queequeg Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 So, I spent last weekend at timberline, and over three days I had plenty of time to re-aquaint myself with carving as well as my new Donek (which is the most superlatively excellent board I have ever ridden!!!). I spent plenty of the first day screwing around with my bindings and trying to dial in a good stance (thanks again for the great advice from V*L*A*D and others here), and I think I have a pretty good start. By the end of my first day I felt like I'd never stopped carving for a single day! ... but all of this led to a question regarding the intec system and how it seems to be fitting with my Head Stratos Pros. I felt like there was a bit of slop in my boot/binding interface, so I brought my heel/toe's blocks ever so slightly closer, which resulted in a rock-solid connection without any play whatsoever in the boot/binding interface. However, after doing this it was *very* difficult to get my rear foot in, wheras the front foot was easy to get in to the bindings (with matching placements for the toe/heel blocks on both bindings). After a few runs of spending 5+ minutes at the top trying to click in, I moved my rear heel block back the minimum increment, making it much easier to step in. It seems like there must be slight differences between the length of my boots. Is this common? It seems to me like both feet should have matching toe/heel block settings for proper alignment over the board--how much of an issue is this? I ride high-ish angles at 67/67 which I would imagine reduces the effect of an offset like this ... nonetheless It seems like I would want to eliminate this offset as much as possible. I have been thinking that perhaps just shaving the tiniest amount off the toe ledge on my rear foot would allow me to match both feet ... but I don't want to proceed with that kind of operation without some good advice from here .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 Does your front boot click in easily into the rear binding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 Hey queequeg, Glad you had a good time at T-line. I think from your profile you ride Cateks. I had a pair of OS2s and found the same issue with the intec adjustment. One spot and there was play, the next spot up and I could hardly get the pins to engage. The TD2s have the ability to be very fine tuned by using the threads on the front bail and the shoulder bolts. I would not be concerned about the one increment difference in your heel bail alignment. I set my bindings up to keep the toes and heels on / near the board edge. Due to the sidecut, this results in my front heel and toe blocks being pushed forward, and my back heel and toe blocks being pulled back in relation to the center of the binding, so mine are definitely not matching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 There's never any guarantees that any pair of anything is going to be exact. Fit the bindings to the boot, and never the boot to the bindings unless there's no alternative. I'd always want to keep up as much toe and heel on the boots as I could unless there was a molding issue, or the shape of the bail doesn't quite match the boot, and then I'd try to take it out of the shell above the sole of the boot. The bindings generally all have micro adjustments to make them work on the boots, and the reason for this is that boots all have tolerances, and different molds and the binding manufacturers recognize this, and further you even have to take into consideration about how temperatures affect boots. Have fun. It was a blast today in the slop at Alpental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 It seems like there must be slight differences between the length of my boots. Is this common? It seems to me like both feet should have matching toe/heel block settings for proper alignment over the boardIt sounds like you need to make a thread's worth (or two) of adjustment in a bail, using the instructions that come with the bindings. There's no need to shave any material off the boot. Read more here.Edit: Whoops! Sorry, I thought you were talking about TD-2's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted April 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 Yes, I'm, riding catek OS2's so the threading on the toe bail that is typical to Bomber design is not available to me. The boots fit fine (no slop, easy to step in) as they are, so my only concern was the slight difference between the two bindings with regards to centering. It sounds like its not a big deal, so I won't worry too much about it. I like the design of the catek's but the bombers seems superior with regards to boot fitment, for sure ... I've heard of people mixing and matching toe/heel pieces, which makes me wonder if I could put toe pieces from bombers on my cateks .... but I also know that the heel/toe blocks on bombers are slightly higher profile than on cateks so I guess I would have to swap both the toe and the heel pieces. Seems like a potentially dangerous experiment though ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted April 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 Hey Buell ... I see you are in Eugene, I went to school there. I rode a few times with two alpine guys from Eugene at Willamette pass and bachelor, both of whom rode Rossi VAS boards ... ever heard of Steve Black or Gabe Cabatic? Both really great people and great boarders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted April 15, 2007 Report Share Posted April 15, 2007 I ride OS1 Intecs and my front and rear are about one hole off front towards the toe and rear towards the heel. It's the only way I don't get drag at the low angle I like to ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 queequeg, No shortage of old hippies here in Eugene. I know of a few hardbooters who live in the area, but I don't think I have met either Steve or Gabe. Some of the other carvers in Oregon probably have ridden with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Hey queequeg,Glad you had a good time at T-line. I think from your profile you ride Cateks. I had a pair of OS2s and found the same issue with the intec adjustment. One spot and there was play, the next spot up and I could hardly get the pins to engage. The TD2s have the ability to be very fine tuned by using the threads on the front bail and the shoulder bolts. I would not be concerned about the one increment difference in your heel bail alignment. I set my bindings up to keep the toes and heels on / near the board edge. Due to the sidecut, this results in my front heel and toe blocks being pushed forward, and my back heel and toe blocks being pulled back in relation to the center of the binding, so mine are definitely not matching. Good post so true!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 So, I spent last weekend at timberline Wish we knew you were coming, did you meet any of our friendly local hardbooters? Did you visit Mt Hood Meadows also? Glad you had a good time. Nice old school shot in your profile. I see MHM listed as a home ski area? Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Wish we knew you were coming, did you meet any of our friendly local hardbooters? Did you visit Mt Hood Meadows also? Glad you had a good time. Nice old school shot in your profile. I see MHM listed as a home ski area? Cool. I was hoping to see some hardbooters there but I didn't see a single one. One of the lifies made remarks about all of the other "ski-boarders" who show up in the summertime. I'm just getting back into carving after 2+ years of not setting foot on a mountain or a board ... I prefer to fail in private until I really feel like I've got my carving chops back. Actually, I should probably be seeking out as much criticism and advice as I can find ... My trip was much more successful than I had hoped and I felt like I got much of my technique back by the end of the first day. Next time I head out west (or anywhere, I suppose), I'll post in hopes of finding some carving buds. I live in NYC but I used to live in Oregon (Eugene, Portland) So that is why I have MHM listed as one of my "Home" mountains, even though it is pretty far away now. Oddly enough, the entire time I lived in oregon, I never once rode at timberline, wish I had! Re: old school photo - that Avalanche was the the first board I ever owned (Before that I used to borrow from friends whenever I could). It was also the last softboot board I ever owned ... I saw a guy carving at Temple Mtn NH one day and immediately went out and got a PJ and some plates ... haven't worn soft boots since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 We have a strong , friendly group of alpine riders in the NW, all levels and abilities. Post on the PNW ride board next time you are in the area. Consider returning next year at OES , you would have a great time and meet a good share of the PNW riders. Glad you had a good time. From now until June 1st is a little know "Secret Session" at T-Line. Best conditions, low ticket prices and no crowds, after June, it is stupid busy from everyone coming from everywhere, prices go back up, conditions are , well less perfect, crowded with teens and racers with plenty of attitude. Still one of the best gigs around for the summer snow buzz. Lot of photos of Timberline here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Sorry to get more off topic but how late are the mountains in that area usually open? If I don't get my carving addiction fix for next year, I wouldn't mind a trip out there right after finals for a week or two...or three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 We have a strong , friendly group of alpine riders in the NW, all levels and abilities. Post on the PNW ride board next time you are in the area. Consider returning next year at OES , you would have a great time and meet a good share of the PNW riders. Glad you had a good time. From now until June 1st is a little know "Secret Session" at T-Line. Best conditions, low ticket prices and no crowds, after June, it is stupid busy from everyone coming from everywhere, prices go back up, conditions are , well less perfect, crowded with teens and racers with plenty of attitude. Still one of the best gigs around for the summer snow buzz.Lot of photos of Timberline here. Yeah - I was pretty amazed at how *empty* the mountain was and the snow was still plenty fast in the morning, and palmer is steep enough to keep you moving in the afternoon. I may come again in may if I can swing the time off. Gleb: I think Timberline stays open nearly year round, if not year round but others here will know better than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Sorry to get more off topic but how late are the mountains in that area usually open? If I don't get my carving addiction fix for next year, I wouldn't mind a trip out there right after finals for a week or two...or three. Hi Gleb, perhaps we could continue this in the PNW ride board area? Timberline stays open year around short of a couple weeks. Now would be a good time to come, as other areas close, we still (typically) have more than 100" base. Perhaps search some of the past posts on PNW areas? You can stay in Portland or Bend for pretty cheap, say 40$ a night or sometimes less. 20 minute drive from Bend to Mt Bachelor and hour drive from Portland to Mt Hood. Don't wait till June if you can help it. Check the galleries to get to know the areas. Let us know if you are coming, a local can make all the difference , know matter where you go. PS, I believe we now have some non-stops from the East Coast to PDX. I plan to build a page for visitors that will help them get a "Lay of the Land" when visiting. Time is the issue. Bryan www.finelineclub.com and www.oldsnowboards.com both have info about PNW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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