Shred Gruumer Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Anyone have any feedback on these.. Looks like it's just starting up. Googled it and only on Facebook with web under construction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokolikrat Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 It looks really nice. Walker better has some bindings for sale soon and new guys should have real web page and not just face****. Definitely interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Hiroyuki is a team rider with SG and here he's sporting the new ALC plate and bindings....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Nice. Similar to what I had in mind for the TD4. The mechanism looks very much like the old Burton unicant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Finaly an inteligent cant design. I was waiting for Fin or Jim to come up with this, it would be really easy to update TDs to a similar design. But, I guess, it was more lucrative to sell multiple cant plates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west carven Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 howdy shred yeah... saw these earlier... http://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/topic/46395-any-idea-what-this-is/ https://www.facebook.com/alcplate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) Having torn apart a TD3 binding plate in use (metal fatigue), I'd be seriously concerned about the stresses around that central bolt that controls the final binding angle. Edited October 21, 2018 by SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 9 hours ago, Jack Michaud said: The mechanism looks very much like the old Burton unicant. 7 hours ago, BlueB said: Finaly an inteligent cant design. I was waiting for Fin or Jim to come up with this, it would be really easy to update TDs to a similar design. A plastic version of that toothed bi-partisan cant disc was offered by Sims for their alpine boards in the 90's. Might have been produced by Fritschi? It might look attractive, (mostly on account of being different), but it doesn't really resolve any of the complaints associated the TD/ Catek. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Fever running high for everyone this time of year . TD1, s still serving their purpose for me on the skwal ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 On 10/21/2018 at 12:48 AM, BlueB said: Finaly an inteligent cant design I don't think that's fair to Fin, or Jeff Caron for that matter. This binding appears to be heavier and to have a much higher stack height, which for me are two things that leap out at me as real negatives whenever I ride a plate. Also I see no suspension system. Of course Fin was well aware of the Burton Unicant and he considered copying it, but decided against it for a number of reasons. More parts, more complexity, more weight, higher cost, more height, less room for suspension, etc, all for the ability to choose cant angles other than 0, 3, 6. IIRC he also did not like the idea of a kingpin. On 10/21/2018 at 12:48 AM, BlueB said: I guess, it was more lucrative to sell multiple cant plates That didn't enter into it, and, I doubt it. 23 hours ago, Beckmann AG said: It might look attractive, (mostly on account of being different), but it doesn't really resolve any of the complaints associated the TD/ Catek. The binding appears to be all or mostly metal, so it will probably not be widely accepted by FIS racers. It does address a complaint of the TD in that it allows more choices of cant angle. Otherwise, yeah. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shred Gruumer Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 43 minutes ago, Jack Michaud said: . Also I see no suspension system. Ist dis da suspspention system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 It doesn't look to me like that is accomplishing much, Shred. The four points of that bottom plate are nearly touching the board, so I don't see how there would be any movement for that mystery pad to get involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 The ALC design does look pretty neat. Inspired by Catek with a dash of Burton Unicant thrown in. Looks heavy. There's no allowance (that I can see) for the bottom plate to move on that base without the 4x4 screws losing tension. That means the part touching the board is very stiff or perpetually-loosening screws are in their future. A thought - Can we help spur future binding designs? What are people's complaints about the TD series of bindings? Heavy Too stiff Too flexible (yes, conflicts with #2, depends on tastes) Doesn't accommodate short boots well (especially UPZ) Changing cant requires new parts Finite selection of cant rings Not indestructible (conflicts with #1) Too expensive ?? Given this list, I still pick TD3 Sidewinders for 90% of my riding. We could compile similar lists for all the big brands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shred Gruumer Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 I guess I'm one of the few who will like this ALC... I had the Frichies or Sims back in the day... loved the ring Idea I'm not changing parts and it was pretty quick to adjust. Never was a fan of slop or play in my bindings so this set up intrigues me, yea weight is an issue... I guess that's why F2's have stood the test of time... Geesh...I guess I'll have to buy a pair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 2 hours ago, Jack Michaud said: I don't think that's fair to Fin, or Jeff Caron for that matter. Prising a design as inteligent is not an insult to other manufacturers. I said I expected it from Bomber as the most inovative and flexible maker, it would be too much to expect it from F2 who relies on bigger production runs and uses completely different canting system. That said, all other comments still stand - heavy, bulky, probably stiff. I still wouldn't ride it, except to test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 35 minutes ago, BlueB said: Prising a design as inteligent is not an insult to other manufacturers Don't you think saying "Finally an intelligent cant design" logically means you're saying there have not been any other intelligent cant designs to date? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 Would you prefer "a more intelligent"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjnakata Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 Some questions/observations arise when I look at the ALC photos: 1) what keeps the upper base plate from rotating - even if just a little like the unicant? 2) 0-8 degree canting, good!, but that would seem to imply high stack height at lower cant angles 3) the kingpin concept has never been a reliability issue for me with Cateks. In fact it allows for less take down when playing with binding angles/cant 4) The rotational angle mark on the base plate is a fair distance above (depending on the stack height) from the 0 mark the "cant disk"... not so good for accuracy 5) it's interesting they went with a four point base. Is there any precedent for this? would it be better for board flex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburk Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 32 minutes ago, rjnakata said: what keeps the upper base plate from rotating - even if just a little like the unicant? I'm guilty of trolling through the ALC FB page, and noticed that the cant disks have raised locating pins (for lack of a better word) that mate with corresponding holes in the lower base (which looks to be held in place by the bracket for the 4x4 insert screws), and also mate with corresponding holes in the bottom of the upper plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburk Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 1 hour ago, rjnakata said: The rotational angle mark on the base plate is a fair distance above (depending on the stack height) from the 0 mark the "cant disk"... not so good for accuracy Parallax error is a bitch. I think I've read that the upper plate is 5mm thick, this thickness could be used to reduce parallax. If they cut a small V-shaped notch at the end of the alignment mark, then you could sight down the notch, when the degree markings on the base line up with the bottom of the V while sighting down the notch, you've reduced parallax to a minimum, which should be accurate enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 30 minutes ago, jburk said: That's a lot of holes. I wonder how much stress it can handle. I see some pretty thin potential crack paths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjnakata Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 When it comes to these we can figure out a lot about their function through photos. What we can't see is the "feel". My guess is that if the riding feel is just right, all the criticisms become "nit picks". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburk Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 The upper face of the plate is smooth, so the recesses must only be as deep as the locating pins are high, but it does seem like a lot of material gets removed for this. Wonder how the engineering works out, and what the destructive testing showed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokolikrat Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 Well now I know more. Japanese manufacturer it means impossibility to buy it in U.S. And extremely expensive as most of Japanese snowboard stuff. How much you would be willing to pay for this binding? Problem solved. I will stick with TDs. Only if Walker will have them in stock. My biggest complaint about Bomber is adjustability for small boots. Any tiny angle adjustment and I need move one of the blocks to reach screws. I recently got F2, their canting system I don't like. I will ride probably just flat. But adjustability for the boot length with screw is much more convenient than on Bombers. I also have one Piokka binding. It is set up and that's it. Absolute nightmare to make adjustments on the slopes. In the end I am stuck with Bomber for last 25 years 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjnakata Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 38 minutes ago, Ladia said: ....Absolute nightmare to make adjustments on the slopes.... Cateks are great in this respect. I hope on-slope adjustability is part of any new system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.