Yet, another Radius topic

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I have searched with the engine search about radius topics and I found great topics. The reason I put this topic is that I have to get my skates profiled tomorrow and I'm not still sure on what I should take.

What I like :

To do long stride - not doing stride for nothing

To make sharp turns - I like to zigzag a lot on the ice

I like to do lots of crossovers

I like to have a lot of stability

My skates are 8,5 Grafs

My hollow is/will be 3/4

I don't know what radius I should take right now = ?

Thanks for help

[Chadd 916]

You can't have a radius that is great for agility and very stable, those concepts are at odds with each other. If you have a problem with the radius you are currently using, post that info and I'm sure someone will be able to make some suggestions as to what you should change.

[cobrAA 0]

if you like sharp turn you should go with 5/8 or even 1/2...

[sogaduch 0]

id maybe say a 10ft profile neutral could be a thing too try

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

if you like sharp turn you should go with 5/8 or even 1/2...

this is hollow and I'm fine with it, not radius.

[chippa13 1844]

I have searched with the engine search about radius topics and I found great topics. The reason I put this topic is that I have to get my skates profiled tomorrow and I'm not still sure on what I should take.

What I like :

To do long stride - not doing stride for nothing

To make sharp turns - I like to zigzag a lot on the ice

I like to do lots of crossovers

I like to have a lot of stability

My skates are 8,5 Grafs

My hollow is/will be 3/4

I don't know what radius I should take right now = ?

Thanks for help

A long stride and stability would call for a flatter profile where sharp turns would call for much more of a rocker to your profile. What you may want to do is have a flatter profile but go with a little deeper sharpening.

[Chadd 916]

if you like sharp turn you should go with 5/8 or even 1/2...

this is hollow and I'm fine with it, not radius.

If you change your radius, you may need to change your hollow.

[XeF4 0]

7' radius is way too short for anybody.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I have tuuk on my grafs.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I think I'll go with a 9

[jimmy 194]

I think I'll go with a 9

Yup, 9', balanced pitch is good for your stride. Start with a 5/8 hollow. Try it. If you achived what you want you are golden. If you want more speed, start shallowing is out a 32nd at a time.

[sogaduch 0]

I think I'll go with a 9

yeah go with a 9ft to start but a 10ft may even do a good job for you because you have both worlds the stability of a longer profile but still the agility of a shorter profile and keep whichever hollow you like

[Reaper 0]

I wish I could get a compound radius in Calgary. I'd love to try a 9 foot front with an 11 foot back.

[cobrAA 0]

i would go with 11..

by the way, do the gain of speed you get from a bigger radius is really ''noticable''(i'm not sure about this word...)

i used to skate on 13..but found i couldn't do turn!! but never really find that i was skating faster...any know?

[chippa13 1844]

A 13' radius means you have a flatter blade with more blade contact on the ice. It should provide for more stability and a stronger push off. Your difficulty turning would be because you are turning that much more blade than if you had a lesser radius. It works the same with a car. A small sports car can turn on a dime but a stretch limo takes a huge space to turn. Same principle.

[jeffg 13]

At what age shold a child's skates be profiiled, if at all? If they should what radius should you use? will it help there skating skills at such a youg age (9)?

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Ugh, do you live in MI?

I have had two parents ask me to check out their kid's skating...because they "need" to get their skates profiled. One kid was slipping out on strides and turns (needs a deeper hollow, he's a 65lb peewee skating on 1/2") and the other kid was a mite who just couldn't skate all that well...but hey, little Johnny MUST have his skates profiled, it'll slow down his fast track to the Show...

[jeffg 13]

I have no wishes that my kid makes it to the "show". If when he is an adult if he still has a sport he likes and can play with his kids then I will be happy. What is the proper hollow for a 65lb squirt?. The only reason I asked about profiling is that this board provides a lot of great information, that I never knew about. profiling was mentioned on the board

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Nah, I was just giving you the mentality out here. Their favorite profiler puts a 9/16" and a 9' on everything, from a mite to a pro.

There's so many factors, you have to take ice conditions and weight into account. Watch him skate...watch his strides, see if he slips out, if he can really get into his turns, if they're tight or wide...

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

A 13' radius means you have a flatter blade with more blade contact on the ice. It should provide for more stability and a stronger push off. Your difficulty turning would be because you are turning that much more blade than if you had a lesser radius. It works the same with a car. A small sports car can turn on a dime but a stretch limo takes a huge space to turn. Same principle.

Yeah I understand, but do you think with a 13 feet per example I could turn on a dime as much as with a 9 when I will be use to the 13 feet per example?

BTW, I choose 11 feet and I'll see, I might go back to 10 or 9 or move up if I like it.

[Gongshow11 1]

kovy heres my experience

i started at 9, could do sharp turns on a dime but spped wa salcking.w ent to an 11, much better but as i grew, i wanted even more glide, so i went with a 13. i tried to go back to an 11, it was so bad compared to the 13 i got it changed back the next day. this is def a pp issue. seymour at maison du sport did everything i skate on. my turning right now is pretty quick, but nothing like a 9, but i am very please with the improved spped of the 13. i suggest and 11. liek is aid before, seymour can answer all these questions

[#94 3]

I used to be on a 7' neutral radius with a 5/8" hollow. Speed was slower than I was used to, but turning was incredible...

I switched a few months ago to a 9' forward pitched radius with a 5/8" hollow and I'm not switching to anything else anytime soon, I love it.

[jimmy 194]

At what age shold a child's skates be profiiled, if at all? If they should what radius should you use? will it help there skating skills at such a youg age (9)?

Contrary to the myth that youth skates do not need to be profiled or radiused, just the opposite is true. I recommend all youths learn to skate with a properly radius and pitched skate. No sense developing bad habits/body stance when you are young, it will haunt you later in life. Youths learn easy, bad habits as well. I can't even count the number of testimonials from parents who noticed drastic improvements after a PROPER radius/pitch was put on their child's skates.

I won't even go into proper matching of left/right radius's.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I used to be on a 7' neutral radius with a 5/8" hollow. Speed was slower than I was used to, but turning was incredible...

I switched a few months ago to a 9' forward pitched radius with a 5/8" hollow and I'm not switching to anything else anytime soon, I love it.

I tried an 11 today and felt I was skating faster, but it seems like my turning and my first steps were suffering. I'll be back to 9 tomorrow but I'll try to go to 10 and 11 during the year.

Edited October 20, 2005 by Kovy_Ribs_Fedo

[chippa13 1844]

At what age shold a child's skates be profiiled, if at all?  If they should what radius should you use?  will it help there skating skills at such a youg age (9)?

Contrary to the myth that youth skates do not need to be profiled or radiused, just the opposite is true. I recommend all youths learn to skate with a properly radius and pitched skate. No sense developing bad habits/body stance when you are young, it will haunt you later in life. Youths learn easy, bad habits as well. I can't even count the number of testimonials from parents who noticed drastic improvements after a PROPER radius/pitch was put on their child's skates.

I won't even go into proper matching of left/right radius's.

The thing is, until you've seen how a kid skates on non-profiled skates, you can't know what the proper profile will be. It would be foolish for parents to be profiling and reprofiling their 7 years olds skates trying to find the right combination. It's better to leave the skates unprofiled until tendencies can be identified.