In-line Skating FAQ: Skate Reviews (3.3)

From: adchen@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Tony Chen) Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.inline,rec.skate,rec.sport.skating.misc,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: In-line Skating FAQ: Skate Reviews (3.3) Followup-To: rec.sport.skating.inline Date: 20 Sep 1996 14:26:57 GMT Organization: Florida State University Computer Science Department Expires: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 14:27:21 -0100 Message-ID: <sports/skating/inline-faq-10-843229641@garnet.acns.fsu.edu> References: <sports/skating/inline-faq-1-843229641@garnet.acns.fsu.edu> Reply-To: adchen@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Tony Chen) Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2 Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part10 _r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Skate Reviews_ _________________________________________________________________ [LINK] --> MARKETPLACE - SKATE REVIEWS (last changed Tuesday, 17-Sep-96 18:39:06 MDT) 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 Additionally the in-line market is changing rapidly, so prices and specifications may be out of date.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 _skate reviews_ * Bauer * Bauer * Bauer F/3 1996 * Bauer F2 * Bauer F2 * Bauer F3 * Bauer F3 (Force Mult. brake) * Bauer F40 * Bauer H3 (Hockey 3) * Bauer Hx/s 1996 * Bauer Pro Comps 1996 * Bauer XS5 (street skates) * Bauer f3 * CCM 95 Sears Special * CCM RH555 Tacks * K2 Extreme Workout * K2 Fatty * K2 VO2 Max * K2 fatty * K2 k2 fatty/1996 * Oxygen 1995 KR .05 * Oxygen AR 3.1 * Oxygen Kr 1.1 1996 * Oxygen XE Jr. * Oxygen Xenon 1.1 * Pro-Tec Aggresive Helmet * Roces FCO Jr. (Rome Jr.) * Roces MOW (Moscow) * Roces Street * Roces Street * Roces Street * Roces Street (96) * Roces Street (96) * Roller Derby BX 5000 * Rollerblade 1994 Aeroblade w/ABT * Rollerblade 1995 Macroblade * Rollerblade Boxcar '95 or'96 * Rollerblade Bravoblade GL (93?) * Rollerblade Bravoblade GL 96 * Rollerblade Bravoblade GL 96 * Rollerblade Bravoblade GLX (96) * Rollerblade CoolBlade * Rollerblade Fusion * Rollerblade Lightning * Rollerblade Lightning TRS * Rollerblade Macroblade Equipes * Rollerblade Powerblade 1994 * Rollerblade Racerblade * Rollerblade Spiritblade 1996 * Rollerblade TarMac CE '96 * Rollerblade Tarmac /CE '95 * Rollerblade VTX 5000 * Spoga Turbine * Ultra Wheels Millenium 96 * tecnica Reviews of real old skates _________________________________________________________________ skate reviews Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ none/none _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ / _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: Brian Yuen (byuen@ofc.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F/3 1996 _Purchase Price:_ $139.99 _Store:_ Shenk and Tittle (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Carlisle Plaza Mall, (717)258-0520 _Purchase Date:_ 04/1996 _Used for how long:_ Couple of Months _Pros:_ Good Suport O.K. Price Rockering Feature Lace and buckle _Cons:_ Wheels Rattle (left and right). Faulty wheel hub design. _Comments:_ The skates are pretty decent, but the employees at the shop where I got it did not know much about skates. I recommend FUNTASTIKS at Mechanisburg location. _Rating:_ 7 Reviewer: Todd Robertson (Brtn15@aol.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F2 _Purchase Price:_ $100 _Store:_ Lechmere (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 06/1995 _Used for how long:_ a year _Pros:_ Comfortable, good price, nice airflow, and a strong design. But grind plates are a pain to put on, wheels that come on it bite, only buckles, and spacers fall out!!! Don't buy these unless your a rec skater not fit for the abuse of aggro skating! _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: Crispin Cornect (demonica@fox.nstn.ca) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F2 _Purchase Price:_ 100 _Store:_ Cleve's Sporting Goods (local store) _Location/Phone:_ n/i, n/i _Purchase Date:_ 04/1996 _Used for how long:_ 3 months _Pros:_ I bought my F2s without the slightest idea of how to skate and I must say they are easy for the begginner. They have a two buckle, molded plastic frame with a comfortable liner. the frame is rockerable (you can also shorten/lengthen the wheel base) and comes with nylon spacers. The 72mm, 78A wheels give a smooth ride and can span most minor road hazards. the ABEC 1 bearings and heel brake finish it off. I thought it was a good, low entry skate. _Cons:_ For what it is, its good. I learned how to skate with it and I found it user friendly, but it isn't something you can cross-upgrade. the frame is sculpted and won't accept aftermarket grind plates, The boot is molded platic with too much ventilation for me to try putting on soul plates. Lace instead of a buckle on the bottom would have been great - you would have much more support for street. _Comments:_ If you're recreational to the core, then this is a great skate, but that is all it is - a great recreational skate. _Rating:_ rec: 8.5 street: 2.5 Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F3 _Purchase Price:_ 99.99 _Store:_ oshmans (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ none/none _Used for how long:_ 6 months _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: Paul Leong (cd307@torfree.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F3 (Force Mult. brake) _Purchase Price:_ CDN$130 Tax _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 07/1995 _Used for how long:_ 1 year _Pros:_ The brake is relatively easy to use with the "Force Multiplier" system. Decent components with ABEC-1 bearings and wheel compound suitable for road use (for the recreational/beginner skater) _Cons:_ The brake hinge can be become loose after a few skates - not enough to be a problem but annoying as it rattles when skating. _Comments:_ _Rating:_ 6 Reviewer: Bob Reed () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ F40 _Purchase Price:_ $130 _Store:_ Dick's Sporting Goods (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Southland Shopping Center Middleburg Hts. OH 44130, (216) 886-2600 _Purchase Date:_ 06/1996 _Used for how long:_ about 2 months _Pros:_ Good, strong supported fit with the ASYM CUFF. I like the removeable liner and the two buckle/one strap closure. _Cons:_ Wheel size is fixed. These skates come with a 72 mm wheel and will not hold anything larger. Obviously, this is not a bad thing if you intend to put smaller wheels on your skates. _Comments:_ Skates also come with a standard brake (which I find to be a Pro) and ABEC-1 bearings. So far the Bauer F40 has met my needs for exercise/recreational skating. _Rating:_ 8 because of wheel size issue and ABEC-1 bearings Reviewer: Jim Kiraly (kiraly@cse.utoledu.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ H3 (Hockey 3) _Purchase Price:_ $149.99 _Store:_ Play it Again Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 04/1994 _Used for how long:_ 3-4 months _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 _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. _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. _Rating:_ 7 Reviewer: Dominic () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ Hx/s 1996 _Purchase Price:_ A$399 _Store:_ BladeWorx (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ / _Used for how long:_ 4 months _Pros:_ Really comfy liner (Clarino), sturdy frame, good for hockey, tucks away the laces and stick-out part of the buckle thing nicely _Cons:_ Terrible for grinding. Could do with better stock wheels, and more ankle support _Comments:_ good if you like hockey but don't want a stiched leather boot, so you can use it on ramps. _Rating:_ 7 Reviewer: Bieu (bieu@express.ca) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ Pro Comps 1996 _Purchase Price:_ $369 CDN _Store:_ SportMart (local store) _Location/Phone:_ National Chain, 604- _Purchase Date:_ 04/1996 _Used for how long:_ 3 months _Pros:_ The '96 version of the Pro Comp in Canada was released with TwinCam ABEC-5 bearings, and 76mm wheels. Excellent fitting hockey skate, very responsive with aluminum chasis. Better than my CCM 555 Pumps _Cons:_ Very stiff with Carbon fibre reenforcing, took a little longer to break in. Not cheap. _Comments:_ If you have the bucks to spare these really are the best roller hockey skates that I have used, and I have tried many different pairs. They are a little more expensive than most skates, but when you check out the feature set, ABEC-5, 76mm Hyper wheels, 7000 aluminum chasis, they are well worth the price. _Rating:_ 9.5 - 10 Reviewer: Amy Ryan (ryan@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ XS5 (street skates) _Purchase Price:_ $129.99 first new pair, $ 30.00 second used pair _Store:_ Johnston's Sporting Goods / Pelican Ski and Pool Shop (local store) _Location/Phone:_ University Ave., Champaign IL / Route 22 , East Brunswick, NJ, _Purchase Date:_ 07/1993 _Used for how long:_ Just over a year _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 _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 _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 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. _Rating:_ 8 for regular skates, 9 for small feeted persons Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Bauer _Model:_ f3 _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ none/none _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: Dave Warfield (dwarfield@ea.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ CCM _Model:_ 95 Sears Special _Purchase Price:_ $59 (cdn) _Store:_ Sears (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Metrotown, Burnaby, _Purchase Date:_ 12/1995 _Used for how long:_ 3 months _Pros:_ It was cheap and got me started, didn't have to rent or borrow anymore. They will look good when I trade them in. _Cons:_ The rivets through the bottom of the boot were uncomfortable as hell, and I had to make a special foam insert to stand in them for more than 10 minutes. The cheap (not even rated) Bearings are already blown, even in the first few weeks I slowed down going down a hill. The wheels mount to plastic, and it feels like it flexes when turning sharp. _Comments:_ Uses bearings that have a spacer as part of the bearing, so to replace them with ABEC bearings, you have to buy a new axle kit. _Rating:_ 4 Reviewer: Jim Kiraly (kiraly@cse.utoledo.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ CCM _Model:_ RH555 Tacks _Purchase Price:_ $260 _Store:_ Tam-O-Shanter (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Sylvania, Ohio, _Purchase Date:_ 07/1994 _Used for how long:_ since July 31, 1994 _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. _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). _Comments:_ I like these a lot. I would recommend these skates for anyone looking into rec/hockey skates. _Rating:_ 9.5 Reviewer: Marty Gold (mgold@smtplink.mssm.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ K2 _Model:_ Extreme Workout _Purchase Price:_ $300 _Store:_ Emilio's Ski Shops (local store) _Location/Phone:_ 112-32 Queens Blvd., Flushing, NY, 718-544-0404 _Purchase Date:_ 06/1994 _Used for how long:_ 6 weeks/200+ miles _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. _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. _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.). 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 _Rating:_ 8 Reviewer: Nick Bargnesi (nbargnes@zoo.uvm.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ K2 _Model:_ Fatty _Purchase Price:_ $240 _Store:_ Skirack (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Main Street Burlington, VT 05405, _Purchase Date:_ 11/1996 _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _THESE ARE THE BEST AGGRESSIVE SKATES I'VE EVER USED. IN COMPARISON TO ARGON (OXYGEN) OR FRONTSIDES (BAUER) THERE LITEWEIGHT AND SO PHUN TO HAVE ON YOUR FEET... Cons:_ $240.00 IS A BIT EXPENSIVE... _Comments:_ BUY THESE! _Rating:_ 9.7 Reviewer: Evan Ludeman (ludeman@gate.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ K2 _Model:_ VO2 Max _Purchase Price:_ $249 _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 07/1996 _Used for how long:_ one week (~55 miles) _Pros:_ These skates are comfortable, fast and quiet. The quality of components and materials is quite good, as expected in this price range. Mid height boot/cuff allows more freedom of movement than most rec skates, but still provides adequate ankle support for intermediate skaters. Traditional heel brake works well (and quietly), although the early indications are that K2 brakes won't last as well as RB. Standard equipment includes Hyper cross fit 77.5mm/78A wheels and Twin Cam abec 3 bearings with detachable shields. _Cons:_ These skates really deserve a better name!! The wheelbase could also stand to be about 1/2" longer for extra stability at the speeds these skates so willingly provide. The reduced ankle support of this skate compared to most rec skates may expose weaknesses in your form initially. _Comments:_ The K2 soft boot is an interesting alternative to more traditional hard shell skates. They work really well for certain people and applications, but as usual, your mileage may vary. _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ K2 _Model:_ fatty _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ / _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: andy berg (dons84928s@aol.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ K2 _Model:_ k2 fatty/1996 _Purchase Price:_ $269.00 _Store:_ boulder ski deals (local store) _Location/Phone:_ pearl street in boulder CO, (303)-???-???? _Purchase Date:_ /1996 _Used for how long:_ 2 1/2 months _Pros:_ verry COMFORTABLE good bearings big soul spot VERRY comfortable! _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ Reviewer: Bill Smith (mugwump@magicnet.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Oxygen _Model:_ 1995 KR .05 _Purchase Price:_ 169.00 _Store:_ University Surf & Skate (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 02/1996 _Used for how long:_ 4 months _Pros:_ Great intermediate level skate. For the novice skater, it provides a higher level of control and more feel of the wheels than an entry level skate without demanding expert balance and technique. The buckles work very well. With the addition of a high quality spacer, they have been quite quick, even with the stock 72mm78As. Replacing the stock wheels with Adrenaline 78As has really helped, too, both in speed and maneuverability. _Cons:_ The PBS (Power Braking System) is not all that effective and takes up a lot of space at the back of the skate. The braking system is also far noisier than any other I've used, which can be good or bad, depending if you need to warn people you're coming. The shells hold the ankle and foot nicely, but I did have quite a few blisters from the liner at first, particularly at the top just above the strap. I wrapped my lower leg in an Ace bandage, and it was no problem after that. I've also had problems with my big toes pressing the liner through the airvent, resulting in some unpleasant sore spots. _Comments:_ I like these skates a lot, although they are not what I would call comfortable. I wouldn't want to go on 20 mile skate trips in them, but for 5-6 miles they're great. Compared to the others I've tried in the same price range, they've been terrific. _Rating:_ 6-7 Reviewer: mAd HaTtEr () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Oxygen _Model:_ AR 3.1 _Purchase Price:_ 199.99 _Store:_ Go Skate (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 01/1996 _Used for how long:_ 7 months _Pros:_ Very durable shell,it comes with soul and regular grind plates it is one of the best aggersive inline skates i have ever used (which is alot at least two pairs a year. I have been using mine for 7 months and still in great condition.als it comes with Kryptonoic Boulders and abec 3 bearings. Also very cofromtible _Cons:_ NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE _Comments:_ _Rating:_ 11 Reviewer: Ron Jovellanos () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Oxygen _Model:_ Kr 1.1 1996 _Purchase Price:_ $230 _Store:_ Chris T Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Philippines, _Purchase Date:_ 04/1996 _Used for how long:_ 5 months _Pros:_ Everything was great with this skate. Looks great, works great, feels great. Even though I bought a pair which was two sizes bigger than my shoe size ('coz it was the only pair available in the store and perhaps in this country for that matter), it never felt uncomfortably large for me. The ventilation and the liner has been the most comfortable I've ever tried. Equipped with 78mm 78A Hyper Shocks and NMB ABEC-5 bearings with aluminum spacers -- perfect equipment. I skate from 2 to as much as 5 hours on this without my feet feeling tired or hot. AutoRock option also a plus, and so is the removable aluminum frame. Nice titanium gray color -- looks menacingly serious. It sets the skate apart from the multicolored recreational and cross-training skates in the industry. MAKE MINE OXYGEN. _Cons:_ Power Braking System is noisy. _Comments:_ Mr. Skerbinjek did excellent in this design. And the Customer Service Dept. of Koflach Austria has been very approachable. _Rating:_ 9.5 Reviewer: Keith Smith (ksmith@unix3.netaxs.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Oxygen _Model:_ XE Jr. _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 01/1996 _Used for how long:_ 1 month _Pros:_ 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. _Cons:_ 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. _Comments:_ 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 _Rating:_ Reviewer: Jack Mardack (mardack@inch.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Oxygen _Model:_ Xenon 1.1 _Purchase Price:_ $155 _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ 6th Avenue & 8th St. in the Village, NYC, _Purchase Date:_ 06/1996 _Used for how long:_ 1 month _Pros:_ Pretty decent value, though I've seen it retail for as much as $180. Good-looking skate. Highly adjustable fit. PBS brake works fairly well. _Cons:_ Boot is not articulated, so no ankle pivot is possible. Hard to squat. Wheels wore out REAL fast,too fast evebn for 78's. Axle nuts are held in place by nylon bushings which strip easily. The brake/axle assembly is especially troublesome in this regard. Strap clips have a tendency to fall out of the boot. _Comments:_ Perhaps a good skate for the very occassional skater on a budget. If Oxygen remedied the axle nut problem (which is present in their entire line), I would rate the skate 2 points higher. _Rating:_ 5 Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Pro-Tec _Model:_ Aggresive Helmet _Purchase Price:_ $49.00 _Store:_ Got it from a friend (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 11/1995 _Used for how long:_ 7 months _Pros:_ This helmet is great, Im sure i could get get on the ground bang my head at least 100 times on the concrete without any injuries except whiplash and a tired neck _Cons:_ NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONENONE NONE NONE _Comments:_ This helmet is great for aggro skating _Rating:_ 10 Reviewer: Amy Ryan (eighmi@uiuc.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ FCO Jr. (Rome Jr.) _Purchase Price:_ $80-100 _Store:_ Campus Skate Company (mail-order) _Location/Phone:_ , 503-683-3516 _Purchase Date:_ 02/1995 _Used for how long:_ 3 Months _Pros:_ made in small sizes one of the few small skates that hold 72mm wheels with 4 wheels durable boot one buckle / lace setup _Cons:_ Just plain lousy wheels to start (64mm 85A). Slow bearings (unrated??) Not rockerable. slow skates. _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) _Rating:_ Reviewer: Sergey Levin (slevin@telico.bioc.aecom.yu.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ MOW (Moscow) _Purchase Price:_ $125 _Store:_ Roller King (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Canal St X 6Ave, NY, NY, _Purchase Date:_ 07/1994 _Used for how long:_ 1 year _Pros:_ Very strong frame, very jumpy. _Cons:_ Heavy. Could use better wheels _Comments:_ _Rating:_ With original wheels-7 with new wheels 8 Reviewer: Matt Brock (valrock@ktc.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ Street _Purchase Price:_ $119.oo _Store:_ Sun N' Ski Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 02/1996 _Used for how long:_ 6 weeks _Pros:_ This skate is slightly heavy, comes with nice wheelss (Hyper Dwarfs)) with upgrading it should be a pretty good skate _Cons:_ It doesn't come with any rivet protection, for soul grinding, although a soul grind plate can be bought for about 7$. The frame seems to wear away when missing the grind plate and lading on the front and middle wheels. _Comments:_ This skate is a pretty good skate with some goog featurs and bad features _Rating:_ 7 Reviewer: Neural (neural@cafesurf.co.uk) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ Street _Purchase Price:_ �150.00 Uk _Store:_ DAI lesuire (mail-order) _Location/Phone:_ .., .. _Purchase Date:_ 01/1996 _Used for how long:_ 6 months _Pros:_ Cool wheels... Decent Sock... Don't crack when you land so you don't go OshitOshitOshit... there goes another 150 :( _Cons:_ Could do with a decent lightness, and be lower to the ground. _Comments:_ _Rating:_ 7 Reviewer: J T () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ Street _Purchase Price:_ 65$ _Store:_ Scheels (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ / _Used for how long:_ 3 months _Pros:_ There light confortable and easy to grind with _Cons:_ There is none other than there a little heavy but you have to be a man and jump higher _Comments:_ THERE THE BEST SKATES YOU CAN BY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROCES ARE NUMBER ONE _Rating:_ 10 Reviewer: Phil Tooley (dtooley@cbcc.bcwan.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ Street (96) _Purchase Price:_ $179.95 _Store:_ Rollerwarehouse (mail-order) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 07/1996 _Used for how long:_ 3 weeks _Pros:_ This skate is fairly cheap, has a pretty good soul size, and is a great skate for ramps and rails. _Cons:_ The grind plates are not that good, middle wheels are too big. _Comments:_ If you buy these skates I suggest that you get Randy "roadhouse" Spizer wheels for the middle and Senate metal wrenches grind plates. _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: Phil Tooley (dtooley@cbcc.bcwan.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roces _Model:_ Street (96) _Purchase Price:_ $179.95 _Store:_ Rollerwarehouse (mail-order) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 07/1996 _Used for how long:_ 3 weeks _Pros:_ This skate has a fairly cheap price, a pretty good soul size, and is a great skate for ramps and rails. _Cons:_ The grind plates are not that good, and the middle wheels are too big for grinding good. _Comments:_ If you buy this skate I would suggest that you get Randy "roadhouse" Spizer 47mm wheels for the middle and Senate metal wrenches grind plates. (this is what i've got for them). _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: Ana & Rick Langlois (rickjl@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Roller Derby _Model:_ BX 5000 _Purchase Price:_ $149.00 + tax, (U.S.) _Store:_ MC Mages Sporting goods (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Chicago, IL, _Purchase Date:_ 03/1994 _Used for how long:_ 12 weeks _Pros:_ Comfortable fit, quality construction and components. Large brake, good styling, fast, GREAT price. _Cons:_ Boot shell not hinged. Some may not like the black w/pink color scheme. _Comments:_ Very, very good skate for the price. *BOOT* \ ______ / \ \____/ _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: Robert Schmunk (pcrxs@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ 1994 Aeroblade w/ABT _Purchase Price:_ $299 - 10% NYRSA discount + 8.25% NYC sales tax _Store:_ Blades Second Ave. (local store) _Location/Phone:_ New York, NY., _Purchase Date:_ 12/1994 _Used for how long:_ 1 month, avg 3 times per week _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). _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. 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 to 9. _Rating:_ 8 Reviewer: Jeff Gebler (DX2000@aol.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ 1995 Macroblade _Purchase Price:_ $180 _Store:_ Sportmart (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Calumet City IL, _Purchase Date:_ 01/1996 _Used for how long:_ a couple of days _Pros:_ Good liner, wheels, boot, frame and bearings. _Cons:_ Plastic spacers _Comments:_ I changed the wheels and bearing after a couple of uses 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) _Rating:_ 9.5 Reviewer: Mike Letourneau (letour@lenti.med.umn.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Boxcar '95 or'96 _Purchase Price:_ $180 _Store:_ Maseys (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Off Vetrerens in Meterie LA, _Purchase Date:_ 04/1996 _Used for how long:_ 2 mouths _Pros:_ soild boot,good wheel setup for grinding _Cons:_ wheels too hard for street _Comments:_ cheap _Rating:_ 8.5 Reviewer: Jeremy (rainorwb@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Bravoblade GL (93?) _Purchase Price:_ 160 _Store:_ sport chek (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 12/1993 _Used for how long:_ 3 years _Pros:_ -Memory buckles -killer liner _Cons:_ frame dosen't accomadate grind plates (my frame is now trash) i guess they're pretty good. i don't think it's worth to spend that extra bit to get the GLX, but don't cheap out and get the regular Bravoblades.h e _Comments:_ very comfortable once they're broken in _Rating:_ excellent Reviewer: Joao Paulo Nabais (Jpn@mail.telepac.pt) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Bravoblade GL 96 _Purchase Price:_ $200 _Store:_ Benetton Sports systems (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Lisbon, _Purchase Date:_ 11/1995 _Used for how long:_ 9 months _Pros:_ As a beginner I quite enjoyed the ABT brake, nevertheless it should be taken of f after a few months to allow a further evolution of one's skating techniques. The brake is very durable and doesn't wear out easily, actually, so as the whee ls The ABEC 1 Bearings are very good and need little maintenance. _Cons:_ The plastic boot is very easily scratched, perhaps a nylon one should be more appropriate. Another con is definitly its weight when compared with recent K2 Skates. _Comments:_ Great skates to start, the ABT brake gave me a good control when I knew little of inline skating. As I mentioned before its weight makes jumps somewhat harder. My final conclusion is that I'm quite happy with them. Nonetheless I'm planning on buying a K2 top product. _Rating:_ 7-8 Reviewer: Joao Paulo Nabais (Jpn@mail.telepac.pt) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Bravoblade GL 96 _Purchase Price:_ $200 _Store:_ Benetton Sports systems (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Lisbon, _Purchase Date:_ 11/1995 _Used for how long:_ 9 months _Pros:_ As a beginner I quite enjoyed the ABT brake, nevertheless it should be taken of f after a few months to allow a further evolution of one's skating techniques. The brake is very durable and doesn't wear out easily, actually, so as the whee ls The ABEC 1 Bearings are very good and need little maintenance. _Cons:_ The plastic boot is very easily scratched, perhaps a nylon one should be more appropriate. Another con is definitly its weight when compared with recent K2 Skates. _Comments:_ Great skates to start, the ABT brake gave me a good control when I knew little of inline skating. As I mentioned before its weight makes jumps somewhat harder. My final conclusion is that I'm quite happy with them. Nonetheless I'm planning on buying a K2 top product. _Rating:_ 7-8 Reviewer: Eric Lundberg (elundber@ucsd.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Bravoblade GLX (96) _Purchase Price:_ $198 + tax and tip :-) _Store:_ Play It Again Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ By Mira Mesa and 15 in San Diego, ???-???? _Purchase Date:_ 05/1996 _Used for how long:_ Couple of months _Pros:_ Fit me well, _and_ they came in my size 12.5 (shoe) Which an unfortunate numbe r of skates don't. (Or at least are not stocked locally) Vented, and the pair I got came with 76mm wheels instead of the 72mms which I saw in the same model at the other stores I looked at. They take up to a 77mm I think. Came with ABE C 1 rocks and are pretty light. I like the ABT brake as you can stop _fast_ ev en while hauling ass. _Cons:_ Better Bearing spacers, but then again most off the shelf models could use em.. . _Comments:_ When I first started wearing them the middle outside edge of my feet felt sorta constricted (dead), but I think this is more due to myself not wearing anythin g on my feet besides overly large beat up van-like shoes for years, and I'm not used to the confinement. The problem is no longer with me, as I've worn them in pretty well know. Another thing to remember is that they are vented, which is nice as they are cool and makes them light. And since they are pretty light it easy to hop things in them. However they are a rec skate and I don't think they will stand up to the kind of beating that trick skating would give them. Though maybe if you got a hop up kit you could use them that way. _Rating:_ A contented nine out of ten. Reviewer: Marianne Sedacki (MareS1@aol.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ CoolBlade _Purchase Price:_ $249 _Store:_ Sportmart (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Rte 45 (LaGrange Rd), Orland Park, IL , _Purchase Date:_ 06/1994 _Used for how long:_ June 9, 1994 _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! :) _Cons:_ The ABT brake sometimes gets in the way doing backwards cross-overs with the br aking boot. The ABT brake can be cumbersome when doing any maintenance on the wheels. _Comments:_ Overall I'm quite happy with my investment. _Rating:_ 8.5 Reviewer: John Kealy (jpkealy@ix.netcom.com) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Fusion _Purchase Price:_ around $250 _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ none/none _Used for how long:_ 5 months _Pros:_ Long frame allows for longer strides Stock wheels are 77mm and can upgrade to 80mm Incredible flex between cuff and boot Soft comfortable liners Adjustable frame for lateral adjustments Comes with Blackhole Killer Bees ABEC 3 bearings Direct vents that keep the feet fairly cool ABT brake comes with a micro-adjustment dial for different level of skaters and different terrains (ie. big hills) Can purchase the skate in womans sizes that come with a lower and wider cuff to accomidate her lower calf muscles Shell wraps around entire foot and prevents that pinching feeling that you get from other skates _Cons:_ Cuff is a little too high _Comments:_ This is great skate for anyone who truly enjoys in-line skating. The Fusion has allowed me to go from general rec skating to serious cross-train ing without having to change or adjust anything. I would not use this skate for any aggressive skating like hockey and stunts, b ut it will allow you to do anything else. _Rating:_ 9.5 Reviewer: D. James Stein (stein.3@osu.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Lightning _Purchase Price:_ $147.95 _Store:_ Play It Again Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ ?, ? _Purchase Date:_ 03/1996 _Used for how long:_ Three months _Pros:_ Outstanding skate for the price. Light, comfy. Lotsa add-ons (rail guards, etc. ) Extremely durable. _Cons:_ No vents -> air flow is not very good. Straps can't be tightened a lot without significant ankle constriction. Hard to clean some spots. Foot pad slips around sometimes and it's hard to keep it flat when you're putting your foot in. _Comments:_ I *love* these skates. I enjoyed them so much that three friends bought the sam e exact pair of skates in the next month. The pros far outweigh the cons. _Rating:_ 8.9 Reviewer: Scott Weintraub (scottw@wam.umd.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Lightning TRS _Purchase Price:_ $180 _Store:_ Herman's Sporting Goods (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 11/1993 _Used for how long:_ 9 months _Pros:_ Incredibly durable. Most accesseries are made to fit it. Priced nicely. Great for almost any kind of skating: street, vert, hockey, recreation/fitness, tr ansportation, etc. _Cons:_ A little heavy, but not too heavy. Fits well, but not as well as some of the ot her skates on the market. Kinda ugly. A friend of mine owns a pair of '94s an d I noticed that the plastic between the wheels is a little thinner. Looks lik e Rollerblade, Inc. cut back a little bit. _Comments:_ The Lightning TRS comes with rather low-grade components (ABEC-1 bearings, pla stic 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 yo u 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. _Rating:_ For street/vert: 9 For hockey: 8 For recreation/fitness/transportation: 7 Reviewer: Timothy Chen (babyduck@medisg.Stanford.EDU) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Macroblade Equipes _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ Nuvo Colors (local store) _Location/Phone:_ San Mateo, CA, _Purchase Date:_ 06/1994 _Used for how long:_ 'bout a year _Pros:_ Easy in, convenient carrying straps, easy out, high ankle support _Cons:_ High ankle support prevents you from doing high jumps... at least for me. Ther e are also kind of heavy, and cannot accelerate as quickly as other blades I've noticed. _Comments:_ Great Blades, love 'em. _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: Khairul Khalifah (khalifah@studsys.mscs.mu.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Powerblade 1994 _Purchase Price:_ US$179 _Store:_ Tres Bon Blades (local store) _Location/Phone:_ 11029 N. Pt Washington Rd 13W Mequon, WI, 414 241 1194 _Purchase Date:_ 06/1995 _Used for how long:_ I year _Pros:_ The boot is very comfortable, with lots of genuine leather and anti-abrasion pa nels all round. Very durable. Also, the tongue portion is adequately padded to enhance fit. The spokeless Rollerblade HPH 81A wheels are heavy, but long lasti ng. Comes with serviceable Killer Bees bearings. Powerblade is now known as the '96 Enforcer. _Cons:_ As with most stitched leather boots, Powerblade takes a while to break-in. The non-marking hardware (i.e. plastic coated axle nuts) scrape the pavement easily during hard turns because they jut out from the frame too much. Would've been better if the comfy boots came with aluminum frames instead of th e same glass-filled nylon jobs used on rec/aggro skates such as Lightnings. _Comments:_ _Rating:_ 8.7 Reviewer: William W. Thigpen - RC (thigpen@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Racerblade _Purchase Price:_ N/A _Store:_ Rollerblade (Blade for Breath award) (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 03/1993 _Used for how long:_ I skate between 50 and 200 miles/week year round _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. _Cons:_ They are a little heavy, you can't change the position of the frame, and they are a little high on the ankle _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. _Rating:_ 9.5 Reviewer: Steve Chew (schew01@barney.poly.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Spiritblade 1996 _Purchase Price:_ 99.95 _Store:_ NYC Skate (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 05/1996 _Used for how long:_ 4 months _Pros:_ The huge front and side vents keeps your feet dry even after hours of skating. They are very light. The softer wheels make the ride easier. It uses a brake pad that is available in many stores. Two straps make the skates easy to get o n and off. It's pretty strong considering its a vented boot. Comes with ABEC- 1 serviceable bearings. The boot is comfortable and not too narrow. Great loo king shell. Low price. The screws for the axle are grooved to prevent over-ti ghtening. You get an even tightness for all the wheels. _Cons:_ The shiny boot looses its shine after a couple of days out in the sun. The she ll is made of soft materials. Crashes and impacts with benches and curbs resul t in deep grooves and scratches on the boot. The hook used to hold the liner i n place sometimes gets caught with the liner after jumping or doing stunts, mak ing it necessary to sit down and straighten out the liner. _Comments:_ Overall, this is a very good skate for beginners and intermediate skaters. I h aven't had problems jumping (low heights) or doing stunts on these blades. You might consider buying some aluminum spacers to replace the plastic spacers. I t makes blading more fun and less tiring. _Rating:_ 8 Reviewer: Adam Hickey (explosion@earthlink.net) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ TarMac CE '96 _Purchase Price:_ $230 _Store:_ Tourque Center (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 03/1996 _Used for how long:_ 4 months _Pros:_ -Very comfortable when the boot molded to your foot. -EXTREMELY DURABLE. Never had a problem with them. -Came with good wheels (Black Hole Fat Free) -Good bearings (A-BEC 3) -Power Strap for extra support _Cons:_ -At first the boot is very stiff and feels bad for a few days. -Power Strap rips easily -Plasic spacers -Didnt like metal grind plate _Comments:_ I told you just about everything I know about the skates _Rating:_ 9.7 Reviewer: Marco Zamboni (zamboni@tech.chem.ethz.ch) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ Tarmac /CE '95 _Purchase Price:_ 350 000 Lit _Store:_ Longoni (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Barzano (Como) - Italy, _Purchase Date:_ 06/1996 _Used for how long:_ 2 months _Pros:_ very confortable absoluty good wheels (Hyper 56/88) power straps included interior laces _Cons:_ powerr straps can go kaputt very fast, after some bad grinds grind plate is in unusable (for me) _Comments:_ changing the grind plate with a teflon one _Rating:_ 8 Reviewer: Caesar Primus (cprimus@clam.rutgers.edu) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Rollerblade _Model:_ VTX 5000 _Purchase Price:_ $145 _Store:_ Local sports chain (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 04/1995 _Used for how long:_ 4 months _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 _Cons:_ _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! _Rating:_ 10 Reviewer: Kenneth Wong (Art40247@leonis.nus.sg) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Spoga _Model:_ Turbine _Purchase Price:_ $200 _Store:_ Gallen Sports (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ 02/1995 _Used for how long:_ 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. _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. _Rating:_ 8.5 Reviewer: Morten Nissov (mn@emi.dtu.dk) _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ Ultra Wheels _Model:_ Millenium 96 _Purchase Price:_ 2100 dkr _Store:_ Surf og Ski (local store) _Location/Phone:_ Gentofte, Denmark, _Purchase Date:_ 05/1996 _Used for how long:_ 1 month _Pros:_ + Good fit especially for wide feet. + Large wheels (80 mm Hyper). + Good bearings (Twincam TK ABEC 5). + Coolmax inner boot makes them moderate warm/cool. + Good brake: the DBS-XT brake which is a heigth and resistence adjustable disc brake. _Cons:_ + Buckle design could be improved - if the buckle in the middle is tightened to much the platic on the tongue of the inner boot hurts the upper part of the foot. + The cooling could be better: a perforated sole (Fusion MX) would be nice. + Shock absorption is missing, see the sorbothane treatment below. _Comments:_ A very good skate for a reasonable price. I consider the UW to be comparable to K2 VO2max and Rollerblade Fusion MX in quality and somewhat cheaper. It was t he only skate that my somewhat wide feet could fit comfortably into except for the K2 VO2max which also fitted nicely (but I wanted a plastic boot so that I w ould not ruin them by falling). And it accepts 82 mm wheels as far as I know. I improved the fit by inserting sorbothane heel caps in the plastic boot: it ra ised my heel a bit and made them just a bit more comfortable. For fitness and cross training I will highly recommend it: good for many kilome ters. _Rating:_ 9 Reviewer: () _Product Type:_ skate _Brand:_ tecnica _Model:_ _Purchase Price:_ _Store:_ (local store) _Location/Phone:_ , _Purchase Date:_ / _Used for how long:_ _Pros:_ _Cons:_ _Comments:_ _Rating:_ _________________________________________________________________ Product Review Form Review by: Email: Product type: Brandname: Model name/number: Purchase price: Store bought from: (mail order or local) Store addrs/phone: Date purchased: How long have you: 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). _________________________________________________________________ _General Info_ _Techniques_ _Marketplace_ _Where to Skate_ Index FAQs Glossary Wheels/Bearings Clubs/Orgs Rollerhockey Quotable rssi Posts Stopping Grinding Vert/Jumps Slaloms Figure Skating Racing Buying Guide Used Skates Guide Companies/Shops Skate Reviews Other Reviews Western California Central Northeast Southeast Abroad _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Copyright � 1991-1996 Anthony D. Chen (adchen@skatefaq.com)

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Last Update August 03 1997 @ 03:31 AM

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