Rollerskiing is the most sport-specific training during the off-season to achieve your winter goal in the easiest and fastest way possible. But for a beginner, how to find the right equipment? We talked with Patrik Nilsson from Rullskidcenter to guide you to your optimal rollerski.

We have rolled into the summer month of June. And for those who have big goals for the upcoming winter at Vasagatan in Mora or another long-distance race around Sweden or the world, there is still plenty of time to prepare.

In the upcoming weeks, ProXCskiing.com will immerse in the world of rollerskiing. What equipment should I have, how should I train, which competition should I go to and not least, which rollerskis should I buy?

Rollerskiing is the most sport-specific form of training, but what will determine your rollerski choice (in this article, mainly classic rollerskis)?

“I think that before you decide which skis you should invest in, you should do a quick analysis of the environment where you should ride the majority of your workouts. If it is a rollerski track with fast curves and excellent asphalt, it is a type of ski that fits well. Should you instead roll in a country road with gravel and four kilometers to the nearest T-junction, then it is another ski that fits best,” says Patrik Nilsson at Rullskidcenter.

What are the significant differences between different rollerski models?

“What you pay extra for is comfort. The more expensive the ski, the better the material in both the wheels and the frame. I would say that the cheapest skis with duller frames and harder wheels work on rollerski tracks with fine asphalt. But if you will ride long training on the usual roads, they will be a bit like “inline on bad asphalt.” It’s getting shaky. A more expensive frame with a carbon or wooden frame is much softer and gives a better skiing feel. In addition, softer wheels absorb the vibrations better,” says Nilsson and continues:

“Then I would say that there are no astronomical differences in price. If you know that you will ride many long training hours, the price difference is about what the difference between a cheaper and a more expensive ski is about what it costs to go a few extra times in the grocery store.”

Do you already need to know when choosing a rollerski if you plan to double pole Vasaloppet or if you should also “use your legs” in your skiing?

“Rollerski training today is generally double poling. But there have been rollerskis about five centimeters longer, and a long rollerski with slower wheels will make it more ski-like. There you can kick double pole and diagonal stride. In addition, by mounting the binding further back, you can ensure that you get more skis in front of you, and this makes the wheel lie better on the road surface, and it is easier to keep steering when you go diagonal. If, on the other hand, you are going to ride on a rollerski track, it is much better with a shorter ski with rounded wheels to be able to take the technical curves in a good way.”

Does the size of the wheels matter?

“There, I would say that it depends quite a lot on where you live. In Stockholm, quite large stones are sanded out during the slippery time of the year, making it difficult to go rollerskiing. In Skåne, on the other hand, they use sand in the winter so that we can go rollerski all year round. So, smaller wheels become lighter but more “stone sensitive.” Larger wheels are more “forgiving,” so if you are going to ride large parts of the year, I would recommend larger wheels (around 70mm in diameter).”

“In skiing, it is the person on the skis, the current snow conditions (and of course the waxing) that determines skiing speed. On rollerskis, you can already in the shop decide how fast the skis should roll. There is an increase from the “competition wheels” with resistance 1 to the heavier wheels with resistance 4.

“Today, two (wheel resistance) applies to many clubs’ training and the seeding races. But most people go rollerskiing to become better skiers in the winter, and then I would say that three is very good to train on. I usually say that you can be surprised if you ski on three when you come out on the snow. But it is usually equivalent or slower on snow. If you ski a lot, I would recommend that you have two pairs of rollerskis and then with different rolling resistance so that the body does not just get used to one rolling resistance.”

Should I have a rollerski with a brake?

“I would say that the person who reads your site is so good that you do not need a brake (laughs). To be honest, the brake is good in city traffic, but it is not made for long downhill runs. If you are a total beginner, you should start on flat ground, and then it is better to learn to brake in the “usual way.”

Tomorrow we will immerse you in the other types of equipment you need for rollerskiing. What boots should I wear, and how long should the poles be? These are two of the questions you will get answers to!

In the upcoming days, the focus week on rollerskis will continue here at ProXCskiing.com.