Wednesday night Skate with Sk8 M8’s
26/05/2008 by tim.
Rebecca and Max are regular attendees of the Wednesday night skates in London - and we thought it was time for the Sk8 M8’s to attend! If you are interested in this trip, the notice period will be short as the skate is weather dependant.
I recommend you plan for SEVERAL Wednesdays, so if we don’t make the first one there’s another opportunity the following week! Additionally we’d like everyone attending to be a confident street skater - having done the Sk8school Sk8 Streetwise would obviously be ideal! Also please be familiar with these rules:
The various people running street skates in London are not big on rules in general but those we have are for everybody’s safety and the smooth (and continued) running of these events.
As well as the following rules we also ask that:
You are aware of other park users when assembling at the start point. Please do not spread out all over Serpentine road but leave a clear path on the horse track side for cyclists etc. (If we upset the Parks authority we will be made to leave the park)
Do not spread out at junctions. Always leave room for the bike and marshals to pass. If there is not enough room for the bike and marshals to pass safely on your right then YOU are in the wrong place.
At the Vic: Do not spread out all over the road and pavements, keep noise to a minimum and respect the Vics neighbours. If there are many more complaints we will be banned from using this pub which is very close to our hearts.
New street skaters are requested to stay to the left at all times. If you are a bit wobbly it is much safer to stay on the curb side rather than on the white line until your skills have improved.
Skate with consideration when returning through the park at the end of the skate.
The Rules And Guidelines
• Participation is entirely at your own risk
• You must be over 16 years of age unless accompanied by a responsible adult
• You must be able to stop, turn and control your speed efficiently on skates
• Stay behind the lead Marshal
• Stay off the pavements
• Follow instructions from Marshals at all times
• KEEP TO THE LEFT unless otherwise instructed by a Marshal
• Always leave room for Marshals to pass on your right
• Skate with care and consideration for others and try not to cause obstruction
SKATERS THAT BEHAVE BADLY OR IGNORE THESE RULES WILL BE MADE TO LEAVE THE SKATE AND WILL BE PREVENTED FROM FUTURE PARTICIPATION
To prevent traffic entering the body of the skate we ask that you try to close gaps and stay in front of the rear marshal.
If you are having difficulties and fall behind the rear marshal you may be asked to leave the skate but are always welcome to come back to try again another week.
LondonSkate recommends that you wear protective equipment/clothing and that your skates are well maintained
• Check behind you before changing direction
• Be prepared to stop and move suddenly
• Keep up with the pack
• Try to refrain from holding hands
• Be aware of the Sound System especially when it is behind you
• Skate sensibly through the park especially in the dark
• Respect the city and its other road users; cyclists, we recommend that you learn to skate but if you do insist on coming along please stay behind the rear Marshal at all times
• Respect the volunteers that make this event possible
These rules are imperative for the running of and good name of these events.
-Taken from the Londonskate website.
Skating in the Rain and Wet
26/05/2008 by tim.
Very relevant for today!
Skating in wet conditions can be hazardous and cause damage to your bearings, if you don’t take care to dry them out properly afterwards, but it can be achieved safely with the right equipment. However if you don’t have a set of Water Wheels - you have only 2 options.
- Take off your skate and walk
- Adjust your skating technique to skate in the wet
Here’s some technique tips for skating in the rain.
- Try to keep on the top or centre edge of your skates, they have maximum grip when they are as upright as possible. You have considerably more grip upright than on an edge.
- Make short and even pushes when skating, keeping the skates under you. If you make long sudden pushes your skates will slip.
- Avoid wet, or even damp, leaves as these can be extremely slippery. Moss, leaves etc. are like ice!
- Learn a good wet weather stopping technique. Heel braking is good, T-stopping is a lot worse. If you can, try to learn the Forward T-stop / Soul Slide as it is highly effectively.
- Turning in the wet can be the most dangerous thing you will do: a parallel turn requires you to lean your skates onto corresponding edges and this, in turn, makes them open for sliding. If you can, reduce your speed considerably and try to make more gradual turns.
- If your wheels are brand new and still have the shine on them, do not skate. Take your skates off and walk. The shiny surface on new wheels makes them extremely slippery in the wet and you’re much much more likely to end up hurting yourself.
We’ll be talking a bit about how to clean your bearings in a later article but, for now, one of the best things you can do when you get out of the wet is to remove your wheels from the frames and wipe the outside of the bearings with a dry cloth or tissue paper. It’s likely that your bearings won’t spin as well after being used in the wet, sometimes even getting a little “crunchy”, but if you skate on them they should start to loosen up.
And, on the positive side of skating in the wet: it is easier to start learning some slides than if it was dry. For example, learning the Forward T-Stop / Soul Slide is much easier as the friction between your wheels and the ground is considerably reduced. However, be careful for exactly the same reason: you are going to slide, and you are likely to fall over. Wear safety gear to protect yourself as much as possible.
(original article from our colleagues in Skateinstructor.com)