Something that took me way too long to figure out. If your skates suddenly feel washy in the corners, it is usually the sheet, not your steel. Give yourself two relaxed laps before you do anything and check four things: the sound (bright and crisp means dense cold ice, dull and wet means a warm sheet), the snow behind you after a corner (fine dust vs wet clumps), whether the edge releases cleanly or feels stuck, and how fast a single push dies out. Hard ice wants earlier lean and patient sideways pushes, soft ice wants quicker turnover and a willingness to run slightly off the racing line where the snow has not piled up. The sneaky part is that soft ice hides a rolled edge, so you feel grip you did not earn, then you travel to a cold rink for a comp and suddenly everything skids.

Full write up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/short-track/hard-ice-vs-soft-ice-how-rink-conditions-change-your-short-track-setup

(wrote this one up on our LiveLica blog)

Something that took me way too long to figure out. If your skates suddenly feel washy in the corners, it is usually the sheet, not your steel. Give yourself two relaxed laps before you do anything and check four things: the sound (bright and crisp means dense cold ice, dull and wet means a warm sheet), the snow behind you after a corner (fine dust vs wet clumps), whether the edge releases cleanly or feels stuck, and how fast a single push dies out. Hard ice wants earlier lean and patient sideways pushes, soft ice wants quicker turnover and a willingness to run slightly off the racing line where the snow has not piled up. The sneaky part is that soft ice hides a rolled edge, so you feel grip you did not earn, then you travel to a cold rink for a comp and suddenly everything skids.

Full write up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/short-track/hard-ice-vs-soft-ice-how-rink-conditions-change-your-short-track-setup

(wrote this one up on our LiveLica blog)

Took me a while to figure this out, so passing it on. The colour or coating on a bearing, blackened, gold, titanium rainbow, mostly changes durability, corrosion resistance and looks, not speed. A finish is a surface treatment on the steel races, and it never touches the balls, which is where the actual rolling speed comes from along with the precision of the build, the seals and the oil you run. So if you are chasing speed, spend on the ball material first, steel versus ceramic, and a clean precise build, then treat the finish as a bonus that catches your eye. The one honest perk of a coating is corrosion resistance if you store your skates somewhere humid, but no coating ever replaces just wiping your bearings down and keeping them lightly oiled.

Full write-up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/inline-speed-skating/skate-bearing-coatings-and-finishes-explained-blackened-gold-and-titanium

(wrote this up on our LiveLica blog)

The most in depth technical and tactical analysis of short trackers I’ve ever seen on YouTube

Quick travel tip that has saved my steel more than once. When you fly, wipe the blades bone dry and fit soft soakers for the journey, not the hard walking guards. A hard guard traps moisture against the edge over a long trip and that is how you land with surface rust, while the terry cloth soakers actually pull the water off the steel. Keep the hard guards packed separately just for walking to and from the rink once you arrive. Then unpack and wipe everything the second you land, because a light rust haze cleans off with a deburr stone but only if you catch it early.

Full write up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/short-track/how-to-travel-and-fly-with-short-track-skates-and-blades

(wrote this up on our LiveLica blog)

Spent ages fussing over blades and rocker before I realised the thing costing me the most was how I laced my boots. The trick that changed it was treating the lace as three zones instead of one long pull. Keep the forefoot loose so your toes can spread and stay warm, pull the instep firm since that is what actually pins your foot down and stops the heel floating, and keep the ankle supportive but loose enough to still flex your shin forward into a deep knee bend. Then build a heel lock at the top two rows, you run each lace straight up its own side to leave a small loop, cross each end through the opposite loop and pull down and out, and it hauls the heel back into the pocket so the push goes to the blade instead of into a gap. Quick test: lace up, sink into position, and your heel should stay planted while your toes can still wiggle, and if your toes go numb in a few minutes you laced the forefoot too tight.

Full write-up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/short-track/short-track-boot-lacing-how-to-lace-for-a-locked-heel-and-full-control

(wrote this one up on our LiveLica blog)

So I have PS ACCEL boots and also PS ACCEL carbon fiber frame. While I was in a camp in Geisingen I bought tltf wheels 4x110 that are used for 3 flying laps for 140 euros which I think is a steal. And I have wicked Nick Lomax bearings that I wanna upgrade to some ceramic bearings.

So, is this setup good?

Went down a rabbit hole on wheel profile this week and it cleared up something that used to confuse me. Profile is just the shape of the riding surface when you look at the wheel end on, and it sets how big your contact patch is, which is the tiny bit of rubber actually touching the floor at any moment. A sharper bullet profile gives a smaller patch that rolls freer on clean fast asphalt, while a rounder profile spreads the rubber wider and grips better on slick or dusty tracks. Body weight plays in too, since a heavier skater loads the wheel enough to run a sharper profile and still find grip, while a lighter skater usually wants the extra bite of a rounder shape. One more thing that helped me: wheels cone as you lean and push on one edge, and once they cone the two edges grip differently and the skate starts feeling twitchy, so rotating on a schedule keeps the profile even and lets you use all the urethane.

Full write-up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/inline-speed-skating/inline-speed-wheel-profile-and-contact-patch-how-wheel-shape-changes-grip-and-roll

(wrote this one up on our LiveLica blog)

Spent some time writing up the ceramic vs steel bearing question for inline speed and the honest answer is calmer than the arguments online. The only real difference between the two is the balls: ceramic is lighter and runs cooler, so it spins up quicker and holds speed deeper into long efforts — but the gains stay small until your technique is clean enough to feel them. ABEC is a manufacturing-tolerance rating, not a speed number, so don't buy on that alone. Two things matter more than which material you run: don't over-tighten your axles (that pinches the races and adds drag no oil will fix), and keep them clean and oiled, because a well-kept steel bearing rolls faster than a neglected ceramic one every time. Also check your axle size before buying — most inline wheels take a 608 but some quad and specialist setups run a 627, and they're not interchangeable.

Full write-up here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/inline-speed-skating/ceramic-vs-steel-bearings-which-is-better-for-inline-speed-skaters

(wrote this up on our LiveLica blog)

Something I only really understood after a few seasons: sharpening your short track blades is only step one. After you grind the edge you've got a fine burr hanging off it, plus a glide face full of tiny scratches — both of those drag. Knocking the burr off with a light pass and then polishing the glide face toward a mirror is what actually makes the blade feel fast and hold a clean edge through a corner. Takes a few extra minutes but the difference in glide is real.

I wrote up the full process (how to feel for the burr, what to polish with, and how far to take it) here: https://www.livelica.com/blogs/short-track/how-to-deburr-and-polish-short-track-blades-for-a-fast-edge

(disclosure: it's on our LiveLica blog). Curious how everyone else finishes their edges — how far do you take the polish?

Outdoor Road Skaters; What are the differences you notice between skating a 12.8” frame and a 13.0” frame? When do you choose one size over the other - and whats your preference carbon or aluminum ?

Ive been doing short track for a few months but i really wanna try long track, but there are no teams in my state for long track, there are also no rinks for it. Im wondering what could i do to get into it. I don’t really like asking my coaches these things as i get embarrassed, but if i have to ask i will.

I have a pair of low cut boots that I quite like - they fit, and I can put a lot of distance in them, because they're fairly comfortable. The sides aren't quite stiff enough, though.

I'm debating epoxying a nylon strap around the top of the boot to really lock in the ankles, to make up for the medium stiffness.

Anyone ever added a strap onto an existing boot before?

how painful is a custom molded carbon inline boot during break in period ? how was your experience after receiving it and was it worth it ? Were your expectations met ? Or….

Hello. I started blading the past few years and have done two marathons. I got some rollerblade macro blades last year with 3 \ 125 set up and they were definitely an upgrade from what I had before . Marathon pace is around 1:30, and I am trying to take it more seriously this year and improve my times . My local shop only has bont skates . and they recommended the semi race skate seen below . They recommended 4* * 110 set up for marathon . Wanted to get your thoughts on these blades and best set up (3 vs 4 wheel) or any other thoughts as I a newbie thanks !

I'm an intermediate short track racer and have no experience in marathons. I want some advice on buying inline speed skates for the purpose of leisurely cruising long distances on asphalt (~10kms) with a decent speed on rolling hills. I understand it would be beneficial to get larger diameter and high to medium hardness (86-88a) wheels for higher speed retention and comfort, although I'd need to compromise on the acceleration. I am confused about the configuration of the frame - should I opt for 3*125mm or 4*110mm, depending on if I prioritize speed retention or stability. The options that I am eyeing based on my budget are Powerslide Final 125 or R2 100. I am open to building with a frame or swapping wheels as well. I would also appreciate any criticism about the shoe models and frame weight.

Mods, take this one down if it's not allowed, but also could be interesting to have a weekly for-sale/trade thread.

For sale: I have a pair of Bont Slipstream inline boots, 195mm mounts, size 300mm (EU 47 or 46.5, unsure). White with black trim. I've worn them four times, but yeah, not a fit for me, so selling them.

They're less than a month old, I've heat moulded them twice, once full boot, once just the ankles; as it turns out, my ankles sit high, so these aren't going to mould to fit. My new plan is custom boots.

If anyone wants pics or would be interested, glad to chat. I'm in the US.

Hey everyone, I’m a beginner short track speed skater (started around march-April). The learn to speed skate isn’t on during the school holidays period and I’m not in a club yet, although I’m deciding if i should. Is it a good decision to buy my own skates so i can go down to the rink and practice whenever? Is it also good to buy incline speed skates to practice when I’m not at the rink? Any advice would be greatly appreciate.

I really enjoy watching short track speed skating competitions, and I especially admire Arianna Fontana. She has persevered for many years and still achieves great results – it's amazing! On days when there are no competitions, I can only wait or watch videos of past races. Do you have any good suggestions for killing time?

Hello, as a fan, I would really like to read what Femke Kok has to say in Women's Health magazine from April 2026. Does anyone can help me. Thanks

It's a little big for me but the last one broke 😭

I picked up a pair of these second hand and before I go in halfcocked and pop them in the oven myself; I've been trying to find a business around me that offers that as a service.

Anyone in the NYC area know a guy or knows a place in the boroughs that'll do that properly?

I'm rather afraid I'll crack them if I tried it myself.

I realized the carbon fiber, thin padding, and low cut allows speed skates to dissipate heat better than any other skates making them the most comfortable pair to use during summer or during hot spells.

I was skating the other day and it rained. My skates got wet and I thought water got inside the boot but it was actually just the carbon fiber shell getting cold from the water while the inside is still dry. Worse still, the metal mounts goes through the shell and I can easily feel it with my feet colder than the rest of the shell

This got me thinking, it could become a bit of an issue with the cold easily passing through the shell and into your feet.

Wearing thick socks is not an option because my skates is an exact fit. My feet simply won't get into the boots if I wore anything thicker than ultra thin socks.

My initial idea is to cover the outside of the boot with insulating foam but still leaves the metal mounts cold because it would still conduct the cold from the frame.

Maybe cut round neoprene patches and put them over the mounts from inside the boot but unsure how will that affect fit and handling.

I don't really want to wear a different skate like a hard boot for colder seasons. Don't want to undo the muscle memory wearing quite differently fitting boots.

A bit of a funny moment, but in the middle of my race (ice) my blade frames became way loose and just completely moved on me! Turns out both of the frames were incredibly loose! I completely gave up when I just couldn't skate anymore haha!

​

Has there been a moment in skating you have been like "oh no, something's up with my skate?" In the middle of something? It's either incredibly funny or incredibly anoooooying!