Vertical Rollerskating

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Message 207 (20. Apr. 2002 04:33) (Tree)

Dave Roen
Photos of Skates
: Welcome Back, Dave!
:
: The skates look great. Funny, I still have a pair of those Tracker aluminum baseplates, you did a good job, they look just like them. What did you use for grind bars? Have you taken them out for a test run, yet? I'm getting ready to set up another pair for myself as well. I'm cutting the toes off of old plastic inline boots to put over the toes of my Riedell boots, to prevent wearing through and to protect my toes when knee sliding. I almost broke my big toe once.
: Did you add any additional heel to your boots? I know they come pretty flat-footed. Roll on, roll strong!
:
: Bring it on back!
:
: --- irene, NYC

Hey Irene -

Good questions - let me address them one at a time.

You have a pair of tracker baseplates?? If you ever wanted to sell them - I'd love to take them off your hands. I know your feet are smaller than mine but I would actually be using them for the toe stop assembly and for design purposes.

For the grind bars I used box tubing cut to fit in between the trucks. The box tubing is exactly what it sounds like - it's a hollow square tube, so it is light. I have them bolted onto the base plate.

After 14 years of not skating - I must admit that I am a bit rusty. What once felt like an extension of my own feet now feels a bit foreign. I've been getting my strength back steadily riding on the beach bike path near my home in Hermosa Beach. I have also skated a pool in Huntington Beach, CA and a private street skate park in Canoga Park, CA. But I have yet to ride a nice big ramp - that's my true home. I'll let you know how it goes and hopefully I will have a photo of it.

I really like your idea of cutting off the plastic front of a roller blade boot to protect the front of your skate!! I was pondering some design ideas for that and thought about taking apart a metal toe boot/shoe and attaching it to the base plate - but plastic sounds nicer.... hmmm... You've got me thinking. If you don't mind, I may borrow your idea.

And as far as the heel of my boots - no I didn't modify them in any way. I guess I've just always been used to the height of the heel on Riedell boots. Do you find it more comfortable to have a higher heel??

Thanks!

Dave
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Replies

Dave Roen: Photos of Skates (19. Apr. 2002 07:08)
 Here are my new roller skates that I have labored many years to piece together. For 14 years I did not skate - partially because I just couldn't build the skates that I wanted.

Glad to be back.

Dave
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RollerSkater Dave: Photos of Skates (19. Apr. 2002 16:20)
 : Here are my new roller skates that I have labored many years to piece together. For 14 years I did not skate - partially because I just couldn't build the skates that I wanted.
:
: Glad to be back.
:
: Dave

Any chance you could post the plans for those skates, Dave.
I do mostly street skating (hoping to try out ramp skating this year) but I'd like to build myself a heavy duty set of skates that will handle my 250 pound frame. (Nope, I'm not fat. 25 years of lifting weights made me this big.)

RollerSkater Dave - Canada
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irene: Photos of Skates (20. Apr. 2002 02:23)
 Welcome Back, Dave!

The skates look great. Funny, I still have a pair of those Tracker aluminum baseplates, you did a good job, they look just like them. What did you use for grind bars? Have you taken them out for a test run, yet? I'm getting ready to set up another pair for myself as well. I'm cutting the toes off of old plastic inline boots to put over the toes of my Riedell boots, to prevent wearing through and to protect my toes when knee sliding. I almost broke my big toe once.
Did you add any additional heel to your boots? I know they come pretty flat-footed. Roll on, roll strong!

Bring it on back!

--- irene, NYC
  Write reply
Dave Roen: Photos of Skates (20. Apr. 2002 04:33)
 : Welcome Back, Dave!
:
: The skates look great. Funny, I still have a pair of those Tracker aluminum baseplates, you did a good job, they look just like them. What did you use for grind bars? Have you taken them out for a test run, yet? I'm getting ready to set up another pair for myself as well. I'm cutting the toes off of old plastic inline boots to put over the toes of my Riedell boots, to prevent wearing through and to protect my toes when knee sliding. I almost broke my big toe once.
: Did you add any additional heel to your boots? I know they come pretty flat-footed. Roll on, roll strong!
:
: Bring it on back!
:
: --- irene, NYC

Hey Irene -

Good questions - let me address them one at a time.

You have a pair of tracker baseplates?? If you ever wanted to sell them - I'd love to take them off your hands. I know your feet are smaller than mine but I would actually be using them for the toe stop assembly and for design purposes.

For the grind bars I used box tubing cut to fit in between the trucks. The box tubing is exactly what it sounds like - it's a hollow square tube, so it is light. I have them bolted onto the base plate.

After 14 years of not skating - I must admit that I am a bit rusty. What once felt like an extension of my own feet now feels a bit foreign. I've been getting my strength back steadily riding on the beach bike path near my home in Hermosa Beach. I have also skated a pool in Huntington Beach, CA and a private street skate park in Canoga Park, CA. But I have yet to ride a nice big ramp - that's my true home. I'll let you know how it goes and hopefully I will have a photo of it.

I really like your idea of cutting off the plastic front of a roller blade boot to protect the front of your skate!! I was pondering some design ideas for that and thought about taking apart a metal toe boot/shoe and attaching it to the base plate - but plastic sounds nicer.... hmmm... You've got me thinking. If you don't mind, I may borrow your idea.

And as far as the heel of my boots - no I didn't modify them in any way. I guess I've just always been used to the height of the heel on Riedell boots. Do you find it more comfortable to have a higher heel??

Thanks!

Dave
  Write reply
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