catek and all those parts?

[kevbo]

There have been many threads about the catek vs td1, td2, td3 bindings. MY experience, with the td1 and td2, they are very simple and have very few parts. When looking at the catek's there is a S%^& load of parts just to put them together. What is the practical experience with using the cateks. I have no problem with assembly but they just seem a little over complicated. They do look cool. Any thoughts? :)

Thanks

kr

[jp1]

Love them, love the total adjustability (not locked in to a specific angle) and never had a problem with the amount of parts. Like any other binding, just check them regularly.

[JoeK.inVt]

One of the best, top notch construction. Can be a bit to stiff though, I like the suspension system on the TD's. I never had a problem w/ my OS2's being too complicated, I like the way they go together. Very versatile.

[skategoat]

I've owned two pairs. I didn't like the original Olympics. The cant pins destroyed the base plate over time and I found the kingpin would loosen occasionally. The second (current) Olympics were better but I ended up selling them and buying F2s. The F2s are simple. Like you said, the Cateks have too many parts.

[queequeg]

The parts are not a problem. With the bindings mounted on the board, it really breaks down to two parts: the stuff on the board (disc and power plate) and the plate you step into. One giant kingpin screw holds it all together so it is very easy to take apart and adjust quickly on the hill. As mentioned, there is no suspension built in so it is quite stiff.

With Cateks you need two allen wrenches instead of the TD's one. One big allen wrench for the kingpin, and another for everything else.

If you want to adjust cant/lift, you loosen the foot plate and then adjust the four seating posts to get the desired lift/cant you want, then re-tighten the kingpin. Very easy to do on hill because you don't actually have to remove any screws, just loosen and tighten. You don't have to worry about losing any screws in the snow.

If you want to adjust angle you remove the foot plate entirely with the kingpin. The kingpin will stay seated in the foot plate so you don't really have to worry about loosing it. There are two screws you need to loosen to adjust angle. Loosen, adjust angle tighten and then re-attach the foot plate via the kingpin.

It's very quick and simple to adjust.

It seems to me that for somebody looking for a super stiff binding, there is an inherent benefit to the infinite adjustability of the Cateks, since the binding is really not moving at all you want it to be in the perfect position. For somebody looking for a binding with a bit of give, that adjustability is less important because the binding's flex will make up for missing increments in adjustability.

I've never owned a pair of bombers (though I am interested in trying them out!) but the cateks are not a problem for adjusting on hill, IMO. If they were easier to adjust I wouldn't see it as a huge improvement, they're easy enough.

[Mike T]

Too many parts for me... and they seem to need tightening a lot more often than Bombers and F2's. Then again that was the OS1, I haven't tried the OS2. Very sexy looking though!

[colintkemp]

Queequeq: nice summary.

The only "practical experience" I will add is the following (and this is more user (me) error that anything else): I have stripped the small mounting screws before. Now, again, I was probably tightening too much (and on that point, see yesterday's posting about tightening levels) but the metal did give. I replaced them.

My OS2s are great (as are my TD2s).

[b0ardski]

I loved my os1, the adjustability is as good as it gets; if you need it.

Personally, I go with 2-3 degrees inward cant which is easy on any binding with wedges.

I don't miss tightening the cant studs 2-3 times a day.

I like only needing four screws to swap boards or stance, and 1 additional screw to set the angle so it doesn't move when taken off the board.

Matinence free, cheap, simple, durable, convenient, works best for me:eplus2:

[kjl]

If you want to adjust cant/lift, you loosen the foot plate and then adjust the four seating posts to get the desired lift/cant you want, then re-tighten the kingpin. Very easy to do on hill because you don't actually have to remove any screws, just loosen and tighten. You don't have to worry about losing any screws in the snow.

Wait, I thought you were supposed to tighten the kingpin all the way down before tightening the lift/cant screws? So to adjust you would just loosen and tighten the left/cant screws and leave the kingpin fully tightened the whole time?

At least that was the way I understood it. IIRC there was some chatter on the boards about hardware problems over time (maybe loosening screws or excessive wear on the mounting plate or something?) if the kingpin was not completely screwed down (due to the lift/cant screws being extended too far)?

To answer the OP: I have no problem with the number of parts. You have to touch roughly the same number of screws to get the thing off your board as you do with the TD1 and TD2 (but more than you would with the TD3), but while you are moving things around you have fewer loose screws to keep track of. That being said, I find the Catek's slightly more of a hassle to deal with because I am super anal/obsessive about wanting my binding setup exactly the same each time, and the "infinite adjustment" thing on the Catek's means I obsess about making sure each screw has exactly the right # of turns to get exactly the setup I want.

Also, it was hard to see under the baseplate to see the angle markers so it was difficult to tell what angles you were setting up at without a flashlight or something (although that is probably only a problem with the super wide baseplace of the freerides - I doubt that is a problem at all with the hardboot bindings.)

I dislike the small allen wrench hole for the mounting screws. Mine are not stripped, but the metal is bending up around the corners and they may strip soon.

[NateW]

I like the adjustability of the Cateks but they do require more preventative (and occasionally postventative) maintenance. It's a reasonable price to pay for the adjustability. If you like to try different cant/lift angles periodically, or would like to experiment to figure out what you want, then Cateks are for you. If you know exactly what you want, and/or hate making adjustments, get Bombers.

My primary board has Bombers, but I own Cateks too and have no regrets about buying them.

[Bobby Buggs]

Im kinda a set it and forget it person, I use these, http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22477

[bobdea]

catek OS2s are good bindings. really for me the catek product I love is the freeride.

they seem too complicated but once you ride on them for awhile you learn the ins and outs of the bindings, I've had the WCs, FR, FR2 and the OS2. the FR2 is amazing and my binding of choice when I have lift accessed pow or want to carve in soft boots.

the issues you have, with one is common with the other, just learn to keep things tight!!

[eaglez]

OS2's are fine for finding what cant/lift you like. Then buy Bombers in that configuration and forget it. How many of us actually change our setup once we are comfortable with it. Maybe lots, but not me. Simplicity rocks!

D.

[bobdea]

OS2's are fine for finding what cant/lift you like. Then buy Bombers in that configuration and forget it. How many of us actually change our setup once we are comfortable with it. Maybe lots, but not me. Simplicity rocks!

D.

cateks are a different feel too. if all bindings felt the same we'd all ride burton race plates or fritschi.

some people do change their canting with different boards, specifically when their angles change a lot some people ride with a 3 in front or flat depending on their angles. with bombers you'd have to get another where as the cateks all the options you could want a few turns of a screw away.

Also, the fine tuning with cateks benefits those with ski boots.

[eaglez]

cateks are a different feel too. if all bindings felt the same we'd all ride burton race plates or fritschi.

some people do change their canting with different boards, specifically when their angles change a lot some people ride with a 3 in front or flat depending on their angles. with bombers you'd have to get another where as the cateks all the options you could want a few turns of a screw away.

Also, the fine tuning with cateks benefits those with ski boots.

Good points. I found that I was always worried about the bindings working themselves loose over a period of time with Catek. I know that you should always check your bindings fasteners to make sure they are tight. The problem is that when I checked my Cateks, they were always loose. With the TD2's, always tight.

[bobdea]

ahh, I assume one of two things was happening, you were either not tightening in the right order or the screws were binding and indicating a false tightness.

I used to grease just the heads of screws and that worked but now I do the threads too because I've had screws seize the ultimate answer is this

http://www.neverseezproducts.com/marine.htm

also using this with all my bindings, amazing stuff, I also suggest using it with your intec screws in your boots

[JoeK.inVt]

Good points. I found that I was always worried about the bindings working themselves loose over a period of time with Catek. I know that you should always check your bindings fasteners to make sure they are tight. The problem is that when I checked my Cateks, they were always loose. With the TD2's, always tight.

I check my OS2's every time I ride and they are always tight. I can't remember the last time I found something loose.

[AaronG]

Never find that much of a problem with my OS1s. I think in my years of riding with the OS1s I did feel some slop in the binding and checked things out, sure enough, found out the kingpin was loose. Cinched her up and was on my way. First time something worked loose in 5 years of riding them.

All the parts aren't a problem, once you determine on where you like the settings, that's it. If you want to switch to a different board?/ 1/2 rotation on the cant screws, loosen the kingpin, swap over to the other board, tighten kingpin, 1/2 rotation on the set screws and you are off.

I've done it many times, no problem!!

[refried]

Loctite. I had some parts loosen up on my FR2s when they were new but solved the problem with some loctite and/or nylock nuts on the offending parts. Never had the Kingpin loosen after I started to give the cant screws a half turn after the kingpin was tight so no need for Loctite there but pretty much every other screw gets a drop. I don't know if it's recommended but it keeps everything tight all season.

[SEJ]

I've had three pairs, my 2 cents. First, no quality issues, they build a good binding, it depends on what you want. If you want "infinite adjustability" for playing around with cant options, this is the way to go. If you are settled on your cant angle, they are a pain in the a** because when you change angles the cant moves with the binding, it doesn't stay fixed with the board. When I moved them from a narrow board to a wider one and wanted to keep 6 degree true to the center line of the board it took an angle finder, a framing square, and a level. On the parts issue, yea, there's more, but not an issue. The biggest issue is that as the cant set screws make the dimples bigger they are loosening the king pin. Everybody wants pristine dimples. The more smashed they are, the bigger the surface area for the load. They smash less and the bindings don't loosen up as fast. My biggest bitch is the mounting screws. Itty bitty allens that strip at a heartbeat. Half of the screws on my bindings, (after easy outing the stock ones) were Burton phillips.

Bottom line, if you want to play around with canting - they are the only game.

If you know what you want in canting, and don't change angles - fine binding, just keep them tight.

If you know what you want in canting and change angles from board to board - too much work.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.

[Silver Bullet]

I really liked the OS2s. The quality was good and the service as well. I simply had difficulty keeping them fastened to my board. I am sure it was operator error. I did learn to check the binders regularly, which I still do even though I ride TD2s. It is a good thing to pay attention to your gear. I just noticed that my TD2 base plates are bent. Yikes...

[rhaskins]

Try these two sites:

http://www.alpinecarving.com/wtc06/add/ for assembly and such, from the Carvers Almanac, and

http://www.catek.com/tiltcalculator.htm for lift and cant calculations. I use this for my angle and cant settings, works well.

Rick

[CaRtharsis]

A little off topic, but I've tried contacting Catek numerous times both through email and phone and have never recieved a response. I've been wanting to purchase additional bases to make life easier at the mountain as I usually travel with several boards. If anyone has had better luck contacting them please let me know.

Back on topic, If you have problems stripping out the threads on the plates, try installing a Heli-Coil. We use them in aviation whenever we have to thread into aluminum.

[leeho730]

A little off topic, but I've tried contacting Catek numerous times both through email and phone and have never recieved a response. I've been wanting to purchase additional bases to make life easier at the mountain as I usually travel with several boards. If anyone has had better luck contacting them please let me know.

Back on topic, If you have problems stripping out the threads on the plates, try installing a Heli-Coil. We use them in aviation whenever we have to thread into aluminum.

Yeah, same. Scott contacted me 2 weeks ago regarding extra sole block for OS2 (and I authorized him to use my credit card for those plus shipping), then no contact ever since.

Funny thing is, I was trying to post a thread on their own forum, but they wouldn't allow me to log in! I tried to create new user name, but I got "Sorry, but this username has been disallowed" message, no matter the username (I tried to create an accounts using different user names as well). I also tried to retreive the password but it only gave me "Fatal Error" message.

So Catek is not allowing users to post on their forum. I do not know what's going on, but it doesn't look good....

[Hotbeans]

The only binding I've ever ridden has been os2's, so my opinion is from someone who started with them, and is still riding them:

-Really adjustable..great if you have hardware in your ankle and need a wierd angle, obsessively adjustable if you aren't sure what angles you need...

- Don't tighten the kingpin first--you run the risk of putting a nice cutout on your topsheet. The cutout will be precisely the diameter of the kingpin..

- The floating ball-nut under the mounting plate sometimes floats when you really are trying to get the kingpin on/off..ie: it spins. I just pick up on the binding and 'most' of the time, the nut wont spin.

- I initially found them "twitchy" which I understand correlates to stiffness. I used to leave my boots kind of loose to build in some forgiveness. Now, I'm enjoying the precision and cranking my boots (head stratos pro) tight.

- If (and mine do about once/10hrs ride time) get loose, you'll notice the movement- if not on the slope, then while on the lift.

Overall, I'm quite happy with them. Although, I do have a pair of td2's coming to me to do a comparison with.