Big wheel 4-wheelers vs Speed skates

[angelbug]

I am a 50-year-old woman who skates between 75-100 miles a week. I have an old pair of Saloman skates whose fit I love, but they only accomodate 76 mm wheels due to the convex curve of the bottom of the boot in the ball of the foot area. I'd like to get a pair of skates that I could get more speed out of. I've tried 5-wheel speed skates with 84 mm wheels and feel very unsteady on them when turning - I'm very used to being able to turn by shifting my weight on my shorter, lower skates. Would I have the same problem with a pair of 4-wheel inline skates with, say 80 mm wheels? Is it the wheel height or the extra 5th wheel that's giving me problems? Although I skate long distances, I feel I really need something more manueverable than a speed skate. What is a good intermediate skate between what I have now, and an all-out speed skate?

[IW Staff]

The longer wheel base is what is giving you the problem. It's like having longer skis. Harder to maneuver, but faster.

Going to an 80mm will be no problem for you. Moving up to the new "big wheel" skates that have 90mm will be even faster, but then you start having more trouble going up hills and stuff like that.

Something like the Salomon Motion 8Ti is a great skate at just $125. Has 80mm wheels adn will be comfortable. Faster than what you have with the bigger wheels. If wanting faster, the Siam 9 has the 84mm wheels on them and the Pilot 9 Pro 2005 on closeout has the 84mm wheels on them Won't be as difficult as the 5 wheel 84mm. But the 84mm wheels are quite a bit faster than 80mm. Going from 76mm to 84mm is a pretty big, so you'll have to decide on that. You can always get a 84mm skate and put 80mm wheels on them and then move up to 84mm down the road.

So.... The Motion 8Ti is a great intermediate skate. 80mm max wheel size on those and they come with 80mm wheels. The Siam 9 and Pilot 9 Pro are great skates if wanting to go for the 84mm. I would go Pilot 9 Pro as the price is better on those as they are on clearance. You can always put smaller wheels on there for a while before jumping up to the 84mm. Or..just start tearing up the streets on your 84's. You're an experienced skater that is doing a lot of skating at 75-100 miles a week. I think you would have a blast on the Pilot 9 Pro 2004 skates. So that's my final answer :) There will be a little adjustment time to get used to the wheels as it will affect your stride a little. Won't take more than a couple of skates before the police are yelling at you to slow down.

Thanks for the post!

Stan @ IW

[GhostRider]

I dont know if I would be so quick to say that big wheels cant go up hills. ;)

I just got my Rollerblade 10 100s from you Stan.. and I can go up a hill that I train on faster now then I did with my prior R4 5x84mm rig. Maybe its just me but so far I have found my new 4x100 rig better at hill climbing, speed, coasting, maneuverability, and stability. I did 30+ miles the first night I got the skates.

You do have to change your stride slightly and if hes moving up from less then 80mm wheels it might take him a little time to get used to 100s.. but there is the 90s and that might be a nice graduated step up. Going to larger wheels I also find to be a lot more comfortable ride especially for longer distances and safer since you can roll over more obstacles.

Just some thoughts to consider from a street skater that averages 100+ miles a week and Im about to bump that up a lot with my new RB 10s. Im so happy with them that Im selling off my 5x84 rig ;)

Thanks!

[GhostRider]

"And this business about skating uphill being more difficult with 100s is also malarkey, because on skates, you can pick up your feet and determine your stroke frequency, so you can change gears at will no matter what size wheels you have."

When you figure he has won the A2A 87 mile race 8 times (IIRC) which is nearly all hills and more uphill then downhill, (I did the race back in 1986 on quads) .. well Ill let you all do the math. ;)

Ill just say.. I completely agree with him. Its the stride.. not the wheel size.

Thanks!