Question about buying Riedell skates on eBay

[Arsenette]

This is what they look like:

http://ebay3.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_9c4bd85d13b66aa22063075758704038/i-1.JPG

Any ideas what model they are?

Women's, size 7, white Riedell Figure Ice Skates. Used but in good condition.

That's the description.. It's dirt cheap (please keep it that way.. I really want these skates) and was wondering how good they are.. I use them for recreational/non-competition skating.. I know the make is Riedell - any suggestions on the model of the boot?

[luna_skater]

From the website, www.riedellskates.com (http://www.riedellskates.com) , I'd wager they are one of the beginner models, or the PSA Medallion (Intermediate). It's tough to tell because the angles on the pics are different.

[Arsenette]

Originally posted by luna_skater
From the website, www.riedellskates.com (http://www.riedellskates.com) , I'd wager they are one of the beginner models, or the PSA Medallion (Intermediate). It's tough to tell because the angles on the pics are different.

Hey thanks! I agree.. they look like the Medallion series (Intermediate) because they don't have the high tongue or the emblem on top of the tongue (the way the beginner ones do). Not bad.. they are dirt cheap and they look like they are in great condition ;)

[luna_skater]

Does the site say how old they are? The Riedell site has been updated with the most recent models of skates, so it's possible those are an older version of one of the models on the site. This boot doesn't have the logo on the heel, but all the new models seem to.

[Arsenette]

No.. it doesn't say how old they are.. that was it.. the only other description is that she is giving also the guards you see in the picture. I agree that the emblem is missing (I'm planning to put a PR flag in there anyway :twisted: It may be a discontinued model - my old hockey skates were discontinued pair.. I could care less so long as these fit :twisted:

Regardless these are maybe $100 pair of skates.. right now it's below $20 so I'm going for it ;)

[TreSk8sAZ]

This is just my opinion, but the soles of the boots look to be the hard outsole, rather than the leather. That means that they are in the beginner series, or the very low intermediate. I'd definitely say go for it, I started with Blue Ribbons and they treated me well.

[dbny]

They are definitely not leather soles. These are in the beginner series and sell for $70 new at the most. The blade is not screwed on; it is riveted and cannot be changed.

[Arsenette]

What's the highest bid I should put for this (used)? I'm just wondering if I should bother?

REALLY appreciate your help!

[dbny]

Originally posted by Arsenette
What's the highest bid I should put for this (used)? I'm just wondering if I should bother?

REALLY appreciate your help!

I wouldn't bother. They have a recreational blade, not good for jumping or really even spinning. These skates are good for a real beginner, especially someone who doesn't know if they will commit to skating.

The bidding is up to $13 with 3 other bidders besides you, including threemidgets, who buys a ton of figure skates and must be reselling them somewhere. This is the kind of auction that could get out of hand with people going higher than they intended.

[Arsenette]

Thanks! I'm glad I'm not the highest bidder right now ;)

Appreciate the help! Now.. if I can only get a used pair of skates to replace the ones I gave away (because they didn't fit right).. any ideas? :oops:

[BittyBug]

Ask a few of the competitive skaters at your rink where they go for skates and sharpenings, since most top end dealers also sell used skates. There are a lot of factors that you should consider when investing in a new pair of skates - fit, amount of support, and quality of blade (if you're buying a used pair that comes with blades) are probably the most important. First and foremost, the boot must fit you, and the only way to test this is to try the skate on (one of the many dangers of buying skates through ebay). Second, you need a boot that has the right amount of support for your level of skating - if the boot is too soft, you'll break it down very quickly, but if the boot is too stiff, you're going to be miserably uncomfortable. And third, make sure you have a decent blade that is appropriate for your skating skills. A cheap blade will not keep a sharpening, and will also not have the kind of toe picks that you need for jumping. A very high end blade may be too difficult for you to manage unless you're an experienced skater.

[CanAmSk8ter]

Have you been fitted somewhere for Riedells? Most brands, including Riedell, don't run true to shoe size.

[Arsenette]

I've tried a bunch of skates before (don't remember when - this is going back some years) and the only brand that consistantly felt right on my feet were Riedells.

[BittyBug]

Arsenette -

They've redesigned almost all of their boots, so the fit is entirely different. Don't know exactly when this happened (LOL - I got my beloved Royals so long ago I can't even remember exactly when). At any rate, when I finally went to get new boots a few months ago, I tried Riedells and they did not fit me at all, and I used to be a perfect fit). So even if you want to keep your options open to pick up a pair on eBay, you might want to go into a skate shop just to get fitted to make sure they still work for you.

-BB

[Arsenette]

My skate shops around here just about suck (can I say that? :oops: ) so I wanted to try something I thought might work. Heck.. the person was willing to take them back if they didn't "fit" so long as I paid for shipping. I'm not doing it thanks to the wonderful recommendations I received here (thanks guys!) but it was something that I was willing to do since my "skate person" was the one that sold me $165 pair of skates that for 2 years killed my feet. They seemed right at the time then he ordered them and that's the last I saw of that guy (he was apparently someone that worked at the skate shop in Voorhees Coliseum and he really only did Hockey skates). He also only sold Jacksons!! :roll: Jacksons are fine but the only one in my price range at the time were those and I thought they were supposed to feel that way when new. I was told they would be hard but they didn't feel right and the bridge of my foot went through pain for months after I wore them a lot. I stopped skating because I didn't have skates (and I didn't want to go back to getting used to "hockey skates" of which I have a used pair that are fabulous) and I can't stand rentals!!! :x

So I'm back to square one because I don't drive and hubby now works nights. I'll just surf around to see if I can find a pair that is my size and is worth bidding on - unless I can come up with another solution. It's not terribly important since I don't skate that much recently anyway ;)

[dbny]

There are still plenty of the old style Riedells around and being offered for sale used. I suggest a Silver Star, because they were the first skates I wore, and I got mine used on ebay. They were comfortable from the start, having been broken in already. Today's new Silver Stars are much stiffer and I wouldn't consider them if I were looking. Here are several good places to look for used skates:

Pricecutters (http://www.pricecutters.com/ads.htm)
Don Korte's Site (http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_connect.asp)
The Skater's Outlet (http://lovenaonline.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi)
ebay Ice Skating Listings - New today (http://listings.ebay.com/pool2/plistings/newtoday/all/category21225/index.html?.aol.&from=R4)


When I'm looking for something on ebay, I check the listings every day for the items just listed that day. If I see something I might want to bid on, I bookmark it and follow it. This gives a lot of time to ask questions and get answers if necessary, and also to take advantage of Buy-It-Now whenever possible. I think it's better to check the entire Ice Skating category than to search on "Riedell" because I've seen so many misspellings. Good luck. If you could wear a 7.5, I would have a great pair for you, but sizing is sooo important.

[Arsenette]

Originally posted by dbny
There are still plenty of the old style Riedells around and being offered for sale used. I suggest a Silver Star, because they were the first skates I wore, and I got mine used on ebay. They were comfortable from the start, having been broken in already. Today's new Silver Stars are much stiffer and I wouldn't consider them if I were looking. Here are several good places to look for used skates:

Pricecutters (http://www.pricecutters.com/ads.htm)
Don Korte's Site (http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_connect.asp)
The Skater's Outlet (http://lovenaonline.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi)
ebay Ice Skating Listings - New today (http://listings.ebay.com/pool2/plistings/newtoday/all/category21225/index.html?.aol.&from=R4)


When I'm looking for something on ebay, I check the listings every day for the items just listed that day. If I see something I might want to bid on, I bookmark it and follow it. This gives a lot of time to ask questions and get answers if necessary, and also to take advantage of Buy-It-Now whenever possible. I think it's better to check the entire Ice Skating category than to search on "Riedell" because I've seen so many misspellings. Good luck. If you could wear a 7.5, I would have a great pair for you, but sizing is sooo important.

Hey thanks! I *might* be able to wear 7.5 because I wear a size 8 women's shoe size. I've noticed with skates they fit a size smaller or even a half size smaller so it might work. I'm broke so I don't know how much it would be. PM me if you want ;)

[backspin]

Street shoe vs. skate boot sizing can vary WIDELY, so don't depend on just a general "one size down" rule. For example, I once had Reidells (goldstars) that were size 6 1/2--and I wear a size 9 street shoe!

Where ever you end up finding new skates, make sure you can return them if they don't fit!

Good luck!

[dbny]

Originally posted by Arsenette
Hey thanks! I *might* be able to wear 7.5 because I wear a size 8 women's shoe size. I've noticed with skates they fit a size smaller or even a half size smaller so it might work. I'm broke so I don't know how much it would be. PM me if you want ;)

Nope. If you wear a size 8 women's shoe size, then in this model year of Riedell you would definitely not wear anything larger than a 6.5. Be careful when trying on, if you you have wide feet. Riedells tend to be narrow, and it's easy to end up with boots that are too long in the attempt to get the width right. That's what happened to my husband, and I was with him when he tried on. I thought it was strange that he wore a size 8.5 in shoes and 7.5 in skates, but since he said they were right, I figured it was a difference in the way men's and women's shoes are sized.

[luna_skater]

Ditto on the sizing issue....I wear a 8.5-9 shoe, and my Riedells are a 6.5.

[skaternum]

Arsenette, just a suggestion. If you're bound and determined to buy skates that you can't try on, I think it's better to err on the side of too small than too large. There's absolutely nothing you can do about skates that are too big, but if they're only a little too small you can have them stretched and/or punched out. Good luck!

[flippet]

Double ditto on sizing. My Riedells have always been two whole sizes down from my street shoe size (7 down to 5 in a skate). I have a relatively narrow foot, and am on the small side of 7--in some shoe brands, like K-Swiss, a 6 1/2 fits well. I think that's where the size-and-a-half or two sizes thing comes in---it depends on whether you're on the large end of your size, or the small end.

I would recommend getting sized for Riedell, if at all possible, so when you find something online or in the neighborhood, you'll know what size is right for you. Buying online isn't a bargain if they're not right, no matter what the price.

My suggestion, if you're set on Riedells, is to look for either Silver Stars (sometimes called 355s), or the 255 model (not sure what the new name is for these--Bronze Star, maybe?). Broken in Silver Stars should be comfortable--if you find 255s, you'd want them a little less broken in, because they're a bit softer.

I agree with the rest--the ones you posted are probably not right for you--firstly, if you were only thinking of maybe one size smaller, they're not the right size. Secondly, these are really low-level skates, with not much support at all. If you already know that you're a kind of skater that does well with minimum support, that's one thing, but for myself, I know that I'd have trashed those skates inside of a week, even as a beginner. Plus, the sole is plastic, and the blades are poor, and riveted on. Since I know you'd probably want to skate more than once a year for 30 minutes, these really aren't the skates for you. :(

Good luck finding something, though! If you're persistent and patient, you'll find something just right, and at a reasonable price. :)

[dbny]

Originally posted by flippet
I would recommend getting sized for Riedell, if at all possible, so when you find something online or in the neighborhood, you'll know what size is right for you. Buying online isn't a bargain if they're not right, no matter what the price.

My suggestion, if you're set on Riedells, is to look for either Silver Stars (sometimes called 355s), or the 255 model (not sure what the new name is for these--Bronze Star, maybe?). Broken in Silver Stars should be comfortable--if you find 255s, you'd want them a little less broken in, because they're a bit softer.

The problem with getting sized now, is that Riedell just redesigned their whole line and the sizings may be different. It would be good if you found a place with a selection of used skates/boots. Some pro shops do have that.

I believe the next level down from the Silver Stars is the model #320, which is the Bronze Star. Take a look HERE (http://www.sk8stuff.com/utility/lister_sk8exch.asp?blade=*&boot=7&color=*&size=b), there are a number of Silver Stars under $100 listed in the size range you most likely need.

[Arsenette]

Wow - thanks Guys!!! :oops:

Now I really have to find some place to "fit" me.. You are all right about it. I mean - it was a long time ago (relatively speaking) and I'm just frustrated at my situation of not being able to skate, etc. I'll keep you updated as to what happens next.

Thanks dbny for all your help - especially that listie thing.. ;)

[flippet]

Originally posted by dbny

I believe the next level down from the Silver Stars is the model #320, which is the Bronze Star.

Yes! That's really what I meant, not 255s. (I'm so confused! :?? ) I think I was trying to say 220s, but really meaning 320s, and then throwing the 55 in just to complicate things. :roll: (I started in 220s, but really should have had 320s (hubby did get those, and is still using them happily), then moved up to the 355s, which is the Silver Star.)

Hope you find something good, Arsenette! :)