UrbanSkaters

I’ve put together a list of inline skate shops in Paris, France. Click the shop name below, or a marker on the larger map to view contact details. If you know of any shops that aren’t listed, please use the comment form to leave me your recommendations.

Hawaii Surf | Nomades | Llios | Sport West

Show larger map.

Let me know if I’ve missed any shops out and I’ll add them to the list.

It’s a scientifically proven fact that the mind doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s simply being imagined. Athletes use visualisation to improve their performance all the time. Lewis Hamilton had been using visualisation before winning the F1 Canadian Grand Prix. Even before he’d set foot on the track, he had already run the race perfectly in his mind 100’s of times.  If this sounds too simple, then that’s because it really is!

When you truly immerse yourself in visualisation, your mind begins to create the same neural pathways and chemical responses, exactly as it would if you were doing it for real. More interestingly is that the part of the brain responsible for muscle movement also gets activated, resulting in noticeable muscle improvement to. Imagine being able to improve your skating technique, without even putting on your inline skates.

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For the past few years there has been a growing interest in Roller Discos around the UK, a trend which has almost literally come back from the grave. Roller discos were pretty huge around the world throughout the late seventies and most of the eighties. Nearly every leisure centre and roller rink across the UK would attract large numbers of people on a regular basis to skate around to the music of the day and get hot and sweaty along the way.

The majority of the roller discos now available in the UK take place in nightclubs and are aimed primarily at the over-18’s who are reminiscing on their youthful exploits on 8 wheels. However, what started as a retro skate revival is now taking off in a big way that is not just a gimmicky night out. People up and down the UK are finding that roller discos are a great way to have fun, express themselves, have a cheap night out and get fit all at the same time. As soon as you strap those roller-skates (yes, as in the old-fashioned wheel-at-each-corner variety) to your feet, you’ll forget about the so called “credit crunch” and all the other worldly weights on your shoulders. The music will flow and within minutes of taking to the rink you will be asking yourself where roller disco has been hiding all these years! The vast majority of roller discos now found in nightclubs around the country will have well trained roller-marshals on duty to help you find your feet, but don’t worry about the odd bump- it can be a great way to “meet” that foxy lady you’ve had your eye on all night.

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Played in nearly 60 countries worldwide, street hockey is a type of hockey commonly associated with local parks, wide empty streets and inline skaters.  There are effectively two types of street hockey (roller hockey). Inline Roller Hockey and Quad Roller Hockey.  

Inline Roller Hockey resembles Ice Hockey in many ways, with lots of racing back and forth at high speeds. Quad Roller Hockey allows for fancier footwork and better maneuverability .  Did you know that Roller Hockey was first played on Quads? It’s true, long before Inlines came onto the scene. Also, each type of roller hockey traditionally has its own set of rules.   

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The law on skating is considered a gray area here in the UK.  Mostly because existing laws and books relating to the subject were produced before the time of modern inline skates.  When rollerskates were nothing more than toys for children.  I still remember my first skates!!

Unfortunately inline skating still hasn’t been properly recognised as a form of adult transportation, like a bicycle.  Which means that inline skaters fall into that gray area of the law, where you are neither a road user nor a pedestrian.  So what can we do about this?

A group of friends street skating through London.

In short, just play it by ear.  When you are skating on the pavement, skate at the speed of the pedestrians, be courteous and polite at all times.  If you’re told to get off the pavement by a police officer, either remove your skates and walk or get on the road.  While skating on the road, you must behave like a road user and obey the traffic laws.  Again, if you’re asked to get off the road by the police, either remove your skates and walk or skate on the pavement.

More advice:

• Take an inline street course before attempting a street skate on your own.
• Join one of the mass-participation (group) skates.  They are FUN and SAFE!
• If you skate at night, wear something fluorescent and maybe even a helmet light. 
• Avoid skating on the roads during busy periods or at night. 
• Never skate beyond your abilities when street skating. 
• Stay off private property and save aggressive skating for the skate parks.  
• You WILL fall at some point, so accept this in advance and wear adequate protection.
• Don’t take chances with pedestrians, be polite and courteous at all times.
• Remember: Some cities and local parks have by-laws prohibiting skating of any kind.

It took many years for cycling to be accepted as a method of transportation for adults.  Cyclists are still treated by some as a menace to the streets today.  So even if the law does eventually change in our favour, we still need to convince the general public that we aren’t a menace. 

For now just enjoy the freedom, health benefits and fun that inline skating offers.