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Carfree skateboarding

Old 06-21-14, 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Roody
A couple environmentalists here commuted by canoe.

https://www.environmentalcouncil.org/...lease.php?x=20
I commuted by kayak one time. I lived about five blocks from a "put-in" at a nearby drainage canal under I-610. My job was three blocks from another drainage canal. I pulled the kayak on a lightweight, folding dolly to the put-in. Paddled about three miles to Lake Pontchartrain, hooked a left and paddled down to the inlet of the other canal. Then about three miles up that canal to the take-out. Put the kayak back on the dolly and pulled it to work. Then reverse to get back home. It was really fun.

Shortly after I did that, Hurricane Katrina came along and caused the Army Corps of Engineers to construct pumping stations at the end of both canals basically blockading my route. And I don't have that same job either.

Here are a few photos:

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Old 06-21-14, 09:58 AM
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I'm curious: does anybody still use rollerblades for transportation?

I sometimes rollerbladed for distances of 1-2 miles my first couple years of college - that was nearly 15 years ago. I assumed that rollerblades stopped being cool, though when I visited Vancouver BC in '09 there were a bunch of people using them, and here in Wisconsin, they tend to be all over the trails (usually falling over and with skinned knees and elbows.)
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Old 06-21-14, 10:02 AM
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More on the skateboard topic: Here's some guys that skate across the state of Nebraska: Skate the State - a skateboarding journey across Nebraska » About Skateboard tour anyone?
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Old 06-21-14, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by wipekitty
I'm curious: does anybody still use rollerblades for transportation?
I would love to use my skates but the wheels are so danged expensive and wear out fairly quickly, and need to be continually rotated for wear - a real hassle. Back when inlines were THE thing I had a nice pair of speed skates (5 wheels each skate) and could do 60 miles in one day without too much problem. For the past 20 years I have used inline skates with removable wheels (nobody makes them anymore to my knowledge) so I could just walk in the boots once I arrived to my destination.

Hypno made some nice skates at one time:



I have been using Rollerblade Natures for 20 years. Thankfully, I bought a few pairs of them in my size and still have one pair in great shape:



^^These work like mountaineering boots with crampons. They work great. A tad heavy and a little clunky to walk in at first.

I also skated to all of my classes in college. The minute urethane outdoor wheels were invented (yes, I am THAT old) I used blood plasma money to purchase a pair of outdoor skates. Here is a campus newspaper photo at LSU of me keeping my grade point average well below 4.0:





Trust me...at an A&M college in the late 1970s, I was the ONLY student skating to classes. And this was not how I dressed for going to class. I was just out for a skate after class and bumped into some friends tossing the flying disk. I am wearing my skates but standing in a grassy field near the Student Union. Dig the short-shorts and tube socks! (Yes kids, that is how we dressed for sports!)

Now that New Orleans has bike lanes all over the place I have considered upgrading my skates again. Problem is, it is ILLEGAL to skate in the street here. Cops generally don't seem to care but I have been banished to the sidewalks many times in the past. Good quality wheels cost about $50 a set and I go through them in a month. When I played roller hockey in Santa Monica, CA I would go through an entire set of wheels EVERY HOUR! Back then I could get wheels from Venice Rollerworks for $1 each. Those were the days!
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Old 06-22-14, 12:54 AM
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I remember seeing one guy commute to the train station using removable skate wheels. I thought how cool that one could walk with shoes all day and have a personal transport device right in their coat pocket! No question, you are just as fast as any city bus with a pair of blades. I purchased a pair years ago but never took them to the streets.

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Old 06-22-14, 03:45 PM
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Spending $50 per week for skate wheels sounds very expensive. How many miles does it take to wear out a wheel set?

A couple of years ago I was looking into traditional style skates with the giant diameter wheels. They are smoother because they don't react to bumps and rocks as much as the smaller wheels. There is also a brand called Land Roller that has very large wheels (Xootr size 7" diameter). The wheels are mounted on an angle and the top of the wheels are higher than the bottom of the foot. Such large wheels do an even better job of smoothing the ride. The problem for me was they cost over $400.Now they cost just $230.00 Even the conventional skates with large wheels cost almost that much for a good brand.

Chariot Skates is a company in Australia that had a great idea. They put a lightweight bicycle wheel and tire combination onto a boot. The introductory price was $3600. I was willing to go as high as $1000 but when I learned they wanted $3600 I just thought no way. In the introductory videos they said they should be as fast as a bicycle. That is why I would have been willing to pay so much. Now that I know they are faster than regular skates but no faster than speed skates I don't see the point in them. the rubber pneumatic tires would definitely make them smoother than conventional skates, so that might be a reason to own them. Today I have read that they have decided to sell them only through their web site for $4250.00.


LandRoller | Get out of line!

Chariot Skates

Quadline (inline wheels on conventional skates) watch the video to see them in action. QuadLine Video

Skorpion Quadline skates strap to conventional running shoes. I don't know if they are still in business. Their web site address isn't working. At the time I researched them there were many positive and negative reviews about quality. The bad reviews said that straps broke. The idea is an old one and good one. Skorpion Skates

I like my Xootr. One benefit of a skateboard over regular skates is that conventional shoes are used and there is no need to change shoes when arriving at the final destination. The Xootr is better than a skateboard because it has handlebars and the deck is lower. It also has those larger wheels to go over bumps better. The downside of the Xootr is it has only two wheels which makes it less stable when hitting wet spots. A skateboard can stand level on its own without needing to balance. I can see myself buying a longboard skateboard. The legs and ankles would get a better workout than when using a Xootr just because it takes more muscles to keep the body balanced when riding one.
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Old 06-23-14, 04:20 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
I would love to use my skates but the wheels are so danged expensive and wear out fairly quickly, and need to be continually rotated for wear - a real hassle. Back when inlines were THE thing I had a nice pair of speed skates (5 wheels each skate) and could do 60 miles in one day without too much problem. For the past 20 years I have used inline skates with removable wheels (nobody makes them anymore to my knowledge) so I could just walk in the boots once I arrived to my destination.
I found this today: Doop Skates Rolling Through Rome - YouTube

Doop skates can be attached to regular athletic shoes.
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Old 06-23-14, 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Smallwheels
Spending $50 per week for skate wheels sounds very expensive. How many miles does it take to wear out a wheel set?
Worst case - playing hockey on the paved parking lots in Santa Monica, CA. The games were high speed affairs with lots of sharp turns and stops, accelerations, etc. A set of wheels would stand up to about one hour of skating like that. Luckily back then I had a source selling wheel for $1 each. I would by them $200 at a time and haul several sets to the games every day.

Best case - my city inline skates with heel brakes. Brake pads are way cheaper and longer lasting than dragging wheels to stop, or hockey stops. And like trying to save fuel in a car, not jackrabbit starts that also grind wheels down a bit faster. Good form helps preserver inline skate wheels too.

As for conventional quad skates with toe or heel brakes - one set of wheels will last a decade. But inlines are faster and more forgiving in the real world outdoors.

Longboard wheels last forever too so long as you are not into sliding on the board (a sport in itself where kids have hills to play on). And you only need 4 wheels instead of 8 or 10 for quads or inline speed skates.
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Old 06-25-14, 11:33 PM
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It is good to know that wheels can last longer than a week.

I have a question for you JoeyBike. Why do inline skates need so many wheels? It would seem to me that more wheels would cause more resistance. More bearings also means more resistance and more weight. Why don't such skates use just two wheels? I have seen trick skates with just two wheels but they are rare.

All of the wheels are bolted to the frame rail so they don't move. There is no suspension on each wheel so there aren't any smoothing effects and traction effects that would go with a suspension. Once the rear wheel is off of the ground all but the front wheel will also be off of the ground.
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Old 06-26-14, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Smallwheels
It is good to know that wheels can last longer than a week.
If you take it easy, avoid sharp turns, hockey stops, and fast starts - and you rotate the wheels regularly - they will last a few months (assuming you skate regularly)

I have a question for you JoeyBike. Why do inline skates need so many wheels? It would seem to me that more wheels would cause more resistance. More bearings also means more resistance and more weight. Why don't such skates use just two wheels? I have seen trick skates with just two wheels but they are rare.
Physics. The longer you make a vehicle that slides along the ground or water, the higher you raise it (wheel diameter for skates), and the narrower you slice it - the faster it will become. Not just skates - everything trying to overcome "hull friction". Skis, canoes, kayaks, skates, oil tankers, etc. Length also generally adds to stability. By adding wheels to skates - speed skates used to commonly have five wheels - you distribute the weight of the skater over more wheels (crushing each one of them into the ground less) and you add more bearings which also serves to lessen the crush-force on each individual bearing. As you add wheels the skates become more stable and harder to turn. Conversely, skates with two wheels each are going to be mighty "squirrely". Speed skates also have TALL wheels - slower acceleration, easier to maintain top speeds and more forgiving on bumps (same as 29er bike wheels vs 26" wheels). Also, new speed skate wheels have a razor-thin profile to minimize the amount of urethane touching the grind. Hence the name RollerBLADE. Like an ice skate blade. All of these features mentioned add to speed and stability.

On the other hand, roller hockey wheels are "rockered" so that no more than two wheels ever touch the ground at the same time. The wheels are also smaller diameter for faster acceleration and have a rounder profile for more traction on tight turns. Ice hockey skates have curved blades, roller hockey skates do to. They can turn on a dime. Everything in Physics is a trade-off. Sea Kayaks are long and skinny with some sort of keel that makes them like a floating needle for improving what is called "tracking" or the ability to hold a straight line. Whitewater Kayaks are short and flat-bottomed - the river is doing the moving forward for the kayaker needs to be extremely maneuverable around rocks. Long kayaks are fast forward by paddling, short kayaks need current for fast forward progress. Long skis LIFT the skier to the top of the snow same as kayaks lift the paddler to skim the water. Longer the ski - the higher the lift and a reduction in friction.

All of the wheels are bolted to the frame rail so they don't move. There is no suspension on each wheel so there aren't any smoothing effects and traction effects that would go with a suspension.
Suspension just adds weight and not much benefit for tiny wheels. Urethane comes in different numbered hardness ratings called durometer. 75 is like a pencil eraser, 95 is like a porcelain sink. Harder = faster, softer = grip. You want a soft ride, go with low durometer numbers BUT they will wear out faster and make you work harder. Another trade-off. And since you have a skate attached to both feet, when you come to a curb or broken pavement - just step up onto it. I can actually skate on broken paved roads that give cars a hard time - because I can choose a narrow line around potholes and just step up onto uneven concrete slabs without slowing down. So suspension is unnecessary AND will rob you of efficiency by crushing every time you try to push for power.

Once the rear wheel is off of the ground all but the front wheel will also be off of the ground.
Well, that is true. But for recreation/fitness skates (not hockey skates) you should be keeping all four wheels on the ground at all times. When you are pushing along, you don't want to look like a duck on ice. The blades should always stay parallel to your line of travel when skating straight. You push with your heel most of the time if you want good form. This also helps your wheels wear evenly. One exception is speed skating. A speed skater will bend his/her knees A LOT while stroking along, and at the very end of each push stroke they will finish with the front wheel. All the rest of the time those blades are perfectly parallel to the direction of travel. That little push with the front wheel at the very end of each stroke gives them about 5% more push than not doing it. So it is worth it if you are in a race, or practicing to race. Otherwise this should never happen on recreational skates. Keep all four wheels on the ground. There are videos all over YouTube illustration a good push stroke.

One last reason why inline skates are more practical for commuting than quads, skateboards, or longboards. Because all four or five wheels are in a line on the frame, the frame acts like a bridge when crossing expansion joints, cracks, train tracks, whatever. You could roll over a 4 inch expansion joint gap and not even feel it. With quads and skateboards both front wheels are going to drop into that expansion joint and send the skater flying. Also quads and longboard wheels are WIDE, so they are more likely to hit some debris and stop short, again sending the skater flying.

OK...hope that helps.

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Old 06-27-14, 03:19 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
If you take it easy, avoid sharp turns, hockey stops, and fast starts - and you rotate the wheels regularly - they will last a few months (assuming you skate regularly)



Physics.

One last reason why inline skates are more practical for commuting than quads, skateboards, or longboards. Because all four or five wheels are in a line on the frame, the frame acts like a bridge when crossing expansion joints, cracks, train tracks, whatever. You could roll over a 4 inch expansion joint gap and not even feel it. With quads and skateboards both front wheels are going to drop into that expansion joint and send the skater flying. Also quads and longboard wheels are WIDE, so they are more likely to hit some debris and stop short, again sending the skater flying.

OK...hope that helps.
The Doop Skates sell a model with inline wheels that are larger and it has just three wheels. Would that be ideal for lower friction and at the same time being large enough to not be affected by pebbles and small debris on the roads?

Inline skates can bridge gaps but wouldn't a gap with the far side being higher than the lower side cause the skate to bounce once per wheel too?
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Old 06-27-14, 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Smallwheels
The Doop Skates sell a model with inline wheels that are larger and it has just three wheels. Would that be ideal for lower friction and at the same time being large enough to not be affected by pebbles and small debris on the roads?
Smaller shoe sizes sometimes require 3 wheels instead of 4, especially women's hockey and little kid skates. I do not see any advantage to three wheels over four or five for utility transportation for normal shoe sizes.

Inline skates can bridge gaps but wouldn't a gap with the far side being higher than the lower side cause the skate to bounce once per wheel too?
Yes, but just step up over that type of crack. You don't even need to slow down. But since you brought that up, longitudinal grooves in the road can be a real fiasco, same as on a skinny tired road bike. I have had my speed skate wheels "track" in a groove that would not have effected quads or skateboards. But all in all, inlines with 4 wheels are the most practical and versatile skates IMO and I am very advanced with both inlines and quads. My longboard skills are pretty white-bread. I can push with either leg and cover about 30 miles before having enough of it. No tricks. My only crash involved my push foot making solid contact with a rear wheel. "Look...I'm a BIRD!"
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Old 06-27-14, 06:35 PM
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Since we are on a bike forum talking about inline skates, here is a short film called:

[h=1]TAG - Skater vs. Bike Messenger[/h]

The vid is heavily scripted and produced but it shows off some good skating and cycling. Even tosses in a little Star Wars reference at a red light. Stick around after the credits roll as there are a few more seconds of the story at the very end.
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Old 06-27-14, 08:02 PM
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I came across that video today and liked it. The cyclist seems to be very skilled at maneuvering in tight spots and the skater did too. Overall it looks like a very skilled and fit skater can get through city traffic congestion faster than a cyclist. It would only take one long straight road for the cyclist to win.

While looking for cyclist versus skater videos I found some that show a fast skater can go as fast as a regular bicyclist. One of these skaters said he can travel at twenty miles per hour. My cruising speed on level ground on a light bicycle is just about fourteen miles per hour. If I could cruise on skates at that speed I would give up using a bicycle for the convenience factor.

Inner city dwellers would have a big advantage using skates over a bicycle when getting through crowded areas. Bringing skates inside one's workplace would be more secure than locking a bicycle out of sight.

There is even a short sprint race video between a cyclist and an inline skater. It looked about one-hundred yards long. The race was close. The skater won.

Earlier in this thread I wrote that I could see myself with a longboard. Over the past few days of watching videos related to skateboards and inline skates on Youtube, inline skates are looking like they are just as fun only faster.
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Old 06-27-14, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Smallwheels
Earlier in this thread I wrote that I could see myself with a longboard. Over the past few days of watching videos related to skateboards and inline skates on Youtube, inline skates are looking like they are just as fun only faster.
The only things I like about longboards over skates: Wear pretty much any shoes, wheels last forever, and when you want to go skate-free for whatever reason, just step off the board and carry it. Unfortunately, many communities see "skateboarders" as criminals and delinquents. Inline skaters tend to be seen more as regular people these days.
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Old 06-27-14, 11:50 PM
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I used one as a teen before going back to bikes, make sure you have large wheels because anything out there will trip you up. This thread reminded me of checking out rollerblades
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Old 06-28-14, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Smallwheels
Overall it looks like a very skilled and fit skater can get through city traffic congestion faster than a cyclist.
The one glitch is that inline skaters need a tad more room side to side to push a leg stroke for speed or acceleration than a bike or longboard. In other words, inline and quad skaters are often wider than cyclists and skateboarders. However, I think the best advantage of inlines is being able to just step up curbs, over train tracks, use stairs up or down, and just make transitions from street to sidewalks much easier. Or like in a video - jump a fence! Also eliminates the locking issue / storage at work or other destination. Flip-flops in a back pocket gets the job done.
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