Why run with base bevel?

[MUD]

Hi All,

Tuning question.

Why do YOU use a base bevel?

Wouldn't no bevel give you better edge hold?

Does it aid in moving around when going slow?

Just curious.

Thanks,

[Justin A.]

A Base Bevel allows more margin for error when making fast transitions. Same as detuning, but with less tradeoff. Basically, if you have a 1* base bevel going, then you would need to tune 1* bevel into the side edge to keep a 90* egde. The edge is still at 90*, just that is now rotated one degree inward, allowing you to slide a bit more without catching an edge.

I personally ride with .5* on the base, and between 2 and 3 on the side, giving me a final edge angle of 87.5-88.5 degrees. This will give me the same ice hold as it would if I ran 0* on the base and 1.5-2.5 on the side.

Make sense?

[Mike T]

I've ridden a few new decks (Doneks) with no base bevel and couldn't get my files on them fast enough.

-Skidding and stopping was scary without base bevel.

-The edge would engage when I didn't mean for it to. Half the time it was the wrong edge and bam!

-Riding flat was not comfortable, especially when I would try to feather it to make slight course corrections on say a flat cat-track.

I've been putting a 1* bevel on my base edges. I have no problem getting rapid edge engagement when I want to - well, except for when a flaw in my technique spoils it ;-)

[big mario]

Keeps me from gettin' bitch slapped by the board when I am distracted by something shiny

mario

[NateW]

Everything above.

I bought an F2 183 last summer and got a few days on it this year with no tuning. It carves great but I hated the feel when riding with the base flat, or just making small corrections at low speeds (e.g. approaching the lift line), so I dropped it off for a 1/1 bevel on Friday. Next time I ride it, I'm expecting it to have a nice neutral feel when riding with the base flat, that's what I got from my other boards when they were beveled.

(Curiously, it seems to have a base bevel already in the center of the board, but the tip and tail are not base beveled.)

[MUD]

Cool, Thanks for the input. That's kind of what I figured.

[Jrobb]

Mor speed.

J

[kmagvette]

When I was a rabid ski racer I would go with 0* base bevel on slalom skis, 1* on GS, and 2* on Super-G and DH boards. I am older and lazy now, everthing gets 1*. Mostly this is because I don't want my edges structured when I send them through the grinder at a ski shop. Most shops will put a 1* bevel on your base prior to structuring because edges tend to trash structuring stones forcing them to re-face the stone more frequently.

Like others said, on the snowboard the bevel settles the board a bit and cuts down on body-slams a bit.

[madlibs69]

The amount of base bevel will determine how much the board will be allowed to transition from edge to edge before the edge actually engages into the snow surface. Here is an example..downhill racers will have a good degree of base bevel, often at least 1.5 degrees plus. This will allow the ski to roll higher or become more perpendicular to the snow surface before it truly engages. As the disclipline gets to the point where turns become closer and tighter , happening more often, the desired base bevel becomes smaller. many slalom racers who are making turns within close proximity will use base bevels of .5 or .7. Most will not notice the difference between a .5, .7 or even a one degree base bevel. Its accuracy can be noticed when the surfaces are ice, any thing short of that it becomes hard to tell. All boards or i should say most that come off of a gring will have some degree of base bevel...reason being is that if the operator knows what he is doing, will put some in so the edges dont wreck havoc on the stone. Accurate bevelsare then put in after the grind.