lowrider

After recieving a two day lesson in humble pie dished out by" Dr Coiler "I am here to defend the honour of the much maligned snowboard plate.After watching Bruce craft and manipulate carbon fibre, fiberglass titinal wood epoxy and ptex i will declare it is not necessary to ride a plate on one of his creations. but if you find yourself in a situation where you want the heated seats in your car turned on in the winter a plate can provide even a well crafted board with that missing bit of comfort.It's not necessary but it sure feels nice. I didn't invent the modern plate but i have been making them and using them longer than most and i will continue to even though they add weight. yada yada yada yada !! If my plate has some flex i can move my knees around and be a little more comfortable if the inserts on my board are too narrow "the added inserts on my plate can modify my stance" . The plate does aid in fatigue as well as allow changing of insert placement. Terekhov i would not be too quick to rush out and buy a plate if you have any doubt about it's effectiveness there will be opportunities to try before you buy and many more players on board very shortly. Cut up an old board and make your own simple hardware i have some ideas i can email to you or look up Sunsurfers thread the effect is the same as the Apex or SGP and alot cheaper just not as cool. Like them or hate them never tried them or never want to try them they are here for a while so live and learn. Sorry Bruce this means you may be requested to put 8 more insert holes in some of your boards but don't worry theres a 50 /50 chance the nay sayers may give plates an early death and you can go back to board building the way it should be "pure craftsmanship" and no gimmicks. If most people could appreciate that a tenth of a millimeter difference in the core thickness behind the rear inserts on one of your board was worth fifteen minutes of measuring and sanding because you want to assure your customer that the board will perform as promised i respect that your opinion of whether a plate is necessary or not is more valid than most opinions expressed here on BOL. Now that Bruce has moved up an age catagory in racing and will require more ibuprofen after race days i'm hoping he will embrace plates the way my knees have.:lol::lol: PS if you have a board on order from Bruce the sawdust and epoxy are flowing in his shop but the golf balls and kites are still in his car so be patient he is working (just not as hard as he should be) i'm waiting for my new board for my new plate UMP 1.7MM STACK HEIGHT BOARD TO TOP OF PLATE. 4.3 LBS. (plate and hardware).Ok plate makers how low can you go ??????

I think some movement is desirable for comfort and perhaps drawing your knees together may not be effective in controlling your board it can provide comfort.If that were not the case why would Sidewinders be so comfortable to ride on ? Emery proved years ago with their first incarnation and Fin has proved it again for another generation.

Jack i think the issue of plate flex is going to be an interesting one, as we can see from Seans video it is possible to make a plate stiff enough to eliminate bending of the plate but you may still want the ability to pull your knees together for balance or comfort and with a stiff plate this would not be possible. However with a softer flex it would be possible and would not cause the board to deflect as it would without the plate. The primary benefit of the plate hardware is seperate from the benefit of a soft or stiff flex plate. Maybe a good seperation would be to define the plate choice as "race" or "recreation" but the hardware stays the same. Stack height then will go into the category of obsessive engineering

After a season riding on the SGP hardware no issues with ice or snow impeding on the function of the plate hardware. There was some snow build up under the plate but was easily brushed out when putting board in vehicle at the end of day. Spring slush was heavier but not enough for me to consider riding without a plate. The benifits are just too great to ignore. As a word of caution to anyone wanting to be the first out on the hills with a plate this season. Don't be too hasty there are lots of options out there and they are all different in lots of respects. Don't trash talk because you were to quick to jump on the first plate and ride down a hill. Think flex, hardware construction,plate construction, stack height and weight,and $$$. Have you heard anything about these points when discussing plates and hardware ?? If you haven't slow down listen to you wife, what's the hurry, try a plate if you can ask around ,look and learn,after all the last thing you want to do is end up with another Hangel or Vist bolted to your board when the latest bling is something else. :lol::lol::lol: I like the SGP but i have a personal bias.

Got a vet in the family. That look says pack your bags I'll be back!

More likely the neighbours dog chasing the cat did the damage. Any kids on the block with a paint ball gun??? Happy hunting!

It's all about the hardware not so much the plate itself. I have ridden my own hardware at Mt St Anne in the spring time and in Ontario throughout the previous winter, anything flat that you can mount your bindings on will work as a plate the magic is in the hardware.I think Fin has nailed it as far as the best hardware you will find (next to mine):) If you are the type who always wants to try something different, variable hardware placement and a tuneable plate will be the ideal setup.Looks like for now the choice is $1000. or $380. Or maybe a custom plate SGP style.

Powder and freestyle makes most equipment unnecessary(except snorkle), plates will rule the "ICE" coast. :lol:You spoiled powder rats can go ride in the woods. Sidewinder will mitigate some undesirable traits but the slide is the "Key" design that without stack height and you win the race.

All the effects are similar regardless of board length. The differences you know in board lenghts are still the same. Takes more effort to turn a longer board etc... The huge difference is the mellowing (smoother ride less front leg fatigue) of the ride while still maintaining full or better control as on ice, or chop or ??? The board simply maintains a more constistant edge under all conditions. Peddling (if one believes in it) is less effective since you can't distort the boards shape as you can without a plate. A good thing in my opinion. I will make this rash statement. Riding a board with a plate reveals the true board as it was designed to be, good or bad. It allows the board to carve within it's design perameters, side cut, effective edge, camber, side cut radius and stiffness. It would be real interesting to go back and review previous boards with a plate and see the differences. Plate on a long board, plate on a short board good for both. My opinion based on riding 186 to 159 length boards.

Sell it now before the market crashes!!!

Geoff don't worry too much about the leg rests your forward leg doesn't take the same pounding with a plate so you shouldn't be worn out by at least 2:30. I ride a 186 Coiler and the extra weight is not an issue.

Terekhov has some valid points. The major trade off is giving up the long developed "feel " you have grown used to of your favorite ride.The ride you get from a hinged, slide designed plate is different than anything you have experienced to date. You may feel that it is not the desired feel you want when you ride but it is definitely different, easier on your body (knees especially). Your favorite board will feel shorter and turn tighter but with a different feel depending on the hardware stance the plate is set up with. The further apart the hardware is mounted compared to regular stance width the closer the board rides to your normal setup but still quite a pronounced change from what you are used to. Very narrow hardware set up and you have a new circus ride to play on.:lol: All of your old boards will ride in a different way then you remember. Perhaps you may discover a new favorite. I think it is important to rememder that to date only Apex has a firm price on their plate. And that price will exclude a lot of people from ever owning a plate. My first plates were cut up old snowboards and provided all the effects i have mentioned above so if you or a friend are handy with tools get busy, look at Sunsurfers basics and get to work. Test your own, share it with others have fun. If you like what you made then commit the $$$$ to what i believe will be money well spent. As far a plate making you a better rider my belief is that a plate can provide you with more options in deciding you comfort range in variable conditions without punishing your body under less than ideal conditions.

Has anyone else been brave enough to try your setup?? Thanks for your posts it's bringing back my memories of riding plates the first time. Get to work on some plates and vary the flex,opens up a whole new world of riding. Good Luck!

That pretty blue plate will look like angel wings on your back pack.Better watch you don't take flight.

Rockered Decambered?

"Sir could you wait here while i have the head of ski patrol check out your board before you can load the chair.":confused:

Unless you have thunder thighs would i be safe to assume Virus Cyborgs would not be included in such a study???? :confused:

An audience or a dictionary:boxing_sm

Latest pics are on Alpine snowboard plate thread

Softer plate in spring slush and 80 degree temps. harder plate on ice and boilerplate. SGP prototypes

Thats the kind of comment one would expect from Virginia( sorry couldn't help that responce)

Having ridden both stiff and soft plates i am of the opinion both have a place. When it comes to riders choice it seems a shame if people never get the chance to experience both.

So the plan is to only offer a very stiff plate when the option of either stiff or soft could be the preference of some or perhaps many rec riders ???

:AR15firinIs a plate only to be used to win races or will it be embraced as a tool to be use by all . It can be used to shave time in a race but people will come to realise over time that it's greatest use will be to stave off fatigue Lets call it Red Bull for the knees. As far as the debate over pedaling just use a softer plate and pedal away.....................

What would you say is upper limit for weight of a plate setup?