Gear recommendations?

I'm a competitive cyclist currently living in Texas, but I've lived in
Iowa and Canada, so I've had some experience with the xc skiing skate
technique. I was shocked to see a guy out with roller skis yesterday
while I was driving home! I thought I could get into that, so, after a
few hours of investigation, I'm most interested in a V2 Aero Skate
Package for $549 offered by www.nordicskater.com/rolpkg.html . I think
I'd get the V2 Aero 125SR skis with speed reducers, but pay their $30
surcharge to get Salomon Pilot bindings and Hartjes Pilot Pro boots.
Poles are also included in the package.

I have very little expectation of skiing again on snow any time soon,
so I'm not too, too worried about "actual feel", etc. (I read somewhere
that the smaller, solid wheels are supposed to give a more comparable
feel to snow than the pneumatic tires).
I don't think I'll be on dirt roads/trails, but I like the bigger,
offroad-type wheels on this model so that I won't have to worry so much
about cracks, pebbles, etc. in the road.

Is this brand/model, price okay for what I'm doing?

As a total newbie to the roller ski market, I would welcome feedback
from anyone who has time to give it! Thanks!

I'm in a similar same boat with you, only no snow experience. Just some
rollerski-like experience now on Crosskates(.com)

From my research, the 150's seem the best snow simulator money can buy. I'd
buy a similar package in an instant, with the required funds. Also the brake
option, reports say it works.
The 150's seem to work better for athletes over 165lb or so. As a
competitive cyclist, perhaps the way to go even if you are lighter. If you
ever want more speed, 145mm PU wheels are out there (for kick scooters), and
the frames are pre-drilled for 125mm wheels too. You could get 125mm V2
wheels, or one of verious kinds of 125mm wheels on the market. I've also
seen cheap tubeless 150mm wheels already, there's quite a bit of variety if
you know where to look.

I can't afford V2 150's right now, looking to have something made really
similar, with slight modifications.

Good luck,

J



"Jeff C" schreef in bericht
ups.com...
I'm a competitive cyclist currently living in Texas, but I've lived in
Iowa and Canada, so I've had some experience with the xc skiing skate
technique. I was shocked to see a guy out with roller skis yesterday
while I was driving home! I thought I could get into that, so, after a
few hours of investigation, I'm most interested in a V2 Aero Skate
Package for $549 offered by www.nordicskater.com/rolpkg.html . I think
I'd get the V2 Aero 125SR skis with speed reducers, but pay their $30
surcharge to get Salomon Pilot bindings and Hartjes Pilot Pro boots.
Poles are also included in the package.

I have very little expectation of skiing again on snow any time soon,
so I'm not too, too worried about "actual feel", etc. (I read somewhere
that the smaller, solid wheels are supposed to give a more comparable
feel to snow than the pneumatic tires).
I don't think I'll be on dirt roads/trails, but I like the bigger,
offroad-type wheels on this model so that I won't have to worry so much
about cracks, pebbles, etc. in the road.

Is this brand/model, price okay for what I'm doing?

As a total newbie to the roller ski market, I would welcome feedback
from anyone who has time to give it! Thanks!

You should do a search on this newsgroup for the V2 150. I think
they've had a number of bad reviews because of problems with the
wheels.

My recommendation would be the Marwe 610
(http://store.finnsisu.com/790001.html) or the Elpex F1
(http://store.yahoo.com/gear-west/f1skate.html). Pro ski probably has a
similar model. I've skied for years on the Marwe, and I think the Elpex
is similar. Again you can do a search on this newgroup as Tegeder has
done a review of rollerskis. The shaft of the Marwe is very similar to
a ski, so it absorbs some road vibration, but the wheels wear like
iron. Again V2 had a bad rep with regard to wheel wear. One problem
with the above two models is that the rollerski is kind of "tippy" due
to the narrow wheels. If you're pretty new, that might be a problem. If
you've spent some time on snow, you'll get used to it after a few
outings. If you get a wide wheel, it makes the handling kind of odd and
usually the wheel wear is high.

I have no assoc. to Marwe, Elpex, Finn Sisu, or Gear West.

Jay Wenner

On 13 Apr 2006 11:10:46 -0700, "Jeff C"
wrote:

I'm a competitive cyclist currently living in Texas, but I've lived in
Iowa and Canada, so I've had some experience with the xc skiing skate
technique. I was shocked to see a guy out with roller skis yesterday
while I was driving home! I thought I could get into that, so, after a
few hours of investigation, I'm most interested in a V2 Aero Skate
Package for $549 offered by www.nordicskater.com/rolpkg.html . I think
I'd get the V2 Aero 125SR skis with speed reducers, but pay their $30
surcharge to get Salomon Pilot bindings and Hartjes Pilot Pro boots.
Poles are also included in the package.

I have very little expectation of skiing again on snow any time soon,
so I'm not too, too worried about "actual feel", etc. (I read somewhere
that the smaller, solid wheels are supposed to give a more comparable
feel to snow than the pneumatic tires).
I don't think I'll be on dirt roads/trails, but I like the bigger,
offroad-type wheels on this model so that I won't have to worry so much
about cracks, pebbles, etc. in the road.

If you're not looking to mimic snow, and improve your technique, I
think you should get inline skates. Way more fun.

JFT

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Personally, for that kind of price, pay a few bucks more - maybe - and
order Marwe 610s from FinnSisu. I had a pair of V2 125SRs, and unless
you are 150lb, you are almost assured of problems with tires and
blowouts. Plus, carrying spare wheels (required) on a 30K ski gets old.
Stick to well designed, solid wheel skis - Marwe or one of the other
well-recommended brands. You'll not regret it.

Marsh
Minnesota


Jeff C wrote:
I'm a competitive cyclist currently living in Texas, but I've lived in
Iowa and Canada, so I've had some experience with the xc skiing skate
technique. I was shocked to see a guy out with roller skis yesterday
while I was driving home! I thought I could get into that, so, after a
few hours of investigation, I'm most interested in a V2 Aero Skate
Package for $549 offered by www.nordicskater.com/rolpkg.html . I think
I'd get the V2 Aero 125SR skis with speed reducers, but pay their $30
surcharge to get Salomon Pilot bindings and Hartjes Pilot Pro boots.
Poles are also included in the package.

I have very little expectation of skiing again on snow any time soon,
so I'm not too, too worried about "actual feel", etc. (I read somewhere
that the smaller, solid wheels are supposed to give a more comparable
feel to snow than the pneumatic tires).
I don't think I'll be on dirt roads/trails, but I like the bigger,
offroad-type wheels on this model so that I won't have to worry so much
about cracks, pebbles, etc. in the road.

Is this brand/model, price okay for what I'm doing?

As a total newbie to the roller ski market, I would welcome feedback
from anyone who has time to give it! Thanks!

Dear Jay:

Of the many problems Jenex has had, tire and wheel problems with the
Aero 150s is not one of them. I've worn several ssts of tires down to
the cords with no failures, unless you consider running over glass a
failure. They last a good, long, time, too, even on some of our rough
chip seal. The Aero 125sand SR 100s , however are a different story. .
..

I loved the Marwe 610's I ried, but I don't think they'd work well on
my aforementioned chip-seal, and I would miss V2's speed reducers and
brake.

I, too have no association to Jenex, Marwe, etc.

Randy

Agreed -- the RSN-posted concerns about wheel wear relate to the V2
Jenex SR 100 and Aero 125 rollerskis. I've had excellent wheel/tire
durability with the Aero 150. Plus, the pneumatic wheels roll over
sand, chip seal, pebbles, twigs, and debris that bring hard-wheel
rollerskis to a painful halt. With the calf-activated brake and the
roll-over-anything but nails, tacks, and broken glass wheels, I can
rollerski on rough, hilly roads. Just keep the Aero 150 tires pumped up
for each outing.


wrote:
Dear Jay:

Of the many problems Jenex has had, tire and wheel problems with the
Aero 150s is not one of them. I've worn several ssts of tires down to
the cords with no failures, unless you consider running over glass a
failure. They last a good, long, time, too, even on some of our rough
chip seal. The Aero 125sand SR 100s , however are a different story. .
.

I loved the Marwe 610's I ried, but I don't think they'd work well on
my aforementioned chip-seal, and I would miss V2's speed reducers and
brake.

I, too have no association to Jenex, Marwe, etc.

Randy

One more vote for Marwe, and I would add that both the skate and combi
are enjoyable, the skate being faster (narrower and larger wheel) and
requiring better balance. The combi gives you the option of skate or
classic roller skiing.
I tried Elpex about 7-8 years ago and found them less stable than
Marwe. Maybe they have changed since then - you might want to ask Jay
Wenner since he seems to have positive feelings about them as well as
the Marwe.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
Russ

i agree. more fun, less money, chicks dig guys who don't need poles...
:-)

Aeros 150s are great and reliable rollerskis. They are nice for bad
pavement and for going down steep hills (speed reducers work nicer on
the tubular tires than on solid polyuerthane). But perhaps bad pavement
and steep hills are rare in Texas.
And yes, wheels on the 125s go flat very easilty. But again, as a
competitive cyclist you may not have that extra weight that causes
problems with flat tires on 125s.