bike Trail (ACBT) and the Coyote Hills Park
(CHP). They are in Fremont.

ACBT is flat and about 7 miles long. It connects up to the CHP loop
trail (about 4 miles and rolling hills). We also like to skate in the
Ardenwood Business Park (Paseo Padre and Ardenwood in Fremont).

South Bay and Peninsula

Mike Kellner maintains a Web page of South Bay area skate trails at
the URL:
http://www.mae.apple.com:80/~mkellner/skate/.

From: hir...@northstar.asd.sgi.com (Diana Hirsch)
Date: Unknown

I have two suggestions for skating trails in the Bay Area:

1. Sawyer Camp Trail - off 280 in San Mateo near 92. Blader heaven on
Sunday's, lessons every other Sunday. The trail is about 6 miles
one-way. The last mile is very steep but fun coming down. However,
they have radar out there and they will give you a ticket for
speeding, especially in the posted 5mph zones.

2. Campbell Par Course Trail - off Campbell Ave. near 17 and the
Pruneyard. The trail can be accessed in several places between
Hamilton and Campbell Aves. This trail is fun because it goes all the
way through Vasona Park into Los Gatos. The only caution is that there
are several wood bridges to cross. (Stay on your back wheels and use
short horizontal strokes, it's good for the adrenalin.)

From: cats...@aol.com (CatsMeow)
Date: 2 Jul 1994 08:50:06 -0400

Hellyer to Anderson Dam trail. 16 miles of paved trail that take you
to Morgan Hill near the Dam.

Los Gatos Creek trail. This starts on Willow Street, way at the west
end where it dead-ends and goes clear to Vasona Park. I think it's a
good 10 miles at least.

From: wal...@ready.eng.ready.com (Eugene Walden)
Date: Unknown

Another good place to go is Sawyer Camp Trail. It's only 6 miles long,
so I guess it doesn't qualify as really long, but there and back, you
get a good quiet 12 miles.

Take I-280 to Black Mtn Rd (just north of 92) and head west. Turn left
at the intersection and go another mile or so. It's on the right.

Follow the posted speed limits-- park rangers have radar and will give
citations for violators.

* Path or area location: Sawyer Camp Trail
* Directions: Take I-280 to the Black Mtn / Hayne Rd exit-- near
Half Moon Bay. Head west after you exit, until you reach the first
stop sign. There is a sign that points left to Sawyer Camp Trail.
Turn left. It is about 1-2 miles down after you turn.
* Parking information: Park on the side of the road about 1-2 miles
down. You'll see the entrance.
* Path length: 6 miles in one direction.
* Loop or non-loop: Non-loop.
* Average path width: Two lanes; each about sidewalk width.
* Minimum path width: Same throughout course.
* Average surface: Fairly smooth; no potholes; some cracks filled
with black goop.
* Worst surface: Some areas are cracked with the goop filling. The
goop can be kind of slippery, even when dry, so skate very
gingerly on this stuff.

When there has been rain, only attempt the first half of the
trail; the second half is shady, so it dries slower. The pavement
is very hard to skate on when wet.
* Number of hills: Several small hills, one huge hill on the last
mile of the course.
* Severity of steepest hill: If you are not very good at speed
control, do not skate the last mile. If you are good at speed
control, make sure to keep your speed down. The hill is windy, so
you risk running into peds and/or bikes if you fly too fast.
* Average steepness: Don't know what the grade is, but the big hill
is pretty darn steep.
* Obstacles: Pedestrians, bikes, skaters.
* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Saturday and Sunday
afternoons see pretty heavy traffic. Most of the traffic, though,
keeps to the first mile or two of the trail. So, after you get
past that, the number of other path users drops significantly.
* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Never gone during the
week-- don't know.
* Number of roads which cross the path: None.
* Number of stairways on the path: None.
* Distance markings: Every half mile.
* Any other pertinent information: There are usually two park
rangers who patrol the path. Thus, it is fairly safe. They also
have radar. The first and last half mile half posted speed limits
of 5 MPH. The rest has a speed limit of 15 MPH. They do ticket
violators, so you're wise to obey the speed limit.

Park is open dawn to dusk.

From: Jaw...@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Ron Drake)
Date: Unknown

The trail goes under the San Mateo Bridge all the way to the end of
Edgewater Boulevard in Foster City. As a matter of fact, the best part
of the trail is after the bridge. Makes eight miles, total. Traffic's
not too bad except for the occasional knot of cud-chewers and those
kids who bike out ahead of their parents and think nothing about
turning right in front of you to see if mom and dad are still visible.
If you start and finish at Edgewater, you can replenish your precious
bodily fluids at Chevy's with a couple of cold margaritas. From 101,
take Hillsdale Blvd. or H'way 92 to Edgewater. Turn right and follow
Edgewater to its end. Park. The trail begins at the end of the street
to the right.

The best street skating I've found so far is through western Menlo
Park near the Stanford campus to downtown. There are a number of
streets there that have bike lanes and not much vehicular traffic. The
streets are well- kept so that debris and surprise bumps are at a
minimum. The pavement varies in quality from excellent to garbage. The
area is bounded by Sand Hill Road, Valparaiso Road, El Camino and
Alameda de las Pulgas.

Those who go to Shoreline should be aware of the concert schedule.
It's always better to go when it's quiet. For those who want to get a
real workout, here's the prescription for doing 'laps' at Shoreline.
At the end of the stretch that parallels Moffett Field, there's that
series of double gates. Skate down the incline (Whoa!), out through
the cul-de-sac and make a right on Shoreline Boulevard.

From: dvol...@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (David Volansky)
Date: Unknown

at Stanford. Anybody have any details on this (when, where, etc...).
I believe this is put on by the skate shop Nuevo Colors...

The group meets at the Main Quad at about 7:15pm. The best place to
locate them is in the parking lot at the end of Palm/University Ave or
on the stairs near the lot - you can't miss them - the group usually
numbers in the 30s to 40s this time of year (more in summer, less in
the rain - yes, they go in the rain).

The group is very informal and doesn't really have a starting time or
leader. As it's getting darker, they're leaving earlier and earlier.

The ride usually goes until about 9 or 9:30 and includes some favorite
jumping spots on campus and a ride in the close-by neighborhood. Be
prepared for some hills - the smell of heal brake is really something
at the end of some of these runs. The route is the same each week, so
the darkness isn't too bad after a few weeks. In the beginning, just
stay behind someone who seems to know the route and be sure to listen
for the "stay to the right", "stay to the left", "watch out for the
big ditch" messages.

From: hay...@husc.harvard.edu
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 1995 03:36:10 -0400

There is a nice skate park (big bowl, small bowl, doughnut) in Palo
Alto in Greer park. Unfortunately, it is only open to skateboarders
which means you can only skate there after the attendent leaves (8 pm
in the summer and 6 pm the rest of the time). It's a lot of fun to
skate there. To get there take 101 to the Oregon Expwy exit and turn
left on the frontage road. Take it two or three blocks down to the end
of Greer Park. Turn right and the park is right there.

From apu...@us.oracle.com (Tony Purmal)
Date: Unknown

* Path or area location: Foster City, CA
* Directions: Get to Foster City by crossing 101 on Hillsdale Blvd
or Highway 92. The path circles the city next to the following
streets: Beach Park Blvd between Compass and the San Mateo Bridge,
East Third and J. Hart Clinton Drive from the bridge to and beyond
Mariner's Island Blvd. It follows Belmont Slough and Marina Lagoon
between Compass and Fashion Island Drive passing Townhouse, Condo
and Apartment complexes bordering those waterways.
* Parking information: Park along the streets mentioned above, or
park at a park along the path.
* Path length: About 10 miles
* Loop or non-loop: Can be done as a loop if you go between the path
endpoints. This can be done by taking Mariner's Island Blvd and
Fashion Island Blvd between East Third Ave and Marina slough. One
can also go along the wooden walkway (past Fashion Island Blvd) to
Shoal Drive and through Mariner's Island Park to get to Mariner's
Island Blvd to complete the loop.
* Average path width: 8 feet
* Minimum path width: 4 feet
* Average surface: semi-smooth asphalt
* Worst surfaces: Lots of raised cracks (linear and horizontal)
along bay on south side of bridge. Pitted rough surface on north
side of bridge where the path is close to the bay. Uneven pavement
in places along Belmont Slough. Wooden walkway between Fashion
Island and Shoal Drive (optional).
* Number of hills: Five or so very small hills.
* Severity of steepest hill: Very slight.
* Average steepness: Very slight.
* Obstacles: A wooden bridge along Marina Slough (very easy to
handle)
* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Unknown
* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Light and well behaved.
* Number of roads which cross the path: Between Fashion Island Blvd
and Mariner's Island Blvd, none. To complete the loop along
Mariner's Island Blvd and Fashion Island Blvd there are four
intersections and up to five side streets depending on which side
of the street you're on.
* Number of stairways on the path: None along the path, two if you
take the optional connection along the wooden walkway and other
roads to get to Mariner's Island Blvd to complete the loop.
* Distance markings: Beginning 1/4 mile south of the San Mateo
Bridge on the inside of the path there are markings every 1/4 mile
in faded yellow/orange paint through until Highway 92.
* Any other pertinent information: The path borders Belmont Slough
where one can see various wetland wildlife. There are also good
views of the east bay along Beach Park Blvd, and of San Francisco
north of the bridge.

The wind gets pretty strong at times, especially in the
afternoons, so be prepared. I prefer to skate into the wind on the
way out and with the wind on the way back.

From: apu...@us.oracle.com
Date: Unknown

Redwood Shores, CA (across 101 from Belmont, CA)

* Directions: Take Ralston Ave. east across 101, turns into Marine
World Parkway. Turn left onto Oracle Parkway at first light after
101 overpass.
* Parking information: Park at the parking lot at the first left
after getting onto Oracle Parkway, or continue around and park in
the area across from the Oracle Fitness Center.
* Path length: 1 mile
* Loop or non-loop: Loop
* Average path width: 7 feet
* Minimum path width: 4 feet
* Average surface: Smooth asphalt and sidewalk
* Worst surface: ...
* Number of hills: Three short inclines.
* Severity of steepest hill: Small angle
* Average steepness: Slight
* Obstacles: Occasional hoses when the maintanence people are
working.
* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Light
* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Light
* Number of roads which cross the path: The path crosses Oracle
Parkway twice where it meets Marine World Parkway. Cross from the
path on Oracle Parkway to the sidewalk on Marine World Parkway.
* Number of stairways on the path: None
* Distance markings: None
* Any other pertinent information: It gets very windy in Redwood
Shores, especially in the afternoons.

You can go from this path to the Foster City Bike and Walkway by
taking a right onto Island Parkway at the end of the path closest
to 101. Then follow the road over the bridge until it dead ends at
Concourse Drive and take a right. At the end of Concourse there is
a path leading to the Foster City path.

From the Oracle Fitness Center to the San Mateo Bridge on the
Foster City Path is five miles. (Take a right when you get to the
Foster City path)

From the Oracle Fitness Center to Hillsdale Blvd on the Foster
City Path is three miles. (Take a left when you get to the Foster
City path)

From: ji...@hkn.Berkeley.EDU (Jim Young)
Date: Unknown

On the peninsula, there are some nice, smooth trails at Crystal
Springs. I know some guys who skate from Mountain View to SF, so I
think some of the roads that parallel 280 are fairly nice.

Finally, in the south bay, I have a friend who skates on the Los Gatos
bike trail (it runs parallel to highway 17). It's sort of crowded with
joggers and runners, but it's better than skating in south bay
traffic.

From: t...@netcom.com (Tal Dayan)
Date: Unknown

This is Cunnigham park in San Jose. The park has a lake, and a trail
around it. The Perimeter trail (a loop) is 1.9 mile long but if you
use the trail just neat the water, it a little bit shorter. The park
has several parking lots which are virtually empty in this time of the
year (including weekends) which are good for figure skating. The one I
like the most is near the Marina (just below the Raging Water
entrance) which has new pavement and it slope make it ideal for slalom
(you might find the chalk marks I made this morning ;-> ). You can
feed the ducks (millions of them), fish (or at least try to), or have
Cock from the vending machine near the entrance to Raging Water. The
parking costs one $ but there is no body to pay for or a box to leave
the money so I consider it free (probably it is different at summer).

To get there, take 101 Tully exit east (one exit south to the point
were 101 and 280 met) and go on Tully all the way until you will see
the entrance on the left side (just after the airport).

From: sy...@synoptics.com (Shyh-Pei Yen)
Date: Unknown

Place: Shoreline Park in Mountain View
Direction: 101 exit Shoreline Blvd North. At the end of Shoreline Blvd
is the park entrance. Keep going until you get to the Boat House, you
can park there.
Fee: None.
Level: beginner and intermediate.
Description: There are plenty trials available in Shoreline Park where
you can skate. And there's one trail is super smooth which is really a
pleasure to skate on it. The parking lot is also very smooth. Best of
all, when you are tired, you can sit by the lake and watch people
windsurfing.
Drawback: The Park is getting crowded in the afternoon. Sometime, it's
hard to find a parking space by the lake.

San Luis Obispo

From: kiw...@zeus.calpoly.edu (Kinsley Wong)
Date: Unknown

[Try] Santa Rosa Parks, Perfumo Canyon Road, Palm Street Parking
Structure

Los Angeles

From: ad...@netcom.com (Edith Weil)

The Rose Bowl--terrific for its large and varied terrain, as well as
sparce population most of the time.

Griffith Park--the back end. It can have a lot of traffic going
through--especially on the weekends. If you start at the Crystal
Springs picnic area and work towards Burbank, the workout is well
paced, having inclines, straightaways, a few hills, and various
parking lots to stop and noodle around in. Also, rolling along under
the Eucalyptus trees is about as pleasant as anything--if you watch
out for the twigs and tree junk on the ground.

The Beach--an obvious choice, but about the nicest place to cruise
I've ever skated--with the exception of crowds. Now that summer's
here, the crowd situation will be problematic. I've gone from
Manhatten to Hermosa and back a couple-a-few times, as well as
starting in Santa Monica and working up towards Malibu. Both trips are
delightful.

A few weekends ago we went down to a park near the LA county
fairgrounds (I forget the name, but you can't miss it.) The lake is
circled by a concrete path going through the lawns and picnic areas
that lead down to the shore. We took a divergent path and ended up
going through a hilly area that wound up in a trailer park. Sort of
interesting day, not the best skating, but there's a hot-tub rental
place just outside the park if you want to relax afterwards. I'd go
there again just to do something different.

From: du...@aol.com (DuSki)
Date: 25 Apr 1995 16:28:31 -0400

Colin Summers (7224...@CompuServe.COM) asks:

...flying in a few weeks ago I looked down and there seemed to be a
bike path on the beach at the end of the LAX runway. I looked again
the next flight, sure enough there it is with bikers and bladers on
it. I bladed to the Marina Del Ray end of my run, but couldn't
figure out a way around the channel."

The path you are asking about is called "The Strand" and it goes from
Santa Monica all the way down to the cliffs at Palos Verdes. Since I
moved to Minnesota a few years ago and hadn't skated the Strand for a
while before that, I can't tell you exactly how to navigate through
the Marina, but I can tell you that its possible to get through on the
path without getting on Lincoln Blvd. And the view on the Strand
around Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo is DEFINITELY worth the trip
;-).. If I remember correctly, just stay as close to the water as you
can as you go through the Marina. Have fun!

From: jgo...@csulb.edu (John Godden)
Date: 26 Apr 1995 03:29:58 GMT

[Re the Strand] I have skated that path many times and yes you don't
have to use Lincoln blvd. Coming from the north you will dead end into
the Marina Del Ray channel. At this point just keep bearing to the
right as you circle around the marina. There are patches of bike path
and some low traffic street routes but its relatively obvious.
Eventually you will end up on Fuji Way which has lots of boat yard
type places. At the "end" of Fuji way you will see a clearly marked
sign on the South Side of the street that starts the bike path up
again. After a 3/4 mile westerly jaunt along Ballona Creak the path
hops over the creak and heads south towards the South Bay. Trust me
the trip will be worth it. The Finest stretch of sand and visuals you
will ever lay your eyes on.

One tip I will give you. There are generally moderate afternoon winds
from the north so it is best the plan your trip accordingly.

From: ke...@drogges.tti.com (Kevin Carothers)
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 21:43:35 GMT

I keep on praising the virtues of the Sepulveda Dam Recreation complex
all the time in this group --

It's fun, free, near the best skate shop in the San Fernando Valley,
and not boring -- a few chills & spills & hills, but extremely
navigatable on wheels... Approximately 16 miles of smooth 2-lane
concrete bike paths, and lots of parking. There are some cracks in the
sidewalk, some a result of the Northridge quake, but overall a good
experience. The only problem I have is that it is not very shady over
half of the trails. Oh Well.

Long Beach

From: el...@fitz.TC.Cornell.EDU (Doug Elias)
Date: Unknown

i just got back last night from a business trip to Long Beach Ca.,
during which i was able to escape my captors a few times in order to
sample some of the beach-skating along the Strand. My Macro-EQ's
having so far been fed exclusively on a diet of Ithaca pothole-and-
gravel, this was a golden opportunity to find out how they'd perform
under something better than, shall we say "marginal", conditions.
Suffice it to say that i'll be reliving that experience in my dreams
for quite some time to come, thanks in large measure to a guy i met in
one of the beach shops dotted along the Strand.

i was stroking past this little shack with the sign "Alfredo's"
painted on it when i saw a rack of 'blading accessories, so i pulled
in to look them over (cagey folks, that's exactly why they have them
out there in plain view). While i was looking over the wheels and
pads, out rolls Dana Bergman, Alfredo's resident inline-expert and a
member of their skating team. He's wearing a pair of Reidell's (sorry,
never got the model, but it's got 3 buckles and 4 wheels, if that's
any help), and we get to talking about Macro's (he had a pair when
they first came out) and bearings (did you know that Macro's used to
come stock with German bearings, and only recently switched to
Singapore NMB's? Dana was shocked and saddened) and proper
care-and-feeding-of-same. i got a first-hand lesson in popping dust
covers off of "sealed bearings" -- i use that phrase advisedly,
because that's how Rollerblade describes them in their technical
material. i told Dana that and he just laughed: "Yeah, all they want
to do is sell you a new set when they get gritty, instead of telling
you how to clean them and loosing the sale." So he pulls out a
brand-new set of German ABEC-3's still in the wrapper, digs a little
optical screwdriver (the kind you use to tighten your temples, for all
you four-eyes like me) out of his kitbag, and twists off one of the
covers. "Ya gotta be careful with those Singapore bearings, though",
he cautioned, "the covers are on a lot tighter and you might jab the
blade through your hand, but they still pick up dirt and grit." He put
a little dab of a light grease (i didn't catch the name, but it comes
in this 6" long black cardboard cylinder) inside the bearing, rubs it
around, then adds a drop or two of this fairly high-priced oil that
comes in a nifty little pocket-clip applicator with a long needle-tip,
"Mogema In-Line Racing Oil"; when the original supply of oil is used
up, he re-fills it with Marvel Mystery Oil, which he claims is just as
good, if a little thinner, and much cheaper. If he had had to clean
them first, he would have used a tuna can full of acetone to loosen up
the junk and dissolve any grease/oil that remained, pounded them a few
times on a hard surface to knock the loosened stuff out, then set them
out for a minute or two to let the acetone evaporate, followed by the
re-greasing procedure i just described.

My bearing are still doing fine, so i didn't buy any of his, but he
had a supply of aluminum spacers in stock, and i snapped up a full
set, and bought one of his pocket-oilers off him -- damn, you might
say i was impressed with how much better i rolled with the new spacers
and a couple of drops of oil per bearing.

Since the day was kinda cloudy and business was slack they closed up
and Dana took me back up the Strand to the Long Beach Natatorium
(where they held the swimming events in the '88 Olympics), and gave me
an introduction to stair-riding -- if only it were as simple as he
made it look. He said that there were four main points, whether you're
riding them frontwards or backwards:

1. have one foot "in front" (relative to the stairs),
2. put most of your weight on the back foot (the one coming down
last), and use the front one for balance and control,
3. have your weight forward (relative to yourself, i.e, bend over at
the waist and shift your weight to follow your upper body), and
4. keep the wheels that are going down first on both skates UP, don't
let them go DOWN, or you'll follow them.

Dana claims that backwards stair-riding is much more natural an
activity than going down frontwards, given the way our knees bend, and
that it's basically just our inbred fear of moving in a direction
opposite to the way we're facing that makes it seem otherwise. And, as
we all learned on our bikes when our training wheels came off, you're
more stable at-speed than you are going slowly. i believe him, but i
haven't worked my way up to practicing it quite yet -- now that i have
a good example of what to shoot for, it's only a matter of time (and
the obligatory case-or-two of stair-rash -- for damn-sure i'm going to
be wearing a helmet when i start practicing these moves; so far i've
gotten away with wrist-, elbow- and knee-protectors, but then i've
made it a serious point to keep my skates on the ground, and the
ground continuous rather than step-function-like).

That much would have been a nice addition to my stay in southern
California, but the next afternoon Dana took me for a guided tour of
downtown Long Beach that was little short of fantastic. Parking ramps,
waist-high walls around parking lots, 50-yard long drops down a 40%
grade followed by a hairpin over a swatch of dirt and into a parking
lot...but the absolute best had to be the Long Beach Veterans
Building, with three sets of 3-4 stairs separated by about 20-30 feet
each going down, and then a set of S-curves following the handicap
ramp going back up, all this fitting inside a 30 x 80 foot rectangle:
Dana likened it to the Long Beach Gran Pri for formula-1, and gave me
a demo, taking the stairs in nonchalant jumps that looked like an
alpine downhiller catching air over a mogul, and then powering up the
ramp with fast, powerful crossovers while leaning far out over ("But
don't touch!") the hand-rails. He and his friends race this course
frequently, but i couldn't figure out where they had room to pass,
certainly not on the ramp: "Oh, I always pass on the stairs, they all
yell: 'Look out! Here comes Dana!', and I just come blasting down".

He had lots of little tips picked up over the years, stuff like:
* wear a Walkman so you can skate to music -- it helps take your
mind off your skates and lets your body start learning how to use
them without your head getting in the way;
* play little games with inanimate objects, like seeing how close
you can come to light-posts, or spinning around fire-plugs, or
stoking full-speed at a garbage-can and doing a jump-turn-around
at the last second,
* play tag and follow-the-leader with your friends,
* kick around a tennis-ball (the way he described it, it almost
sounded like one-man miniature-soccer), and, most important,
* Never sit down or stop moving, you get locked up and stiff -- to
rest, stay on your skates and do little things like practice
turn-arounds, or zig-zags, or crossovers, or skating inside as
small an area (a concrete rectangle on the sidewalk) as you can
stay within.

In case anyone in the LA area is interested, the Alfredo's folks are
giving serious thought to the construction of an inline park somewhere
in Long Beach, with a speed-oval surrounding an inner playground with
ramps, stairs, tubes, and a re-creation of the the Veterans Building
Formula-1 course. They're already solidly behind city efforts to
convert an unused volleyball court just across the street from the
beach into a fully-functional roller-hockey facility; this should be
done well before summer officially starts.

One last tip for the beer-loving 'blader who visits the Long Beach
Strand: be sure to stop into the Belmont Brewery, just an in-field fly
away from the Natatorium: really great service which, frankly,
wouldn't be worth mentioning if it weren't for the truly fantastic
brewed-on-premise beers (okay, okay -- the food is excellent, too, but
the beers are really exceptional).

Bottom-line: if you have an opportunity to take your skates to Long
Beach, look up Dana and coerce him to give you a Downtown Long Beach
Tour -- he's really good company, a damn-fine skater, and an
all-'round nice guy. And don't forget the Belmont Brewery!

From: khsy...@aol.com (KH SYMBIOS)
Date: 20 Aug 1994 03:27:07 -0400

Another Ultimate place to skate is in Long Beach. Go park your car in
shorline park then skate the park for good measure. North of it is a
large dock area for Catalina Boats, there are wide expanses of
concrete there between the commercial buildings..great for freestyle
or hockey practice. If you go south of the shoreline village you can
skate on smooth and wide sidewalks beside the marina...this path takes
you to the beach sidewalk path which goes about 5 miles south past the
Belmont Pier and to the Seal Beach Breakwater. I think this is the
ultimate for skating. Wide range of terrain and nice views too!

Orange County

From: "Irene M. GRAFF" (IMG...@uci.edu)
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 94 13:15:05 PST

I live in Orange County, CA which has some great places to skate.
First off is the (mostly flat) beach recreation path which stretches
in various forms from Newport Beach through Huntington to Sunset
Beach. The best part of the path is along Huntington State Beach, but
Newport Beach is more interesting (albeit a slower skate due to heavy
use). The distance between Huntington and Newport Piers is about 10
miles round-trip. The surface north of Huntington Beach Pier is quite
a bit rougher but worth it for the bluff-top views and hill work.

At the southern end of Huntington State Beach, you can hook up with
the very long Santa Ana River Trail (over 40 miles round trip). This
path has many roadway underpasses but they are fairly smooth. For
extreme skaters, I've seen a lot of activity on the floor of the river
which is very accessible since it was rebuilt (no, it's not really a
"river" at most points, merely a flood channel, which is dry most of
the year).

If you like river trails, there are some good ones in the city of
Irvine. Irvine is very bike/skate friendly, but the University of
California at Irvine has, unfortunately, banned skating on campus
completely.

San Diego

From: Ann Patterson (an...@progress.com)
Date: 1 May 1995 23:03:48 GMT

There is also a Friday Night Skate in San Diego. It isn't as big as
San Francisco's, but we do the same kind of thing. We meet at Mike's
Bikes, near the rollercoaster in Mission Beach, at 6:30, and skate
10-20 miles, depending on where we go. Helmets are required.

From: mpe...@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Michael Peters)
Date: Unknown

Last November I enjoyed skating at Mission Bay on the walk along the
beach and at Lake Mirimar (sp?). The lake has a loop going around the
lake with lots of turns (nice for crossovers) and its about 5 mi.
around. Lots of bikes and skaters. Not many cars drive on this road
because automobile traffic is not allowed to travel the entire loop. I
believe there are signs on I-15 just north of San Diego. It is located
right next to the city of Scripps Ranch. The lake is a good place for
a workout, but Mission Bay is nice for a leisurely skate.

From: vla...@jeeves.ucsd.edu (Veda Larson)
Date: 8 Oct 94 03:05:32 GMT

Down here in San Diego, my fave haunt is Miramar Lake/reservoir, at
I-5 and Mira Mesa Blvd. It's a 5-mile loop around a very pretty lake
-- a nice workout routine. Even though lots of people go there
(bikers, runners, walkers, fishers :), they're all spread out so it's
still very peaceful. Play It Again Sports nearby rents skates, so you
can take your newbie friends, too. The west end of the lake is a sort
of dam overlooking the city, and the coast off in the distance. It is
a mind- and body- cleansing experience to skate around the lake and
stop at the west end to stretch and watch the sunsets on the ocean
beyond the city.

The boardwalk in Mission Beach and the paths around Mission Bay are
fun, and there are lots of rental shops nearby, but they are quite a
bit too touristy for my taste, especially in the summer.

From: as...@snugbug.cts.com (S0ren Ashe)
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 1994 16:38:02 GMT

For beginners: the Jack Murphy Stadium parking lot is huge, flat in
places, good slopes elsewhere. Balboa Park west of Cabrillo Bridge,
South Mission Beach from the parking lot to north of Crystal Pier is
classic SoCal beach boardwalk (mind the airheads!) Mission Bay by the
Hilton hotel, Miramar Lake, etc. For hocky go to Olympic Skate in
Fashion Valley between Interstate 8 and Friars Road, they have a court
and manage team competition.

From: vla...@jeeves.ucsd.edu (Veda Larson)
Date: 26 Oct 94 12:26:14 GMT

Behind the food court & ice rink at UTC (University Towne Centre) mall
there is a nice smooth, winding, moderately descending path that's
just wide enough for me to control my speed by slaloming if I
concentrate. It has always been totally deserted and is flanked by
hills with overlooking houses. The experience is actually a lot like
downhill skiing!

Ye olde path ends at Towne Centre Drive across from the Renaissance
Towne Centre, behind which there are more charming paths and bridges
by a creek. Overall skating distance is not long, but this is a cute
route to try if you're looking for something new to explore.

[caveat: UTC security will stop you ~10-20% of the time. you can go
around the back of the parking lot, carry your skates through the
mall, or skate slowly and carefully so as not to scare anyone. ;]

From: jo...@snugbug.cts.com (Joan Tine)
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 03:13:29 GMT

If you can't get south enough along the coast to skate South Mission
Beach at least once (and visit Hamel's Action Sports by the roller
coaster) you'll have missed the San Diego skating venue. (Not the
best, just the best known, and it's summer here:). It's less than 15
min. from La Jolla, come down the coast route, or I-5 S to I-8 W to W.
Mission Bay Drive, turn south at the roller coaster, go to the tip of
the peninsula and park..skate north to Crystal Pier, turn around, come
back to the parking lot, continue east, skate up the inside of the
bay-side of the peninsula, and continue around...(if you're inventive,
you can get to the Bahia Hotel without crossing the street).
Generally, you can get a quick 26 miles without exposing yourself to
cars, and the parking lot at south Mission is where a lot of people
who aren't stunting in front of Hamel's practice.

La Jolla itself is pretty hilly, the Cove is quite steeeeeeeeeep!
<splash>. You could always try Mt. Soledad...(if your name is Francois
Hyacinthe). UCSD is pretty nice, and skates are proabably as nice a
way to see the (haloooooooooo ooooooo ooooo) campus as any.

But bring your swimwear (or buy some there!) and skate the MB Board-
walk...mind the tourists in trance and the loadies on weed, and you'll
be fine.

_________________________________________________________________

COLORADO
* Glenwood Canyon
* Breckenridge-Vail
* Fort Collins
* Boulder
* Denver
* Colorado Springs

Glenwood Canyon

From: p...@indra.com (Philip A Earnhardt)
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 1995 20:17:09 GMT

About 170 miles west of Denver on I-70 is the town of Glenwood
Springs. The last 13 or so miles of this trip run through Glenwood
Canyon. As of two years ago, it is a full-blown 4-lane stretch of
Interstate highway. It is beautiful: the highway was terraced along
the north side of the Colorado River. In this section of highway,
there are four rest stops; each is a work of art. Once you view this
section of highway, you may have the same reaction I did: you will be
proud that this is something your tax dollars helped create!

Along the same stretch highway for 16.3 miles lies the Glenwood Canyon
Trail. This is one of the nicest trails I've ever skated. The four
rest areas on the path are a welcome relief from the normal lack of
facilities. Traveling at slower-than-automobile speeds gives one an
opportunity to see the natural and man-made beauty in the Canyon in
detail. Over most of the length of the path, the Colorado River is
literally a dozen feet away. In short, it's a totally awesome skating
trip not to be missed!

The trailhead is immediately east of the Hot Springs Pool and the
Vapor Caves in Glenwood Springs. For the first 2.5 miles, the trail
uses pre-existing asphalt that is pretty low-grade. At the first rest
stop, the No Name Rest Area, you pick up high-grade concrete trail for
the remainder of the trip. The No Name rest area is about 150 feet
above the river -- you will have both the steepest climb and descent
going through No Name.

Once east of No Name, you will be very close to the Colorado for the
duration of the path. At No Name, the Colorado has an elevation of
5780 feet; at Mile 10 of the trail -- the lake at the Shoshone Dam --
the elevation is 6100 feet. From there to the Mile 16, there's
probably less than another 100 feet of elevation gain. This is not a
beginner's trail, but it's not Extreme Games material, either.

The Grizzly Creek rest area comes a bit after Mile 5. The No Name
facility is not visible from the trail, but this one is. These are
awesome facilities! There is a trailhead that goes north up the
Grizzly Creek path. Don't be fooled by the fact that it starts out
paved; that peters out after about 1/4 of a mile.

The stretch between Grizzly Creek and the Shoshone Power Plant is a
major stretch of some Class III - IV rapids. If you go during the
summer, you'll see a fair number of kayakers and raft outfitters
through here.

The only features at the Shoshone Power Plant (Mile 7) exit are a big
building a parking lot, and a boat launch. The highway interchange is
interesting: while you can only exit from I-70 in the Eastbound
direction, you can enter the highway only in the Westbound direction.
The interchange at the Hanging Lake Rest Area is set up the same way.
Lack of space -- and minimization of impact to the Canyon -- forced
these restrictions.

You will find no boaters between the Power Plant and the Shoshone Dam
(Mile 10): this section of the river has a pair of Class VI (i.e.,
unpassable) rapids. This section also has the greatest climb -- about
200 feet -- for the whole trip. Immediately before the Dam, you will
cross underneath the highway. Note the individual maintenance catwalks
underneath the bridge for each lane of traffic.

You are now at the Dam and the Hanging Lake Rest Area. The two-lane
road used to go along the lake; I-70 now goes through the Hanging Lake
Tunnels. Part of the construction was to completely remove all traces
of the old highway before putting in the concrete trail and
landscaping. Again, this rest area is a work of art! As with all of
the rest stops, watch out for peds wandering on and off and across the
trail; they may not realize that they are on a thoroughfare!

From here, the trail is relatively uneventful to its end. When skating
the trail over the Memorial Day weekend (5/29/95), my friend and I
encountered a large puddle in one of the tunnels under the highway. We
wound up "borrowing" several bales of hay that the highway department
had left nearby, creating a series of steps over the water hazard.

The eastern end of the trail (Mile 16.3) is a mile or so into Eagle
County. There's a small parking facility here.

Despite the proximity of the Interstate highway, the trail is overall
fairly quiet: most of the way, the path is about 10 feet lower than
the highway. There is also a wall and ledge separating you from the
traffic.

The main annoyance is the presence of 50-100 drainage grates
periodically spaced along the path. While climbing up the path, they
pose no problem -- the spacing is too narrow to catch your wheels. You
can play a game of avoiding the gaps in the grating by precisely
setting down your skate.

On the trip down, they are a bit more of an annoyance. There are
sections of the path when you may be going quite fast and don't want
to risk anything getting caught. I recommend using very subtle
mini-jumps over the grates. If you time them right, you don't even
have to have your wheels off of the ground -- you just need to have
your skates unweighted.

Other than the grates, the main issue is your fellow trail users. As
noted above, drop your pace while cruising through the rest areas.
Many people who are wandering around the area may even recognize that
they're crossing a trail. There will be some inexperienced
cyclists/skaters/walkers on the path. Be particularly careful between
the Dam and the Power Station both when passing and being passed.

Navigation on the trail is quite simple; a map is not necessary.
Because of the rest areas, it's unnecessary to carry much water with
you. However, you should take some munchies for the trip.

I recommend doing the entire 33-mile round trip. If this is too much,
the first place to cut would be to begin and end your journey at the
No Name rest stop. This will remove about 6 miles and all of the
low-grade pavement out of the trip. A good 10-mile mini-excursion
would be to start at Grizzly Creek and skate up to the Shoshone Dam
and back. Finally, the mini-mini trip would be a round trip between
the Shoshone Power Station and the Dam.

Note: the Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs have been specially
engineered to help tired skaters quickly recover from their efforts in
the Canyon.

Safety notes: The Colorado sun is intense. Please apply a bunch of
waterproof sunscreen before starting. For your face, I recommend the
Neutrogena Sunblock Stick. This stuff won't run into your eyes even if
you sweat a lot. Helmets are mandatory for this trip. Check your brake
pads before you start -- you may want to put a fresh one on before you
do the downhills. Watch the weather forecasts: afternoon showers are
typical over the summer. You may want to start the skate early in the
day and/or have a contingency plan in place in case of an unexpected
shower.

There is a 32-page picture booklet, _A Guide to Glenwood Canyon_ (ISBN
0-9634382-1-2), that provides detailed information about the canyon:
river elevations, detailed highway and path drawings, plants and
animals through the canyon, history, geology, etc. I used it as a
reference for preparing this posting. If your local bookstore can't
order the book, Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore (800.833.9327) can.

Breckenridge-Vail

From: p...@blackcat.stortek.com (Phil Earnhardt)
Date: Unknown

This is a fairly old trail; it was even re-surfaced a year or two ago.
It's an asphalt trail that runs from Breckenridge, CO to Vail, CO --
somewhere around 25 miles in each direction.

The section from Breckenridge to Frisco is fairly mundane. The section
from Frisco to Copper Mountain climbs about 600 feet in 6 miles -- a
fairly steep grade. If you are experienced in braking, the descent on
this trail is absolutely fabulous. If you're an efficient climber, the
climb is pretty fun, too -- you'll be passing a lot of tourists using
their Mountain Bikes in a fairly inefficient manor.

The section from Frisco to the top of Vail Pass climbs about 1000 feet
in 5 miles. Pretty steep stuff. It's a neat path -- winding
switch-backs in a "wilderness" area between the split-apart sections
of I-70. There's a rest stop at the top, so you don't have to lug lots
of water with you.

The section from the top of Vail Pass to Vail drops about 2000 feet in
7 miles. This is pretty mondo steep. Some sections of the trail are
just off the EB side of I-70 and the air is filled with the smell of
almost-melting truck brakes. Not fun. Also, you must be a skilled
braker to navigate this steep, narrow trail. Dual brakes may be a
necessity -- I wouldn't try it with just one. Also, I wore out 6
brakes the last time I did this, and still wasn't in town.

If you're unclear if you qualify as a skilled braker, here's my test:
how many brakes have you worn out and replaced? If it's over a dozen,
you'll probably be OK on this trail. Less than 3 is a No Pass
(literally!).

Fort Collins

From: mcki...@me.umn.edu (Peter J. McKinney)
Date: Unknown

IMHO, The best in-line skating in Ft. Fun is along the Poudre River
and Spring Creek trails. They're paved nicely and are shared by
bicyclists, inline skaters, and pedestrians. There's at least 10 or 12
miles of trail and you should be able to pick up a map at any Ft.
Collins bike store.

Boulder

From: ai...@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Jim Aites)
Date: Unknown

I would like to take this time to submit my nomination for
"blade-capital" of the the world. (what do ya' mean you didn't know we
were voting?)

The city is Boulder, Colorado.

Last week-end I drove 50 miles (each way) to visit this famed area. It
is as good as the rumors have indicated. Every major road around town
has a 'greenway' containing a 6 foot wide contrete bikepath on both
sides of the road, and even the roads without 'greenways' still have
the wide walkways.

The prettiest/best run in town is the Boulder Creek Bikepath. This
path starts (at the top) about 2 hundred yards up the mouth of the
Boulder Creek Canyon, and windes for about 7 miles along the creek to
the far east side of town. It's all contrete, mostly shaded by trees,
about 5 bridges over the creek allowing travel on both sides of the
creek, and has at least 4 parks along the way.

I didn't take the time to check out all the intersecting paths which
lead off to other parts of town. (next time!) I saw a blades hockey
game in progress, about 5 beginers (practicing in near by parking
lots), almost as many Bladers as bicyclists on the path itself, and
even found some other folks who had commuted (from Denver) to check
out the turf as I was doing.

From: p...@teal.csn.org (Phil Earnhardt)
Date: Unknown

Boulder Creek trail is swell. Between 1st and 30th street is really
intermediate terrain, but there are a lot of beginners there. Between
1st and fourmile canyon turnoff is an expert trail: quite steep with
no turnouts. From 30th to 60th (or so) is a very mellow, very pretty
trail. When you come back to the west, you can see the entire
Continental Divide.

There are a lot of other good trails in town.

Both Boulder and Denver have bike maps. The Boulder one shows
road/path grades (and direction). The Denver one doesn't, but there
are a lot more trails down there. REI sells the Denver map.

From: msha...@aol.com (M Shafran)
Date: 17 Jan 1995 14:02:33 -0500

Well, there aren't any trails really conducive to speed in Boulder, so
most of us tend to do our long skates out on the Diagonal (especially
now that both sides are smoothly paved). My speed club, Quicksilver,
and the Roller Express USAC club, also do a lot of training around
Celestial Seasonings' headquarters - it's smooth and almost a perfect
1K loop. [...] If you have any other questions, just give me a buzz at
InLine Retailer at (303) 440-5111, ext. 703.

Denver

From: p...@teal.csn.org (Phil Earnhardt)
Date: Unknown

Cherry Creek -- from the dam to the South Platte River -- is a pretty
neat playground. The trail along the South Platte goes for many miles.
Remember the magic rule: go upstream first, so you won't run out of
gas on the return trip.

C-470 -- the 1/4 beltway -- has a bike path along about 80% of its
distance. Here, substitute "wind" for "stream" in the magic rule.

Check with Grand West Outfitters for info on hockey and more
structured activities. They're at Broadway and 6th -- right off of the
Cherry Creek Trail.

My recollection is that there are several shops listed under skating
equipment listed in the phone book. One of them was adjacent to a
park, (the one with the Zoo or Washington park, not sure), which
might be the place for public skating. Calling or visiting these
shops would be a good source of info.

Wash Park is pretty busy and the trails are not the best.

Both Boulder and Denver have bike maps. The Boulder one shows
road/path grades (and direction). The Denver one doesn't, but there
are a lot more trails down there. REI sells the Denver map.

I'm going to try the moby long Denver viaduct sometime this summer....

Colorado Springs

If you have web access, there is a little bit of Colorado Springs
skating info available at http://usa.net/chanlz/blade.html.

_________________________________________________________________

HAWAII

From:g...@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Date: Unknown

In the Honolulu area, the terrain in town is pretty flat, but you can
get into some serious hill-climbing instantly if you want to head
inland. Great view though, if you work your way up the hill right
behind Honolulu.

The roads in town are good, but it is a pretty dense urban area, more
like western business districts than NYC though. Expect to deal with
traffic and try to avoid getting stuck playing tag with the frequent
city buses - it's hard work to get past and stay ahead, miserable to
stay behind or play leapfrog.

From: g...@tharsis.com (George Robbins)
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 16:03:40 GMT

The general layout of the islands is that there is one main road that
runs around the fairly level shore plateau area, with a few cross
cuts. Most of the secondary roads cut inward to farm or residences and
are often unpaved and/or private. The trend of the main road is flat,
but since you are on the skirts of a volcanic mountain, there will
frequent spots where the road drops down into a ravine to cross a
bridge, then back up again. Since there's only one road, traffic can
be heavy during the going back and forth parts of the day. If you like
distance skating you should be ok, but it'll probably always be
there-and-back along the same road. You need to plan your trips to
insure that you've got adequate water and that there are places where
you can stop, eat and chill out in the shade, it can be a long way
between convenience stores or gas stations!

This is based mainly on Kaaui, the most rustic of the islands, but
time spent in the Waikaki area suggests the basic idea holds for all
of the islands, as soon as you get out of the "city".

One final warning is that while the people are generally friendly,
there are quite a few folks trying to live in paradise without visible
means of support, which can engender a gypsy like attitude towards
visitors and their possesions. Hawaii (the big island) has also had
problems with more organized car burglary/assaults at scenic spots,
but this may be ancient history.

From: tes...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu
Date: Tue Nov 30 04:05:22 1993

[...] Oahu is not conducive to non-auto traffic. While you see a fair
amount of bicycles and mopeds, you are at the mercy of the cars when
you're out on the road. Worse, there are painfully few bicycle trails
on the island--a lack of land and planning both. Worse, drivers are
not friendly toward cyclists and skaters. They will turn right without
blinking or looking, assuming that there's no traffic to their right
because they're in the right lane--or they will parallel park on the
road and the drivers will open their doors right onto the middle lane.
I have had some friends of mine French kiss some car door interiors
this way--ouch!

The safest and most popular spot to rollerblade on the entire island
is Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island. Magic Island is a little
area at one end of Ala Moana Beach Park that was filled in many years
ago by the Ilikai Hotel when they realized that their customers
couldn't see Diamond Head anymore because of all the development. Ala
Moana Beach Park itself is outside of Waikiki, across the street from
the large Ala Moana Shopping Center. You'll encounter all kinds--kids
learning, adults learning, kids whirling around adults learning,
adults doing laps around a loop, etc. Basically, these "loops" around
Magic Island are wide enough to accommodate joggers and skaters both.
Nice view of Diamond Head, too.

The other (and more closer site to Waikiki) would be Kapiolani Park,
at the Diamond Head of Waikiki by the Honolulu Zoo. They have a 2.5
mile jogging loop around it that you can use--except at parts it's
cracked and not too wide--so that's a caveat.

From: rab...@cris.com (Rabbett)
Date: Unknown

Should you come to Oahu, do yourself a favor and skate Kailua town on
the windward side... miles and miles of flat and low rise asphalt...
most of it in primo condition. Trade winds, blue skies, quiet
neighborhoods and a mere couple blocks from the beach. Also, further
into Kailua..is Lanikai...about 3.7 miles around, it is an oceanside
residential loop with staggering beauty and colorful homes and people.

From: mi...@sun.lclark.edu (Mike Muronaka)
Date: 11 Nov 1994 12:55:08 -0800

I haven't skated much there, but the following areas have potential:

General cruising - Residential Kailua/Lanikai is mostly flat and has
little traffic. There's supposedly something resembling a waterfront
outside of downtown Honolulu, but I never got there. Remember that
skating isn't allowed in Waikiki (who'd want to go there anyway?) If
anyone tells you Magic Island is a good place, they're either lying or
not very skilled skaters (nice scenery, too small).

Downhills - Since Oahu is mostly a giant mountain range, it's easy to
find a spot to test how well your brake works. Go to Tantalus for
curves. There's this one hill (sorry, can't remember specifically
where) where I had to throw my car in first going down and still rode
the brakes : ). Keep your eyes peeled.

Street - Schools. The University has loads of terrain toys. There's a
large concrete bowl (skate park?) in Honolulu, but everytime I've gone
by there, it's chained off. There's a quarter pipe at the Kailua
Intermediate playground. I've actually seen skateboarders on it, but
again, it's mostly chained off.

Be aware that Hawaii drivers for the most part don't understand the
concept of bicycles on the road, so inlining should be no exception.
Stay on the sidewalk in high traffic areas. I've been told that
inlining is also getting more popular (i.e. seen on people above the
age of 5 who aren't tourists), so you might not get as many stares as
I did : ).

_________________________________________________________________

IDAHO

The In-Line Idaho Web page is located at the URL:
http://www.idbsu.edu/ilskate/.

* Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls
* Boise
* Sun Valley

Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls

From: ah...@boi.hp.com (Andy Hill)
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 1994 18:10:48 GMT

The Centennial Bike Trail is a long, wide asphalt trail that extends
between Riverside State Park (NW of Spokane) and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

I was coming from the Idaho side, so I first started on the eastern
end of the trail (near the Coeur d'Alene resort). Only went a couple
of miles before turning around - lots of busy street crossings, a
railroad crossing (at the bottom of a steep embankment) that had to be
walked, and then devolution into a dirty, marked-off "bike lane" at
the eastern side of Post Falls. Blech!

After retracing my route, I drove to the western side of Post Falls (I
believe it is Post Falls Park). I skated up a short hill to the east,
and got back on the trail, heading west toward the state line (a bit
over 4 miles away). This was a much nicer section - very wide and
smooth, pretty clean, and hardly used (I was skating about 10AM on a
Saturday; probably saw a dozen people at most for the entire trip).
There were a few rural street crossings that could be rolled through,
and one nasty crossing (lot of road debris and traffic) at the Post
Falls Outlet Mall, approx. 1 mile from the state line. Probably the
worst feature of the trail is that it parallels I-90 for much of its
length, so there's a lot of traffic noise (too bad they couldn't have
put the trail along the Spokane River - that would be a real pretty
pathway). Once past the Outlet Mall, there were no more street
crossings. The bridge over the Spokane River at the state line was
pretty neat. After crossing the river, there is a sharp turn to the
right, and a somewhat steep downhill before crossing under I-90. After
this, I only went a couple of more miles before turning around. Mostly
gentle hills, with a couple of slightly steeper spots - nothing that
an experienced skater couldn't handle.

In summary, this is an excellent skating trail, if you get on at the
right place. I'd probably recommend parking at the Outlet Mall, and
heading west from there, although my route starting at Post Falls Park
wasn't particularly bad. Next time I'm up that direction, I'll try to
check out other sections of the trail - if I remember correctly, it's
about 40 miles end-to-end.

Boise

From: Bogi...@aol.com
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 22:53:31 -0400

Best long skate:
The Boise River Greenbelt from Municipal Park east to Lucky Peak
Reservoir. Round trip: about 18 miles. Description: Mostly flat, three
fun little hills, lovely scenery along the Boise River Valley. Notes:
This stretch of the Greenbelt is mostly used by serious bikers and
skaters. Best time of day: early morning before the crowds mount and
the temps rise. Not much shade, no water till you get to the park at
the dam so bring plenty. Crowded on weekends, deserted during the
week.

Best recreational skate:
The campus of Boise State University. Lots of stairs, ramps,
obstacles, stadium parking lots, and slick sidewalks. This is a
weekend-only skate not to be attempted during classes. Campus police
will gladly bust your ass. The Greenbelt is accessible from the campus
but this stretch is super crowded with geeks and newbies: No fun for
the experienced skater.

Best aggro experience:
Eluding the cops downtown. On any evening the streets are nearly
deserted. Plenty of night spots with blade-friendly attitudes. Coffee
shops, newsstands, bars, etc. Most of the industrial and corporate
buildings have security guards that will gladly try to have you
busted. Don't try to skate around the state capitol building.

Best vert experience:
Rhoades Skate Park, 15th and Grove streets, downtown. Named after the
man who built the place single-handed, there's a hockey rink, a couple
of quarter pipes, and some rails. (Hey, this is Boise!)

Best rink:
Twenty minute drive to Nampa, Idaho, and the Rollerdrome. Old wooden
floor, curved benches. The rink in Boise, Skateworld, is a pit.

Sun Valley

From: ah...@boi.hp.com (Andy Hill)
Date: Unknown

Just got back from a work/play boondoggle in Sun Valley, Idaho. If you
ever have a chance to come through this area in the
spring/summer/fall, check out the Wood River & Sun Valley trails.

The Wood River trail is a very recent rails-to-trails conversion. It's
21 miles long (42 round trip), extremely smooth, and not much climb.
It's a cross-country ski trail in the winter (there was still quite a
bit of snow on either side of the trail this week).

The Sun Valley trail is about a 20 mile loop around Dollar mountain.
Not quite as smooth, and has some road intersections that are a bit
gravelly. Quite a bit more climb than the Wood River trail (with some
screaming downhill sections). Bring a spare brake!

_________________________________________________________________

MONTANA

Custer Battlefield

From: eig...@uiuc.edu (Amy Ryan)
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 09:29:49 -0500

Little Big Horn in Montana has a small walking trail, to tell you
about the battles that occurred and the fall of custer. The trail is
at the far end of the 5 mile drive. This is along the road that
connects Eastern Montana to Cheyenne Wyoming. It provides for a scenic
break during a long drive and is a historic site as well. It's
completely free. Warning: there is a very steep hill, major T-stops or
brakes required.

_________________________________________________________________

NEVADA

Las Vegas

From: pa...@terminus.intermind.net (Paul Phillabaum)
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 17:01:20 -0800

Although it might seem a little strange, a great place to skate in Las
Vegas is UNLV. The campus use grass and trees instead of 'desert
landscaping' which is popular here, giving it a nice comfortable
backyard feeling. Lots of wide, smooth concrete sidewalks, with
emergency turnouts (grass 8-) ) liberally spread all over campus. The
campus is pretty empty during the evenings, and weekends. On an
average weekend, you'll probably see 3 or 4 groups of skaters, and
campus police seem to be skater-friendly. Best of all, during the
Africa hot summers, the campus seems 10 degrees cooler because of all
the grass. It's comfortable to skate around 6:30 pm, and you can get a
few hours a skating in relative comfort.

From: wa...@ptigris.win.net (Wayne)
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 1995 18:19:15 GMT

I found the back streets easy to skate. They parallel the strip and
the traffic is not to bad. I stayed at Circus Circus and the security
guard caught me skating on C.C. property and told me it was not
allowed. I had to walk to the street carrying my skates and put them
on at the side walk. The water slide (Wet & Wild) parking lot is
large, smooth and if not to full can be used also. The day I was there
it was closed. The whole time in Vegas I only saw two other skaters on
the street.

_________________________________________________________________

UTAH

Park City

From: kl...@captain-crunch.ai.mit.edu (Klaus B. Biggers)
Date: Unknown

My favorite skate is Royal Street in Park City, UT. It's a road that
goes about half to two-thirds of the way up Deer Valley Ski Resort.
Lots of turns and lots of new pavement. It's probably about 500 meters
(~1600 ft.) vertical and an absolute blast. There is little traffic
and the police are very mellow about the whole thing (the town does
depend on tourism you know). You can either bomb down it risking the
tarmac (sp?) tickle or get thousands of turns (literally). Its really
great in the summer since the temperature is rarely over 78 degrees F
or so. Also, in the winter, a bus runs up to the top on a regular
schedule and doesn't cost a dime. I kind of like the grunt up. It is
kind of strange though watching a blader skate by a "Watch for Ice"
hazard sign..

_________________________________________________________________

WASHINGTON
* Seattle
* Spokane

Seattle

From: fhan...@netcom.com (Frank Hansche)
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 22:56:02 GMT

There's a book called "Rolling Around Seattle" which tells of all the
good places to skate here. The author has personally skated every one
of the places in his book. You can find it at ski/skate shops and
probably at REI.

From: Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)
Date: 30 Jun 1995

A recent article in InLine magazine stated that skating on the streets
of downtown Seattle was illegal under the usual "playing tin the
streets" law, but was okay elsewhere. Supposedly the police are pretty
cool about not enforcing it, but don't go out of your way to test
their tolerance.

From: pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov (Robert B. Schmunk)
Date: Tue, 06 Sep 1994 14:22:13 -0500

Seattle is not really a skating town. The problem is likely due to the
fact that the hills of Seattle make it somewhat difficult to skate
from point A to point B unless you have strong calf muscles.
Additionally, many of the streets are paved in a somewhat rough tarmac
that tends to give your feet the old washboard massage and wears
brakes down pretty quickly. Thus, during a 10-day stay in Seattle I
saw only one skater other than myself who was on the streets of the
city.

Nevertheless, there are places in Seattle to skate, as the city
government has been kind enough to provide lots of bike/ped paths that
are physically separate from the streets. The three paths I sampled
all had very gentle terrain as they were located on/near the shores of
one of the bodies of water in/around Seattle. A side benefit of being
near the water is that some of these paths have truly splendid scenery
to look at while you're rolling along.

1. Green Lake: A couple people suggested to me that the 2.9-mile
trail around this lake NW of the Univ. of Washington might be the
place to skate in Seattle, but they're sadly disillusioned. The
basic problem is that this trail gets a lot of pedestrian traffic,
and the lane for bikes/skaters is never more than 3 ft wide. Thus,
for beginners this is not a good place because of the possibility
of colliding with a pedestrian, and the more advanced skaters will
be frustrated by the slow skaters/pedestrians blocking the trail
ahead.
2. Elliot Bay Trail: This trail starts just slightly north of Pier 70
and follows the shore of Puget Sound to just beyond the grain
terminal at Pier 86. After that it takes a big swerve inland to go
around the auto off-loading facility at Terminal 91, and then
comes back out to the Sound and terminates at Smith Cove. Besides
Pier 70, you can access the trail from a couple of streets just
north of Terminal 91. Between Piers 70 and 86, the pedestrian and
wheel (bike/skater) portions of the path are physically separated,
and peds will growl if you take the wrong path. This separateness
does make the trail somewhat more interesting to advanced skaters
looking for a place to work out, and the flat topography is
balanced by the wonderful view.
3. Waterfront: This may actually count as a southern extension of the
Elliot Bay trail, but a large gap between them suggests that it
might be otherwise. Anyway, the various tourist piers along the
shore immediately downhill from downtown are located along Alaskan
Way. On the city side of the road is a trolley track for the
tourists, and immediately adjacent to it is a bike/ped path that
stretches from about a half mile south of Pier 70 down to a point
about even with the Kingdome.
4. Burke-Gilman Trail: Of the places I skated in Seattle, this was by
far the best. I'm not quite sure where the western end of the
trail is located, but the easiest place to find it is where it
crosses Fremont Ave. right on the north side of the Fremont Bridge
over the Washington Canal. (At this point it's only a bike lane
marked on the road.) From here it heads eastward along the canal,
along the north side of Lake Union, and past Husky Stadium on the
UW campus. Beyond there it begins to wend its way a little inland,
but breaks back out to follow the NW edge of Lake Washington just
beyond Magnuson Park. This was about as far as I followed the
trail, but it is supposed to continue further north along the
lake, and then turn eastward to go through Bothell, and eventually
terminate after something like 30 miles near the Ste. Michelle
winery in Woodinville. This trail has many good views, a little
bit of topography, and what I considered a surprisingly low level
of traffic. It was also the only place in Seattle that I ever saw
a blader on five-wheel racing skates. The only real problem with
this trail is that although it crosses residential streets
somewhat frequently, it doesn't often get near a 7-11 where I
could grab a Gatorade.
BTW, if you're in the downtown area, it's easy to get to the BG
trail by just following Dexter Ave. north. This road has bike
lanes on both sides and the slope of the hill provides a good but
not murderous workout.
5. UW campus: Although there aren't any official skating routes (that
I noticed) on campus, this is a pleasant place. There's lots of
topography, some flats (Red Square!) and streets which all seemed
to have been recently paved.
6. Other trails: There are several other official bike/ped paths in
Seattle, and skaters would be well-advised to purchase a street
map which has them marked. One trail I plan to try the next time
I'm in town runs along the west side of Lake Washington south of
Lake Union. It looks to be pretty long, and also offers access to
a bike/skating lane on the floating bridge to Mercer Island.

Summation: On a scale of 1 to 5, skating Seattle was about a 3.

From: mat...@sierra.com (Mathew Hendrickson WAS Seattle)
Date: 10 Oct 1994 22:52:07 GMT

Three places that I know of:
1. Burke-Gilman trail: It starts at Gasworks park (north end of Lake
Union), goes northeast through the south and east side of the UW
campus, then heads north to the north end of Lake Washington (Log
Boom park, about 12 miles from Gasworks park), where it connects
with:
2. Sammamish Slough trail: It starts at Marymore park and heads north
along the Sammamish Slough trail to the north end of Lake
Washington, where it connects with the Burke-Gilman trail. From
Marymore park to Gasworks park is about 25 miles.
3. Greenlake: This is not a place to get a workout; there are too
many people walking on the trail during daylight hours. It is only
for easy blading unless you plan to go at 3 am (some people do).

There are also various parking lots (the NOAA parking lot at Sand
Point is a good one).

From: fhan...@netcom.com (Frank Hansche)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 1994 14:28:23 GMT

Jann E VanOver (je...@chinook.halcyon.com) wrote:

[...] there's a couple good trails in the South End, near the South
Center Shopping Mall. Just east of S. Center, along the west side of
the Green River, there's a nice trail. It has rather a lot of
walkers at lunch time (being near many office complexes) but is
nearly empty in the afternoon. Smooth pavement, relatively scenic.

And, about 1/4 mile west of there, under a powerline, is the
Interurban trail. Many many miles of nearly unused trail.

The Green River Trail starts in Tukwila, runs south to Kent and ends
at the Riverbend Golf Course. It's a good trail but parts of it are on
little used roads. So, you may have to share it with cars.

The Interurban Trail runs south through the Kent Valley to Pacific. I
have not yet skated it, but have seen many skaters on it. It is very
underused and looks to be a great place to skate.

The Soos Creek Trail is east of Kent and is great if you like hills. I
have biked this trail but not skated it. Go east up Smith to 256th and
continue east until 148th. Turn left until you see a small county
park. You can access the trail from there.

From: Amy Ryan (eig...@uiuc.edu)
Date: Mar 22 1995

In Seattle Washington, there is a small extreme park that is pretty
much indoors.. The park is covered, but has fenced sides. It does stay
dry during rain though. The park is called Bellevue Skate Park and it
on 40th and Bellevue-Redmond in Bellevue. The park has a variety of
quarter pipes and grind boxes and is being remodelled to incorporate a
half pipe. The club is on the very bottom of the big log-cabinish
health club. It's next door to the YMCA. If you can't find the club,
try calling Gravity Sports in Renton for directions..

Spokane

See Coeur d'Alene, ID for information about the Centennial Bike Trail
which extends east from Riverside State Park.

_________________________________________________________________

WYOMING

Cheyenne

From: eig...@uiuc.edu (Amy Ryan)
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 09:29:49 -0500

Wyoming is not a hotbed of skating activity. As a matter of fact when
I skated in Cheyenne, i got some pretty strange looks as if they
hadn't seen inlines before. In Cheyenne there is a park with a trail
across from the airport. I forget its name, but its the one with the
buffalo and antelope zoo.. ask anyone in town and they can most likely
point you to it.

Downtown Cheyenne has some nice sidewalks and small stairs near the
capital building.. just don't skate on the sidewalks by the new
library, they don't like that too much. Indoors there is a roller rink
next door to the pizza hut and bingo hall. I can't remember the name
of it, but from the airport, take dell range road to the mcdonalds and
turn right. go down that street for 3-7 blocks and it will be on the
right hand side.

_________________________________________________________________

-rec.sport.skating.inline FAQs maintained by Tony Chen
(adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

-"Where to Skate" edited by Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)

_________________________________________________________________

*This logo is Copyright Š 1994 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is

granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this

copyright notice is included as an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo.

The logo may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial

documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part14

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Where to Skate - Central North America
_________________________________________________________________

WHERE TO SKATE - CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA *

(Last changed: July 29, 1995)

Note: The r.s.s.i "Where to Skate" FAQ merges the Indoors and Outdoors
sections of the old rec.skate "Where to Skate" FAQ. Because the
Indoors section of the older version included much material that had
become dated (i.e., material that was in excess of three years old)
and was not easily verifiable, little of that material appears in
this newer version. Any information which you can provide on your
local skating rink will be greatly appreciated. Please e-mail it
directly to r...@panix.com.

Recent changes include:

* Added Columbus, OH, from Brian D. Walrath (7/7)
* Added Chicago, IL, info from W. Viseskosin (7/20)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Louisiana
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Missouri
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Ontario
* Texas

Other "Where to Skate" sections of the r.s.s.i FAQ are: 5.1: Western

North America and 5.3: Eastern North America and Abroad.

_________________________________________________________________

ILLINOIS
* Chicago
* Urbana/Champaign

Chicago

From: RRAT...@vma.cc.nd.edu>
Date: Unknown

There are cycle paths which go both north and south of the "loop" (the
downtown), along Lake Michigan. I have skated up north, starting at
Lincoln Park. I have also skated through the downtown both on
sidewalks and the streets, although, not during the business day (too
many cars). From downtown, a nice skate is up Clark Street north to
Wrigley Field. This is an interesting area, with used book/CD stores,
etc. You can judge distance based on address numbers: 800/mile. For
more information on where to skate (and not too), call the folks at
Londo Mondo (sorry, but I can not remember the address). Remember,
Chicago does have some really bad neighborhoods. For example, I would
not go west of Wells, in the area around Division Street.

From: tho...@tt726.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Tom Depke)
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 17:21:22 GMT

[...] is there anywhere REALLY cool to skate around Chicago? I've
read the FAQ about places to skate in Chicago but didn't see
anything really outstanding...is there?

It depends on the type of skating you are looking for. Is it speed,
tricks, or scenary? I like the lakefront down by the Shedd Aquarium
and Adler Planetarium for tricks and further north for scenary. The
problem is that it gets too crowded in peak hours and you can not get
a good workout in. So for that I go to Busse woods 53 & Golf. There is
a smooth bike path which goes for 8 miles and never seems to get too
crowded.

From: sny...@ssd.comm.mot.com (Fred Snyder)
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 22:07:28 GMT

Having recently moved to Schaumburg, IL, I have discoverd the Busse
Woods bike path, in Rolling Meadows. Best accessible from Higgins just
east of 290, it's a 7.8 mile loop through surprisingly scenic terrain
with a good surface, not too crowded, frequent water pumps, everything
I could ask for except perhaps getting rid of the bicycles. It's no
Lake Shore Drive, but now that I've moved to the 'burbs, it will do
quite nicely. It still irks me that I have to drive somewhere to
skate.

From: lang...@prairienet.org (Ana G. Langlois)
Date: 24 Oct 1994 01:40:16 GMT

First of all, Chicago is a huge metro area. So if you mean downtown
Chicago I'll tell you that one of the hottest places is along the lake
shore. My wife and I were there today. We had a little skate. It was a
lot of fun. It was real windy. Good work out. Thousands of people
enjoy walking, soccor. rugby, running, bike riding, softball, kite
flying, etc., etc., etc.

Park and skate. If you come in from the south, park around the Field
Museum or the Shedd Aquarium and skate north along the lake. From the
north parking may be easier. There are parks everywhere that have
parking. The multi use trail is good, but not perfect.

In the northwest burbs there is a vert park. I forgot the name. I
think it's in Hoffman Estates.

Pick up a copy of Windy City Sports (free news magazine) you can get
it at any sport shop in the downtown area. On Clark Street, north of
the loop, there are a bunch of good stores: City Sweats, Londo Mondo,
Rainbo. They can tell you where the inline scene really is. Londo
Mondo (not on Clark actually) meets once or twice a week for fun
skates, outside. Winter will probably put an end to that though.

I hope that helps a little. The thing is that if you are in the
northwest burbs (for example) you may not want to fight traffic to go
downtown. So call a shop in the area you plan to be (or are) in and
ask them for help. If they don't know anything try Londo Mondo, City
Sweats or Rainbo.

From: VIS...@minna.acc.iit.edu (W. Viseskosin)
Date: 20 Jul 1995 18:45:12 GMT

I skate at North Branch Trail 4-5 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat &
Sun). The trail starts at Whealan Pool Forest Preserve (near the
intersection of Devon and Milwaukee) and ends at Chicago Botanic
Gardens. The trail distance is 20.1 miles. It's not overcrowded even
during the weekends (the park might be crowded, but the trail is
not.). I usually park my car at Linns Woods (about 1/2 mile east of
Dempster and Waukegan in Morton Grove) because it's near my house. I
like to skate from there to the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

Please check "Chicagoland Trail Guide by Elleen Kelly" out. It's a
great book about Trails in Chicagoland.

From: tjma...@prospero.er.anl.gov (Timothy Martin)
Date: 9 Jul 1995 00:19:00 GMT

SCRAP (Skateboards Cycles Rollerblades Action Park)

It is in Hoffman Estates, and is part of the Poplar Creek Sports
Center complex.

2350 Hassell Rd. (708)-884-0945

Take I-90 Exit at Barrington Road. Go south briefly, then turn left at
Hassell Road. Go only one block to a White Hen Pantry on left. Turn
left into a parking lot behind the White Hen that serves the sports
complex.

Monday closed.
Tuesday thru Friday : One session 5pm to 9pm.
Saturday: Two sessions 1 to 5pm and 5:30 to 9:30pm.
Sunday: Two sessions 11:30 to 3:30pm and 4 to 8pm.

Entrance fee is $5 per session. Some modest package deal also that I
forget about now. To use two of the big half-pipes you need to buy a
one year "membership" for $20 in addition to entrance fees.

A general mix of freestyle bikers, bladers, and boarders.

Urbana/Champaign

If you have web access, blades@uiuc, a in-line skating group at the
University of Illinois campus, serves info at
http://www.cen.uiuc.edu/~ar9079/blades.html.

From: jms4...@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Clueless)
Date: Unknown

The [UIUC] Quad is a good place to do laps and play tag. (a group of
us play almost every night starting between 9 and 9:30)

The north quad has some nice stairs and a couple fountains to skate
over when the water is turned off. Assembly hall parking lot and most
of the other parking garages are good if you're looking for smooth
pavement. (The later are also nice if it's raining :) We've been
playing hockey in Assembly Hall parking lot, but there are problems
with the sewars swallowing the ball. If anyone knows a better place
where a lot of people can play (we had 13 tonight) hockey, please
tell.

There's a trail out near Windsor Road made for bikes and blades which
is a good place to go if you want to skate distance.

From: yes...@uiuc.edu (Eric Adams)
Date: 26 Apr 1995 03:54:35 GMT

There are several other places to skate around UIUC.

1. parking garages are always fun
2. the philo-Windsor trail/sidewalks
3. the Champaign city bike trails (to get to these, go south to St.
Mary's road, go west, across Neil, hop on the Boulware Trail, then
at the end, pick up Devonshire road for a ways until you come upon
a trail that goes up through a bunch of Condos, this trail then
crosses Mattis and continues west along a creek for quite a ways
and ends up at a big park.) I haven't gotten around to finding a
way around Devonshire (it is a little bumpy in sections).

_________________________________________________________________

INDIANA

Indianapolis

From: Fred Pfenninger (pfen...@indy.net)
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 95 20:20:53 -0700

In Indianapolis there is a skatepark called TA (Travel Alternatives).
It is presently located at 25th and Arlington, but in October [1995]
it will be moving about a mile from there. They have an 8 foot pipe,
two 6's with a spine, a quarter pipe, and a wedge. In Oct. they will
be getting a lot more stuff. The cost to skate is $5.00 for the day.
Check it out!

From: GSch...@Indyvax.IUPUI.edu (Gary Schmitt)
Date: Unknown

Anyone wishing to skate during some bad winter weather is invited to
Indianapolis to skate at the RCA Dome. For those not familar with the
dome-type skating thing, it's done indoors on the concourse (the
circumferential hallway behind the stands). This makes for a smooth,
1/3 mile circuit, with just a few relatively mild expansion joints for
excitement.

There are usually a fair number of beginers within the group of rec
skaters and there are always speed skaters training as well. The Indy
Inliners have club night on Wednesdays, 5-9 p.m., whenever the Dome is
open on Wednesdays. This season, most Wednesdays are skate dates, but
call (317)824-DOME beforehand. There are also many other skating dates
on the schedule, so call to check.

_________________________________________________________________

IOWA
* Ames
* Iowa City

Ames

From: nw...@iastate.edu
Date: Thu, 25 May 1995 09:24:00 -0500

Iowa State University, Ames, IA
The campus area in Ames is really the only decent place to skate in
Ames. Head to the library and Durham center area and you'll probably
see a bunch of us hanging out jumping off of the ledges there. During
the summer the parking lots of the dorm parking lots are nice also.
Towers and Maple- Willow-Larch are mostly empty in the summer. A new
skateshop just opened on Lincoln Way in campus town(Skatesport) which
is nice to have.

Skate West in Des Moines has Inline Hockey leagues several nights a
week.

Iowa City

From: Jason D. Lycke (jdl...@wrdmail.er.usgs.gov)
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 09:09:18 -0500

For those that are into recreational/distance/excercise skating, check
out City Park on the north end of town. It's got a lot of good paths
right next to the beautful (sort of) Iowa River. If you're into
street/extreme skating, the U of Iowa campus isn't a bad place to go.
Check out the IMU (Iowa Memorial Union) and the Pentacrest, and skate
through the ped mall once just for fun. Also, I've heard that some
people skate in front of Currier Residence Hall, but I've never been
there myself.

_________________________________________________________________

LOUISIANA
* New Orleans
* Covington

New Orleans

From: BEL...@lsuvm.sncc.lsu.edu
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 95 13:12:33 CST

The most popular place to skate is Audobon Park (next to Audobon Zoo)
in uptown New Orleans. It is a circular track about a mile long with
bladers, bikers, and joggers. There used to be 3-hour street skates
around the city on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. I am not
sure if they are still going on. Call Park SK8 (504-891-7055) in N.O.
for more info.I would not try skating around the French Quarter - it's
wall to wall people and cars and the roads are atrocious.

From: br...@larry.cc.emory.edu (Brian B. Reid)
Date: 31 Jan 1995 06:30:19 GMT

I took a trip to N.O. a few months ago and skated the Quarter a bit.
If you go at a resonable hour (pre 1 p.m.) and keep your eyes open,
it'll be an interesting skate... nice scenery, anyway...

Covington

From: kdl...@ucs.usl.edu (Landry Kimberly D)
Date: 12 Apr 1995 00:31:48 GMT

I recently skated the Tammany Trace which is a rails-to-trails (i.e.
linear park) which extends 8.3 miles from Abita Springs to Covington.
It will eventually be a 30 mile park. We skated the trail then skated
to lunch at a cafe and then skated through the abita springs beer
brewery on a tour. Abita Springs is a beautiful town with very
attractive features around the trail. It was a great day and fully
recommend it.

_________________________________________________________________

MICHIGAN

Detroit

From: dia...@cbi.com (Dianne Marsh)
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 13:29:31 GMT

It really depends on where you are going in Detroit. I recommend the
"metro" parks in the suburbs. If you are staying in the city, the
closest metro park will (probably) be Metro Beach, ... nice because
the path briefly goes along the water, but flat. One of my favorite
metro parks is Stony Creek (trail: 6 miles), which is about 30 miles
north of the city near Rochester/Utica. If you are visiting farther to
the west, Kensington Metro Park (near Milford/Brighton) has 8 miles of
very hilly paved trails. Both Stony and Kensington encircle small
lakes.

If you visit one of the metro parks, you can pick up a map (free)
which describes all of them. The map describes which parks have paved
trails and includes probably the best street map of the metro Detroit
area.

I believe that the entry fee is $3 daily or $15 for an annual pass.
The pass allows entry to any of the Huron-Clinton Metro Parks. I think
that Tuesday is "free" day.

For more information on the Huron-Clinton Metro Parks, call
1-313-227-2757. The phone book also lists 2 toll free numbers, but
they are under "Metropark Golf Courses". Try them if you like:
800-234-6534, 800-477-2757.

_________________________________________________________________

MINNESOTA

Minneapolis

If you want a really great place to rollerblade, Minneapolis opens up
the Metrodome to rollerbladers only (I'm not sure about during the
summer, but they do this all winter). It's about a half-mile (I think)
circle of the smoothest concrete you've ever been on. There are two
separate levels, one for serious rollerbladers and one for "the
family." A "must-blade" if you're ever in the area.

From: phil dudero (pdu...@ATK.COM)
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 95 00:06:15 -0500

I [...] was shocked to see that the Metrodome was the only mention for
skating in Minnesota! This is really only true when the Twins aren't
playing baseball (assuming the activity they are engaged in presently
can be called that ;-). And as far as that goes it's around $5 dollars
for a skate (extra for equipment rental), 1/4-mile of smooth concourse
for one circuit (if I remember correctly), with two levels, the upper
level for faster skaters. Unless you've got someone to talk to I find
it boring after a short while, but what else are you going to do on a
cold winter night? Don't answer that!

When the snow isn't on the ground the place to skate in Minneapolis is
around the chain of lakes southwest of downtown. During the summer
Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake of the Isles are hopping with
activity. Walkers/runners have their own trail around these lakes,
skaters and bikers share a one-way paved trail. There are several
skate rental shops within a couple blocks east of Calhoun on Lake
Street.

For a longer skate, one can hop off the trail at the southeast corner
of Harriet and take Minnehaha parkway all the way to and around Lake
Nokomis and back. The trail is two-way, more varied in quality, and
quite scenic, with a couple steep hills, some street crossing, and
pedestrians and dogs to watch out for.

Another alternative is the set of trails on either side of the
Mississippi, from the U of M down to the Ford Parkway bridge (and
beyond, at least on the St. Paul side). I haven't skated these trails,
but from biking I remember varied trail conditions (two-way, sometimes
combined, sometimes separated) and quite scenic overlooks (especially
in fall).

_________________________________________________________________

MISSOURI

St. Louis

From: wse...@bb1t.monsanto.com
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 01:33:19 GMT

For anyone looking to skate in St. Louis, the bike path in Forest Park
is the premier place. Forest Park is the central west end, bounded by
Hiway 40 on the south, Kighshighway on the east, Skinker on the west,
and Lindell on the north. It's 10km around and consists of a nice mix
of hills, curves, and flats. The bike path follows the outside edge of
the park.

One warning, though, the city is redoing the asphalt streets all over
the park and some roads the bike path crosses may be grooved in
preparation for new blacktop. There are also some road crossings where
hills empty onto roads. I go early on the weekends to avoid major
crowds although this will be less of a problem as the weather cools.

From: David....@Dartmouth.edu (David L. Webb)
Date: 5 Jul 1995 17:24:51 GMT

Forest Park (where the Central West End area of St. Louis, Clayton,
and University City meet) has a 10K paved bike path which affords
really great skating. The path is plenty wide, and if you skate it
clockwise (start out near the main entrance to the Washington
University campus, across the highway from the tree-lined drive
leading to the main steps of Brookings Hall, then head east along the
long straightaway towards the Jefferson Memorial), there are not even
any downhills which would cause you problems -- going that direction,
all the downhills have adequate visibility and plenty of runout before
road crossings. The only hill requiring any caution at all is the one
near the zoo -- it's not that steep, but there's a chain link fence on
your right, so there's no good place to bail out in the event of
oblivious bicyclists, or people pushing baby carriages up the hill
three abreast and not looking where they're going, so make sure that
oncoming traffic is aware of you before you start down (I've seen some
bad wipeouts there, but all preventable). If you go at the right time
of day (weekday mornings are best), it's also not very crowded. It's
by far the best place I know of in the St. Louis area to skate!

_________________________________________________________________

* Cincinnati
* Dayton-Xenia
* Columbus
* Newark
* Mt. Vernon

OHIO

Cincinnati

From: usr2...@tso.uc.EDU (Stewart Rowe)
Date: Unknown

Two bike/hike trails near Cincinnati are also used by rollerbladers.

The Little Miami trail follows an old railroad bed for 22 miles, from
Milford, OH to Morrow OH, largely following the Little Miami National
Scenic River. Grades are very mild. There is a 6-8 ft. paved trail and
a parallel grass trail for horses. The best access, with parking,
plumbing, and skate rental in season, is at Loveland, mile 9. There
are similar facilities at Morrow (no rentals). Access at Milford is
difficult; one must cross a major US highway at a nasty intersection.
The Little Miami Trail is to be extended another 9 miles north to Fort
Ancient during the 1994-5 fiscal years, if the budget holds.

Weekend use is very heavy, with walkers, runners, bikers, baby
carriages, dogs etc., especially near Loveland. One would be wise to
start at Morrow during summer weekend afternoons. Better, pick a cold
December morning!

On the west side of the city, the county park district has recently
opened an 8-mile paved loop, at Miami Whitewater Park (we have two
Miami Rivers, Great and Little). This trail is used by walkers,
bicycles and skaters. Though mostly level, it has some grades
requiring reasonable skill. The parking area has toilets, food and
skate-rental concessions in season. An overlapping inner trail loop is
heavily used, but most of the larger loop sees little foot or bike
traffic. Some lightly-traveled nearby roads are used by cyclists, but
I've never seen skaters on roads in southwest Ohio--I expect any law
officer would find some reason to tell them to get off.

From: usr1...@tso.uc.edu (Donn Lee)
Date: 24 Feb 1995

Lunken Airport off Hwy 50 on the east side of town is popular with
trail and trick skaters alike. The 10k (6.2 mile) paved loop around
this municipal airport/golf course has some small inclines and serves
cyclists and joggers, in addition to skaters.

The real attraction at Lunken is the 10-foot half-pipe however. The
pipe has a smooth, stainless, sheet metal surface supported by a
wooden frame. Platforms on each side of the pipe are fairly roomy
allowing for breaks and trick discussions. Getting to the platforms at
the top is easy via stairs in back of the pipe. A metal coping on the
top edge of the pipe is excellent for stalls and handstands. The pipe
is also excellent for learning: there is about 13 feet of flat at the
bottom of the pipe and the regulars are always willing to help someone
new (one only needs to get over the intimidation of the 3-4 feet of
vert). The trough itself is approximately 25 feet long. Most folks
inline the pipe, but skateboarders and BMX'ers also show up. Guys,
gals, adults, kids, they all skate it. Mini-bleachers provide
ground-level seating for observers, friends, and medical personnel
(haha!). In addition to the half-pipe, there is a mini- skate park
with quarter-pipes, obstacles, and ramps. Admission to the pipe and
skate park is $2/day. The pipe is open everyday during the summer and
on the weekends spring and fall. A helmet is required. Be sure to say
hi to regulars Rob (who got 3rd place at Nationals), Bryan, Erica,
Donn, and Dan.

Dayton-Xenia

The best places to skate in the Dayton area are on the bike paths.
Bike, joggers, and skaters (bladers? :) coexist as long as the
cardinal rule is followed: bike right: skate/run/walk left.

The River Corridor is approximately 13 miles long, including street
connectors (not many). Parts are in dire need of paving, but the run
from W. Carrollton to the Carillon Tower is fairly decent, and free of
pedestrians for the most part. There is a steel bridge that is best
walked across near W. Carrollton. Whitman's Bike Shop (in W.
Carrollton) is a good place to meet, get repairs, etc.

The Xenia-Yellow Springs bike path is 6 miles long, gently sloping up
to the north. It's an excellent way to build up your endurance by
skating hard north, then working on turns, spins, etc. back south.
Fairly straight. Note: there have been problems with exhabitionists on
this path. Do not skate alone. Young's Dairy is near the Yellow
Springs terminus, and is a great way to put on the pounds you just
worked off :).

Planned additions to these routes include the Beavercreek connector
(connecting the River Corridor and Xenia-Yellow Springs) and the
completion of the Xenia-Yellow Springs path south to Morrow, Ohio. The
N-S path would then run from Cincinnati to Xenia. The River Corridor
will eventually be extended south to Hamilton, near Cincinnati. The
bike/skate/run paths would then form a giant H across south-west Ohio,
encompassing more than a hundred miles of paved paths! You can help
speed up the process by contributing to your local/state "Rails to
Trails" organizations.

From: mvin...@aol.com (MVInliner)
Date: 25 Jun 1995 10:22:54 -0400

They have just completed a section of trail between Spring Valley, OH
and Corwin, OH . Actually the trail extends about 3 miles north of
Spring Valley to Hedges Road and will eventually connect with the
Xenia to Yellow Springs trail (9 miles) that already is in use. From
Spring Valley, the trail passes under S.R. 42 and winds its way South
through the woods and some farm country for about 7 miles to Corwin.
The surface is extremely smooth asphalt and has center lines painted
the entire length of the path. The biggest downer is the many small
rocks that seem to still remain on the trail.

The trail will eventually tie in with the existing trail from Morrow,
OH to Milford, OH. The length will be about 60 miles one way. This
part of the project is supposed to be finished by the fall. I'll
believe it when I see it. I wanted to pass this info on to all you
Ohio bladers and anyone else looking for a new trail to explore. By
the way, its a very flat trail the entire length. Hope to see some
more of you out there.

From: lui...@meaddata.com (Yum Ting Lui)
Date: 28 Jun 1995 14:57:44 GMT

I skated the trail this past Sunday from Corwin to Hedges Road and
back. It was flat, smooth, with tree lined on both side for most of
the trail. There were some pebbles but the biggest problem for me was
the two wooden bridges with spiked iron plate, between Spring Valley
and Hedges Road.

-----------------
<- wood
-----------------
<- wood
-----------------
<- wood
-----------------
o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o <- iron plate with 1" rounded spikes
o o o o o o o o
-----------------
<- wood
-----------------
<- wood
-----------------

Columbus

From: bwal...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Brian D Walrath)
Date: 7 Jul 1995 20:23:05 GMT

Last night I was told by a park ranger at Sharon Woods that skating
was not permitted in any of the metro parks and we should go to Antrim
Park. I thought that it was rather strange, since I have skated at
Highbanks many times and never had a problem. He said that I should
have been told that it was not allowed.

I don't have any problems with Antrim Park other than it being crowded
and that it has a flooding problem. I just don't understand why the
Metro parks let people, pets and bicycles but do not allow skaters.

From: rsch...@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Robert Schmidt)
Date: 28 May 1995 19:30:13 -0400

You can go 315 to bethel turn right on olentangy river road and then
you'll be at antrim park (rollerblade mecca of the area).

Also, Roller hockey leagues can be had at Sportsite (kenny and
henderson), Dublin dekhockey (Across from the Chiller), and the
chiller (off 33 on post rd.)

Newark

From: r...@cbran.cb.att.com (Robert Neinast)
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 1995 02:12:49 GMT

ron...@bronze.coil.com (Ronnie (well, actually Kathy) Bianco) says:

We have heard about the bicycle path from Johnstown to Newark, but
were told that there are several tree roots crossing the path. Any
suggestions of where we can go would be greatly appreciated. Please
be specific as to directions.

Don't be put off by that description! I skate the T. J. Evans bike
path (for that is the official name of the Johnstown-Newark path)
quite regularly and absolutely love it. Yes, there are a few locations
where tree roots have buckled the asphalt a bit, but they are easily
skated over. Actually, the worst part of the trail is crossing Rte 661
in Granville--it goes through a parking lot for a Purina mill, and is
full of gravel--take it slow and easy. The rest of the trail is 14.3
miles of pure joy. There are three major parking lots: one in
Johnstown (take Jersey St. NE off Rte. 37), one in Newark (take Rte.
16 east past Granville to Cherry Valley Road; the lot is shortly after
Cherry Valley Road crosses River Road--this lot has a drinking
fountain), and one lot in the middle at Alexandria (take Racoon Valley
Road east from Rte. 37 and park where the trail crosses the road;
there is another lot just west of there, but it is impossible to find
unless you scout it out from the path; also, Racoon Valley Road is not
well marked--that corner also has a street sign for a winery; as you
head down that road, you should immediately see the Alexandria Police
Station). By the way, the Evans bike path has every quarter mile along
it marked. One other thing: Licking County does an abysmal job
cleaning up after they mow along the path. If you happen to skate it
then, call and complain.

Another excellent path goes through Blackhand Gorge. This one is 4.5
miles long and parallels the Licking River. It has absolutely gorgeous
sandstone cliffs along it. I've spotted much wildlife along it too
(snakes, deer, chipmunks, woodchucks). Warning: when you reach the
sign that says, "Caution: possible high water", slow down. You are
about to swing around and do a fast downhill, and if you are not real
sure about your braking you will bruise your butt (like I did the
first time I came across it--of course now, I just zoom through). It
goes over a small creek. Note that if you are a canoer, this is also a
fine stretch for that. Directions: take Rte. 16 east out of Newark,
turn right onto Rte. 146, and then almost immediately make another
right turn onto Toboso Road. The parking lot is just off Toboso Road
shortly after you cross the Licking River (go past the river, follow
the road as it does a sharp right, and turn right into the lot).

Mt. Vernon

From: SAM...@CC.DENISON.EDU
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 1995 13:53:08 -0500 (EST)

A great place to skate about one hour out of Columbus is on the
Kokosing Gap Trail, a rails-to-trails project from Mount Vernon to
Danville, Ohio. It is paved, 10-foot wide and is great for beginning
and advanced speed skaters. The Trail is 14 miles long and follows a
course along the Kokosing River through villages and farmland. It has
a restroom/picnic shelter in Gambier (home of Kenyon College) which is
open May-November. Plenty of park benches and shade along the way.

This Trail sponsors a 3-mile Fun Roll and 9.1-mile Skate Challenge the
first weekend of October...this year to be October 7. Information on
Trail and race may be obtained from: Phil Samuell, P.O. Box 129,
Gambier, OH 43022 or e-mail at sam...@denison.edu.

_________________________________________________________________

OKLAHOMA

Norman

From: "Marc Foster" (mfo...@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu)
Date: Tue, 13 Dec 1994 12:45:46 -0600 (CST)

I suggest the OU campus. It has become increasingly skater-friendly
the past three or four years. Nearly all the upheaved sidewalk seams
have been graded flush to comply with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (if we fall over skating on them, chances are it's hard to get a
wheelchair over it, too). Not much in the way of slopes, unless you
try the parking ramps, or even better, the ramps for the football
stadium. Fall can be a problematic season, since the leaves and acorns
don't get cleaned up regularly.

_________________________________________________________________

ONTARIO

Toronto

From: ax...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Stan Krogh)
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 12:53:15 GMT

If you are just interested in a flat skate take the ferry across to
Center Island...you can skate on a wide road without car traffic from
one end of the island to the other - about 5 miles one way.

From: da...@meaddata.com (Dan Hogg)
Date: 16 Sep 1994 18:48:22 GMT

I just returned from Toronto yesterday and was able to get in a couple
of evening skates while I was there. I stayed downtown at the
Sheraton, so only know about that area. First, skating isn't allowed
on the street (this is a recent ordinance) except along the side of
the street marked for bikes. Not all streets have these. Second, the
sidewalks are pretty crummy, with lots of cracks and, of course, each
section seems to be set at a difference height, making the ride
gnarly.

On the other hand, people on the sidewalk expect the unexpected, so
skaters are viewed as part of the scene. I saw about a dozen skaters
out each time I was out. Off Bay Street (Avenue ?) are lots of people
out just wandering around that you have to watch for. They like to
watch you too! There's a big street scene that has all kinds of people
out gawking and being gawked.

Queen Street is an artsy area with pretty cool people, but the
sidewalks suck and at night, all the businesses put their garbage out
on the sidewalk for pickup.

Around City Hall, it says no skating, but I found the cops didn't
enforce it. They were watching me jump the park benches and never said
a word. The benches, BTW, have no backs, so if you can jump, you'll
have no trouble getting over them. I wasn't doing any grinds or rails,
so that may be why no hassles.

Oh, one more thing...watch out for the trolley tracks - they are
everywhere when you least want them and several side by side, so I
couldn't get over them in a single jump. Have fun!

From: jsi...@bosshog.arts.uwo.ca (Jonathan Singer)
Date: 17 Sep 1994 17:09:02 GMT

Greg Franks (gr...@medusa.sce.carleton.ca) wrote:

My brother recommends Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

Mount Pleasant Cemetery has been considered one of the best places to
skate. Two more suggestions:

1. The Beaches. It's a nice area, with a very nice, very long
boardwalk running along Kew(?) Beach. You can find it around Queen
St, heading to the far east (check a subway may and it should be
pretty clear, if you don't have a tour guide).

2. The Don Valley. Well, there's basically this big, long park system
that runs parallel to the Don River and Don Valley Parkway. It
extends from North York (Sunnybrook Park) down to the Beaches.
I've ridden about 10 km along the park system, and had very few
complaints. I will mention one thing though: it's very easy to
take a wrong turn and end up in East York. So either travel with a
friend, ask directions quite frequently, or E-mail me, and I'll
try to give you a more specific route. Keep in mind though that
the park system would take about the entire afternoon, and it's
largely about scenery more than intense skating. (Last point: if
in the parks, go north to south - I've heard that doing it the
other way can be quite the workout).

From: bu...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Eric Gee)
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 1995 03:02:40 GMT

If you are ever in the Toronto, southern Ontario area, here is a list
of cool places to skate...

1. High Park, just west of Toronto. A fairly large sized park in the
middle of the city. This Oasis of Toronto has many paved roads and
some very challenging hills. The park is used by many cyclists,
runners, and in-line skaters. Every Sunday (during the spring and
summer), the Toronto In-Line Skating Club practices around what is
now known as the Grenadier loop, which is an aprox. 1 km loop in
the heart of the park.
2. The Martin Goodman Trail, if your into endurance skates, this
trail is way too short for any serious skating. This trail is
listed in the back of one of Rollerblade's skate manuals. In my
opinion, the trails are too narrow and usually too crowded for any
kind of serious skating. The advantages of this trail is the
pavement. It is very, very smoooothhhhh. When the horse- back
police patrols and the cyclists and runners have gone home for the
day, the trail becomes a speed devils playground.
3. The newly developed lakefront trail. This trail runs from
Burlinton Ontario all the way to Trenton (I think thats around 350
or so km). It incorporates all currently existing trails into one
huge network connection. I have cycled parts of the trail and they
are still kind of under construction. If you choose to skate the
trail watch out for the sections covered in loose gravel and sand.
4. Toronto Skydome. Home of the skydome fitness club. The club has a
winter season training area on the 500 level of the skydome. The
track is a gradual circle running along the perimeter of the dome.
The pace in there can be devilishly fast. Imagine skating along a
glass smooth surface with no headwinds in a tunnel running almost
straight, 20 feet wide.

From: dch...@accesspt.north.net (Douglas Champigny)
Date: 27 Jan 95 01:43:42 GMT

If you can make it to Toronto this winter, try the skating at the
Skydome. Ready-to-Roll runs open skating every Monday-Thursday night,
up on the 500 level. This gives you a large oval around the entire
seating area, and is high enough to continue when other events are
down below.

From: Unknown
Date: Early 1995

For all you extreme inline skaters..... RAMPAGE INDOOR SKATE PARK

Featuring three monstrous half-pipes, including the Frankenstein! Also
several ramps, jumps, grinding bars, and much more!!

Location:
4100 Chesswood Drive
North York, M3J 2B9
(416) 633-1334

Hours:
Weekends 10 am - 6 pm
Tues-Fri 4:30 pm - 10 pm

Call for more information.

_________________________________________________________________

TEXAS
* Houston
* Austin
* Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington

Houston

The flattest city on earth. If you want hills, your only choice is to
sneak into the parking decks downtown at night, This is rather common
- just skate upward until the dweeb (they all are) security cop asks
you to leave. Skate out.

Street skating is allowed in Houston. Be reasonable. I've heard from
reliable sources that street skating is now officially legal, but
can't be positive.

Downtown. Very popular with skaters. In the spring through november,
Thursday nights are "the" skating nights downtown after the "Party on
the Plaza" (weekely free outdoor concerts downtown). There's also a
few skaters on weekend afternoons. Some of the big oil and bank
building security types don't like skaters on their marble, even if it
is a public sidewalk on a city easement.

The "skater-bar" in Houston is the Brewery Tap, on Franklin (one of
the northernmost eastwest streets downtown). Its also the major
hangout for the Urban Animals, Houston's famous "skater-gang". The
Animals organize skates on a semiregular basis - just join them on a
Thursday night at the Tap - they're a friendly bunch. In the past,
they also met at the old convention center (across from Jones Plaza)
on Wednesdays and Sundays for hockey.

Stop by the Montrose Skate Shop (on Stanford between W. Gray and
Clay). The owner is a longtime experienced skater who knows a lot
about Houston and the national skate scene. Don't let the appearance
of the house/shop scare you :) If there's any official skating event
or something sponsored by the Animals going on (like the Labor Day pub
crawl) he'll adverstise it in his shop.

Memorial Park is very popular on weekends. Its got a smooth 1+ mile
loop. On a given weekend day, there will be 50+ skaters, maybe more.
Racers and beginners alike skate there. Lots of bike racers too, so
give them room. On weekdays the "picnic loop" (where the skater/bikers
go) is closed to automobiles, making it even better.

Rice University has a smooth loop (~1 mile) around the campus. Several
shops use Rice for lessons, and the loop is popular with beginners.
Experienced skaters often stop by for a few laps, and grab a beer at
Valhalla (grad student pub, open every day but Saturday 4pm-2am with
50 cent draught beers and 2.50 pitchers).

Houston has lots of bike trails. Some are in terrible shape, others
are pretty good. I reccomend the Braeswood Bayou trail only west of
Buffalo Speedway. East of there it really start falling into severe
disrepair. Its not obvious where you can park to get access to the
trail, which is over 10 miles long. Some of the neighborhoods along
South Brasewood have roads along the Bayou, park at one. The trail
along Buffalo Bayou is OK, but during rainy season (late fall and
winter) the off-road portions through the park get washed over with
sand. Not fun.

On some weekend afternoons, the city of Houston closes Allen Parkway
for about a one mile stretch along the park along Buffalo Bayou. Nice
stretch of pavement just for bikers, skaters, baby carriages, etc.

From: Rob Butera (rbu...@rice.edu)
Date: Unknown

Excerpts from the Houston skating FAQ (Last updated 09/27/1993):

Skating is "street-legal" within the Houston city limits, barring
roads that are banned to bicycles (the only example I can think of is
a short stretch of Memorial Drive). However, don't be an idiot. Just
because you're allowed to skate on a road does not mean its a good
idea. A few rules of thumb:

1. Yield to cars. It keeps street skating legal by not pissing off
motorists, and they weigh a lot more anyway.
2. Stay off the busy roads in the daytime. Be well lit at night (buy
a Vista Lite or two at a bike or skate shop).
3. Houston's lack of zoning is convenient for skaters. It means that
many well traveled roads have other less traveled roads running
parallel to them through neighborhoods. Some of the "well-paved"
roads used a lot by skaters include Dunlavy (good North-South
route), Hawthorne (good connection between Montrose and downtown),
and the middle "skater lane" (i.e. car turning lane) on W. Alabama
- but only use this after daily business hours.
4. Obey the speed limit. This may sound funny, but cops in West
University have nothing better to do, and I know bikers and
skaters who have been warned.
5. The Texas Medical Center is private property and skating is not
allowed on its "interior" roads. This has been verified with UT
and TMC police. I know of a skater who has been pulled over, by a
TMC cop, flashing lights and siren :) :) :)

Where to Skate

Rice University
Good for beginners. The inner loop around campus is about a mile,
and a lot of newbies from West U. flock there on Saturday mornings
in the Spring and Summer. You can also skate the stadium when it
is open for football practice.

West University
A nice quiet community near Rice - most of the east-west roads
were paved in the past year. Don't speed - they'll get you. Its
easy to get above 15 MPH on their smooth pavement.

Downtown and Vincinity
Downtown is fun. A lot. You can find skaters downtown almost any
night of the week, although Thursday and Saturday seem to be the
most popular. There are numerous downtown bars that skaters often
meet up at (See below). Things to do/see include:

+ Jones Plaza Party-on-the-Plaza (a city sponsored band party)
is on Thursday night. However, after 11 PM or so, this public
plaza and some nearby buildings is a playground for free
styling skaters and skateboarders. Watch/learn how to skate
down ramps or large flights of stairs :)
+ Milam/Lousiana Theses are the two most popular roads to
cruise up and down downtown. Lots of buildings to skate
around. Lots of obstacles, sculptures to skate around or play
tag, stairs/walls to jump, etc. Beginners and experienced
skaters both love the buildings with marble sidewalks. Behave
yourself, and most security guards won't mind you being there
(though there are some exceptions).
+ George R. Brown Convention Center-- There are hockey games
here every Wednesday night, starting at 9-9:30 until 11:00 PM
or so. Beginners are welcome, though most players are
experienced and play in leagues around the city. Skate the
big ramp (parallel to I-45) if the gate is left open.
+ Parking Garages-- This is trespassing, and I plead the fifth
:) Ask any skater for details. The owner of a local skate
shop describes parking garages as like "fishing holes" - you
don't tell too many people, or its no good anymore (i.e. some
step up their security if they notice repeated skater usage).
However, there are a few regular garages that are not
guarded, or the guards just don't care. Be competent and know
how to brake before attempting even an easy garage, and
avoid those that are still open for business (i.e. only go
late at night).

Memorial Park
The "picnic loop" is another popular spot. On weekdays, it is
closed off to car traffic. This loop is popular to bikers and
skaters alike. When skating on weekdays, stay out of the way of
the bikers and skaters "in training" - a lot of racers work out
here.

Other Neighborhoods / Hills?
Montrose has some good roads, and some terrible ones. The closest
thing to hills that you'll find is around the Heights - i.e. roads
like White Oak, Studemont, etc. all near Buffalo Bayou. The
biggest "hill" in Houston (to my knowledge) is the the Houston
Ave. overpass over I-10.

Hermann Park
I used to tell people it stinks and not to waste your time.
However, there are now (relatively) new 6 foot wide cement paths
throughout the park that are great for skating, especially
beginners. Still not as long or scenic as Memorial, but good for
beginners or a lazy skate on a sunny afternoon. Watch out for
pedestrians and mothers with baby carriages ... The Miller
Amphitheatre offers a sad excuse for a hill ...

Braeswood Bayou Bike Trail
Park on Lookout Court, which is off of S. Braeswood just west of
Buffalo Speedway. You can take the bike trail from Buffalo
Speedway west to Chimney Rock (about 3.5 miles). The trail
actually goes west as far as Fondren and east as far as U of H,
but the pavement quality is much worse west of Chimney Rock or
east of Buffalo Speedway. Take note: if you want to head west past
Chimney Rock, the trail looks like it ends. It doesn't - you have
to cross the bridge (i.e. skate on Chimney Rock Rd.) over the
Bayou, where the trail continues on the other side of the bayou. I
find this to be a nice "6 PM workout" before heading home, and you
can skate into the sunset :)

Buffalo Bayou Trail
Good for mountain bikes. Bad for skaters. It COULD be the best
outdoor skating trail in Houston (lots of slight hills and
curves), but whenever it rains significant portions of the trail
get washed over with sand. The bike path between the parking lots
along Allen Parkway and downtown (via Tranquility Park) are in
great shape, however.

Woodlands
If you actually have a reason to go way out there, the trails are
pretty fun, and there are lots of them. Beware of sharp curves
with bikers coming around them from the other direction ...

Skater Friendly Establishments
Surprisingly, most restaurants and bars are skater-friendly,
especially in the downtown and Montrose areas. One big demand is for
late night food downtown. Two options are Pat's & Pete's Blues Burgers
(on Market Square) and Mai's (Vietnamese, on Milam). Both are
skater-friendly and open till 4 AM on Fri. and Sat. nights. Other
known skater-friendly bars/restaurants/clubs/coffee-houses in Houston
include: Warren's, Birraporetti's, Toads, Power Tools, Brewery Tap,
Fuzzy's, Cecil's, Emo's, Bitterman's, W. Alabama Ice House, 321
Alabama, Blue Iguana, Brazil, Cafe Artiste, Grif's, Catal Huyuk, House
of Pies, McDonald's, Gingerman, Volcano (though I think the crowd was
annoyed by our presence), Valhalla, ..... I'm sure there's many I'm
forgetting ...

From: font...@ravl.rice.edu (Dwayne Jacques Fontenot)
Date: Unknown

These are the standard answers and my thoughts on them:

Rice University
To hear people talk and to read articles in the local newspapers one
would think that Rice University is some great place to skate. Well, I
know a thing or two about the Rice campus, and I simply do not
understand this. Rice possible places to skate:

The "inner loop": Sure, this is a smooth asphalt loop, but it is a
road. It is for cars. The speed limit is 15mph, but some drivers
regularly travel at up to 60mph. Traffic is not as heavy as say, Main
Street, but it is heavy enough. I guess if you don't mind the cars,
and don't get easily bored with the loop, and like to skate into
Valhalla for a beer, then this is for you, but it's not for me.

The sidewalks: No way. Rice sidewalks are "pebbled paths". That is,
really smooth, bumpy pebbles held in place by concrete. This stuff is
so slippery, that it is difficult to ride a bike on it (though
technically one is not allowed to bike on it, so one probably cannot
skate on it either).

The Rice Stadium lot: Please wait while I stop laughing. This lot is
like an exploded mine field. One must be very careful when driving a
car over this surface. There are gigantic holes everywhere, and the
surface is not smooth at all.

The Rice Bike Track: Not an option. This is a bike track. It is for
bicycles. It is not for skaters. Skaters should not skate on it.
Bikers use the bike track to train on. It is extremely difficult to
ride around the track at training speeds while there are skaters on
it. Experts will tell you the worst accidents happen when there is the
greatest disparity in speed of the vehicles. That is the case with
bikes and skates. Imagine what a biker thinks when he comes up behind
a skater who is stroking his legs out to the left and right. It is
only a matter of time (IMHO) before skating becomes illegal on the
bike track, if it is not already.

The Rice stadium: This is a slight possibility. There are several
concrete ramps which could be fun, but they are quite steep. If one
could get in, it might be a fun place to skate, but once again, it is
probably not allowed.

Downtown
hmmmmm. We asked one person where to skate downtown, and they said,
"anywhere is fine". Yeah, rite. Anywhere is fine as long as it is on
the sidewalks. And the sidewalks don't excite me. There are several
cool plazas which are the property of large corporations. However,
the security guards will not let you skate there. I guess they don't
want to be sued, and I don't blame them.

So, where do people skate downtown which is not on the streets (lots
of cars)?

Memorial Park
I have no information. Anyone out there know good places to skate in
Memorial Park?

Hermann Park
This is the best place I have found so far, but that is only
relatively. There are lots of people with baby carriages. Most of the
time people on the sidewalks will hear you coming and move aside, but
usually the sidewalks are filled with clumps of people every 20 feet.
At least there are no cars. My current fun thing to do is to skate
around the manmade lake, including over the wooden humpback bridge :-)
but, inlines are so "new" there that everybody stares. Admittedly,
things are better on weekdays, but most people work on weekdays :-(

From: Robert Schmunk (pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov)
Date: Jan 1994

The Rice stadium lot has been referred to as a minefield, but this is
no longer entirely true. Part of it was repaved in late 1993, but
unfortunately it is also the part that is closest to the music
building. Consequently, any skater who ventures into this temptingly
smooth area is going to have to learn how to play dodge with cars
pulling into or out of parking spaces. The drivers of these cars only
check to see if there are large vehicles which might crash into them,
not 150-lbs skaters. This area might be more skateable on weekends,
but then you'll have to put with teen-agers getting driving lessons
from mom and dad.

From: j...@telescan.com (John Guynn)
Date: Unknown

One of my favorite places to skate is Cullen Park. It's down I-10
toward San Antonio. If you can get directions to the Velodrome (sp?)
it's close to there. There's a 5km bike trail that makes for a great
skate.

If you're closer to the Pasadena area go by Strawberry Park. There's a
1 mile path around the park. You're not supposed to skate on it but
the park "closes" at 10pm and the park officials have told me they
don't care if you skate on it after then.

From: jnlu...@aol.com (JNLuciano)
Date: 29 Jun 1995 22:23:02 -0400

If you are on the south east side there is a nice park to skate at
called Frankie Carter park in Friendswood. This is south on I-45 and
off of hwy 2351 heading into Friendswood. Both are visible on local
maps.

Another place I haven't been to but would like to try is the Alek
Velodrome. It charges a couple of bucks, but I hear it is a banked
oval track with nice smooth surface. It is on the north west side of
town.

Austin

From: bo...@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (BobW)
Date: 26 Apr 1995 19:09:33 GMT

Best outdoor place is the Veloway. 3.1 mile paved loop. A couple of
modest declines, one steep incline and a couple modest inclines. Take
Mo-Pac (1) south past Slaugter about 1/4 mile and turn left.

I've also heard you can skate at austin high on the weekends, but I
haven't tried this.

Don't try to skate on UT property; the campus cops will be mad at you,
I know :-).

Outdoor covered rink at Skate Across Texas, Ben White about 1/2 mile
east of I-35. They have roller hockey leagues you can join, too.

From: pet...@ses.com (Michael Peter)
Date: 26 Apr 1995 20:35:30 GMT

For Austin skating, try the Veloway (down Mopac past Slaughter). It's
a 3 mile course for bikes and skates. Bowie High School is also good
(on Slaughter). Don't go down Congress Ave. or down the Drag.
Skating's been banned there, for no good reason.

Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington

From: shoo...@onramp.net (Shooshie)
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 1995 02:49:05 -0600

Fair Park - (Parry Avenue @ Exposition)
Street skating can be hard to find in Dallas, but it's there; you just
have to know where to look. You might find some skaters out on the SMU
(Southern Methodist University) campus, but lots of people go to Fair
Park, near Deep Ellum, southeast of downtown Dallas, where the Texas
Star ferris wheel is visible for miles. It's where the State Fair of
Texas is held every October, so nix on that month, but the rest of the
year it is slow-paced and quite nice. There are probably square miles
of concrete, with fountains, stairs, handrails (which the authorities
don't really approve of grinding, so be stealthy...).

In the Starplex Concert arena parking lot, at the southeast end of
Fair Park, there is a HUGE hill - maybe the best hill in Dallas. When
there is no concert you can have some fun on that sloping parking lot
which is several blocks long.

The stairs in Fair Park go from beginner (in front of the Tower
building) to expert (the gates to the Cotton Bowl stadium), with
little in-between. Ditto the rails. Go in the early evening after the
museums close and you'll experience less pedestrian traffic and fewer
glowering stares from the patrols. You might even catch a hockey game
out front of the Texas Hall of State between the Railroad Museum and
The Old Mill Inn. These two places, by the way, are both good parking
areas with immediate access to the concrete. This is a great place to
practice skating technique in broad, open expanses of concrete with a
little landscaping so that it's not like skating in a parking lot.

You'll find skaters out there most days and evenings, but rarely
anyone at night. In fact, all of Dallas can be quite dangerous at
night - skate at your own risk.

Downtown Dallas (via Deep Ellum from Fair Park)
Fair Park is generally the embarkation point for downtown skating.
There are parking areas and Fair Park makes a good warm-up area.
People often meet at a bar on Parry Avenue, directly across from Fair
Park's main pedestrian entrance at Parry and Exposition Avenue. The
bar of choice at this writing is called "Bar of Soap" and has a
laundramat in the back. (there are much more attractive bars further
into Deep Ellum) Typical dress is cutoff jeans and t-shirts, pierced
bodies, tatoos... you know the picture. Just skate into the bar
between 6:30 and 7:30, order a beer and wait... if you're lucky a
group might gather. Very few people skate downtown alone for reasons
you can probably imagine. Weekend evenings seem the most popular
times. This is an expert crowd, but you won't find much grinding and
really aggro stuff. They just skate hard. I recommend you know Dallas
pretty well before trying it or go with someone who does. The
environment can be hostile - crowded streets, drunk drivers after dark
especially, and not much right-of-way for skaters.

The route follows Exposition Ave. up to Commerce, Elm, or Main streets
(or others) which form the general core of the district known as Deep
Ellum. This is the hangout where you will find all the clubs,
galleries, tattoo shops, and many restaurants (some of them pretty
good). As it was not really planned to become what it is, the traffic
there can be pretty horrendous - both automobile and pedestrian.
Nevertheless, the street skating here is not bad if you know the area.

This is all on the east side of Dallas, so to get to other skatable
places like City Hall you have many blocks further west to go. During
the day, you can skate through the Farmer's Market area before
reaching City Hall. The so-called tourist areas of Dallas - Dealey
Plaza (where President Kennedy was shot), and the touristy "West End"
with traps like "Planet Hollywood" are clear across downtown from Deep
Ellum. Many skaters have found parking garages and stuff to skate in
the downtown area, but be forewarned that with the building of
Dallas's light rail and subway system, much of downtown is torn up and
will present some formidable obstacles at this time (Summer, 95).

From: shoo...@onramp.net (Shooshie)
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 05:54:22 -0600

Skating Trails around Dallas
There is a map available at most sporting goods stores in Dallas
called "Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex Hike, Bike & Blade Trail Map." It
lists about 34 trails and uses little hike, bike and blade icons to
show what each trail is good for. All but one are supposedly suitable
for inline skating. *Don't believe it.* Most are OK, but...

What could be the greatest trail around - the White Rock Lake trail
which winds 10.2 miles around the circumference of the old east Dallas
lake - is a mostly asphalt trail that is so badly pitted and broken
with sand and gravel traps, not to mention its being narrow,
frequented by high-speed bicylists (at least one gets killed there
every year), and a menagerie of joggers, walkers, baby carriages,
lovers, drunks, sunbathers, and so forth so that it is truly *NOT
SKATABLE*. Often it parallels a road known for drunks driving around
before or after boating, partying and picnicking at the various parks
around the lake. In fact, police have taken to asking bladers to
leave. Many newcomers to Dallas feel the let-down of discovering the
false promise of this trail, but there are plenty of good trails, so
no sad faces for this one.

White Rock Creek Trail
Not to be confused with the White Rock Lake trail is the White Rock
Creek Trail, which is one of the finest broad, smooth-concrete trails
in the area. This trail splits off from the White Rock Lake trail at
the north end of the lake at Lawther and Mockingbird, and traveling
north from there, past Northwest Highway, it continues 7.3 miles up to
Valley View Lane and Hillcrest with only one major intersection and
stoplight at the approximate half-way point. If you don't mind an
extra intersection or two, you can stretch the trail into a 15 mile
round-trip.

The southern half of the trail begins near the creek's inflow to the
lake and is in a boggy area, humid, dank, and densely wooded, like a
marsh. Winding under a railroad trestle and through a broad clearing
in woods, the smooth concrete trail begins its flat and mostly
straight trek (with broad curves) to higher ground along the
floodbottoms of its namesake creek. It is scenic in that you would
forget that you are in a city except for the occasional underpasses
beneath street and highway bridges. The northern half of the trail is
hilly with more interesting and varied scenery. Beware of the wooden
bridges which often get a busted board after a park vehicle sneaks
over them. Also, scissor your skates to avoid a faceplant when the
boards warp in the hot sun.

Convenient entry points include a hardly-visible gravel parking area
on a curve of Lawther just north of Northwest Highway, a city tennis
facility at Abrams and Merriman, and Harry S. Moss Park at Greenville
and Royal - which is the half-way point, by the way. From there to the
parking lot at Hillcrest and Valley View Lane, the only other
convenient entry points are along Park Central Drive, accessible from
IH 635. There is also a parking lot at the north end of the trail at
Hillcrest and Valley View Lane.

I rate White Rock Creek Trail highly because it allows for good speed,
long straight stretches, and the people who frequent it are accustomed
to skaters of all speeds. The bikers generally announce when passing,
and the trails are mostly wide enough to accommodate the traffic. It
is good for advanced beginner to expert skaters. Outside of a pretty
good sized hill or two in the northern half, no special skills are
required for this trail. The disadvantages are in the heavy traffic,
but weekday mornings and late evenings the traffic is very sparse.

Duck Creek Park Trail (Garland, NE Dallas)
Want a fast 4 mile trail with a little challenge to it? (I said
"little" challenge... there are no mountains in Dallas.) Duck Creek
Park trail in Garland is as good as they come around here. It winds
around through a virtual canopy of dense woods and if you like to burn
concrete, this one is like a roller-coaster; you'll love putting your
crossovers to good use, and it's rarely flat for long so you're
pumping up hills and slaloming down (or else you'll be really flying).
The concrete is six to eight feet wide and pretty smooth, but about
half the trail is jointed every 18 inches which makes for a wavy,
snappy rhythm under your feet. Also, you have to deal with sticks,
leaves, acorns, and an occasional fallen bough. Here the pedestrians
and bicylists just don't have a clue; it's up to you to avoid them and
they *will* put you to the test. If you are not an expert at various
means of stopping, I urge you to use your heel-brake and control your
speed on the hills - many of the hills are blind or have unexpected
turns on the way down. Four miles not enough? Do it over and over - I
often go 16.4 miles on it. Or... Finish the trail and go back the
other way. It's a different skate counter-clockwise. On a good day I
just love this trail. It's quick, action filled, and has a few
chilling moments if you push it. As it is near marshy ground, skate
with your mouth closed unless you include a handful of tiny, hovering
bugs in your regular diet. (Ever notice how most trails ARE in areas
that flood? oh well... thank goodness for floods or we wouldn't HAVE
useless land that they have to turn into parks to avoid being public
nuisances.)

This trail is for experienced skaters. Not that a beginner couldn't
muddle through it, but if you are just leaving the rink for the first
time, I really suggest practicing somewhere else first. You'll need
slalom speed control on hills (or ride your brake), crossovers,
parallel turns, and quick stops. You need to be comfortable
improvising on the unexpected, jumping over limbs, dodging and
stopping for toddlers on tiny bikes, and yet skating fast enough to
roll on over sticks and rocks which would trip a slow skater. You run
the risk of sliding in mud after a big rain, so give it a day or two
to dry.

Duck Creek Trail is located at Oates and O'Banion, less than a mile
northeast of IH-635 in Garland. Oates is landmarked by a large Nissan
dealership (Trophy) and a Burger King. From Oates, go northeast to
O'Banion and turn right (east) into the parking lot for Garland's
well-known public "Wave Pool." You can skate while the rest of your
family swims! *Or* you can continue on Oates to Duck Creek Drive, turn
north (left) and find one of the parking lots along that street.

From: shoo...@onramp.net (Shooshie)
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 06:13:56 -0600

It's odd that one of the better-equipped indoor skate parks in the
country is here in Dallas, and yet so few people in this area actually
know about it. Of course, if they did it would probably be even more
crowded than it already is... If you visit Dallas next week or
anytime, you should make it a point to stop by Rapid Revolutions. It
ain't pretty, but the skating is great. There are some people there
who, rumor has it, spend more time in the air than on the ground.
Ummm... of course, this is Texas. Seriously, I've seen some pretty
unbelievable skating there, which is an old tradition already at this
park. Here's something I prepared for the FAQ:

Skate Park - Rapid Revolutions
At Stemmons Expressway (IH 35 East) and Northwest Highway, a long way
north of Downtown Dallas, there is a great restaurant called
Pappadeaux's, quite visible from the highway. If you can get near
their parking lot (and manage not to stop and eat!), you are almost to
Rapid Revolutions Skate Park, formerly Jeff Phillips, and best known
as the place where Arlo practiced vert for a year or so, and very
likely to be known in the near future as the home of other
champions-to-be.

Take Northwest Highway (Spur 348) west from IH 35 (or east from Loop
12), and turn north on Lombardy. Just keep on going around a curve on
Lombardy, past Pappadeaux's, under a highway, and look for a large
warehouse with "Skate Park" on a giant plastic or canvas sign
stretched over one of the doors. The access from the freeway is a
little tricky, so if you don't succeed at first, keep trying.

If I'm not mistaken, there will be scenes in the next Hoax video (or
Mad Beef or whatever it will be) which were taken in this place. It is
quite a nice indoor skate park with half-pipes ranging from about four
feet to twelve feet, a bowl, and all sorts of ramps, quarterpipes,
copings, and such. You can pick up your copies of Daily Bread, Inline,
and get your aggressive wheels (Senate, Hyper, Cozmo, etc.), Pro
Designed pads, and grind plates here. You'll find skateboarders
sometimes hogging the ramps, the majority of whom spend most of their
time chasing down the board which zinged past your ear at 90 mph. But
it's a great place for vert. Go on a weekend afternoon and you'll be
humbled by 10 year old vert virtuosos who have no need for the word
"humility," and they know it. No... best to go late at night; it's
open till 3:00 am Thurs-Sat. In the late hours some of the better
skaters are there, sometimes looking more like trapeze artists than
vert-skaters. Most of the people are pretty friendly. It's hot in the
summer - a couple of giant fans wring some of the sweat from the air
as it floats through the huge building like a fog. You can smell a
different kind of seriousness here - sweat, determination and pain...
and occasionally the smell of burning rubber as a pad once again vents
a little smoke while saving an elbow or a knee from a third-degree
ramp-rash.

From: c...@seas.smu.edu (Carlos Javier Vergara)
Date: 4 May 1995 08:15:35 GMT

I go to school at SMU and its great if your looking for rails, stairs
and such...but almost all of it is pretty flat. For some good hills
though you might want to head out to Irving, around Texas Stadium and
The Univ. of Dallas. We used to pull some great speed runs out there
and on campus has some descent obstacles as well...

From: Joseph M. Izen (j...@utdallas.edu)
Date: Unknown

I skate in Plano on the Chisholm Trail, sometimes on the Bluebonnet
trail. You can pick up both near their intersection just south of Jack
Carter Park by the soccer fields. The Chisholm Trail also passes by
the Plano Public Library on Parker.

From: mfo...@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Marc Foster)
Date: Unknown

I also suggest a good place in Arlington - River Legacy Park. Take
Airport Freeway west towards Fort Worth, get off in Euless on FM 157,
head south through the Trinity Valley, and turn right at the first
light after crossing the river (Green Oaks Blvd). It about a mile down
Green Oaks, and on the right.

From: judy.t...@pubcon.com (Judy T.texas)
Date: Sat, 1 Oct 1994 00:23:16 GMT

River Legacy Park in Arlington is very nice. Lot of paths along the
Trinity River as well as an inner circular run. Trinity River park in
Ft. Worth looks challenging. It has narrow asphalt paths but lot of
bladers and bikes.

There is also an off-the-beaten path a lot of people don't know about
on the west side of Arlington on Green Oaks Blvd. This path parallels
the Interlochen area. Has some good surprising slopes. Challenges your
"fear factor". Loved it...

South Grand Prairie (on your map) Nancy Dillard Lyon Rec. Trail is
just what it says...Recreational but pleasant.

Also, lot of the speed skaters go to Joe Pool Lake across the dam.
Some rough spots but dam is smooth.

The only problem I find in roller blading on these trails are the
people who step out in front of you. I invested in pads just for
"defensive" blading against those individuals who are oblivious to
their surroundings.

_________________________________________________________________

-rec.sport.skating.inline FAQs maintained by Tony Chen
(adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
-"Where to Skate" edited by Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)

_________________________________________________________________

granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this

copyright notice is included as an HTML comment alongside the
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The logo may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial

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_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

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Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part15

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Where to Skate - Eastern North America and Abroad
_________________________________________________________________

WHERE TO SKATE - EASTERN NORTH AMERICA AND ABROAD *

(Last changed: July 29, 1995)

Note: The r.s.s.i "Where to Skate" FAQ merges the Indoors and Outdoors
sections of the old rec.skate "Where to Skate" FAQ. Because the
Indoors section of the older version included much material that had
become dated (i.e., material that was in excess of three years old)
and was not easily verifiable, little of that material appears in
this newer version. Any information which you can provide on your
local skating rink will be greatly appreciated. Please e-mail it
directly to r...@panix.com.

Recent changes include:

* Added Killingworth, CT, info from Lynna Stone-Infeld (7/11)
* Added Stowe, VT, info from Susan M. Kennedy (7/12)
* Added Stockholm, SE, info from Mark Stockton (7/19)
* Added Tampa, FL, from Eric Santman (7/21)
* Added Cape Cod, MA, info from Mark Casey (7/28)
* Added Martha's Vineyard, MA, info from Mark Casey (7/28)
* Added Boston, MA, info from Jeff Schreiber (7/28)
* Added Falls Church, VA, info from Mark Casey (7/28)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
* Eastern North America
+ Bahama Islands
+ Connecticut
+ Washington, D.C.
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Kentucky

+ Maryland
+ Massachusetts
+ New Jersey
+ New York

+ North Carolina
+ Pennsylvania
+ Quebec
+ Rhode Island
+ Tennessee
+ Virginia
+ Vermont
* Europe
+ Austria
+ The Netherlands
+ Sweden
+ United Kingdom
* Australia
+ Australian Capital Territory
+ Queensland
+ Victoria

Other "Where to Skate" sections of the r.s.s.i FAQ are: 5.1: Western

North America and 5.2: Central North America.

_________________________________________________________________

Eastern North America

Note: George Robbins (g...@tharsis.com) posts an "Eastern Roller
Skating Rinks List FAQ" to rec.sport.skating.roller whenever the time
seems right. E-mail him directly if you need a copy right away. It
includes information about many rinks from Delaware to Massachusetts
that are inline friendly.

BAHAMA ISLANDS

From: SCHR...@PROCESS.COM (Jeff Schreiber)
Date: 9 Nov 1994 17:50:48 -0000

I was in the Bahamas in August for my honeymoon. The skateability of
Nassau greatly depends on where you are thinking of. If you are
talking about Downtown, I wouldn't recommend it (too crowded).
Otherwise the streets might be ok (but they drive like morons! and I'm
from Massachusetts :). Sidewalks are out, they are mostly all broken
up, they disappear randomly, and overall, wouldn't be any fun.

If you're thinking about the Carnival's Crystal Palace, or The
Radisson Cable Beach (or anything on Cable Beach), I would say bring
them. I did see one guy out on skates at the hotel. There are some
nice cement courtyards and paths in the larger hotels on Cable Beach.

As far as your comment about "as if that mattered" referring to the
police. I realize you said that as a joke, but I just wanted to say
that you should be careful. The police are pretty nice down there,
although some are corrupt. I would not suggest pissing them off
though. The Bahamas are nice, but if you go Downtown, I want you to
try to picture what one of the jail cells are like. It is a foreign
country, and I for one don't know all their laws, so I wasn't planning
on pushing the police if they warned me. Don't forget what happened to
that kid in Singapore!

From: dcoo...@aol.com (DCooper2)
Date: 5 Mar 1995 21:02:10 -0500

Freeport, Bahamas. Stay at the Princess Hotel. Roads are nearly empty.
Beach is three miles away. Cars on left side of road a bit of an
adjustment.

_________________________________________________________________

CONNECTICUT
* Waterbury
* Killingworth

Waterbury

From: ls...@cnsvax.albany.edu (Lorre Smith)
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 15:05:39

RollerMagic (was called High Rollers) rink in Waterbury, Ct. on
Industry Ave, just off Lakewood.

This rink is tucked in behind what looks like a main suburban
commercial strip.

It has a very large snack bar/video game area and a smallish rink. The
sound system is very good and a live dj takes requests all night long.
We paid $6.00 each admission for a 7:30-11:30 session.

They rent in-line and conventional skates, and the crowd seemed to be
about half and half.

The rink surface is wood, but it appears to have been built on top of
a very solid surface, which seems like concrete. It is marvelous!! The
small size means there is constantly a turn to be made, but it is
indeed a real pleasure to keep turning on that great rink surface. The
middle seems to be reserved for better skaters who are trying out
their trick moves.

I visited on a Saturday night, and there were no "specials" except one
ladies only and one men only. The rest of the night was just pure good
skating. It seemed to be a teenage crowd, with the occasional adult,
but the skill level was fairly good, so there wasn't a lot of
thrashing about or falling. The dj took requests and played a lot of
rap, r&b and dance music, much to the pleasure of a great group of
dancers on the sidelines.

RollerMagic has another rink on South Main Street in Waterbury, but I
have only seen the rink, not yet skated on it.

Killingworth

From: Lynna.Sto...@yale.edu (Lynna Stone-Infeld)
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 1995 15:28:01 +0000

A great place to skate is Chatfield Hollow State Park on Route 80 near
the Madison-Killingworth border. A bit of a trek from CCSU, but well
worth it. Bring your bathing suit for an after skate swim.

_________________________________________________________________

WASHINGTON, D.C.

See also the Arlington, VA, section for info about some trails near
DC.

From: r...@panix.com (Robert Schmunk
Date: 23 May 1995

Here are some comments and observations about skating DC, based on two
trips there in the last seven months:

Freedom Plaza (Pennsylvania Ave. at 14th St. NW) long held a
reputation as a great place to grind and stair bash, plus practice
various maneuvers on the wide-open flat marble. Not that the quality
of the skating there has changed, but the legality of it has. Sometime
in the spring of 1995, skating of all types was banned from Freedom
Plaza, apparently as a result of the defacement of the plaza by wheel
and brake marks plus physical damage like chipped steps resulting from
grinding skateboards and skates. Skaters can bitch all they want about
the ban, but they do need to realize that marking up a prominent city
landmark across the street from city govt offices will draw a harsh
reaction in any town.

I have heard that some/much of the skating activity has shifted from
Freedom Plaza down Penn. Ave to Indiana Plaza, but the one time I went
by there, I didn't see any skaters and wasn't that impressed by the
plaza. I've been also told by one DC skater that the ban at Freedom
Plaza isn't too strongly enforced, but any truth to that could change
in an instant on a politician's whim.

Elsewhere in central DC, one place that seemed favored by the skaters
is the statue by the reflecting pool at the base of Capitol Hill. The
primary reason for this is that it is flanked by flights of about 10
steps, spaced just right for some fun stair bashing. I've done this in
broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon, which leads me to suspect that
authorities aren't too worried about such behavior. But again, that
could change if they think the monument is being damaged or if a
tourist should get hurt by a careless skater.

About Capitol Hill itself, I've heard that it's a violation of umpteen
different federal regulations to skate there, so watch out! That being
said, I'll note that the parking lot on the east side of the Capitol
is gigantic and often totally empty when Congress is not in session.

In West Potomac Park, Ohio Dr., the road leading from the Lincoln
Memorial down to the Jefferson Memorial, has apparently been recently
(sometime in 1994?) re-surfaced and makes for some smooth blading.
I've no idea about the condition of the road south of the Jefferson
Memorial.

On May 20, 1995, the section of Pennsylvania Ave. adjacent to the
White House was blocked off to auto traffic for security reasons.
Skaters immediately realized the potential of this action and were out
skating this inadvertent outdoor roller rink that very day. (I was
there the following day :-) However, while this street is wide, it is
also wide open to the sun, and I expect that the asphalt could be too
soft to skate during the summer. Also, word is that the street will be
ripped up and turned into a plaza of some sort, so the open skating
there may not last long.

Many of the other streets and avenues near the Mall are in extremely
good shape and make for some fun group skating, especially at night
when traffic has thinned out. This is especially true near federal
office buildings that are not near tourist landmarks. The flip side of
this is that although street skating is apparently not illegal in DC,
the cops will give you some grief if they think you're obstructing
traffic or if they're just bored. On one night skate of about 75
people, we had a cop turn on his patrol car PA system and yell, "Get
off the street," but another cop we passed 10 minutes later didn't
even react to our presence.

Just as cops don't quite seem to know how to react to group skates
passing by them on the streets of DC, the general populace also seems
to have not caught up with the 1990s. Lots of cars will honk excitedly
when they see a cluster of skaters go by.

From: geo...@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark)
Date: Unknown

na...@eng.umd.edu (Naruhisa Takashima) writes:

For those in the D.C. area, I have skated on Rock Creek Park which
is real nice path for joggers and slow bicyclist, but I'm not so
sure if it's suited for Bladers. The path is narrow, damp in many
places, and ocassionally very steep which makes it very difficult
for speed control, which in turn leads to bail out or wipe out.

Most parts of Rock Creek Park's bike path are OK to skate, except for
one real steep place that even bike riders have trouble with.

Since the path goes through the woods, keep in mind that wet leaves on
the pavement are very slippery to skate over.

It's also fun to leave the bike path, and skate about the nice
neighbor streets adjacent to it.

From: sim...@eeel.nist.gov (Eric Simmon)
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 17:33:51 GMT

Rock Creek Park:
from behind the Lincoln Memorial to Rt 28 in MD. Parts of the path is
decent pavement, parts suck. Be prepared to share the path with bikers
joggers and walkers. Sections of Beach Dr. are closed on the weekend,
which provides a good surface to skate on (but each section isn't very
long)

Capitol Crescent Trail:
Take K street west underneath the Whitehearst freeway, where the road
ends, the path begins. This is a new path with wide, smooth pavement.
It is only about 3.5 miles long right now, but will eventually go all
the way to Bethesda.

Downtown:
Plenty of good skate terrain downtown, just watch out for traffic and
bad surfaces (the mall has pavement with pebbles in it which is very
nasty, but doable). The asphalt can be hazardous in the summer because
it gets so hot your wheels just sink in.

From: tem...@usuhsb.usuhs.mil (Mitch Temoche)
Date: 17 Oct 1994 17:14:15 GMT

I went skating behind the Capitol once late at night. Lots of wide
open space, it was great and security didn't say anything. Liberty
Plaza on Pennsylvania Ave. is pretty nice and we also went up and down
F Street NW. Rock Creek Park has an excellent bike-trail for skating.
Recently I skated the parking lots on Research Blvd in Gaithersburg on
Sunday when it was empty. There's a lake in Germantown, MD on Waring
Station road that I've skated. I haven't tried Mt. Vernon bike trail
in VA yet but, I hear it's very crowded. You also might try Avenel in
Potomac MD there are some bike trails. Coastal highway in north of
Ocean City MD is very good too.

_________________________________________________________________

FLORIDA
* Miami/Lauderdale
* Orlando
* Tampa/St. Petersburg
* Tallahassee

Miami/Lauderdale

From: thd...@isye.gatech.edu (Mark Tabladillo)
Date: 9 Sep 1994 17:43:23 GMT

Ft. Lauderdale has lots of flat places to skate. The path by the ocean
has just been changed to interlaced red brick, but it's still good for
skating.

South Miami, in my opinion, was a better place to skate. Theres a flat
concrete boardwalk that runs along the beach, though it's further from
the water than the Ft. Lauderdale boardwalk. At the southmost end of
the beach, there are paint marks for cones. Also, at the center of the
beach, there is building which has a square courtyard for skating,
which has a cone in the center, and music coming from large speakers.

Across the street, there are a number of small cafes, restaurants and
bars. I saw better and more skaters in South Miami compared with Ft.
Lauderdale. Both are great, and there are many places in South Florida
for skating (BTW, roller hockey is big, and there are plans to build a
large rink in Broward County).

From: car...@aol.com (CarlHK)
Date: 14 Sep 1994 18:29:05 -0400

Here in Miami Beach we've got a great boardwalk next to the beach
(Ocean Drive between 5th and 15th streets) where on any given day
you're bound to find tons of skaters. During the weekend we set up a
slalom course near 5th and Ocean (the dots are painted on the ground)
and skate at insane speeds. Sometimes a ramp is also out near 5th and
Ocean. Monday nights about 100 skaters get together around 7:30 pm at
Penrod's bar on 1st street and Ocean Drive for a skate around the Art
Deco district. We end up at Penrod's afterwards where the bar gives us
2 for 1 drinks. Good way to work out, meet folks and get buzzed. Nice,
eh? Tuesday and Thursday nights about 150 skaters get together with
the New River Rollers in Ft. Lauderdale for a 12 mile skate around the
intracoastal waterway and the canals up there. Beautiful scenery and
fantastic work out. Those skates end at the New River Saloon, for,
yep, more drinks.

Orlando

From: James Waldron (wal...@interport.net)
Date: 27 Apr 1995 17:13:00 GMT

There is an excellent skatepark just north of Orlando in Altamonte
Springs called "Badlands." Nice ramps and an excellent street course.

From: lines...@aol.com (Lineskater)
Date: 27 Jun 1995 10:48:39 -0400

I just came back from a family vacation in Orlando. Before I went I
consulted the Orlando Sentinel about trails, and I just have to share
info about the West Orange Trail west of Winter Green (nw of Orlando).
First of all, I thought it was a road because it's 10 feet wide! The
surface is incredible - like a newly paved parking lot! Right now it's
only 4.5 miles long, but plans are to extend it this year. It's the
best trail skating I've ever done. Hope this helps somebody else who
wants to combine the $ vacations in Orlando with skating.

From: ci...@news.gate.net (Chad Irby)
Date: 27 Jun 1995 18:12:40 -0400

Yeah- the West Orange is a great place to skate. (It's west of Winter
Garden, though) When they finish it, it's supposed to be about 30
miles (I've heard 27 to 33), and I want to try and organize a race
when they finish it.

The other good skate here is the Cady Trail, next to Fashion Square
Mall. 3.5 miles each way, with benches at regular intervals and water
fountains every half mile (and in the Florida summer, that's a Good
Thing).

Tampa/St. Petersburg

From: Eric Santman (72530...@CompuServe.COM)
Date: 21 Jul 1995 16:10:15 GMT

I am proud to announce that on July 20th, 1995, the City Council of
Tampa 'decriminalized' the act of skating on all City streets of a
speed 30 mph or less. This is effective immediately.

This does not affect:

* Current ban on downtown sidewalks during business hours
* City Streets faster than 30 mph
* County or State maintained streets, even in the City limits

In addition, a Task Force has been named to review:

* 30 MPH streets that may be inappropriate for skating (too
commercial)
* Faster-than-30 mph streets that may be appropriate for skating
* Relationships with other non-auto road users, like cyclists
* Ways of promoting positive skate vibes throughout the Community

From: mie...@sunset.eng.usf.edu (Bradley Mierau (CH))
Date: 26 Feb 1995 16:43:59 GMT

TotallyJon (total...@aol.com) wrote:

Tampa- Bayshore Blvd. Right on the water. Nice spot.
Friday and Saturday nights Ybor city meet 9pm Platt St and Bayshore.
If you want to skate St. Pete Monday and Thursday at the Thunderdome
parking lot 8pm-10pm.
Ft. Desoto Park probably the nicest spot around. 4 1/2 miles in a
county park. The best around.
The Pinellas trail 47 miles and nice too.

Another good place is Flatwoods County Park, 5 miles west of I75 on
Fletcher in Tampa. About 13 miles of trail... no motor vehicles...
almost no stop signs. Very secluded, maby not a good place for female
skaters by themselves.

Tallahassee

From: dc...@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Daryl S. Cain)

Date: Unknown

A great place to skate! Its got it all--hills, flatlands, gentle
slopes, the works. Tallahassee is the capital of Florida and home to
both Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical
University. Skating is a relatively new sport in Tallahassee. There
are few places to buy skates and none where decent accessories or
compentent help is consistently available. The law is tolerant (play
it cool) but some private properly owners can be pains.

The best place for flatlanders is the St. Marks Trail south of
Tallahassee. This is a paved railroad right of way with the trailhead
located on Highway 363 (Woodville Highway) just south of State Road
319 (Capital Circle SE). Plenty of parking is available, however,
space does get sparce on the weekends.

The trail streches 16 miles from Tallahassee to St. Marks--a small
fishing village famed for its manatee population. The pavement is high
quality with few rough spots. Traffic is light on the weekdays, heavy
on the weekends. Most walkers quit after 1-2 miles and skaters after
2-3 miles. >From there on down its smooth sailing except for the
bikers. The people are generally polite and accidents are rare. There
is a combination bike/skate shop at the north end of the trail. They
rent skates (Roces) and bikes for reasonable rates there.

In the spring the trail is beautiful. Flowers and shrubs are in bloom
and the lucky can generally find a good blackberry bush to pick.
However, snakes also like sun themselves on the warm trail so beware
the occassional rattler when you wander. Florida is a hot place so
pack plenty of water. Speedsters will find that Tallahassee is quite
hilly. Most hills are located on the East or North sides of town.
Pavement is of very high quality, it's asphalt with a fine gravel
base, but beware the ocassional patch of shell rock. By far the best
hill (in my experience) is located on Morningside Drive just north of
Highway 27 off Richview Drive on the east side. My wife has clocked my
friend and I at 45 mph near the bottom. The hill is about 1500 yards
long, straight, with a baby hill going up the other side to slow down
on.

For more radical skating work, the place to go is the Florida State
University campus. There is no telling how the campus cops would react
to skaters but mountain bikers generally get away with murder. The
place is a cornicupia of stairs, ramps, hills, sidewalks, speedbumps
and parking lots. The campus is huge and almost every type of terrain
except for mountain switchbacks are available. The only cavat is that
when classes let out during the semester the place becomes packed with
pedestrians. The best times to skate there are at night, on weekends,
and during the summer semester.

For the freestylist, parking lots are in great abundance in
Tallahassee. Most places are cool, but the rent-a-cops at the
Governers Square Mall are a pain in the ass. Its a real pity to, the
parking lot covers about ten acres and was just repaved about five
months ago with the smoothest asphalt you've ever laid eyes on. A
suitable alternative is the Kroger Center, located on the east side of
town between Highway 27 and Capital Circle.

Pick-up hockey games are held at Skate Inn East, 2563 Capital Circle
N.E. on Sunday - 7:00 pm and Wednesday - 9:30 pm. For more information
contact Steve Bohl at (904)656-2056. You gotta have your own stuff.

Be forewarned that there are few experienced skaters in Tallahassee.
For that reason there are no real "skater" hangouts. Most people have
a steady skate partner that they skate with but organized affiliations
haven't developed to any real extent yet.

There are many outdoor events in Tallahassee, such as bike-a-thons and
the like, and they're just now warming up to the idea of skaters
joining their ranks. Hopefully skaters will get off on the right foot
here and become a legitimate part of the exercise/fitness community.
So if your in town and maybe want to skate a few miles, drop me a
line.

_________________________________________________________________

GEORGIA

Atlanta

From: g...@terminus.gatech.edu (toM o. genesE)
Date: Unknown

Well, I'm not quite sure what your looking for in a place to skate,
but if you are ever in Atlanta (well, it is on the East coast after
all) be sure to go to Piedmont Park. The park itself is home to quite
a few skaters, and no one minds their presence. Directly across the
street from the park is Skate Escape, the rec/speed skate shop
mentioned in the rec.skate FAQ.

Every Monday evening, there is an introductory skate through the
midtown area, starting at a shopping center near the park. Even though
the trip is labeled as introductory, when the skaters (80+) gather in
the parking lot, you can meet advanced skaters and pick up some tips,
see some tricks, etc. If you are into speedskating, Skate Escape has a
distance skate every Wednesday night.

There is also a local skate club, the Atlanta Peachtree Road Rollers.
These are the people who put on the Monday night skate, as well as
provide introductory skate lessons.

I can get more info on the club and these events if there is some
interest.

From rbu...@owlnet.rice.edu
Date: Unknown

Great skating city; lots of hills and really scenic. Piedmont Park is
really popular with beginners and pros alike. Go to the entrance near
Piedmont and 12th street. There's a skate shop on that corner (Skate
Escape). They can tell you whatever you want about other skating
events in the city, regular weekly skates with the Peachtree Rollers,
etc.

Cops don't seem to mind skaters as long as you stay out of everyone's
way (i.e. use common sense).

The Georgia Tech Campus is another great place, especially for
freestyle types. Lots of stairs (the ones by the student center are
ideal for stair-riding) and ramps, great hills, and a few parking
decks to boot.

_________________________________________________________________

KENTUCKY

Louisville

From: steve...@aol.com (SteveS1222)
Date: 7 Sep 1994 12:07:06 -0400

Seneca Park has a walking path that is rather narrow with many
walkers. Cherokee Park has a 2.3 mile loop-road that is now one-way
with the inside lane reserved for bikes, walkers, and skaters. It's
much better than Seneca.

Another area I've started skating around is along the river downtown.
There is a walk path, narrow but little traffic because it's new, that
runs for a mile or two along the river. There is a free parking lot at
the end of 10th street and the path is right there. If you go east
past the construction, you can skate around the Belle of Louisville
dock also.

I've heard that a number of people skate on the Belvadere. It is the
open area above the construction near the Belle. I've not skated there
yet though, so I can't give you an opinion.

_________________________________________________________________

MARYLAND

Baltimore

From: ha...@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu (Marty Hall)
Date: Unknown

1. Loch Raven Reservoir. A 1.5 mile or so stretch of smooth pavement
on the east side is closed to traffic weekends from 10AM to 5PM.
Go up Dulaney Valley Rd. along west and north sides of reservoir.
Stay along the reservoir (ie bear right) when the main road bears
left at the restaurant. The next road is where skating starts.
Moderately crowded with walkers, skaters, and bicyclers on nice
days, esp after lunch. But shaded and cool.
2. Baltimore Street Skater's Club. They meet 1st and 3rd Thursday's
of the month in the Light Rail parking lot on Deereco Rd. This
runs parallel to I83 between I83 and York Rd, halfway between
Timonium and Padonia Rds. They meet 7:30-9:30 with clinics (from
raw beginners to moderately advanced) going from 8:00-9:00. They
recommend "joining" for about 20 bucks, but it is not required.
Joining also gets you a T-shirt. They also have hockey some other
night. Call Hal Ashman at Baltimore Boardsailing (666-WIND) for
more info. 60+ people on a typical night. If you can crossover
backwards, do a few jumps, and do basic slaloms around cones
(backwards, 1-foot, crossing legs forwards), then you are already
as good as all but their best instructors, but can still mess
around with the better skaters. The more advanced groups generally
take off into the surrounding industrial parks.

Cancelled if there is a home Orioles game that night.
3. Patapsco State Park. Just S of I195 off of Rt 1, near the UMBC
campus. It costs to get in, but skaters can park in the
residential area outside the park (go past the entrance up the
hill), and skate in for free. It is about 1 mile into the main
park, then there is a 2 mile stretch of river to skate along,
ending in a hanging bridge over the river. One side of the river
is a road (no cars allowed most of the way), the other is a bike
path.
4. Camden Yards stadium. Huge parking lots and smooth sidewalks south
of stadium and around it. Obviously avoid game days. Guards will
not let you skate between the warehouses (inside the large gates)
but will let you skate elsewhere. On a weekday or early AM
weekend, you can also skate over to the Inner Harbor for a nice
cruise.
5. Baltimore Annapolis Trail. Nice smooth bike trail running from
Glen Burnie to Annapolis. I've never ridden it all the way into
Annapolis, and suspect that to ride into downtown Annapolis would
be hard, since I think you would have to cross one major bridge
after the trail ends. Anybody know?

_________________________________________________________________

MASSACHUSETTS
* Nashoba Valley
* Boston
* Hingham
* Cape Cod
* Martha's Vineyard

Nashoba Valley

The Nashoba Valley chapter of the In-Line Club of Boston maintains a
Web page of skate sites at the URL:
http://www.sk8net.tiac.net/users/sk8man/nvcfav.html.

Boston

The trails on the Charles (at least when I left in 1989) could not
meet this policy. There are plenty of places where it would be
physically impossible for one bicycle to pass another unless there was
no opposing traffic. Portions of the trail up near the Allston exit of
the Mass Pike immediately come to mind.

I lived in Boston for 10 years. Fortunately, I was able to schedule my
work to avoid the crunch time on the trails--in to work after 10AM,
leave work after 6PM. The most fun was skating at night along the
Charles (yes, O'Leary, with light and helmet). This may have been
dangerous, but I rarely, if ever, saw any sinister types along the
park at that hour.

There are some pretty decent places to skate in Boston other than the
Charles. The linear park along the new Orange Line wasn't bad. I did a
lot of my practicing on the linear park from Davis to Alewife on the
Red Line. At that time, the nearly-empty Alewife parking lot, with its
gentle ramps and not-so- gentle spirals, was an excellent place to
learn hills.

From: Damon@nomaD
Date: Unknown

Maximus Skate Park has a half-pipe and a quarter-pipe street skating
area. 576-4723.

From: spectre@albert (Jeff Schreiber) Date: 28 Jul 1995 21:56:29 GMT
[Re Maximus Skate Park]

One half pipe... a bunch of quarters against the walls, and a 4 foot
half-bowl. Not bad, but all the years I've been there, I've hardly
seen anything new, and they're getting holes in the platforms on the
vert ramp.. etc... They're now sticking to the $10 for non members
also, so there's no getting in for 'five skate bucks' anymore... Eh...
it's the only thing around now... but there will be more coming. they
are breaking ground for a public town run park with a cement bowl, and
more stuff, in Duxbury. Plymouth is also looking to put one in. There
is a guy at Scarecrow Skate Shop in Plymouth that is looking for a
warehouse to open a private park around Kingston. A friend of mine is
also looking for investors to go in with him for a place in Salem, NH.
The bad news? The kingston idea would be designed for Skateboarders,
and the Duxbury plans are around skateboarders... but that's no big
deal. The Salem NH idea would be designed around BMX. Sorry it's so
messy... trying to get out of here! :)

From: mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)

Date: Unknown

FYI: There are 2 Night Skates in Boston that happen on a regular
basis:

one is on Tuesday night, meet at the Hatch Shell on the Charles River;
leaves around 8:30 pm (or as soon as it's reasonably dark). Your $10
covers 3 glow sticks & some soft drinks. $5 each time thereafter. This
is a leisurely skate--no tricks or racing or jumping or stairs, etc...
unless you individually want to ;-> This skate is sponsored by John
Gilmore, who is somehow related to RollerBlade.

the other is Thursday night, meet at the Trinity Church in Copley
Square; leaves around 8:30 pm (or as soon as the leaders arrive & want
to go). Free to all, but this one is fast-paced. You can do jumps,
stairs, natural ramps, bricks, and any number of these combined. You
can also choose to go around & just watch; but you'll have to skate
fast to keep up. Frequent stops to let the leaders show off. If you
plan to participate, wear full protective padding, including large
knee pads, and wrist guards at a minimum. A helmet is recommended
(just in case....). The powers that lead give a short lecture on safe,
polite, respectful skating at the first stop. This skate is totally
unsponsored--skate free at your own risk.

By the Charles River, just get to harvard.
Allston/cambridge exit off Mass Pike.

Memorial drive: nice road... 8 hours open ... 11am to 7pm..
skated on sunday... only open on sundays ...
open for "recreational vehicles" only...
pretty neat... had two sets of cones set up... plus about 2 or 3 miles
of 4 lane road to skate... (bikes, skates, foot, unicycles,
skateboards..)
asphalt...few cracks..no real hills ... just by the cones.. mostly
flat .. by river ... nice....straight away...no loop....
not really crowded... too long to be crowded...short wait for slalom
.. one rental van ...

From: mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)

Date: Unknown

j...@eriador.Prime.COM (Joe Scianna) wrote:

I recently discovered the Bike path which begins in Bedford and
extends to Davis Square in Cambridge. It's perfect for blading. The
surface is extremely smooth. It's well marked with mile markers, so
there's no quessing distance travelled.

It's a nice alternative to the Esplanade. Although, blading along
the Charles River at sunset is tough to beat!

This is the "famed" Minuteman Path--~17 Miles of ~6' wide smooth
pavement. They've finally taken out the speed bumps that existed at or
near intersections, and replaced them with ground-level slabs of rock.
Much easier to get over the slabs.

The path starts in Davis Square between the Au Bon Pain & the Theater,
just across from the T-stop. The surface begins as fairly smooth
brick, and eventually converts into smooth pavement. You have to cross
a few big streets (like Mass. Ave in Arlington) before getting to the
longer sections. Once you get to Alewife (right at the T-stop), you're
away from the large busy crossings, and can start the speed skating!

ps. The path is slightly inclined, allowing for some great
speeds--I've gone a few miles doing 2.5 minutes / mile pace --> 24 MPH
continuous on 4 wheels!

From: stal...@world.std.com (Mark R Stallard)
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 1994 22:55:41 GMT

My favorite place to skate is on the Minuteman Rail Trail, which runs
from Davis Square, Somerville all the out to Bedford - 11+ miles long
each way. Since this was originally a railroad, the hills are very
gentle. The pavement is overall quite good after the first 1-1/2 miles
out of Davis Square. There are several places to eat and get
refreshements along the way.

To get there, take the T Red Line to the Davis station, and leave at
the Meacham Street exit. If you're lucky, you can get away with riding
the subway with your skates on. Right at the exit is an Au Bon Pain
sandwich and coffee shop, and they never hassle me about serving
myself on skates. Please don't try it, though, if you're not sure you
can skate with a lunch tray.

The path starts right outside the restaraunt. The first mile is pretty
rough; you'll have to skate over a lot of brick walkways, sandy
pavement and the like. You might be confused when approaching the
intersection of Mass Ave. and Cameron Street - keep an eye out for the
entrace; it's on the other side of Mass Ave near the Buy-Rite liquor
store.

You can also elect to start the path at the Alewife T Station.

Once in Arlington, the pavement quality improves substantially.
Repaved just last summer. There is one more path hiatus; this is
Arlington center. You have to cross both streets in a busy
intersection. After that, though, it's smooth skating.

My only complaint is that, like all good things, the path is overused.
On pleasant weekend afternoons you can expect a number of people with
small children, even baby carriages. A lot of bicyclists,
unfortunately, are real jerkoffs, too. They'll ride two abreast and
converse with each other, making it difficult for others to pass.

And then, of course, we have the dilletante racers. You know, the guys
with the very expensive bikes and bike clothing who are out to set new
personal bests. In this setting I would say they are the most
dangerous users of the path, because they often have no patience for
anyone moving slower than them. These guys should stick to the
roadways and not bother with the bike paths.

Anyway, I highly recommend the Minuteman path to all skaters.

From: bnh@active (Brian Hess)
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 18:19:44 GMT

Mark R Stallard (stal...@world.std.com) wrote:

My favorite place to skate is on the Minuteman Rail Trail,

If you're a novice, or don't want to do more than a couple miles, you
might like to know:

The very smoothest pavement, with virtually no sand, only a few
expansion joints, and with the fewest road crossings (all of which
slow you down to a dead stop unless you are foolish) is:

from Bedford Street (4/225) in Lexington out to South Street (Bedford
depot) in Bedford. There are only 4 or 5 road crossings in 2.5 miles,
only one of which is really busy (Hartwell Ave.) This makes a 5 mile
round trip.

You can take the 62 bus from Alewife (please don't wear your skates!),
get off well past Lexington center, at the stop next after the
flashing yellow light (ask the driver for the Lexington public works
building if you're not sure). If you drive, park at either the
northeast corner of the track/road crossing in the public works lot
(in front, outside the fence they lock at night!) or behind a little
office park on the southwest corner of the track/road crossing. It's 3
minutes east of route 95/128 on 4/225.

From: SCHR...@PROCESS.COM (Jeff Schreiber)
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 1994 10:42 -0400

Last night a friend and I decided to try again for a journey into the
realms of downtown Boston for a little skate. We had tried once last
friday, but we didn't get very far. (We made the mistake of heading to
the Green line via Boston College. It took 2 hours once we got past
128 on the Mass Pike). This time we made the trek up to Alewife, and
rode in on the red line to Park Street. We did some nice cruising in
and around that side of the Common, and then headed out for more
congested areas! (for those of you hockey players in the Boston Area,
the pool in the Common, by the State House, is drained, and would be
cool for hockey!).

Well, we headed down along State street towards Quincy Market, cruised
in around there for a bit, but the cobblestones were a little too
rough. We headed over to the harbor, spent some time cruising along
the wharfs, and hung out at the Aquarium for a while, watching the
seals doing stalls and wall rides in their pens (the seals are
definitely cool!). Then we decided to head back through Quincy Market,
and up to the City hall.....

Absolutely incredible! I can't say how amazing this area was. The
brick plaza was a little rough on the legs, but it was worth it. There
is a T stop right there, with brick walls, and the brick walls were at
about an 80 degree angle, which made for some incredible wall rides.
Then we looked back towards the other side. The beauty of a field of
stairs! It was a stair bashing heaven! Nice wide steps with small
drops that made them skateable for even a first time basher. Like I
said, the brick was a little tough to skate on, but bumpy is a
relative term for Stair Bashers! there were sets of stairs, about
50-100 long steps, that went in perfect sets! 4 steps, 5 feet
platform, 4 steps, platform, 4 steps, platform, 4 steps, platform, 8
steps, 15 feet, 4 steps, 5 feet, 4 steps, 5 feet, then finally a nice
cruise of step, 4 feet, step, 4 feet (for about 5 or 6 steps!) A
definite must-skate for anyone within an hour or 2 to even a commuter
rail!!!

Hingham

From: rhoade...@both1.nmo.gtegsc.com (Dave Rhoades)
Date: 20 Apr 1995 14:53:12 GMT

Another great place just south of Boston is Wompatuck State Park

Route 3 south to 228 north, Aprox 2 miles on the right.

In-Line Club of Boston also holds races there about twice a month.

There is a great Large section of pavement for beginning. The camping
area with small rolling hills for a mild skate. And the bicycle trails
and 1.1 mile race loop for an agressive skater

Cape Cod

From: Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)
Date: 2 Jul 1995 20:58:10 -0400

Prior to vacationing on Cape Cod, it was recommended to me that I give
the 5-mile loop at Race Point, right on the tip of the cape, a try. I
never did make it there, but nevertheless, some Boston skaters have
told me that it can be a lot of fun if sand hasn't drifted across the
low-lying spots.

What I did skate was a part of the Cape Cod Bike Trail. This is a
rails-to-trails path that runs about 25 miles from Dennis to South
Wellfleet. The portion which I did was the last 5.5 miles, from S.
Wellfleet to Eastham, and then back. The absolute last five miles,
from Locust Rd. in Eastham to LeCount Hollow Rd. in S. Wellfleet (look
for the parking lot about 150 yds off SR 6), are in superb condition.
This part of the trail is not mentioned in the 1995 Fodor's Guide to
the cape, so I suspect that the asphalt was only recently laid down.
It's almost perfectly straight and just barely hilly. There are
cross-roads, but not a lot of them, so opportunities to stop for
fluids at a store are slim; carrying your own water bottle is pretty
much a necessity on hot days (which because of the cape breezes are
probably not frequent). The half mile of the trail that I did south of
Locust Rd. was obviously older, as the asphalt while not broken was
eroded and made somewhat unpleasant skating. On a pleasant June
Saturday afternoon, I encountered a number of bikers (but not too
many, and mostly families out for a ride) and just a few skaters.
Since the path was 8-10 feet wide, there was no problem with trail
hogs.

Further details on the complete Cape Cod Trail, the Race Point Trail,
and a number of other trails in the area are provided in the "Cape Cod
Bike Book", a blue-covered booklet which you can find at many shops
and at the Nat'l Seashore visitor centers. It's not big, but is more
than worth the $2.95 price.

I also did a little bit of street skating in Provincetown, but I can't
recommend it to visitors since it can get pretty congested with
tourists meandering among the shops. Several shops I entered were cool
about me skating in ("Oooh, what model are those?") but one wasn't.

From: mca...@netrail.net (Mark Casey)
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 95 13:35 EDT

I saw mention of the Provincetown Race Point loop and thought I would
expound. I didn't actually skate it, I biked it. It would defintely be
a challenging skate with many ups, downs, and corners (fun speed
skate) but the sand is plentiful. If it doesn't take you off your
feet, it'll certainly do a job on your bearings. If that's not a
problem for you, it's definitely worth the trek.

From: ssch...@bio.bu.edu (Jeff Schreiber - Spectre)
Date: 3 Jul 1995 14:41:48 GMT

A couple of other places I've been meaning to tell everyone about, and
this is as good a time as any, is at the Cape Cod Canal, and in
Falmouth. My wife has been trying to get me down to Falmouth with her
to skate the Bike trail there, I not positive [of] it's route, but I
believe it starts around Woods Hole, and ends over in Hyannis. Where
the Cape Code Bike Trail runs over by the Bay side (and not really
close enough to see the water from where I've seen the trail run), the
bike trail out of Falmouth runs down the ocean side.

If your looking for a _really_ beautiful skate (I can't believe I'm
talking like this, I should be talking about stairs and rails, and
vert ramps :). Check out the Cape Cod canal. You can't miss it, it's
the thing that you drive over on the Bourne or Sagamore. If your going
down in peek travel times, you'll get plenty of time to stop and look
at the canal, since all the cars around you will be doing the same,
and you won't have much choice (can you tell that it took me 2 hours
to drive the 25 minute drive it should take me to get to the bridge?).
Well, anyway, they built a path that runs the length of the canal, on
both sides I think, but much more apparently on the mainland side. If
you follow the road towards Route 6, and the sagamore bridge, you will
find a rest stop/scenic overlook at the bottom of the hill (they put
some traffic lights there, so you have a prayer of getting back on the
road). There is stairs that go down to the path, and the canal, and
you can skate the whole length of the canal, watching all the boats,
etc...

>I also did a little bit of street skating in Provincetown

Yes, it's nice down there, but unbelievably crowded (I'm surprised you
even tried it with the crowds that there usually are). Definately some
interesting sights down that way, and very mixed reactions to
_anything_ you do, including wearing skates into stores. Just if you
ever decide to skate in Provincetown, be sure to go with an _open_
mind, or you'll end up getting yourself into trouble.

Martha's Vineyard

From: mca...@netrail.net (Mark Casey)
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 95 13:35 EDT

Skating is a great way to see the island, or better yet, a great
reason to visit the island. The views and scenary are awesome and the
air is cool, even on the hottest summer days. There are plenty of bike
trials connecting all of the major points of interest along an 18mi
loop connecting Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven including
South/Katama Beach. I haven't been out to Gay Head in some time, so I
can't provide any insight on skating out there but it would be an
aweful long skate (20 mi - take a cab) on the roads to get there. It's
only $10 RT from Woods Hole or $22 RT from Hyannis for a great day of
skating and there's no extra charge for the skates ;)

_________________________________________________________________

NEW JERSEY
* Bergen County
* Essex County
* Morris County
* Union County
* Middlesex County
* Monmouth County

Bergen County

From: jog...@camelot.fia.dmg.ml.com (Joseph Ogulin)
Date: Unknown

To the Fair Lawn area of Saddle River County Park (SRCP)... this is
where the slalom course is:
GSP North to exit 160. Turn left at the light at the end of the ramp.
Follow this road over Route 4. It becomes Paramus Rd. here. Follow
Paramus Rd. to the first light, turn left. Pass the signs that say
things like "Welcome to Fair Lawn" and "Say No to Drugs." On your
right, after passing these signs, you will find a small road which has
signs (small ones) that say "Bike Route" and "Parking for Bike Path
and Tennis Courts." Turn right here, and park in the lot.

To the Dunkerhook (Paramus) area of SRCP:
Follow the above directions, except go straight at the first light.
Pass the cemetery on your right. You'll see a sign on your left that
says "Dunkerhook Area, Saddle River County Park." Turn left there and
follow any other signs.

To the Ridgewood area of SRCP:
GSP North to exit 163. Follow Route 17 North to the Ridgewood Ave.
exit. Head toward Ridgewood (you'll loop back over the highway). After
you pass Paramus Rd., look on your right. When you see the duck pond
(and signs mentioning that it's the Ridgewood Wild Duck Pond of SRCP),
turn right into the area.

I can't recall how to get to the Glen Rock area. Sorry.

To Fair Lawn and Dunkerhook from the north:
If you're coming from the north on GSP South, use exit 163 (Route 17).
Exit at Century Rd. and head toward Paramus/Fair Lawn/Glen Rock (or
whatever it says). You will not cross over Route 17. Follow Century
Rd. to Paramus Rd. There will be a cemetery on your right (this is the
intersection mentioned in the Fair Lawn and Dunkerhook). To get to
Fair Lawn, go straight. To get to Dunkerhook, turn right. Follow the
above directions.

To Ridgewood from the north:
Exit the GSP at the Ridgewood/Oradell exit (I may be wrong, but I
believe it is 165) and head toward Ridgewood. You are now on Ridgewood
Ave. Just follow Ridgewood Ave. as above after you cross Route 17.

Trail descriptions:
There are approximately 6-7 miles of trails there. Most of them are
quite smooth, with a few rough spots along the way. They're about 5'
wide, and traffic is mostly walkers, joggers, bladers, and cyclists of
various ages from child to senior citizen. Adult cyclists and bladers
will generally follow courtesies and warn people in front of them when
they are coming up behind you. The whole series of trails winds along
side of a brook. Bugs are rampant along parts of the trails during
summer months in the evenings. There are a few hills, but most of them
are short, or not too steep. There are a few parking lots along the
way where many newbie bladers can be seen tripping, stumbling, or
moving forward when they have their balance. There are no street
lights along the trails, as they all pass through wooded areas. The
slalom course, for those interested, is in the Fair Lawn area by the
tennis courts. If there is nobody there and you have your own cones
(we tend to use cups because they're cheaper), you'll find red dots
painted on the ground. The dots are 5' apart (measured MANY times). If
someone is there, you won't be discouraged from trying. In fact if you
just stand there and watch, you're very likely to be asked to try the
cones. Just watch out for the geese and ducks in any of the parking
lots around duck ponds (Ridgewood and Glen Rock), unless you like
cleaning your bearings and wheels.

From commpost!opus!camelot!jog...@uu3.psi.com
Date: Unknown

I much prefer Saddle River County Park [to Brookdale Park] because it
has a 5+ mile trail (one way!) which is great if you're looking for
long skating runs. Most of the people there are friendly and follow
general courtesies when passing, especially when there's a large group
(this is cyclists, skaters, and runners alike!). There is also an area
where we do slaloming through cones. People in the group I usually
meet there have painted dots on the ground for the cones. They're 5'
apart (yeah, we know that competitions use 6' as the distance). Any
time anyone has cones set up, people are welcome to "try their luck."
We'll never tell anyone that they can't try it. In fact, if you stand
there and watch for a long time and you're wearing rollerblades,
someone's going to ask you to try it.

How to get to there:
* The Fair Lawn area is accessed from Century Rd. Use Route 17 and
exit at Century Rd. Head toward Glen Rock/Fair Lawn. The access
road (Dunkerhook Rd) is a small road between Paramus Rd. and
Saddle River Rd.
* The Dunkerhook area (Paramus) is accessed from Paramus Rd. The
access road (Dunkerhook Rd.) has a sign by it and is north of
Century Rd.
* The Ridgewood area is on Ridgewood Ave. Use Route 17 and exit at
Ridgewood Ave. Head toward Ridgewood.
* I can't exactly remember how to get to the Glen Rock area, but
Saddle River Rd. comes to mind.

From: ph...@albany.net (john)
Date: 18 Jun 1995 14:24:55 GMT

You can always go to Overpeck Park in Leonia/Teaneck. It's a big
figure 8 track about 1.5 miles long. There are lots of beginners and
should be good for you.

Essex County

From commpost!opus!camelot!jog...@uu3.psi.com
Date: Unknown

Brookdale Park is ok, but I've found that many of the cyclists there
are a bunch of assholes (mostly it's the cycling club members). They
might give you 3 inches clearance when they pass you while you're
avoiding debris on the side of the road. Next time I go there, I'm
going to bring a hockey stick with me (even though I don't play
hockey) and swing it back and forth as I go. If the cyclists bother
me, WHACK... >:-) Other than that, it's got a 1 mile loop with a
rather nasty hill. The paths going through the park other than the
main road (which has a car speed limit of 30 MPH, which of course
nobody follows) are not that great and could use some repaving.

How to get to there:
* There are entries on Grove St., Watchung Ave., and Bellvue Ave.,
all in Bloomfield. Take Route 3 to Broad St., head toward
Bloomfield.

Morris County

From: mi...@cnj.digex.net (timothy mizerak)
Date: 19 Jun 1995 01:47:29 -0400

Lawontaka Park: This features two park sites connected by many miles
of pretty trails. We saw a deer on one the other day! It features some
nice hills and a babbling brook that you have to manouvre over. Not as
much parking lot for practice, but adequate. Located in Morristown,
take 287 to South st.

Union County

From: blad...@aol.com (Bladeroo)
Date: 11 Jun 1995 15:25:54 -0400

I like Tamaques Park in Westfield, NJ. It's best for fitness/speed
skaters because it has an .8mi loop with a downhill and a gradual
uphill. It also has a large parking area good for practicing tricks
and things. However, they don't allow ramps or cones.

Middlesex County

From: mi...@cnj.digex.net (timothy mizerak)
Date: 19 Jun 1995 01:47:29 -0400

Bucheleau Park (sp?): Adjacent to Rutgers campus and just opposite St.
Peter's hospital. This park isn't great, but it is decent. The big
loop is a nice workout but there is too much traffic. There is a nice
big hill to get some speed off of, and a smooth covered picnic area.

Deiner Park: Right on Rutgers campus it literally hangs over Rt. 18. I
haven't skated there yet, but will be teaching classes at Rutgers
there in September, so I'll know soon enough if it is any good.

Monmouth County

From: Dennis Black (dbl...@cisco.com)
Date: Unknown

My personal favorite is Sandy Hook National Park (NJ). It's on the
south side of Staten Island. Check out a NJ map. It's about an hour
from NYC, depending upon traffic. There's a ferry from South Street
Seaport ($$$$ 25. round trip). It has 20+ miles of roads, and only a
minimal amount of people (a few joggers and a few bicycles) after
6:00PM and day. Just a handful of skaters so far. Also one side is the
bay and the other side is ocean, so on days like today and tomorrow
where it is 90+ inland, on the hook it will only get to the high 70's,
low 80's.

From: Rob Smigielski (smig...@stars.sed.monmouth.army.mil)
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 13:51:33 -0500

People skate on the streets of Avon, Belmar, Spring Lake, Spring Lake
Heights, Manasquan, and Point Pleasant. The route from Belmar south
through Spring Lake is most commonly used since the car traffic is
limited and the many of the streets south of Belmar are newly paved.
Round trip distance from Belmar south to Spring Lake and back is
roughly 8 miles on flat mostly smooth roads. Note that the prevailing
winds along the beach run from the south to the north, so most skaters
go south down any of the streets two blocks inland from the beach, and
later turn north along Ocean Ave along the beach. The push from the
winds going north along the beach is a great help on the return trip.

Ocean Avenue, running parallel to the beach, is the street where
skaters and bikers go to be seen. The portion of Ocean Ave running
through Belmar can be crowded with summer time weekend traffic, but
the local police keep things cool. Cars do not have the right of way
over others.

Blades Action Sports on Ocean Ave in Belmar rents skates and provides
beginners with lessons on skating techniques.

Also, since you're on the Jersey shore already, bring a blanket and
some tanning oil and enjoy the beach!

Finally, if you insist on parking on Ocean Ave, beware of your time
limit on the parking meters. Just say I warned you! Personally, I park
a few blocks away to avoid the hassles.

_________________________________________________________________

NEW YORK
* New York City
+ Manhattan
+ Brooklyn
+ Queens
+ Bronx
+ NYC Rinks
* Long Island
* Westchester County
* Albany
* Niagara

New York City

From: Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)
Date: Mar 31, 1995

The following is excerpted from the New York City Inline Skating, a
complete and up-to-date copy of which may be accessed via Web browser
at the URL:
http://www.panix.com/~rbs/Skate/NYC/.

For a list of places where aggressive skaters can grind and bash to
their heart's content, check out William Hao's "Aggressive Skate Site"
Web page at the URL:
http://www.dorsai.org/~styx/aggskate.html.

Depending on how hardcore you are, you can skate outdoors all year in
the city, although late March through October seems to be the prime
season. When the temperature gets down to about 30 F, light layers
covered by a some sort of windproof outer garment seem to do the
trick. I've found that a T-shirt, sweater, lightly padded windbreaker,
spandex tights, warmup pants, light gloves (under wrist guards), and
perhaps a cap (depending on whether you're wearing a helmet) suffice
when added to the usual skates, socks, and armor; if it's not windy,
you may even be able to remove the windbreaker. When the weather gets
over 80 F, be sure to drink some water or Gatorade at frequent
intervals and consider carrying a water bottle.

Despite their variable condition, the streets of Manhattan almost seem
designed for skating. There certainly seem to be a lot of people in
this town who use Rollerblades for basic transportation. You may raise
a sweat and suffer bus exhaust, but it saves you the $1.25 for a
subway or bus token. Just remember that while Manhattan drivers are
surprisingly apt to honor amber street lights (probably in fear of
killing jaywalking pedestrians), they're downright terrible at
signalling lane changes or even turns. In other boroughs, I understand
that drivers are not even that good about slowing for amber lights.
Taxis are notoriously unpredictable, and many of their cousins, the
gypsy cabs, are uninsured. And then there are the take-out food
delivery guys, who generally ride their lightless and apparently
brakeless bicycles the wrong way down one-way streets. The moral of
the story is: never hit the streets of Manhattan without proper armor,
and if you know any eye exercises for improving peripheral vision,
practice them.

Famous Landmarks:
Okay, let's admit it. When you walk into the Grand Central Station and
see that glorious expanse of sa-moooooth marble floor interrupted only
by the info kiosk in the middle, your toes start itching to do some
rolling. Well, you're not the only one who feels that way, and I've
known people to sneak in and skate the station and other famous
places, like the World Trade Center concourse. However, at many such
publicly-owned locations such activity is illegal (e.g., Grand Central
is a Metro North train station, and it's illegal to skate in train and
subway stations) and at corporate/privately-owned places, they may
consider unauthorized rollerskating to be trespassing. Thus, if you
feel like you just have to try skating a famous place, be prepared for
adverse legal consequences.

Manhattan

Central Park:
The most popular outdoor skating location in NYC is Central Park on
the 9.7-km (approx. 6-mile) loop. Cars are barred from the loop from
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and from 7:00 to 10:00 PM on weekdays from January
1 until the Friday before Thanksgiving, and around the clock on
weekends and holidays throughout the year. Cars do mistakenly enter
the loop road when it's closed, and ambulances and police cars may
appear at any time, so always keep your eyes and ears open.

Happily, most of the Central Park loop was resurfaced during 1993 or
1994, so you'll find that it is generally an exceptional skating
surface. Always remember to skate counter-clockwise when you're on the
loop; many, if not most, of the serious accidents in the park have
been caused by people skating or cycling the wrong direction. Also,
you'll be sharing the road with bikers, joggers, and pedestrians.
There's usually plenty of room for all three purposes when autos are
barred from the park, but when cars are allowed in, the recreation
lane can get very crowded. You may want to consider not skating when
cars are in the park, what with the competition for the recreation
lane and the exhaust and grit in the air. When skating after dark, it
would probably be very wise to wear a light to alert fast moving
bicyclists to your presence.

According to the New York Road Runners Club map of Central Park,
distances on the loop are:

71 W to 72 E: 1 mile, 716 yards, 31 inches = 2264.8 m
72 E to 90 E: 1748, 26 = 1599.0
90 E to 103 E: 1351, 11 = 1235.6
103 E to 102 W: 1, 1264, 19 = 2765.6
102 W to 71 W: 1, 246, 22 = 1834.8

This comes to 6 miles, 48 yards, 1 inch (9700 m) for a big loop. The
72nd St. crossover is 542 yards, 3 inches (495.7 m), making the small
loop 1 mile, 1258 yards, 34 inches (2761 m). The 102nd St. crossover
is 468 yards, 18 inches (428.4 m), making a medium loop 4 miles, 963
yards (7318 m).

The small loop is relatively tame mild rolling hills. The big loop is
a good workout which takes even professional speedskaters at least 16
minutes to complete; if you can do it in four-wheel skates in under 30
minutes, you're probably in pretty good shape.

Skate Patrol Stopping Clinic:
At both 72nd St. entrances to Central Park, on weekend afternoons
during the prime skate season (mid-April to November 1), the Central
Park Skate Patrol is available to give beginning inline skaters some
much-needed instruction on how to stop.

The Cones (NYRSA Slalom Course):
On the west side of the Central Park loop at 67th St., between Tavern
on the Green and the Sheep Meadow, is the slalom course. (If you're
trying to skate laps, this is also the locus of the biggest traffic
jam on the loop.) Virtually any weekend in which there is no rain,
snow or foot/skate/bike race, a line of 27 orange cones is set up in
the recreation lane, usually from noon until about sundown.

Dead Road:
Variously known as the Dead Road or Skater's Way, this is a road
between the carousel and Olmsted Way that was blocked off and turned
into some volleyball courts and a skating area. This is the place for
dancers, both inline and quad, to congregate. Typically there are
several activities happening, depending on the time of day you may
encounter small classes and private instruction, skaters dancing to
the music of their headphones, an improvised roller rink, etc.

Bandshell:
Just east and slightly uphill of the Dead Road is the bandshell. With
a slightly smoother and flatter surface than that of the Dead Road,
it's a bit more like an ice skating rink, with some people skating in
circles, some trying figure skating tricks, etc. This area can be very
crowded on weekend afternoons but is fairly wide open on weekdays,
making it a decent place for practicing new maneuvers.

The stairway which leads from the bandshell to the Bethesda Fountain
(passing beneath Olmsted Way and the Bethesda Terrace) occasionally
sees some radical stair bashing.

Harlem:
Riverbank State Park, between Riverside Drive and the Hudson River, is
not a bad place to skate, and the view of the river is pleasant.
However, the park is built over a waste treatment facility, so it's
possible that you may not care for the air, although I didn't
particularly notice any objectionable odors the one time I skated
there.

Many of Riverbank State Park's walkways are paved with brick, but the
park is new enough that the bricks have not worn enough to be terribly
troublesome to skaters. Additionally, there are some extremely smooth
handball and basketball courts at the south end of the park which
newbies might like to skate on when they're not otherwise in use. Near
the north end of the park, there is an ice skating rink which I hope
is converted to roller use during the summer. Entrances to the park
are on Riverside Drive at 138th and 145th Sts.

Upper East Side and East Harlem:
Carl Schurz Park, between East End Ave. and the East River at 86th
St., has some very skateable paths and some very unskateable paths.
There is one large open asphalt area where a lot of the local kids
play rollerhockey. Dog-walking is a major activity here, so keep your
eyes open. Also watch out for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; he has a pair of
skates and Gracie Mansion is at the north end of the park.

Lying between FDR Drive and the East River is the John Finley Walk,
aka the East River Esplanade. It is primarily paved with hexagonal
bricks and is very skateable. Major exceptions to this are the portion
right next to Carl Schurz Park, where the bricks are pretty worn and
bumpy, and the broken asphalt slope right next to Gracie Mansion..
I've skated the Walk from 81st St. all the way up to the Triborough
Bridge (125th St.). It's supposed to extend south to about 57th St.,
but there's a massive stairway at about 81st St. which I can't see
many skaters willing to navigate. Because FDR Drive separates much of
the Walk from nearby businesses or residences, it can be a very
secluded skate. I would caution against skating it after dark.

Sticking right out into the East River is the East 110th St.
Recreation Pier, an open but covered pavilion. Like much of the John
Finley Walk from which it projects, it is very skateable, but there
are some rough spots to be navigated.

Upper West Side and Morningside Heights:
The avenues of the Upper West Side are a mixed bag. Columbus Ave. is,
of course, almost unskateable for much of its length due to the
current reconstruction project. Both Amsterdam and Broadway have also
seen some light road work which has reduced their skateability north
of 100th St.; Amsterdam can be especially nasty north of 100th St. and
Broadway is touch-and-go in several places in the 80s and 90s. West
End Ave. seems to be in better condition, and Central Park West is
fine up to 92nd St. or so. Riverside Drive is currently in pretty good
shape and quite skateable except for one area around 114th St. and
another just north of Grant's Tomb. If you're feeling ambitious you
can follow Riverside all the way up to the George Washington Bridge
and cross over to Fort Lee, New Jersey, and from there skate to
Hoboken and take the PATH train back to the city.

Riverside Park can be skated from 72nd St. up to about 116th St., but
there are areas where you have to be very cautious. In particular, the
paths between 74th and 80th Sts. are in terrible condition. Also of
some concern is that many of the paths north of 96th St. lie below
trees and consequently are strewn with twigs at all times. When
crossing 96th St. it is probably better to take the Riverside Dr.
overpass rather than follow park paths directly to the street and try
to wait for a lull in the traffic. Always keep your eyes peeled for
dogs, because the park gets a lot of activity from nearby residents
exercising their pets.

Midtown (14th St. to 59th St.):
The avenues of midtown make generally good skating for those
travelling north-south because of the bicycle/skating lanes which many
sport on the left side of the street. However, this is also a high
auto traffic area and the bike lanes usually disappear for a block
where the avenues cross Broadway, so be careful.

Just across 42nd St. from the United Nations is Robert Moses
Playground, a smooth asphalt area which has been painted for hockey.
One presumes that there might be rollerhockey here during the day
(weekends?). The only deficiencies are that the playground has a slope
(the south end is low) and that it's often cluttered with twigs.
Although most or all of the gates to the park are locked at night, the
gate at the southwest corner has been wide open the last couple times
I've been there.

Union Square can be a fun place to skate after dark or on Sunday, when
the greenmarket crowds are gone. On the south side, along 14th St.,
there are a lot of shallow steps that are great for practicing stair
bashes and curb grinds. The north side of the square, along 17th St.,
is a large, wide-open paved area where you'll often see skaters
practicing dancing moves or maybe playing a pickup game of
rollerhockey. Just be sure to stay out of the way of the medieval
fight re-enactors if you skate here on a Tuesday night so that we can
maintain good relations with our fellow park users.

Greenwich Village and Alphabet City (Houston St. to 14th St.):
The pavement in Washington Square Park is in generally poor shape.
This plus a usually high density of pedestrian traffic makes this a
poor place to go skating.

The paths in Tompkins Square Park (bordered by Avenues A and B and
East 7th and 10th Sts.) are in terrific shape, suggesting that new
asphalt was put down within the last year or so. So, if you can find a
time when pedestrian traffic is minimal, this would be a great place
for newbies to do some learning. (Note: As part of the clean-up effort
to return this park to neighborhood use, there is a midnight curfew.)
On the north (10th St.) side of the park there are stickball and
basketball courts. The former has an incredibly smooth surface, useful
for even advanced skaters to practice their stuff, and the latter is
used by a roller basketball league during summer weekend mornings.

Downtown (Below Houston St.):
A great place to skate is a smooth bike/skate/ped path which extends
northward from Stuyvesant High School (Chambers St. at West St.),
along the (Hudson) riverfront side of West St. It continues up to just
below 14th St., terminating at the Gansevoort St. intersection. Most
of the path is in excellent condition, the exception being a
multi-block stretch in front of Pier 40. At some entrances to the
path, there may also be large concrete barriers to slow down cyclists
and skaters who come bombing along.

Another fun place to skate is along the southwest edge of Manhattan.
You again start at Stuyvesant High, but skate west into the Hudson
River Park, and then follow the paths along the river south to the
World Financial Center, then into Battery Park City, and finally to
Battery Park. It's also great because almost the entire route is along
the water, offering views of New Jersey and the Statue of Liberty.
However, this route also gets a lot of pedestrian traffic (lots of
romantic couples on the Esplanade in Battery Park City, and families
with children in Hudson River Park) and it would be pretty foolish for
you do any speed skating here. Also, the Esplanade is divided by trees
and bushes into two parallel paths, and skating, cycling, etc., are
barred from the upper, inland path. The only two areas here which are
pretty wide open in this area are the plaza between the North Cove and
the Winter Garden, and the fenced-off road (Little West St.) between
Battery Park City and Battery Park. The latter is a particularly
excellent place to practice skating maneuvers and tricks on a weekend
afternoon.

The stairs at the north end of Hudson River Park make some good
bashing, but while skaters (especially teenagers from the school) can
often be seen there, it's a no-no. There're usually some park security
folks wandering around in little white trucks, and whenever they get
to the steps, they chase away anybody they catch skating on them.

The plaza at the base of the World Trade Center is very skateable, but
the security guards are waiting to chase you off.

Over along the East River, directly underneath the Brooklyn Bridge
between Pearl and Madison Sts., there is a sort of semi-halfpipe known
as The Wall which seems to be fairly popular, despite the brick
surface and the broken glass strewn liberally about. Police
headquarters is not all that far away, but I would not recommend
skating here alone, especially after dark.

A friend of mine has reported that the East River Park, which lies
along the river from about Gouverneur St. to just below 14th St. is
skateable, but only marginally so. He did not recommend going there
after dark.

There are numerous good places to do grind and rail slides in the
downtown area.

Brooklyn

One of the finest places to skate in New York is the Brooklyn Bridge.
It's not because it's so smooth, as the wooden boards which make up
the pedestrian/cyclist path over the bridge are pretty hard on the
feet and calves, but because the view from the bridge's midpoint is
unbeatable, particularly at night. The Manhattan access to the bridge
is just east of city hall and just south of 1 Centre St.; the Brooklyn
end of the walkway is at the intersection of Tillary St. and Adams St.

Once over the bridge into Brooklyn, you'll find that the Brooklyn
Heights Promenade is not far away, about six blocks directly west.
However, while you can skate along there for another terrific view of
the Manhattan skyline, the pavement is in poor shape and the
pedestrians can be extremely slow, hard of hearing and erratic. So,
it's worth it to pop in and take a look, but not to hang around.

Prospect Park in Brooklyn is similiar to Central Park, but not as
crowded. It's also a lot smaller loop.

The Shore Parkway bike path from Bay Parkway to Bay Ridge Avenue is a
haunt of many skaters. The terrain is nice and flat, offering
wonderful views of New York Bay and Staten Island.

Queens

The Little Neck Bay bike path has recently been repaved and is flat,
making it extremely skateable. It runs along Little Neck Bay from Ft.
Totten (Bell Blvd.) down to Northern Blvd. for a total distance of
about 2.5 miles. A possibly major disadvantage is that it parallels
the Cross Island Pkwy., so depending on traffic conditions it can be
noisy and exhaust fumes can be a problem.

In Forest Park, Park Lane South is closed on weekends for recreational
use only between Woodhaven Blvd. and Metropolitan Ave. The terrain
there is rolling hills, shared with joggers and cyclists. It's
supposed to be quite a pretty place, containing some of Queens' only
virgin forest.

The Bronx

A block or two north of Yankee Stadium is Mullaly Park, which contains
a number of ramps and quarter pipes, plus a half pipe or two, for use
by skateboarders and vert inliners. This is a public park, so you
won't have to pay to get in, but that also means that the condition of
the facilities may be lacking.

The North Bronx Bikeway along Pelham Parkway (from the last stop on
the #6 to the Pelham Parkway stop on the #2) looks to be skateworthy,
as well as the Bronx River trail (parallel to Bronx Park East and the
Bronx River Parkway) from East 233rd Street south to Pelham Parkway
Both are fairly flat, with pleasant scenery and pavement in decent
condition.

NYC Rinks
* Chelsea Piers In-Line Skating Center, Pier 62, 23rd St. at West
Side Hwy, 212-336-6200:
This project along the Hudson River will contain several skating
rinks (both ice and roller) when it is completed. Hopefully, this
means that a rink will be open in mid 1995.

* Rivergate Ice Rink, 401 East 34th St. at First Ave.:
This is a small rink which is flooded during winter and operates
as a commercial ice skating rink. During the summer it is
apparently open to free rollerskating, or at least it was in the
fall of 1994.

* The Roxy, 515 West 18th St. btw Tenth and Eleventh Aves.,
212-627-0404, 212-645-5156
Evening roller skating sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Admission is $12. They allow/rent inline skates as well as
traditional roller skates.
* Wollman Rink, Central Park Loop at East 68th St., 212-517-4800
Famous for the ice skating here during the winter, this is where
people go to learn how to skate in a safe, controlled environment.
Quad skaters meet here regularly during the summer, and there is
also supposed to be a rollerhockey league. There is an admission
fee.

Long Island

Neal Mason maintains a Web page of Long Island skate sites at the URL:
http://www.li.net/~masonn/skate.html.

From: David Madeo (dma...@is.morgan.com)
Date: Unknown

[...], there's a trail on Long Island a lot of skaters use. It's a
five mile trail along the Wantagh parkway from Cedar Shore park in
Wantagh, to Jones Beach. The cement path goes from Long Island over
several smaller islands and bridges to Jones Island fronting the
Atlantic Ocean. It's flat and there isn't much in between the two
ends. Bikes and joggers also use the trail. It's much easier to park
at Cedar Shore than Jones Beach during the summer.

From: a...@pipeline.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 07:35:04 -0400

Bethpage bike path runs approximately six and one-half miles from
Sunrise Highway to Bethpage State Park. The trail begins (northbound)
immediately east of the Long Island Rail Road Massapequa train
station. (Park in the east end of the train station parking lot on
weekends). The first two miles are relatively flat and OK for
beginners with one street and two short wooden planked bridges. The
path followings a lake and a stream for a good distance. After the
second street (Linden St.) their are several steep hills that should
only be tackled by intermediate or better skaters. The paving is good
although the width varies from place to place and their is
considerable use of the path by cyclists, walkers, etc. At the
northern terminus of the path their are bathrooms and water from May
through September or October.

From: jrga...@aol.com (JRGanson)
Date: 24 Aug 1994 22:53:04 -0400

Take the Grand Central Pkwy to the Northern State to the Wantagh Pkwy.
Proceed south on the Wantagh to Merrick Road East. Exit to Merrick
road, turn right proceed approx two lites the turn right into Cedar
Creek park. This is the staging area for skating on the bike path
along the pkwy doen to Jones Beach (about 4 mi). Also lots of skaters
in the park esp Wed, Fri, Sun when LIRTSA (Long Island Road and Track
Skating Assoc. meets for informal skating at 6:30 PM (See you there!)

Westchester County

From: to...@nynexst.com (Dave Torok)
Date: 3 Aug 1994 03:20:06 GMT

Joseph P. Cernada (cer...@netcom.com) sez:

There's a fair amount of skaters at the Kensico Damn park/plaza in
Westchester County. I thinks it's in Valhalla (or maybe North White
Plains). Decent paved path, just under a mile around. Large concrete
area in the middle to practice moves. Good selection of stairs and
things to jump over. Cones set up for slaloming.

I also skate at the dam much of the time. It can get crowded, and
between Memorial Day and Labor Day they charge $1.25 parking, but if
you go in the late afternoon it's free. Good place for beginners.
Seems to be a decent social scene & good for people-watching. I'm a
beginning-intermediate so I can't comment on the center area or cone
area other than being an impressed spectator.

Albany

From: she...@cii3130-20.its.rpi.edu (Heather)
Date: Unknown

When I want a good workout, I head down to a nice path that runs
between the Hudson River and I-787. It's called the Corning Fitness
Trail, and it heads from Watervliet down to Downtown Albany. It's
about 5 miles in length. Although it's designed more for bikers and
runners and has a few bumps in the pavement, it's a good place to
skate.

From: sco...@wam.umd.edu (Scott Weintraub)
Date: 18 Sep 1994 23:31:50 GMT

The campus is decent but nothing special, IMO. You can find some
really nice skating around the capitol buildings though. Skating is
permitted there so the cops won't give you any problem and it's all
marble. I don't know what kind of skating you're into but if you're
into street, you'll find some really nice stairs, jumps, grinds, etc,
there. And if you're not into that stuff, it's just really smooth and
fun.

From: ls...@uacsc1.albany.edu (Lorre Smith)
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 1994 20:54:22

The interesting thing about Albany for skaters is that the city gets
really empty after about 6pm and you can skate just about anywhere
(except Lark Street) unhindered by car traffic. There is a big hill
right in the middle of the city, though - you could scream your way
right into the Hudson River. There are a couple of college campuses in
the city, but not decent skating on them. The University (west of
downtown on Washington or Western Avenues) has decent but not great
parking lots - the podium here is interesting there if you're into
long colonades. If you have a car, well, you got a different story.
Guptil's skating arena and Rollerama are the rinks - they're in the
phone book if you want to call them for directions. There are 11 miles
of bike trails along the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, and there are lots
of people who say that the park in Saratoga Springs (24-mile drive
straight north on Highway 87-exit 13 north) is awesome. There's an
interesting outdoor track on the north end of Troy (103rd Street in
Lansingburg) straight up route 4 and then about four blocks east on
103rd Street.

Niagara

From: v580...@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 20:51:00 GMT

The Amherst Bike Path is long, uncrowded, boring and windy. Cross the
border. Park at Niagra-on-the-Lake and skate south on the bike path
along the Niagra Scenic Pkwy. I've skated in Philadelphia, in parks in
New Jersey, in Manhattan, in Rhode Island and in Boston and Cambridge
and this is the prettiest stretch of road I've been on.

If you skate far enough you can get a good view of the Lewiston-Porter
bridge and the rapids. After you finish the skate there is an ice
cream store on the river side of the main st in N-o-t-L that sells
rhubarb frozen yogurt (it's set back from the road; next to a
photo-shop).

_________________________________________________________________

NORTH CAROLINA

Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill

From: mco...@bnr.ca (Matt Cohen)
Date: 24 Apr 1995 17:10:49 GMT

The best place to skate in the area is probably the Research Triangle
Park - miles of trails and wide open, smooth roads with little hills
or traffic. NC State and UNC have some good roads. Downtown Raleigh is
good and well lit. The Triangle Skating Club [(919) 460-0964] has four
organized group skates each week, Saturday at 10am, Sunday at 1pm, and
Tue/Thu eves at 6pm, leaving from the park & ride next to the
governor's inn, exit 280 off I40.

From: b...@hyperfine.caltech.edu (Brian C. Broom)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 1995 11:19:56 -1812

I used to skate a trail at shelly lake (raleigh around Millbrook rd ?)
2-3 Mi path. One direction has really steep downhill, and some other
paths were steep, so scout ahead. I usually went counterclockwise
around the lake.

I also heard people going to the Lake/Park around Athens Drive (again
in Raleigh)

_________________________________________________________________

PENNSYLVANIA
* Philadelphia
* Bethlehem/Allentown
* Pittsburgh

Philadephia

If you have web access, the Philly skating FAQ is available at the
URL:
http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~mengwong/phl.skating.html.

From: mc...@VFL.Paramax.COM (Donald P McKay)
Date: Unknown

I've skated at two places west of Philadelphia I recommend to anyone.

Philadelphia-Valley Forge Bike Trail
The Philadelphia-Valley Forge Bike Trail is a (mostly) marked bicycle
route from the Art Museum in Philadelphia to Valley Forge National
Park. Some of the bike route runs along an old rail bed and has been
paved.

There are two paved sections I've skated. One is at the Valley Forge
end of the trail and the other is about mid-way.

The Valley Forge section runs from a little used section of the
national park located on the north side of the Schuykill River (exit
off of Rte 422 at the Trooper Rd exit; the park is to the left). The
section from Valley Forge park to Norristown is approximately 4 miles,
paved, flat and level. The only bothersome part is that you share the
trail with bicyclists, walkers and joggers. This part of the trail is
decently wide and recently paved in 1992.

The Conshohoken section runs from the Spring Mill SEPTA station in
Conshohoken for 3 miles east toward Philedelphia. Except for the water
treatment plant you have to skate by, this is an enjoyable area of the
Schuykill River area.

Ridley Creek State Park
Located approximately 15 miles west of Philadelphia. Warning--This is
hilly and you must be able to brake and otherwise control yourself on
rolling hills, 1 mile climbs and steep descents. Skating here is a
good workout.

In the state park, there is a paved circular path ostensibly for
biking, blading and walking. Total distance is a little over 4 miles
for one lap. There is a 1 mile section along Ridley Creek which is
rolling, no steep grades up or down. The trail (no matter which way
you happen to go) ascends from the creek bed to the main part of the
park which is on the top of some hills. I would guess a few hundred
feet elevation change although I've never checked a topo map. The
steepest grade is approximately .4 miles (up or down depending). The
trail is about 1 mile along the creek, 1 mile of gradual (compared to
the other) grade, 1.6 miles rolling over the main part of the park,
and the .4 mile steep grade--there are a few level parts of the run to
help slow you down, but none at the bottom where it rejoins the creek.

There are a few residences in the park proper so there can be an
occasional motor vehicle.

The fastest I've ever been on roller blades was going down the .4 mile
grade.

From: johnn...@aol.com (JohnnyDull)
Date: 18 Apr 1995 17:54:06 -0400

Abington Junior/Senior High School campus. Hills, flats, dips, it's
all there, and miles of it! East of Route 611, off of Susquehanna
Road, about 1/2 mile. The driveway is on the left. (This is the
entrance that I use, but there are others)

(It's actually the Abington/Glenside area, north of Philly)

From: st94...@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu (Crazy)
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 10:23:20 -0500

I go to Drexel University on market and 34th. There are tons of places
around me. The art museum is cool if you like steps and all that
stuff. If you just like to skate for exersize, you can skate around
fairmont park, there's a 10 mile section of paved sidewalk that goes
around the river. It's real smooth and there's a lot of other skaters
there. You can skate around center city, there's a lot of cool stuff
there, city hall and all that.

Bethlehem/Allentown

From: jm...@Lehigh.EDU
Date: 11 Apr 1995 11:00:56 -0400

Anybody who lives around the Bethlehem/Allentown area in PA should
definitely check out Lehigh University. There's "tracs" a campus bus
system that takes you from the bottom of the "hill" by the library to
the top of Goodman campus. I would guess the vertical rise to be at
least 700 feet. From the top, there are so many options. Every thing
from gentle hills to steep stuff where you have to take jump turns
(unless you brake all the way down). There are stair cases all over
campus that you can ride or clear and a skate park (Cheap Skates)
about a 30 minute drive away that has three half pipes (different
sizes) a pool and a street skating area. There's a bunch of us who
skate here all the time so if you need someone to skate with, write
me! Don't worry if you are just starting out. A lot of my friends have
been skating for less than a year but I guess the hills around here
forced all of them to be better cause' they all rip it up pretty hard
now. :)

Pittsburgh

From: bry...@N3.SP.CS.CMU.EDU (Randy Bryant)
Date: Unknown

Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 13:59:01 GMT

There IS good inlining in Pittsburgh, but the combination of hills,
traffic, and potholes makes it hard to choose good routes. Here are a
few recommendations:

1. Schenley Park, convenient from the Oakland area (where UPitt & CMU
are located). There's a nice loop of 5K featuring some exciting
hills with decent runouts. Traffic is reasonable either early AM,
or midday.
2. Zoo parking lot, in Highland Park. Popular hangout for racers,
because it's flat, uncrowded, and smooth (contrast to general
conditions listed above). There's a 400M oval marked out, but you
need someone to show you where it is. There's a group that
generally gets together at 5pm on Sundays & 6pm on Wednesdays
3. Oakland street skating. I understand there's a group that goes out
on Thursdays and skates stairs, parking garages, etc. Contact Rob
at Shadyskates (412) 731-5400 for more info.
4. Various suburban locations... I know of skaters who like both
North Park and South Park.

_________________________________________________________________

QUEBEC

Montreal

From: yat...@bnr.ca (Paul Yatrou)
Date: Unknown

There are several bike paths in the city. Try the Lachine canal bike
path. Go to the old port in Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal) and skate
Westwards along the river until you get to the Lachine canal path
entrance (ask anyone with blades on for directions). The path is
around 8 km long one way.

There is another path that ventures West towards Montreal West along
deMaisoneuve Boulevard (beginning at Greene Ave.), one that heads East
towards the Olympic Stadium (can't remember what street), and along
the North shore of Mtl (along Gouin Boulevard) --- all in all plenty
of klicks of skating available.

Of course, you can street skate along Ste-Catherine, St. Laurent, St.
Dennis streets (among the most interesting in the city).

From: AEB...@ibm.net
Date: Sat, 08 Jul 95 22:11:15 PDT

I was just in Montreal for the Jazz festival and found a good route
besides the ones you mentioned was from a bike map called Pedaler Le
Quebec. Start at Rue Rachel by Mont Royal, go through Maisonneuve
Parc, follow path to St-Zotique and stay on until you get to Rue
Boyer, then go Left (south) and follow path back to Rue Rachel. It
took me about 50 minutes, it was great, especially through the Parc.

_________________________________________________________________

RHODE ISLAND
* Providence-Bristol
* Newport

Providence-Bristol

From: ti...@aol.com (Tim59)
Date: 22 Sep 1994 14:41:03 -0400

As requested, directions to Rhode Island 14 mile bike path.

Info:
"The path is approx. 14.5 miles long extending from Independence Park
In Bristol to India Point Park in Providence. Constructed along an
inactive rail line, the path offers some of the State's most scenic
views of coastline, estuaries and woodlands. The bikeway has a 10 foot
wide asphalt paved path with grass shoulders..."(1.)

The path crosses four towns and eight State parks. The surface is very
smooth and mostly flat with some very gradual hills. There are eating
places, shops and resting areas along the path within these 8 towns. I
feel it is best to start in scenic Bristol ...plenty of parking and
the path starts right on the Bristol harbor. The path follows the
water and through nice neighborhoods, past boat yards and state parks.
Most days, you face the wind on the way out and have a tail wind back
to the start in Bristol. It does cross 3 very busy streets so be
careful.

Directions:
Bristol, R.I. The start is located on Route 114 on the Bristol harbor.
Take Route 95 N or S to Providence. Take Route 195 East to Fall River/
Cape Cod Take Exit 7 off 195 East. Follow 114South for approx. 13
miles to Bristol Harbor.

Additional Info:
Ask for Jane at Bristol Chamber of Commerce (401) 245-0750. She said
she would send BayPath maps out to anyone interested.

ref. (1.) Bristol County Chamber East Bay Bike Path Map

From: Walter Clark (wcl...@capnet.enet.dec.com)
Date: 27 Jun 1995 18:29:14 GMT

The part we have experienced runs from Bristol harbor north, roughly
parallel Rt 114 through Warren, Barrington and into E. Providence. In
doing so it passes by the harbor waterfront in Bristol and Warren, a
strech of Narangansett Bay, a pond, Colt State Park in Bristol,
crosses over inlets with wooden bridges twice, crosses 114 twice, and
by several places to stop for refreshment, rest or food. I think it is
about 12 miles long end to end. We havent probed North beyond
Barrington.

We park either at the Ames on 114 in Barrington and skate south to the
end or we park in a small water front park and boat launch at the
south end of the trail in Briston on 114. We were told by the folks in
the first paragraph that Colt State Park was a good place to park and
set out from but, this weekend we found out they have banned inline
skating from that park.

The trail itself is pretty smooth, though not as smooth as either the
re-paved trail on the east side of the Cape Cod Canal or the Minuteman
trail from Bedford to Boston. The asphalt itself is a bit coarser than
either of the above, but it is not too rough, just not as fast. The
only rough spots in the trail are where the trail crosses 114 in
Warren, and the two wood bridges in Warren/Barrington. The bridges are
easy enough to skate onto going North but the Northmost bridge has a
1" or so lip going onto it when heading south that might not be
obvious until you are sliding along on your knee and wrist pads over
the wood timbers. In a few pastoral sections, surrounded by trees keep
an eye on the pavement for roots pushing up. There are a few nearly
invisible bumps from this that can through you off your stride or on
your nose if you are just enjoying the scenery.

We have stopped for refreshments at the TJ Cinnamon's in Barrington
and the Dell's in Warren. Both alongside the trail and both skater
friendly (though the Dell's has wooden steps up the front). There seem
to be other skater friendly places along the way too.

One unusual thing to notice and be aware of. The trail markings
suggest that pedestrians walk on the left and bikes on the right. I
found that walkers and joggers may be right, left or both.

If you are in Southern NE, I recommend the trail. Nice scenery. Too
bad about Colt State Park.

Newport

From: a...@asc.upenn.edu (Geoff Falen)
Date: Tue, 16 May 1995 13:45:31

Last time I was there, I got tossed off one of the hotel parking lots
there by their security (this was summer of 92, I believe). I've also
had friends who've had beach houses up there in the summer and they
told me that skating was banned in the town of newport itself.
Probably because it gets pretty crowded with tourists there. I don't
know if this is still the case, or if they've got some trails for
blading now.

_________________________________________________________________

TENNESSEE
* Nashville
* Oak Ridge

Nashville

Nashville Net maintains a Web page of local skate sites at the URL:
http://www.nashville.net/~inline/.

Oak Ridge

From: mldi...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)
Date: Unknown

I'm not sure if inlines are allowed, but there was an indoor skating
rink on the east side of town (Oak Ridge), on the Turnpike.

OR does have some nice BIG parking lots to cruise around; mainly the
newly renovated Downtown (Indoor) Mall. I'd probably stick to the
Wal-Mart side because the pavement is better (and newer). There's
always the Kroger's, K-Mart, and Family Rec parking lots.

I'm from OR, but I've never tried skaing around town. I think it is
do-able, as biking was quite possibly in town. I wouldn't recommend
blading out to the 'Labs, because the road is way too narrow (as of
last year, at least. Maybe they finally got their act together &and;
did something about it!--it had no shoulder, and had room for 2 cars
and a bike). During the summer, there are lots of runners and bikers.
And also lots of traffic.

I'm also of the opinion that blading might not pass over too well with
the natives (of OR at least). Skate boards were (and I think still
are) pretty rad.

VIRGINIA
* Arlington
* Falls Church
* Blacksburg

Arlington

From: Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)
Date: May 23, 1995

Along the Potomac River, there is a nice bike/jog/skate path
paralleling the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It's just hilly
enough to offer a pleasant workout, but not so hilly that it will wear
you out. I have skated it from the Key Bridge connecting Arlington to
the Georgetown section of DC all the way down to Alexandria Old Town,
and I have seen a map which indicates that it can be taken as far
south as Mt. Vernon. The distance from Key Bridge to Mt. Vernon is
about 17 miles.

While the GW Parkway is very scenic, offering some fine views of DC,
it does have some problems. The biggest is that it is somewhat narrow
and very popular. This means that the potential for conflict between
bikers and skaters is high and you must be prepared to extend the
usual courtesies of the trail if you want to co-exist in peace. Thus,
stay right except when passing someone, be sure to warn people when
you pass them, etc. Another big problem with this trail is the
relative lack of places to stop for water and/or Gatorade; between the
Key Bridge and Alexandria Old Town, the only such place that I know of
is the Washington Sailing Marina. Finally, the trail temporarily
dissipates while in Old Town, so you may have to look around carefully
to find where it continues on the other side of town.

From the Key Bridge area, there is supposed to be another major trail
extending westward into Virginia about 42 miles. Ask around at local
bike/skate shops for info.

Right by the Key Bridge is the Arlington Gateway Park. This has some
nice sloping ramps and stairways for general larking about and perhaps
some grinding and bashing. It seems to be pretty much deserted in the
evenings and weekends.

Falls Church

From: mca...@netrail.net (Mark Casey)
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 95 13:35 EDT

The Prosperity Business Park near DunLoring Metro in Falls Church is a
great place to skate evenings and weekends. There are several two
level concrete gargages (lighted and empty at night), ramps, stairs,
rails, and objects to jump over/off along the 1/2 mi stretch. It's
usually very quiet -- an out of the way place for the budding street
skater or the beginner looking for a smooth rink to practice the
basics. I've also heard the Fairfax County Government Center is a
great place to skate but I haven't been there yet.

Blacksburg

From: "Joshua B. Chapel" (jch...@csugrad.cs.vt.edu)
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 10:27:47 -0400

About the only place I know of is here at VA Tech, but it is great.
There are stairs everywhere and all sorts of stuff to grind, slide,
jump, whatever.

VERMONT

Stowe

From: "Susan M. Kennedy" (Sm...@dartmouth.edu)
Date: 12 Jul 1995 16:48:12 GMT

Stowe, VT has a great bike path through an incredibly beautiful
valley. Also the Stowe Ski Resort has a smallish skate park in their
parking lot, which has some ramps, an open area, a hockey rink, a
track and even a little tow to take you up a short slope for slalom.
Its fun! It also cost $10 bucks for the day, but the bike trail is
free.

_________________________________________________________________

Europe

AUSTRIA

Andreas Hocevar maintains a Web page of Vienna skate sites at the URL:
http://stud1.tuwien.ac.at/~e9126683/inline.htm.

THE NETHERLANDS

There are three Web pages with information about inline skating in the
Netherlands:

1. Bonzo's Netherlands skate FAQ:
http://morra.et.tudelft.nl/~bonzo/inline/inline.html
2. Lowlevels' Vert Page, Amsterdam skate sites:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~lowlevel/skate/amsterdam.html
3. Dutch Skeeler Homepage rinks list:
http://www.ph.tn.tudelft.nl/~aarnoud/speed/rinks.html

SWEDEN

From: sp...@iafrica.com (Mark Stockton)
Date: 19 Jul 1995 20:51:32 +0200

[Re Stockholm]

I just got back from holiday there... there are bicycle paths next to
just about every road in Stockholm. I saw a few guys skating down them
without helmets. The paths cover quite a distance, but are usually
quite busy (it seems that half of Stockholm is cycling at any time).
Don't know about any parks or specific places to blade.

UNITED KINGDOM

If you have Web access, Duncan Clarke maintains a UK skating FAQ at
the URL:
http://www.csv.warwick.ac.uk/~phulm/skate.stuff/.

London

From: bc...@lsi-logic.co.uk (William Corr)
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 95 14:33:09 BST

Central London
Hyde Park - around the Serpentine (lake) is probably the mecca for
London in-liners. The main part of the park itself is good for
skating, but the paths tend to get a bit crowded with people.

Finsbury Park - supposedly the mecca for in-line speed skaters. They
meet on Sundays around 12pm.

Stockwell/Brixton - there is an old skateboard park at the Brixton end
of Stockwell road. Free entry, watch out for debris and dodgy
characters.

South London Dulwich Park - the central path ways are fairly smooth,
but are usually too crowded. The perimeter road is pretty good; the
cars are usually travelling very slowly so they don't mind the
skaters. The spur road near the A205 is good for learners as it's
smooth and blocked off as a parking area.

Crystal Palace Park - very good, lots of smooth wide pathways (it used
to be a car race track!). Watch out for the leaves in autumn.

Herne Hill Cycle Track - 5 wheel heaven! Brand new banked track for
bicycle racing. Probably free use if you speak nicely to the
groundsman.

West London Richmond Park - central paved paths are quite good. Can be
very busy at weekends. Why do people go to a huge park and still walk
on the paths when there is 5 square miles of grass? The perimeter road
would be good for speed freaks, watch out for the steep hill ending at
a junction. A perimeter bike path is rumoured to be under
construction.

Marble Hill Park - not bad, fairly smooth. Thames foot path is a bit
rough towards the West.

River Crane Walk, Twickenham - very smooth and flat pathway along the
side of a stream. It leads into a nature reserve. Very pretty, but
tends to get crowded with dog walkers.

Norbiton, nr BR station - sightings of ramps and half pipes. No more
details available yet.

_________________________________________________________________

Australia

* Asutralian Capital Territory
* Queensland
* Victoria

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Canberra

From: m...@posmac.UUCP (Mark Purcell)
Date: Unknown

The network of bike paths is quite extensive, one can go from one end
of the city to the other on bike paths. The paths are all >1.5m and
made from hot mix, which makes them fast and ideal for pole work
training for X-C.

There is nothing like blading around the lake just as the sun is
coming up over the mountains, with the smallest amount of mist over
the lake, and only one or two joggers/cyclists to worry about.

There are some problems though, before most road crossings there is a
section of about 1.5-2 m of concrete bumps, which play like hell on
the legs. It is possible to jump these but not the easiest.

QUEENSLAND

Brisbane

From: e430...@dingo.cc.uq.oz.au (Michael Cheng)
Date: 24 Oct 1994 10:25:56 GMT

The Riverside bike path along Coronation drive: heads from the city to
Toowong. It's a nice flat stretch, not really wide, but nice scenery.

The Skate Ramp just off Hale St (almost next to Lang Park). The only
times I've ever been there, its been packed out with truly excellent
skaters (making me feel rather inadequate). Some of the stuff is just
awesome. Once you get here, ask anyone, and I'm sure they'll be able
to suggest more spots.

I, myself, skate at the University of Queensland Campus. Rent a Cop
security guards are continually on your case though.

VICTORIA

Melbourne

From: will...@numbat.cs.rmit.AU.AU (Krensen)
Date: 30 Jun 94 06:53:20 GMT

There's a lot of great skating spots 'round here, but I'll tell of a
cupla faves:

1. The Swanston street walk thing.. It's the main street of Melbourne
and it's about the smoothest in town... like marble! At one end is
the Museum, at the other a train station and there's a slight
downhill gradient between the two... The fun bit is getting in
behind the trams and getting sucked along by the draft... it's
also fairly good fun since skating in the CBD is illegal between
7am and 10pm... :-)
2. The trek between the Station and St. Kilda beach... Heaps of
smooth road and footpath, slightly downhill, lots of businesses
with steps/ramps/curbs at the front... St Kilda beach has a great
track which goes for miles and is full of inline people... it's
got a great vibe and heaps of grass to fall over on for learning
those new tricks... Also lots of beginner skaters to crash into!

_________________________________________________________________

-rec.skate FAQs maintained by Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

-"Where to Skate" edited by Robert Schmunk (r...@panix.com)

_________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part16

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Clubs and Organizations
_________________________________________________________________

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS *

(last changed June 15, 1995)

This section of the FAQ is a list of skating organizations and clubs,
for all types of skating (although you may see an emphasis on in-line
clubs). If you don't see your local club in here, please send in as
much info about it as you can to me. Thanks.

_________________________________________________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS
* General Notes
* Clubs/Organizations on the Web
* United States
+ Arizona
+ California
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Indiana
+ Iowa
+ Maryland
+ Massachusetts
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ Nebraska

+ New Jersey
+ New York

+ Ohio

+ North Carolina
+ Pennsylvania

* Other Countries
+ Ontario
o Ottawa
o Toronto
o London
+ Sydney, Australia

_________________________________________________________________

General Notes

A listing of in-line skating organizations across the United States
regularly appears in Inline magazine, published bi-monthly.

From ajz...@netcom.com
Date: Fri Mar 4 00:21:55 1994

You can get the ice skating info on Clubs from the US Figure Skating
Assn 20 First St. Colorado Springs, CO 80906. I'm not to sure what
they charge for the booklet or if they sell it to a non-USFSA member.
If not, find an arena in your area and see if you can xerox somone's
book. Any rink has a directory of rinks thruough the ISIA - Ice
Skating Inst. of Amer. . . . ice hockey orgs from USA Hockey, 2997
Broadmoor Valley rd, Colorado Springs CO 80906. Roller skating infor
US Amateur Conf. of roller Skating, P.O. Box 6579, Lincoln, NE 68506.

From gr...@sce.carleton.ca
Date: Sat Mar 5 16:17:18 1994

Information on all speed skating clubs in Canada can be found by
contacting:
Canadian Amateur Speed Skating Association
1600 James Naismith Drive
Gloucester, ON K1B 5N4
Canada

fone: (613) 748 5669
fax: (613) 748 5600

_________________________________________________________________

Organizations on the Web

* blades@uiuc may be accessed at http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/blades
* You can also check out InLine USA's list of clubs at
http://www.terminus.com/inline/org.htm.

_________________________________________________________________

United States

ARIZONA

Bladerunners
Tucson, AZ
Rex Torres: 602-745-9210
Mike O'Hearn: 602-323-8280

University Of Arizona Skaters Club
Lisa Toole
Tucson, AZ
602-623-2632 or 570-USAC

Valley Inline Assoc.
Ray Pisar
Tempe, AZ 602-831-2166

CALIFORNIA

California Outdoor Rollerskating Assoc.
San Francisco, CA
415-752-1967

BAIR: Bay Area Inline Racers
Menlo Park, CA
Lee/Carol 415-244-9800

Chico Skate Club
D. McGee
Chico, CA
916-672-3124 or 622-5809

Golden Gate Skate Patrol
David Miles
San Franciso, CA
415-752-1967

Sacramento In-line Skate Assoc.
Mel Ryan-Roberts
Sacramento, CA
916-962-2762 or 443-2527

San Diego Skate Coalition
Mac McCarthy
San Diego, CA
619-223-5415

Santa Rosa Inline Club
Chartelle Tarrant
Santa Rosa, CA
707-538-2823

Silver Streaks
L. Hackett
Los Gatos, CA
408-354-5605

Skatey's Skate Club
Bob Lagunoff
CA
213-823-7971

Southern California Speedskaters
Manhattan Beach, CA
213-545-6969

Team Karim
Adlai Karim
Berkeley, CA
510-849-4004

El Dorado In-line Skating Assoc.
Scott Johnson
El Dorado, CA
916-672-3124 or 622-5809

Group 7 Rollerblade Assoc.
C. Woodruff
San Diego/Mission Beach, CA
619-284-4226

Humbolt In-line Skate Club
Don Hoch
Arcata, CA
707-826-1769

In-line Rollerworks
Kon Ammosow
Costa Mesa, CA
714-675-6772

Nor-Cal Skeelers
Rick Babington
Modesto, CA
209-524-7928 or 521-6816

From: g...@pulsar.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 1994 18:30:18 GMT

eel...@uxmail.ust.hk (Curtis Ling) writes:

[...] I was reading the FAQ and saw that there was a "Friday night
fun skate... 15 mile tour of the city" starting at 8PM, at the Ferry
building along the embarcadero (wherever that is). I was wondering
if that would still be going on in November, if it was a regular
thing, and if not, if there were other such regular events.

If you look at SF, it sits on the end of thumb-shaped penninsula. The
Embarcadero is the water-front street through the old dock area, kind
of crescent shaped. The Ferries building is the old Ferry terminal, I
think it's mostly offices and a Restaurant now. I seem to recall it's
close to where Market St. would intersect the Embarcadero if there
wasn't a zone of confusion in between. Look for the Bay Bridge and you
won't be too far off. Anyone in the city should be able to point you
in the right direction.

Note that this is much closer to the main business district than the
to Fishermans Wharf/Pier 39/Presideo/Cannery tourist-trap "end" of the
Embarcadero. At that end there's a bit of a park and litle beach where
there's also supposed to be some skating activity during the day. The
Embarcadero is dead flat, and there are lots of not-too hilly routes
around the city - the really nasty hillsare when you try to go up and
over the the penninsula instead of around the periphery. (kind of like
HK)

Take your skates in any case, skating or biking is a very good way to
see the city - it's big enough that walking everywhere is a real pain,
and cars aren't particularly convenient. Just carry some shoes in a
backpack so that you can take a bus/trolly bus/cable car, or if you
decide you want to go up or down one of the really steep streets.

From: lfl...@netcom.com (L. Floyd)
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 1994 19:20:36 GMT

[Re:] San Francisco Friday Night Skate (Midnight Rollers)

As far as I know, the Friday night skate goes on every Friday of the
year, weather permitting. George gave good directions to the start
point. Look for the Ferry Building clock tower at the east end of
Market Street. There are parking spaces in the extra-wide median on
the Embarcadero right there at the Ferry Building. To play it safe,
pay the $3.00 (self-pay box) - I got a "warning" many weeks ago.
People start to gather in the parking lot I just mentioned at around
8:00 pm or earlier. The skate starts at 8:30. There are plenty of
folks who do the skate. Last Friday the count was over 325 skaters:
young, old, women, men, kids, in-line, quad, racing, newbies. Wear
your helmet and bring along one of those blinky lights things so you
won't get smushed by a car or bus.

From: ke...@drogges.tti.com (Kevin Carothers)
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 1994 22:08:28 GMT

Lake Balboa Skate & Kite has a beginner/intermediate class every
saturday & sunday. Cost is $5.00 for skates & pads, and 2.5 hours of
beginning/intermediate instruction by *-damn-* good street skaturs...
Most informative 5 bucks *I* ever spent. Call for details at (818)
782-1234. They give you a free lesson (or 2 or 3... depending on how
nice you are :) if you buy your skates there.

They also have a skating club, but I don't think it meets formally
anymore.

From: plen...@ix.netcom.com (Philip Lenihan)
Subject: In-Line Skating lessions in the Mountain View / Palo Alto
area

Call Layne Hacket of Silver Streaks Skate Club, Los Gatos, at
408-354-5605. We will be skating skating every Monday night at
Sierramont Middle School, 6-7:30. It is Milpitas or Freemont.

From 680 take Hostetter east. Crss Capitol and Morrill (both have
lights) about four blocks more and you should turn right at
Walkingshaw. You will see the school play field on the left. See you
there. You shuld have a helmet, its something the club stresses.

_________________________________________________________________

FLORIDA

Beach Bladers Of SO. FL
Tom Baker
Delray, FL
407-243-3117, 495-8326

Cnt FL Inline Assoc.
Altamonte Springs, FL
407-244-5646

Cnt FL Lightning
Orlando, FL
407-869-9652

Hollywood Beach
Mike Martocchio
FL
305-927-0100

Miami Inline Skate Club, Inc.
Miami, FL
305-893-4955

New River Rollers
Fort Lauderdale, FL
305-963-2653

Orlando SS Club
John Morrisy
Orlando, FL
407-767-5641

Pro Skate Gear Team
Pompano Beach, FL
305-782-1249

Tampa, FL
Brad Williams
813-996-5284

Tampa Bay Road Rollers
B. Fussell
Box 0682
Tampa, FL 33601
813-734-1849

Trailways/Pinellas Trail
T. Selhorst
Clearwater, FL
813-461-9736

Speedskating Times
Pompano Beach, FL
305-782-5928

From: kwol...@com1.med.usf.edu (Kenneth N. Woliner)

Name: Bay Bladers Skate Club of Tampa
City: Tampa, FL (and sometimes Brandon, St. Petersburg, and
Clearwater)
president: Ken Woline
phone: (813) 979-1636
e-mail: baybl...@com1.med.usf.edu
snail: 14501 Raven Brook #412, Tampa, FL 3361
Skate times: Every Wednedsay, Meet at 7:30 pm in Goodfella's parking
lot, skate from 8-9, socialize from 9-?

Description: The Bay Bladers are a new skate club composed of people
who want to skate socially and safely with others of similar interst.
We currently skate every Wednesday night in Tampa and will be adding
other locations soon. In addition to providing water at a rest stop,
we try to arrange for discounts on race registrations and skating
equipment. Directions: From Tampa: Take I-275 North to Exit 35,
Fletcher Ave. Proceed East to Bruce B. Downs (a.k.a. 30th St.). Turn
left and go north 2 lights to Amberly. Turn right and Goodfella's is
on the right. Alternatively, take I-75 to Fletcher exit and go West to
Bruce B. Downs. Turn right and proceed 2 lights to Amberly.

From: ll...@aol.com (Lleep) Subject: Sarasota/Bradenton, FL Skate Club

Sarasota and Bradenton Skaters, come skate with us every weekend.
Roller Coasters Inline Skating Club may seem like a lame name, but
it's not a lame group. Whether you're a beginner, novice, aggressive
or recreational skater, this group of skaters has fun. Some work on
some serious aggressive skating to the point of looking at building
vert ramps and rails. Others skate with the group to increase skills,
meet other skaters (many adult singles), have fun, exercise and to
socialize. We even have some hockey skaters in our group who are
involved in some great local leagues. We skate a different area every
weekend (some night skates), as well as host trips to Tampa and St.
Pete. We are sponsered by Flamingo Coast (RollerBlade Sales and
Rentals) on St. Armands Circle, who gives us discounts on equipment.
We have our own instructor who hosts lessons for beginners and novices
every two weeks as well as private lessons weekly.

Call Flamingo Coast at (813)388-1889 or the Club Host, Boon Brown at
(813) 749-7075, or E-mail Boon at Ll...@aol.com

From: r...@mpgn.com (Rob Miracle)

Name: Southernmost Hockey Club
City: Key West, FL 33040
President: E. J. Cuneo
Phone: (305) 296-1736
E-mail: ejc...@aol.com (President) r...@mpgn.com (Secretary)
Snail: 2026 Staples Ave.
Skate times: Public Skate: Friday 6:30p-8:30p (Family) 8:30 on Adult
Pick Up Games: Sunday 9:00a

All Events at the Rink on Bertha Street

Description: The Southernmost Hockey Club is an orginization who
promotes the fun and fast paced sport of Hockey. It runs youth and
adult in-line hockey leagues and is a member of the NIHA (National
Inline Hockey Assoc.). The Southernmost Hockey Club is also a promoter
of safe in-line skating. Besides league activities, the club hosts
Friday Night Skate Night, when the sticks are put away, and the public
is invited to come out and skate at the rink (no pot-holes or cars to
dodge).

Other activities include skating and hockey oriented fund raisers and
skill clinics. The Southernmost Hockey Club is interested in putting
together a travel team, as well as hosting teams from out of town.

Directions: Take US-1 to Key West, turn left on Kennedy Drive, then
Right on Flagler Dr. (3 lights). Take Flagler until you pass Key West
High School. The next light is Bertha Street. Turn left on Bertha as
you head to the beach. The rink is about two blocks down Bertha on the
left. Or if you are skating along Smathers Beach, skate to the end of
the beach (away from the Air Port) and turn right on Bertha Street.
The rink is about two blocks up on the right.
_________________________________________________________________

GEORGIA

International Inline Skate Assoc.
15482 Druid Hills Station
Atlanta, GA 30333.
404-728-9707

Skate Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
404-859-0605

From: pa...@lidssun1.marc.gatech.edu (Paul Lomangino)

1. Name: Atlanta Peachtree RoadRollers
2. Location: Atlanta, GA
3. Phone # of primary contact: (if available) Henry Zuver (Pres. of
IISA), (404) 634-9032
4. Type of club: STREET
Type of skate: Mostly In-Line
5. Location description: Meet in Rio parking lot - skate through
various neighborhoods, downtown Atlanta
Rio - Intersection of North Ave. and Piedmont in Atlanta
Mondays: All levels skate, Wednesdays: Intermeidate-Expert
Sundays: 32 mile endurance skate
6. Requirements: Need own Equipment, Helmets Recommended
7. Fees: none ($5/yr "official" membership
8. General skill level of the club: Mixed
9. Any other comments: Lotsa fun! We host the Athens-to-Atlanta
Marathon skate

_________________________________________________________________

ILLINOIS

Windy City Flyers
Barrington, IL
708-304-7866

Blades@UIUC
Amy Ryan
Champaign-Urbanna, Il
217-328-7060

Chicago Lakefront Skate Patrol
312-334-8631

Chicago Land Bladers
Randy McManigal
Chicago, IL
708-597-5686

Jacksonville In-liners
George Jaworski
Jacksonville, IL
217-243-4427

Rainbo Rollers/Team Rainbo
Chicago, IL
312-775-4681

Village Cyclesport
Elk Grove Village, IL
708-439-3340

From ry...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 21:25:26 -0500 (CDT)

1. Name: blades@uiuc
2. Location: Champaign-Urbana IL
3. Phone # of Primary contact: Amy Ryan, 217 328 7060, and/or e-mail
address: eig...@uiuc.edu
4. Type of club: Street Skating, Hockey, Distance, and Casual Skating
Type of skate: We play hockey a couple of times a week. Most every
night, we can be seen playing tag on the quad. Some people go fast
some go slow. We are a diverse group of skaters.
5. Location description: We can be found at Assembly Hall playing
hockey, the main quad playing tag. Or on the internet in our
mailing list bla...@uiuc.edu (finger bla...@uiuc.eud for more
information)
6. Requirements: Safety is strongly encouraged, however we do not
_require_ any protection. You must use your brain and you must
have fun.
7. Fees: We're free.. we pay enough money for tuition, save your fees
to buy better skates
8. General Skill Level of the club: We have all skill levels.. our
goal is to educate people to become better skaters, while we work
on improving our skills. We combine all levels of skating,
resulting in fun for everybody.
9. Any other comments: finger bla...@uiuc.edu for more information

Also check out the web server at http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/blades.

INDIANA/

Evansville, IN
John Spinks
812-477-3234

Indy In-liners
Terry Sullivan
Indianapolis, IN
317-574-Club

Club Shred
South Bend, IN
219-271-8858

South Bend Club
South Bend, IN
219-288-0042

IOWA

River City Rollers
D. Martin
Sioux City, IA
712-252-2445

Baltimore Street Skaters
Hal Ashman
Timonium, MD
410-666-9463

Rails
Johnny Clougher
Annapolis, MD
410-268-7885

MASSACHUSETTS

From: lrwoo...@aol.com (Lrwoodruff)
Subject: Re: Skating clubs in the Boston Area?
Date: 29 May 1995 22:07:21 -0400

The InLine Club of Boston is over 300 members strong. We provide a
host of diverse events and activities geared toward all levels of
skaters. We have group skates, basic technique and racing clinics,
races, stunt competitions, slalom competitions, trips, parties and
more. Annual dues are $25 and with that you get a t-shirt, a 1-year
subscription to our newsletter, The Bearing, discounts at local
retailers, and discounts to all of our events.

The ICB's night skates are on Tuesdays at 8:00. We meet in front of
Trinity Church in Copley Square. The group you saw on Wednesday night
was Boston's "unofficial" nite skate that meets Mon and Wed. nites.
It's a more aggressive skate than the ICB's...also a lot of fun.

If you would like more information on the ICB, call our hotline at
932-5457 (WE-B-KIKS) or pick up an application and newsletter at one
of our supporters. I suggest Eric Flaim's Motion Sports on Newbury
Street.

--Lesli Woodruff VP/Events, InLine Club of Boston IISA Level 2
Instructor.

Bay Skate
Boston, MA
617-782-9582/617-227-1154

MA
Eileen Cahill
Rockland, MA
617-871-5931

From da...@osf.org
Date: Wed Mar 2 16:15:42 1994

This information should replace the earlier information on night
skates. What used to be the Thursday night skate is now the Monday
night skate.

There are 3 night skates in Boston that happen on a regular basis.
These skates are seasonal. They generally start in early May and run
as long as the weather permits. Last year the Monday and Wednesday
skates ran until late November!

Monday, Extreme, 8:30pm
This is a free unsponsored & unorganized event. Skate at your own
risk! Meet at the 'frog pond' in the Boston Common. It is the large
empty cement pool on the Park St. Station side of the Common.

Tuesday, Beginner, 8:30pm
Meet at the Hatch Shell on the Charles River. Your $10 covers 3 glow

sticks & some soft drinks. $5 each time thereafter. This is a

leisurely skate - no tricks or racing or jumping or stairs, etc...

unless you individually want to ;-> This skate is sponsored by John

Gilmore.

Wednesday, All levels welcome, 8:30pm
This is the In-line Club of Boston night skate. Meet at the Trinity
Church in Copley Square. All protective gear recommended. Call
617-932-5457 ( WE-B-KIKS ) for more info.

From: mdic...@bbn.com (Michael L. Dickens)

There are 2 Night Skates in Boston that happen on a regular basis:

one is on Tuesday night, meet at the Hatch Shell on the Charles River;
leaves around 8:30 pm (or as soon as it's reasonably dark). Your $10
covers 3 glow sticks & some soft drinks. $5 each time thereafter. This

is a leisurely skate - no tricks or racing or jumping or stairs,

etc... unless you individually want to ;-> This skate is sponsored by
John Gilmore, who is somehow related to RollerBlade.

the other is Thursday night, meet at the Trinity Church in Copley
Square; leaves around 8:30 pm (or as soon as the leaders arrive & want
to go). Free to all, but this one is fast-paced. You can do jumps,
stairs, natural ramps, bricks, and any number of these combined. You
can also choose to go around & just watch; but you'll have to skate
fast to keep up. Frequent stops to let the leaders show off. If you
plan to participate, wear full protective padding, including large
knee pads, and wrist guards at a minimum. A helmet is recommended
(just in case....). The powers that lead give a short lecture on safe,

polite, respectful skating at the first stop. This skate is TOTALLY
unsponsored - skate free at your own risk.

_________________________________________________________________

MICHIGAN

ANN-ARBOR Inline Skate Club
Cindy Hufnagel
Ann-Arbor, MI
313-663-9515 or 994-4393

CITY ROLLERS
Mark Famen
Grosse Pt., MI
313-824-0011

KENTWOOD Speed Team
14 52nd St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548

MI Inline Skating Assoc.
Oak Park, MI
313-861-0026

Rollhaven Jr Olympics Skating Club
5315 S. Saginaw St.
Flint, MI 48507

Straits & 8
D. Cooper
Detroit, MI
313-562-6104

Team Extreme
Frank Fedel
Dearborn, MI
313-292-6283

Tri-star Speed Team
1700 S. Livernois
Rochester, MI 48307

W. Miss Club
B. Sklar
Farmington Hills, MI
313-855-4267

MINNESOTA

Inline Midwest
Bloomington, MN
612-822-6840

MN Dive Center
J. Campos
Rochester, MN
507-288-8802

Northern Inline Skaters
Duluth, MN
218-722-0106

MISSOURI"

Skate Corral Speed Club
2664 E. Kearney
Springfield, MO 65803

St. Louis Inline Skating Assoc.
Gregory Issiff
St. Louis, MO
314-427-5963

From: The Squatch (Q905%NEMOMUS...@ACADEMIC.NEMOSTATE.EDU) I saw
the list of groups on the FAQ, and I thought i'd let you know about
NMSU Bulldog Roller Hockey. We play as a club twice a week (Tues 3-5,
Fri 3-6), and also operate a team for intercollegiate play (our first
games in club history are Feb 25 and 26 in Maryville, Missouri,
against Northwest Missouri State's club). This is our first semester
of true organized activity. Our club dues for this semester were $5,
plus for tryouts, we had a 'tryout fee' of $5, so that we could pay
for rink time for our games. (BTW, NMSU is located in Kirksville,
Missouri.) Our intercollegate games, as well as a session on Tuesday
nights (9-11 or 9-12, depending), are in Macon, Missouri, 30 miles
south of Kirksville, at Don's Skate Center, on Hwy 63.

I am the current club president, and my number is (816) 785-5146 (on
campus number, that is).

Kevin Joseph "The Squatch" Student, Northeast Missouri State Univ
President, NMSU Bulldog Roller Hockey
_________________________________________________________________

NEBRASKA

US Amateur Confederation Of Roller Skating
4730 S St.
PO Box 6579
Lincoln, NE 68506
402-483-7551

NEW JERSEY

Bladerunners
B. Haugen
Lamberville, NJ
609-397-3366

Team Montvale
Mike Curran
Montvale, NJ
201-337-4988

Golden State SS Club
Roselle Park, NJ
408-241-2590

LandskatersClub
Collingswood, NJ
609-854-7774

Midlantic Inline Racing Team
D. DiBlasio or "Buggy" Almont
Moorsetown, NJ
609-235-7513 or 215-537-1692

NJ
Linda Lines
Toms River, NJ
908-244-2483

NEW YORK

NY Inline/Ice Assoc.
Ballston Spa, NY
518-885-6487

Inline Groove
Syracuse, NY
315-446-2057

Inline On Long Island
Bohemia, NY
516-244-0445

Long Island Road/Track
Pt. Washington, NY
516-868-2160

Manhattan Metro Rollers
Manhattan, NY
G. Harris: 212-861-1818
P. Eads: 718-278-2386

NY Road Skaters Assoc.
New York, NY
212-534-7858

Skaters In The Village
New York, NY
Ray Johnson: 201-420-0762
V. Welch: 718-528-9199

Rochester Inline
Barbara Hughson
Rochester, NY
716-234-0880

From pc...@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov (R.B. Schmunk)
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 1994 17:52:11

New York Road Skaters Association (NYRSA),
328 East 94th St., New York, NY 10128;
212-369-6285:

An in-line-dominated organization and perhaps the most well-known of
city skating groups because of their management of several events in
Central Park and elsewhere during "skating season". Dues are $25 /
year, and an extra $8 gets you a NYRSA T-shirt. The membership card
entitles you to a 10% discount at Blades, a local chain of skate
shops, and $5 or $10 off the entry fee for races and many other
NYRSA-sponsored events. A small application blank can be found on the
Central Park skate guide available at Blades, the most prominent of
which is Blades West, at 120 West 72nd St., just off Columbus Ave.

_________________________________________________________________

OHIO

From bo...@iglou.com

Cincinnati Blade Brigade- Cincinnati's only inline skating club! Our
club is open to all, beginners to advanced, street skaters to speed
skaters.

For more information: e-mail: bo...@iglou.com
Cincinnati Blade Brigade Hotline (voice recording): (513)-852-0898
WWW homepage coming sometime!

_________________________________________________________________

NORTH CAROLINA
1. Club Name: Triangle Skating Club
2. Location: Research Triangle Park NC
3. Charter: Recreation/competitive club, speed, marathon, distance,
freestyle, tricks, distance, fun. Trips and social activities.
4. Contact: Skating Connection 24 hour recorded information (919)
460-0964
5. Contact Name: Matt Cohen tsc...@mdc.pdial.interpath.net OR
mco...@bnr.ca
6. Schedule: Check the skating connection
7. Roads: Some of the best in the State. Skater friendly city.
8. Meeting Place: Park & Ride next to the Governor's Inn. Exit 280
off I-40. Parking lot is across from NCNB.
9. Skill level: Mostly intermediate level skates. Beginner clinics
every so often.

From: ali0...@unccvm.uncc.edu (Dailene Wilson)

1. Name: Charlotte Blade Rollerz
2. Location: Charlotte NC
3. Phone # of primary contact: Dailene and Jack Wilson (704)344-1555
and/or e-mail address: ali0...@unccvm.uncc.edu (Dailene Wilson)
4. Type of club: Speed skating, distance skating, some street
Type of skate: mostly speed and distance (12-25 miles per skate),
very hilly- beautiful neighborhoods. Occasional downtown skate-
stair bashing, rail sliding, etc.
5. Location description:
Central YMCA, East Morehead
Sundays @ 6pm, Tues and Thurs @ 6:30pm, Saturdays @ 11am
Beginner skates:
Wednesdays 5-8pm, Alpine Ski Center ($5 rental, 332-2824)
Thursdays 5:30, Tennis & Ski (377-3175)
6. Requirements: Helmets and wristguards required on all skates
7. Fees: $10 club membership (that means you get a newsletter 6 times
a year- you can skate with us for free!)
8. General skill level of the club: Mostly intermediate to advanced
skaters. Beginner sessions available through the local skate shops
(see above).
9. Any other comments: We ask that all skaters that join us on
Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday be proficient in stopping
and controlling their speed as the terrain in Charlotte is very
hilly!

_________________________________________________________________

PENNSYLVANIA

From Randy_...@BRYANT.VLSI.CS.CMU.EDU
Date: Thu Mar 10 22:32:20 1994

1. Pittsburgh Inline Skating Club (PISC)
2. Mailing Address:
2811 Brentwood Ave.
(First Floor, Rear)
Pittsburgh, PA 15227
Club president: Amy Krut (412) 885-2233
3. Email contact: Randy....@cs.cmu.edu
4. Type of club: All aspects of inline skating
5. Various activities in Pittsburgh area
6. All club skates require a helmet
7. Varies by activity
8. All skill levels

From Randy_...@BRYANT.VLSI.CS.CMU.EDU
Date: Thu Mar 10 22:38:24 1994

1. Greater Pittsburgh Unified Speedskating Club
2. ...
3. Primary Contacts:
Bob Halden (412) 744-0037
Wade Smith (412) 241-5967
4. Short Track (ice) speedskating
5. Meet at Golden Mile Ice Arena, Monroeville, PA
6. Must wear helmet.
7. Fees: Currently $10/session, but varies with club finances
8. Skill level: All levels
9. Other comments: Programs for children, adults, and special
olympians

From: jim...@aol.com (Jimfed)
Date: 25 Jul 1994 18:56:04 -0400

I am a member of the P.I.S.C., and for those of you who are
interested, we have 2 Pittsburgh skates a week. Tuesday we meet at the
Giant Eagle's on the South Side at 7:30, and Thursday we meet at the
fountain in front of the Frick Fine Arts building in Oakland. We have
been averaging 10 - 15 people on these skates, but, would love to have
more show up.

Tuesday night's skate is a long one, averaging between 10 and 15
miles, and Thursday's is shorter with more tricks and stuff.

I also have a practice skate at Gateway Senior High school for
beginners and practicing. This meets Wednesday night at the tennis
courts at 6:30.

_________________________________________________________________

Other Countries

ONTARIO

From gr...@sce.carleton.ca
Date: Sat Mar 5 16:17:18 1994

1. Name: Ottawa Pacer's Speed Skating Club
2. Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada
3. Phone # of primary contact: Greg Franks (613) 726-9594
and/or e-mail address of contacts: gr...@sce.carleton.ca
4. Type of club: Speed Skating (Short & Long track), Adult and
Children.
Type of skate: Short and Long Track speed skating
5. Location description: Indoor: Dulude Arena, Ottawa, ON.
Outdoor: Brewer Park (Natural Ice oval)
Outdoor: Rideau Canal (winter obviously - 7km continuous ice)
6. Requirements: Must provide helmets and other saftey equipment.
Rental skates available.
7. Fees: Yes -- depends on membership catagory.
8. General skill level of the club: All. We have three time slots:
Children learning to skate, Competitive Skaters, and Adult
recreational.

_________________________________________________________________

Toronto, ON Hi there, I was just on the re. skate newsgroup and I read
your article regarding clubs and organizations. I am a member on the
Toronto In-Line Skating Club, and I write to you from the Toronto, ON
area.
1. Club name: Toronto Inline Skating Club (TISC)
2. Club President: Wayne Burret
3. Location: Toronto, Ontario
4. Telephone Numbers:
+ President: 905 272 1774
+ Club Inquiries: 905 822 2100
+ e-mail contact: ai...@freenet.toronto.on.ca
5. Mission Statement: To further the sport of Inline skating. To
enjoy and participate in the fastest growing sport ever!

I've been a member for two years, and they have been very productive
ones. The coaches are some of the finest speed skaters in Canada, two
of whom were on the Canadian World Team this year.

From: den...@julian.uwo.ca (Keith O. Gare) The Forest City Rollers
In-Line Skate Club

Last fall when the club started meeting, we met on Wendesday nights
and went for a casual, recreational skate through the city of London,
Ontario Canada. The distance we covered was 8-10k.

The atmosphere is very social, with safety and fun being most
important! We only skated as fast as the slowest person in the group.
Obeyed ALL traffic regulations(as we covered sidewalk, street and
trail) and had a great time.

We are offical and listed in INLINE magazine. The group is led by two
IISA certified instructors, myself and my SO. Last year we averaged
8-10 people weekly and hope for more this year.

Contact: Keith O. Gare, den...@julian.uwo.ca

_________________________________________________________________

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

From Brendan Bouffler (bre...@comms.unsw.EDU.AU)

"The Sydney City Skate is a regular weekly skate (in-line) organised
by the people at Bondi Boards & Blades. We meet outside the McDonalds
at Circular Quay _every_ Wednesday night at 7:00pm. The skate
generally lasts for about two hours covering around 20-25 Km's (12-15
mi). We go over the Harbour Bridge for a speed run, and then skate
around town along a varying route that regularly covers places like
the Opera House, Darling Harbour, Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macquarie's
Chair, Sydney Uni, Kings Cross and other notable spots.

Information can be got from:

Bondi Boards & Blades
230 Oxford Street,
Bondi Junction
Ph. + 61 2 369 2212

or, of course, via email to me at bre...@unsw.EDU.AU"

From: VKG...@prodigy.com (MR KIM MOSER)
Date: Thu, 09 Feb 1995 01:25:52 EST

Inline Skate Clubs, Night Skates, and Skate Parks in Australia
(Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia)

SKATE CLUBS:

ISANSW (In-Line Skating Association of New South Wales, Inc.)
For info, write:

John Williams or David Ting
c/o ISANSW
P.O. Box 305
Manly, NSW 2095
Australia

NIGHT SKATES:

Brisbane (Queensland):
Contact: Skate Arena: 369-1061 (24 hr recording), 367-3284 (voice)

Night skate: Sunday, 4-6pm: Regatta (Coronation Drive); adults

Friday, 11-12pm: GPO (Post Office on Queen & Edward St.); skaters of
all ages

Sydney (New South Wales)
Contact: Manly Blades: 976-3833

Night skate: Wednesdays, meet either at the shop (Manly Blades, in
Manly) at 7pm, or at the Palace Gates in front of the Conservatorium
on Macquarie Street in the city at 8pm; call Manly blades during the
day to find out which location/time to meet.

Melbourne (Victoria):
Contact: Sports Mix: 663-5166 (269 Lonsdale Street, near Museum
Station, next to Myer)

Night skate: Wednesdays, 6pm, meet in front of store; also at 9pm,
meet at the Arts Center

Adelaide (South Australia):
Contact: The Skate Pit (232-2433) or Coastal Creatures (295-2266)

Night skate: Friday, 9pm, meet at steps by Grenfell Center, on the
west side of the street (across the street from the Grenfell mall)

SKATE PARKS:

Brisbane:
In Petrie Terrace, across the street from Lang Park (corner of Hale
and Caxton)

Canberra:
In Belconnen, a block or two east of where Eastern Valley Way hits
Lake Ginninderra.

_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted © 1995 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is
granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony Chen

unread,

Aug 7, 1995, 3:00:00 AM8/7/95

to

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part17

r.s.s.inline FAQ: Rollerhockey
_________________________________________________________________

ROLLERHOCKEY *

(last changed Mar 26, 1995)

Contents:

* General hockey FAQ
* Info on sticks
* National Inline Hockey Association
+ About the NIHA
+ Membership
+ Office Directory
+ Publications and Newsletters
+ National Championships (Las Vegas)
+ Brochures
+ NIHA Sponsor List
+ More NIHA info

_________________________________________________________________

Original preface to the Hockey FAQ, by Thomas Darling:

This file reflects the observations of our small group's
trial-and-error approach to organizing and playing hockey on inline
skates, as well as advice from other rec.skate and rec.sport.hockey
readers. We've done a lot of experimenting with gear, play, etc. and
it is hoped that our experiences will be helpful to others getting
involved in this fun and fast-paced sport.

Thomas no longer had time to maintain this portion fo the FAQ, so
I've incorporated some (long-overdue) additions from my own experience
with my local hockey club and from others who have sent e-mail to me.

Feel free to send in any comments, ideas, or suggestions.

-Tony Chen adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
_________________________________________________________________

Topics:

* Gear
+ Sticks
+ Pucks
+ Padding
+ Goalie gear
* Skates
+ Which type to get
+ Rockering
+ Wheels
* Techniques
* Stick turns/stops
* Goalie
* Surfaces
* Rules
* Practice Techniques
+ Hockeyball
* Credits

GEAR

STICKS

(See also, Nancy's article below, titled "Selection of Hockey Sticks")
Many of our players use standard street hockey sticks, with wooden
shafts and plastic blades. These seem to survive the surface with
minimal wear. However, those more experienced players (former ice
hockey players all) prefer wooden ice hockey sticks, with taped
blades, for superior puck control. These obviously wear down a lot
faster than on ice, being scraped across concrete and leant on for
power turns. Once the blade is taped, a razor is used to trim off the
bottom 1cm or so to prevent fraying.

Perhaps the benefits of wooden ice hockey sticks are predominantly
psychological, based on the familiarity factor. But to those of us who
use them, they "feel" better and therefore give us better results.

If you decide to use a plastic-bladed street hockey stick, you should
make sure to get one long enough for you to use when on your skates;
most street hockey sticks are designed to be used on foot. There are
many schools of thought on determining stick length, which like
anything else, eventually comes down to matters of personal preference
and style of play. But as a rule of thumb for beginners, try to get a
stick that comes up to somewhere between your chin and nose. You can
always cut it later if you wish.

Todd (TO...@slacvm.slac.stanford.edu) offers these additional
suggestions:

"I work closely with some friends [who] own a Hockey store out here in
the San Jose/San Francisco area; we have used several different types
of sticks on the street surfaces. One of the best sticks to use on any
street surface is the KOHO 2200 Ultimate, with a poly-tech blade on
the end of a wooden hockey stick. It does not wear thin as quick as a
mylec stick... Easton makes an aluminum street hockey stick...it is a
good stick, but not better than regular hockey aluminum versions...
The last stick to try is the Bauer Street Hockey stick: all wood with
a poly-tech blade on the end, just for street hockey use."

"Mylec blades, you can go through 1-2 a month if playing 3-4 times a
week. I've gone that route too."

From Michael Quinn (MJQ...@pucc.princeton.edu):

"For a stick, I used an old ice hockey stick with a plastic
replacement blade. Incidentally, I was up in Boston last week and saw
a neat looking rubber brake that screws onto the shaft of a hockey
stick near the blade. I didn't get a chance to try one out though.
They sell them at Sports Etc. on Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington."

Comments from anyone who has tried this stick-mounted brake would be
appreciated.

PUCKS

Sun Hockey makes a nifty three-wheeled puck called the "Hot Puck." The
puck is hard rubber, and the "wheels" are three teflon balls that
protrude through the top and bottom.

Advantages: It appears to be regulation size and weight, and it feels
great against the stick. It's an extremely cool design.

Disadvantage: It doesn't work. Even on the most ideal surface (we
tried it on a tennis court-type deck), it bounces, flips, and ends up
rolling on its edge more than on the "wheels." I really wish they'd
come up with a better functioning design, because the feel and idea
are sound.

Since the Sun puck doesn't happen, we use Mylec street hockey balls.
They come in three different colours, coded for different
temperatures. The orange one works best so far; minimal bounce, but a
bit light. Be aware that the temperature type of the puck is
important; we've heard of a warm-weather ball that shattered when used
in cold weather.

Also be aware that there are cheaper balls out there, and some of them
suuuuuuck. We've even encountered one that was unevenly weighted and
textured. Not good. Since the Mylec balls are only a couple of
dollars, there's no reason not to get the real thing.

Nobody's completely happy with this compromise, but it's the best
option we've seen so far for outside play.

As for inside play, Marc (mfo...@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu) adds:

"When we play outside, we usually use an orange Mylec, but it bounces
too much for inside play so there we use a Viceroy, which also weighs
about twice as much. They are made in Canada, and I don't know where
you might get them other than a good well stocked hockey shop. We all
tend to use the Viceroy in tournaments."

From: David Aronson (pak!LARGO!d...@uunet.UU.NET)

Pucks: In the roller hockey league that I am in. We use a plastic
Cosmo puck that is filled with a substance that is similar to little
while beads with a kind of thick petroleum jelly. They work great
indoors and outside. I have used them on wood, tennis courts, and
somewhat smooth blacktop with good results. The advantage is the
weight of the puck keeps it from getting up on edge.

From: Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

Our club uses the Jofa speed pucks exclusively. We play on an indoor
roller- rink, so the surface is very smooth, and design of the Jofa
pucks makes it a very nice puck. Stay AWAY from the pucks with plastic
"bearings" inside them. They don't work outside, they don't work
inside. The Jofa pucks are spoked with the weight on the edge and have
7 or 8 screw-in pegs on each face which lets it glide fairly fast.

From: rick...@ucs.orst.edu (Jeremiah "Phlegm" Rickert) Message-Id:

Pucks: For indoor play, by far the best puck is the Jofa puck made for
Roller Hockey International. It has "bumps" that are screwed into the
edge of the disc that can be changed depending what surface you are
on. It flies like an Ice-hockey puck, it slides like an ice-hockey
puck, if feels like an ice-hockey puck. It resembles a wheel, it has
"Spokes" in the middle that are made of light aluminum, and the disk
is made our of hard rubber that doesn't bounce. It is ideal for roller
hockey. It costs about $12 but it is worth it in every way.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, that the becuase the majority of the
weight of the Jofa puck is on the edge, it rarely rolls ever...even on
asphalt, if you insert the pegs for asphalt, it slides just fine.

I am on a college roller-hockey team, I have played for about 5 years,
so I speak from experience.

Goalie Equipment: If you are using a puck, using baseball catchers
mitts work well only if you remove some of the padding. If you are
using a ball, you almost have to use a real hockey-catch glove, or a
baseball fielder's glove, the ball pops out of the catcher's mitt
because it doesn't have enough weight to carry it into the pocket.

Along the lines of pads. I prefer ice hockey pads. I am a goalie, I
have tried everything. Ice hockey pads, are ideal for using any kind
of puck. They are all right for using a ball, but you can't feel the
ball all of the time, so sometimes you don't know if you made the save
or not. If you only use a ball, the mylec or the cooper streets pads
are fine, they are plastic and make a huge hollow thwuuuping sound
when the ball hits them. Playing in skates is fine too. Leg Kicks are
quicker, you can move from side to side quicker, you can move forwards
and backwards, without taking a stride, it's then easier to cut down
angles and move because you don't have to move your legs much.

PADDING

Checking is a bit less frequent in the inline game, which is good,
because the summer heat makes heavy padding out of the question.
Hardshell knee pads are a necessity, because everyone occasionally
collides with the boards or the ground. Elbow pads are also highly
recommended.

Those nifty wristguards are probably a good idea for skating and
training, but for all practical purposes it is impossible to hold a
hockey stick with them. This is OK, because you can use the stick to
break your fall in many circumstances, and you can't build up huge
speeds in a small rink anyway.

Opinions vary on hand protection. Some players prefer ice hockey
gloves. They provide superb protection against sticks, decent padding
for when you get crunched, and enough finger coverage to make hand
passes safe. On the other hand, they tend to be very hot. Many of us
opt instead for weightlifting gloves, the fingerless mesh kind with
leather palms. These allow your hands to stay cool, yet prevent the
loss of skin when you're knocked sprawling. They allow good stick
control. Just don't go grabbing the puck with 'em, lest your fingers
be rolled over/chopped off.

(Note: Weightlifting gloves are difficult to dramatically throw down.
So if you get into a violent confrontation, you may incur a few
bruises while trying frantically to peel them off. If you play this
way, be careful.)

Another option is to use a cheap pair of Nylon hockey gloves. They're
still a bit warm, but considerably lighter than leather gloves and
you're less apt to be concerned about beating them up.

From: mfo...@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Marc Foster)

On a related note, I also got a chance that night to try out the new
Mylec goalie leg pads. While they provide much better protection to
the inside of your thigh (how many of you have donut-shapped bruises
there???), I thought they were very bulky and hard to move around in.
Dropping to your knees or lieing on your side - then getting back up,
seemed very difficult. I think the reason may have to do with the hard
corners of the pads, the protect, but prevent mobility.

From: David Aronson Padding: I would highly suggest the following
padding for any game, HELMET, cup, shin pads, gloves, and elbow pads.
The most inportant is the helmet which should be a real hockey helmet.
Make sure that the helmet has been approved for hockey,( some Jofa's
have a sticker disclaiming them from any contact sport). I would
suggest CCM or Cooper. Both are about $50 new, less used. A cup is
very cheap, but very nice to have in games. A pair of shin pads will
cost from $20 to $$$. Franklin makes a pair of pads that are a hard
shell knee pad with a foam rubber shin extension for about $20(don't
quote me on the price). Easton makes a pair of hard shells pads with
seperate hard shells over foam on the knees and shins for about
$35(The also have built-in straps). All over shin pads cost require
seperate velcro straps securing them to your legs. If you are going to
be skating outside make sure not to use leather pads. A pair of hockey
gloves cost from $25 to $200. They protect your hands and wrists from
sticks and the ground, I suggest a pair of cheap hockey gloves. As far
as elbow pads any will do, I use a cheap pair of foam rubber pads.
Wear a HELMET!!! You do not need to crack your head on the ground. For
checking games you rry, we'll get to this section in the future)

GOALIE GEAR

A good mask is essential, regardless of puck type. Either a cage-type
ice hockey mask or an inexpensive Mylec mask will do. An ice hockey
stick is highly recommended, since they tend to be larger than their
street hockey counterparts. Any variety of blocker will suffice. If
you're playing with a ball of some kind rather than a puck, we've
found that using a baseball glove for a catcher will give good
results.

In regards to leg pads, the cheapest Mylec ones appear to work the
best. Since they're made of hard plastic, a goalie can slide on his
knees in them, which improves effectiveness.

Marc (use...@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu), a Texas hockey veteran,
adds: "When I goalie I usually wear a cage helmet (since I wear
glasses), elbow pads, a blocker on the right hand and a catcher's mitt
in the left, a catcher's chest protector on my chest and belly (with
my Dead Wings jersey over that), a cup and the Mylec leg pads, along
with the skates. I usually wear a t-shirt under the chest pad, also.
I've suited up like that twice a week all summer down here and have
lost about 10 pounds. Most other goalies in the Metroplex use either a
large softball mitt or a regular goalie's mitt, but I had the
catcher's mitt to begin with and find that I am used to it and can't
use a regular glove very well."

SKATES

TYPE OF SKATE

Which brand/model of skate largely depends on playing style and the
ever- important ice-hockey familiarity factor. As an ice-hockey
player, I use Bauer XS/5's with the brake removed. They're all laces,
no buckles, and are nice and light. They've got good bearings (hence
decent speed) and strong frames.

The most popular skate among our skaters is the Rollerblade Zetra 303.
It's a little heavy and clunky, but has an extremely durable boot,
which is good if you like to plant yourself in front of the goalie and
get your ankles whacked at a lot.

I also might recommend the Gretzky Ultra Wings. They're all buckles
and kind of heavy, but durable enough to stand up to hockey abuse.

The bottom line, really, is that you can make do with what you've got.
One of our best players uses el cheapo skates (Phantoms?), yet still
manages to come up with the breakaways and finesse plays.

From: Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

Speed and finesse seem quite removed from the quality of the skates.
We have lots of okay players that have the nifty Bauer ZT skates, but
our best player has on the old Lightning 608's, with wheels worn down
to the hub.

Essentially, if you do lots of other types of skating, you can always
use them for hockey. I use my Aeroblades for hockey, and while they're
not taking the pounding quite as well as other skates would, they're
holding up okay (so far). Generally, I wouldn't recommend Aeros or any
heavily vented skate for hockey. With the number of collisions and
rammings and taking slap shots point-blank, you'd be better off with
Lightning 608/TRSs or Bauer hockey skates.

ROCKERING

None of us rocker our frames. I know that every book in the world
says that you should rocker them for hockey, but the difference in
turning ability (especially at high speeds) is negligible. All that
appeared to be seriously affected were speed, traction and stability,
none for the better.

WHEELS

So far, we haven't experimented greatly with different wheels. I've
used both hard and soft, and liked the hard ones better, since they
last longer and feel better on grinding stops and turns. Rollerblade
makes a "Hockey Wheel" with better perimeter width (to reflect the
need for stopping/turning over straightaway speed), but since they're
hubless and generally cheap-looking, nobody has picked any up yet. Any
comments on these wheels would be welcome.

We've heard that "Turbo Core" type wheels (with spokes instead of
solid hubs) don't stand up to the stresses of hockey well. Those
skaters I know who use such wheels have reported no problems, but the
net.consensus on this is that "spoke" breakage does happen, so it
bears repeating here.

From: David Aronson (pak!LARGO!d...@uunet.UU.NET)

Wheels:

I use hyper super-lites which are 72.5mm and 78a, they are fast with
good traction. I have used "Hockey-wheels" before and they seemed to
slip out from under me, but I have friends who sware by them. Just
make sure you have good bearing and axle-systems and the wheels won't
make a huge difference. I use axle systems on my skates that are made
from aircraft aluminum. You can't over-tighten the axles so all you do
is crank them down and you're ready(purchased through in-line sports)
$20.

From: Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.ancs.fsu.edu) Opinion seem to vary a
lot on which type of wheels to get. Some say the special hockey
wheels, with wider cross-sections and lower profiles give lots of
added stability. Most of rec.skaters say, heck with that, and use
Superlites or Redlines for speed. In the end, you should choose
something you're comfortable with. Don't go out and blow $50 on a set
of wheels just for hockey, unless you really want to. Our best and
fastest skaters use real crap wheels and only so-so skates. A whole
lot of it is the technique, legs and feet, believe me 8-)

TECHNIQUES

STICK TURNS/STOPS

Many of us ice-hockey players are aggravated by the limited turning
and stopping ability of inline skates. A typical drag stop (rear foot
90 degrees against leading foot) works in most circumstances. But
another good technique is the stick stop.

In this stop, the skater begins a tight turn towards his stick side.
For this example, we'll use a right-handed skater. Right foot forward,
he makes a tight turn, putting his stick blade down (to the right) in
the process. He leans against the stick, grinding his left foot
outwards, until coming to a stop. With practice, one can even hang
onto the puck while executing this stop.

Sometimes, when going very fast, I find that I must crouch low to keep
pressure on the outer foot -- often to such a degree that the boot,
instead of the wheels, makes contact with the ground. This gets good
results, but is not recommended for less durable boots.

The same technique is used in the stick turn. The skater uses the same
combination of tight turn and stick friction, but instead of using the
stick as a mere brake, uses it as a pivot point to make a tighter turn
and continue on in a new direction.

GOALIE TECHNIQUES

The best bet for goalies, in many cases, is simply not to wear skates.
A sneakered goalie has side-to-side mobility and backwards control
that are difficult to match on skates of any kind. As long as the
goalie doesn't leave the crease for extended periods (i.e. Ron Hextall
lead-the-rush-up-ice maneuvres), this makes for fair and fun gameplay.
As previously mentioned, hard plastic Mylec street hockey leg pads are
recommended. A good goalie can fearlessly slide about in them, making
for a more ice-like game.

SURFACES

Generally speaking, you're stuck with whatever your area offers. For
economical reasons, we've been playing on street-hockey decks, which
have asphalt or cement surfaces and decent boards all around. One such
surface is quite good; very smooth cement approaching tennis court
quality. It's a decent drive for most of us, but worth it; we've
played on a rougher surface and it's exhausting.

There are also commercial venues available in our area. One huge
indoor facility has a perfect surface, good nets, an electronic
scoreboard, you name it. It's also $70/hour, but with enough people
playing a real game, this can be cost-effective. I imagine similar
facilities exist in most major metropolitan areas.

RULES

Our goal is to be as ice hockey-like as possible. In the reduced size
of most street-hockey decks, 4 skaters per side is probably the
realistic maximum. And we'd like to someday have enough players for
full 60-minute change-on-the-fly games, but for the time being it
looks like three 10 minute periods with no line changes and frequent
timeouts.

When we can, we aspire to NHL rules. With 10-minute periods,
half-length penalties are probably best (1 minute or 2.5 minutes).
Enforcement of offsides and icing are a matter of taste; they make for
less fluid gameplay and are a distraction for single refs without
benefit of linesmen. I'd be interested in hearing how other players
deal with this.

Best of luck to anyone getting started in the game; may you find all
the players you need and a prime surface. If you live in the
Philadelphia/ South Jersey area, we invite you to join us! Interested
parties can Email me directly, or reach me on the Cellar BBS (the
number is in my .sig). We play Sundays, are still organizing for fall,
and would welcome any new participants.

From: Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu) We play in an indoor
rink, so we have blue lines and the creases marked permanently, plus
we have regulation goals and a good-sized rink (sorry, don't have
exact measurements). We usually play 4-on-4, and go to 5-on-5 when
there's a larger than normal group that shows up. We play with
offsides, but no icing.

We self-referee, with a little help from the benches 8-) We don't play
with time limits, but we do line changes en masse (Usually we have at
least 2-3 lines for offense, and 2-3 lines on defense) so everyone
gets a fair shake.

PRACTICE TECHNIQUES

Can't round up 8+ skaters and 2 goalies for a game? Here's a basic
game you can play with as few as 4 people that's fun and great
practice for basic hockey skills.

"Hockeyball"

' Gear: Inline skates, sticks, pads, ball, chalk.
'
' Play Surface: Ideally, you'll want an area with clearly-defined edges.
' A low-traffic street, school driveway, or the like is ideal, since
' passes can be bounced off the curbs. With chalk, mark off end lines
' 150-200' apart (depending on skaters' respiratory health and number
' of players), as well as a faceoff mark at centre ice:
'
' curb -> ========================================================
' | |
' end line -> | x |
' | |
' ========================================================
'
' The rules are simple. To score a goal, a skater must cross his
' opponent's goal line WHILE IN CONTROL OF THE PUCK/BALL. If the
' ball goes over a team's end line with no one in control, that team
' takes the ball back into play from behind the line (the puck must
' then precede them over the line coming back into play).
'
' If the ball goes out of play, a faceoff will take place at the point
' of exit.
'
' After every score, begin again with a centre-ice faceoff.
'
' Play to a predetermined point (first to 7, for instance). No time
' limits.

Besides being a total blast (the Canadian equivalent of urban
half-court pickup basketball), this game is good practice for a
variety of skills including skating, passing, puck control, checking
(the way we play it, anyway -- this is optional) and basic strategy
(crossing over and the like).

If you want a different challenge, or to handicap a side, try playing
against a team with one or more players on sneakers instead of skates.
You'll be able to outrun them in long hauls, but they can kill you
with sudden stops/direction changes/accelleration/etc.

CREDITS

Thanks for the following for their field testing and other assistance
in the preparation of this file:

Anton "Slapshot" Shepps (LW), Dan Reed (LW), Chris "Nate" Collins (G),
Earl Scheib (D, no relation), Rachel MacGregor (D), Steve "Doc" Roth
(D), Rob "Franchise" Tedesco (RW), N.Y. State Assemblyman Allan K.
Race (C, Democrat), Heather "Hanover" Pfister (LW), Robert Jennings
(G), and "Pittsburgh" Bob Safier (C).

_________________________________________________________________

From: fam...@sde.mdso.vf.ge.com (Famous Jonathan)
Subject: Hockey equipment
Date: 14 Sep 93 13:04:40 GMT

Gloves:
I have small hands, so what I use are a pair of the
largest junior size Cooper ice-hockey gloves. The palms tend
to wear through really quickly, but hand protection is good
and they are easy to slide on.
Other people I know have also worn lacrosse gloves to
play. They don't usually cost as much as ice hockey gloves, but
for street play they provide good protection farther up the wrist
and arm.

Stick:
Those plastic Mylec replacement blades are trash. Don't
bother. I liked the Mylec street hockey stick with the black blade -
the stick was cheap and it worked well. I liked the shorter stick
for maneuverability and ball control, but it was tough to get a
good shot from it.
Someone had posted against a Koho Street Revolution, but I've
been using one for a while. The shaft does flex, but the blade wears
well on cement and lasts well.

Puck:
Mylec ball seems to be the best, as everyone else here seems
to agree. So why does the IRHL use one of those crappy rolling pucks
that never seem to work?
Another puck we used was a roll of black tape with a small core.
After a good break-in period, it slides well and has the fell of a
regular puck. But it is heavy and probably requires real pads -
especially for the goalie.
I saw in the stores a new puck that had 6 knobs protruding from
a disc to be used for roller-hockey. I forget who makes it or what
it was called, but if anyone has used one, what did you think?

From: mfo...@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Marc Foster)
Subject: FAQ Update: Goalie gear
Date: 3 Sep 1993 16:45:54 GMT

In article adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)
writes:

>REC.SKATE FAQ - PART 3: (ROLLER)HOCKEY (draft)

>______________
>Goalie Gear // A good mask is essential, regardless of puck type. Either
>___________// a cage-type ice hockey mask or an inexpensive Mylec mask
>will do. An ice hockey stick is highly recommended, since they tend to be
>larger than their street hockey counterparts. Any variety of blocker will
>suffice. If you're playing with a ball of some kind rather than a puck,
>we've found that using a baseball glove for a catcher will give good
>results.
>
>In regards to leg pads, the cheapest Mylec ones appear to work the best.
>Since they're made of hard plastic, a goalie can slide on his knees in
>them, which improves effectiveness.
>
>Marc [use...@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu], a Texas hockey veteran, adds:
>"When I goalie I usually wear a cage helmet (since I wear glasses), elbow
>pads, a blocker on the right hand and a catcher's mitt in the left, a
>catcher's chest protector on my chest and belly (with my Dead Wings jersey
>over that), a cup and the Mylec leg pads, along with the skates. I
>usually wear a t-shirt under the chest pad, also. I've suited up like
>that twice a week all summer down here and have lost about 10 pounds.
>Most other goalies in the Metroplex use either a large softball mitt or a
>regular goalie's mitt, but I had the catcher's mitt to begin with and
>find that I am used to it and can't use a regular glove very well."

I thought I'd update my equipment list, as what I said a year ago is really
out of date (at least for me). I picked up a sponsorship down in the Metroplex
and was able to splurge on the good stuff:

The new Mylec catalog has a new blocker and goal glove in it. The blocker
(#570) is larger than the older Mylec model and can be bent up high along
the arm like real ice hockey blockers. The glove (#580) is built like an
ice-hockey glove and is much larger than the "shortstop mitt with a wrist
protector" glove they've sold in the past. After getting the glove broken
in, it snags balls just as well as pucks.

I nearly lost my teeth this summer wearing the Mylec cage mask (got kicked),
so I got a Jofa Goalie Combo helmet. Jofa takes their regular helmet, puts
a larger cage on it, and adds a throat protector. After getting popped a lot
(usually in warm-ups, when my teammates unload really hard shots on me), my
throat apprecitates this aquisition.

As for leg protection, I have found that adding a quality pair of ice hockey
pants to the Mylec leg pads does wonders for the inside thigh area. I have
a pair of Cooper pants, thought CCM and others are just as good. I also
dropped a size on those mylec leg pads, since the pants cover the upper front
thigh area now. Doing this increased my mobility a lot. I do wear some
knee pads _under_ the leg pads. The Mylec pads tend to leave the inside knee
area bare when you freeze the ball in a butterfly drop (watch Patrick Roy),
and if you play long enough, a permanent... and painfull bruise develops.

As for the chest and arms, I went with a Cooper BP9 chest protector and SA55
arm pads. However, I only wear the armpads indoors, since it's usually just
too hot to wear both pads playing outside (lost a lot more weight this summer).
Since my league up here at school is indoors, I'm padded to the max.

My stick is a Christian "Curtis Curve" goal stick. The stick handle is
S-curved at the grip for better balance. I also added a ton of weight at the
end of the handle so the center of gravity is right on your stick hand.
Works wonders.

And please, boys and girls, don't forget your cup (well, maybe not girls, I
never did ask Machelle Harris if she wears one).

>____________________
>Goalie Techniques // The best bet for goalies, in many cases, is simply
>_________________// not to wear skates. A sneakered goalie has
>side-to-side mobility and backwards control that are difficult to match on
>skates of any kind. As long as the goalie doesn't leave the crease for
>extended periods (i.e. Ron Hextall lead-the-rush-up-ice maneuvres), this
>makes for fair and fun gameplay.

Well, I have to wear skates, but I still come out of the crease a lot. I
have found that most novice to intermediate ability players can't deke very
well, hang onto the ball, and make a quality shot. So when I have a 1-on-1
or a shootout situation, I CHARGE the forward. It cuts down the shot angle,
and also intimidates the hell out of lesser players not usel, this ended up bei
ng a lot longer post than I anticipated. The bottom
line is... if yer gonna be a goalie, ya gotta get the pads. I saw a lot of
folks this summer playing more or less naked in the crease, and it just doesn't
work. 85 MPH+ slapshots aren't intimidating when you're fully loaded, and
all that gear really doesn't slow you down like you'd think.

_________________________________________________________________

Choosing a Stick

From: pil...@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov (Nancy Piltch)
Subject: Selection of hockey sticks
Date: 3 Dec 91 21:46:00 GMT
Sometime in the past Phil asked if anyone could write a guide to
selecting hockey sticks, which has apparently been met with resounding
silence. I think I can help, at least for those just entering the
sport. Bear in mind, though, that while I've played a good deal of
intramural and pick-up hockey, I've never had any formal coaching, so
I'm sure there are others more knowledgeable. This will be especially
true of the subtle differences among sticks that will matter to expert
players.

Please feel free to correct my misstatements, clarify what is unclear,
and add what I've left out.

The main criteria in selection of hockey sticks are "handedness", lie,
length, and curvature. All of these are largely a matter of personal
preference.

1. "Handedness": A hockey player will decide whether s/he prefers
holding the stick to the left side or the right. There appears to be
no strong correlation to the person's handedness. A new player should
try it both ways, and find the one that feels most natural. Sticks are
labeled either L or R, but since French-speaking Canada generates
large numbers of hockey players, the stick may be labeled G (gauche)
or D (droit). Some sticks carry both letters, i.e. L/G. A few sticks
are neutral and can be used either way.

2. Lie: This refers to the angle the stick makes with the blade. A
higher lie is closer to upright than a lower lie. While there are lots
of exceptions, a player who prefers to skate more upright will prefer
a higher lie, and a player who prefers to skate more bent over will
take a lower lie. Taller players also generally use higher lies.
Again, a new player should test several different lies to see what
feels comfortable. The most common lies are 5, 6, and 7. This is the
rest of the labeling on a hockey stick: a 6R means a lie of 6 in a
right handed stick. Exaggerating the drawings:

. .
. .
. .
____ ____

5 7

3. Length: I've been told that a stick should come up to about the
player's chin while wearing skates, but I find this uncomfortable. I
think it's more realistic to have it come to about the armpit or a
little below; again, this is preference.

4. Curvature: A more curved blade allows the puck to be flipped more
effectively for better shooting, but at the price of poorer passing
and receiving. A beginner should start with a gently curved stick. A
neutral stick, which I referred to above in the section on handedness,
has no curvature.

The blade of a stick should be taped. This helps prolong the life of
the blade and improves puck-handling capability. It's always black
tape, never white. The conventional wisdom is that a goalie can't see
the puck as well against a black blade, but my feeling is that a good
goalie will see the puck. My personal opinion is that it is black
because of tradition.

The wear pattern on the tape can show whether a skater has selected
the proper lie. If the wear is toward the heel/toe of the blade the
skater should try a lower/higher lie.

A lot of players also tape the top of the blade for better grip.

Sticks also differ in weight; again this is personal preference.

From: Thomas....@cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Sticks and Pucks (was Re: Selection of hockey sticks)
Date: 4 Dec 91 18:17:48 GMT
Some other stuff to augment the stick info:

I often tape my sticks with white tape! I think the tape matter is
more whether you use the friction tape (normally black) or the general
cloth tape used for taping around socks, skate tops, and equipment,
which is usually white, but comes in all colors. I prefer the smoother
white tape to the friction tape on my blade. There are a fair amount
of players on our team that like this too. It is really a matter of
preference.

I had never heard that the black tape makes it hard for the goalie to
see the puck coming off of your stick, but this makes a lot of sense!
I should start buying the cloth tape in black just for my stick
blades!

I use black friction tape to tape the top end of my stick, for a good
grip. This deposits black gunk on your gloves, but the grip is good.
Players will often wrap a ball of tape called a "butt-end" to the very
top of the stick to stop it from slipping out of your hands. Another
trick is to roll up a long piece of tape lengthwise into a long
string, and wrap it around the top handle of the stick (kind of like a
barber shop pole) prior to taping up the stick top. This gives you a
spiral stripe grip underneith the flat tape, that also helps you hold
onto your stick better.

For roller hockey, I use the plastic Mylec blades (cost about $2.50)
attached to shaft from an ice hockey stick that had a broken blade. I
just saw off the broken wooden blade, and attach the plastic
replacement. Mylec (and others) sell plastic bladed sticks with wooden
shafts.

The stick manufacturer "Montreal" makes a stick that is supposedly for
street and ice hockey. It is basically has a hard graphite housing
around the whole blade and lower part of the shaft of the stick. These
are expensive, and I've never seen anyone use one for ice hockey, but
a lot of the street hockey players like them because they stay stiff
like wooden blades, not flex a lot like the plastic ones.

Some other sticks that are availble for ice and street hockey are
aluminum shafts. I use an aluminum stick shaft for ice hockey now. The
blades are wooden with a glue on the top end. One heats the end of the
metal shaft and the glue end of the blade with a powerful hair dryer
and then you slide the glued end into the shaft. When it cools, the
metal contracts and the combination of this with the glue holds the
blade in place. When the blade breaks, you heat it up again to remove
it, and put on a new one. The blades themselves cost a little less
than a whole new stick, and the shaft is a one time charge. They have
also come out with these for street hockey, using blades similar to
the Montreal sticks described above.

Some players like the aluminum shafts because they are light, and can
come in more flexible or more stiff grades. This allows a player to
have a stick with the feel s/he likes and also have at least the shaft
portion of the stick be consistent, since only the blade is replaced.
Even two of the same brand and model stick can be different in weight
and flex, since the wood may be from 2 different trees, etc.

Whew, my original intention was not for this to be so long winded,
Nancy covered most of the stick stuff (very well too!) in her post,
but since I'm on a roll..........

Pucks and Balls:

In ice hockey, one uses a hard black rubber puck, 3" in diameter, and
(I think) 3/4" in thickness. The puck is usually frozen before a game
so it's temperature matches that of the ice, and it can slide better.

1) very hard plastic pucks -- These can be use for street or floor
hockey, but usually aren't as they are really hard and hurt a lot if
you get hit with one and have little protection (usually the case with
street hockey). This is all we had when I was little, and looking
back, I can't believe we used to use these things all the time! On
hard surfaces, these skip up etc. when new, but as soon as the edges
get chewed up a bit and round out, they slide pretty well, even on
asphalt.

2) soft hollow plastic pucks -- These are only good for really smooth
surfaces.. We use these on gym floors. They don't even work very well
on tennis courts, which is where we usually play roller hockey. They
are great for floor hockey in a gym though.

3) softer plastic pucks with rollers -- These were an attempt to make
a lighter puck that would slide better on rougher outdoor surfaces.
They aren't great, but are better than (2) above outdoors. They often
end up rolling on their edges, or coming apart at the seams if someone
takes a hard shot! All in all, not great.

Hockey balls:

Hockey balls are usually used for street hockey and DEK hockey (a game
played in rinks built with a special plastic surface by Mylec). The
balls are hollow flexible plastic, and work well on all types of
surfaces. They come in different hardnesses for different weather
conditions, surfaces etc. (softer for winter and less abrasive
surfaces, harder for summer and more abrasive surfaces). They require
slightly different skills than using a puck though.

_________________________________________________________________

About the National In-Line Hockey Association (NIHA)

From: Michael J. Chow
Communications Coordinator, NIHA
* About the NIHA
* Membership
* Office Directory
* Publications and Newsletters
* National Championships (Las Vegas)
* Brochures
* NIHA Sponsor List

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Mission Statement and Mandate

The purpose of the National In-Line Hockey Association is to
foster the development and growth of recreational in-line
(roller) hockey and to effectively serve NIHA members and
supporters.

The NIHA provides opportunities for players of all ages, both
male and female, to become involved. There are leagues for
adults, teens and a special youth program for very young
players.

Advanced, intermediate, and beginner leagues, to accommodate a
variety of skill levels, exist in many communities across
Canada and the United States. Leagues specifically for female
players continue to develop.

History of the NIHA

The National In-Line Hockey Association was founded in July
1992, to provide a foundation and organizational structure for
everyone interested in recreational in-line(roller)hockey.

The head office of the NIHA is located in Miami, Florida, with
regional offices in Newport Beach, California and Minneapolis,
Minnesota.

In April, 1994, the NIHA opened its Canadian head office in
Edmonton, Alberta.

International affiliations with Mexico, Puerto Rico, Japan and
Europe are in rapid development.

The NIHA promotes the safe, fun, non-contact game of in-line
hockey through a wide variety of programs and services. Anyone
wanting to become involved with the sport will find the NIHA a

What the NIHA Offers

All in-line hockey players and enthusiasts are invited to join
the National In-Line Hockey Association and participate in the
fun and excitement of community-based, recreational in-line
hockey.

Since its inception in July, 1992, the NIHA has existed as a
grassroots, membership-driven organization. In-Line(Roller)
hockey players, league managers and venue operators from all
across Canada and the United States come together under the
NIHA banner. All NIHA-sanctioned leagues comply with
standardized rules and regulations designed to insure safe
play and fair competition.

The NIHA is proud to have the support from the leading
companies of the in-line hockey industry. By fostering dialog
between players and manufacturers, the NIHA helps keep the
industry focused on the needs of recreational in-line hockey
players.

A full-time NIHA staff serves members, sponsors and in-line
hockey enthusiasts from its headquarters in Miami, FL,
regional offices in Minneapolis, MN and Newport Beach, CA and
Canadian headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta.

Each state/province has a league coordinator to facilitate
league development and increase the awareness and popularity
of recreational in-line hockey.

As the sport continues to grow, NIHA membership expands at an
impressive pace. By the end of 1995 it is anticipated that
NIHA membership will exceed 50 000. To foster that growth,
each state/province has a State/Provincial Coordinator who is
readily available to assist in league development, tournaments
and special events.

Members can inquire about league information, tournaments or
any recreational in-line hockey activity through the toll-free
NIHA information lines. Full-time staff is available to assist
members of the media who desire information related to in-line
hockey. In Canada, dial 1-800-668-NIHA or (403)455-6442 (Edmonton).
In the United States, dial 1-800-358-NIHA.

One of the most valuable resources that the NIHA provides is a
comprehensive risk management program. Standardized rules,
venue and league sanctioning, referee and coach certification
and an affordable insurance program for league operators and
members, all play a part in building a safe, fun sport.

Last updated 21, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

__________________________________________________________________________

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Membership
Who Can Join

Anyone who is interested in participating in recreational in-
line (roller) hockey at a grass-roots level is encouraged to
join and become a member of the NIHA.

If you are interested in starting up your own league, the NIHA
exists to offer comprehensive assistance in the organization
and running of youth and/or adult leagues.

If you are interested in becoming a player, coach, or referee,
the NIHA and its member leagues offer opportunities for adults
and youth, males and females, and beginner to advanced players
to experience the fastest growing recreational sport in North
America.

Leagues all across Canada and the United States are being
organized and, in turn, are creating the excitement associated
with taking part in non-contact in-line (roller) hockey.

Each Member League Receives

After joining as a Member League/League Manager with the NIHA
each league/manager will receive:

-a NIHA banner for the facility
-promotional/information brochures specific to each League
-a Winning In-Line Hockey training video
-our local Provincial League Coordinator may assist with an
introductory clinic
-sanctioning documents for each site
-liability insurance coverage for the league
-administrative computer software to organize rosters,
schedules, statistics and equipment
-referee certification material and examination
-assistance in coaching certification
-a listing of local retailers and national sponsors that may
participate in helping you with the league
-personalized membership registration forms
-a US Amateur travel discount card for the league manager
-official NIHA game sheets
-toll free assistance at 1-800-668-NIHA

Each Member Receives

After becoming a member of the NIHA you will receive:

-in 1995 each member will have the opportunity to play in an
elimination series for the National Championships to take
place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
-a personalized membership card
-official NIHA rulebook
-coupons for purchase discounts from major In-Line
manufacturers
-custom NIHA embroidered crest
-sport stickers
-comprehensive liability insurance
-dental accident insurance
-a personalized copy of the official NIHA magazine every three
months
-discount possibilities with Preferred NIHA Retailers

Player Membership Fees

The cost to become a member of the NIHA is:

-Youth (Under 18) - $25.00
-Adult - $30.00

(Look to the **Each Member Receives** Category to find out
about all the benefits one receives by becoming a member of
the NIHA.)

League Manager Sanctioning Fees

All NIHA-sanctioned leagues must operate in venues where the
surface is appropriate and play can be conducted in a safe and
secure setting.

Once the League Manager has located a site(s) to play his/her
season and received permission from the landlord or venue
owner, he/she will complete NIHA sanctioning documents.

A fee of $250.00, due with sanctioning application form,
entitles the League Manager to the numerous benefits that will
assist in the organization and promotion of his/her league
(See **Each Member League Receives** Category).

Last updated 21, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

__________________________________________________________________________

***NIHA Directory***

Head Office - Miami, Florida, U.S.A
Regional Offices - Newport Beach, California, U.S.A.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A
Head Office(Canada)- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Address: The National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
9th Floor
999 Brickell Avenue
Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
33131

Telephone: (800)358-6442 (toll free)
(305)358-8988 (local)
Fax: (305)358-0046

E-Mail:

***Personnel***

**Mr. Joseph Mireault (NIHA Founder, CEO, and President)**

Joe played hockey for 32 years as a youth, in college, and
professionally in Europe. He has an extensive background in
business and marketing, from the entertainment industry to
real estate development. At 40 years of age, he has seen
Europe and Asia for a decade, arriving in Miami in 1992.

**Mr. Shawn Jones (Executive Director NIHA United States)**

Shawn has spent much of his life involved with nearly every level
of the hockey industry. In all, he has been a player, coach,
director and general manager at both the amateur and professional
levels.

**Directory**

Address: The National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
5th Floor
4400 MacArthur Blvd
Newport Beach, California, U.S.A.
92660

Phone: (714)955-4929
Fax: (714)955-7989

E-Mail:

***Personnel***

**Mr. Doug Balog (NIHA Vice-President and Co-founder)**

Doug has been involved in youth hockey as a player, coach,
tournament director, and sponsor. He has an extensive
background as an owner of a commercial real estate company and
most recently a major North American real estate franchise
operation. A partner with the NIHA, Doug is responsible for
media and communications, finances and the National
Championships which are being held in Las Vegas in October,
1995.

***Directory***

Address: The National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Suite 2300
821 Marquette Avenue
Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
55402

Phone: (612)342-2337 (local)
(800)809-7465 (toll free)
Fax: (612)338-2302

E-Mail:

***Personnel***

**Mr. Robert Naegele, III (NIHA Vice-President & Co-founder)**

Bob played collegiate ice hockey at Brown University before
starting In-Line Sports Systems, makers of the Border Patrol
Rink System. He is extensively involved in the in-line
industry and most recently began the Minnesota Metro In-Line
Hockey League, which boasted over 700 participants in its
first season. Robert is responsible for NIHA merchandising,
marketing and serves as a sponsor liaison.

***Directory***

Address: The National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
11810 Kingsway
Edmonton, Alberta
T5G 0X5

Telephone: (403)455-6442 (local)
(800)668-NIHA (toll free)
Fax: (403)455-6788
E-Mail: nih...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca

***Personnel***

**Mr. Peter Mireault (Executive Director NIHA Canada)**

A small town Canadian boy, hockey still is, and always has
been, a big part of his life. Peter brings to the NIHA a
fundamental knowledge and love of hockey along with an
extensive business background in finance and management from
the ownership of his own business. He oversees the operation
of the NIHA in Canada.

**Mr. Graham Balog (Membership and Events Coordinator)**

Graham recently completed a cross Canada tour as the chief
clinician for the Rollerblade National In-Line Hockey Series.
This was a clinic and tournament series developed to introduce
recreational in-line hockey to youth in Canada. Graham has
extensive experience as a player in competitive amateur
sports.

**Ms. Tamara McKernan (WomenM-^Rs and Special Events
Coordinator)**

Tamara has recently completed the requirements for her
graduate degree in Sport Administration from Concordia
University in Montreal. She has extensive experience in both
competitive hockey and ringette as a player and a coach.

Last updated 21, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

__________________________________________________________________________

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Publications and Newsletters
NIHA Official Newsletter

The NIHA publishes a monthly Canadian and American newsletter
describing current issues in-and-around the sport of in-line(roller)
hockey. The newsletter also keeps readers abreast of events
and happenings surrounding the NIHA.

First published in May of 1994, the circulation of the
newsletter has grown to over 2000 the United States and 1000 in
Canada. The mailing list includes NIHA league managers, provincial
league coordinators, sponsors, sales and dealer representatives of
in-line hockey equipment, and parks and recreation associations.

One of the features of every newsletter is the Multigrain TEAM
Cereal Report. The Report features a profile of specific
leagues or teams across the nation. It offers an opportunity
for league managers and players to promote their league or
team or to profile a specific player, coach, referee, or
parent.

Call or e-mail the NIHA to put your name on the NIHA mailing
list and stay in touch with what is going on and what is
upcoming with respect to amateur in-line hockey and the NIHA.

HockeyTalk - Official NIHA Magazine

HockeyTalk magazine is the official NIHA membership magazine.
It serves as a resource for the NIHA to communicate with its
membership and is also an avenue for members to interact with
other members.

First published in November, 1994, the magazine is about
amateur in-line(roller)hockey with an emphasis on the events,
people, and teams of the NIHA. The magazine includes profiles
on players, parents, coaches, referees and league managers.
The magazine also features advice on purchasing equipment,
team highlights and statistics, skills instruction, hockey
nostalgia, the NHL, the RHI, the minor leagues, hockey cards,
and a special section for kids.

The magazine welcomes articles and stories from all NIHA
members and encourages any photographs depicting the fun and
excitement of all NIHA leagues!

The magazine is published quarterly with the next issue due in
March, 1995. Members receive the publication as part of their
membership package but non-members can subscribe to HockeyTalk
at a rate of $9.95 per year.

For more information call NIHA HockeyTalk magazine at (909)
677-0464 or contact by e-mail at (hocke...@aol.com).

Canadian Blader

The Blader is a Canadian publication which offers information
on the sport of recreational in-line skating and in-line
hockey.

It is a bi-monthly publication and includes articles and
columns from the NIHA staff offering tips on in-line hockey
equipment, skills and strategies.

For more info, contact the Canadian Blader at (416) 932-1311.

Last updated 21, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

__________________________________________________________________________

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
National Championships
General Information

The NIHA is proud to announce our first National In-Line
Hockey Championships to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
event will take place October 19-22, 1995.

The Championships will be open to anyone who is a member of
an NIHA team and is playing in an NIHA sanctioned league.

The NIHA is ready to lead the way in the development of in-
line hockey in Canada and the United States. In establishing
the rules and requirements of qualification, the NIHA is
assuring every member league, team, and player a fair, yet
competitive opportunity to secure a position in this
exciting event.

In order to be eligible for the Championships, interested
Senior and Youth teams must forward a $25.00 team pre-
registration deposit that is non-refundable and must
accompany league registration fees.

Team Divisions

Teams may be same sex or co-ed in each division, except in
the Senior Women Invitational (all female only). In the
event of an all Women team wishing to compete in a division
other than the WomenM-^Rs, the team will fall under the normal
elimination guidelines.

Senior (18 & 0ver)

Novice - adult division for the recreational level players.

Open - adult division for competition teams.

Senior Novice - Team competition of inter-league and intra-
league play. This division is for those members not
competing in Provincial, Regional or Invitational
Tournaments at higher than novice level. Normally this
applies to teams with less than two years of organized play.

Senior Open - Team competition is competitive in organized
play at Provincial, Regional or National level. League
Champions who declare their team as eligible in the Open
Division must furnish proof of past competition with a
minimum of 60% of the present roster playing regionally.
All-Star teams will be accepted in this division with proof
of association with a NIHA league and 8 intra-league games
during the qualifying season.

Women

The Senior Women Invitational division teams are not
required to fulfill the sanctioned competition qualifying
factors. Interested teams must pay their per player fee
(minimum 10, maximum 14) by June 30, 1995 in order to
register. For pre-National elite competition, look for
upcoming information with respect to developments of a
womenM-^Rs elite tournament to be held at Varsity Arena in
Toronto in late August.

Youth Divisions

Age 9 - 11
Age 12 - 14
Age 15 - 17

The Youth division will follow the above three age
divisions. Players will be registered into each division
dependent upon age at time of registration. All teams must
be registered prior to June 1, 1995.

Qualifying Season

January 1, 1995 to August 31, 1995.

Player registration deadline is June 1, 1995. League play
must be completed with a minimum of eight (8) league
sanctioned games completed to declare a league champion.
The runner-ups may qualify for Regional or National
eliminations based on pre-registration response rate.

Sanctioned Competition

There will be an 8 game minimum in Senior and Youth
divisions to qualify the team champion.

All qualifying games must be refereed by certified officials
or they will not count as a qualifying game. The game
refereeM-^Rs signature must appear on the game stat sheets and
forwarded to the NIHA.

All youth teams playing in Regional and National playoffs
must be coached by certified coaches. Certification cards
must be presented at these events.

The Provincial/State League Coordinator (PLC) in your area may be
available to assist in the coordination of regional
tournaments.

Eight Game sheets must accompany the declaration of a league
champion qualified to advance to the Regional Playoffs.
Filing with the NIHA is required immediately following the
close of the league season.

Eligibility of teams for the National Competition will
require all teams to be pre-registered prior to the start of
the qualifying season.

Advance Competition

The league champions will compete with other league
champions, in inter-Provincial/State or inter-Regional play,
depending on the number of teams qualified to advance.

The number of leagues and teams qualified in a given area
will determine the number of Regional playoffs and therefore
the number of finalists allowed to advance. For example,
if we have ten leagues to qualify in Southern Ontario,
theoretically there will be 2 - 3 Regional playoffs held
with finalists advancing.

Regional Competition will include a playoff of four (4) or
more leagues, with a champion team to be declared in each of
the three Youth Divisions and both Senior Divisions.

Skate Regulations

Quad Skaters will be allowed as follows:
13 - 14 member team 4/quad skaters
11 - 12 member team 3/quad skaters
10 member team 2/quad skaters

Rules of Play

The official NIHA rule book will be followed. All league
qualifying play will be governed by the rules of the
National In-Line Hockey Association.

The modification of rule 3.1 (time of match) for the
Nationals will be: for Senior and WomenM-^Rs, two 22 min.
running time halves with a 5 min. rest period between
halves. For the Youth divisions, two (15) min. stop time
halves with a 5 min. rest period between halves.

Player Roster

The player roster for each team at the start of qualifying
play (01/95) must remain intact throughout the season with a
substitution allowance of not more than 4 players during the
season or prior to the finals.

There is a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14 players.

Entry Fee

For the National Championship team registration fee is $250.
In order to qualify for the National Championships all teams
will be charged a pre-registration fee of $25.00 to cover
some of those costs associated with this event.

Regional Competition fees will be dependent on the location
of these elimination tournaments.

Site Of National Championship

The beautiful Cashman Field Center will allow us two indoor
rinks in a 92,000 sq. ft. auditorium and a third rink
outdoors in an adjacent 6,000 seat stadium.

In an annex next to the Auditorium, we will show case 75 -
100 sponsor and exhibitor booths of in-line related products
and services.

Rink Size

All three (3) rinks will be enclosed by four (4) foot boards
with glass and/or nets. The dimensions of the rinks will be
85M-^R x 185M-^T.

Guidelines Of The Championship Competition

First Round - Round Robin in 4 team brackets, then
converting to inter-bracket elimination. This would
guarantee every team 3 games of competition (minimum), with
5 to 7 games to the Championship played over a period of 4
days.

Officials

Representative officials from throughout the United States
and Canada who are certified, preferably to grade II status.

For the Championship games, referees will be certified to
Level II and Level III.

Referee in Chief - By the Spring of 1995 an NIHA Referee in
Chief will be appointed to oversee and monitor the games of
qualification and the National Finals. Nominations for this
position M-^SReferee in ChiefM-^T are open. We welcome your
nominations.

Eligibility

The National In-Line Hockey Association (NIHA) was
established to organize amateur roller hockey with a mandate
of providing equal play in a safe, recreational environment
for people of all ages. In order to maintain this during
our first National Championships the NIHA has set certain
guidelines to follow when determining a teams eligibility
for this championship.

1. Any team that wants to participate in the National
Championships must submit a $25.00 non-refundable team
registration to the NIHA. This must be done prior to the
beginning of league play. The team roster that is
registered with the league will be registered as a team for
the National Championships. Team rosters (maximum 14
players) may substitute a maximum of four players in the
event of injury or team members not being able to attend.

2. Only those teams that have properly registered will be
eligible to participate in the '95 National Championships
regardless of league status (i.e. league champion).

3. If the number of leagues in your area permits, teams
will advance through a regional/provincial championship that
will be confirmed once all interested team registrations are
submitted prior to the start of league play.

4. Teams failing to register for the '95 National
Championships prior to the beginning of league play will
nullify their eligibility to compete.

5. If there are other leagues that have teams registered
for the '95 Championships in your region/province a playoff
must take place to determine the regional/provincial
champion who will then advance to the '95 National
Championships.

6. Age categories for the Championships are 9-11, 12-14,
15-17, two adult men's divisions (novice and elite), and an
adult women's division. Age is determined by the players
age at date of registration.

I hope this answers any questions. If you require
additional information call the NIHA office anytime at
1-800-668-6442 (Canada) or 1-800-358-6442 (U.S).

Last updated 8, March 95 by Graham Balog (Membership
Coordinator, Canada)

__________________________________________________________________________

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Brochures

1) About the NIHA

This brochure describes the history, purpose and kinds of
services that the NIHA offers its members.

2) Benefits of Membership

This brochure introduces the benefits that members, member
leagues as well as preferred retailers receive when
affiliating with the NIHA.

3) Preferred Retailer Program

This brochure describes the NIHA Preferred Retailer Program.
It outlines what the Preferred Retailers receive from the
NIHA, how the retailer can benefit by joining the program, and
how to become a member of the program.

4) Guide to Insurance Benefits

This brochure outlines the insurance plan that members of the
NIHA receive. It specifies the details of the Dental Accident
& General Liability Insurance program.

5) Coaching and Referee Certification

Brochure is still in development. Contact an NIHA office for
details on how one can become certified as a coach or a
referee for the NIHA.

6) Official NIHA Rule Books

All members and affiliates receive a free Official NIHA rule
book which outlines specific rules for NIHA sanctioned games.
It covers general rules, mandatory equipment, and penalties.
Non-members can purchase a copy through an NIHA office.

7) Border Patrol

This brochure describes and depicts the Border Patrol Rink
System. The revolutionary new rink system is designed for in-
line(roller) hockey and street hockey. The system is made of
foot-high foam boards that easily fit together to turn any
paved parking lot into an outdoor roller hockey rink.

10) How to Start a League

This brochure outlines the duties of a League Manager and
gives in-depth information on how to get a league started in
your area. It details such aspects as publicity and promotion,
budgeting for the your league, registering players, referees
and insurance.

11) How to Organize a Tournament

This brochure provides criteria on how to successfully
organize and run a NIHA in-line hockey tournament. It deals
with budgeting, formats, facilities, publicity and promotion,
registration, officials, volunteers, community and awards.

12) Travel Discount Program

All members and League Managers of the NIHA become part of the
Travel Discount Program. This brochure details discount
benefits with respect to air travel, car rental, hotel
discounts, and long distance calling.

Last updated 21, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

__________________________________________________________________________

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
NIHA Sponsor List

Sport Maska Inc.(CCM) Karhu USA/Canada, Inc.
6537 Mississauga Rd,Unit D 1200, 55th Avenue
Mississauga, Ontario Lachine, Quebec
L5N 1A6 H8T 3J8
(905)567-0700 (514)636-5858

Franklin Sports Inc. Ultra Wheels/First Team
17 Campanelli Pky Sports Inc.
P.O.Box 508 2274 Wooldale Dr.
Stoughton, MA Moundsview, MN 55112-4900
02072-0508 (612)780-4454
(617)344-1111

Rollerblade, Inc. Easton Sports USA/Canada
5101 Shady Oak Road 2290 Place Transcanadienne
Minneapolis, MN 55343 Dorval, Quebec H9P 2Y5
(612)930-7000 (514)685-9880

Hyper Wheels Corporation Border Patrol
15241 Transistor Lane In-Line Sport Systems,Inc.
Huntington Beach,CA 92649 821 Marquette Avenue,#2300
(714)373-3300 Minneapolis,MN 55402
(800)809-7465

Itech (Face Shield) Mission Hockey/U.S.A
87-B Boul. Brunswick 2961 West MacArthur, #213
Dollard des Ormeaux Santa Anna,CA 92704
Quebec H9B 2J5 (714)556-8856
(514)421-0224

Sport Court Inc. Black Hole (Bearings)
939 South 700 West 5101 Shady Oak Road
Salt Lake City, Utah 84104 Minneapolis, MN 55343
(800)421-8112 (612)930-7000

Rolleredge Human Zoom
16 Western Industrial Dr. 2101 Midway Road
Cranston, RI 02921 Carrollton,TX 75006
(401)946-4400 (214)701-0677

Viceroy Rubber & Plastics Zepter Sports IntM-^Rl
1655 Dupont Street P.O. Box 261506
Toronto, Ontario San Diego, California
M6P 3T1 92196
(416)762-1111 (619)530-2083

Kryptonics, Inc. Strut Dasher Board Systems
740 South Pierce Ave. 2982 N.Cleveland Ave
Louisville, CO Roseville, MN 55113
(800)766-9146 (612)628-0688

E-Z Gard Industries(Mouthguards) Greer & Associates, Inc.
9300 51st Avenue 905 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55428 Minneapolis, MN, 55404
(800)848-4912, ext.4842 (612)338-6171

Hockeytalk Magazine Huron Roller Hockey School
Sportstalk Publications 1 Magnolia Court
40575 California Oaks Rd #D2255 Matawan, New Jersey 07747
Murrieta, CA 92562 (908)583-0983
(800)462-7825

National Alliance for Youth Sports Projoy Sportswear Ltd.
2611 Old Okeechobee Road 530 Governors Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33409 Guelph, Ontario
(800)729-2057 N1K 1E3
(800)387-9499

Edge Sports(Goals) Christian Brothers, Inc.
P.O. Box 30508 P.O.Box C
Tuscon, Arizona 85751 Warroad, MN 56763
(602)290-0597 (218)386-1111

The EDGE Unitec(Game Time Clocks)
(Hockey Stick Blade Guard) P.O. Box 277
305 North Washington Avenue Washington Mills, New York
Pulaski, Virginia 24301 13479
(703)980-8201 (315)736-3967

Last updated 23, March, 95 by Michael J. Chow

National In-Line Hockey Association(NIHA)
Special Programs and Services
Organizing a League
The NIHA was formed as a organization to provide equitable,
affordable, and convenient opportunities for youths and adults, males
and females, to participate in the amateur sport of in-line roller
hockey.

The NIHA is a grassroots, membership-driven organization that provides
assistance to individuals who are interested in starting, organizing
and running their own in-line roller hockey league. Typically, this a
volunteer position because of the recreational nature of NIHA leagues.
However, ample support and potential compensation exists for all
league managers.

The first step is to find out where people are interested and are
playing in-line hockey. The next step is to locate a suitable site to
run your league. Empty parking lots, tennis courts, playgrounds,
basketball courts, off-season ice rinks, roller rinks, and unused
warehouse space all serve as appropriate in-line hockey venues.

Once a site has been chosen and you have obtained permission to use
the site from the landlord or owner of the venue, you will complete
NIHA sanctioning documents. All NIHA sanctioned leagues must operate
in venues where the surface is appropriate and play can be conducted
in a safe and secure setting.

The $250.00 sanctioning fee, due with your sanctioning documents,
provides a number of benefits:

* General liability policy and certificate of insurance
* NIHA official rule book
* League administration computer software
* Promotional materials
* NIHA sanctioned site banner
* Instructional in-line hockey skills video
* NIHA gamesheets
* NIHA player registration forms
* Travel discount card for league manager

The NIHA will also lend advice on budgeting, registering players, and
referee and coaching certification.

For more information, contact the NIHA in Canada at (800)668- 6442 or
in the United States at (800)358-6442. Or e-mail any questions or
concerns to the NIHA address below.

_________________________________________________________________

Preferred Retailer Program

The NIHA offers the Preferred Retailer Program for all sports
retailers who are interested in establishing themselves as a local
in-line hockey clubhouse.

For the store, the NIHA will provide:

* brochures and brochure holder for counter display on Starting An
In-Line Hockey League
* 3 ft. X 3 ft. vinyl banner c/w sponsor logos for hanging in the
store as identification as a Preferred Retailer
* Window decals for further identification
* Technical manual - this is a three ring binder that is in
presentation quality for an employee library or for the front
sales counter. It is a training and education manual for all areas
of in-line hockey
* Distribution opportunities - required quantities are delivered to
sponsoring stores at discounted rates for the following items:
+ NIHA official rulebooks
+ Winning In-Line Hockey Video
+ NIHA Hockeytalk Magazine
* Multi media presentation - this is for the age of computers and
being computer ready for your customer. This is a presentation of
who=92s and what=92s of In-Line Hockey 3.5 inch diskette for IBM
and compatible PC=92s. A customer can search through a menu driven
program to find out about aspects such things as the mandate of
the NIHA, sponsors, rules, and equipment.
* further video updates for constant play in store to advertise the
store and the sport

For the owner of the Preferred Retailer, the NIHA provides:

* 1-800 retailer assistance (1-800-449-NIHA)
* Database listing. We make leagues aware of the Preferred Retailer
in their area. For the retailers that choose to extend a discount
to our membership, we make sure that discount is published for the
league=92s information.
* The store becomes part of a team of sponsors. Our sponsor list for
1995 is a who=92s who of the ice and in-line roller hockey
industry (Look to Sponsor List of NIHA file).

How can the Preferred Retailer Benefit Your Store?

1. Boosts Repeat Sales
+ required protective equipment, skates and consumables
including wheels, bearings, sticks, balls, tape
2. Increases Store Traffic
+ your store may become a NIHA League Registration Centre
+ distribution site for Official NIHA League and Membership
information
3. Promotes Your Store
+ In-Line hockey programs directed your way
+ individual product inquiries referred to your store
+ listing in NIHA official magazine, Hockeytalk Retailers
Directory
+ direct marketing opportunities

To find out about the other benefits and how to become part of the
NIHA Preferred Retailer Program, contact the NIHA.

_________________________________________________________________

Women's Program

The NIHA has all-female sanctioned leagues in both Canada and the
United States. Both adult and youth leagues exist.

Females are also encouraged to register in the many co-ed leagues that
are organized.

The NIHA has Women's Program Coordinators in both Canada and the
United States:

Canada - Tamara McKernan (800)668-6442
U.S. - Stacey Griffith (714)955-4929

_________________________________________________________________

Insurance Coverage and Benefits

The NIHA provides comprehensive liability and dental insurance for all
members and league managers who participate at NIHA sanctioned sites.

Contact the NIHA for more information.

_________________________________________________________________

Membership Perks Package

Becoming a member of the NIHA entitles you:

-an opportunity to participate in an elimination series for
the 1995 National Championships in Las Vegas
-a personalized membership gold card
-official NIHA water bottle
-official NIHA in-line hockey rulebook
-coupons for purchase discounts from major in-line
manufacturers
-custom NIHA embroidered crest
-sport stickers
-comprehensive liability insurance
-dental accident insurance
-a personalized copy of the NIHA Hockeytalk magazine every
three months
-discount possibilities with Preferred NIHA retailers

The annual cost of becoming a member of the NIHA in Canada

Youth: $25.00
Adult: $30.00

-----------

Clinics

The NIHA encourages clinics as a tool to gauge the interest of
in-line roller hockey in your area. Also, a clinic is a great
opportunity to introduce this exciting recreational sport to
youths and adults in your community. The NIHA exists to offer
assistance or information on how and when to host a clinic.

------------

Software Programs

1) NIHA Official Information Quad Media Software Diskette

This fun, educational, and interactive presentation is offered
to anyone wanting to find out more about the sport of in-line
roller hockey and the NIHA. The diskette includes information
on rules, protective gear, player equipment and league
equipment. Also, specific info on the NIHA includes an
overview on the various programs and a feature on our
sponsors.

Contact the NIHA at (800)668-6442 (Canada) or (800)358-6442
(U.S.) for a FREE copy of this easy to install diskette.

2) Hove Martin Software

This software is provided for all league managers to assist in
the organization of player registration, statistics, and
league and tournament scheduling.

This software is a component of the league manager package.

_________________________________________________________________

Organizing a Tournament

The NIHA exists to provide assistance to league managers or anyone who
would like to organize an in-line roller hockey tournament.

The NIHA can provide info on budgeting, tournament format, facilities,
promotion, registration, officials volunteers, community, and awards.

Call the NIHA at (800)668-6442 (Canada) or (800)358-6442 (U.S) for
more info.

_________________________________________________________________

Referee Certification Program

The NIHA provides referee certification for league managers looking
for officials or for individuals wanting to become NIHA certified
in-line roller hockey referees.

The NIHA will supply league managers with a certification package
including exams and answer key.

The cost to become a certified referee is $30.00.

_________________________________________________________________

League Manager Program

The NIHA serves as a comprehensive service provider to all NIHA league
managers with respect to administration.

Each member league manager(s) receive:

* promotional assistance(brochures and posters customized for your
league)
* a NIHA banner for the facility
* a Winning In-Line Hockey training video
* sanctioning documents for each site
* our local Provincial/State League Coordinator may assist an
introductory clinic
* liability insurance certificate for the league
* administrative computer software to organize rosters, schedules,
statistics, and equipment
* referee certification material and examination
* assistance in coaching certification
* a listing of local retailers and national sponsors that may
participate in helping you with the league
* personalized membership registration forms
* a US Amateur travel discount card for the league manager
* official NIHA game sheets
* toll free assistance at 1-800-668-6442 (Canada), 1-800-358-6442
(U.S)

For more info on starting your own in-line roller hockey league
contact the NIHA at the above toll free numbers.

_________________________________________________________________

Coaching Certification Program

The NIHA is able to assist all league managers in the certification of
coaches. All in-line hockey coaches involved in sanctioned leagues
under the NIHA will be required to be certified by the National Youth
Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA).

The NYSCA was created in 1981 to improve the out-of-school sports
experience for over 20 million youth under the age of 16. The
non-profit association=92s staff of professionals, governed by a
volunteer Board of Directors, works to implement a variety of programs
all in cooperation with national, state, and local associations. Local
chapters of the NYSCA have been developed through parks and recreation
agencies, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA/YWCA, church affiliated youth
programs and military youth worldwide.

Contact the NIHA for more information.

_________________________________________________________________

Travel Discount Program

The NIHA has affiliated with US Amateur to provide all league managers
with travel discounts. Every league manager receives a Travel Discount
Card which can provide savings on sports related travel expenses such
as car rental, hotel and phone costs.

Contact the NIHA for more information on the program.

_________________________________________________________________

Provincial/State League Coordinator Program

The NIHA has organized this program to provide all league managers
assistance in league development, establishing tournaments and
organizing special events. The NIHA has established Provincial/League
Coordinators in many provinces in Canada and most regions in the
United States to assist league managers with their leagues.

For information on the Provincial/State League Coordinator (PLC/SLC)
in your area or if you would like to become a PLC/SLC contact the NIHA
in the United States at (800)358-6442 and in Canada at (800)668-6442.

_________________________________________________________________

NIK & NIKI

In order to curb the potential of the younger sibling(s) feeling left
out, the NIHA has developed the National In-Line Kids (NIK & NIKI)
program. The program provides a vehicle for the younger children,
under the age of eight, to get involved in in-line roller hockey and
to instill good habits for safety and fun.

This program teaches the rules of play, the need for safety equipment,
and how to ultimately become responsible in-line roller hockey
players. NIK and NIKI educate younger children through their fun
material and promotion. Each child involved receives a junior
rulebook, as well as materials outlining the required protective
equipment for safe play.

The image of NIK and NIKI are animated characters in full gear. This
gives children a visual image of what an in-line hockey player looks
like in protective gear. They then begin to admire and imitate that
particular image. The NIHA is committed to setting appropriate
examples for not only the young children, but the adults involved as
well. Through this program, the NIHA sends the message that every
adult involved in in-line hockey as a responsibility to set positive
examples and act accordingly.

For more information on the NIK and NIKI program, contact the NIHA.

Last updated 3, April, 1995 by Michael J. Chow

-Tony Chen (adc...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)

_________________________________________________________________

Copyright notice
_________________________________________________________________

*This image is Copyrighted © 1995 by Anthony D. Chen. Permission is
granted to use this logo in World Wide Web HTML files so long as this
copyright notice is included as either an HTML comment alongside the
invokation (IMG SRC or HREF or otherwise) of the logo, or in the
visible text.

The image may not be sold for profit, nor incorporated in commercial
documents or merchandise without prior written permission of the
copyright holder.

_________________________________________________________________