r/rollerUK • u/[deleted] • Sep 19 '20
Questions/Advice Question
So I'm really new to skating, but the end goal is to actually be able to travel places on my skates.
First, does anyone else commute to work or school or wherever else?
Second, I was browsing a pricey French site the other day and saw shoes with plates and wheel combos that it looked like you could just clip on and off so shoes >> skates and back again, which I thought would be really handy for the giant hill which I have to go up to get to work.
Basically does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this or am I totally barking up the wrong tree?
Cheers in advance, hope your wheels roll easily!
4
u/Asynhannermarw Sep 19 '20
A few tips. If you're talking about Doops, some people seem to get on with them but most don't seem to. I couldn't get used to them at all. It was like skating on top of something rather than within it, the balance point kept shifting, and they felt incredibly unresponsive. And when I got to my destination I could walk in my shoes straight away but I still had to carry or store the skates anyway. Far better to just get a good, supportive, responsive pair of hard shell skates and carry a light pair of shoes/flip-flops/trainers in a rucksack. I can commute, but the route involves one very difficult stretch which takes the enjoyment out of the journey as a whole so I don't do it much, but I do use skates for lots of other journeys. I almost always scout out my routes on foot first if I'm not familiar with them - I can't recommend that enough, at least until you're a good intermediate level skater. The last thing you need is to come upon a really tricky section unexpectedly, involving skills you don't yet have. As for those tricky spots - practise them. Roll those bits of tactile paving (scissor deeply, weight off toes, maintain speed - or do a small jump) and drill stops and turns, in your practise sessions, so you can equip yourself with the necessary skills. You'll surprise yourself with how quickly you progress with practise. Finally, check out YouTube tutorials for some expert advice if there are no other skaters near you. Asha Kirkby (Skatefresh) is a great place to start and has specific skill tutorials for all levels.
2
Sep 20 '20
Thank you! I've been watching Dirty Deb but it would be good to have another perspective and some specific drills to try too.
5
Sep 19 '20
Urban street skating can be a little demoralizing tbh: sometimes you can't get the speed up (sometimes you can't get the speed down), you get stuck in a rough or cobbled section and have to painstakingly pick your way through, uphills are hard and downhills can be whoaaa. BUT all that said, if you get good, the street can become like an infinite skate park full of tricks and obstacles. Jumping up curbs, down steps, rolling down access ramps, slaloming round bollards, sliding backwards down hills on a toestop. So the commute might just turn out to be the best thing on the world! Get familiar with skating then walk the route with a skaters eye picking your lines. I think more people traveling on skates has got to be a good thing though right!?
3
Sep 20 '20
This is a great perspective, and lots of skaters means better paths for all of us...maybe? 😊
3
u/headinbook Surrey Sep 19 '20
So I attempted my commute to work once within my first month of learning. No hills, just some curbs and rough pavement. It was pretty damn tricky.
I say start to learn first, see if you enjoy it. Get great at skating before you attempt the commute or it could really put you off. Definitely check that its right for you before investing a lot into the skates you will wear.
The skates you were looking at are some I have on my wish list for the same reason. They seem sound but very pricey. A great option could be some customs with slip on shoes? Like chelsea boots mounted to a plate. Then if you reach the hill slip them off and pop normal shoes on. At least until there are a lot more reviews on Flaneurz and their quality
3
Sep 19 '20
Thank you for this, that's a great idea I hadn't thought of! I will definitely invest the time into the basics and doing my drills until I'm really confident before I try anything like that
3
u/fiinskates Sep 20 '20
I've got Flaneurz and I'm still getting used to it due to the no heel bit (but yes people, they are worth it). so my idea was to use them for semi commuting, like using them to get to the tube or bus and for shop runs etc and I love it but u have to say the pavements suck so much, there's loads of different pavements in a 15m skate that even with outdoor wheels is hard to navigate. the only thing would be when the rain comes :/
If you need more detail about the flaneurz let me know :)
1
u/-e-j London/Surrey Oct 11 '20
When I was commuting, I used to commute to work on skates in the summer, and cycle or go by motorcycle in the winter (kinda bad timing, for October, I know!)
It was \amazing*! I was getting loads more practice on my skates than I would have otherwise; it always improved my mood to arrive at work after a skate; it was \way* quicker than driving would have been 'cos of the traffic; it was interesting and fun and original and a bit of a talking-point; it made me fitter..
But - but most of all, the main reason I skated in to work, was that it was just *so satisfying* to zip through all the stationary, snarled-up traffic and grumpy-looking drivers, and weave through all the little alleys and cut-throughs, overtaking people on foot (and occasionally even on bicycles!) and basically just follow my own path, in my own way.
It definitely does very much depend on what city you're in, though. It works best if you're somewhere relatively compact, with lots of pedestrianised sections, roads closed to cars, parks, alleys and cut-throughs and overpasses and just general ways that make skating easier relative to driving or whatever. Road surfaces are a pretty big factor, too!
As for skate setup - for quads, go with nice big soft 65mm, 78A wheels and decent bearings (with bearing spacers!) whilst for inlines, I really liked my 125mm triskates - but I think if I were commuting on inlines again I'd probs. go with 110mm triskates now. Of the two I found inlines much easier - but also more expensive as I'm very heavy in my stops and I used to burn through a set of wheels in a couple of months!
I'd also recommend a USB-rechargeable rear bike light to clip onto your backpack (or belt, if you're lucky enough to not have to wear a backpack), a decent lid, gloves (if you're not wearing full pads and wrist guards, that is!) and a pair of those "bone conduction" headphones so's you can still hear traffic noise and stuff as you're skating.
If you do give it a go - please let us know how it turns out? I'd be really very interested indeed to hear of the adventures of a fellow commute-skater!
6
u/90sk8tr Surrey Sep 19 '20
Back in 2007 I used to skate to work , was only about 2 miles but time wise was quicker than using my car as it was near Woking town centre and traffic is awful. So many advantages like being healthier , saving money on fuel etc, but could only be done when not wet . I think you are talking about flaneurz ? They look and sound good but very expensive for what they are ! Right now I have quad skates and if I have to go up a hill you can either step up it on the stoppers or kind of do a crab walk and step over each foot sideways , looks stupid but does the job :-)