Vertical Rollerskating

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Message 464 (26. Oct. 2002 12:07) (Tree)

Tobi
Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions

Hi Irene,

: I've broken plenty of Variflex plastic pivots landing
: stuff, that's why the metal ACS hangars are perfect, like
: they were made to fit exactly.

Sounds great!

: I also used the "Clouds" cushions. I had a blue and white
: one on each truck.

Do you know the name of the maker/vendor?

: Pivot bushing are hard to find. I recently found Suregrip
: (rollerskate platemaker) ones will fit with a little
: shaving down.

Thanks for the tip :)

English is not my native language, so perhaps you can help me with terminology:

"pivot bushing" == "pivot cup" ?

: All skateboard hardware will work (kingpins and nuts, axle
: nuts, cushions, bearings, etc).

cool

: Post a pic of the new setup when you're done.

sure :)

My plan is to replace the Variflex hangers with the ACS 500 hangers. Later, I'll try to make some kind of grind bar (metal) or slider (plastic), wrap straps, and perhaps insert a thin plate between the sneakers and the plates (eg like this [1]).
It will still look a lot like now:
www.pinkjuice.com/rollerskating/pics/tobi/one_skate.jpg

[1] I don't think I'll ever mount the plates differently than now. The concept of mounting short plates all the way to the front is said to offer greater maneuverability (smaller turning radius), but I think that should be the job of the steering mechanism, eg the angle of the kingpin etc.
I also think that the argument of greater stability forgets backwards skating.
When I land, I want to have the rear axle all the way at the rear side, and the front axle all the way at the front, but also in all other situations. Even Naval himself writes "[...talking about the shoe...] At the end of the day I regret that I didn?t mount them further forward as I lose a bit of power when starting." ("Enfin je regrette de ne pas l?avoir fait monter plus en avant, on perd un peu en puissance de démarrage.")

Tobi


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Replies

RollerSkater Dave: Kingpin bolts (24. Oct. 2002 20:03)
 Any of you ever have problems with your kingpin bolts breaking on you? I had one snap the other night while I was on a fitness skate. Of course I had to be almost a mile from home when it happened and had to skate all the way back on one skate. What fun!

RS Dave
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Bernhard: Kingpin bolts (25. Oct. 2002 11:11)
 : Any of you ever have problems with your kingpin bolts breaking on you? I had one snap the other night while I was on a fitness skate. Of course I had to be almost a mile from home when it happened and had to skate all the way back on one skate. What fun!

I never had a broken kingpin. However, I often heard from skateboarders breaking their kingpins. Once, I broke a pivot on my variflex plastic hangers on my street skater and had 4 km left till home. My knees were torn open and I had a bag with my heavy pipe equipment with me. After about 2 km I realised that I could switch the broken skate for a ramp skate. That wasn't optimal but better than the broken street skate.
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Tobi: Kingpin bolts (25. Oct. 2002 11:23)
 
: Once, I broke a pivot on my variflex plastic hangers

I hope the ACS 500 hangers I ordered will fit with my Variflex plates :)

Tobi

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Bernhard: Kingpin bolts (25. Oct. 2002 12:56)
 : I hope the ACS 500 hangers I ordered will fit with my Variflex plates :)

They almost certaily will. I have ACS hangers on the skates which are attached to my Bauer boots.
  Write reply
Tobi: Kingpin bolts (25. Oct. 2002 14:49)
 Bernhard,

: They almost certaily will. I have ACS hangers on the skates
: which are attached to my Bauer boots.

What kind of plates?

Tobi
  Write reply
Bernhard: Kingpin bolts (25. Oct. 2002 15:40)
 : Bernhard,
:
: : They almost certainly will. I have ACS hangers on the
: : skates which are attached to my Bauer boots.
:
: What kind of plates?

They look very much like Variflex, but don't have the Variflex jump bar. Maybe CS. I bought them second hand almost 20 years ago.

  Write reply
Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers (25. Oct. 2002 16:12)
 
: They look very much like Variflex, but don't have the
: Variflex jump bar. Maybe CS. I bought them second hand
: almost 20 years ago.

I see. Does "CS" stand for California Sun?

Irene also uses Variflex plates plus ACS hangers:
Irene, did you have to modify the plates in any way? Do the skateboard rubber parts fit? If not; where can I order fitting pivot cups and cushions?

Tobi

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Lee Y: Variflex plates + ACS hangers (25. Oct. 2002 18:25)
 I've used ACS 580 and 651 on variflex and pro-8 (similar to Variflex construction)with Variflex blue clouds on top and conical tracker whites underneath. The clouds get a little bit 'wedged', but nothing drastic.
  Write reply
Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers (25. Oct. 2002 18:34)
 
Hi Lee,

: I've used ACS 580 and 651 on variflex and pro-8 (similar to
: Variflex construction)with Variflex blue clouds on top

You mean the cushions?

: and
: conical tracker whites underneath. The clouds get a little
: bit 'wedged', but nothing drastic.

Thanks for the info.

What plates and hangers are you using now?

Do you have a rolerskating related site, or pages, or pics online?

Tobi




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irene: Variflex plates + ACS hangers (26. Oct. 2002 04:42)
 Irene also uses Variflex plates plus ACS hangers:
: Irene, did you have to modify the plates in any way? Do the skateboard rubber parts fit? If not; where can I order fitting pivot cups and cushions?
:
: Tobi
:
I've broken plenty of Variflex plastic pivots landing stuff, that's why the metal ACS hangars are perfect, like they were made to fit exactly. I also used the "Clouds" cushions. I had a blue and white one on each truck. Pivot bushing are hard to find. I recently found Suregrip (rollerskate platemaker) ones will fit with a little shaving down. All skateboard hardware will work (kingpins and nuts, axle nuts, cushions, bearings, etc). Post a pic of the new setup when you're done.
  Write reply
Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (26. Oct. 2002 12:07)
 
Hi Irene,

: I've broken plenty of Variflex plastic pivots landing
: stuff, that's why the metal ACS hangars are perfect, like
: they were made to fit exactly.

Sounds great!

: I also used the "Clouds" cushions. I had a blue and white
: one on each truck.

Do you know the name of the maker/vendor?

: Pivot bushing are hard to find. I recently found Suregrip
: (rollerskate platemaker) ones will fit with a little
: shaving down.

Thanks for the tip :)

English is not my native language, so perhaps you can help me with terminology:

"pivot bushing" == "pivot cup" ?

: All skateboard hardware will work (kingpins and nuts, axle
: nuts, cushions, bearings, etc).

cool

: Post a pic of the new setup when you're done.

sure :)

My plan is to replace the Variflex hangers with the ACS 500 hangers. Later, I'll try to make some kind of grind bar (metal) or slider (plastic), wrap straps, and perhaps insert a thin plate between the sneakers and the plates (eg like this [1]).
It will still look a lot like now:
www.pinkjuice.com/rollerskating/pics/tobi/one_skate.jpg

[1] I don't think I'll ever mount the plates differently than now. The concept of mounting short plates all the way to the front is said to offer greater maneuverability (smaller turning radius), but I think that should be the job of the steering mechanism, eg the angle of the kingpin etc.
I also think that the argument of greater stability forgets backwards skating.
When I land, I want to have the rear axle all the way at the rear side, and the front axle all the way at the front, but also in all other situations. Even Naval himself writes "[...talking about the shoe...] At the end of the day I regret that I didn?t mount them further forward as I lose a bit of power when starting." ("Enfin je regrette de ne pas l?avoir fait monter plus en avant, on perd un peu en puissance de démarrage.")

Tobi


  Write reply
RollerSkater Dave: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (26. Oct. 2002 23:52)
 Tobi wrote:
: English is not my native language, so perhaps you can help me with terminology:
:
: "pivot bushing" == "pivot cup" ?
:
This is correct.
:
: [1] I don't think I'll ever mount the plates differently than now. The concept of mounting short plates all the way to the front is said to offer greater maneuverability (smaller turning radius), but I think that should be the job of the steering mechanism, eg the angle of the kingpin etc.
: I also think that the argument of greater stability forgets backwards skating.
: When I land, I want to have the rear axle all the way at the rear side, and the front axle all the way at the front, but also in all other situations.

Actually the steering of the skate is done by the rear wheels (when moving in a forward direction). If the rear axles are mounted much behind the middle of the skater's heel (not the boot heel) your turning maneuverability is decreased. This may not be as much of a problem when ramp skating as one is following the lines of the ramp surface, not leaning right or left as when turning on a rink floor.

As far as stability when skating backwards, most of your weight should be over your front wheels while backwards skating. If you're placing much weight on your back wheels you will topple over at the first tiny pebble you encounter, no matter where the rear axles are placed. I actually skate backwards better now that I moved the plates forward. The example on rollerfr is a bit of an extreme example. Most skaters would probably not need to go to a smaller plate, unless they had very small feet. Simply moving the plate forward one half to three quarters of an inch would do the job. Virtually all North American made skates come with the plates mounted in artistic and roller dance style, which is useless for outdoor skating.

Skate safe,

RS Dave
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Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (26. Oct. 2002 23:56)
 
Dave,

I think we simply have to agree to disagree :)

Tobi

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RollerSkater Dave: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (27. Oct. 2002 00:15)
 :
: Dave,
:
: I think we simply have to agree to disagree :)
:
: Tobi
:

It just shows we're of equal intelligence. Makes for stimulating conversation. My skating buddy Fred and I never agree on anything when it comes to skating, other than we like quads best. We have a mutual respect for each other's opinion though.

Dave

BTW, what are you doing on the computer at 11 o'clock on a saturday night. You should be out skating.
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Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (27. Oct. 2002 00:19)
 
Dave,

: My skating buddy Fred and I never
: agree on anything when it comes to skating, other than we
: like quads best.

Some like both; I think that's cool.

: We have a mutual respect for each other's
: opinion though.

I sure don't disrespect your opionion. Whatever floats your boat :)

Tobi


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RollerSkater Dave: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (27. Oct. 2002 00:23)
 Tobi:
:Whatever floats your boat :)
:
For someone whose second language is English, you seem to have a good command of english catch phrases.

(This is starting to turn into a chat room).
  Write reply
Tobi: Variflex plates + ACS hangers, hardware, mounting positions (27. Oct. 2002 00:31)
 
Dave,

: (This is starting to turn into a chat room).

:)

One final point about the mounting locations:

I actually have no problem to solve, neither regarding turning radius / maneuverability, nor regarding stability (landing / skating forwards/backwards). I was just thinking about the recent tips/arguments, but if I had a problem with any of these characteristics of the skates, I'd choose other solutions.

Tobi

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irene: parts & accessories (27. Oct. 2002 04:38)
 T,

"pivot bushing" == "pivot cup" ?

yep, that's right

Shop skateboard stuff for truck cushions/metal hardware and rollerskate stuff for pivot cups.

Less talking, more skating...
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RollerSkater Dave: parts & accessories (27. Oct. 2002 15:17)
 Irene wrote:
: Less talking, more skating...

I agree. It's rather cold and windy here in Ontario today though. Where do you skate when the weather turns crappy Irene?

RSD
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Tobi: parts & accessories (27. Oct. 2002 21:33)
 
Irene,

: "pivot bushing" == "pivot cup" ?
:
: yep, that's right

thanks :)

: Shop skateboard stuff for truck cushions/metal hardware and
: rollerskate stuff for pivot cups.

I see.

: Less talking, more skating...

I agree. I think both of Dave and me were in a chatty mood ... but this floods the forum. We're chatting offlist now :)
(the weather is bad here too, and the "indoor skate park" is expensive ...)

Tobi

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Bernhard: Variflex plates + ACS hangers (28. Oct. 2002 00:11)
 : I see. Does "CS" stand for California Sun?

Yep
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irene: parts & accessories (28. Oct. 2002 05:27)
 : Irene wrote:
: : Less talking, more skating...
:
: I agree. It's rather cold and windy here in Ontario today though. Where do you skate when the weather turns crappy Irene?
:
: RSD

We have indoor parks and I usually get reduced to free admission, cuz the prices are riduculous. $14 per session/2hrs, nuts. A great new outdoor park has just opened on the Hudson river just a 10 minute skate away. Kidney bowl (6' wooden skatelite with pool coping all the way around, 5' mini half into street course...FREE!!! Of course, its packed, but real fun snake sessions. Check out: Manhattan Pier 40

http://www.skatespots.com/home.html

so many good things to skate, check out louisville, kentucky...a piece of paradise. areas near NY are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Hampshire. and more parks being built as we skate.
Do you have any options within a reasonable traveling distance?
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RollerSkater Dave: parts & accessories (28. Oct. 2002 13:49)
 : : Irene wrote:

: so many good things to skate, check out louisville, kentucky...a piece of paradise. areas near NY are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Hampshire. and more parks being built as we skate.
: Do you have any options within a reasonable traveling distance?

We do have a small indoor skate park here in Brantford, but it's kinda rinky dink. Just a few small ramps, nothing like what you have. Out of town places are not an option for me because of my family responsibilities.

RSD
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irene: parts & accessories (29. Oct. 2002 03:51)
 I guess your neighbors haven't built stuff to skate in their backyards or maybe in an old barn. In the mid-80s, there were so many backyard ramps, but now no one seems to want to build. so sad...
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