Roller Skating - old school Quads

Anybody here skate? On old-school style quads, not blades?

The baroness started doing Roller Derby, and I picked up a pair of skates and the gear so that I could skate with her and help her practice drills and such. Ended up really getting into it. I had roller blades back when I was in junior high and high school, but hadn't been on any kind of skates in almost 15 years.

I enjoy them more than blades. They're less stable and more challenging to do tricks on, but there are lots of pivots and spins and funky little footwork that you can do on low-top quads that you just can't do on blades.

I've started actually going to skate parks and working on doing tricks on ramps and stuff on the quads. A bit out of place being a 30-something guy wearing all the protective gear (I need my body whole for work). Funny to see the kids on skateboards react when they actually realize I'm on quads, not blades.

People comment when just passing on a trail skate. You just don't see people on quads anymore. Folks think it looks like fun.

I want to get better at jam and rhythm skating (think roller disco, or break dancing on skates - stuff like this). That's actually surprisingly harder than doing tricks on ramps. Lots more control and precision necessary to do it well.

So who else here plays around with skates?

I bust out my speed skates on occasion. It is a great exercise. My wheels would be horrible on anything but a rink though. I wouldn't mind having a set of skates with a street friendly wheel. Last time I tried to stake on the bike path I hit a piece of gravel that stopped me cold. Not fun. Somehow the skateboard wheels don't seem phased though, so there must be a difference.

Back in the mid 90s I skated at the local rink every Friday and Saturday night. Working construction in the summers gave my scrawny self deceptively strong legs. I'd pull a conga line of 3-4 girls around the rink for several songs (they preferred to use my jean pockets to hold oh, hehe). Fun times.

I only have outdoor wheels right now. I need to get some wheels/bearings for indoor work. Outdoor wheels are just like mud on a rink floor, or even polished or painted concrete like what most derby bouts seem to be on.

I don't know what the story is with skateboard wheels, why it's not as much of an issue. Maybe because they're narrower? I see skateboarders flip the board sideways and skid to a stop on wheels they use outdoors. I have no slip with my outdoor wheels, and know a harder indoor wheel wouldn't be able to roll over cracks and pebbles.

Late night adult skates at the local rink are fun. I feel conspicuously white there, but it's cool to actually hang out with a bunch of people who really have rhythm in a venue with basically no sketch factor.

My wife used to play derby. Now she puts on her skates and heads off down the street for a few miles for exercise. People are always stopping her and asking about her quads and why not blades.

Me, I don't skate.

I took roller skating as a PE class in school.

For reals.

FRUIT BOOTS

I was skating in late elementary/early JHS around late 70s. Right about the time "Super Freak" came out. Yes they played that about every hour at my local rink, and no this very white kid jammed out every damn time. I had a lot of fun skating.

Fast forward to about late 90s and the ex-swmbo decided along with a couple we were friends with that we should buy blades. I was NOT happy on those things, and thankfully like every other hobby/idea she had they gathered dust soon after. Sold them at a yard sale finally last year, a friend's actually, told her put whatever you want on them. They've been untouched 10+ years.

I have enough trouble skiing. Roller skating just looks like an unnecessary death to me.

Roller skates were pretty much before my time. I roller bladed a lot in middle school and high school, played hockey, etc.

A few years ago a buddy and I broke out the skates again (15 years later). We got winded as E36 M3 but it was still fun.

There is a song by a band with the initials AC that talks about roller blading. Everything is so gloriously offensive about that band and song... That's all i can post here without ruining the party... Use t3h g00g135 for you to find it.. y00000

I got kicked out of a lot of skating rinks as a young man for going too fast. I never could get blades down. I fell a lot. But I could haul ass on some skates.

Theres a video out there, I can't seem to find it. X-games, early 2000s era. Andy Macdonald and...someone on quads. on a vert ramp, doing doubles. It was insane. The guy on the skates spent most of the run with his toes pointed opposite directions.

Did a lot of indoor skating as a teenager(1950's). Cheap date! Only cost a buck to get in and the rink was only a mile from the house. Could walk over to my girl friends house and then to the rink.

mndsm wrote: Theres a video out there, I can't seem to find it. X-games, early 2000s era. Andy Macdonald and...someone on quads. on a vert ramp, doing doubles. It was insane. The guy on the skates spent most of the run with his toes pointed opposite directions.

I'd love to see that. I've seen some videos of some excellent skaters on quads.

I am envious of the people who can skate with their feet pointing opposite each other. I have a bad hip, and it will not rotate out that far.

I grew upon steel wheels and a big basement and the roller rinks. I have been to a few school/church teen outings and I still love to skate old school.

Encouragement

http://youtu.be/CUz1QfAb-MQ

I skated all the time in the 80s. We went to the rink 2-3 times a week and in the summer we would go to the Jones Beach Boardwalk. I could never get the hang of blades.

Wally said:

I skated all the time in the 80s. We went to the rink 2-3 times a week and in the summer we would go to the Jones Beach Boardwalk. I could never get the hang of blades.

Quoted for truth.

The skating rink was the hangout when I was in middle and high school. It's been better than 30 years since I've had skates on. I would probably die if I tried it now. 

I miss the local skating rink.

Also, for you folks who have wives playing derby, definitely learn the words to "Roller Derby Queen" by Jim Croce.

I don't think I like quads, but I have not tried a decent set in forever.

If so, I'd try this: https://www.rollergirlgang.co.uk/post/making-diy-vans-rollerskates

Zombie thread, almost as old as quad skates....

stuart in mn said:

Zombie thread, almost as old as quad skates....

Nothing wrong with a good zombie now and then

Since this popped up, I'm still skating on quads. I've actually gotten pretty serious with the park tricks and have a number of custom skate builds I ride.

Here's some video of me just putzing around in a bowl on vacation a few years back.

I may even have invented a trick... at least, I've not seen another skater do this before me: sidestance blunt stall. Yeah, the OG skaters do stuff that's way more impressive, but I'm copying a skateboard trick that I don't think came into vogue until after Blades pushed out Quads.

Turbo Tara, regular GRM contributor, has an IG page all about her quads. 

I still skate

Snyder advantage plates, hyper shamen wheels, Bones China Red bearings