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What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

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Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#31

Post by the_third_wave »

Svperstar wrote: post #12

About 10 years ago I read a bunch of former roller bladers and skateboarders talking about the death of rollerblading in the 1990s. It is much easier to do tricks on rollerblades, also it was viewed as a "gay" activity in a much more homophobic time in society. There was a picture of a rollerblader in a skating mag and they photoshopped pink makeup on his face and made his rollerblades purple. Skaters started calling…

What happened is that I moved to the Swedish countryside and as such was confronted with hills and unpaved roads. When I lived in the Netherlands I used skates for transport in lieu of a bicycle because they're far easier to take along on public transport. I skated to the station, skated into the train, skated off it after 1.5 hours and 150 km, skated to my job and repeated this on my way home. I was just as fast as if not faster than most cyclists. Every now and then I skated to my parents, an 75km trip which took a while.

I never - and I mean never - heard anything about "skating being gay, that might be an American thing? To even consider homophobia (fear of homosexuals?) in this context is completely foreign to me and probably says more about the polarised society in the USA than about anything else.

Skates are practical means of transport in flat countries with good infrastructure like the Netherlands. They are not in the part of Sweden where I now live, otherwise I'd still be on them every day. A bicycle works fine here so I reverted to my original means of locomotion.

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#33

Post by the_third_wave »

therockspush wrote: post #15
xsmasher wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same critique applies to skateboarding, and that seems as popular as ever.

I bladed and still skateboard. What made blading lame is having to carry around a pair of shoes if you want to go anywhere. Otherwise you're like the guy clicking around the coffee shop in your clip in bike shoes and tights.

I have a pair of 5-wheel skates which clip to a (special) pair of boots. Those boots looked a bit like motorcycle boots, the skates have a hard shell which is strapped over the boots. This is a practical solution to the shoe problem unless you're looking for something more fashionable.

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#34

Post by tellersid »

reidjs wrote: post #4

Not PC, but I love Bill Burrs take on rollerblading: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VmMAE0za2-w He connects the demise of rollerblading to homophobia

I use to rollerblade in the 90s. I never heard of this at the time I couldn't have possibly cared less if I had.

IMO the problem is I rollerbladed for 3 years and I never learned to stop properly. I basically had to fall on grass or cruise. IMO it died because it wasn't a good hobby for the average person. A skateboard doesn't have a speed problem like rollerblades. A bike has nice easy breaking system.

It was a giant 90s fad that was not a good idea for the average person. I loved them and wouldn't even consider getting a pair now based on the almost certainty of taking a massive spill.

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#35

Post by mkl »

the_third_wave wrote: post #31
Svperstar wrote: post #12

About 10 years ago I read a bunch of former roller bladers and skateboarders talking about the death of rollerblading in the 1990s. It is much easier to do tricks on rollerblades, also it was viewed as a "gay" activity in a much more homophobic time in society. There was a picture of a rollerblader in a skating mag and they photoshopped pink makeup on his face and made his rollerblades purple. Skaters started calling…

What happened is that I moved to the Swedish countryside and as such was confronted with hills and unpaved roads. When I lived in the Netherlands I used skates for transport in lieu of a bicycle because they're far easier to take along on public transport. I skated to the station, skated into the train, skated off it after 1.5 hours and 150 km, skated to my job and repeated this on my way home. I was just as fast as…

You spent >3 hours a day just commuting? I can't imagine doing that. What did you do on the train?

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#36

Post by coldtea »

bobbytit wrote: post #8
reidjs wrote: post #4

Not PC, but I love Bill Burrs take on rollerblading: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VmMAE0za2-w He connects the demise of rollerblading to homophobia

Specifically the one famous joke (that even made it onto The Sopranos).... What is the hardest thing about roller blading? Telling your parents you're gay. I never knew a joke could change the course of history.

Well, jokes have changed the course of history in far more important circumstances and the fates of nations of millions - so simply making a passtime out of fashion is not much...

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#38

Post by aix1 »

mingus88 wrote: post #26
ludston wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Been that guy. What's the problem? I mean I can see the problem with walking into a shop wearing rollerblades, but what is wrong with bike shoes?

It's incredibly uncomfortable. I don't want my cleats to score up someone's floor so I end up walking on the side-edge of my feet. And every step makes inordinate amounts of clicking so that I feel like I'm a hot girl in heels walking on tile, drawing attention to myself. And let me tell you, drawing attention to myself while I'm sweaty and wearing bike clothing is the definition of uncomfortable.

I don't race and so having optimal power transfer isn't important to me. I do like cleats though, so I ended up standardising on SPD across all my bikes (including road).

I have a pair of Vaude Sykkel shoes. They're leather, super comfy, look great (IMO) and the cleats are recessed: when I walk around the cleats don't make contact with the floor.

https://www.vaude.com/en-GB/Women/Shoes/Bike-Shoes/Sykkel-Bi...

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#39

Post by stevesimmons »

mingus88 wrote: post #26
ludston wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Been that guy. What's the problem? I mean I can see the problem with walking into a shop wearing rollerblades, but what is wrong with bike shoes?

It's incredibly uncomfortable. I don't want my cleats to score up someone's floor so I end up walking on the side-edge of my feet. And every step makes inordinate amounts of clicking so that I feel like I'm a hot girl in heels walking on tile, drawing attention to myself. And let me tell you, drawing attention to myself while I'm sweaty and wearing bike clothing is the definition of uncomfortable.

Then get mountainbike shoes, which have the cleats recessed into a proper sole. You can walk normally without any clicking...

Re: What the Heck Happened to Rollerblading? (2017)

#40

Post by hjfhjkh »

the_third_wave wrote: post #31
Svperstar wrote: post #12

About 10 years ago I read a bunch of former roller bladers and skateboarders talking about the death of rollerblading in the 1990s. It is much easier to do tricks on rollerblades, also it was viewed as a "gay" activity in a much more homophobic time in society. There was a picture of a rollerblader in a skating mag and they photoshopped pink makeup on his face and made his rollerblades purple. Skaters started calling…

What happened is that I moved to the Swedish countryside and as such was confronted with hills and unpaved roads. When I lived in the Netherlands I used skates for transport in lieu of a bicycle because they're far easier to take along on public transport. I skated to the station, skated into the train, skated off it after 1.5 hours and 150 km, skated to my job and repeated this on my way home. I was just as fast as…

Homophobia is the accepted term for this kind of thing in both Dutch and Swedish, so you shouldn't feign surprise that "fear" comes into the terminology.

The Netherlands and Sweden are among the most LGBT-tolerant countries in the world. Not having to worry (much) about homophobia is a huge privilege.

The way you are talking, it sounds like you are neither gay nor have you ever given much thought to the plight of gay people in the large parts of the world where homosexuality is not tolerated, including the many places where it is still a crime.

The "polarized" US is not as gay-friendly as the typical European country, but other places are much worse.

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