Keeping up with casual cyclists on 125mm skates + Powerslide Swell sizing advice?
Hello! I’m new to this sub and could use some advice from people with more experience.
I’m looking to get a new pair of skates and make skating one of my main warm-season fitness activities. The longest route I’d want to comfortably cruise would be a 15–20 km bike path each way (so a total of ~35 km with breaks), usually alongside my cyclist friends as a fun weekend activity.
Because of that, I’m considering the Powerslide Swell Stellar Road 125. I’m not a complete beginner, but I’ll definitely need some time to get used to softer boots and bigger wheels.
From your experience, is it possible to keep up with casual — emphasis on casual — cyclists over longer distances on 125 mm skates on a bike path?
And a sizing question: I usually wear EU 43 (US Men’s 10), and my mondo size is 268–270 mm long (taking into account some human error while measuring) and 100 mm wide.
The size chart says:
EU 42 = 268 mm
EU 43 = 275 mm
So I’m right on the lower end of EU 43. Powerslide also says:
Precision fit: add 2–3 mm
Comfort fit: add 4–6 mm
Unfortunately I can’t try them on since there aren’t any nearby shops. Do you think I should try to squeeze into the smaller size or go with EU 43?