In years past, the market for rollerskis in the United States was very simple. Only a few options existed, and this kept things very standardized. This was especially true among skate skis, where V2 and Marwe ruled the pavement.
In today’s Nordic world, options abound and there are resources for skiers to enjoy many different great rollerski brands at every price level. Having these options has been great for getting skiers out on the roads, but a downside has been the wide variety of wheel speeds provided…luckily, although the shafts and forks of rollerskis (skate skis in particular) come in a variety of shapes and sizes, almost all of these models are compatible with the same standard rubber wheels.
These wheels come in three speeds:
- Fast
- Medium
- Slow
Stock rollerskis from Swenor, Pursuit, Woodski, Fischer, and Swix/Proski among others all come with these wheels. Some are stamped with the rollerski company’s logo (Swenor, for example) but all are the same dimensions. The standard wheels that arrive on these models, unless otherwise specified by the buyer, are speed #2.
Marwe rollerskis come standard with wheels that are similar in general shape but slightly different dimensions. The standard Marwe wheels are referred to as “US6”.
In an effort to best replicate the speeds of skiing on snow and provide appropriate resistance, Mansfield Nordic Club would like to transition to all skate rollerskis utilizing either a mix of speed #2/#3 wheels on applicable skis, or speed US6 for Marwe users. The effort of this standardization is to:
- help recreate the most accurate speed of rollerskis as related to snow speed
- create an equal training environment where ski speed does influence testing or timetrial results
Making the switch to this standardization is easier and more cost-effective than ever thanks to US-based shops that import and distribute wheels at all speeds. Here is a step-by-step guide to ordering and changing wheels.
- Visit www.rollerskishop.com/wheels-parts and view the options
- 100mm wheels are suggested as they are cheaper and keep your center-of-gravity lower
- If you already have wheel speed #2 on your skis, you only need to order two more #3 speed wheels
- If you are looking to replace all your wheels at once, select a #2/#3 speed mix
- If you have Marwe skis, these wheels can work as well! They just require a set of extra spacer bearings. Marwe wheels are typically $50 PER WHEEL so this is a great cost-effective solution.
Marwe 610 spacers (pre-2014 Marwe)
Marwe 620 spacers (post-2014 Marwe)
A note on classic skis
This #2/#3 speed wheel combination is also recommended for classic skis. Currently, Swenor rollerskis are the primary models in use by MNC members. There is currently not many options for low-cost Swenor wheels and the best bet is to visit our friends at Skirack!
Rollin’…
