From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: More novice(?) inline skate-questions
Date: 9 Apr 92 13:49:14 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Distribution: rec
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Apr8.224908.11592@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> nqiy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
>Hi again--
>
>    1) Maintenance: The rollerblade guide is pretty sketchy about this. They
>say they sell replacement wheels and bearings, but when can you tell a
>replacement is needed, short of skating along, feeling a jolt, and watching a
>stray wheel bound past you as you do a wonderful crash-and-burn on the asphalt?
>A more minor question: Is WD-40 ok on the bearings, or am I better off just
>leaving it alone?

Wheel Replacement usually implies that the the wheel has worn so much that you
feel it has too wide of a "flat" on the bottom or the diameter has become too
small.  Bearings can last a long time if you keep them clean and lubricated,
replace only when they don't spin nicely or you decide you want to upgrade to
a better quality level.

The bearings come lubricated with light grease, which provides lubrication for
a long time and needs only occasional maintenance.  You can switch to oil and
gain a tiny bit more free roll, but then you have to keep them oiled!  If you
want to go this way, the best thing is a little hypodermic style oiler which
has a long needle and lets you put one little drop right where you want it.

Avoid WD40 - it's mostly solvent, which evaporates leaving some oil and a
sticky "protective" film, which is a dirt magnet.  Dust and grit are the
mortal enemies of quality bearings.

>    2) Safety pads: I'm curious, how many people here actually don the
>knee-elbow-wrist protection when they're skating? Weather here has finally made
>a turn for the better and I've seen several skaters; none of them were wearing
>protection. I wear all the gear except for a helmet, and I feel like a schmuck.
>I'm still going to wear the stuff even if I do feel like an idiot--is that why
>people skate "naked"--because they don't want to look wimpy?

It's basically a risk issue.  Beginning skaters take great advantage from the
whole works, since they are less secure and will fall from time to time.
Wearing full gear makes this relatively harmless and gives a sense of security
that makes learning easier.

A more experienced skater does not expect to fall, except "by accident", so it's
basically a question of how likely the gear is to avoid a skinned hand, smashed
knee or elbow somewhere along the line vs. the dork factor.  You're the only
one who can really answer this.

Even the the most experience skater should carefully consider gloves and a
helmet - the gloves are low geek and let you use your hands, the helmet, while
high geek, takes care of the fact that head injuries are of a different order
than limping around for a while or waiting for road rash to heal.

It's basically an attitude issue - you can elect to look cool, or you can elect
to look technical.  The technical has the advantage that your forebrain doesn't
get trained to mutter "can't fall" "can't fall" when you're trying to skate.
Nobody thinks that goalies or football players look like geeks despite the
serious protective gear they are wearing!

>    3) Mystery squeaks have started showing up every time I push off. I know
>its coming from the pivot area--where the upper cuff rubs against the heel part
>of the outer boot. Is that part of the break-in and the squeaks will disappear,
>or is this another WD-40 case(yes, I'm addicted to the stuff)?

Lose the WD40 dude - for plastic-on-plastic squeeks, the best bet is either
wax or silicone oil.  Depending on what you have handy, I'd try either some
"teflon" slip spray, "silicone" spray, or plain paraffin wax if you can work
it into the squeeky spot.

>    4) Last question is to all alpine skier cross trainers: After only about
>four hours of heavy use, I've noticed more wear on the heel-wheel than any of
>the other three. When you skate down hill and mimic skier turns regularly, do
>people notice the same kind of wear, or should you expect all four wheels to
>wear down the same way before you rotate them?

This is part of why you rotate - to make sure that you are spreading the wear
across all wheels and to avoid the asymetrical bevel on the flat of the wheel.
Don't get excited about the initial rate of wear, it is proportional to the
width of the contact area and will slow down as a flat develops.  You should
rotate your wheels (and dust off the bearings) weekly to monthly depending if
you are skating everyday or now and then.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing:   domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
Commodore, Engineering Department     phone:  215-431-9349 (only by moonlite)
Newsgroups: rec.skate