New Player

**wetdog** · 10-10-2000, 12:02 AM

Hi all

I'm brand new to the sport. Just joined the USA Hockey League and playing with a rag tag team put together at my company. We're playing in the "B" league and getting out skated and out scored but having loads of fun. Question about skates. I'm staying with my "Rollerblades" until I get used to the game. However, this model has the option to be "rockered". Someone told me that all inline hockey skates are rockered for manueverability. Is this so, should I go ahead and rocker them so that my middle two wheels are a tad lower than the front and back?

**newtron** · 10-10-2000, 11:12 AM

Yes, but try rockering(lifting) the front skate wheel first. _ _ _ -
It will make it easier to lean forward and start out. Most pros eventually get to this style. This will shorten your wheel base making it easier to turn even when you are skating straight up. If you feel more agility is needed play with the back wheel. Try raising it up and see what happens.

**wetdog** · 10-10-2000, 11:36 AM

Thanks Newtron

**chandler27** · 10-10-2000, 02:24 PM

Definitely rocker your skates if you're using Roller Blades. Most rec blades have a pretty long wheel base which is fine for speed and stability for street cruising, but don't do much good in hockey. I started out on some Macro's and increased my production 100% by rockering my skates. I was turning sharper and was able to get around defenders a lot better. Plus it made it easier for flipping around backwards.

Jesus SAves... but Gretzky scores on the rebound!

**wetdog** · 10-10-2000, 08:54 PM

Thanks Chandler27

**ggriffaw** · 10-11-2000, 08:36 AM

My Bauer hockey skates have all of the wheels even. These are not cheap skates, but they are about 4 or 5 years old. Do people put smaller wheels at the front and back of this type of skate?

**Mike_D** · 10-11-2000, 10:00 AM

Yep, I do. I have three sets of skates. I just can?t through them out. I have a beat up pare of Bauer H5 that I use for outside asphalt surfaces. They have cams that will lower the center two wheels. I will either us the cams with four 72mm wheels or I will just use 72mm wheels on the front and back and 76mm in the center. My second pare of Bauer 4000?s I use everyday on better surfaces. Since the aluminum chassis doesn?t have cams I just place 76mm wheels in the center with 72mm outboard like my H5?s. My third pare are my ex-ice hockey Bauer Vapor 8?s that I had put a hi-low Kuzak Chassis on. I use these for tournament play and at the important leagues. The standard wheel configuration is from front to back 72mm, 72mm, 80mm, 80mm. Since they aren?t rocked naturally and they don?t have cams I need to mess around quiet a bit with wheel sizes. I use a configuration as follows, again front to back 68mm, 72mm, 80mm, 76mm. This gives me the rock I am accustomed to but it does make it difficult when I need to buy more wheels.

**John** · 10-11-2000, 10:34 AM

My son uses a flat chassis as well. It started with a Bauer Tuik chassis that was not rockerable.

He puts a 64mm wheel on the front followed by 3-72's, on a youth size frame.

This gives him a thrust/pivot point directly under the ball of his foot. He doesn't rocker the back of his skate as he tends to lean deeply in fast corners and prefers the stability of a flat rear platform.

He tried out the new Bauer rocker chassis at Narch and although their wheel configuration didn't suit him, he was very impressed with how smoothly they transferred his weight. He didn't like the Vapor boot, but he doesn't like any plastic boots.

I suspect next season he'll be wearing his leather Tack ice boots with the Bauer rocker chassis on them.

John

**wetdog** · 10-13-2000, 01:28 AM

I made a decision to rocker my skates 1 hour before last night's game and skated around a bit and found that I had no problem adjusting to the new configuration and I was able to turn more sharply and quickly. It made a difference in my game and I was able to hang in there with the better players and disrupt their game. Thanks all for the advice!