Subject: In-line Skating FAQ: Skate Reviews (3.3)
Date: 3 Apr 1996 19:51:58 GMT
References: <sports/skating/inline-faq-1-828560911@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2


   _r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Skate Reviews_
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                         MARKETPLACE - SKATE REVIEWS *
                                       
   _(last changed Mar 9, 1996)_
   
    NOTE: While these reviews include many facts and first-hand experience,
    much of the text here is necessarily opinion. Additionally the in-line
    market is changing rapidly, so prices and specifications may be out of
    date.
    
    Also, many of these skate models are older skates. Reviews for newer models
    are added when they become available.
    
   Feel free to use the product review form for your convenience.
   
Table of contents

   Skates
     * The Kids/Small Skates FAQ and reviews
     * Rollerblade Lightning TRS
     * Rolleblade Macroblade '95
     * Rollerblade Racerblades
     * Rollerblade Coolblades
     * Rollerblade Macroblade EQs
     * Rollerblade Aeroblade ABT
     * Rollerblade VTX 5000
     * Roller Derby BX-5000
     * Bauer XS-5's
     * Bauer H3's
       
     * CCM RH555 Tacks
       
     * K2 Extreme Workout skates
     * other K2 skates reviews
     * Performance Bike Edge II
     * Turbine
     * Roces (FCO) Rome Jr.
     * Roces (MOW) Moscow
     * Oxygen XE Jr
       
   Much older reviews
     _________________________________________________________________
   


 1. Review by: Scott Weintraub (scottw@wam.umd.edu)
 2. Product type: skate
 3. Brandname: Rollerblade, Inc.
 4. Model name/number: Lightning TRS
 5. Purchase price: $180 (can be found for less: $150-$170)
 6. From local store or mail order: Herman's Sporting Goods.  They agreed
        to match the price of any local skate shop.  I don't believe they carry
        this skate anymore though.
 7. Date purchased: 11/93
 8. How long have you used it: 9 months
 9. Pros: Incredibly durable.
          Most accesseries are made to fit it.
          Priced nicely.
          Great for almost any kind of skating:  street, vert, hockey,
                recreation/fitness, transportation, etc.
 10. Cons: A little heavy, but not too heavy.
           Fits well, but not as well as some of the other skates on the
                market.
           Kinda ugly.
           A friend of mine owns a pair of '94s and I noticed that the
                plastic between the wheels is a little thinner.  Looks like
                Rollerblade, Inc. cut back a little bit.
 11. Additional comments: The Lightning TRS comes with rather low-grade
        components (ABEC-1 bearings, plastic rockers, no hop-up kit) but
        you're really paying for the durable boot and frame.  The bearings,
        axels, and rockers can all be easily upgraded.  So, if you put a
        little more money into them, they can potentially be one of the best
        skates out there.  If you want to get into street or vert skating,
        this skate has pretty much become the industry standard (Although
        two new skates, the Tarmac CE from Rollerblade and the Moscow Ramp
        from Roces, might change that).  If you want to get into hockey, this
        is a fantastic, low-budget skate to look into.  It sure can take a
        beating.
 12. My personal rating: For street/vert: 9
                         For hockey: 8
                         For recreation/fitness/transportation: 7


  __________________________________________________________________________



1) Review by: Jeff Gebler (DX2000@aol.com)
2) Product type:Skate
3) Brandname:Rollerblade
4) Model name/number:'95 Macroblade
5) Purchase price: $180
6) Store bought from:Sportmart in Calumet City IL
7) Date purchased:Dec 20, 95
8) How long have you used it: Since there has been snow on the road, I only
used them a couple of days.
9) Pros:Good liner, wheels, boot, frame and bearings.
10) Cons: Plastic spacers

11) Additional comments: I changed the wheels and bearing after a couple of use
s
to Fatboy whells and ABEC-1 bearings because I didn't want to mess up the
wheels and bearing that came with the skates. (the road still have salt and
water on them from the winter)

12) My personal rating:   1 to 10 (10 = Best) 9.5


  __________________________________________________________________________



1) Review by: thigpen@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (William W. Thigpen - RC)
2)   Product type:  skate
3)   Brandname:  Rollerblade
4)   Model name/number:  Racerblade
5)   Purchase price:  Free
6)   From local store or mail order:  Rollerblade (Blade for Breath award)
7)   Date purchased:  Sometime around March of '93
8)   How long have you used it:  I skate between 50 and 200 miles/week year
     round

9)   Pros:  There are a number of things I like about this skate, however,
I've only had the TRS's to compare them against.  I like to commute on skates
(12.5 miles each way), so I need a skate that is comfortable and has good
speed to it.  From the first time I put on the Racerblades, I was able to go
several hours in them.  I upgraded the bearings to bones and upgraded the axle
system... before I used them the first time, so I can't speak to the off the
shelf quality of the running gear.  For me, the brake is an important feature
and it seems like most five wheel skates don't have that as an option.  I'm
still working on my form, so I'm not very competitive in races yet, however,
I did notice a significant differance on who I could keep up with on these
skates.  They hold a good line on downhill portions with no wobble. Overall, I
like these skates and would recommend them.

10)   Cons:  They are a little heavy, you can't change the position of the
frame, and they are a little high on the ankle

11)  Additional comments:  I think that this is a good entry level race skate,
however, I am already ancy  to upgrade to a different skate...I guess you
could say that 5000 miles is enough for any skate, however, my wife thinks
under two years is not long enough.

12)  My personal rating:  9.5


  __________________________________________________________________________



1.  Review by:  Marianne Sedacki (MareS1@aol.com)
2.  Product type:  Skate
3.  Brandname:  Rollerblade
4.  Model name:  CoolBlade
5.  Purchase price:  $249 + tax
6.  Purchased from Sportmart in Orland Park, IL  Rte 45 (LaGrange Rd)
7.  Date purchased:  6-9-94
8.  How long have I used it?  Since June 9, 1994
9.  Pros:  3 buckles--good fit.  Vented boot--niice.  80A hardness on
    the wheels that came with--perfect hardness for me.  ABT brake easy
    for beginners, didn't feel like I was going to fall down when
    braking.  I like the fit...after I broke them in, that is.  The ABT
    brake is good for beginner's, altho many fellow skaters complain
    that the ABT is a money making gimmick--I've tried the regular brake
    and I prefer the ABT.  The vented boot is nice for those very warm
    days, altho it isn't as wonderful as walking in sandals!  :)
10. Cons:  The ABT brake sometimes gets in the way doing backwards
    cross-overs with the braking boot.  The ABT brake can be cumbersome
    when doing any maintenance on the wheels.
11. Additional comments:  Overall I'm quite happy with my investment.
12. Personal rating:  8.5


  __________________________________________________________________________



1)   Review by: babyduck@medisg.Stanford.EDU (Timothy Chen)
2)   Product type: InLine Skate
3)   Brandname: RollerBlade
4)   Model name/number: Macroblade Equipes
5)   Purchase price: Something ridiculous like 220$ or something with
     a lifetime warranty on everything above the wheels (basically if
     straps/buckles break)
6)   From local store or mail order:    Nuvo Colors, San Mateo, CA
7)   Date purchased: June 19th, 1994
8)   How long have you used it: 'bout a year
9)   Pros:  Easy in, convenient carrying straps, easy out, high
     ankle support
10)   Cons:  High ankle support prevents you from doing high jumps...
     at least for me.  There are also kind of heavy, and cannot
     accelerate as quickly as other blades I've noticed.
11)  Additional comments:  Great Blades, love 'em.
12)  My personal rating:  1 to 10      -> 9.


  __________________________________________________________________________



1) Review by: Robert Schmunk (pcrxs@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov)
2) Product type: Skate
3) Brandname: Rollerblade
4) Model name/number: 1994 Aeroblade w/ABT
5) Purchase price: $299 - 10% NYRSA discount + 8.25% NYC sales tax
6) From local store or mail order: Local, Blades Second Ave., New York, NY.
7) Date purchased: Dec 29, 1994
8) How long have you used it: 1 month, avg 3 times per week
9) Pros:
  Compared to my 1993 Lightning TRSes, lighter in weight, vented,
  and holds larger wheels. All of this means that the Aeros are a
  *lot* faster, and even when I'm standing still, I almost feel
  like dancing around.
  The three-buckle system allows quicker entry and exit, handy
  during shopping or other intermittent non-skate activity. I now
  consider myself an advocate of buckles in the buckles-vs-laces
  argument, provided one is not engaged in radical skating activity
  which might destroy the buckles.
  The pump used to inflate the liner for a snugger fit around the
  heel seems fairly useful, although once I'm out on the road, I
  don't particularly notice whether I "pumped up" or not.

Cons:
  I removed the ABT brake before I took the skates out for the first
  time, so I can't comment on how (non)useful it might be. However, just
  trying the skates out in the store, the ABT mounting got in the way
  when I tried some forward/sideways/backwards transitions. I skate
  brakeless, but two friends of mine who also got Aeros in the past
  month, have replaced the ABTs with the brakes from their older
  Rollerblades. (Give Rollerblade credit for not re-designing this
  capability out of the skate.) New skaters probably won't even
  realize that there's a "problem".

  The frames aren't as rigid as on my TRSes and seem to be putting a
  little sideways pressure on the axle of the second wheel (from the
  front) so that those the axles put up a small fight when you're
  trying to remove them for wheel rotation.

  After the second day of skating on the new skates, I had one bearing
  start to lock up on me. I had skated for about five blocks on a
  slightly moist street on that second day, but all the other bearings
  were okay, so I can't quite decide if it was a bad bearing from the
  get-go or just bad luck.

  The Aeros are definitely narrower than my old TRSes, so that people
  with wide feet may find them unwearable. (Macroblades seem to be
  even narrower, but I understand that Bravoblades are a bit wider.)
  I've had a little trouble around the bottom of the rear half of my
  feet, but this seems to come and go depending on if I've been dinking
  around with the liner.

  After one month of mixed slalom and street skating (no stair bashing
  or curb grinding), one of the stock (77mm/78A) wheels is showing
  signs it will come apart *very* soon and I have ordered my first of
  replacement wheels (80mm/82A).

11) Additional comments:
  An excellent skate for slalom skating and for tooling about town,
  especially group skate activities, in which I found they make a
  noticeable difference in whether you're at the front or back of
  the pack. Also a good exercise skate for those who have not moved
  up to 5-wheel or long-frame 4-wheel skates.

  There are a few features which suggest that they could not handle
  serious abuse (note my comment above about the non-rigid frame),
  but they can apparently sustain quite a bit, as I have one friend
  who does occasional stair bashing and curb grinding in his 1992
  or 1993 version of this model.

  Be sure to test out the pump system thorughly when purchasing a
  pair, as one friend who purchased a pair found that one local
  store had several pairs with one or both pumps somehow screwed up.
  My rating below would be a 9/10 if I hadn't had to replace a
  bearing and my wheels so soon.

My personal rating:  8 / 10

Addendum:
Two months after writing the above review, I would like to note
that I have grown to increasingly depend on the pump heel-
retention feature. These days, my heels feel naked and the skates
feel just a little sloppy unless I have given each side 3 pumps
before I hit the road. I've heard complaints about other heel-
retention systems, but this this one. So upgrade my rating from
8/10 to 9/10.

1.  Review by:  Caesar Primus (cprimus@clam.rutgers.edu)
2.  Product type:  Skate
3.  Brand name:  RollerBlade
4.  Model name/number:  VTX 5000
5.  Purchase price:  $145
6.  From:  Local sports chain
7.  Purchase date:  April 95
8.  How long have you used it:  4 months
9.  Pros:
        - Memory Closure System outstanding; once set, never have to worry
about finding the proper tightness, like with laces
        - Comfort, comfort, comfort
        - Feels like putting on your shoes/sneakers
        - solid construction; feels and looks sturdy

10.  Cons:  None
11.  Additional comments:  I've worn/tried on other skates and this feels as
if it were made for me; easy to put on and take off, I'd recommend these with
no reservations or hesitation; if one can purchase them on sale (as I did), do
it!
12.  Personal rating:  10


  __________________________________________________________________________



1)  Review by: Ana & Rick Langlois  [ rickjl@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu ]
2)  Product type:        In-line Skates
3)  Brandname:           Roller Derby
4)  Model name/number:   BX 5000
5)  Purchase price:      $149.00 + tax, (U.S.)
6)  From local store:    MC Mages Sporting goods store.
                                 (13 Chicago area locations).
7)  Date purchased:      March, 1994

8)  How long have
    you used them:       12 weeks.

9)  Pros:                Comfortable fit, quality construction and components.
                         Large brake, good styling, fast, GREAT price.

10)  Cons:              Boot shell not hinged.  Some may not like the black
                        w/pink color scheme.

11) Additional comments: Very, very good skate for the price.

12) My personal rating
    1 to 10 (10 = best): * 9 *

Product Description:
          Shell: One piece, ventilated, 'BASF Elastollan' polyurethane.
                   Front entry, 3 buckles (screwed on; not riveted).
                   High gloss black finish w/flat black "scuff areas".
                   Removeable insole.

          Liner: Foam interior (single or dual density?) w/ removable
                 insole.  Ballistic nylon lower, vinyl cuff and bottom.
                
          Frame: Bolt-on (2 bolts; 1 heel, 1 toe) 'DuPont Zytel' nylon resin
                 in two halves.

         Wheels: 80mm 78a Team Labeda MDI Race Series.

       Bearings: SKF brand, ABEC-3 (made in ITALY).

  Axles/Spacers: 2 piece, steel axles (bolts) w/Allen heads on both ends.
                 Can not be over tightened.  Steel spacer between bearings,
                 plastic bushings on the outside and through the bearings.
                 Wheel 2 & 3 rockerable via replaceable spacers (supplied).
                
                   (see diagram)



                                                        *BOOT*
       \           ______                                              /
        \          \____/  <  Screw                                   /
         \        \_|__|_/ < "Washer"                                /
          \_________|__|____________________________________________/

                {   |__|   }
                 {        }                          (other frame-)
                  {frame }                            rail & rockering
                   {    }                             spacer omitted)
 __                {    }                                           __
|  |               {    }[] ______                     ______ []   |  |
|  |               {    }[]|      |    ___________    |      |[]   |  |
|  |___          []{----}[]-------|_ _|__ _ _ _ __|_ _|------|[]_ _|  |
|      ///////// []{    }[]|      |   |           |   |      |[]      |
|   ___///////// []{    }[]|      |_ _|__ _ _ _ __|_ _|      |[]_ _   |
|  |             []{----}[]-------|   |___________|   |------|[]   |  |
|  |             []{    }[]|______|                 ^ |______|[]   |  |
|__|               {    }[]                ^        ^         []   |__|
     ^             {____}      ^           ^        ^    ^
 Allen head      ^        ^  Bearing    Steel       ^ Bearing ^      ^
 Bolt            ^   ^    ^             Spacer   Through      ^  Through
                 ^ Frame  ^                       Bolt        ^   Bolt
                 ^       Plastic                            Plastic
             Plastic     Bushing                            Bushing
             Rockering
                 Spacer


  __________________________________________________________________________



1)   Review by: amy (ryan@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
2)   Product type:    Skates
3)   Brandname:       Bauer
4)   Model name/number:   XS5's.  (street skates)
5)   Purchase price:      $129.99 first new pair
                          $ 30.00 second used pair
                                  (before getting your hopes up.. everything
                                  on these skates were shot except the boots
                                  and laces)
6)   From local store or mail order:    Johnston's Sporting Goods
                                        University Ave
                                        downtown Champaign IL

                                        Pelican Ski and Pool Shop
                                        Route 22
                                        East Brunswick NJ
7)   Date purchased:     July 1993, July 1994
8)   How long have you used it:   Just over a year (except snow)
9)   Pros:  made in small sizes** in the 1993 line
            decent wheels (hypers 72mm 78A dur.)
            rockerability (3 wheel model.. front and back move
                horizontally, middle goes up and down)
            brake foot is swappable for lefties and righties
            comes with 72 mm wheel, can hold upto 76 mm
                with the rockers adjusted
10)   Cons:  1994 line doesn't come in very small sizes
            NMB bearings.. not exactly quick
            slow skates.
            all laces
            new bauer brakes wear out easily

11)  Additional comments:  I added a top buckle for ~$25 dollars.
                           this was a tremendous improvement on the skate.
                           I also added a hopup kit, speed increase was
                           incredible
                           the smaller sizes (atleast < 4) have 3 wheels

*** I purchased a second pair of these skates because the chassis
of the first pair cracked by the front wheel.  Although, the first skates
broke, I still feel confident in Bauer and bought an identical pair.
I am sending the first pair in to be looked at by Bauer.  They said
they may be able to replace the broken chassis.  If you are buying ANY
skates, please look carefully at the chassis before purchasing it.
Remember you need a stronger chassis for grinds, slides and jumps
than you do for casual skating. My rating for these skates hasn't changed
because of this problem.

12)  My personal rating:  1 to 10        8 for regular skates
                                         9 for small feeted persons


  __________________________________________________________________________


 1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kiraly@cse.utoledu.edu)
 2. Product type: Skate
 3. Brandname: Bauer
 4. Model name/number: H3 (Hockey 3)
 5. Purchase price: $149.99
 6. From local store or mail order: Play it Again Sports,
 7. Date purchased: April 29, 1994
 8. How long have you used it:  3-4 months
 9. Pros:
    - All laces, nice fitting boot, includes toe guards, rockerable chasis,
      solid feeling while skating, nice beginner skates (was for me anyhow).
      Stock equipment:
          Narrow radius, vented core, 72mm/78A wheels.
          ABEC-1 Bearings (China)
          Aluminum Threaded Spaces
          Big headed axel bolts.
          Bauer Super-Light Chasis
 10. Cons:
    - The stock wheels are narrow radius, and cheap.  The wheels started
      to seperate from the hubs after 2 months of everyday usage.  The
      wear on the wheels was ok.  The chasis is easily deformed by over
      tightening of the axels, and the bearing spacers fit too tightly
      into the bearings, to the point that they are hard (or in two cases
      impossible) to seperate.  The chasis only accepts 72mm wheels.

 11. Additional comments:
    - Other than the problems with the frame and the stock equipment I
      really like this skate.  I used these to learn how to skate in,
      so thy have taken quite a bit of punishment from falling and such,
      but have held up well.  I would recommend these to someone looking
      for an all-purpose mid-range skate.  Look to upgrade the wheels
      and axels sooner than later.

 12. My personal rating: 7


  __________________________________________________________________________


 1. Review by: Jim Kiraly (kiraly@cse.utoledo.edu)
 2. Product type: Skate
 3. Brandname:CCM
 4. Model name/number: RH555 Tacks
 5. Purchase price: $260
 6. From local store or mail order: Tam-O-Shanter, Sylvania Ohio (Local Store)
 7. Date purchased: July 31, 1994
 8. How long have you used it: Since July 31, 1994
 9. Pros:  Reebok Insta-Pump, provides a nice firm fit around the ankle.
    All lace.
     Stock Equipment:
         Kryptonics Tri-Spoked core, 72mm/82A Powerplay Wheels
         German GMN ABEC-3 bearings
         Non-threaded aluminum spacers.
         Small headed axel bolts.
         Aluminum frame spacers.
         Slightly rockered frame nylon/glass-reinforced frame.
     The frame is easily removable for easy maintanence.
     Frames will take 82mm wheels.

 10. Cons: Axle holes in the frame will not allow for axel kits such as the
     Hyper Hop Up Kit to be used.  The frame is non-adjustable
     (rockered/unrockered).

 11. Additional comments:  I like these a lot.  I would recommend these skates
     for anyone looking into rec/hockey skates.

 12. My personal rating: 9.5


  __________________________________________________________________________



1) Review By: Marty Gold (mgold@smtplink.mssm.edu)
2) Product Type: Skate
3) Brandname: K2
4) Model Name: Extreme Workout
5) Purchase Price: Approx. $300

6) Purchased From:
     Emilio's Ski Shops
     112-32 Queens Blvd.
     Flushing, NY
     (718)544-0404

7) Date Purchased: June 1994
8) Have used skate approx. 6 weeks/200+ miles

9) Description: mid-cuff 4 wheel skate convertible to 5 wheels with the
     purchase of additional axle and wheel assembly.

     Wheels: Hyper Wheels: Cross-Trainers X-360 [77.5MM],
     Durometer 78-A
     Bearings: Twincam ABEC-1, Serviceable Spacers: Aluminum
     Frame: Glass composite


10) Pros:
1 - A reasonably priced entry-level racing skate with the addition of
     the 5th wheel.
2 - Can be used with only 4 wheels which is helpful when getting used
     to the longer frame (5th wheel can be added later).
3 - The sneaker-like construction (no liner, padding and boot are one
     piece) provides added comfort especially when utilized as a
     cross-training skate. Yet solid construction provides greater ankle
     support than other racing skates.
4 - Combined laces and upper buckle closure allows greater adjustability.
5 - Heel brake can be worn on either left or right skate by moving bracket.
6 - Axle is the screw type which prevents over-tightening.

11) Cons:
1 - Skate is on the heavy side, especially with the addition of the
     fifth wheel (wheel, axle, spacers and bearings.
2 - The heel brake and bracket are long and can be clumsy when
     attempting cross-overs.
3 - The brake is extremely soft and requires frequent replacement. My
     first replacement was necessary after approx. 5 weeks. When speaking
     with K2 they informed me that the break was designed soft to provide
     extra stopping power.
4 - The bearings were ABEC-1, for the price one would expect 3's
5 - The buckles/laces have a tendency to loosen up once in a while.
     skating. (Laces are unwaxed-nylon and can be replaced with waxed to
     hold better)
6 - The axles are removed via an allen/hex key (provided) but while
     attempting to reposition the wheels to accommodate the fifth wheel the
     key caused the screw-head to round out requiring a new axle.

12) Additional Comments: At the time of this writing, replacement parts
     had not yet been shipped to local dealers due to backlog, but K2 was
     very accommodating about mailing the replacement parts directly to me.

     I would like to stress the comfort aspect of this skate. I have been
     preparing for a long-distance marathon, skating on average of 20 miles
     a day/6 days a week and have found the skates to be extremely
     comfortable and provide strong ankle support. Although, I have been
     considering the addition of ankle straps since road workouts are
     stressful on the ankles (potholes, traffic, etc.).

13)  My Personal Rating: 8

other K2 reviews

From: lee5@husc10.harvard.edu (Patrick Lee)
Subject: REVIEW- K2 Power Extremes
Date: 12 May 94 13:00:46 GMT


        Seeing as nobody has posted a review of the new K2-Exotech skates
yet, I guess I will.

        I just bought a pair of K2 Power Extremes, and they're pretty
good skates.  For those of you who aren't familiar with them, they're the
new skates that use a sneaker-like boot with an external hinged cuff for
ankle support.  As such, they're pretty comfortable and really breathable.

        Anyway, some points that you wouldn't be able to tell from the
Inline buyer's guide issue...

        The bearing spacers in the Power Extreme (and presumably the
Extreme Flight and the Extreme Z) are nylon, not steel as stated in the
buyer's guide.  The Skate uses an axle system similar to the Roces type
in which the axle is threaded on the inside of one side and the bolt
screws into that, preventing over-tightening.

        The rockering spacers are really neat, but have some potential
problems.  They're hexagonal, giving one six positions for each wheel.
(much more flexible than the RB system).  Now for the tricky part.  On
one side, the spacer has a hexagonal hole, on the other side, a hold
slightly smaller than the axle.  The axle itself has a hexagonal bit next
to the head that fits into the spacer and a slightly thinner bit a the
end, which fits into the other spacer.  The net effect is that one only
needs one wrench to remove the wheels (kind of like the wave, but
without the annoying wavy bits).  Unfortunately, I have no idea how you
could put a hop up kit on these skates.  They don't seem like they'd need
it (except for aluminum spacers, which I installed) but doing so would
require getting another set of rockering spacers (in order to get a
complete set of either hex or circular holed spacers).  In addition to
this, the spacers are pretty easy to mix up.  One can substitute a hex
spacer for a circular one (but not vice-versa) if one doesn't look too
hard, in fact, this was the case on my skates out of the box, so I'd
advise that anyone buying a pair of these skates check the spacers to
make sure that they're correct.

        On a better note, the skates come with servicable Twincam
Abec-3's, pretty decent hyper wheels, and possibly the nicest
wrench/bearing pusher I've ever seen come standard with a skate.  The
brake pad is plenty big/effective, and uses the same size hex bolt (so
you only need to carry one tool).  The skates will take up to 82 mm
wheels with no modifications (in size 9), rather surprising for skates
with RB Lightning style crossbars between the wheelwells on the frame.

        As someone mentioned before, the skates are a bit tight in the
ankle for some people.  In my case, I had to have the store expand the
ankle using a heat gun before they were comfortable.  The combination of
laces (covered by a flap) and buckle/straps is very supportive, with much
much more fore/aft flex than any other skates I've owned.

        Anyway, in general, a really nice pair of skates, though I
wouldn't really reccommend it for someone who's not comfortable with the
front/back flexibility.  Otherwise, very comfortable/breathable, nice
standard bearings, flexible wheel options, and an interesting but
potentially annoying spacer system.

-Pat


From: trobert@aol.com (T Robert)
Date: 21 May 1994 15:07:04 -0400

In article (Z2Jomc1w164w@cellar.org), darling@cellar.org (Thomas
Darling) writes:

Tom,  I bought a pair of K2 Extreme Power skates several weeks ago
and I am very happy with them.  I'm new to inline skating but I
didn't want an entry level skate that I would have to upgrade to
enjoy.  Theses skates are much more comfortable than ANY of th hard
shell skates I tried on and I shopped at 8 or 10 different stores and
tried on maybe twenty different pairs of good skates.  The Power
Extreme is pretty high tech.  The closure system combines laces over
the lower part of your foot ( not very quick but an excellent way to
"wrap" the soft lower boot around your foot to achieve a good fit)
with a velcro instep strap that covers this laced portion.  Higher
up, where the boot becomes a hard plastic piece again there is a
ski-boot style buckle and another velcro strap above that at the
cuff.  These skates take me a few minutes to put on but I have no
chafing, movement or DISCOMFORT.  They come standard with ABEC3
bearings, an excellent rockering capability built in, Hyperwheel 78A
wheels in 76mm and a very convenient mounting/ dismounting tool.  I
paid $239 plus tax here in Massachussetts and I think they're worth
it.  I don't play hockey, I skate recreationally and for fitness.
People seem to be concerned about the soft portion of the boot but I
haven't had any incidence of scuffing or tearing yet...I haven't
fallen very much either.  The toe end IS hard plastic and the brake
seems to be fine, it is big and easily replaced using the same tool
that mounts the wheels.  The 78A wheels seem a little soft however, I
weigh 183 lbs and have been practicing T-stops so that may explain
the seemingly quick wear.  I'm going to try switching to 80mm 80A or
82A wheels when I need to replace them.  Just this afternoon I
started disassembling the wheels and bearings, cleaning the bearings
in acetone and relubing them with a fine grade machine oil.  It's
time consuming!  Anyway..if you can try on a pair of K2's I think
you'll end up buying them.    Good luck,   Tim


From: lee5@husc7.harvard.edu (Patrick Lee)
Date: 21 May 94 22:00:22 GMT

darling@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes:

>I'd avoid them.  I tried out K2's "Rock Ice" model at a local ski shop.  On
>the plus side, they were pretty comfortable.  Unfortunately, they had little
>else going for them.  They have a "gimmicky" upper with velcro and such that
>does not look like it could possibly stand up to the kind of abuse
>associated with outdoor skating.  The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
>affairs.  The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.

        Well, I've been skating for about 5 years now, and the K2 Power
Extremes are pretty much the best recreational skates I've had. (Before
that I had a pair of Macros, and then a some Aeros).  The upper actually
isn't all that gimmicky.  That big velcro-flap is there to keep the laces
from coming untied and getting jammed in your skates.  The integral Power
strap helps keep your ankle anchored.  As for the boot, it's well
protected in the places where it needs to be (the toe, the sides of the
toe, and the heel) where shredding tends to take place.  The frames are
big, yes, but they're also one of the few recreational skates I've seen
that will take 82mm wheels with space to spare, in most sizes (80's were
pushing it on the Aeros, had to scrape some brake off before they'd
fit).  As for the cheapness, it's probably just the textured plastic
that's throwing you off, they're the same material that most high end
rec. skates use for frames, glass/carbon reinforced nylon. Just because
they bothered to put some texture on it doesn't mean it's vinyl.

  One final thing.  As a skater, one of the _primary_ things I look for
in a skate is comfort.  If it's a great technical skate, but it kills
your feet, forget it, it's not worth the pain.  These skates are comfy
and probably the best ventillated I've seen.

-Pat



From: sokay@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay)
Date: 23 May 1994 01:13:38 GMT

In article (Z2Jomc1w164w@cellar.org) darling@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes
:
>mkoop@dmp.csiro.au (Michael Koop) writes:
>I'd avoid them.  I tried out K2's "Rock Ice" model at a local ski shop.  On
>the plus side, they were pretty comfortable.  Unfortunately, they had little
>else going for them.  They have a "gimmicky" upper with velcro and such that
>does not look like it could possibly stand up to the kind of abuse
>associated with outdoor skating.  The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
>affairs.  The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.

I tried on a pair about a month or so ago and found them to be pretty much
the opposite. For starters, they were the most comfortable skate I'd ever
tried on. They fit quite well around my foot and there were no gaps or
spaces I could feel in the fit.

As for the frame, I don't think they're all plastic. I believe they're
a carbon composite reinforced plastic frame. I just can't see K2 putting
out an all-plastic skate. Even RB uses fiberglass reinforcement on their
low end models. I could be wrong and you're entirely free to correct
me, but I don't think I am.

Despite this, I would have to agree with Tom on the durability issue.
These are a line of racing or cruising/distance skates.
These are *NOT* street/thrash skates.  I would be more than a little
hesistant to take a pair of these out on my usual rounds, esp. given the
boot on them and that they are more than a little pricey($200 seems to be
the floor for a decent model).
If you are looking for a good race skate or cruising/path skate, these
are great!. I almost bought a pair but couldn't promise myself I'd stay
off stairs and walls and stuff.


From: jjroman@rogue.Princeton.EDU (Joshua James Roman)
Date: Sat, 21 May 1994 16:52:05 GMT

I, too, tried out the K2 skates at a local ski shop and talked to
the rep for a while.  My observations...
1.  The Power Extremes are comfortable, with plenty of forward lean-
        too much if you are used to TRS type boots.
2.  The Rock Ice is a solid boot, and very comfortable, but I wouldn't
        trade my RB's for them.
3.  The only solid paaart on the front/sides of the skate is the plastic
        toe cup, which the rep swore was the same thickness as TRS.
        Looking at the many srapes and scratches on my skates
        made me realize that the K2's toe cup was woefully inadequate
        to protect the soft 'exotech' shell from most toe drags or
        slideouts.  The stuff may be touch, but 'gorilla mesh' isn't
        plastic!
4.  K2 is having problems with some of their higher-end racing skates,
        They are having problems with the factory in Taiwan.

5.  Their convertible 4-5 wheel skate (cool concept!), was, in the rep's
        words, 'An inexpensive introductory racing/workout skate'.
        As it is a well put together and good looking skate, I expectantly
        asked the price-- $329.99!!!!!!!!!!    I almost choked!

From: grr@crunch.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Date: 23 May 94 17:34:13 GMT

In article (Z2Jomc1w164w@cellar.org) darling@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes
:
> mkoop@dmp.csiro.au (Michael Koop) writes:
> associated with outdoor skating.  The frames are big, cheap-looking plastic
> affairs.  The boot is thin and would probably shred pretty quickly.
>
> I'd heard about the new K2 skates for a long time, and was really looking
> forward to them, but I found them highly disappointing.

I think you may be jumping to an overly broad conclusion.  While the boot
design might not be well suited to the abuse of hockey or street tricks,
it might be quite adequate for more ordinary skating.  You don't need any
more plastic than required to provide the needed footbed and ankle support
and don't want anymore weight tied to your foot than neccessary.  If these
boots perform well and are as cool as the "ventilation" suggests they might
be a real improvement over the RB style klunkers.

I had some reservations about the rails too - they're just parallel slabs
of 1/4" thick fiber-glass reinforced plastic.  While they're probably pretty
strong, the attachment to the boot looked pretty wimpy and they just screamed
for some kind of cross-bracing.  One intersting feature was that the 5-wheel
frames were also drilled for an alternate wide-space 4-wheel arrangement if
you preferred that.  I guess you could also get creative with super-rocker
or other odd wheel setups if you had a drill-press to insure that your
holes were square though all the rails.

I don't know if I would buy these, but I wouldn't rule them out.  The local
ski shop had 3-different models of the ~12 shown in the brochure,  but not
the high-end ones.

   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   

Date: Sat, 6 May 1995 10:03:20 -0400
Subject: Re: Opinions on Performance Edge II Skates

I got the Edge II 1 year ago for $225.  My observations are:

 * The boot sucks.
 * The frame/wheels/axles are pretty good.

The boot is comfortable and quite light, but it's very bulky and does
not bend forward anywhere near enough for speed skating.  It feels
a lot like a XC skating ski boot.  I quickly swapped it for a real
leather racing boot.

The frames are cast aluminum and fairly stiff.  The alloy appears
to be fairly soft, but after over 1000 miles, they're still in pretty
good shape.  I'm only 140 lb., though, so that may be a factor.

The wheels appear to by Hypers -- can't do much better.  Mine are worn
down to 72 mm from their original 76 mm, but they're still in fine shape.

The axle system is all metal and high precision.  No slop anywhere.
You can tighten the axles hard with no wheel binding.  However,
the axles are hollow and not that strong.  I sheared one in half by
tightening very hard (knowing it wouldn't bind...).  I had to machine
a replacement axle, since you can't get replacements.

Since I value my life, I also machined a brake holder to take
a cheap Rollerblade brake block.

My overall opinion is that it's a good buy for $180 even if you toss the boot.
The lack of a brake will be a problem for hilly road skating.


Mark Drela



Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 14:26:55 +0800 (SST)

Review by: Kenneth Wong (Art40247@leonis.nus.sg)
Product Type : Skate
Brand Name : Turbine or Spoga
Model : Turbine
Purchase Price : US$200
>From local store : Gallen Sports
Date purchased : Did not buy. Was given as a sample as I am their tester.
How long you have used it : 1 month
Pros : Zytel Dupont frame (bloody tuff frame)
       SKF ABEC-5 bearings (Made in Italy)
       Rockering capability
       Very thick and tuff inner boot
       Can be converted from 3-buckle to lace and ankle buckle or just laces
Cons : Rather heavy
       Buckles may apply too much pressure on some parts of foot (ouch)
       Frame is not rigid enough for stunts.
Additional comments :
   This blade may not be available in some places. In Singapore , it's
marketed under the Spoga brand but I don't know about overseas. It's
still called the Turbine no matter which label they use cos only one
company produces it. The Turbine is NOT a serious stunt blade but it can
take hell of a thrashing. The ABEC-5 bearings may not seem fast at first
but after wearing it in for 1 week, they spun like crazy. The inner boot
is very cushy and hasn't flattened out on me yet. The unique frame design
allows the user a lot of options and is good for recreational, speed and
even hockey. Has good alue for money.
My personal rating : 8 1/2


  __________________________________________________________________________



1)   Review by: amy (eighmi@uiuc.edu)
2)   Product type:    Skates
3)   Brandname:       Roces
4)   Model name/number:   FCO Jr. (Rome Jr.)
5)   Purchase price:      $80-100
6)   From local store or mail order:    Campus Skate Company
                                        1 503 683 3516
                                        Mailorder out of Oregon
7)   Date purchased:     February 1995
8)   How long have you used it:   3 Months
9)   Pros:  made in small sizes
            one of the few small skates that hold 72mm wheels with 4 wheels
            durable boot
            one buckle / lace setup
10)  Cons:  Just plain lousy wheels to start (64mm 85A)
            Slow bearings (unrated??)
            not rockerable
            slow skates.
11)  Additional comments:  though the wheels are bearings are slow and lousy
                           to start on, that can easily be fixed with new
                           wheels, bearings, and a hopup kit.  this puts the
                           skates closer to the $150 range.. not bad for a
                           small skate.  Probably the best you can do in the
                           1995 line of skates for small feet. (note i said
                           small, not growing)


1. Review by: Sergey Levin (slevin@telico.bioc.aecom.yu.edu)
2. Product type: Skates
3. Brandname: Roces
4. Model name/number: MOW
5. Purchase price: US$125
6. From local store or mail order: Roller King, Canal St X 6Ave, NY.NY
7. Date purchased: July 1994
8. How long have you used it: 1 year
9. Pros: Durable. Very strong frame, very jumpy.
10. Cons: Heavy. Could use better wheels
11. Additional comments:
12. My personal rating: With original wheels-7 with new wheels 8


1. Review by: ksmith@unix3.netaxs.com (Keith Smith)
2. Product type: Skates
3. Brandname: Oxygen
4. Model name/number: XE Jr
5. Purchase price:
6. From:
7. Date purchased Jan 1996
8. How long have you used it: 1 month
9.

I purchased a pair of Oxygen XE Jr skates for my little guy about a month
ago.  Here are my impressions:

The XE Jr, as the name implies, is a "junior" skate that comes with 64mm
standard-thickness junior wheels.  It also has the "power braking system"
as do the adult skates made by Oxygen, and also has a well-designed
"memory closure system" with latching buckles.  This is a one piece
frame/body design.  It is a very sporty looking skate.  It is black with
a blue-and-black liner and red spoked wheels and red and yellow accents.
The size 21.5 skate, which is what I purchased, comes with two sets of
liners so in American sizes the boot is good for size 2 thru 3-1/2.

My overall impression is that this is a very well thought out childrens'
skate..... the best that I have seen so far.  It is a four wheel skate
and due to its "unibody" design it is quite low-slung, but will accept
an unusually large wheel for a kiddie skate.  With the PBS brake removed,
this skate will accept a 72mm wheel with no problem.  With the PBS brake
in place, the skate will accept a 68mm wheel w/o modification.

The only downside that I can see to this otherwise wonderful childrens'
skate is the choice of bearings and bearing alignment inserts (see drawing)
chosen by the manufacturer.  The bearings are so-called precision bearings
and have a larger inside diameter than the typical abec-1's or abec-3's
that you are likely to want to replace them with.  The problem is compounded
by the fact that the bearing alignment inserts are sized to fit this
larger-than-standard inside diameter.

The short story here is if you wish to upgrade the bearings, then you must
replace the inserts too b/c the factory inserts will not fit your replacement
bearings.  The good news is that there are skates that use abec-rated bearings
and have the same spacer-and-insert wheel mounting system as the XE Jr.

The CCM Eagle and the Performance Attack are two examples that come to mind.
The bearing alignment inserts from either of these skates are just the ticket
when it is time to upgrade the XE Jr. with better bearings.  These inserts are
available from Performance Bicycle Shop for $0.50 each.  I suspect that you
can also get them from a CCM dealer for a similar price.

In my case, I used the inserts from an old pair of Roller Derby Chargers.
These inserts make for a very snug fit in a set of Boss abec-3's, but they do
fit.  I swapped the Oxygen bearings and inserts into the Chargers (after
cutting down the inserts with a utility knife so they would fit the narrower
wheels, of course).

crummy ascii drawing
          ++              +--------------+              ++
          ||---------+    |              |    +---------||
          ||         |    |              |    |         || bearing alignment
          ||         |    |              |    |         || insert (2)
          ||---------+    |              |    +---------||
          ++              +--------------+              ++
                          "floating" bearing
                           spacer


   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
                    A GUIDE TO SMALL SKATES ON THE MARKET
                                       
   
   
   by Amy Ryan
   
Advice for Buying Small Skates

   There are lots of small skates on the market, but its difficult to
   find skates that are of high quality in small sizes. When thinking of
   skates you need to worry about durability and design as well as cost.
   Another factor to consider in children's skates is that children's
   feet grow, so the cost of replacing skates can be high.
   
   Some companies have come up with skates to deal with this problem like
   the Roces STL Jr. that adjusts among four sizes. In buying small
   skates, you may also want to consider used skates from stores like
   Play-It-Again Sports. Many other children are also outgrowing their
   skates. I once picked up a pair of Bauer skates for $30 at a used
   sporting good store. (They originally retailed for $189)
   
   When looking at skates, be sure you examine the durability of the
   skate, flimspy buckles or thin liners will break and render the skates
   unusable. Remember that buying a more expensive skate can save you
   money in the long run, if you don't have to replace broken parts.
   
   One problem with small skates, is that they come with low quality
   wheels and bearings. if you buy new wheels, bearings, or a hopup kit
   the skates will be a much faster and more enjoyable for the child (or
   yourself, if you have small feet like I do.)
   
   Until recently, finding a 4-wheeled small skate was very difficult.
   Recently, vendors have been adding the 4th wheel at the sacrifice of
   wheel size. You should check to make sure the skates will hold larger
   wheels (as a rule of thumb, the skates should hold at least 70mm
   wheels).
   
   Here's a guide to the 1995 line of smaller skates:
     * Roces STL Jr.
     * Roces FCO Jr.
     * Roces Lil Streets
     * Rollerblade Bravoblade Jr.
     * Rollerblade MicroBlades
     * Oxygen Ne01 Jr.
       
   Roces STL Jr. (St. Louis Junior)
   Sizes: 12 (fits 12-3), 4 (fits 4-7)
   Boot: Monocoque, vented stitched foam liner
   Closure: Buckle/Lace
   Frame: Uni-tech (one piece boot/chassis design)
   Braking system: traditional heel
   Spacers: Nylon
   Wheels: 70mm 85A, Aero wheels
   Bearings: ABEC 1 (personally I thought they were slow)
   Price: $100
   Advantages: Adjustable Size for growing feet, will accomodate up to
   72mm wheels.
   Disadvantages: the bearings are slow, the skates are hard to find
   anyway other than mailorder.
   Rating: ****
   
   Roces FCO Jr. (Rome Junior)
   Sizes: 1-5, whole sizes only
   Boot: Two piece polyrethane, stitched foam liner
   Closure: Buckle/Lace
   Frame: Composite
   Braking System: Traditional Heel
   Spacers: Nylon
   Wheels: 64mm, 85A Aero
   Bearings: ABEC-1 (I think they are much slower)
   Price: $90
   Advantages: Durable boot, comfortable, good liner, will accomdate up
   to 72mm wheels.
   Disadvantages: Wheels that come with skates are too small for
   practical skating.
   Rating: ****
   
   
   Roces Lil Street
   Sizes: 1-5
   Boot: Two piece polyrethane, stitched foam liner
   Closure: Buckle/Lace
   Frame: Composite with plastic grind plate
   Braking System: Traditional Heel
   Spacers: Nylon
   Wheels: 70mm, 85A Aero
   Bearings: ABEC-1 (I think they are much slower)
   Price: $145
   Advantages: Durable boot, comfortable, good liner, will accomdate up
   to 72mm wheels.
   Disadvantages: I've yet to find a store that can actually get any of
   these in once they are ordered. FCO Jr's can be upgraded to be like
   this skate.
   Rating: ***
   
   
   Rollerblade Bravoblade Jr.
   Sizes: Children's 19.5-23.5
   Boot: Two piece polyethelene, polyurethane cuff, vented.
   Closure: Two buckle
   Frame: Glass Reinforced Nylon
   Braking System: Active Brake Technology (ABT)
   Spacers: Nylon
   Wheels: 64mm, 85A
   Bearings: Rollerblade (Semi-precision)
   Price: $79
   Advantages: Durable Frame, skates should last over time
   Disadvantages: Comes with small wheels and slow bearings, the
   prototype model that I saw only allowed the brake to be on the right
   foot (this may have changed), two buckles don't allow enough
   adjustment for comfortable and proper fit. Accomodates only upto 70mm
   wheels
   Rating: ***
   
   Rollerblade Microblades
   Sizes: 10-11, 12-13, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
   Boot: Two piece polyurethane
   Closure: buckle/lace
   Frame: Glass reinforced nylon
   Braking System: Graduated Brake Design
   Spacers: Nylon
   Wheels: 64mm, 88A wheels
   Bearings: Rollerblade semiprecision
   Price: $79
   Advantages: Can be found very easily in most stores
   Disadvantages: Buckle broke when I tried these skates on in the store.
   slow bearings, hard, small wheels. Doesn't accomodate very big wheels.
   Chassis looks like it could easily brake.
   Ratings: **
   
   Oxygen Ne01 Jr
   Sizes: European 18-24.5
   Boot: Monocoque, vented
   Closure: Single Buckle
   Frame: Nylon
   Braking Sytem: traditional heel
   Spacers: nylon
   Wheels: Oxygen 64mm, 85A
   Bearings: precision
   Price: $99.95
   Disadvantages: Weird brake, single buckle doesn't allow for
   comfortable adjustment. Hard to fit a skate with only one buckle.
   Rating: ***
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   


Product Review Form

        Review by:
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Model name/number:
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          used it
Pros:

Cons:

Additional comments:

My personal rating:   1 to 10 (10 = Best)
Feel free to use non-integer ratings (5.6) or a range (6.5 to 7).


   
   
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