Racers using BTS?

[cail]

Just wondering.. are there any racers using BTS? If not, why? Is it too much flex? May be a stupid question but I'm trying to see if there are any downsides to BTS, performance-wise.

Most people that do have them say they love them. Is it just because they make the boot flex smoother (read: feel better)?

[biggerwrangler]

you should ask this question in the race area of the forum

Every single racer i have seen has some kind of bts system they are using.

that is that if they are good.

I have seen the candaians, swiss, koreans and the frenchies here in colorado lately as they are training and the race for the cup is next week

I will be switching to a bts and the reason is this. when its cold the boot is like stiff as concrete. you can adjust your stiffness with bts, however when you rely on the plastic of the boot to be your flex temp can play a huge part. You might have a great early season day think life is great, comeout on a cold day when nobody is around and struggle to make turns because the boot is super stiff, truning you into a newbie at the drop of a hat. riding with your boots in walk is dangerous, however riding all locked up for me can be difficult if i am rolling on ice ruts.

now if you have the same flex Everytime you carve not matter what the conditions, you should" per larry the bootfitter of boulder" less injuries like shin bang or plastic failure and better results when you make other adjustments to fine tune your riding. Note inky says toes on the edge for the best turns.

Note if you are considering a bts system you may also consider a replacement liner BOL has them on sale and a worn or crappy liner maybe part of the issues if you can't ride without pain.

Pain should be in your quads and hips not your feet.

I pulled my liners and realized that the plastic was bitting through the tongue and right into my leg. running 2 year old heads with 90 + days on them.

Read the website store Bomberonline to get more info i weight 160 with all my gear on so I will be running the head pro strat a stiffer race boot, with new race liners and a bts system with soft springs. I will have to custom fit the bts system. What you weight plays a huge part on how ALL your equipment reacts with itself.

[DEON]

I have been using the BTS for 2 race seasons. i had to modify it alot, when i was carving on a healside turn the boot flexed and then the spring rebounded making my edge angle increase and I am only 155lbs on a good day. The way my coach and i fixed it was by putting in a brass spacer and a skateboard bumper in on the healside flex side and the small red on the toe flex, then we cut down the legnth.

I am in copper right now but i can take a picture of it when i get back to steamboat on the weekend if people want to see it

[Dave*]

While I personally am not a racer, I have two sets of BTS and love them, they have transformed my riding for the better, I was a walk mode rider for a number of years, tried the RAB but could not get the boot cuff vertical enough with that system.

Now for the pertinent info to the original question, the Canadian national team spent some time training at Cypress this spring. I scrutinized their gear quite closely.

About 75 % were on Deeluxe/Raichle boots with about a 70/30 split of that being RAB/5 position lock.

About 20 % on either Head or UPZ

About 5 % ( 2-3 guys ) were on ski boots , I think I seen two sets of the Dalbello "flexons"

None of the Canadian team were using BTS that I could see. Perhaps its a sponsorship/money issue?

Did not get a chance to talk with any of them, did get to talk with Fawcett a few times but the BTS topic never came up. Of note he was much less "snooty" than the racers.

Other observations

- most were on Kesslers with Hangl Plates

- most were running the F2 bindings or F2 bail towers directly to the Hangl.

All numbers given were determined using the S.W.A.G* ( scientific wild a## guess) method

Dave*