Ok just rode my carving set up for the first time...

[DiveBomber]

Ok so I went to winter park today(season pass) road on my free ride board, burton custom 164 with switch N type (backless)

I can carve on it I have my angles a little more forward than a standard free ride set up, im just guessing but its like 30deg front 20 rear give or take.

My Carve setup Hot 162 race something ( i painted it, it was white with i think some small flame design). Head stratos LTD and burton step ins. again guessing on the angles but front is like 45 rear couple degs less. (i started at like 50 frt and 35 rear but that was really uncomfortable)

I wasnt sure how to get the forward lean adjusted.

Ok so I didnt feel that balanced/comfortable. I was able to carve a little but im wondering if i should increase my angles. My knees felt a little twisted.

Also the boots felt pretty stiff.

I noticed alot of the time i was using my rear leg to initiate the turn, and i had to think about putting my weight on the front foot, where as in my freeride set up i do it automatically. It seems tougher to stay on top of the board, Like when i start to gain speed it seems a little sketchy. But the board was just tuned and waxed.

I think the board is fine, but i just need to get more comfotable with my set up.

On the boots i had the lean adjuster open, it didnt seem to make much diff. I do know that i can set the lean to a more bend knee position which i think would help.

Also would it help to narrow my stance?

[Jack M]

http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/feel_the_carve.cfm

http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/setup.cfm

[DiveBomber]

I got the first one, but the second doesnt help that much, Like my lower leggs, feel to stiff, its just like i dont have as much control as i do on my FR set up, It's not so much the actual carving as everything else

[philfell]

It takes time, all the reading and analysing will only get you so far. It takes miles and miles of groomers to start to feel comfortable enough to feel out the movements and how they are different from soft boots. Don't get discouraged, keep at it, it will feel better soon.

I would guess that if your knees felt "twisted" was because on your heel sides your hips were probably positioned like a freestyler (inline with your board). Since your bindings are now turn more towards the nose of your board and if you had your hips sideways you would feel a twist in your knees. This is very common with people just starting on hardboots.

You might have had your shoulder turned and inline with your binding angles, but your hips could have still been inline with your board which is bad.

[Guest stoked]

I ride flat no cant or anyting and the boot lean is rather neutral at '3' on my Raichles if that's the middle of the scale.

I can't ride with the lean adjuster open and I don't like a big stance width neither.

Don't know my binding angles when approaching a new board (not that it happened that often) I always set the angles so that the bindings are as close to the edges as possible without overhang and I also put the board on edge with boots in the bindings to make sure there won't be boot overhang when leaning in.

Then from there I increase the angles of the front binding a little bit and go riding.

If these adjustments don't feel good I try out whatever other adjustements until I find something I like.

Once found I keep the same adjustments all the time except that I sometimes straighten/decrease the boot lean for powder.