The Roller Derby thread

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kittyno84
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by kittyno84 » Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:03 pm

My friend broke her leg in 3 places at a skrim in Manchester the other week, she has only just got out of hospital after having to have her leg pinned back together and not get out of bed for 11 days. Yikes!

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:17 pm

quinnster wrote:I tried on some of the Vanilla Brass Knuckles while I was over at Nationals the other week, and they didn't have a size that would fit my foot. I'm a 5½ in my Riedell 1065s, but the Vanilla 5 was so small I couldn't get my foot in it, while the 6 was too big. They don't do half sizes. Shame, I would have bought a pair otherwise..

I bought some Sure-Grip Invader plates from Geno, which he kindly brought along and showed me how to mount. I've had them put on my old Bonts according to his directions but haven't tried them yet because there's not an Allen key in the house that will fit the toe-stop nut, it's very odd :|

I also had a major splurge on Atom wheels - two sets of Jukes, and some Poisons. They're all awesome.. though sad to report that their hardest wheel (95A with an aluminium hub) isn't hard enough for our bouting floor at Earl's Court, which is very grippy. So it's back to tried-and-trusted green Fugitives for me - the only wheels I've ever had that let me skate properly on grippy floors.

I was also being quite geeky and looking at the skaters' boots, plates and wheels. Despite all the excitement about short-and-forward mounted plates, the vast majority of them were using Riedell 395s, 695s or 265s, traditionally mounted on Powerdyne Reactors. Wheels were almost all Atom as far as I could see, G-Rods and D-Rods, or Lowboys, or (in the case of Oly) Jukes.
Did someone not recently release a 100A wheel? Or is it more the hub you like? Hyper Shamans have a race wheel out that is 97A with an aluminium hub if I remember correctly but they're also over $100 so if you've just splurged on Atoms you might not want to drop that much right now. I know I wouldn't :lol:

Did you try the version 1 or version 2 of the Vanilla boot? I'm normally a 5.5 but my feet are wider than average so I've been told by a couple of people that the V2 Vanilla boot would be pretty perfect for me. Fingers crossed!

There's probably not really much point in me spending all this money and getting custom builds etc since the chances of my bouting any time soon are pretty close to zero but it makes me feel fancy 8-)
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by quinnster » Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:12 pm

Ice_Pick_Abortions wrote: Did someone not recently release a 100A wheel? Or is it more the hub you like? Hyper Shamans have a race wheel out that is 97A with an aluminium hub if I remember correctly but they're also over $100 so if you've just splurged on Atoms you might not want to drop that much right now. I know I wouldn't :lol:
I think Atom Dubz are 100A, and narrow - they're next on my hit list I suppose! I'm just a bit annoyed abit the 95A Jukes because they're too slippy for our normal floor and not slippy enough for bouting. Because they are both narrow -and- 4mm shorter in height than other wheels, I can't even mix 'em up with others. Hard wheels that aren't quite hard enough end up being a huge waste of money because I can't use them anywhere else :(
Ice_Pick_Abortions wrote: Did you try the version 1 or version 2 of the Vanilla boot? I'm normally a 5.5 but my feet are wider than average so I've been told by a couple of people that the V2 Vanilla boot would be pretty perfect for me. Fingers crossed!

There's probably not really much point in me spending all this money and getting custom builds etc since the chances of my bouting any time soon are pretty close to zero but it makes me feel fancy 8-)
It was version 2. I have a wide foot too, and it was the same old problem - a boot that was wide enough to get my foot in was too long in the toe. The toecaps really crushed the tops of my toes too.

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:32 pm

:? Hmmmm.. now I'm worried lol. I'll have to look at some measurements for the boot me thinks..

Our floor is quite hit and miss as it's either really dirty with a layer of dust making it slippy or they've just washed it and it's then quite sticky :roll: You can't win with this skating melarky!
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
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Ice_Pick_Abortions
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Sun Nov 28, 2010 10:10 am

For those interested, Sure Grip Rebel Invaders in the UK

Billy's BMX

They also stock Atom wheels :)
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by iamtheparty » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:44 am

I think I'm going to have new wheels for Christmas but I have no idea where to even begin! I don't think I'm even Googling the right things because I can't find any useful info :( Does anyone have any sites they can direct me to, or advice they can give?
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:24 am

Some useful info I came across:
I know a lot of folks have all kinds of questions about wheels, so I'm going to try to knock some [poop] out because, well just because.

As a new skater with a package, you typically start out on some crap skates with crap plates and crap bearings and crap wheels. This is understandable because not everyone is willing to make a huge investment in a new endeavor that they might be unsure of. Eventually, you may find something on your skates doesn't work for you and that is usually the wheels.

Cheap, [poop] wheels are made of cheap urethane and tend to have no grip whatsoever. You're slip sliding everywhere and you just know that different wheels will dramatically change your game. Question is, what do you buy?

Start by asking other skaters what they use and like. Also, pay attention to body type and skating style. Most importantly, ask SEASONED players what they LIKE and WHY. Some people prefer a little grip, some like to slide, some like wide and some narrow. They all have advantages but only for the right people. Once you've asked around, see if you can borrow a set for a practice. We're usually open to the idea.

Now you're skating the wheels and you can make some assessments. Maybe they're perfect and all you ever wanted, but let's assume they're not. What do you feel is wrong with them? Are you sliding when you sprint? Are you not able to plow stop because there is too much grip? Figure this out and then figure out the information on what wheel you are skating on.

Perfect example: Your skates come with Carerras. The wheels slide way too much, so you ask a skater what wheels they like and they tell you that Flat Outs are the BOMB. Okay, why? "Well, they grip like mad." So let's try them.

You skate a practice in them. You sprint, fantastic grip in the corners. You plow stop, but you find you can't quite get your foot to slide, the wheels won't break loose and you keep rolling. You keep skating and later on you feel more exhausted than you typically would be. Those wheels might be too soft for you. Internet tells you that Flat Outs are an 88a wheel, what do you do with this information?

The "A" number is a durometer, it tells you how soft or hard a wheel is. The higher the number, the harder, and the typical speed skate wheels range is 88-100a [Okay we know this isn't completely true and that they type of urethane matters, but I wasn't about to get into that]. You know you need to try something harder.

You approach me and say "Hey Sucka, I tried some Flat Outs but I think they were just too soft. What would you suggest?" After I talk your ear off for about half an hour, I tell you "Well I really love these vintage wheels that you probably can't find but you can try them. They're 97a Ultimate Weapons." You say all of that mumbo jumbo means nothing to you but sure, you'll try them.

You skate a few hot, fast laps and feel that you're getting more from your push, that skating takes less effort. Yeah, that's cool. You plow stop and the wheels make a great big noise and you're like "Oh cool I screech and scare the [poop] out of people." Then you sprint and push as hard as you can, but you have to coast turns 2 and 4 because you can hear and feel the wheels giving way. Guess what, those wheels are too hard for you bro.

We now know 88a is too soft and 97a is too hard, so we've narrowed some things down. You've got two more options: 93a and 95a, I think you can figure out what to do from here.

Remember, your ideal wheels will give you grip where you need it, but allow a little slide so you can plow and hockey stop. Too much of one or the other isn't a great thing. Also, different wheels will favor different surfaces, this is why your wheels that work fine on our slick concrete floor don't act the same way as they would a tight floor like a [rink] or [sport court].

I know I didn't give anything definitive, but there is no single answer to this question. Your wheels should fit your skating style and only you will know that best. I CAN say that our skaters tend to prefer softer wheels on our floor, such as the Radar Flat Outs or Flat Outrageous, Atom Stingers, and Hyper Sugars, all in the 88a range. I can't stand wheels that sticky because I like to slide. I go between 93a and 97a, my 93a Devil Rays for dry days and my 97a soft Ultimate Weapons or White Shamans for humid days or days where the floor has been sweating from a good rain. There are also a lot of folks on Fugitives (varies), D-Rods (95a), G-Rods (93a) [Again, I'm speaking of the most common wheels in our league]. You've got a lot of choices out there to try before you buy, just be thorough in your research or you'll end up with a million sets of wheels and skates like me.

IMPORTANT NOTE: No skate equipment in the WORLD can make up for skating ability. The more you skate and the better you become, the easier it will be to discover what you need your skates to do for you, which will help you make wise shopping decisions. If you feel that your skating is boo boo, don't expect new equipment to magically make you better. I know lots of great skaters on really [poopy] (or less than optimal) equipment and they seem to get by just fine, or at least better than I am.
There's also this chart

What do others in your league use? Could they lend you any to try? I've just dropped a pretty penny on a set of slim Atom Stingers :D

And I have my first proper scrimmage next Sunday :mrgreen:
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Bomber » Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:05 pm

This isn't directly derby related but I hope I have such incredible skate control one day :shock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:29 pm

Gah, just when I master the moonwalk a new challenge comes along ahahaha. Awesome!
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by FaerieGirl » Tue Mar 08, 2011 3:50 am

I FREAKING LOVE Roller Derby! I go to every home bout for the MN RollerGirls (We're 9th in the region thus far!) and the ones I can't go to, I watch online. You have to be 21 to join here in Minnesota, but I'm signed up for the feeder leauge (which you have to be 18 for) which starts the week after my 18th birthday! SO EXCITED!
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by iamtheparty » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:31 pm

After my car accident, I've been off skates for about 7 weeks, but I'm going back to practice on Monday!! So excited, I've missed skating more than I thought possible! I don't know whether to go no-contact for the first session, I'll probably play it by ear.

How is everyone else getting along? How are the Belfast girls doing? It's been ages since I heard anything!
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Bomber » Fri Apr 01, 2011 5:51 pm

My ankle isn't healing as quickly as I'd like, it's been nearly a week and walking is still painful and my ankle prone to giving way. I was quite hoping it'd be fine by next week :(

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:32 am

iamtheparty wrote: How is everyone else getting along? How are the Belfast girls doing? It's been ages since I heard anything!
I haven't really been on here in recent months.

It's our birthday on Sunday :D Can't believe it's been a year! We recently had Guttersnipe from Fair City Rollers in Scotland move to Belfast and she's basically taken over our training and it's really energised everyone and we're all coming along leaps and bounds! Some of us took part in our first proper scrimmage last week with Dublin and Cork and it was awesome. We finally got a second practice at the start of the year and it's made a world of difference as well so we now skate Friday and Sunday. All we need is a mid-week fix now :D

Some pics, hopefully these aren't too huge:

New skates as of Jan - Vanilla Brass Knuckle boot, DA45 Invader plate, Atom Stinger wheels and I currently have all yellow SG cushions. Love 'em!
Image
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Some recent practice pics
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Hope everyone else is still plugging away, yous are always welcome for a wee trip over ;)
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"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by kittykadaver » Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:58 pm

I know it's been covered a bit already, but: dreads & skating. For those of you who have extensions, do you prefer to have shorter dreads? It seems like long ones might be a hassle, trying to keep out of the way and such. And what is your preferred method of keeping them tied back?

I'm hoping to start going to a new recruits class with the Oklahoma Victory Dolls next month. I've already bought all my gear, as I was going to try to start a few months ago, but I had just moved and things ended up a bit more hectic than I had planned and decided to put it off.
I've already got a Large helmet, as I apparently have a pretty big noggin... but I'm hoping I can easily find a bigger helmet that would work with installs.

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:01 pm

I couldn't fit an XL helmet over my dreads :s
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

In the ranks of the Indecisive Army..

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by kittykadaver » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:26 pm

aww :(

i don't know a whole lot about helmets... my current one is a triple 8? i believe. do men's helmets or like a hocket helmet maybe run in bigger sizes, possibly?

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Bomber » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:26 pm

What Typhoid said, plus the fact that ill fitting helmets are never a Good Idea when your skull could come into contact with a hard floor while travelling at great speed.

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by kittykadaver » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:31 pm

Ahh, okay. I feel silly for thinking of sex-specific helmets now XD
and thank you, btw. :)

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by iamtheparty » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:50 pm

I always assume that pads/helmets/skates are sized for men anyway. I don't know why. But assuming there are sex specific ones isn't silly :)

I had my first practice back yesterday and it was AWESOME. I was quite nervous, having had 7 weeks off skates. But something just clicked inside of me yesterday and I had such a good practice. One of the coaches, Red, came up to me after hot laps and told me she'd watched me and I hadn't forgotten anything :) I was getting 6 laps almost every minute which I'm proper chuffed about. And we had some coaching on strides and my crossovers are looking sweet after that. I had to stop a couple of times to stretch my back out but that's fine. I'm aching so much today though. About to get into a hot bath to try to ease it a little.
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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Bomber » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:56 pm

I'm itching to get back on skates and I've only been off a week! I am going to be sensible and not skate until I know my ankle is completely healed but because there is ligament damage and I'm on my feet at work all day it feels like it's going to take FOREVER.

I want Wolverine healing powers.

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Re: The Roller Derby thread

Post by Ice_Pick_Abortions » Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:44 pm

Just checking in to see who's still skating! Things are really moving along for us in Belfast, we actually have enough people for a team now! Getting between 15-20 people regularly now which is a big change from the 4 Typhoid had when she was over nearly a year ago ;) We have 3 refs in training and 80+ people saying they plan to attend our next intake in August so even if we only get 20 of them show up and keep half it would be awesome :D Georgia W Tush will be visiting us in October as well and I cannot wait for that :D

I'm currently skating 4 times a week (3 training, 1 fun) and now that I finally seem to have my derby/tomahawk stops sorted I'm working on my mohawks and skating side ways. Hopefully we'll have a bout at least organised by the end of this year 8-)

Unfortunately the stupid 12th holiday here has got in the way of this week's advanced practice but the shitty roller rink in a nearby town is open every day of the week so I'll have to settle for hip checking children instead. They're normally at a good height I find..
"I have had many troubles, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain
"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

In the ranks of the Indecisive Army..

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