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I think I understand what you are asking. I'm a skating/skills instructor and work with elite players. I'll preface this with I know nothing about roller hockey and have never used the R1. We use Marsblades all the time and I recommend every player should have them. The key to getting the real benefit of the 01 is too "loosen the bolt" as you say. By creating more rocker, you are really building your balance muscles and your core muscles. In addition to maximum rocker, all advanced players should use the smaller front wheel. When you feel unstable on the rocker, that means you have an opportunity to improve your core/posture/balance. Rather than avoid the unstable feeling, master it. The Marsblade also allows you do more skating and skills drills that simulate on ice drills. They allow better knee bend, better turning compared to regular in-line skates.

I don't think any of this applies to anybody who skates both on ice and on wheels regularly. Even if you skate on a traditional chassis, if you don't stop skating on ice, you can always switch back and forth between the two without any problems. I believe the question only applies to going back to ice after a layoff during which you only skate on wheels. In my case, I was shocked at how foreign ice felt after skating on MBs during the Covid layoff, because I'd expected to retain much more muscle memory from the MBs. I skated better my first day back on ice after 5 months of not skating at all after an injury a couple of years before Covid. During Covid, I actually felt like I'd found my "edges" on MBs compared to the months when I was on my 20-year-old roller chassis setup; so, it was really surprising to get back on the ice for the first time and feel so uncomfortable.

You don't gain much, if anything, widthwise. I had to spot heat some areas in the forefoot/toebox myself. The space you gain from the foams compressing is lengthwise. I prefer to have my toes brushing when standing straight and only coming off when my knees are bent in an athletic skating position - that's why I'm in a half size smaller than I was scanned for in Bauer skates and a full size smaller than my Easton Makos. If you don't like your toes to touch and still have good heel lock, I can see why you'd go with the same size as Bauer/CCM. The powerfoot inserts, or trying to make your own from some dollar store foam will solve the toebox volume issue.

Even after baking, you still gain room after about 10 or more hours of hard skating as the foams compress (I'd say about another quarter size). So, what may feel like the right size now, may be a little roomy after some time. The only way you'll know is by skating on them and seeing - that's why the 30 day satisfaction guarantee on the True skates was great when they first came out. I doubt that'll apply to clearance skates, but at the prices they're going at, it's worth the gamble and you'd probably be able to resell them if necessary without losing too much money if they end up being too big. The foams that take up space above the toe box are called powerfoot inserts. With that said, adjusting the tongue as low as it can go in the toe box is a good, free first step that you can try to see if that helps.

U can lower the tongue to take up space in the toebox as well.

I've started using my 4th VH skates. These pair have completely granted my wishes. I'm really satisfied with them. Especially "built in medial shims" solved problems that have caused by external shims which I have used on past my VH boots. The compatibility between VH boots and CCM holders is also great. No longer I don't feel any negative points except heavy weight. Options: 1) Enhanced side wall protection 2) Metatarsal tongues 3) Built-in heel lift shims (+3mm) 4) Built-in medial shims (+3mm) 5) Additional instep volume control 6) CCM SpeedBlade XS holders 271 7) Sidas Conformable insoles 8) 72" unwaxed laces