advertisement


Roller Skating...

M

mercalia

pfm Member
I enjoyed do this as a kid and was wondering at skating as a way to get around. I have seen using the 4 wheeled traditional types on the pavements. I hate walking but need to do more rather than cycling, so I thought that would be a compomise. any thoughts? What got me thinking this is I need to visit Bristol some time or other. I had intended to take my bike until I noted GWR do not guarantee to be able to take a bike with wheels more than 20". Thats absurd as most bikes are either 26", 700c or 28" these days - onlty "shoppers" are 20" or less - forgetting Bromptons that I do not have.
 
Surprisingly roller skating on the pavement seems to be legal in the UK, though as an aging pedestrian I must confess I would prefer to see it otherwise, that aside even if I were capable of skating I wouldn’t dream of trying it around here due to the amount of pavers that are cracked, missing or sticking up like dragon’s teeth! Good luck if you try it.
 
I too thought about this a couple of years ago as I used to skate as a kid and had some Baeur Turbo quads back in the day. I never actually got some when I was thinking about it, but did some research at the time - Baeur no longer make skates, but the best quad type skates you can get are now called Supreme Turbo, as far as i could tell, which look to be like Bauer's old design.

However, as a warning. To skate well/safely you need really flat paths etc. which as a Bristol resident I don't think to be the case. Ultimately, that's why I didn't bother buying some.

If you get some, make sure you've got a decent helmet and pads.
 
I used to rollerskate a lot.
Friend and I made our own 4-wheel/boot skates in about 1978. We bought canadian ice-Hockey boots and made our own baseplates - ACS 430 trucks - skateboard wheels.
We both then had Bauer Turbo black ice hockey boots (and the same as ice-skates… I used to ice-skate a lot…)
ACS baseplates. kryto wheels.
We would skate many miles. Ramps and sheeet. I loved skating. a fluid feeling, it feels natural.

Give it a go.
Wear gloves - the first good tumble and your hands look for the ground. Head - kneepads and elbow pads can feel restricting, but if learning from scratch it would be worth it. You will fall. Hopefully just backwards on your bum.
Know how to stop in a hurry. Learn how to use the toe-stop A regular T-stop iceskate style ain’t gonna work if you are at speed.
Can you safely go up/down a kerb?
Going backwards is fun, do it.
Learn Crossovers - they feel funky. Essential skill.
Can you stop quickly at the speed you are going?
 
Used to rollerblade a bit when I lived in Central London back in the 1990s and I was in my 20s (through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens). Wouldn’t dream of doing it now I’m in my 50s though I prefer to cycle as a leisure activity.
 
Jezzer said:
Used to rollerblade a bit when I lived in Central London back in the 1990s and I was in my 20s (through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens). Wouldn’t dream of doing it now I’m in my 50s though I prefer to cycle as a leisure activity.
Click to expand...

It wouldn’t be my first choice in my Fifties to learn to roller-skate. If you have never skated, then it will be hard. Broken wrist just around the corner.
Learning to skate on a dead smooth empty park tarmac footpath is one thing - add people, traffic and very variable surfaces and transitions - the attraction is there if you have nice fast reactions, bats ears and eagle eyes.
 
Well, I’d feel very self conscious about it but what could possibly go wrong? It’s probably normal for Bristol.
 
I used to skate quite a bit but apart from the ankle issue already mentioned , roads and pavements are soooooo uneven and rough I’m sure it would be very difficult to skate smoothly . I’d find this very frustrating. At least a bike will ride over bumps and holes - skates won’t

Great way of getting fit and strengthening muscles though!
 
Bart said:
Surprisingly roller skating on the pavement seems to be legal in the UK, though as an aging pedestrian I must confess I would prefer to see it otherwise, that aside even if I were capable of skating I wouldn’t dream of trying it around here due to the amount of pavers that are cracked, missing or sticking up like dragon’s teeth! Good luck if you try it.
Click to expand...

I'm completely anti anyone being allowed to use anything that allows them to travel at more than running speed on the pavement. Given that cycling on the pavement is not allowed, I'm also shocked that roller skating is allowed. Personally I think it's not only anti-social, it's clearly dangerous for other pavement users, particularly the elderly who actually have a high risk of long term hospitalisation or even death from just a simple fall and bone break.
 
gez said:
I'm completely anti anyone being allowed to use anything that allows them to travel at more than running speed on the pavement. Given that cycling on the pavement is not allowed, I'm also shocked that roller skating is allowed. Personally I think it's not only anti-social, it's clearly dangerous for other pavement users, particularly the elderly who actually have a high risk of long term hospitalisation or even death from just a simple fall and bone break.
Click to expand...

I was only thinking of back roads or promenades with few people rather than mingling with the crowds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gez
I’m still proud of myself learning to ride a bicycle, I can’t imagine I’d master roller skates any more than I did(n’t) with skis or ice skates.

Come to think of it as indoor rider, I’ve degenerated to stabilisers already.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top