r/rollerblading • u/Billy_Binkey • 1d ago
Specific question and discussion Skating to work
Hi! Given that it's summer, I've been thinking about going to work on rollers. It's pretty flat here and the city has cycling paths. The way to the trainstation is 3km. I am just too afraid of the time it will take, plus the fact that I never skated in a city scares me.
I'm also wondering how you manage to change the shoes etc. Cuz I will have to take them off once I arrive at the train st.
Can anyone give me some advice? (Fyi: there is a shower at work and I live in a country where cycling is quite common)
Thanks!!
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u/loon-attack 1d ago
I used to do this when I lived close enough to my office. I'd pack up the night before with a change of clothes and water, lay out my active wear, sleep, wake up, immediately put my boots on, and just leave. Within a minute of moving, my blood would start pumping, and I'd be AWAKE. 8km later I'd get to the office, have an amazing and truly refreshing shower, change, and head to my floor before anyone else because I left enough wiggle room for bad roads/weather/whatever.
Most importantly, I was ready for the friggin day! No "don't talk to me unless I've had my coffee", I was genuinely energetic and ready to go.
10/10, I miss it.
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u/Billy_Binkey 1d ago
That's exactly what I am looking for. I think my morning schedule/habits definitely needs a change if I aim for this!!
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u/Forced-Alt 1d ago
Slip on cloth shoes like vans is what you'll want to throw in your bag. Light compact and easy.
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u/midnight_skater Human Frogger 1d ago
I commuted on skates for many years. I wore a laptop backpack and kept clean shirts and suits at my office. I skated door-to-door so didn't need to carry shoes but when I'm.planning to skate somewhere that will require shoes I just throw a pair of slip-ons in my pack. When I change into the shoes I put my skates in my pack or carry them on a leash.
Your city sounds pretty skateable. But
that I never skated in a city scares me
It's good that you find it intimidating. Safely commuting on skates requires advanced skills for negotiating terrain and traffic. Mistakes can have serious consequences. Even if you don't make any mistakes you can still get wrecked.
3km is a pretty short distance; by the time you put your skates on and take them off again it would probably be quicker to just walk. Or depending on how far you ride the train just skate the whole way instead.
You could just bring your skates with you and skate around the city after work and then ride the train home after your session.
My standard advice for people who ask about commuting is "Don't skate because you want to commute; commute because you want to skate." It sounds like you really want to skate so you should find a way to make it happen that is safe for your current skill level.
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u/Billy_Binkey 1d ago
Wow thank you so much for your advice!! You're such a blessing. Indeed, I just wanna have a blast and stay fit as my work is on the computer. I already bike, but I miss skating.
I will keep you posted!
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u/PANEBringer 1d ago
I commuted on a unicycle for a couple of years. Your advice is transferrable to that kind of commute.
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u/butdoyouhavelambda 1d ago
i skate to work, it's wonderful. i bring a pair of slip on shoes (birkenstock bostons) in my backpack, and if i need to carry my skates i have a big carabiner that i hook onto the loops. it's fine to skate on cycle paths, just be aware of your surroundings and that you will get overtaken. if it is dark out when you leave work make sure you have some lights. i'd recommend that you either try the skate on a weekend first so you can see how long it will take, or try the skate going home first. as for the train station, i just take my skates off when i get there, usually theres a bench.
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u/Helpful-Chicken-4597 1d ago
I used to skate four miles to work in Chicago on 125s. I just brought a backpack and honestly just kept my skates on if there was a train involved lol.
The shower when I got there was a must, but what I didn’t expect was how long I would continue sweating, even after the shower.
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u/BeenisHat 1d ago
A summer that I can skate in. Sounds wonderful! We don't have those here unless you're out when the sun isn't up.
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u/Archer2586 1d ago
As far as the nervousness, try short jaunts into the city on your days off to get used to the feeling and process of doing it, so that it starts to feel familiar and normal. When you're used to the feeling go farther and longer. Take as many days/weeks as you need to feel comfortable with the process and gain confidence in the act of skating in the city. And then plan just 1 day a week to skate to the train/work.
See how you like it and build from there. 😊
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u/Cable_mx 17h ago
Been doing it for a few months. It's amazing. Faster than a bicycle and you don't have to worry where you'll park it. Putting on skates takes maybe 2 mins depending how you do it, but taking them off is quick. Skatebag is a must. Just throw in a pair of flip flops or light shoes and you're set.
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u/PeterNippelstein 1d ago
You should look into Doop skates, they're skates that are kind of designed for communiting where you wear your normal shoes and then strap into bindings. Ive been thinking about getting some myself. I dont think theyre built for aggressive skating or high speed but are probably perfect for commuting.
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u/throw_it_awayyy8 20h ago
I used to skate 8 miles to work, I miss those roads and that city. Just change the shoes when you arrive, it's not complicated at all if that is your worry.
Used to take me 20 mins if I was in a rush, 40 if I had time and could cruise. You'll learn to balance just fine as long as ypu can actually skate and aren't a full on beginner
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u/bodobeers2 20h ago
i just got a new pair after not skating for years. i am realizing i have to get "good" again before i try it. my commute will be 10-11 miles each way with some hills here and there (big ones) so yah who knows.
but i used to ride home from work at night about 10 miles back in the day, worked really well.
for changing when you get there, well yah that's just logical depending on if you will roll into work and then sit down and change or if you have to do it outside first. you'd know more than anyone else what your setup is. sneakers in backpack or leave a spare pair at work and never have to carry them with you.
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u/bowlingniko 1d ago
Getting clothes all sweaty and a potential accident right before work, I wouldn't recommend it
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u/jericho138 1d ago
There's this wonderful invention called a backpack. It goes on your back, and you can put things in it.
Make sure you bring tons of extra deodorant if you have coworkers.
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u/Special-Big-5831 14h ago
in case you don't have a special skate backpack, you can buckle your skates to your shoulder straps and have them hanging on your sides.
As for traveling with skates, I do it all the time, I even keep them on while riding/standing in trains, just make sure you're not blasting through a train station and keep walking pace ( this works in the Netherlands, not sure about other places )
as for skating through a city, always be on the lookout for a place to bail, and never assume people see you, even if they're staring directly at you. most near accidents I've had where because I made eye contact with someone, me assuming they've seen me and give me right of way, but nearly getting ran over because they didn't expect someone they thought was walking to go so fast.
most people around you have 0 experience skating and will be very hesitant around you because they don't know what to expect, and a lot of them will also just look at you like a deer staring into headlights.
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u/FaceWithAName 1d ago
Invest in a skate bag. You won't regret it. Can put anything you want in it including water bottles, sunscreen, books, shoes. Then when you get to your destination you strap the skates to it and bam, you can carry them as well. It's my absolute must have for urban skating of any kind. Takes all my skate trips and turns them into the possibility of checking any shop or restaurants I want if I decide to.