Off-Ice Training Using Inline Skates

[SCOMPL 14]

I could use a bit of help from the roller hockey scene! I am looking to purchase some inline skates for off-ice training. I will primarily be a recreational skater on jogging paths, etc. to work on my stride and endurance. However, I will also wear them on my driveway and in the tennis courts to work on my stickhandling. I haven't inline skated in about 18 years and haven't followed the times with the advances in inline skating. My biggest concern is with stopping while on jogging paths around the lakes - I don't want to run over any kids or get seriously injured ;)

Could any of you please recommend some skates for this purpose, and any particular types of wheels and/or bearings?

[romdj 26]

depends on your budget.

But I'd convert an Ice hockey boot with:

Sprung frames

Freeskate wheels 85a (Hyper Concrete + grip are pretty good

Bearings: the better will be more expensive and your leg workout won't be as good.

If you're worried about running over people, a finger bell such as http://skatersbell.com/ is quite useful :)

You don't have to get a hockey boot, any boot will be fine but if you prefer to, because of your habits... this setup would be the way to go.

If not, then:

If you're just cruising around, fitness skates are good but freeskate skates are for me the best choice you can make.

Ideal would be Seba High but FRX and FR1 are great too though a little less reactive.

[Vet88 673]

I did this for about 2 years until I wangled my way into various rinks for year round daily trainings. I ended up buying soft sided inline skates (K2 motos by memory), removed the brake and added the hardest wheels I could find (85a speed wheels made for concrete surfaces). I picked a soft sided boot simply because of the amount of time I spent in them and I wanted to be as comfortable as possible. As you are on outdoor paths etc I'd pick a boot that is capable of using at least an all round 80mm wheel setup (I used 84mm by memory but by the time I changed the wheels they would be down to the hub!).

Many abs blades and green biscuits later, even without a sprung chassis its still one of the best ways to keep up a general level of fitness and improve your puck / hand skills.

[og_one 0]

i too got some inline skates for off-ice training and I have a question about wheels. The skates I have came with wheels marked 62 76 Grip Speed. Running primarily on asphalt they are so grippy it feels alien to me and I can't stop reflexively as I would on ice. At my LHS I saw some 85a wheels, but by touch they seemed a bit rubbery too. So I had maybe a crazy thought: if I tried "aggressive inline" wheels i could get 95a wheels. From brief experience with my nephew's skateboard, I expect this will let me go sideways to stop and transition more like I would on ice. My question is: is there any reason why I wouldn't want to do this?

Thanks.

[Larry54 243]

i too got some inline skates for off-ice training and I have a question about wheels. The skates I have came with wheels marked 62 76 Grip Speed. Running primarily on asphalt they are so grippy it feels alien to me and I can't stop reflexively as I would on ice. At my LHS I saw some 85a wheels, but by touch they seemed a bit rubbery too. So I had maybe a crazy thought: if I tried "aggressive inline" wheels i could get 95a wheels. From brief experience with my nephew's skateboard, I expect this will let me go sideways to stop and transition more like I would on ice. My question is: is there any reason why I wouldn't want to do this?

Thanks.

Wheel grip reacts exactly the opposite to the way a blade does on ice. On ice, the more your skate leans, the more "grip" your blade has on the ice. On rollers, the more you lean, the less grip you have. So don't expect to directly transfer braking technique from one to the other, no matter whether your wheels are grippy or not. You can do a hockey stop on rollers but it's a totally different technique than on ice, and more difficult.

With harder wheels, you will increase the chance of wiping out on hard turns. Finding the right compromise between grip and being able to do a hockey stop becomes a thing of personal preference. And obviously, softer wheels will wear out much faster. If you're not concentrating on roller hockey but only doing it for off-ice training, I wouldn't worry about doing hockey stops on wheels. I would choose a wheel hardness that gives me the best grip while not wearing out too fast.

[og_one 0]

Ah, thanks for the response Larry. The difference more/less grip on edge was lost on me. I didn't get much past 'whoa, this is weird'. But your explaination makes sense and helps out quite a bit.

Thanks.

[SCOMPL 14]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! There's obviously a lot that goes into choosing a setup. It never even occurred to me that even the bearings will have an effect on what I'm trying to get out of inline skates, thanks romdj!

[romdj 26]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! There's obviously a lot that goes into choosing a setup. It never even occurred to me that even the bearings will have an effect on what I'm trying to get out of inline skates, thanks romdj!

my pleasure =) I too learn every day on this forum