Quads, Inlines, and Going Fast Oh My

Question
Hi there Lezly!

As I've seen a lot in other answers, I am a recently re-addicted skater. I skated a lot (3+ times a week, often for 4 hours a session) and got into speed skating when I was younger. Fairly nasty shin splints made me forget about skating for years, but I went recently as part of a school function and the bug bit me hard. I'm 31, in terrible shape (but improving steadily!), with questionable ankles (I've broken one 4 times), and at 235 lbs hardly a lightweight. I do 100% indoor rink skating, with about 95% normal session skating, and as skill (and equipment) allows will get back into recreational speed skating as well. Now to the questions!

1) I've been looking at quads to buy, because they're what I know, but I've been told resoundingly that plastic plates won't last long under my weight and the abuse of even occasional speed skating. This has pushed the purchase price to about double what I was planning (which is ok, I'm willing to go pretty high on price, it will just take time to save up), and gets me into the entry level metal plates like the Dynapro and XK-4. Do you have an opinion in general about plastic vs metal plates for me, and about these two plates in particular?

2) Related to the above question, would you recommend I go with a harder wheel to compensate for my weight? Most of the speed skate "packages" I've seen come with 95A hardness wheels, but offer in the range of 92 to 99. I have no idea what to look for in this department and your advice would be appreciated. One place even went so far as to tell me I should look exclusively at metal-hub wheels, which are all quite expensive.

3) During our most recent trip to the rink the local speed team was practicing and there was only a single pair of quads on the whole team! This has me intrigued about the possibility of looking at getting into inlines (What can I say, I'm a big kid at heart, and they LOOK neat!). I already plan to attend some group classes at the rink soon and perhaps try out inlines during class. I was just wondering if you had a suggestion for me whether one was better for my needs. I will be primarily doing normal session skating, but I tend to skate fast even then, within limits. The speed skating style boot doesn't seem to offer much (or any?) more ankle support than speed quad boots do (which may just be my perception?). What I'm left with is wondering if the frames/plates of one kind (quad/inline) are better able to deal with my weight, if the wheels are more likely to deal with it, if bigger wheels (most speed inlines I'm looking at use 90 or 100mm wheels) would be better than 62mm quad wheels for my skating style, etc.

4) I saw one of your other answers regarding 4 vs 5 wheel inlines, and just wanted to check how that impacts normal session skating. If 5 wheels is more geared towards speed skating, are there trade-offs during session skating? I ask because one of the skates that has caught my eye, the Bont Assassin, is a 4x100mm skate. I don't know anything about it, whether it'd handle my weight, be good for my style, etc, except that it's positively beautiful. :-)

I know that you like to say use whichever style you prefer, and I agree with the idea behind it. I just happen to be in a unique situation in which my skills are rusty enough that I want to take classes anyways, and while I like quads because I know them, I like how inlines look and for speed skating they may even fit my needs better than quads. You also never learn anything new by sticking with the familiar!

I appreciate your time, thought, and expertise and look forward to your response.
-Jeremy

Answer
Jeremy,
First let me apologize for taking so long to answer - I've been away. Secondly I temper my answer by telling you out front - my speciality is not speed skating, however, I do have some ideas about how to deal with your issues.
1) Don't buy a plastic plate - as you already suspect, it's doubtful that it would hold up under your weight & the demands of speed skating. Of the 2 plates you mention I would recommend the XK4 - I do have some speed skating colleagues who recommend it over the Dynapro.
2)Keep in mind that the lower the durometer of the wheel - the more grip it offers & the higher the durometer, the more slide you can expect - I believe 95A is a good starting place I have skated on 95A wheels & found them to have good holding potential in turns. It is far too grippy for the kind of dance skating I do, but I can see it's advantage for speed skating. I don't think the 97 through 99A wheels will hold as well in the turns & might tend to slip.
3)You say you are used to quad skates - I think that with your history of broken ankles (very important consideration, this), your age & weight, that you would be better off with quads. I firmly believe that the quad frame is more suited not only to your weight but your skating safely. If you have broken your ankle 4 times on quads I don't see putting you on 90 or 100mm wheels - yes they give you a longer roll (not necessarily more speed) but I don't see the advantage in sacrificing stability for that. I recently heard from a young avid, team speed skater who complained that his coach  encouraged him to go from an 80 mm wheel to 88mm & that he could not improve his time with the change & felt much less stable. By the way - the metal core wheel gives a little more precision in the fit of the bearings but I don't see that as a prime issue in selecting a wheel.
4) 5 wheels are strictly for speed skating & total overkill for a typical rink situation. You cannot maximize the potential of 5 wheel skates in a "normal skate session". These skates can only be clumsy in that situation - graceful & a thing of beauty on a speed track - wholly inappropriate for a skate session.
As regards the Bont Assasin, I've seen the boot, love the heat moldability for a super fit - hot boot! Frankly I wonder about the low profile speed boot altogether, with your history of broken ankles, but if speed is your game & the higher more supportive boot doesn't work for you, I wonder about putting an XK4 on the Bont. I have not checked to see if this is done, but it's an interesting thought - you might research it.
As for your thought about never learning anything new by sticking with the familiar. Don't you have enough to learn in the techniques of speed skating, whether on quad speed skates or inlines? I think there sre still things to reach for - new areas to explore. However if you do decide to cross over to inlines - think about a smaller wheel than 90 or 100mm - at least in the beginning. I'd start with 80mm & work your way up. I don't think you'd be comfortable with the higher mm wheels.
I'd love to hear what your decision will be.
Roll on!!!..........................Lezly (Lezly Skate School - estab. 1979 - [email protected])