Roller Ski Question

I am a real rank beginner nordic skiier, but I am absolutely and totally =
in love with this sport. I really love the exercise, and the snow is all =
but gone here, so I'm thinking about roller skis since I read about them =
here.

Really, how hard it is to adapt to roller skis? They look pretty narrow. =
How hard is it to balance on them? Is it harder than skis (which I think =
are pretty easy in terms of balance at least)? How easy is it to stop =
when using them? I'd be using them on the streets in the subdivision =
where I live (or maybe the sidewalks). If I had to stop fast, could I? =
Are they easier to stay up on than skis? (because I'd hate to fall down =
on the concrete as many times as I have fallen on icy trails). I've done =
some reading on different types, and I am getting more confused than =
anything,

I apologize for the simple-mindedness of these questions -- if they =
strike you that way. I am trying to decide if they are worth the expense =
and to make sure that I get the right equipment if I decide to go for =
it. I have a nordic ski machine, but that is so boring. I want to be =
outside getting exercise if possible. Thanks in advance,

June

Rollerskis are fun, too. Despite of what you think snow skis
are much harder to balance properly than rollerskis. Snow is very
forgiving and when your ski is not "flat" you'll slow down but still slide.
On rollerskis you HAVE to keep balance and that is easier to learn.

Very good that you are getting confused - you should!
Rollerski market is an interesting one. There is so much crap, it
is mind boggling. Stay away from anything less than 100mm wheel.
Stay away from pneumatic wheels - don't get me wrong - concept
is good, but there are flats, worn (and expensive) wheels and such.

Stay away from racing rollerskis - they are too fast and, in my
opinion, just a little too short.

A lot of how rollerski feels is in the wheels, the beam itself is
not that important, but I would choose aluminum for lightness, durability
and price.

4-wheel (80mm) rollerskiis might be OK for training as long as wheels are
not too fast (inline wheels almost always are).

Having fenders is very important - your nice ski boots will turn
very dirty once you hit the wet road, and, believe me, you will.

Forget about using concrete surface - your poles will not "bite",
choose grainy asphalt instead.

You don't stop reliably on rollerskis - not abrupt, anyway.
Rollerski is go anywhere tool as long as you now where the
hell you are going. Choose downhills with safe roll-outs
before you get confident.

And last, but not the least - to get the feel, try rollerblades
with poles first, but don't stop there - it is not the same!

Some simple 'rules'
Wear protective gear while you learn. Knee pads may save you some
wear&tear. If you inline skate you've probably got them in a closet
somewhere anyway.
Always wear a helmet. Period.
Learn to stop effectively. Learn to run off the trail into the grass.
If you check skinnyski.com, there are a couple of video clips on stopping.

Marwe 610s... - light, simple, fenders, and different speed wheels they
can be 'tuned' to your needs.

Marsh Jones
new brighton, mn

Serge wrote:
Rollerskis are fun, too. Despite of what you think snow skis
are much harder to balance properly than rollerskis. Snow is very
forgiving and when your ski is not "flat" you'll slow down but still slide.
On rollerskis you HAVE to keep balance and that is easier to learn.

Very good that you are getting confused - you should!
Rollerski market is an interesting one. There is so much crap, it
is mind boggling. Stay away from anything less than 100mm wheel.
Stay away from pneumatic wheels - don't get me wrong - concept
is good, but there are flats, worn (and expensive) wheels and such.

Stay away from racing rollerskis - they are too fast and, in my
opinion, just a little too short.

A lot of how rollerski feels is in the wheels, the beam itself is
not that important, but I would choose aluminum for lightness, durability
and price.

4-wheel (80mm) rollerskiis might be OK for training as long as wheels are
not too fast (inline wheels almost always are).

Having fenders is very important - your nice ski boots will turn
very dirty once you hit the wet road, and, believe me, you will.

Forget about using concrete surface - your poles will not "bite",
choose grainy asphalt instead.

You don't stop reliably on rollerskis - not abrupt, anyway.
Rollerski is go anywhere tool as long as you now where the
hell you are going. Choose downhills with safe roll-outs
before you get confident.

And last, but not the least - to get the feel, try rollerblades
with poles first, but don't stop there - it is not the same!

Cool. The Birkie is over, so it's time to start those roller ski threads. Get it on!

Mark (looking at about 3 months more of great skiing)

(Serge) wrote in message . com...
Rollerskis are fun, too. Despite of what you think snow skis
are much harder to balance properly than rollerskis. Snow is very
forgiving and when your ski is not "flat" you'll slow down but still slide.
On rollerskis you HAVE to keep balance and that is easier to learn.

Thanks, Serge, Dave, Marsh and Gene, for the valuable information. I =
will now fess up -- I am 52 years old. I'm thin and fit -- probably =
better shape than any time in my life -- but hell I'm 52 freaking years =
old. When I classic Nordic skied 4 times this past month (I just =
discovered the sport), I must've fallen about 25 times -- particularly =
on one day when the trails were extremely icy. Everytime I fell, I just =
scrambled back up and continued on. I seem to bounce around pretty well =
still -- not brittle or anything s. But, the idea of crashing down on =
asphalt doesn't sound like fun at all. I have been in-line skating for 9 =
years. I'm not good at it -- I mean I wouldn't want to go down any hills =
or anything.(At this point I don't even like to xc ski down big hills =
and so far just stick to the gradual grades.) I just skate around or =
down a biking trail nearby. I only fell once, and that was 9 years ago. =
The thought of crashing all over creation on asphalt is real scary to =
me. Maybe I should just keep jogging, inline skating, walking and =
exercising on my nordic track machine instead of roller skiing. From =
what I'm reading, it sounds like a real crash and bang sort of sport. Am =
I correct?
I always wear knee pads and wrist pads along with a helmet when I am =
inline skating just in case. I'm really torn about this sport. If I =
really did take it up it would be on the streets around a nearby =
subdivision which are asphalt and where there is some, but not much, =
traffic. The terrain is flat there. The other place I would go is an =
asphalt biking trail I would drive to, and there I would have to know =
how to stop as it crosses roads. I'm north of Detroit and just south of =
Port Huron, MI. I called three very well-known and popular ski shops in =
the metro area, and they sounded totally astounded that anyone would be =
inquiring about roller skis. In fact, I really think one place didn't =
even know what I was talking about. Michigan is a great place for =
skiing, but apparently not around THIS part of the state.

I would never buy a pair without at least standing on one first. I can't =
figure out how to accomplish that or where to search for them around =
here. Are they that highly specialized? Is it similar to inline skating =
in the way that it feels? In the way that they stop? (or don't? -- I =
mean rolleblades at least have the rubber brake and it seems that the =
roller skis only have a device that causes resistance to speed). If I =
sound totally ignorant, it's probably because I am. I haven't gone to =
the suggested websites in this thread yet because I just got home from =
work. I will though. I was even cheating at work today and visiting =
sites I found on Google to read about this intriguing sport. Mostly what =
I want is to build up a technique for good classic Nordic skiing, and to =
continue the work-outs I so love getting when I ski in the snow. Funds =
are another thing. I just don't have much right now, as I just bought my =
ski stuff and I'm just a lowly school teacher/musician. I can't really =
go out of state to get lessons in this right now.=20

Thanks again for all the info. I am saving all these posts to refer to =
as necessary.

June


"Serge" wrote in message =
om...
Rollerskis are fun, too. Despite of what you think snow skis=20
are much harder to balance properly than rollerskis. Snow is very=20
forgiving and when your ski is not "flat" you'll slow down but still =
slide.
On rollerskis you HAVE to keep balance and that is easier to learn.

Very good that you are getting confused - you should!
Rollerski market is an interesting one. There is so much crap, it
is mind boggling. Stay away from anything less than 100mm wheel.
Stay away from pneumatic wheels - don't get me wrong - concept=20
is good, but there are flats, worn (and expensive) wheels and such.

Stay away from racing rollerskis - they are too fast and, in my
opinion, just a little too short.

A lot of how rollerski feels is in the wheels, the beam itself is=20
not that important, but I would choose aluminum for lightness, =
durability
and price.

4-wheel (80mm) rollerskiis might be OK for training as long as wheels =
are=20
not too fast (inline wheels almost always are).

Having fenders is very important - your nice ski boots will turn
very dirty once you hit the wet road, and, believe me, you will.

Forget about using concrete surface - your poles will not "bite",
choose grainy asphalt instead.

You don't stop reliably on rollerskis - not abrupt, anyway.
Rollerski is go anywhere tool as long as you now where the=20
hell you are going. Choose downhills with safe roll-outs
before you get confident.

And last, but not the least - to get the feel, try rollerblades
with poles first, but don't stop there - it is not the same!

From: "Diva"

Thanks, Serge, Dave, Marsh and Gene, for the valuable information. I
=
will now fess up -- I am 52 years old.

Diva - I'm a 51yo male, a fairly serious racer, and I don't use
rollerskis. I've used them, and owned a pair and sold them. They ARE
very good for very serious racers, but IMHO, not needed for all
serious skiers. If you want mostly to improve your technique, lessons
are the best option. They are very good for conditioning, but it
sounds like that's not your major problem.



From what I'm reading, it sounds like a real crash and bang sort of
sport.
Am I correct?

I DO train with roller blades and poles, which I feel are safer for an
older guy with limited terrain choices. I suffered a broken thumb
from a crash on a paved bike trail - the metal ferrule in the pole tip
fell out during a strong push, and the pole no longer grabbed - my arm
shot backwards and I went down fast, landing on my thumb, which I'd
put out to 'save myself' - HA!


I'm really intrigued with this new option - the CAT ski - classic ski
on grass and dirt and many other surfaces.

I've inspected these skis and spoken with the inventor, and I'm
impressed, tho I did not get the opportunity to actually try them.
But if I were in the market for a ski imitation device, this is what
I'd buy. Cost is similar to conventional roller skis.

I know that Dale (the inventor), does demo clinics, mostly in
Wisconsin - perhaps you could get to one?

Dale's site
http://www.planetxc.com/

A newspaper article on Dale and his ski:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/7253259.htm

If I =
really did take it up it would be on the streets around a nearby =
subdivision which are asphalt and where there is some, but not much,
=
traffic.
With Cat skis, you'd probably be able to find some grassy park or
trail.

Hope this helps,
Erik Brooks, Seattle

Thanks Erik. I found that website with the CAT skis yesterday. I kind of =
shook it off as nonsense, but perhaps I was overly hasty -- I was =
surfing around looking at roller skis, this came up and I just brushed =
it off. I'm going back there now. Yes, Wisconsin is very close and maybe =
I could actually get there. I'll go check out his site and see. Thanks =
very much for the information. I really appreciate the information =
coming from a contemporary who understands the feelings of not being 20 =
when a fall is just a fall/jump up sort of thing. I realy DO want some =
high intensity exercise options that I will enjoy. Does rollerblading =
with poles give you a better workout? I'm thinking the answer is yes =
since you are engaging your upper body into the action.=20

When you rollerblade with poles, do you use your regular xc poles or do =
you use a special pole? I imagine the ferrule would have to be a =
different construction than the average meant to dig into snow or earth.

Hope your thumb is all better, and thanks again for this helpful post.

June

"Erik Brooks" wrote in message =
news:003601c3fd8e$a937b6d0$6401a8c0@Merlin...
From: "Diva"

Thanks, Serge, Dave, Marsh and Gene, for the valuable information. I
=3D
will now fess up -- I am 52 years old.

Diva - I'm a 51yo male, a fairly serious racer, and I don't use
rollerskis. I've used them, and owned a pair and sold them. They ARE
very good for very serious racers, but IMHO, not needed for all
serious skiers. If you want mostly to improve your technique, lessons
are the best option. They are very good for conditioning, but it
sounds like that's not your major problem.



From what I'm reading, it sounds like a real crash and bang sort of
sport.
Am I correct?

I DO train with roller blades and poles, which I feel are safer for an
older guy with limited terrain choices. I suffered a broken thumb
from a crash on a paved bike trail - the metal ferrule in the pole tip
fell out during a strong push, and the pole no longer grabbed - my arm
shot backwards and I went down fast, landing on my thumb, which I'd
put out to 'save myself' - HA!


I'm really intrigued with this new option - the CAT ski - classic ski
on grass and dirt and many other surfaces.

I've inspected these skis and spoken with the inventor, and I'm
impressed, tho I did not get the opportunity to actually try them.
But if I were in the market for a ski imitation device, this is what
I'd buy. Cost is similar to conventional roller skis.

I know that Dale (the inventor), does demo clinics, mostly in
Wisconsin - perhaps you could get to one?

Dale's site
http://www.planetxc.com/

A newspaper article on Dale and his ski:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/7253259.htm

If I =3D
really did take it up it would be on the streets around a nearby =3D
subdivision which are asphalt and where there is some, but not much,
=3D
traffic.
With Cat skis, you'd probably be able to find some grassy park or
trail.

Hope this helps,
Erik Brooks, Seattle

I tried them last summer in a park for about 15 minutes. They are safer
than anything mobile and will help with classic technique if that's a
problem, but I just don't see the range of workouts with them. They are
heavy. If you have the money, there might be better investments.

Gene

Erik Brooks wrote:

I'm really intrigued with this new option - the CAT ski - classic ski
on grass and dirt and many other surfaces.

I've inspected these skis and spoken with the inventor, and I'm
impressed, tho I did not get the opportunity to actually try them.
But if I were in the market for a ski imitation device, this is what
I'd buy. Cost is similar to conventional roller skis.

I know that Dale (the inventor), does demo clinics, mostly in
Wisconsin - perhaps you could get to one?

Dale's site
http://www.planetxc.com/

A newspaper article on Dale and his ski:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/7253259.htm

If I =
really did take it up it would be on the streets around a nearby =
subdivision which are asphalt and where there is some, but not much,
=
traffic.
With Cat skis, you'd probably be able to find some grassy park or
trail.

Hope this helps,
Erik Brooks, Seattle

Thanks Erik. I found that website with the CAT skis yesterday. I
kind of =
shook it off as nonsense, but perhaps I was overly hasty

Dale's engineering seems much better than his website........
I WOULD like to read testimonials in this newsgroup from actual users
tho...

Does rollerblading with poles give you a better workout?
I'm thinking the answer is yes
since you are engaging your upper body into the action.

It only engages the upper body if you are going uphill or if you have
replaced some of your normal skate wheels with slower ones. Normal
inline skate wheels are intended to minimize friction, and that makes
them too fast for ski simulation. V2 does make slow skate wheels,
called Carbonics. I have them, and they work well and I've never worn
them out, so they work well for me. But it's a really tiny market,
and they only make them in 72MM size, which was the common in-line
wheel size when they made the molds, but it might me hard to find
modern in-line skates with wheels this size. If you order some, make
sure that your other wheels are the same diameter, even if that means
getting some regular 72 MMs also. 2 carbonics per wheel are
recommended, and that works for me.


When you rollerblade with poles, do you use your regular xc poles or
do =
you use a special pole? I imagine the ferrule would have to be a =
different construction than the average meant to dig into snow or
earth.

I use my normal skating poles, with special rollerski ferrules. Any
mail order ski shop carries these ferrules, for $15 to $20. You also
need a tool to sharpen them with, and you need to use it often. I
have a small diamond sharpener, and I carry it with me and stop
midworkout for a sharpness touch-up. When I started, I used aluminum
poles, which are cheap and less likely to break if you fall. Now I
use the same light carbon poles I ski with - the lightness is
addictive! If you go the CAT ski route, and ski on soft surfaces like
grass, just use the poles you have.

Another important point/distinction: You mention that your intial
skiing is in the classic technique. In-line skating with poles
simulates the skating technique only. The CAT ski ( CAT means
Classical All Terrain) simulates classic technique. There are also
conventional roller skis for each technique, as well as some combi
models that attempt to do both. Conventional wisdom for the classical
roller skis suggests that you mostly do double poling and maybe some
kick double pole, and avoid the normal striding motion except for on
the uphills. The terrain that's available near me has few hills, and
that's why I chose to sell the classic roller skis that I had. I
found that double poling on them was not much different than double
poling on my in-line skates, so it seemed like there was little point
to the skis.

Also, I should mention that it's conventional wisdom that in-line
skates are inferior for ski skate simulation, and that it's easy to
pick up bad habits. I think that's true. I was already ski skating
fairly well before I used inlines for training, and I have to think
about proper technique as I skate.

Dale ( the CAT ski guy), insists that using the CAT skis will make you
a better classic skier - there is some feedback from the skis that
rewards good technique and punishes poor technique.

Hope your thumb is all better, and thanks again for this helpful
post.

Thanks, it's better now. That happened 3 or 4 years ago. For a year
or so, it got cold much sooner than other fingers, and it couldn't
take much pressure, so I only did V1 on one side, but otherwise it
gave me little trouble. I mentioned that my fall was due to the metal
ferrule coming loose - I do inspect those very often now, and replace
them frequently.

Another thing I do, like many others, is run with poles. This is
somewhat mimicking the classic technique, and is effective, fun (if
done with a group, anyway), and cheap. I have some cheap poles ( that
are about 10CM shorter than my classical poles), that I dedicate for
this use. When my roller ski pole ferrules look iffy to me, I use
them for my running poles.

June, if there is a group of fit racers in your area, try to get in
touch with them to get the local slant on this. In my area, we have a
loose group that meets once per week in the summer to run with poles,
and it's a highlight of my week. Some run fast, some run slow.
You'd meet some good folks, and learn a bunch. In the Midwest, such
groups should be more common than on the west coast - I expect that
one exists somewhere near you.

Good luck,
Erik

Diva wrote:

OK, the cat's out of the bag, and we now turn you over to that infamous
Michigander Jeff Potter to set you up on a roller ski trial next spring:-)

So for starts, just use your inlines and add poles. They'll roll a
little easier, but the timing isn't that much different. Michigan
*does* have ski shops that know about rollerskiing, and certainly a
pretty decent web site in http://www.nordicskiracer.com that can give
you some great guidance and contacts.

BTW, A number of us who regularly blather on this site are well on the
high side of 45 or so, and mostly manage to rollerski without doing too
much bodily harm. It's just a matter of practice, starting easy, and
building up your comfort level.

Enjoy this great sport!

Marsh
Thanks, Serge, Dave, Marsh and Gene, for the valuable information. I will now fess up -- I am 52 years old. I'm thin and fit -- probably better shape than any time in my life -- but hell I'm 52 freaking years old. When I classic Nordic skied 4 times this past month (I just discovered the sport), I must've fallen about 25 times -- particularly on one day when the trails were extremely icy. Everytime I fell, I just scrambled back up and continued on. I seem to bounce around pretty well still -- not brittle or anything s. But, the idea of crashing down on asphalt doesn't sound like fun at all. I have been in-line skating for 9 years. I'm not good at it -- I mean I wouldn't want to go down any hills or anything.(At this point I don't even like to xc ski down big hills and so far just stick to the gradual grades.) I just skate around or down a biking trail nearby. I only fell once, and that was 9 years ago. The thought of crashing all over creation on asphalt is real scary t
o me. Maybe I should just keep jogging, inline skating, walking and exercising on my nordic track machine instead of roller skiing. From what I'm reading, it sounds like a real crash and bang sort of sport. Am I correct?
I always wear knee pads and wrist pads along with a helmet when I am inline skating just in case. I'm really torn about this sport. If I really did take it up it would be on the streets around a nearby subdivision which are asphalt and where there is some, but not much, traffic. The terrain is flat there. The other place I would go is an asphalt biking trail I would drive to, and there I would have to know how to stop as it crosses roads. I'm north of Detroit and just south of Port Huron, MI. I called three very well-known and popular ski shops in the metro area, and they sounded totally astounded that anyone would be inquiring about roller skis. In fact, I really think one place didn't even know what I was talking about. Michigan is a great place for skiing, but apparently not around THIS part of the state.

I would never buy a pair without at least standing on one first. I can't figure out how to accomplish that or where to search for them around here. Are they that highly specialized? Is it similar to inline skating in the way that it feels? In the way that they stop? (or don't? -- I mean rolleblades at least have the rubber brake and it seems that the roller skis only have a device that causes resistance to speed). If I sound totally ignorant, it's probably because I am. I haven't gone to the suggested websites in this thread yet because I just got home from work. I will though. I was even cheating at work today and visiting sites I found on Google to read about this intriguing sport. Mostly what I want is to build up a technique for good classic Nordic skiing, and to continue the work-outs I so love getting when I ski in the snow. Funds are another thing. I just don't have much right now, as I just bought my ski stuff and I'm just a lowly school teacher/musician. I can't r
eally go out of state to get lessons in this right now.

Thanks again for all the info. I am saving all these posts to refer to as necessary.

June


"Serge" wrote in message om...
Rollerskis are fun, too. Despite of what you think snow skis
are much harder to balance properly than rollerskis. Snow is very
forgiving and when your ski is not "flat" you'll slow down but still slide.
On rollerskis you HAVE to keep balance and that is easier to learn.

Very good that you are getting confused - you should!
Rollerski market is an interesting one. There is so much crap, it
is mind boggling. Stay away from anything less than 100mm wheel.
Stay away from pneumatic wheels - don't get me wrong - concept
is good, but there are flats, worn (and expensive) wheels and such.

Stay away from racing rollerskis - they are too fast and, in my
opinion, just a little too short.

A lot of how rollerski feels is in the wheels, the beam itself is
not that important, but I would choose aluminum for lightness, durability
and price.

4-wheel (80mm) rollerskiis might be OK for training as long as wheels are
not too fast (inline wheels almost always are).

Having fenders is very important - your nice ski boots will turn
very dirty once you hit the wet road, and, believe me, you will.

Forget about using concrete surface - your poles will not "bite",
choose grainy asphalt instead.

You don't stop reliably on rollerskis - not abrupt, anyway.
Rollerski is go anywhere tool as long as you now where the
hell you are going. Choose downhills with safe roll-outs
before you get confident.

And last, but not the least - to get the feel, try rollerblades
with poles first, but don't stop there - it is not the same!