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The
Voice from the Pacific Northwest Newsletter [ Page 3
]
How Heavy Are Speed Skates?..continued
By Winson
Chan
Have you ever wondered how much the weight of a skate affects performance? More importantly, is it worth the extra money to buy the lightest equipment. In this article, I will discuss why I believe weight does not improve performance, and for those who disagree, cost effective ways to reduce the weight of your skate.
A few years ago, the latest development in speed skating was the mini-bearing, which is significantly lighter, and debatably just as fast as standard bearings. If the 6% to 8% weight reduction improves performance, I would have expected mini-bearings to be more popular by now. However, the majority of skaters at all levels are still using the standard “608” bearing. Personally, I have skated with different skates on each foot, one weighing 80grams less than the other, and did not notice the difference. I also switch between a 4-wheel and 5-wheel skate, and I instantly feel the shorter frame on my feet, but the weight difference is not very apparent. Based on what skaters are using, and my own experience, a lighter skate does not improve performance, and it is not worth spending the extra money to get lighter skates.
One step up from 5-wheel fitness skates is what I call
entry-level inline speed skates. These are skates in the US$300
range, which are just low cost versions of skates that could cost
over US$1000. For a novice speed skater, the differences are minor,
and not worth spending the big dollars until you understand the
finer points of speed skates.
Something to keep in mind before you buy, speed skates feel quite
different from fitness skates and may take a person several months
to get comfortable in them.
Although I know that lighter skates will not make me faster, lighter skates may offer a psychological advantage. For this reason, I would get lighter equipment if it were the same price, but I would not pay an extra $100 for a frame that was just 30 grams lighter. As a start, here are the weights of the parts in my personal collection, and estimates on the some popular components.
[1] Weight of one frame plus five axles (approximately 20grams)
[2] Stock short track version
[3] Custom, equivalent to size 7, extra wide
[4] Size 9
My ZX3/K2/Invasion/TwinCam set-up is 1250grams, about 250grams lighter than most fitness skates. A Zero/PowerSlide/Bank Robber/mini-bearing set-up is about 200grams lighter, but about $500 more. The following sections break down the cost versus weight saving of each component.
Boots
A quality inline boot ranges in price between $200 to close to $1000. Compared to fitness skates, most speed skates will last at least 2-3 times as long. I continue to see people on $300 boots that are close to 10 years old. For novice/intermediate skaters, I suggest getting a more comfortable and forgiving boot that weighs a bit more, but has some padding inside. Lightweight boots have less padding, which does not represent a problem for experienced skaters, but may cause problems for less experienced skaters. Boots that cause blisters and pressure points are often caused by poor technique, improper adjustment of the frame, and not cause by the boot itself. The extra padding will help as you learn how to skate on speed skates.
There is only so much you can do to make a boot lighter while maintaining strength, stiffness, durability and comfort. I estimate that a lightweight boot weighs 10% to 15% less, a savings of roughly 40-60grams but can cost $500 more. I think this is a lot of money for a small weight reduction. The money is better spent getting a comfortable lower end custom boot, and several extra sets of wheels.
Frames
Over the past 5 years, I have seen inline frames (with axles) ranging from 190grams to 270 grams. More recently, the majority of 5-84mm frames (with axles) are in the 210grams – 250grams range. This is a relatively small difference, so I suggest buying what suits you best, and ignore how much the frames weigh. If you are on a budget, the best deal I know of is the K2 Straight-84 frame, a standard dual void frame costing only $160. If you want a frame that looks cool, get the Bont Sniper, it is unlike any other frame out there. If you are looking for a real stiff frame take a look at the Maple Diamond.
Wheels
Most 84mm wheels use the same hub as 80mm wheels, and weigh just under 100grams each. The Hyper Bankrobber has a slightly larger hub, and weighs about 90 grams. A Korean manufacture, Arco, even has a 84mm wheel that weighs only 80 grams. Bont is coming out with a new 84mm wheel, and according to them, “An 84mm Cragar hub with bearings is 19% lighter than an Invasion G2 wheel.” If I understand it correctly, the wheel should also be in the 80 grams range. With both the Arco and new Bont wheels, you can save about 90grams at no extra cost. My advice is to train on blemished wheels, which cost half as much, and have another set for racing.
Bearings
The best and cheapest way to make your skates lighter is by making the switch to mini-bearings. They have come down in price and do not cost any more than standard bearings, and they are just as fast. If you use wheels designed for mini-bearings, you can save about 90 grams per skate.
With all the talk about lightweight skates, we should keep things in perspective; we are talking about a difference of 200grams between a standard skate and a lightweight skate. We can all spend a little more time developing the muscles in the legs so an extra 200 grams is not a problem.
Winson Chan - winsonc@mail.com
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