Skating slower on 125mm

[ppietranico]

Hi, I'm not new, but I haven't been around in several years...but I have a problem on which I could use some advice. I've been inline speedskating for 16 years.

I finally switched to 125mm from 110mm in May this year. I've been tracking my speed and I skate about 5-10% slower on 125mm. I have custom Marchese boots (12 years old now), a 13" EO 125mm carbon frame and black magic wheels. On 110mm, I have a Liberty Sports aluminum frame and black magic wheels.

Here are two key things about me:

(1) I pronate, and I find that I have to move the frame all the way to the inside to feel remotely balanced

(2) I am a big solid guy, 6' and 225-230 lbs.

I skated in Central Park (NYC) doing 1 lap averaging 15.0-15.2 mph on 110s and 13.9-14.2 mph on 125s.

I feel like I get much better "roll" on 125s, especially up hill, but I think I lack stability and am not fully transferring my weight enough between pushes, so am not pushing as hard.

Also I was skating with a guy in the park, who has the same 125mm frame, but is a much lighter guy, maybe 170 lbs, and he had better roll when we were gliding side by side.

I'm not sure what to do. Given my weight, could it be excess flex in the EO frame? Excess flex in 125mm plastic hub wheels? Both? Or just the extra 15-20mm height combined with my pronation? Or just crappy technique and I should be more patient?

I was thinking I might try the Bont aluminum hub wheels first, before buying a different frame...

Any advice?

[bjvircks]

How hard are your 125mm wheels and are they high quality (banded)? When you went from 4 wheels/skate to 3 wheels/skate each wheel must support 33% more weight which can dramatically affect wheel deformation at the patch where wheel contacts road. I'm also your size/weight and I must use xxf.

Also... big wheels are harder to spin up so (my opinion) they like long strides with slow even pushes. Ride one skate a bit longer and give your recovering leg a few extra moments to rest as you bring it back under you. You've got a skate/foot/frame/balance problem if you cannot choose/control how long you ride one skate.

[ppietranico]

Originally Posted by bjvircks

How hard are your 125mm wheels and are they high quality (banded)? When you went from 4 wheels/skate to 3 wheels/skate each wheel must support 33% more weight which can dramatically affect wheel deformation at the patch where wheel contacts road. I'm also your size/weight and I must use xxf.

Also... big wheels are harder to spin up so (my opinion) they like long strides with slow even pushes. Ride one skate a bit longer and give your recovering leg a few extra moments to rest as you bring it back under you. You've got a skate/foot/frame/balance problem if you cannot choose/control how long you ride one skate.

Thanks. I am using XXF MPC Black Magic 125s. I will try to pay attention to the length of my strides

But I've always bought the hardest outdoor wheels for that very reason. Could be that Black Magic XXF on 125mm just isnt' hard enough, and maybe the hub too... which brand of wheels do you use?

[BMW325TI]

I don't know if you are using double push technique, but it will give you more speed.

[ppietranico]

Originally Posted by BMW325TI

I don't know if you are using double push technique, but it will give you more speed.

Yes I double-push, I have for 15 years.

[BMW325TI]

Maybe you should try other brand wheels.

I am using (with aggressive boots) Matter one five F0 compare to Undercover Python 125, Matter infinity and image.

Matter one 125 rolls much faster and more control...

Also try to adjust frame forward or backward and find out which adjustment gives you more power to wheels.

[romekjagoda]

I will risk sounding harsh, but with the limited info and not having seen you skate I would blame the technique. If I pronate it is in my view an indication of weak ankles. With weak ankles you should not be on 125s as they exert high leverage on your ankle. Go back to 100mm, work on your technique, do some ankle strengthening exercise off skate during winter and build up from there. 125s are no training devices-you should be very strong to be on them in a low cut boot.
Good luck and sorry for a harsh opinion.

[AZ Roadrunner]

This is not common but some of the smaller skaters have stated the same thing. You're not small so your size should be great for the 125 wheels. I've used several different 125 frames. The EO were my first. They're pricey so one would expect performance also. That said the EO frame I found to be slower than the other 125 frames I use.

I'm 6'1" 185 lb and found the EO frame to flex more than my other frames. The more solid frame provided more speed for me. My times and speeds increased once I got off the EO frames. It was hard to admit after paying $400 but I finally tried other frames and found much better results immediately.

The 125 wheels are not for everyone as the threads here will show. Some very highly skilled skaters said the same as you. Others found them to be faster. For me the results were much faster.

[chuckboucher]

Best advice I can give is to go back to 110mm wheels. I did and I'd never go back to 125mm.

[BMW325TI]

I am a short guy (1,7 meter), tried 13 inch 3x125 frame.
Did not worked for me weak strikes and less agile.

Switched to Neutrino 12,2 inch 3x125 more powerful strikes and steering is easy.

It is now raining season here, so I am skating at cheap Chinese 3x125 11 inch frame with Powerslide Imperial urban boots.

Man very very powerful strikes (fast), agile and super easy to do double push.
Too bad very hard to get low for long time.....
Most of time I skate at very rough terrain (walking pads), no bicycle or car lanes.

[AZ Roadrunner]

Originally Posted by ppietranico

Hi, I'm not new, but I haven't been around in several years...but I have a problem on which I could use some advice. I've been inline speedskating for 16 years.

I finally switched to 125mm from 110mm in May this year. I've been tracking my speed and I skate about 5-10% slower on 125mm. I have custom Marchese boots (12 years old now), a 13" EO 125mm carbon frame and black magic wheels. On 110mm, I have a Liberty Sports aluminum frame and black magic wheels.

Here are two key things about me:

(1) I pronate, and I find that I have to move the frame all the way to the inside to feel remotely balanced

(2) I am a big solid guy, 6' and 225-230 lbs.

I skated in Central Park (NYC) doing 1 lap averaging 15.0-15.2 mph on 110s and 13.9-14.2 mph on 125s.

I feel like I get much better "roll" on 125s, especially up hill, but I think I lack stability and am not fully transferring my weight enough between pushes, so am not pushing as hard.

Also I was skating with a guy in the park, who has the same 125mm frame, but is a much lighter guy, maybe 170 lbs, and he had better roll when we were gliding side by side.

I'm not sure what to do. Given my weight, could it be excess flex in the EO frame? Excess flex in 125mm plastic hub wheels? Both? Or just the extra 15-20mm height combined with my pronation? Or just crappy technique and I should be more patient?

I was thinking I might try the Bont aluminum hub wheels first, before buying a different frame...

Any advice?

Save your money, don't buy the Bont Wheels. If you're going to try any different Wheels try the Matter solid core 125 Wheels. They are IMO by far the best 125 wheel for outdoor performance. You will feel a difference.