I got schooled!

[Allee]

So I took my new Donek Axxess 167 Olympic out for it's first day on the snow today. And after a three hour battle I can honestly say - boarder 0, Donek 1 (it's sitting in the lounge laughing at me as I type).

I rode an 167 Axis at Sun Peaks last year and had a really good time on it. It was a demo and I don't know if it was past it's use-by date, because it bore about as much resemblance to the beast I rode today as a Honda Civic to a Ferrari.

The conditions at Sunshine today were carving perfect, there was cord everywhere and the snow was firm packed and fast. I get out there, first run. The setup is the same as the raceboards, but on this I have the stance waaay too wide. Back to the lodge for adjustments. Try again. Still too wide. More adjustments. Better, but still feels a bit strange. Dial the angles back 5 deg. Aha. Now we're getting somewhere.

So I open the board up down Goats Eye. Hell, it's fast. It's scary fast. Lots of skidding going on. I load up the knees and crank a heelside, and go rocketing across the slope and almost off the side of the hill. Yikes!! Toeside has the same effect. OMG, this thing can CRANK. And it cuts through bumps and chop like it's not even there.

It soon becomes painfully obvious that my technique for this board is distinctly lacking. There were a few runs where it all came together in spectacular fashion, low flying and just sweeeeeet. There were also a few close encounters with trailside trees and some severe punishment meted out for technique transgressions. In my defence, I suspect that in shortening the stance I backed too far off the nose and wasn't able to get the pressure on it I needed to stay in control of the carve. I'll try moving it forward and see what happens...

First impressions are that this thing is a total weapon. When I got it right, it was spectacular in the extreme. But after three hours of thrills and spills, the finale came when I got lazy and just leaned back on a heelside instead of setting it up properly. The resulting half somersault back slam with head bounce left my head ringing and sent me to the car with my tail between my legs. The board has only some shallow base scratches to show. I feel like I've been hit by a truck.

So - Round 2 will be on Boxing Day. Stay tuned.

[Buell]

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Ah, Hardbooting. Go get'em Allee!

New to hardbooting, I was having a difficult time with the Axxess until Mike T told me to think of it as an all mountain slalom board. Worked wonders. Turn, turn, turn. On the steeper sections, TURN! It will definitely crank the turns.

Buell

[Guest sandarapark]

that would sound lie my first day hardbooting if u managed to crash on people...i hate the part when the head gets smacked on the ground ...oh well got to work on my techniques (which are crappy)...

[Pow]

Sounds like me a few days ago! It's nice to know I'm not the only one getting my ass kicked by a new board... I suspect my pain is resulting from improper technique, counter rotation, too much use of back leg, etc... but I'm getting better:o on my last trip I only "fell" because I was too tired to switch edges and continue down the run!

Be sure to update us after round 2, maybe there's hope for me yet!

[trikerdad]

I think I've figured out my new Madd 180. I demoed one at SES last year and it kicked my a$$. So, I bought one over the summer. I couldn't stand the thought that I couldn't ride it. I only have a few runs on it but, I found that I have to keep the nose loaded or it will just let go. Now I think we're going to be good friends. Merry Christmas!

[BlueB]

I hate a board one has to ride "like this and only like this" or it wouldn't work. That's fine if you are a racer and will do 2 runs at full blast. However, average freecarver has to last all day on snow. So, if the board is properly matched to rider weight/abillity, it should let you ride agressive or lazy, front loaded or centered, cross over/through/under, carve or skid, and still chellenge you a bit on every step for progress sake. Anything else and the board is riding you instead of other way round.

Over past year or so, I witnesed at least 2 cases of rider stagnating in progress due to too much board under feet. In both cases ansver was softer flex and wider board. Oh, yes, I almost forgot one reverse case, where there was a plato in learning because board couldn't take any harder riding.

However, I'm sure that Donek is versatile enough and it's just initial barrier.

[trikerdad]

Now that I've found that the Madd likes a little more weight towards the front than my other boards, I will slowly move my bindings forward until I don't have to conciously weight the nose. Though I had been told that the Madds work best if the bindings are mounted a little forward of center, I like to start out in the middle of the inserts and go from there. I assume that the builder has the inserts in the "sweet spot" but, it doesn't always seem so.

[Allee]

It's entirely possible that the board might be a little big and stiff for me. But for the time being, I'm just chalking it up to the fact that it's longer, wider, and better bred than the old raceboards I've been riding. If it shows up flaws in my riding, that's a good thing. It will force me to address my riding. And it's very early days yet, there are things I can try, starting with a softer set of bindings mounted further forward (TD1 SI's on a stiff board powered only by my girly 150lb might be asking a bit much).

Interestingly enough, I had exactly the same experience on Steph's Donek FC1 when I rode it in Vermont, and after a while I got the hang of that, so I'm eternally hopeful!

And now I'm off to nurse my whiplash under a hot shower...

[Gecko]

Yes well my luck seems to run like your's...first day out on a new board makes me feel like I know nothing about snowboarding. The only exception to that has been (knock on wood) my little Slalom board. I haven't fallen on it yet and that surprises me. Normally I fall a bunch so all I can think is that it's small and I'm working real hard on keeping the edges set.

[Steph]

Hey Allee - Glad to hear that you finally brought that bad boy out to play. I'm sure that it's nothing more than riding it a few times to figure out how you want your stance and position on that board. I have lots of faith in you. I bet by the end of the season, you will have mastered the Axis! You go girl

[Thor VonRippington]

Getting worked by a new board? Did you have it tuned first before ridding it? Most new rides are difficult to impossible to ride before a proper tune. Have a pro tuner put at least a 1/1 on the edges and detune the tip and tail.

[Allee]

Did you have it tuned first before ridding it? Most new rides are difficult to impossible to ride before a proper tune. Have a pro tuner put at least a 1/1 on the edges and detune the tip and tail.

It came from Donek with a 1/1 (which I checked with my own edge tools), and I detuned it to where I wanted it, and gave it a couple of coats of wax and some structure with the brushes before I took it out. I'd like to blame the tune but I'm sure that wasn't it...

[Thor VonRippington]

hhmmmm (scratching chin)... guess you did get worked ;)

[RDY_2_Carve]

Detuning is a matter of personal preference, no? I wouldn't recommend detuning as a general rule...

Don't worry Allee you'll get the hang of that bad boy. It's a pretty easy going ride and if my lazy ass can ride a Axis I'm sure you can. That's one thing I enjoyed about the Axis is you can ride it however you want.

[Thor VonRippington]

Detuning is a matter of personal preference, no? I wouldn't recommend detuning as a general rule...QUOTE]

[alpinegirl]

oooh, can i come play?? my tame behavior on boards will cure what ails you ;)

remember, riding a new board can be a lot like dating. take your time getting to know one another. granted you have been ogling this critter for months by this point in time, but you have only just started to scratch the surface in understanding the dynamic nature of this beast. be patient and don't immediately ask a lot of the board. have fun and enjoy the ride.

i am merely jealous

[Dave ESPI]

hard hat by chance?

HELMETY GOODNESS?

[Allee]

oooh, can i come play?? my tame behavior on boards will cure what ails you ;)

Tame my a$$. I'll give it to you to give it a good thrashing, and teach it a lesson...

[mr_roboteye]

I scoped out the specs for the axxess 167 and a 9.6 metre radius is a pretty deep sidecut for such a "short" board. By comparison, burton's good old FP167 had a radius of 12.29 metre. I've got an old mistral sonic with a 13 metre on it. I assume that it was custom made for you and whoever shaped the core knew the weight of the intended rider? (you) :). It's understandable why you are experiencing a little difficulty with the new weapon. Given donek's reputation for longevity, I bet it won't soften up much soon either. Good luck.

Sounds like you're in the middle of the learning curve, no pun intended.

happy trails and wide groomers to you.

I'm taking one of FP185/178's and my burner 188 to Whistler tomorrow for a day trip. I've kept my eyes on the weather forecast for a few days and tomorrow should be epic for carving. No new and skier packed for 2 days, alpine low of minus ten overnight, the hardpack should set up real nice tonight for the bluebird skies tomorrow. I'm getting a little jumpy just thinking about it.

later and good night. Up at 5:30 tomorrow.

Dave R.

[Allee]

So I have nicknamed the red beast "The Axxess of Evil" but luckily it wasn't quite so evil over the New Year. I didn't get out Boxing Day as I was still having problems turning my head to the left ...

So, off to Fernie for the New Years weekend. I rode the 162 Blast the first day to get some legs back. So much for that. The other half tore off on his skis across Currie Bowl, missed the turn to the groomers, and we ended up in double black chutes and trees on the far side of the bowl. Way above both our technical abilities, I was at least OK traversing down, he took a tumble, lost a ski, and then had to hike back through thigh deep to get it. So he was back in the lodge at midday sweaty, exhausted and thoroughly pissed off. The rest of the day was pretty much a writeoff...

So Sunday I took the Axxess out, this time with the bindings mounted much further forward, and the difference was amazing. Much more in control, and far easier to pressure the front foot and change edge. Way better riding, but I still find I have to take up a huge amount of the slope to make "C" turns, which shouldn't be the case, given the tiny sidecut this has. But hugely quick edge to edge, and FAST. I spent a lot of time skidding off speed because the hill was really busy, and Fernie has a lot of narrower, almost chute like runs, with a lot of cat track connectors to traverse around the mountain. But screamingly good fun when I got the chance to air it out.

On my last run Sunday, coming down with tired legs, I lost a toe edge and did the full laid out slide past a group of four teenage girls sitting on the side of the hill. I was rewarded with a round of applause, got up, pointed straight down the hill, and just laid it out. I could hear them hollering and hooting behind me ... huge boost for the ego!

Anyway, things are looking up. I need a nice quiet slope to practice on, I might try and get up to Sunshine early on Sunday and attack the turning radius problem.

Thanks for all the suggestions ... extremely helpful!