From: aboulang@bbn.com (Albert Boulanger)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: alternative brakes [Re: Rollerblading]
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:02:06
Organization: BBN, Cambridge MA
	<ABOULANG.92Mar27120038@pilsner.bbn.com>
	<1992Mar27.191732.8802@u.washington.edu>
	<ABOULANG.92Mar27145150@pilsner.bbn.com>
	<ROSEN.92Apr16025440@radar.bu.edu>
	<ABOULANG.92Apr16104826@pilsner.bbn.com>
	<1992Apr16.184338.14487@netwise.com>
Reply-To: aboulanger@bbn.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: kariba.bbn.com
In-reply-to: pae@netwise.com's message of 16 Apr 92 18:43:38 GMT

In article <1992Apr16.184338.14487@netwise.com> pae@netwise.com (Phil Earnhardt) writes:


   On the roads, we have similar problems with the 100-year "fad" of automobiles.
   One particular class of abusers of this fad, drunk drivers, are dealt with by
   fines, increases in insurance premiums, removal of their driver's licenses,
   and spending time in jail. Most importantly, a tone is getting set in our
   society that drunk driving will not be tolerated. This message of education
   has come forth from virtually nothing over the past 15 years.

   A similar program of education and possible penalties for out-of-control
   skaters should be instituted.

I think (personally) that it will take a combination of equipment evolution
and education.

   >There were 2-wheeled inlines that had front brakes. I posted a message
   >several weeks ago about them.

   When you made those postings, objections to your claims were voiced.

Which posting :-)?  The Biskate posting had no feedback as I recall.

   >One thing I have noticed on them is that the leading wheel was not as up
   >front as the current generation.  What if one were to offset the wheels back
   >(or loose the front wheel) to gain space for a front brake? (I would also not
   >loose the back brake.)

   I see no advantage to a skate's having both a front and a rear brake
   simultaneously (whether or not the rear brake is loose :-). Too much clearance
   is consumed by having both brakes there; only a person adept at both braking
   styles could possibly benefit from having both brakes on the skate.

The advantage I claim is mostly for beginners.

   The current wheelbase of 4-wheel skates provides stability. Moving the front
   wheel further back would decrease the skate's fore/aft stability.

Are you positive about this? Any theory or experiment to support this?
(The Biskates is a empirical design datapoint.)

   >How effective you use the front brakes in quad skating is a function of
   >experience (just like inlines) and preference. You might want to talk to
   >several good outdoor quad skaters who do radical terrain on this issue. I
   >have noticed that there is a period for some beginning indoor skaters where
   >they use their front brakes to stop by hopping or turning backwards first.

   My understanding is that toe stops only work well when going backwards. Is
   that what you're saying?

It is used in a "put one foot behind and drag on toe-stop" stop for
beginners.  I don't remember ever doing this "pop backwards and stop
movement" myself when I had toe-stops. (I use dance plugs now.)

   There is a certain amount of skill to decelerate with in-lines, using a rear
   brake, while going 25 mph. There's a certain amount of skill to decelerate
   with quads, turning backwards and using a toe stop, while going 25 mph.

I am not sure this would be the most effective way of stopping with
quad radical skating. Are there any "radical" quad skaters out there
that can enumerate some effective quad stops for radical terrain for
us? I will check out my books on this style of skating on quads and
post when I get some time. 


   I claim the skill to do the turn then decelerate while going backwards on
   quads is much higher.

Yes. Hence:

   >It really is non-economical-of-movement way to stop.

Regards,
Albert Boulanger
aboulanger@bbn.com