Daily bike commuter wants to add inline skating, advice needed

#1

Hello,

New member here. I am a daily bike commuter (mostly just to work and back) and I come to this website for information every so often. I’d like to add in rollerblading to my commute on nice dry days when I’m not in a hurry. My reason for creating this topic is because I haven’t been able to find many local groups or resources. If this is too off topic, please delete.

  1. I’m assuming I should skate in the bike lane or is this a no-no? The gravel and rough asphalt makes this challenging but sidewalk seems hazardous for peds.

  2. Do you get yelled at for keeping your skates on when entering places and things? Example: entering a bus, entering a coffee shop, getting on the aerial tram? It would seem to be a lot of work to take skates off to go into these places.

  3. Avoiding hazards like rail tracks and cracks in asphalt. Do you slow to a stop and step over them or just go for it?

  4. Are there any “must knows” for commuting by inline skates (as opposed to just skating around for funsies). I am working on getting my stopping and management of hills down to a T before I go out into the bustling commuter world. I also plan to wear a helmet and padding that can velcro on and off easily.

Thanks,
Britt

#2

The ability to handle road irregularities directly correlate to your wheel size. Things are a challenge as it is even with e-scooters which have larger wheels than in-line skates. You’ll probably find road surface conditions a major challenge if you’re in the city proper.

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