Roller skiing

[LegendRider]

I just got back from Sweden where I saw a lot of people roller skiing and it looks like fun. I'm intrigued. Anyone do it on a regular basis? Is it good training?

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by LegendRider

I just got back from Sweden where I saw a lot of people roller skiing and it looks like fun. I'm intrigued. Anyone do it on a regular basis? Is it good training?

It's good training for cross-country skiing if you don't have snow.

[TBLS]

Excellent training if you can find good tarmac with limited traffic. Best to work on your double poling (I have the skate roller ski's)

Safety equipment mandatory!

Best deal for starting is roller ski shop in mn. If you are a 45 and need boots ping me

[David Kirk]

I road ski some in the fall is snow is late in coming. I like it.

Come fall here we get groups of skiers doing laps in my suburban neighborhood getting preseason hours in and some of them are beautiful to watch.

dave

[christian]

Preface this by saying... I'm Swedish.

Yeah, I rollerski. Classic, not skate. As TBLS says, best for double poling, as it's easy to develop a late kick otherwise. I'm training for Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår in 2016 and we don't have enough snow here to xc regularly, so it is one way to stay fit.

I like it. Flat, traffic-free, tarmac is pretty critical. Have any MUPs by you?

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by christian

Preface this by saying... I'm Swedish.

Yeah, I rollerski. Classic, not skate. As TBLS says, best for double poling, as it's easy to develop a late kick otherwise. I'm training for Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår in 2016 and we don't have enough snow here to xc regularly, so it is one way to stay fit.

I like it. Flat, traffic-free, tarmac is pretty critical. Have any MUPs by you?

Last year while cycling it the Italian Alps I passed a man and a woman roller skiing up the Gavia. How is that possible ? Needless to say they were super-fit.

[iml]

I live for XC skiing as much as riding, so yes, I roller ski. We can typically ski until May or June, and I tend to let about a month pass before getting on roller skis. When I get them out in late June or so, it's just once or twice a week until September, just to stay in touch with it, before increasing frequency and volume in the fall. I mostly put them away from the first snow in November, as I don't really like going back and forth between skis and roller skis.

But that's about me, and not really beneficial to you. I tend to think roller skiing is for skiers, and that learning to ski on snow should really come first. Roller skis aren't to be trifled with, and the majority of enthusiast skiers don't bother with it. Check it out if you're inspired, but be careful and aware that it's typically something that comes well after someone gains some competency in the real thing.

[LegendRider]

Originally Posted by christian

Preface this by saying... I'm Swedish.

Yeah, I rollerski. Classic, not skate. As TBLS says, best for double poling, as it's easy to develop a late kick otherwise. I'm training for Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår in 2016 and we don't have enough snow here to xc regularly, so it is one way to stay fit.

I like it. Flat, traffic-free, tarmac is pretty critical. Have any MUPs by you?

There are definitely a number of decent MUPs nearby (rails-to-trails) that would be good for skate skiing.

BTW - I saw the skiers all over Ostersund.

[tiretrax]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Last year while cycling it the Italian Alps I passed a man and a woman roller skiing up the Gavia.

Better that you passed them rather than the opposite.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by tiretrax

Better that you passed them rather than the opposite.

It took a while.

Surprisingly they loaded into a car after reaching the top and drove down.

[iml]

Roller skis and long descents don't mix. Most don't have brakes. I'll sometimes cajole my wife in to picking me up at the top of a local 15-ish km climb.

[christian]

Originally Posted by LegendRider

BTW - I saw the skiers all over Ostersund.

What the heck were you doing there? I am from about an hour away.

[krhea]

Originally Posted by iml

Roller skis and long descents don't mix. Most don't have brakes. I'll sometimes cajole my wife in to picking me up at the top of a local 15-ish km climb.

What 15k climb are you roller skiing in or around Stumptown? Do you ever 'ski" Fairmount Blvd? Great loop for the roller skis.

[iml]

Larch. I don't often ski the loop, but some do. The circuit race loop at Tabor is good, as is Springwater, of course.

[krhea]

Originally Posted by iml

Larch. I don't often ski the loop, but some do. The circuit race loop at Tabor is good, as is Springwater, of course.

Larch, gotcha. I always think of that as a 14mile climb starting at the Women's Forum "fork".

You're a better/fitter man then I am, no Larch on roller skis for me!