Vertical Rollerskating

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Message 10498 (14. Aug. 2009 07:33) (Tree)

Sender:	biffsk8er
Subject:	Old Video of Me
Content:	: Biff,.......I want to be an old whippe snapper and tell the young groms : about what us old guys used to do. How we walked 50 miles in the 120 : degree weather or 10 degree weather through snow to be able to skate a : bowl and how good they have it with all the new skate gear. lol Robert, that is why Jay does the RollerCon.....to expose new quad skaters to vert. During one RollerCon session, in the 702 skate park, we had over 40 quad skaters present! What we need to do is to hold similar events everywhere an old quad vert skater resides.....like you! My wife wants to get an event in Austin, similar to RollerCon, and I'm down with that....as it can do nothing less than bring more attention to our sport. I don't think trying to convert inline skaters is the answer. I think we need to convert quad skaters who rink skate to also do vert!! My 2 cents worth. Biff
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Robert: Old Video of Me (13. Aug. 2009 03:20)
	I don't think I have ever shared my video with you. This is me in 1992. Hehehe, just kidding. lol I am making fun of myself. I probably posted three different versions of the same video since I came on here. lol I get a couple of beers in me and just start remembering the good old days. Actually, in terms of skating, these days are way better. I know of and have skated with so many more vert skaters than I did back in the day. I met a guy yesterday from colorado telling me about a guy named Dean or Dennis? I can't remember, but he said he is sidestance and rips. It's amazing how many of us were out there and still are. With out magazine coverage and the internet most of us never knew there were actually many vert rollerskaters out there. I only knew of a few skaters back in the day. I did know of Duke Rennie and Fred Blood, but I think most older skateboarders know about them as well. I am so stoked to see so many awesome rollerskaters out there. Do you think there are many under 35 years old? Maybe in Europe, but I don't think in the U.S. and have not seen any in Australia. I know inline skating seemed inovative at the time, but do you think there is any advantage at all? I never grinded as a youngster, but I sure have fun doing it now. All of you rippers have inspired me to want to do inverts. If the shoulder ever gets better, I hope to try them one day. Oh and Jay, how is the face feeling? Your skating was excellent.
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Beer Hunter: Old Video of Me (13. Aug. 2009 17:59)
	Inline skating has several advantages. One is that it is impossible to trip and fall forward like when rolling over an unseen obstacle such as a concrete seam or small pebble. Another would be the availability of equipment, since you can buy a pair of aggressive skates off the shelf and simply put them on. Also, sometimes roller skate wheels get tangled up and cause wheel bite which may lead to loss of balance. Falling on quads is more likely to break an ankle as well. I am starting to think that wearing inline skates at the park automatically requires that you also wear pants that are way too short for your legs, thereby requiring that you pull them down to where the belt sits around the middle of your ass. This, naturally, requires colorful undergarments to be worn in order to (hopefully) keep your ass crack from showing. This last point is definitely a big disadvantage. The quad skate has many advantages over inline and is fun for many of the same reasons, but the way quads turn is the best part, and the adjustability of the suspension for varying weight and style preference. Oh, and it is OK to wear clothing that is actually made to fit your body while allowing the undergarments to remain 'under garments'.
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biffsk8er: Old Video of Me (13. Aug. 2009 18:17)
	Ha!!!! Very funny. Good points about inlines, too. I'll add my thoughts. Pros to inlines : 1) Less friction--more speed--higher airs 2) More ankle support 3) Availability 4) Parts easier to replace 5) No wheel bite 6) Easier to customize skates from prefab parts 7) More tricks to do on ledges and rails Cons to inlines 1) Peer pressure to not wear pads 2) Easier to have foot slide out from under you 3) Less stable wheel base 4) Skate parts wear out more quickly 5) Get called fag, fruitbooter, etc.. 6) Do not get to modify & create your own custom build via your wildest imagination 7) More ways to get hurt on ledges and rails Really and truly though, I personally think it just all boils down to what do you like more? I think either is fine, but I prefer the feel of quads.
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Robert: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 04:56)
	Biff, I have seen video of your son and he is awesome. Do you think you might be able to bribe him to get on skates? Do you realize that most vert rollerskaters are over 35 years old and once we stop skating our sport could be done. Your son and his friends could help preserve our sport. Any chance of getting them to try it? I bet they could do things none of us could imagine. I guess it does not matter, but it would be cool to see our sport continue on and grow. I am sure most of us have another ten years or more, but wouldn't it be so cool to see little kids doing what we do? I want to be an old whippe snapper and tell the young groms about what us old guys used to do. How we walked 50 miles in the 120 degree weather or 10 degree weather through snow to be able to skate a bowl and how good they have it with all the new skate gear. lol
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biffsk8er: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 07:33)
	: Biff,.......I want to be an old whippe snapper and tell the young groms : about what us old guys used to do. How we walked 50 miles in the 120 : degree weather or 10 degree weather through snow to be able to skate a : bowl and how good they have it with all the new skate gear. lol Robert, that is why Jay does the RollerCon.....to expose new quad skaters to vert. During one RollerCon session, in the 702 skate park, we had over 40 quad skaters present! What we need to do is to hold similar events everywhere an old quad vert skater resides.....like you! My wife wants to get an event in Austin, similar to RollerCon, and I'm down with that....as it can do nothing less than bring more attention to our sport. I don't think trying to convert inline skaters is the answer. I think we need to convert quad skaters who rink skate to also do vert!! My 2 cents worth. Biff
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Bernhard: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 08:06)
	Biff, I have to disagree on a few of your points: : Pros to inlines : : 1) Less friction--more speed--higher airs Nope. For example, René Hulgreen never regained the same height in his airs when he moved to inlines. And the likes of Raphael Sandoz remain unsurpassed. There are some inline skaters who really get some air. But that is purely athletic. Just look at their upper torsos. ;-) : 2) More ankle support That's not a question of roller skate vs. inline but rather a matter of the boots you use. In what way do the boots I use offer less ankle support? : 3) Availability That's true, but it's not clear if that's an advantage. ;) : 4) Parts easier to replace Very true. : 5) No wheel bite I'm not sure of that. Probably you discussed this with your crew and therefore I tend to believe this. : 6) Easier to customize skates from prefab parts True. But also not sure if that is an advantage. : 7) More tricks to do on ledges and rails Nope. It''s just that inline skaters do more tricks on ledges and rails. Which of those trick wouldn't be possible in principle on roller skates? My presonal preference obviously lies with roller skates, but I do prefer inlines for hockey.
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Robert: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 08:07)
	Biff, I agree, but the people that either skate vert or are trying to skate vert are all old. I want to see a young 14 year old blowing our minds with their tricks. I think everyone here are amazing skaters, but we are doing tricks that we did twenty years ago. Some of you guys are killing it and can skate the way you did many years ago and guys like me just carve. It is great and I love it, but I want to see some young kids to step it up. We are the Mastes and need some young pros to bring the sport to a new level. I am sure it would be easy to think what some of you do is the best, but I am sure our sport can be taken to another level. It scares me to think how good these kids could be.
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biffsk8er: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 19:23)
	: Biff, I have to disagree on a few of your points: ▼Bernhard, I replied to your thoughts below. Interspersed▼ : : Pros to inlines : : : 1) Less friction--more speed--higher airs : : Nope. For example, René Hulgreen never regained the same height in his airs when he moved to inlines. And the likes of Raphael Sandoz remain unsurpassed. There are some inline skaters who really get some air. But that is purely athletic. Just look at their upper torsos. ;-) Yes. I used to do long distance outdoor marathons. I can tell you right now it IS true. Almost everyone switched to inlines BECAUSE of the lack of friction, and their times improved by leaps and bounds in all of the major long distance races! All 8 wheels on an inline speed skate equal the amount of road surface on just 2 wheels on a pair of quad skates. Agro inline skates usually only have 4 wheels with even less surface contact. Most likely, Rene lost height because he was more comfortable with stable quad landings than he was with the blades, which can be a bit hard to land on. And as to high airs........the Yasutoko brothers air out of a bowl like they have airline tickets! : : 2) More ankle support : : That's not a question of roller skate vs. inline but rather a matter of the boots you use. In what way do the boots I use offer less ankle support? I'm saying that inline boots offer more support. Are you using inline boots? Inline boots often have multiple straps, laces, and clamps. Even quad hockey boots are not that supportive, and I know because I used to play hockey in hockey boots. : : 3) Availability : : That's true, but it's not clear if that's an advantage. ;) I never said it was an advantage, I said it was a "pro", or you could call it a 'plus'. Kids will go for what they can find more easily. : : 4) Parts easier to replace : : Very true. What?!! We agreed on something??!! : : 5) No wheel bite : : I'm not sure of that. Probably you discussed this with your crew and therefore I tend to believe this. No, I said no wheel bite because the wheels on your right skate cannot bite into the wheels on your left skate when they come close together. I took quite a few tumbles learning to parallel skate, with wide trucks, because of this problem. : : 6) Easier to customize skates from prefab parts : : True. But also not sure if that is an advantage. Once again, I never said it was an advantage, I said it was a "pro", or you could call it a 'plus'. Kids like to customize their own skates, but they tend to like it to not be so hard to do so. : : 7) More tricks to do on ledges and rails : : Nope. It''s just that inline skaters do more tricks on ledges and rails. Which of those trick wouldn't be possible in principle on roller skates? I completely and strongly disagree! I do ledges and rails with my son who is on blades. There are many tricks that I cannot do because my wheels stick out and are in the way. Plus, I do not have negative plates, or soul plates. Go HERE for a list of tricks. : My presonal preference obviously lies with roller skates, but I do prefer inlines for hockey. My personal preference is also quad skates. If I were to post advantages to quad skates, the list would be much longer!!!
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claudine: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 22:33)
	The reason inlines are faster for marathon racing is due to the large wheel, 110 wheels. As far as the arguments go, I honestly dont give a fuck about adv. of inlines, they feel like skating in straight jackets. I hate hate HATE inlines but LOVE rollerskates, like really LOOOOVE rollerskates. lol. Rollerskates are way more stable. You dont NEED rediculously rigid boots but if you dig them, u can ride them if it gets you off. You dont HAVE to have such wide trucks, mine are only 3". You CAN ride skinny wheels or larger wheels if speed is your thing or ride small fat wheels if you like those better like Robert does. I ONLY ride rollerskates!!!!!! I dont even like the term quad. Thats a 4 wheel off road vehicle as far as I'm concerned. I'm not a quader, I'm a rollerskater!
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Bernhard: Old Video of Me (14. Aug. 2009 23:40)
	: **If inlines are faster on flat ground, why would they be slower on vert? You don't ride the same skates in a half pipe that you use in a race. I'm firmly convinced that I have no chance against an inline speed skater on my street roller skates but I would dare somebody on aggressive inlines. I wouldn't use those same roller skates in a half pipe and that is not only for their reduced ankle support. I can use bigger and harder wheels than an inline skater which is faster. : As to barrel chest, I would say that it is more likely due to practice. Watch this video for some high airs : : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eTtWhHgK68 I'd say: Comparable to Raphael Sandoz or Friedel in their time. Raphael switched to inlines during the hype, but also never seemed to reach the same height as on roller skates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyWYlLoec14 Maybe he could have pushed it higher on today's ramps and wheels, who knows? Anyhow, as spectacular high airs are to anybody watching, they aren't most important to me.
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Bernhard: Old Video of Me (15. Aug. 2009 00:01)
	: Agro inline skates usually only have 4 wheels with even less surface contact. It's not that simple. The surface contact area isn't the only factor. The combination of type of surface, wheel shape, hardness, diameter is important. If you change one of those parameters, the rest changes too if you want to optimize for speed. : And as to high airs........the Yasutoko brothers air out of a bowl like they have airline tickets! Yep, they are a class of their own. : : : 2) More ankle support : : : : That's not a question of roller skate vs. inline but rather a matter of the boots you use. In what way do the boots I use offer less ankle support? : : I'm saying that inline boots offer more support. Are you using inline boots? I'm still using my ice hockey boots. I don't miss the tiniest bit of ankle support with them. : Inline boots often have multiple straps, laces, and clamps. Even quad hockey boots are not that supportive, and I know because I used to play hockey in hockey boots. I just wanted to write that I have no experience with roller hockey boots. But that's not true. I use Meneghini boots on my street skates. OK, they do have less ankle support and I wouldn't use them in the ramp. Preferences vary widely. : I never said it was an advantage, I said it was a "pro", or you could call it a 'plus'. Sorry, the fine distinction between those words evades me. Must improve my English. :) : Kids will go for what they can find more easily. I've got the impression that this is ever more true nowadays. Kids would build something themselves much more eagerly some decades ago. :-( : : : 4) Parts easier to replace : : : : Very true. : : What?!! We agreed on something??!! Can't be true. I have to find a way to contradict you ... : No, I said no wheel bite because the wheels on your right skate cannot bite into the wheels on your left skate when they come close together. I took quite a few tumbles learning to parallel skate, with wide trucks, because of this problem. Ah sorry. I didn't get your meaning first time. Now it's clear. How can I contract? : **Once again, I never said it was an advantage, I said it was a "pro", or you could call it a 'plus'. Ahh. There it is again! Must flog myself to remember. : Kids like to customize their own skates, but they tend to like it to not be so hard to do so. The times have changed for the worse. :-(( : : : 7) More tricks to do on ledges and rails : : : : Nope. It''s just that inline skaters do more tricks on ledges and rails. Which of those trick wouldn't be possible in principle on roller skates? : There are many tricks that I cannot do because my wheels stick out and are in the way. And he cannot do grinds. Duh! (I hear him protest vehemently, but to us old timers and to skateboarders, a grind is on the axle, not on plastic plates or boots! A grind is noisy, it doesn't go swish, but GRRINNND.
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