I'm going to make a trip to Detroit at the end of this month to get fitted for new Klingbeils. I'm going there (Podium Skates, fitting by Mike Fieron) because that's who Klingbeil recommended for who was the best in the midwest to go to.

Seeing as some big name skaters are training in Detroit, I'm wondering, since I'll be there anyway, if anyone is in the area & would know if there are any training sessions going on that might be worth watching. I'll be there on Sat., Dec. 28, & my appt. w/ Mike is for 12:30, so I'd only be able to go watch something if it were mid to late afternoon. I know it's not likely, but thought I'd ask just in case.

thanks! Can't wait for my new skates!

I don' tknow about skate times, but there's a guy by the name of Fred who is supposed to be the absolute best skate sharpener - most everyone I know in MI goes to him.

__________________
Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

I know nothing about Mike Fieron or Podium Skates, backspin, where does he work out of?

Your best bet for watching skating in the Detroit area would probably be the Detroit Skate Club, Ann Arbor FSC or Saint Clair Shores FSC. I know that all 3 clubs have webpages online which you could check for ice schedules.

Have fun!

I bought my Klingbeils from Mike just last month. He's the best (and so are the skates, BTW). He recommended some blades to me that I'm just in love with - Ultima Elites.

I don't know much about elite skater practice sessions, but I can tell you that it will take you around an hour to get from Mike's place in Garden City to DSC, which is somewhere in the Birmingham area on the other side of town (never been there myself). St Clair Shores is even farther away and Ann Arbor is about 45 minutes. All three of these clubs are on opposite sides of Detroit from each other (can't make it too easy on you, can we?)

Hope you have a good trip here and we don't get too much snow! You are welcome to email me if you have any questions about Mike etc.

Does the Detroit Skating Club now allow visitors? It used to be very private and you had to request permission from the rink to watch practice sessions. Has this policy changed?

Just to clarify: Detroit Skating Club is in Bloomfield, which is northwest of Detroit.

Garden City is just west of Detroit, with Ann Arbor another 20 minutes west.

St. Clair Shores is east of Detroit.

I can usually make the drive from St.Clair Shores to Garden City in about 20-25 minutes.

Also check out the Onyx ice center in Rochester Hills.

— the Diva, a Motor City native, who wishes people in Washington could learn to drive like Detroiters

I got my Kingbeil's from mike two years ago and I still skate in them they havent really broken down yet. I love them. I also get my skates sharpen by him every time. Garden City also has a skating club that you could go watch there skaters skate. There not big names thou.

Designdiva - you must be an East Sider. To me, St. Clair Shores is on the other side of the world LOL (I'm a West Sider through and through).

I get my skates sharpened by Mike too. He does a great job on them - even keeping my old blades is good skating condition after somebody else had destroyed them.

Thanks everyone for the info! I'm glad to hear that others think highly of Mike--reassuring.

That the DSC has closed practice sessions makes perfect sense; I hadn't thought of that. The only place that would be reasonably close would be Ann Arbor (which is more along my route--coming from Holland where my family is), so I'll check their website.

sk8er1964, how long did it take for your Klingbeils to come in once they were ordered?

--backspin

I was fortunate to be able to get into stock boots. Mike had them ready for me (blades and all) within a week. I don't know how long it would be if you went customs.

sk8er1964, I'm a complete and total Westsider. I grew up in the Dearborn area but my granny lives in Grosse Pointe, so I've made thousands of trips down I-94.