From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: Anybody prefer blading on worn wheels?
Date: 31 Jul 92 07:30:23 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <NIGEL.92Jul30124439@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov> nigel@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov writes:
> In article <33757@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
> 
>    When in-line folks show up at the rink, you often see the same kind of
>    problems as with other beginners or learing skaters.  Walking around the
>    rink, legs spread or not returning to center, rocking from side to side
>    and more obvious with in-lines, loose boots flopping around the ankles.
> 
> Probably because most proficient inliners I know don't venture
> indoors...with miles of bike trials, roads and so forth going in
> circles is somehow less exciting.  Plus there are no hills...
> 
> Most inliners I see indoors are either people who have rented inline
> skates to try them out or people dragged along to skate indoors by
> thier quad friends...more often than not you're not allowed to use
> your own skates and rink skates are...well...rink skates.  I've also
> noticed that my inlines are quite a bit slower indoors than out...
> which probably means that for indoor work I want much harder wheels or
> something.

Exactly.  I meant no invidious comparision, the sample of in-liners at most
indoor skating rinks just isn't representative of the overall in-line
community - not that there aren't lots of beginners and not-yet-skilled
in-line skaters outdoors too.

>    As far as mechanical efficiency, there should be no real problem with
>    the in-lines, but if they are not set up with rockered wheels, any arc
>    involves a dragging component (relative of the individual wheel contact
>    patch not normal to the axle).  This means that in-lines either have to
>    work on the turns or cope with walking straight segments with cross-overs
>    like ice speed skates.
> 
> This doesn't sound right.  When I tilt my skate it turns on it's
> own...when I practice crossovers one of the drills is to not lift the
> crossing foot (well...whatever the outside one is called).  This
> doesn't seem to jibe with "walking straight segments".  Having never
> on ice speed skates I can't tell you what the similarities might or
> might not be.  BTW:  My skates are 4 wheel and not rockered.

I'm not saying that non-rockered skates won't turn, this would contradict
experience and observation, rather that with the non-rockered in-line
arrangement there is some sliding component on some of the wheels that
equates to additional drag.  Take your skate and play with it, then pop
out two wheels and see if it turn more readily as your roll it over onto
the sides (edges) of the wheels.

Obviously, this might seem to lead to the conclusion that 2-wheeled
in-lines should be "faster" than 4 or 5 wheeled versions, at least
indoors.  Since this appears not to be the case, one needs to look at
other factors.  Softer "outdoor" wheels might be a factor, since
deformation from a cylinder is one of main components of rolling 
friction for "rubber" wheels.  Here, the smaller contact patch of the
in-line wheels is going to lead to more deformation (especially over
fewer wheels).  Going to a harder wheel might compensate, but you
might end up with something too slippery for survival.

> Of course I haven't skated since late May so I may have forgotten
> something.  Bummer...missing out on all the sun and I'll have to
> relearn all the skills I started working on in the spring.

Well, do it!  A few moments here and there will minimize the loss of
form and you may just enjoy yourself while you are at it...

-- 
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)