shawndoggy Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 So after installing the BTS (yellow) kit on my SB225's, I had a pretty good day carving yesterday. Having a little bit of flex in the boots seems to make all of the difference. However, on my heelside carves at speed i was getting what I would call a "speed wobble" for lack of a better term. Like the board was oscillating up and down in the carve. Looking at my line on the lift ride back up confirmed the wavy nature of the carve. What am I doing wrong? "Loose" ankles? Standing too high (I did try getting lower and that did seem to help sometimes)? Is my board too soft (NOS ultra prime 162, I weigh 164 on the bathroom scale)? Not centered on the board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 There are some articles in the links below that can help. Sounds like you're not committed to the carve - That's a turny board you've got there - you were probably trying to make a more drawn out carve than it wanted to. Really pressure that front foot at the start of the carve and feed the board through the turn as it comes around. Finish the carve 60/40 on the back foot. LOOK where you are going - not down the hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 is the nose hopping? does the track look serrated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Did you have this problem before you installed the BTS? If so did the BTS amplify or reduce the problem. Did anything else change in your riding? Did the BTS give you the confidence to carry more speed? I'd look a the things that jack mentioned first but otherwise: I'm wondering if in your pre-bts days you did not pay much attention to controlling your ankle flexion/extension during heelsides (sinde most boots without the BTS pretty much lock in on the heelsides without much give) It may be that the short springs are allowing more ankle extension on your heelsides that you are accustomed to (I'm guessing the yellow springs are fairly soft?), and need to be more attentive to your ankle flexion situation ... my2c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 is the nose hopping? does the track look serrated? Though I can't say I thought consciously that it is/was the nose, thinking back the feeling definitely wasn't coming from the back of the board. So an equivocal yes is in order for the nose hopping question. As for the track looking serrated.... I think I'd describe it as "wavy." The toeside line would look like a nice arc, but the heelside would have these little waves (up down up down) within the arc. Not sharp or jagged, tho, which is how I'd think of serrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Did you have this problem before you installed the BTS? If so did the BTS amplify or reduce the problem. Did anything else change in your riding? Did the BTS give you the confidence to carry more speed?I'd look a the things that jack mentioned first but otherwise: I'm wondering if in your pre-bts days you did not pay much attention to controlling your ankle flexion/extension during heelsides (sinde most boots without the BTS pretty much lock in on the heelsides without much give) It may be that the short springs are allowing more ankle extension on your heelsides that you are accustomed to (I'm guessing the yellow springs are fairly soft?), and need to be more attentive to your ankle flexion situation ... my2c Fair questions. Yes, I did notice it pre-bts on a particularly hard/cold day on the snow, where the snow was very fast. Yes, yellows are soft. Tho it's not the point of this thread, wow, the BTS really helped me get a feel for setting up a tighter arc as I'm initiating a turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ESPI Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 sounds like you are wighting the front foot and letting the back one "steer" like a floating rudder in your wake (as if in a boat with loose wheel) a bit too much. I agree with Jack. You need to apply more pressure to the back foot and try to bow the board under you so as to be a sharper arc. Add more speed, or more angle of attack and it should clean up nicely. "When in doubt, Squeeze it out". My dad used to say that about trying new shotguns for the first time..... so "Just squeeze the board and hold" Ida had a lot less sore shoulders if I listened .. LOL. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 sorry, forgot to answer one of your original questions. No, that board should not be too soft for you. But it is turny. Short radius boards need to make shorter carves. You can't just put it on edge and expect to go along for the ride, you have to drive it. Especially as speed increases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 sorry, forgot to answer one of your original questions. No, that board should not be too soft for you. But it is turny. Short radius boards need to make shorter carves. You can't just put it on edge and expect to go along for the ride, you have to drive it. Especially as speed increases. I'm running 6 degrees in the back, basically perpendicular to the board (so it's a bit of a cant too). Could the cant be keeping me off of my rear heel? Figured the turny board was a good idea since most of my riding is done on the weekends. Lots of people to avoid. I dream of getting something longer, but dunno when that would make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ESPI Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Shawn, I'm on an Airwalk Force 157 with 6 degree in rear and 0 front. My angles are 66 front and 56 back. My setup is similar to yours. A small quick board is indeed a NEED for crowded slopes. Without inward cant/heel lift, you are likely to twist the board torsionally, since your rear heel will want to lift. As a result, the nose and tail of the board will want to carve different radius arcs, and you will skid out / chatter on heel side. You will have to try and push your hip up inline with your front toe as you hang a hard heelside, and drive the back knee into the back of your front leg a bit and the back of your board will come right with you. As you get 3/4 of the turn uphill, rock back to your rear foot and start to roll your front toe over to start the transition to the toeside and then drop your front and then back knee with your shoulders up and over in a smooth motion across the nose of the board. Try it a fewtimes without turning your upper body in the opposite way, just hang your ass out there and keep your back against the hill. You should see a drastic change in your ride style, and the edge chage will be more of a straighter "s" with a gap in the middle of the "s" where there is a drastic "space" and visable change in edge in the snow that looks more like a sidewinder rattle snake kind of pattern in the sand. HTH. EDIT: this guy is turning his upper body on a heel side into the hill across his nose. not sure if this is the same thing you are trying and having issues with, or just a straight body posture carve on the heel. http://www.oobsnowboards.com/staff/Mighty%20Vin.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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