new idea... wheely guards

[peanutskates]

I just Had An Idea, (although I'm hoping I'm not the first, I would love to own something like this). Skate guards - with WHEELS ON!!!

So, you put them on and 'roller skate' to the rink instead of walking... or if they fit really tightly and well, you could possibly even use them as roller skates...

Anyway - has anyone seen something like this around? Or has the power to invent it? I think they would be reaaally cool.

or PIC blades that fit onto your skate blades like blade guards...

:D

[kateskate]

One of the teachers at the rink mentioned to me once that he knew some kids who had these. I don't know if they made them or where they got them from or how they worked.

[Team Arthritis]

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Lyle

[SkatingOnClouds]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

I would think that adding wheels to the guards might make it a bit high off the ground for my comfort. But I like the idea. If they could be rockered like blades, and have some sort of stopper or pick substitute, they could be good for off-ice practise.

Someone out there ought to have the skills to do this.

[sue123]

Sounds ike it would be a lot of fun. I would love to try them out.

[Mercedeslove]

If anyone makes these. I'd be willing to put my body out on the line to test them out.

[sue123]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

I would think that adding wheels to the guards might make it a bit high off the ground for my comfort. But I like the idea. If they could be rockered like blades, and have some sort of stopper or pick substitute, they could be good for off-ice practise.

Someone out there ought to have the skills to do this.

wELL, I was thinking that it might be like the wheels that come on those rolly sneakers that the kids have now. They're not so big. If you put rollerblade wheels on, then yea, it might be a bit high. But some small wheels wouldn't add that much more height.

[doubletoe]

All I can say is, I would HATE to be the first skater to forget to take those guards off when I step onto the ice! 8O

[sunjoy]

Hypno has a similar concept: http://www.hypnoskates.com/product.php?productid=23&cat=2&bestseller

Hypno's are inline skates whose 'blades' are removable to provide a functional shoe. They apparently also sell ice blades, although the profile seems to be a hockey blade.

Their attachment mechanism is supposed to work well for inline, and since the stresses ought to be similar for ice, it should work reasonably well. I don't own them, but at least one guy I talked to with the inline version said they're good as inline skates.

I see two problems with the wheeled skate guard concept. First, I don't mind abusing my ice-skates on the ice, but no way would I want to subject them to street conditions (including falls, grit, etc). The technical problem would be getting large enough wheels for decent inline skating without removing the ice-blade. Something like the "LandRoller" cocept that uses offset, canted wheels might work.

What would be more sesnsible would be to just use a non-leather based mounting system, like speedskates do, so that you can unmount your blade, and mount a frame for wheels, and do so multiple times without stripping the holes. Older speedskate boots used to be leather and plastic based, not carbon fiber, so at least in theory a similar mounting system could be used with something resembling a figure boot.

The problem is that the cost of all that might be as much as just getting a new boot!