bjvircks

Wish I could comment on the S-Flex... but I've not seen any photos or diagrams of what is inside.

Hey Shred... looks like there is about 5 or 6 inches of plate behind the back attach hardware. I'm sorta curious, since a lot of plates stop closer. Is your axle pitch closer together than others or your rear overhang longer?

I've wondered about this. If other hardboots and a UPZ all of comparable mondo were centered up using the mark each should have as their 'foot center' (boot center?) would the UPZ cuff/lean adjuster stick out any further than other boots, or other boots with BTS added?

HALT.... as is stop right there, you're going too fast at Keystone? Or Highly Accelerated Life Testing... as in shake the thing as hard as you can for as long as it takes to bust the thing?

Hey Jon... its good to see someone looking/thinking beyond a localized part of the system. I suspect that while much of what you discuss will be beginning to occur, it will not progress to the extent you think. During deep carving the positive (compressive) loading of the plate-to-board attachment is quite a large value. When the duckbill engages the over flexed board tip the positive loading of the attachment will reduce in magnitude as you indicate, but remain positive rather that go into tension. This reduction in front attach loading will reduce (REDUCE, not eliminate) its contribution to front-of-board flexing while shifting a small percentage of that contribution to the tip of the duckbill, distributing (in a very transient fashion) the loading to an additional location. Regarding the possible binding of the front slider preventing travel during overload condtions... I don't think it would happen. The driving force in the slider which causes travel is absolutely huge. I think the only thing that could impede slider travel is ice filling in the slot in front of the axle. Anyway... at over flex conditions the slider travel is almost completely maxed out and the systems need for slider travel is less critical. Sure... the duckbill may be a less than optimum damper and load-path sharing device... but it is better than nothing. Is it absolutely needed? I don't think so, but it does fill a need in short duration transient extreme overload conditions. as always... just my $0.02 Brad

Let me ask.... did racers go off and develop plates to make their ride more comfortable or make the board flex perform better? Screw this.... get back to the duck bill! I think it's there to put advertising and sponsor logos.

Yep... dat's da way dey goes! My cousin Stinky's gots a pair a dem too!

Think what you will.

Time for a cubicle carver to chime in with $0.02 Several comments have been made throughout this thread regarding damping (that is "damping"... DAMPENING is wetting your pants or whatever.) From what I can see, the first and foremost function of a plate system is to coax better performance out of the board. A positive secondary effect is the isolation of the rider and stabilizing the stance. Damping of the system can be looked at from different aspects... 1) damping the behavior of the board and 2) damping that appears at the rider's boots. Much of the discussion here seems to center on the least significant issue, damping at the boots. I believe the more significant issue is damping the nose of the board at extreme loadings and deflections. Racers want to assure that their nose stays engaged in a consistent and predictable manner, especially during short burst overload conditions, and a well tuned "psuedo-dashpot" system comprised of a leaf spring and damping element can help provide this. Like I said... just $0.02

Any further word on what is going on with the M-Flex development? The concept of float under each foot is an interesting divergence from our present mindset that seems to have locked our perspective. With the M-Flex approach you could implement a solid top plate or a 2 piece top plate linked by a slider/damper. Full pedaling could be allowed.

usually that type of feature is called a shoulder

about the dimension or me being anal?

the anal retentive person that I am... for absolute certainty we are both thinking the same thing....

comments? COMMENTS????? WE DON"T NEED NO STINKIN' COMMENTS!

Hey snowboardfast! Liners arrived today and look like they'll do nicely. When I opened the box and got the liners out... boy did my dog give em a good sniffing! Too bad I've got a 27.5 foot. If they fit I'd try them in my hardboots... but can't. I'll probably work on getting a patch of liner into the cuff of my skate boots this weekend. Luckily I don't need to increase my heel hold-down... just eliminate the side to side clearance. Thanks again!

I've been riding with my Osprey Switch 25+5 for years and have never felt the 'cold water on my back'. There is a panel built into the back for a combination of structure, padding, ventilation. This pack is purpose built for active winter sport hydration. However... I have yet to add an insulated sleeve to the water tube and every so often forget to blow air into it... so I get a frozen tube. You'd think I'd learn. Maybe I'll just spike with gin or vodka from now on.

Got in my 1st turns of the season on Sunday... Now I'm starting to scrounge for gear. I've just gotta get ready for SES!!! Gotta have my boards ALL ready to jump back an forth between quickly. Cannot wait to have all that talent around me... maybe some will rub off onto ME! Holy love handles, FlabMan! Quick... to the gym!

This is a bit off topic... but not much. I want a TD3 2nd board kit but don't want to pay for it. I've got extra TD2 cants. If I can get a pair of TD3 yellow rings and a pair of TD2 4 hole disks... all I have left to do is make the 4.5 mm spacers and viola... inexpensive! I'm guessing I'd probably need to get the rings from Fin... but I might be able to score some old TD2 disks over at the 'for sale' section. All I needed to know was the spacer thickness! Thanks BlueB OOPS.... no thanks BlueB. I guess I need to know the difference between the TD2 disk and TD3 disk (bottom flat to shoulder). Of course... maybe that delta is 4.5mm also.

Yep, figured that would be the deal. So... how thick does the center disk spacer need to be?

At the Bomber store I just went looking for the TD2 suspension kit and availability seems to be... well... suspended. Go figure!

really only want kit without cants need yellow rings, 4 hole disks, 8 screws

consider the effects of CREEP. Compressible materials ( ALL materials are compressible to some extent) like plastics, wood, rubber will flow over time when subjected to loads. When you torque the bolts on a head gasket... you come back a couple days later and retorque. This is an affect of creep in the gasket as well as (to a lesser extent) creep in the bolts, head and block.

If you are selling... I might be buying! I want a GPS with the capabilities your unit has to play with but don't want to drop a big bunch of money on new because I don't know how much I'd really use it, etc. If you are interested in selling please email me. bjvircks at earthlink dot net A good condition used unit is a good way for me to get familiar with how I would be using it, how often, what I like and don't, etc. Brad I still get a kick out of seeing your plot overlayed onto Sundown!

latest GPS on the slopes??? With a new season upon us... I'm considering asking Santa to bring me a GPS for carving. What are some of the recent developments and new products that allow plotting your day's movements and stuff? I don't know if I'd really need a unit with a map screen for carving... but would have nice value for other uses besides snowboarding.

Thanks for thinking of me sbfast! I'm not sure how much remolding I need and so anything would be welcome. As I'm sure you've seen here, newcarver thinks he might have something for me also, but I have not heard back with a status. How much do you want for your thermoflex? $ to send to zip 52403? Don't dare ask for them back... they go under the knife as soon as they arrive.