78mm Wheels?

[NTOOTS77 0]

notice the new one up chassis carries a 78mm wheel. does ANY hockey retailer sell wheels in this size or is this just a way around missions patent (ie stick an 80 on the back and its a hi lo). or are the wheel manufacturers planning to market these sometime. Having skated on easton bw chassis for years this looks like a positive step for those not weaned on the Hi Lo....you wanna try finding kuzaks in half mil increments!!

[Justin 1933 134]

My guess is it is a way around the patent...that's all...just my own personal opinion (not Mission's official stance)....

[MDE3 0]

Wasn't that because the patent required the wheels all be touching the floor in the split level design? I am sure the breach or non breach of this patent design by Nike, has and will be "noggin'd" by higher paid neurons than mine though......

[mik3 1]

the best part about all this is these other companies are probably paying numerous people quite a chunk of money just to think of ways to get around mission's patent. i.e. 80-76-76-72 on the CCMs

[NTOOTS77 0]

personally i think they should spend less time on setups

[NTOOTS77 0]

what i mean is less time on set ups and more on finding a snap in wheel replacement chassis.....now that would give a competitive advantage to the patent holder

[mik3 1]

what i mean is less time on set ups and more on finding a snap in wheel replacement chassis.....now that would give a competitive advantage to the patent holder

it's already been done, it didn't sell well at all. quickchange doesn't sell well at all either, my PIHA coach tried to push the skates on us.

[NTOOTS77 0]

yeh i understand that but was that because A- they didn't market it well enough or B- the above plus the fact its not the skates your after rather the technology? A good case in point is the t flex (think its called that) blade for ice, everyone thought it looked odd and wouldnt catch on but that seems not to be the case, you cant refute its logic? why not for roller?

[MDE3 0]

For two reasons...all the manufacturers are in the "great diet race"..meaning seeing where they can cut out weight in their skates and these designs have to weigh more, and second because all those sytems require more and different "parts" and so it is much harder for a company to support the stuff...a lost axle, or a bent chassis replacement cannot be found just anywhere.

If you have a spare set of wheels and bearings, how long does it really take to change them out...about 10 minutes as I recall.....why go with a completely different set up, for that little bit of convenience. If you are switching that frequently for different surfaces, you will have to have multiple sets of wheels anyway...and if you have been skating on inlines for any time you probably have multiple sets of bearings lying around anyway.

[mik3 1]

yup, we lost one of our best players due to his quickchange skate messing up. you can't just run to the pro shop and get a replacement.

[NTOOTS77 0]

For two reasons...all the manufacturers are in the "great diet race"..meaning seeing where they can cut out weight in their skates and these designs have to weigh more, and second because all those sytems require more and different "parts" and so it is much harder for a company to support the stuff...a lost axle cannot be found anywhere, or a bent chassis strut replacement found in any LHS....

Guess i wont be throwing out the allen keys just yet then...... :)

[LetsGoWings13 0]

oh no i just looked at my lhs and they do not have 78's in anything. I have 20-70 too.

[Justin 1933 134]

I am sure a 80 mm wheel will fit...;)

[mik3 1]

I am sure a 80 mm wheel will fit...;)

but but but.....the 78mm is an INNOVATION! why would you change that

[MDE3 0]

Appologies to all the LHS owners on here sitting looking at their boxes of "Quickchange" skates, piled right beside their dusty boxes of V-Forms......

Actually in fairness to the Quickchange guys, I think the skate sales in Canada did better, where people were more prone to be skating on multiple different types of surfaces, than here in the US.

[mik3 1]

Appologies to all the LHS owners on here sitting looking at their boxes of "Quickchange" skates, piled right beside their dusty boxes of V-Forms......

Actually in fairness to the Quickchange guys, I think the skate sales in Canada did better, where people were more prone to be skating on multiple different types of surfaces, than here in the US.

go look in the pro shop at extremes, I'm sure they still have a ton of pairs that stio tried to get people to buy.

[MDE3 0]

oh no i just looked at my lhs and they do not have 78's in anything. I have 20-70 too.

Well I would just park the Nikes for now if you cannot find a 78 mm.....

[NTOOTS77 0]

I am sure a 80 mm wheel will fit...;)

another way of saying 'should of bought a pair of missions' dare i say'.... :D

[NTOOTS77 0]

Appologies to all the LHS owners on here sitting looking at their boxes of "Quickchange" skates, piled right beside their dusty boxes of V-Forms......

.......and gear roller daddys..........calafornia pros.....should we go on?.... :D

[MDE3 0]

Appologies to all the LHS owners on here sitting looking at their boxes of "Quickchange" skates, piled right beside their dusty boxes of V-Forms......

Actually in fairness to the Quickchange guys, I think the skate sales in Canada did better, where people were more prone to be skating on multiple different types of surfaces, than here in the US.

go look in the pro shop at extremes, I'm sure they still have a ton of pairs that stio tried to get people to buy.

I think you might have hit the nail on the head as why neither Stio nor the "Quickchange" skates are visible around Extremes anymore....When I was in there yesterday I did not see any.....They apparently did take their inventory back...unlike V-Form..after V-Form had promised to if the skates did not sell.

Then when Nexed came out with the newer stuff...they wondered why they could only get consignment orders.....

[NTOOTS77 0]

this discussion has led me to think that there may be too many brands in the market place. With the recent entry of reebok are we about to see a polarisation of manufacturers and brand names...........could spell trouble for a lot of smaller players?

[MDE3 0]

Well CCM and Bauer have been trying to crack the inline market for a long time...but I think they are still well behind Mission and Tour, although Nike put some serious marketing effort out in the last year and has seen some inroads for sure....We all talk about the high end stuff here, but it is the entry to mid level skates that should make up the greatest volume. Whoever supplies the user friendliest, most comfortable and best marketed lower end skates will likely see the most future business in the high end stuff....I think we should have more reviews about these skates too...but nobody will admit to knowing anything about them on here..... :P

[mik3 1]

when I worked in a shop I tried to know about everything I sold, so I'd sit and tinker around with the entry-mid level stuff, if the display fit me I'd go mess around in them for a little bit. but it's tough when you're not around the stuff to really know what's selling at that level. though I see companies like mission and tour incorporating a lot of the parts of the top-end stuff into their mid and lower level skates.

[NTOOTS77 0]

We all talk about the high end stuff here, but it is the entry to mid level skates that should make up the greatest volume. Whoever supplies the user friendliest, most comfortable and best marketed lower end skates will likely see the most future business in the high end stuff....I think we should have more reviews about these skates too...but nobody will admit to knowing anything about them on here..... :P

i think you are so right MDE......i tend to think we are spoiled in the western world in every facet of consumer goods.........i wonder how bothered about having elite equipment your average roller player is...'kid in a sweetie factory' springs to mind. remember going to watch a touring moscow dynamo hockey team some years ago....they turned out in the biggest assortment of rag bag skates and gear youve ever seen and then proceeded to blow the opposing decked out pro team away!

i seem to recall unbeleivable passing and fluid skating having something to do with it

[Jim A 4]

Well CCM and Bauer have been trying to crack the inline market for a long time...but I think they are still well behind Mission and Tour, although Nike put some serious marketing effort out in the last year and has seen some inroads for sure....

funny thing is before Mission really took hold..CCM was the dominant skate on the market with the 755 boot and H400 SureGrip frame,etc..

I think part of the issue is Mission started as a roller company..in the area where modern day roller was born..by getting in on the sport early..they also gained a foothold on the consumer..and the sales/growth of th sport was a much bigger issue to them and Tour than others...whereas companies such as BNH and CCM etc..how much in all actuality does roller factor into their bottom line..i'd say 3-6% total...but its needed to keep their brand message and consumer loyalty alive..

as for V-Form, well there's not enough bandwidth on the internet to properly convey my feelings....