14 replies to this topic

[bluhmd]

A group of my ice buddies are putting a summer roller team together. I have zero idea what to go with for skates, as the last time I played roller was 14. Currently have marsblade O1 on my old one95's, to just skate around in. It is worth saying, I've had them since they came out and like them a lot. I feel the plastic runners will get destroyed. Didn't want to just jump in on the R1 without some info. I'm open to any suggestions.

[Golden Gate Sharpening]

Although they would technically work, I wouldn't recommend playing games in Marsblade O1's. They're very heavy/bulky and difficult to play actual hockey in. I'd recommend having a chassis mounted on the same (or similar) model of boots that you use for ice.

 

I had a set of the R1's, but traded them for a Hi-Lo magnesium chassis. The R1's were very easy to install, but just had too many moving parts for my liking. Over the last 2 years, I've tried all the chassis on the market, including Marsblades R1 and O1, Sprungs, early 2000's Tuuk Rocker, Hummer/straight 80's, and 76/80 Hi-Lo's. The 76mm in front/80mm in back Hi-Lo's are my favorite for actual roller play and have been the most popular chassis in roller hockey. As someone that mainly plays ice, I feel more stable on a fixed chassis and always felt a little wobbly on the R1's and Sprungs. I'm not a great roller skater, so a stronger skater may have a more informed take on those chassis. 

 

The original O1's still feel the most accurate at mimicking ice strides in my opinion. As long as you have those handy to skate around in, you shouldn't have a problem transitioning between ice and roller. 

[Miller55]

I've actually seen some guys play in the O1s but I'm not sure it's a good idea. R1s should be fine, they're not as responsive as the O1 though, but they're good.

[Mdwsta4]

I’ve used hi-lo, O1, and R1 chassis. Each have their pros and cons. My primary pair now is a set of True TF9s with R1s mounted to them. The TF9 is also my ice boot. I, personally, prefer matching whatever boot I’m using on the ice for roller. Could be in my head, but I feel it makes the transition back and forth easier

[Golden Gate Sharpening]

This is my experience. Like mentioned before, I'm an ice player that just plays roller because it's free and accessible right now. Full-time/experienced roller players may have a different point of view. Getting a similar or identical boot to your ice boot is recommended, as it makes transitioning between roller and ice easier. 

 

Marsblade R1:

 

Pros: Very easy to install. Adjustable rocker with lots of customization. Feels more like ice than a fixed chassis. Lots of speed and less effort per stride. You can buy them with an Alkali boot and skate on them out of the box. 

 

Cons: Higher cost. Heavier than most other chassis. IMO, less maneuverable with stops and turns. I always felt off-balance when leaning into turns and stopping. I had a hard time transitioning from forward to backwards and felt unnecessary movement from the chassis. Since they are so new, there aren't really any studies for long-term (5+ year) durability. The bottom blue metal piece scrapes against the plastic top piece, which gets very marked up and wears away at the metal over a period of time. 

 

Marsblade O1:

 

Pros: Great for training. Little transition period between these and the ice. I can skate on my O1's for hours, then hop on the ice and take just a lap or two to get back into it. You can install these on most boots and skate on them anywhere. Great for building muscle strength and memory. 

 

Cons: Very heavy and bulky. Plastic chassis with lots of moving parts. Not recommended for any play harder than casual street hockey. A bit time-consuming to install. Rivet holes tend to stretch and warp over time, even from the factory, so they require a good bit of maintenance and rivet replacement every so often. 

 

Hi-Lo standard aluminum:

 

Pros: Cheap, usually $100 new or even cheaper used. Classic and popular. Very durable and stable with no moving parts. Easier to maneuver in IMO. Stopping and turning is easier, even if the motions are different than ice. You can pull a chassis off of another pair of roller skates and install them on your boots if the sizes are the same/similar. Otherwise, you can buy them with a Mission/Bauer boot and skate on them out of the box. 

 

Cons: Different feel than ice that requires more of an adjustment period than Marsblades/Sprungs. These are more difficult to install and must be done by an experienced technician, as they are very easy to screw up. Lots of measuring and lining up is required. If these are installed incorrectly, not only will they be difficult to skate in, but the chassis will bend/warp and damage your boots by pulling away at the outsole and stretching the holes. Fixing poorly done mounts is a huge pain and sometimes not possible if too many holes are drilled, so make sure it's done right the first time. 

 

Hi-Lo kryptonium/magnesium:

 

Pros: Lightest chassis available. Weight and feel wise, these will feel as close to ice skates as possible. Great performance. 

 

Cons: 2x the price of an aluminum Hi-Lo, a little less durable, see above about installation. 

 

Hummer or CCM/Reebok straight 8:

 

Pros: All 80 wheels gives you the most top-end speed. Neutral pitch makes it easy for players that have never played roller before.  

 

Cons: See above. These are not able to be installed on every single boot, so check with your skate tech before installing. Sometimes the 2nd 80mm wheel is too tall and the boot will have to be shaved down for it to fit. 

 

Sprungs: 

 

Pros: Same as R1. Very easy to install. Lighter than R1. Cheap, under $100 from Stick Fix/Thom. You can dye them with RIT dye for lots of customization. 

 

Cons: Made of plastic with lots of moving parts. Not the most durable for competitive skaters. These are becoming obsolete and finding replacement parts is a pain. The replacement arms/knuckles tend to break. 

[bluhmd]

Appreciate all the info and feedback, thanks!

[Cavs019]

Jake - does the R1 with the smallest/most wobbly insert feel relatively close to the O1? I’m buying them mainly for off ice training since I’m on the IR for a while for competitive games, but the weight of the R1 is pretty compelling.

[Golden Gate Sharpening]

Jake - does the R1 with the smallest/most wobbly insert feel relatively close to the O1? I’m buying them mainly for off ice training since I’m on the IR for a while for competitive games, but the weight of the R1 is pretty compelling.

 

It's not quite the same, but it does give you a pretty solid rocker. I prefer the O1 for replicating ice strides and the extra weight does help build strength, but the R1 should work just fine if you're just skating around and want something less bulky. 

[althoma1]

I started playing inline in the 90s and over that time I've used a flat chassis (all 72mm and all 76mm), Tuuk Rockers, Sprungs and the Marsblade R1.

 

The Sprungs are my favourite, but they do require maintenance and regular cleaning or you'll get a lot of friction wear and the mounting point for the front rocker arms will get very loose. The rocker knuckles breaking was also an issue on the early models, but the more recent models are better for that. I was told by the inventor to avoid hopping the boards with them and that's also helped with the knuckle breakage. I find the Sprungs add grip, turn sharper than any chassis I've used, are very easy to stop in and you can get full stride extension with the toe flick.

 

A flat chassis (and I assume a Hi-Lo) is very low maintenance and cheap, but your strides are shorter and choppier and it doesn't feel as close to ice as Sprungs or Marsblades. They also don't turn and stop as well as Sprungs.

 

The Marsblade R1 felt slightly faster than Sprungs, but stopping is more difficult and they don't turn as sharp. You can get full stride extension though and they seem more durable than Sprungs. They also have a more ice like feel than a flat chassis. It's heavier than a flat chassis or Sprungs, but lighter than the O1. 

 

The Tuuk Rocker is closer to ice than a flat chassis, but doesn't work nearly as smoothly as Sprungs or Marsblades. It's also heavier than Sprungs and is probably the slowest chassis I've used. I wouldn't bother with the Tuuk Rocker at this point.

 

A more durable, alloy version of Sprungs would be ideal, but given parts issues, if I was buying a new chassis for a conversion today, I'd either buy two sets of Sprungs so I had a lot of extra parts or buy some Marsblade R1s. I don't think I could go back to a flat or Hi-Lo chassis myself. 

[Mdwsta4]

I’m not Jake, but having owned both I’d say the O1 with the bolt super loose requires more muscles/effort to balance while standing still; like what you have to do on ice. However, in actual use skating, the difference between a loose center bolt on the O1 and the T8 insert (think that’s the one) on the R1 is minimal.

When I first got the O1, I did a comparison with a regular hi-lo chassis on one foot and the O1 on the other and it was obvious which chassis was on which foot and the benefits of the O1. I did the same comparison with the O1 and R1 when I first got the R1. Unlike the obvious differences of the hi-lo setup vs O1, there wasn’t as noticeable of a difference aside from weight and I could skate without issue. That sold me on keeping one the R1 as the best ‘all around’ setup for me

[Golden Gate Sharpening]

However, in actual use skating, the difference between a loose center bolt on the O1 and the T8 insert (think that’s the one) on the R1 is minimal.

 

That's good to know. I never compared the two side by side.

[bluhmd]

Jake - does the R1 with the smallest/most wobbly insert feel relatively close to the O1? I’m buying them mainly for off ice training since I’m on the IR for a while for competitive games, but the weight of the R1 is pretty compelling.

If you’re on the IR and doing off ice, the O1 is where it’s at. Heavier yes, but the transition is seamless. I’m not a roller guy at all. I travel a lot for work and will go 6-10 weeks without ice. While I may look like an idiot in a hotel parking lot, it’s worth it. To me, the R1 is specifically for in-line players and less on the off ice stuff. Just my interpretation, and obviously others know better than me.

I’m glad this thread has semi-taken off. I was at a bit of a cross road for the last couple of weeks. It’s making me lean more toward the R1. Knowing the transition to ice is so much easier from the O1 I’ve had, kind of makes my mind up for me.

[KomarovSoshnikovMarner]

I skate on O1s and I'm looking to change too R1s or Sprungs. I play games in my O1s too, for me it feels like playing on ice however something more roller specific might help my game. 

[Golden Gate Sharpening]

I decided to give the R1 another shot and I'm glad I did. I'm not sure if the newer batch is has better quality control (the original R1's I ordered were from the initial summer 2020 release) but these feel much more robust, especially the top plastic piece. Here is a newer review:

 

R1 (mounted on 7.5 70K) - Feel closer to ice than the Hi-Lo. T5-H8 has the most overall rocker and feels the closest to the O1, but IMO the T8-H8 feels the best overall. Forward-backward transitions are more consistent, which was one of the original complaints I had with the stock T5-H8. The other two rockers were a bit too stiff for my liking so I can't go into too much depth. I use these with the T8-H8 for pickup or casual roller hockey games. 

 

Hi-Lo (mounted on 7.5 70K) - Feel the least like ice, but the lightest overall setup. If I'm playing full-court, competitive roller hockey, I feel the most comfortable in these. Because there are no moving parts, they are the easiest to get up and just start skating on. Transitions aren't as smooth as the R1, but they are much easier to turn and stop on in my experience. 

 

O1 (mounted on Alkali Kraft Elite boot - similar to One.8/180/S29) - Best for off-ice training. I use these to skate around in the street and work on my stride and getting back into hockey shape. They're very heavy and I wouldn't recommend playing in them, but if I go from playing a lot of roller with a large break from the ice, I skate on these for a few hours for a much easier transition. Although this has nothing to do with the chassis, I do like the Alkali Kraft Elite boots. I got a brand new pair for 50% off on SLS and wouldn't pay the full $429, but I'd say go for it if you can find some for a good price. Otherwise, I'd just get the kit and have them installed on another pair of boots. 

 

I'm looking to make a video of all three compared side by side at my local outdoor rink. Here is a picture in the meantime. 

 

[Atl buff]

Finished my roller setup, went with the Kryptonium chassis on a pair of my 2X Pros.