#toestop

[rollerkirbys]

Not only did I tip forwards and fall over immediately after putting on my heeled skates (after a while in my r3s), one of the wheels fell off 5 minutes in. We're doing well

[susanna-patrya-haltmann]

or are they more like hooves? do you have hooves

No!

They are bioengineered skates. Just because the synthetic material is comparable to keratin at the "toe" and "heel" does not mean that I have hooves like a cattlebeast.

[dykethang]

and yes my pads ARE gay and my skates ARE bisexual.

[southislandwren]

Man I really hope we go ice skating or something bc I need to show him that I’m Cool and Sporty but also Clumsy and Down to Earth. You guys feel me

[pettyprocrastination]

So I’ve been playing roller derby for one year now. 

I definitely wont say I’m amazing but I’ve made progress. I can do a running start on my toestops, catch up with opposing jammers and my track awareness has gotten much better in the past few months. I hadn’t realized the progress I’ve made until looking back and actually realizing how much I’ve grown from it. I remember the first time i put on my skates at practice I was shaking like a leaf and nearly had a panic attack when we did our first weaving paceline. 

It made me think about writing a lot too. 

It is so hard to see your own progress because you don’t have that outside perspective. We see our writing everyday and in turn it all begins to blend together to us so we can find the improvements we’ve made to our craft, unlike those around us who can. 

you’re improving, you’re making progress every day even if you can’t see it because I know for a fact everybody around you can. 

[rachelfinder]

Usher and the Baby Spine

In the summer of 2017, I spent hours at lots of local skate parks. I lucked out because my brother-from-another-mother was in town for the whole summer and we hit up as many parks as we could while he was here. At the time, I was working on whatever park trick seemed to fit the park (rather than just focus on one skill at a time), so when we found ourselves at Cornerstone in Lakewood, the baby spine called my name.

Spines are harder than just regular coping. It's two bars, rather than one, and you can't stall on the coping. You've got to straddle both bars at the same time. It's totally doable, but it's a mind-freak. Your brain says, "Nope."

It took a few tries, but I managed to not only land on the spine, but I also managed to come off it to the transition on the other side without biffing it.

Yeah. That's that moment. I'm keeping this picture of my success as my desktop these days. Seeing it reminds me of the baby steps it took to get over the spine. It also reminds me of the joy of succeeding.

Who knew that in seven more years I'd be working on a roller skate invention? And that other roller skaters would find it useful?

This past weekend the world watched as Usher introduced the glory that is Black roller skating. His dancers and skaters took what the rest of us in the community knows and loves and showed the world what is possible on eight wheels. And he did it while transitioning from the field to the stage, going from sneakers to skates in a matter of seconds.

As the inventor of a wheel locker, I was immensely curious to find out how was he going to go from walking to rolling. The internet exploded the following day, with the makers and designers of the Flippers skate boots, Riedell skate manufacturers and Sk8Fanatics skate shop all celebrated the collaboration that created the skates for Usher and his skaters.

Those blue and black high top babies are glorious. Sleek, clean design, beautiful suede leather, and lots of Velcro straps for easy on-easy off.

If you're willing to spend a grand on the boots (just the boots), you can have a pair too!.

As someone who balks whenever I need to spend $$$ on new wheel bearings or toestops, that definitely ain't happening for me. And it probably won't happen for a lot of other skaters.

The last two days got me thinking about the Skooties skate locker: it gives a skater the same ability to go from walking to skating in the same amount of time. It's as easy to take on and off, just like a Velcro strap on a skate boot. But the one thing that separates Skooties from Usher's skates is that they are AFFORDABLE.

There's nothing wrong with having a pricey product (Apple Vision Pro, anyone?). And some entrepreneurs swear by creating high-ticket items and only selling to an elite few. Meh. I'm happy that Skooties are something that everyone in the roller skate community can easily access. Now's the time for the work of getting it out there and into skate shops.

Is it easy launching a new product? Nope. It's a lot of work. It's baby steps. It's just like learning to skate over a baby spine.

[leowopard]

derby au featuring improper use of toestops

[ollihietala]

Sudden inspiration to draw lots of quad skates. I have these available in my redbubble store. Check it out:  http://hillopalikka.redbubble.com

[lostjulys]

OHHHHH JUST HAD BIG BRAIN THOUGHT. pls someone tell me not to spend shit tons of money on making a vday/lovecore skates setup. bc oh my gd i rlly fucking wanna now.

[rollerkirbys]

Gear update! Cushions are still on the way, and I don't have the right size wrench to change out my toestops. I think the colour scheme is still apparent 💖

[swordkind]

i literally do not need any more skates at all but holy shit the new moonlight ones r so pretty

[dykethang]

UGH i have literally taken apart 90% of this skate and realised even if i wanted to unmount it i dont have a tool the right size

i could always just give up and put my normal wheels on my derby skates but i wanted to skate my normal daily drivers :(

[tattoomyshoes]

Left skate done These are taking longer than expected I still think they are cool #tattoomyshoes #tattooedshoes #skatergirl #skates #roller #rollerderby #rollerskating #rollerskates #toestop #japanesedragon #japanesart (at Tattoomyshoes) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvHlLP6h1yt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vxc6gufi77zz

[drawinbutter]

I would have included a fraction but I wasn't solid enough on the math around the false premise...but let's see: the false premise is, "increasing the number of wheels means you should go proportionately faster", so increasing from 8 wheels to 10 wheels would mean you'd be going (10/8) - 1 = .25 = 25%, aka 1/4th, faster? Bout Time cartoon 58: 5th Wheels

[pettyprocrastination]

Two main thoughts one is for rugby simon the other is for hockey simon

Rugby Simon 

being the friend/situationship close to a rugby player and going to support him at his games. The pair of you get into an argument (his fault) right before the game and Simon hears this dude shouting at you and ending with “can you stop being a cunt for like five minutes”

You round the corner and nearly bump right into his chest, wiping stray tears on your sleeve as you mumble an apology before going off to the bleachers. 

Simon decides then, as he watches you scurry off with a heartbroken look on your face, his main goal for this game is to fucking d e s t r o y that dude. 

Dirty hits, taking him out at the ankles, full on body slamming this fucker to the ground, this poor dude isn’t getting a fucking chance. 

Will steal glances at you each time too- just pummeling your poor bootycall before looking up and doing a little ‘what’s good’ nod at you while that mfer is spitting out grass. Get fucked lmao 

he’s mostly doing it simply to fuck with the guy. Get in his head so he isn’t focused on the game- but then he saw you sitting in the bleachers wearing the jersey of the fucker who made you cry and thought you’d look so much better in his. 

Sees you after the game but doesn’t go over, youre too busy trying to console your man after he lost, whose batting away your hand because “I’m fine, stop fucking hovering jesus.” 

He waits, of course. There’s no need to rush, the seed has already been planted. 

The evidence of this is the way you look over your shoulder to find him watching you, and raise your hand in greeting with a small smile. 

It won’t be long before you start wearing his numbers instead. 

Hockey Simon 

IDK positions in hockey so im not gonna even try on that lmao. 

Relatively new to the league. Just moved to the area and has only been playing with this team for a month or so now. 

Doesn’t strike me as the type to start fights, sure he’s mean and rough and he’ll send you right into a wall- but he doesn’t start swinging initially- but that doesn’t mean he won’t. 

You seen those videos of somebody pulling an illegal move on the goaltender and then the entire team just swarms the motherfucker. That energy. 

as you can all expect at this point. I am relating this one to roller derby lmao. 

we have an outside practice space we share with the local hockey league so like. that’s what im imagining here. 

Simon driving late one afternoon hoping to get some lone practice time when he finds you skating laps. 

He’s a bit annoyed, sure. He wanted to get some time to himself- finds it quite therapeutic, but instead he get’s wrapped up in watching you instead. The fluidity of your footwork, your speed, the look of concentration on your face. He leans against the separator and watches you until you notice, coming to a screeching halt on your toestops before calling out to him. 

“Are you gonna watch me all day or are you gonna share the track?” 

Granted- he’s new to the area. He knows the hockey league has an agreement with you guys to share the practice space because it means sharing the rent price, but he’s never actually seen any of you yet. 

Until now

the first hour is just a shared practice- you spend your time on footwork and hard stops on one side of the rink while he practices shooting pucks on the other- it’s relatively quiet. The only noise is the scraping of the puck against the rink flooring and your wheels colliding with the ground at each jump. 

He finds himself winding down and turning to watch you again. 

This time you don’t notice before he’s skating over. 

“You need somebody to hit?” 

The question makes you pull back, cautious of the man you had just met. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“You folks hit eachother in derby, right?” He nods towards the now empty half of the rink. “Might as well make this a full practice. Make myself useful.” 

The first hit is mild. 

Not gentle, no. You know he plays hockey- but you don’t have a bond with him yet. Not like the other men who have swapped bruises and beers with after a saturday game. This one is new and silent. 

Your hip collides into his side where you make contact with the muscle of his thigh, it’s enough to make him grunt and shift his weight to stay upright, but not to move him. 

“Come on-” He rasps. “I’m not made of glass. Like you fucking mean it this time.” 

Simon’s taunt makes you grin. He braces himself as you take several steps back. 

He doesn’t expect it, honestly. The point of your shoulder digging into the meat of his side- hunkering low and pushing forward and rising until he feels his left foot leave the ground as you grunt, sending him careening forward and right onto his ass in front of you. 

The stinging in his tailbone is overshadowed by the way his cock jumps at your show of strength, and the laughter ringing through the air as you offer him a hand up. 

He goes home with a few new bruises that will begin to yellow and worsen by morning- but he’s more than happy to have you give him new ones when they begin to fade.  

Having thoughts about Simon riley playing sports- will elaborate soon

[raelynne]

New to stops, who dis? 😂🦋🛼 absolutely in love with my new @shop.xo.nelo.xo.naija Mari-toe-sas toe stops! They are super cute and totally spiffed up my skates! Also, perfect timing cuz my wheels were filthy and I needed an excuse to clean them (rink floors are nasty). I can't wait to go try them out! #toestops #skatesetup #rollerskateswag #butterflies #corgi #luminouswheels #MoonlightRoller #quadlife #SafetyDance #MyMoonBoots #machetecorgez #skategear (at Framingham, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CY5fmbYMz-v/?utm_medium=tumblr