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Just The FAQ
Inline Skating frequently asked questions |
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Equipment
Where to Skate
Lessons
Our Club
Miscellaneous
Where can I purchase inline skating equipment in Ottawa/Gatineau?Figure 8 has excellent customer service, they will take the time to ensure a fit, rather than just "moving product". While Figure 8 sells a range of recreational to speed skates, speed skaters should check out IL Peloton, especially for the great prices our members get. How do I register for the Try & Learn sessions?You can register in person at the Inline Skating Booth on Sundays. For details check out the Try & Learn page. Where can I get my skates repaired / tuned-up?Try Figure 8. What brand names do you recommend for inline speed skating?None. However for a detailed discussion on equipment and what kind of skate might be right for you, check out our equipment guide. Where are some good places to skate in Ottawa/Gatineau?Check out our Inline Skating Paths and Maps page and NCC Sunday Bikedays page for places to skate. For the price of an OISC membership, you can also skate at our training venues (an outstanding bargain, I would like to add!). Where can I find some inline skating lessons in Ottawa/Gatineau?For absolute beginners, we recommend attending drop in clinics at Figure 8 or during Sunday Bikedays you can attend our Try and Learn sessions. For skaters looking for new skater friends, our Wednesday night skate is all about fun, friends and fitness outdoors. For intermediate and advanced skaters who wish to improve their fitness, skill level or speed, come out and train with us. We have programming on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Do I need to purchase 5 wheel skates or speed skates to go fast?No...but it might help :-) Seriously, your fitness level and skating skill can easily be more important than any advantage due to equipment. For more a more detailed discussion on equipment, check out our equipment guide. Do you know of any indoor places to skate in Ottawa/Gatineau?The Ottawa Inline Skating Club currently has no official indoor skating venue. However we are actively working on securing a venue for the coming winter season. I have some inline skating equipment to sell; where can I do this?Join our Discussion Groups and post your advertisement there. Individual sales only please. How do I become a member?You can join online, You will need to check off our legal waiver and provide a credit card for online purchase. Can I try the club before joining?Yes. The club has a "try once before you buy" policy. Attend any practice. If you like it, sign up and pay online. If you decide it's not for you, then it hasn't cost you a thing. What have you got to lose? To find out more about club programming check out our calendar. What is the cost to become a member, what are the benefits?For full program/package information please see our membership section. What skill level should I have become a member?If you have never put on skates before, or have put on skates before and lack confidence skating forwards, we recommend you take skating lessons first before attending our programs. Please see "Where can I find some inline skating lessons in Ottawa/Gatineau" elsewhere in this FAQ for more information on obtaining lessons for absolute beginners. The Sunday TRY and LEARN sessions are targeted at beginner skaters. For skaters who are comfortable skating and want to improve their fitness, skill level or speed, we recommend participating in our regular programming. I am skating my first inline marathon this spring; how should I train for this?Check out our programming and membership pages for information on the training we offer. Our Inline Skating Tips & Technique section also has some excellent information that may help. Are there any inline skating races in the Ottawa/Gatineau Region?A race season highlights page is available on our site. For more information, check out our online calendar page. Where can I rent inline skates?Cycos Bike Shop on Hawthorne (near Pretoria Bridge) may rent inline skates. No guarantees. Do I have to wear a helmet or other protective gear to skate with your club?Helmets are absolutely mandatory for all club skating activities; no exceptions! Wrist guards and knee pads are highly recommended for all club skating activities, and are absolutely mandatory for Sunday TRY and LEARN sessions. I will be visiting Ottawa soon. Can I skate with your club?Yes. A small guest fee for training nights may apply. Some scheduled events are free and open to the general public. What ABEC rating do you recommend for racing?Your fitness and skill level may well give you more or less advantage than the kind of bearings you use. Most skaters should simply have clean bearings that spin freely. For a more detailed discussion of equipment, please review our equipment guide. What wheel sizes/brands/specifications do you recommend for racing?For advanced skaters, subtle equipment differences can be important. However, each skater is unique and will need a setup that works well for them. In broad strokes: harder wheels are faster but less comfortable, larger wheels will cruise better at speed but be harder to accelerate on. Most elite skaters now use 100mm wheels, but the brand, durometer (hardness), bearing setup and frame all vary widely by a skater's preference. For a more detailed discussion on equipment, check out our equipment guide. I don't live in Ottawa; do you know of any clubs in my area I can join?All the Canadian clubs we know of are listed under our Canadian Club Links. There are no inline clubs in my area. Any advice on how to start a new club?Sure. 1) Establish a skating community in your area by organizing informal group skates and establishing a discussion group, 2) advertise by using the Internet and putting up posters at inline skate retailers, community centers and recreational centers, 3) decide whether your club will cater to the entire inline skating spectrum (rec, fit, social, speed, aggressive, hockey artistic, etc.) or focus on just a segment, 4) put together a proposal for a new club and distribute it to people in the skating community, 5) propose a club government structure and constitution or set of rules, 6) make sure your club board (or executive or whatever you decide to call your club government) has lots of bodies to spread out the work, bring different viewpoints to the table, and to act as multiple backups if people drop out, get sick, or become too busy to volunteer, 7) hold a meeting to make it official, 8) set modest goals and focus on participation and growing the club first, and finally 9) get other opinions on the subject, because our answers are necessarily the right ones for you. Questions on other types of speed skating: aggressive-style / dance / figure / roller-skating / downhill: does your club do it? Do you know any clubs that do it? Would your club be interested in doing it?1. Not yet. 2. No, but if you find one, let us know and we will add it to our links page and FAQ. 3. If this is a project you would like to spearhead and you have a group of people that would be interested in doing that type of skating within our club environment and they are willing to help you make it happen, then by all means propose something to us! We are open to suggestions. We won't set it up for you, but starting a branch within our club for that particular type of skating will probably be easier than creating a club from scratch. Clothes: who can buy them? How do you buy them? Do you have male and female sizes, or is the sizing unisex? What forms of payment are accepted?You can purchase club clothing at our online store. Club clothing may be picked up at any of our regular practices or events. The online store accepts Mastercard and VISA. Club members also enjoy discounts at local stores and on skating equipment sold by IL Peloton.
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