I dug my 1997 Bauer "Breakout 50s" out from the back of a closet a few weeks ago. They're actually not bad, although I have nothing to compare them to. The wheel setup (that I don't remember doing) is 76-76-76-72, which felt OK, but kind of like skis compared ice runners...and they feel like they weigh about 10 lbs, each. Got some wheels in various sizes and changed to 72-76-76-72, which feels better and allows tighter turns. All the wheels I bought are 78A, because that seems like a good match on the rough-but-sealed concrete deck where I skate. Slightly softer could work well too, but I definitely wouldn't want anything harder with any less grip. (I'm 185 lbs.) I don't plan on playing roller hockey...just want to continue skating until the rinks open up again and keeping my mechanics as close to skating on ice as possible. The deck I skate on is roughly the dimensions of half an ice-rink neutral zone (split in half lengthwise...so blue line to blue line and boards to center face-off dot). I can do some drills, but I already run out of space quickly, so not looking for faster wheels...thinking that 68-72-72-68 might be optimal for my situation.
Both boots are quickly developing cracks after sitting in a closet for 20+ years, so I ordered a couple of pairs of skates in case I decide to put the Marsblades I ordered on one of them instead of on one of my old Lange boots. One of them is Bauer RS and the other is Alkali 2, (only because every place I looked was already out of lower-end models and the seller upgraded me to the A2s after notifying me that the Tour Code 3.ones I actually ordered first were sold out). The Bauers come with (harder 82A) 72-72-68-68 and the Alkali come with 80-80-76-76 Konixx Tachyon (+0) "Indoor" wheels...both have Hi-Lo frames. I can't find any reference to what KT +0 corresponds to on the traditional durometer scale, but I'm assuming they're something like 76A or 74A.
Questions:
1. Can I rocker Hi-Lo frames with 68-72-72-68 or 72-76-76-72? Any reason for me to stick with the Hi-Lo setup, instead?
2. The stock 80-80-76-76 will be faster and less maneuverable than the stock 72-72-68-68, right?
3. 76-80-80-76 will be a little slower but less stable than both of those rockered setups, right?
4. Probably 68-72-72-68 would be best for my needs, based on the info above, right?
5. How do the Marsblade FMT Ones compare with the Alkali R2s in case I decide to skate on the Bauers and have the MB put on the AR2s?
6. For you other dinosaurs, do you think Lange boots will support roller frames? Because it seems like roller frames put a lot more stress on the soles than ice holders (because the ice-steel load on the boot is distributed much wider and with less torque than the load from roller frames even though the ice steel itself is much thinner) and the Lange soles seem to be much thinner and much less reinforced than even the soles on my 1997 Bauer inlines. @pettererlandsson I know you said we can ask you anything about MB, but you've probably never seen Langes, right?
Any other advice and/or suggestions (other than "just try them all out and see") would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.