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I just got back from a skate and thought "Huh, I wonder if there's a thread about it? I should start one!" And look what I found! I started a few years back (4? 5? Don't remember) after seeing one of the big London group skates go past and thinking "that looks fun" and it was! Pre covid, this time of year there'd be 3 big group skates going from 7 up to 15 ish miles at varying speeds so I've missed a whole year of that and been solo only. One of them has *just* started up again, though now I have a babby so I can't quite as easily get out on them all the time. Anyway, I started on K2 soft boots, moved to some rollerblade twisters which really didn't fit me, sold them for a bargain to someone and switches to FR1s which are superb. Now have some FR310s as well which I'm starting to lean towards for the smoother ride. I might do a moderate effort post on pads (I've tried loads trying to find a pair that I like) later, plus, if anyone is in or near London I'll drop the links to various groups etc. Also I semi know this guy from the group skates and he is seriously good: He teaches with London Skate Life I think. Powerful Two-Hander fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Jul 24, 2021 |
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Jul 24, 2021 19:51
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 08:03 |
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Banano posted:Are speed washers a thing for inlines? Because they are for quads but a surprising amount of quad skaters don’t know about them. In theory they shouldn't be needed because they're moulded to the frames (my FR1s are like this I think), but it absolutely is possible to over tighten and clamp the frame onto the bearings then onto the spacers between them and create friction. That said, I think the bolts/axles should be machined so that there isn't any more thread to clamp them past the intended amount so uuhhhhh maybe something has gone wrong there?
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Jul 27, 2021 21:46
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I've been on and off trying those myself, but I find I can only do it either on a smooth surface or by accident (and then catch myself out by stopping too fast), I haven't yet quite got the proper muscle memory to do it. Basically that means I need to specifically practice rather than just going out and hammering 10 miles as fast as I can then stopping because I'm tired. In my case, a sharp parallel turn seems to do the trick but it feels like it only works if I use my weaker side which makes no sense.
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Aug 12, 2021 13:35
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Do you actually fully dismantle your bearings to clean? I've just put a bit of oil in the edges where the circlip is and spun them a bit and it seems to have worked fairly well. Someone once told me that once you actually dismantle then and rebuild you're basically condemning yourself to having to keep doing it every few weeks because the shield will never go back on right and they'll get 20x more dirt in them.
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Aug 23, 2021 16:55
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I'll be honest, unless they've changed, K2s all seemed pretty flimsy. My first pair were them and the combo of soft boot and light weight was great for learning, but your ankles flex like crazy unless you really tighten them and the cheaper ones had plastic frames that got shredded when you fell. Also the default wheels were some sticky grippy ones that were great for learning but terrible at anything approaching speed. Just don't do what I did and buy a pair of Twister's that you convinced yourself fit you and then spend forever fighting them before admitting you hosed up and switching again (to FR1s with a top spider buckle added on, just perfect for skinny ankles like mine ).
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Sep 5, 2021 00:39
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It's harder to accelerate on 3 big wheels as well, or that's what I find anyway. Once you're going it's easier to maintain a decent speed, but definitely feels like more effort to get moving. Particularly on hills.
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Sep 7, 2021 22:14
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They're expensive but the rollerblade hydrogens are good 80mm wheels that are rated 85A so are a little bit more durable.
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Sep 8, 2021 06:46
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Nice one. Next step is to do it on Strava and discover the "sections" feature and realise how astonishingly fast the people on marathon skates are compared to you, then start thinking "hmmm maybe I should actually focus on my regroup and technique". For me though, the greatest satisfaction is still out accelerating and overtaking cyclists on a smooth flat road near me. I can't keep the top speed I hit for as long as I'd like but long enough to get a decent lead before I have to drop back.
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Sep 20, 2021 14:36
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Mauser posted:My wife is disgusted with how much faster I am than her and is going to ditch her cheapo garbage skates for some new ones. She's held out this long because "she has a fancy pair back home at her parents' place" but the pandemic has basically canceled all of our trips there. What's up FR310 buddy. My wife has the Powerslide Swell 3x110s and they seem ok. Bit of a hybrid between a hard and soft boot, they're not as cheap as a normal soft boot though. Tbh I find I can hit the same speed on 3x110 as 4x80, just maybe not hold the speed as will on the 80s, balanced by being able to accelerate better. Also my regroup technique kind of sucks so I'm probably wasting a bunch of energy either way.
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Oct 1, 2021 13:44
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Sigh, another knee ripped to shreds. Someone managed to (accidentally..or so they claim) get their hand caught on a strap and then yank me over backwards trying to get it loose while going up hill, taking me straight of balance into the ground and then pivoting over around my knee, going straight through my trousers and pulling the pad out of the way. And shredding the front of one skate as well. That's the second time this has happened with gasket pads, I've had a massive direct impact and been absolutely fine, but if you hit the ground and drag they get ripped out of place and you go straight onto skin. Hard shell pads are so incredibly uncomfortable over trousers though.
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Oct 18, 2021 17:22
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Banano posted:A friend has recommended motorcycle leggings with pockets for knee/hip pads that you can wear under most normal clothes. They’re a bit pricey but that’s due to being designed with much higher speeds/impacts in mind. Yeah "a bit pricey" is an understatement! I've actually got a set of these: https://www.locoskates.com/collections/knee-pads/products/ennui-shock-sleeve-pro-knee-gaskets-pads?variant=16029404037163 (they were cheaper when I got then) but wasn't wearing them because they get so sweaty, plus they are just a bit bulky for wearing with trousers, so instead I just had a pair of triple 8 gaskets on and well, here I am with a busted knee. To be fair to them, I've fallen on the triple 8s before and been fine, but those were like 'catch a stone and flip' straight impacts whereas this was a slide/drag. I think maybe I'll just get some looser trousers to wear over the ennui ones seeing as it's now getting to winter.
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Oct 20, 2021 15:50
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4 weeks of no skating while my knee healed, then I got a cold, then I was busy and sick, and oh my god this used to be easy what's happened to me.
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Nov 21, 2021 15:12
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Mauser posted:I rotated my 3x110s and first thing I did was run myself off the road into the grass and had a Skinner moment This is me every time I switch from 4x80 to 3x110. On the plus side going the other way is much better, except then I think maybe I didn't need the 3x110s in the first places
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Nov 24, 2021 14:12
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dupersaurus posted:I’ve been surprised that my 3x110 doesn’t seem absolutely faster than my 4x90, but they keep speed up a lot better I find gaining speed on them is a slog. When I switch to 4x80 I find I can accelerate way quicker. My technique on the 110s is poo poo though, I push out too far and waste power so feel like I'm not as fast as I should be.
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Nov 25, 2021 19:29
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I think that's technically linked lunge turns isn't it? I like doing that because you can put force into that straighter, downhill leg and scrub off some speed that way, which means you don't have to turn as aggressively "uphill". You need a lot of space to do it though.
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Dec 8, 2021 18:36
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I would love some of those Endless 4x90mm slight rocker frames but holy poo poo are they expensive. E: also I'll probably wipe out and scratch them in a week.
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Jan 25, 2022 10:51
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I've tried loads of knee pads and although my favourite are probably the triple 8 undercover gaskets, if you fall and slide they get pulled out of the way and you still grind a hole in your knee. I've got a set of the Ennui gasket type pads that are kind of like those biking ones and although they're super protective, you sweat like a motherfucker with them on. So at the moment I'm using some generic Powerslide hardshell pads and even with some fair falls, they've held up and stayed in position, they're reasonably breathable and you can just about get them on under trousers. E: ennui knee gaskets (they're super expensive, I paid less than this!) https://www.locoskates.com/products/ennui-shock-sleeve-pro-knee-gaskets-pads?variant=16029404037163 Powerslide hardshells that I currently use. Cheap, durable and comfortable: https://powerslide.com/products/standard-men-knee-pad Powerful Two-Hander fucked around with this message at 15:45 on Jan 29, 2022 |
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Jan 29, 2022 15:41
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Yeah I've had two sets of these: https://www.locoskates.com/products/triple-eight-covert-gasket-kneepads and direct impacts are actually fine (caught a pothole and slammed straight into the ground), but if you slide they'll get pulled out of position. To be fair last time that happened I was carrying the extra weight of a speaker and battery pack plus radio receiver but still. I just hate hard shell pads over trousers, it's so uncomfortable.
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Jan 29, 2022 18:03
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Anyone know of a decent skate bag with room for a laptop in it? Now I have to haul a laptop back and forth to the office, if I don't go in two days in a row I have to take it with me if I'm doing the London Wednesday or Friday skate, plus ofc skates, pads and clothes. I bought one of these thinking it was perfect but it's a) massive and b) can't actually fit a pair of adult 3x110 skates in it because it's too narrow, it can just fit 4x80s .  The picture is bullshit basically. I have a light powerslide one that's great for skates only but that can't fit a laptop in it if the skates are strapped to the back.
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Jun 4, 2022 10:12
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black.lion posted:Honestly I've been on the hunt for a good skate-holding bag for years and never found one - at this point I just tie laces and sling them over my shoulder or use that huge Powerslide carabiner and carry them separately, with a bag for everything else Yeah that's gonna be the same in terms of "utterly ridiculous size without skates in it" scale. Carabiner over the shoulder was my preferred solution too until I a) moved further away so it doesn't make sense to reverse commute in in an evening just for skating and b) had to drag a laptop with me. mystes posted:Decathlon has a bag where the skates strap on to the outside (https://www.decathlon.com/products/bp100-20-l-inline-skating-backpack-304982?variant=39591537573950) that I haven't tried but it looks like it might be better... Unfortunately, it's been listed as out of stock on their US website for a while so I'm not sure it's ever going to be available again. Yeah this might work. Or just split carry like you say. I might give the old powerslide carrier I've got a shot and see if I can get skates and laptop into it and just stuff pads etc in a bag. If there's one positive from that massive rollerblade backpack it's that it's (somehow) cabin bag approved and is actually pretty good for that.
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Jun 7, 2022 21:53
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This doesn't solve the biggest problem though: if I have to take any backpack it means I can't carry one of the portable linked sound systems round 
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Jun 7, 2022 21:55
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mystes posted:If anyone else wants to buy the Decathlon skate backpack I realized they are back in stock... but there were only two and I already bought one so there's only one left: https://www.decathlon.com/products/bp100-20-l-inline-skating-backpack-304982?adept-product=bp100-20-l-inline-skating-backpack-304982 I'd be interested if it works with larger skates i.e. adult size 10 and/or 110mm wheels. The rollerblade backpack I got just fits a 4x80mm in men's 10 but can't take a 3x110mm in that size because of the extra height and the product photos clearly use a much smaller size skate to pretend that you can.
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Jul 4, 2022 10:00
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mystes posted:--- Good info on the bag thanks. On the pads, I used triple 8 gaskets for ages until I wiped out twice and in both cases the pads got dragged out of place and shredded my knee, so now I mostly use these powerslide hard shell pads https://powerslide.com/products/standard-men-knee-pad They're really good. Nice and light, not too large and so far have stayed in place. Will just about go under loose trousers. I bought some of those massive gasket ones that do like half your calf as well but they're so incredibly hot and sweaty I hardly use them.
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Jul 6, 2022 18:10
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mystes posted:I have to admit that that style of knee pads is the cheapest, has the best protection for normal use, and is generally the most practical so I should probably just use them but I guess I'm too stubborn. Exactly my thoughts until the third time I wiped out and scraped a chunk out of my knee (always the left). Last time I wore them under trousers I clipped the person in front of me on a group skate and went down, skidded on that knee on the pad and recovered. Trousers destroyed but knee intact, if not pride because I was being sloppy tbh. E: this is all street skates on lovely London roads so literal cheese grater surface in some places.
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Jul 10, 2022 00:20
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It is honestly about the only exercise I've ever enjoyed, to the extent that despite moving to a much better place in a great location, I'm still annoyed that it's harder to get to the London group skates and there are any decent places to go solo that I can skate to from my front door.
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Aug 9, 2022 21:32
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Holy poo poo
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Aug 11, 2022 15:15
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It's 7pm and still 30C and I'm partially hungover so it makes perfect sense to go do the fast Friday night skate. Pre-emptive 
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Aug 12, 2022 18:45
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Powerful Two-Hander posted:It's 7pm and still 30C and I'm partially hungover so it makes perfect sense to go do the fast Friday night skate. Trip report: not dead. The person doing it in jeans and no pads and that had never done a street skate before presumably did though.
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Aug 12, 2022 22:47
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Literally A Person posted:Looking at plates and every company is convinced every plate they make is the bestest ever. Reviews are extremely insightful including deep thoughts like, "they are shiny" to poo poo-ing precision aluminum plates for being "cheap feeling." Didn't realize how much of a pain this would be. There is literally no hobby in the universe that people won't find a way of gatekeeping the gear for. Now excuse me while I post "lol a soft boot? loving gumbies  " on the group page.
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Aug 16, 2022 13:14
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How the hell did I lose a cuff bolt while skating wtf.
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Aug 29, 2022 13:31
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Mauser posted:my wife managed to lose one of her axles while we were skating, sending the wheel rolling off on its own. I have no idea how she managed that because if mine are even the slightest bit lose it sounds like I'm stomping around in wooden clogs or something I have definitely seen a wheel go whizzing past everyone on a group skate. Also people skating on 3 wheels in a 4x frame. Turns out you can't buy skate parts for poo poo in the UK at the moment, I had to order the cuff bolt and some new ratchet straps (because the teeth were getting shredded on mine) from the Netherlands.
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Aug 29, 2022 23:35
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Finally realised what I was doing wrong with hockey stop/parallel slides and as usual, it's that I was completely doing the turn wrong and turning into it instead of away then snapping back It was watching a video of the wizard guy while drunk that made me go "ohhhhh", now I just need to actually practice.
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Sep 15, 2022 11:58
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Mauser posted:If I'm understanding right, you're doing two turns, first away and then back parallel? Yeah but on the second turn I wasn't turning my body properly (I can't mentally picture it now I'm not on my skates) to get the twist needed to start the slide, just trying to do it by tightening the turn which nearly worked but was a lot of effort. It was the bit in this at about 3min where he has his arms out to show the change that made me go "ohhhhh": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhIjNeXbYzA
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Sep 15, 2022 18:08
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Literally A Person posted:STOP RAINING DAMNIT The skater's prayer.
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Oct 24, 2022 20:51
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I haven't skated for nearly a month because it's either been raining, I've been sick or I haven't been able to get to one of the group ones because of transport fuckups Once again I fail to maintain after the summer
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Dec 7, 2022 00:28
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Nigel Tufnel posted:I'm back on rollerblades after about ... 20 years?? Maybe more. Bought some Oxelo MF500s. Been out on two sessions and it's all come back pretty quick. I can t-stop, rotate myself from going forward to backward (when moving slowly), basic stepovers and feel somewhat in control. idk if yours are the same but I've seen Oxelo brand skates that have 1) horrible soft wheels but more importantly 2) plastic frames. So you get a lot less support from them and it'll feel harder to keep balance and get power down. Where in the UK are you, there are a bunch of street skate groups around. Powerful Two-Hander fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Jan 20, 2023 |
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Jan 20, 2023 22:58
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mystes posted:I don't know about the wheels but with regard to the frames, are you sure you aren't think of their soft boot fitness skates? Their hard boot skates seem pretty legit. Yeah maybe, I think I've only ever seen their soft ones. UK roads *suck* on the whole and this is about the worst time for them because there are leaves and poo poo everywhere. I honestly don't find 4x80 much harder than 3x110 on most surfaces though.
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Jan 20, 2023 23:59
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Banano posted:I'm in London and bones reds are the upper end of bearings for most people I've met. I know that at least a handful of the best quad skaters in London follow the strategy of using abec5 bearings and just binning and replacing them whenever necessary. A lot less hassle than having to baby a set of super expensive bearings. Also, these guys/girls are FAST so I think technique and muscle condition etc. play a far bigger role than bearings. Lol we're probably thinking of the one of the same people. I've seen a guy basically outrun everyone on his quads on the road in the dark, I don't know how he does it on such small wheels. I think he said he'd given up trying to "maintain" bearings and I kind of agree. Cleaning them and putting a bit of oil on sure, but taking them apart etc. Is a fools game because they're never going to be sealed as well after.
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Jan 21, 2023 00:53
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Nigel Tufnel posted:Uh oh. So spending £200 on bearings won’t compensate for me being old, fat and out of shape?? Last Sunday of the month is a "snail stroll" which is a bit slower as well. As long as you can stop I guarantee you'll be ahead of most first timers on it. Holy poo poo have I seen some accidents/near misses, particularly when there's a hill. Routes are on one of three different websites for reasons nobody fully understands, the weirdly named "fleggz" mobile app aggregates them together There's also a Wednesday night one that runs from about April that's a good balance....depending on who's leading it and how carried away they get. gently caress I haven't actually been out since the London Halloween skate at the end of October!
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Jan 21, 2023 09:42
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 08:03 |
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mystes posted:I've been completely slacking off on actually practicing any technique rather than just skating around for like the last year, so I've been in a position where I'm really close to doing parallel slides when carving but don't quite, but I finally was like "gently caress it I'm going to push this extra hard and actually slide goddammit" and managed to do a legit parallel slide with both skate sliding for a couple seconds going down a hill today, although only one time. This is exactly me, except 80mm wheels. I couldn't go to the Sunday group skate because of transport problems so went out and spent about 45 mins trying to learn parallel slides/hockey stops from the video from the shop task guy. Trip report: drat was I bad at putting weight on the edges and also doing the contra rotate is hard to get my head round. I think I managed it maybe twice and that was low speed on flat, but on a quite grippy surface which didn't help. That's the first time in months I've actually gone out to practice instead of just banging out 8-10 miles as a group.
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Feb 6, 2023 22:18
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