With guest contributor Michael Mandli
The key ingredient to specific cross country ski training, the roller ski, comes in many different brands with wheels designed for specific surfaces and techniques. The 2019 Fischer Carbonlite Skate Roller Ski, which I have trained on for the past month, checks all the boxes we look for in a great skate roller ski.
First, the design of this roller ski is impeccable and downright beautiful. After, using them for 185 kilometers, the ski body looks like new and the wheels are worn evenly. This is the third version of the carbon clad roller ski and the precision, durability, and engineering are second to none. Fischer has even beveled the bottom of the frame under the mid-foot to avoid the inevitable scraping of the frame on pavement in full power skating.
Second, this ski feels like it’s on snow – a rear trait with roller skis. On smooth pavement it is one of the best at sprint and high speed skating. The roller ski tracks straight and gives back the energy you put into the push off rather than absorbing your effort in unnecessary flex. As a heavier roller skier, I can do sprint and speed work with out worrying about bottoming out the frame. The frame also dampens road vibration well on moderately rough pavement, but it is not an all terrain ski.
The wheels are aluminum spoked and clad in rubber like most of the current roller skis on the market. The wear has been good for me and the speed 2 wheels are consistent with the plastic spoked wheels on my other roller skis.
The novel thing about these roller skis outside of their durability and snow feel is that Fischer has developed a Turnamic roller ski binding that works flawlessly, and they have designed a boot mounted brake for those who do not like the risk of going downhill too fast. It should be noted, though, the Fischer Carbonlite Skate Roller Skis also snowplow well for controlled speed. The length, 620 mm, works well for knocking down those agility courses and for stability on those high speed descents.
This is an excellent all around skate roller ski for use on paved trail, and smooth to moderately rough pavement. The 2019 Fischer Carbonlite Skate Roller Ski is among the best for building your endurance and perfecting your technique.
Talk to a rollerski expert at New Moon today: 800-754-8685.
Products featured in this article:
2019 Fischer Carbonlite Skate Rollerskis
2019 Fischer Turnamic Rollerski Skate Bindings
Michael J. Mandli, Ph.D. is a Sports Psychologist and Licensed CXC/USSA Level 200 Coach. He loves to xc ski, run, and ride his bike.
Ken Blatt says:
I have V2 Aero 150 skate roller skis. I’ve been rollerskiing 4 years XC’s 6 years and a young 72 years. Can you comment on what my switching to these Fisher roller skiis would be like. Thanks
joel harrison says:
Hi Ken,
I use the Fischers when the roads are dry and warm. In my neighborhood the leaves are coming down and the wet weather is making the roadways slippery. I use the Aeros starting in September- better rollover for the twigs and small potholes hidden under the leaves as well as better tracking in the wet.
The Fischers and other solid wheels promote more precise technique during the summer months as the wheels don’t deflect at all laterally during the push off. If your roadways are not surrounded by trees like mine you may find a nice string of dry, fine fall rollerskiing. But when it gets nasty, keep those Aeros handy!
Mike Muha says:
I can! The Fischer’s will be much lighter and easier to maneuver, and I think the center of gravity will be a little lower so they may be easier to balance. They will not work on dirt roads like the V2 Aero, and they won’t roll over gravel and twigs as well. So more ski-like performance (Fischer) vs. safer from obstacle + dirt road skiing (V2 Aero). Sort of depends on the surfaces you use for rollerskiing.
Pat says:
Hi Ken. I am about your age and roller ski during the entire summer using Jenex V2 skate roller skis with the same 98 mm #2 rubber skate wheels described above. You’ll notice that the newer skate skis are much lighter and much more maneuverable than your older 150s. It’s like going from snowshoes to skis. A couple of caveats: the 98 mm wheels are for good to excellent pavement only, not chip seal, gravel, or cracked pavement; and secondly, the 98 mm wheels will take some getting used to, so be careful, and do some agility drills to get used to them. Though some say roller skiing is only for strength and conditioning, I find roller skiing is great for working on techniques such as V2 and your weak side V1. In the end, you’ll like the new wheels and will be able to roller ski in exactly the same way you snow ski.