Is 4mm a big difference?

[raygunpk 0]

After playing ice for about 3 seasons straight with no roller at all, I went to sub for my friends roller team.

My ice skates have been pitched forward (not sure how much), and going back to roller I felt a lot on my heels. I couldn't even really skate forward, it just felt awkward... I kept having to do crossovers left and right to go forward which felt weird as well, it was just a crappy game overall.

(I also rolled my ankles many times trying to stop, but that's a different story haha.)

Anyways, I have Vanguards 76-76-80-80 setup, and I was wondering if I put some 72s in there would it help me feel like ice? Or would I have to get 68's?

[Brokensticks 0]

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that if you switch the front two wheels to 72's from 76's, the second wheel would not have contact with the floor. The better solution would be heel lifts but then you'd have to have the chassis re-riveted. If you have enough volume, I suppose a quicker and easier fix would be to slip a shim under your footbed, but that isn't the ideal solution either.

[thugnation00 0]

72 will definitely not work.

I had the same problem as far as feeling back on my heels on the Vanguard chassis so I added about a 1/8th of an inch lift to the heel. It's still not where I want it but it's way better than before.

Keep in mind though that my problem had nothing to do with coming from ice but from coming from the old Mission Hi-Lo Chassis (72-72-80-80) which were pitch a bit more forward than the vanguards.

[fatwabbit 93]

Like the rest have said, the 72s wont work.

The Vanguards have a more neutral pitch compared to the Missions... you can try the heel lift, check out s4gobabygo's thread on the custom heel lifts, and you can remount using the tnuts and bolts.

Or you could get some stock Easton footbeds (Shockdoctors?) I had a pair and they have an inbuilt 5mm lift I think.

[freestyla 0]

After playing ice for about 3 seasons straight with no roller at all, I went to sub for my friends roller team.

My ice skates have been pitched forward (not sure how much), and going back to roller I felt a lot on my heels. I couldn't even really skate forward, it just felt awkward... I kept having to do crossovers left and right to go forward which felt weird as well, it was just a crappy game overall.

(I also rolled my ankles many times trying to stop, but that's a different story haha.)

Anyways, I have Vanguards 76-76-80-80 setup, and I was wondering if I put some 72s in there would it help me feel like ice? Or would I have to get 68's?

I felt the exact same way. I haven't done roller in a long time and when I first got on my inlines (RBK 5K) I fell backwards a couple of times. Managed to get used to it pretty quick though luckily. Although I still have some habits from ice I've done that have led to me falling.

[Officer Dangle 0]

Heel lifts!

They'll probably cost $25 at any decent hockey shop. They make take a day to do, but they make a world of difference. I have heel lifts on my Vanguards to match the pitch of Tuuk LS2's.

[raygunpk 0]

So if I put 72s in there, the second-front wheel wouldn't spin...but I would still be 4mm lower regardless right?

[fatwabbit 93]

check out this thread...

Alex (S4gobabygo) did some heel lifts on his own...

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...c=45368&hl=

[raygunpk 0]

Thanks. I don't have any tools at home to use, so I'd probably take it to the shop if I had to do anything.

Just wondering why 72s wouldn't work...can't picture which wheels would and wouldn't be touching the floor. I don't plan to play much so I'm looking for a quick fix more than anything. Would one wheel not spinning make a huge difference?

[Bender 0]

Thanks. I don't have any tools at home to use, so I'd probably take it to the shop if I had to do anything.

Just wondering why 72s wouldn't work...can't picture which wheels would and wouldn't be touching the floor. I don't plan to play much so I'm looking for a quick fix more than anything. Would one wheel not spinning make a huge difference?

Since your loosing 2mm from the radius of the front wheels, when you lean forward only the 1st and 3rd (from the front) wheels would be touching the ground, when you lean back you would only have the back 2 wheels touching the ground. Put simply by making the front 2 wheels smaller in the manner you suggest, the skate would hinge around the second back wheel.

[Ray 0]

I did heel lifts on my vangaurds (3mm, then 6mm). I like the pitch, similar to my ice skates, but the balls of my feet must get too much weight on them because my feet go number. They don't do that in my ice skates. I might go back to no lifts and just get used to it.

[Officer Dangle 0]

When less wheels touch the floor, you lose speed/turning ability.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

[ID Rollerpop 4]

Like Bender said changing the front two wheels would create a situation where the skate would in essence hinge around the third wheel. This would significantly change the mechanics of the push of in your skating stride, create a much less stable platform, and also change the forces being applied to both the chasis and the axels. Plus you are likely to wear through that third wheel like it was a marshmallow and would void the chasis warranty. A heel lift either internal or more properly between the chasis and the boot is really the only way to address your problem. Sorry that was not really what you seemed to want to hear but better to get it right from the begining.

[W.Malone 0]

It's pretty common to feel awkward going from ice to roller regardless of your pitch, imo. When I played both it usually took about a period to get used to it. Now I play both (after about a year) and don't notice the difference. I have easton (s15's I think) and tour cobalt 9.9's fwiw.

[fatwabbit 93]

I just got called up to play backup goalie, and dont have the right gear to do so... I've gone to some backup skates on the vanguard, and mounted the only wheels I have available (80-80-72-72) last night.

Placing the skates on the table top, the second wheel doesnt really touch the top, but its less than 1mm off the top of the table. I believe that if you wear the skates though, you might compress the wheels enough to still have all of them on the ground.... having said that though, it does screw up the dynamics of the vanguard and its intent... at the end of the day if you feel comfortable doing it, then no one can tell you different. Its all about personal preference.