The
new models almost worked but the weight of the skater deformed
the hub-less wheels enough to cause the rollers to bind and
stick. There was just too much friction in the system. Eventually,
after a few more models, they agreed to replace the rear, hub-less
wheels with spoke wheels from a children's bicycle.
Of course,
they still needed to keep the wheels angled in order to maintain
a reasonable center of gravity and balance. The
new models rolled great but were so large and heavy that they
were only practical for going down hill.
Lovitt
was convinced that to be economically viable, their new invention
would have to be lightweight and maneuverable, more like a
skate than a ski.
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