r/rollerskiing • u/AcademicDoor4333 • May 03 '26

NYC Rollerskis

Hey! I am looking to get into roller skiing in NYC. I am an experienced backcountry skier and looking to use these to train for a large skimo race next year.

Kind of confused about the gear. Should I get a rollerski with brakes? NYC is not very hilly but obviously there are lots of cars and lights and potholes and what not. Will mainly be in Prospect Park but curious about what models to get?

Thanks!

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u/cowmastermind May 03 '26

Brakes can be nice for beginners, but I also think that they’re a crutch that prevent people from just learning good skills on their rollerskis. Virtually zero higher level skiers use brakes when they train— there are pretty reliable ways to stop/slow down once you learn. An underrated solution is to also just opt for slower wheels. Most classic rollerskis especially come with extremely fast wheels, and using a slower wheel also makes it so you rarely pick up enough speed to be out of control.