ecshredder Posted March 10, 2012 Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 Anyone ridden one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keltacer Posted March 11, 2012 Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 Theres a review of the board in this thread: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?36347-PSA-Kessler-the-ride-655-shipped I got one through that deal but haven't really ridden it. The one time I brought the board out, conditions were horrible and the mountain was jam packed. Did one or two runs and left. I may sell it, PM me if your interested in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecshredder Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Well my new board just showed up and wow is it a beauty! Very aggressive shape compared to what I'm used to riding. It looks like it will initiate and finish turns something fierce! Unfortunately I won't get to ride it til next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_1 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) I picked up one of these in the iget.it deal. I switched from a 168 to a 163 at the last minute, as I plan to ride in with a soft boot setup. At my size/weight (5'10" 150lbs) I'm glad I did... I got mine about a week and a half ago and have been able to ride it twice - both big pow days. This board totally rocks. It definitely rides like a Kessler ( I own 168, 171, 180 alpine decks). It felt a bit soft/noodle-ish hand flexing, but the board rides like a dream. It's extremely light/flickable, but at the same time has the typical Kessler dampness. So confidence inspiring. I had probably the 2 best powder days of the year on this board until... it delaminated on me! Basically the entire rear edge piece has separated from both the topsheet and base. Here's a pic with a sheet of paper inserted into the delam for illustration. The good news is that Kessler has stepped up and will be sending me out a board. However, it broke my heart to have to drill a hole in the board before they'd ship another out... I suppose this is so that I don't repair/sell the defective board. The carnage: Even with the delam, I'm still really happy with the purchase. If Kessler hadn't replaced the board I'm pretty certain it could have been repaired. Seems a shame to have to destroy an almost brand new board... Anyone interested in a teardown to see what's inside? Edited March 17, 2012 by andy_1 spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecshredder Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Oh dear. I'm going to do a thorough inspection after reading this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 The good news is that Kessler has stepped up and will be sending me out a board. However, it broke my heart to have to drill a hole in the board before they'd ship another out... I suppose this is so that I don't repair/sell the defective board. Good for you. I am the Aspen rep. and sent mine back to Catek 3 seasons ago...and still have yet to get a replacement. But I am very interested in The Ride... for me... it seems like a bit too much taper ...what were your impressions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) Good for you. I am the Aspen rep. and sent mine back to Catek 3 seasons ago...and still have yet to get a replacement. But I am very interested in The Ride... for me... it seems like a bit too much taper ...what were your impressions? John, let me get this straight... You are a rep for Kessler and you send your (presumed faulty board) back to Catek? You rep for Kessler and you don't even know 'The Ride'? What?! ...didn't Kessler just have a bunch of DEMOs out at SES...where you live...and rep? Edited March 17, 2012 by *Ace* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) never rode the ride just the BX series 166, 168 and PGS 185. I sent two decks back..the first one arrived damaged because of poor packing when it was shipped to Catek...they missed the damage before they sent it to me- I sent them photos before I mounted it... there was a strip of the top sheet peeled up. The second board ..I got one 1/2 run down Ruthies in Aspen and ripped the rear binding right out of the inserts- which also showed ripping damage in the top sheet. too bad because it was the fastest board I had ever ridden... and it wasn't a carving deck. (I also had some insane prototype Poland wax on it). Since Catek is the USA importer and I am the Aspen rep.. by default I am also a Kessler rep. Yes... odd isn't it? As I also am part owner of Madd. It would seem like a conflict of interest...a company owner of a competing product repp'ing another. But if you knew me.. you would know it is not. I give fair reviews on everything. I just love all great products. So if that isn't enough conflict of interest- Frank D. of Virus asked me two seasons ago to be the Virus rep. and I only rode two of his boards, an asym... which I really thought was impressive...and a UFC freecarver..that frankly...blew my mind with its versatility. I ride with Ray S. ...when we are both intact...poor Ray was out with back issues.. I am finally back on track. Frank is absolutely a snow sports genius. Maybe I should just open a shop in Aspen... we need some real cutting edge gear here. as for me..... I am riding crap. tomorrow is a SL race... I have two perfectly good Madd 158's and have no hard boots to use them. I only have step in Cateks so I can't use them even if I find boots. I am considering waking up early and renting a hardboot pure carve set up at buttermilk- and using the boots and bindings with my Madd... sad...I can't even use Cateks which I would love for the Icy morning conditions. As a Catek rep. I have been steadily giving away my parts of my personal bindings to keep other Catek enthusiasts using theirs... which reminds me I have to send some step in parts to Ray S. So I'll race with the worst possible SL set up... a powder Rossi Judge with a huge sidecut and softies with Unions that at this point have stripped heel cups that move back and forth every time I turn- even the ankle straps ahve rotted away and have been replaced with cut up beach sandal strips.. I won't get any practice..or warm up....or even get to slip the course because the rest of the time I am the race timer...and the DJ at the end of the day. Maybe if people see me show up with a Madd 158 as a bluff...they won't enter. I'll just bolt out of the race shack and throw down a run . I'll probably win on junk anyhow. As for Jeff Caron....well he is buried in emotional divorce stress/custody battle and a home renovation (I have always had respect for Jeff and hate seeing him fall apart like this)- so I am trying to deal with Kessler directly. In the end I'll offer Kessler a few hundred bucks more to upgrade me to a custom deck (which for me would be better) so at least their material cost is covered (which for them is also better)..that way they don't have to eat any cost for a defective deck. (it's the way I would like customers to be with me). I was out with a back injury for SES (struck by a chairlift) and missed it had to get traction, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic etc..- then I had a foot injury immediately there after -smashed my seismoid bones in my foot-I'm still injured..and should not even be on snow according to the Doc... but I am going to load up on Vicodin...and just do it. For a season to go by and never race (if you are race support you can race for free)...well that''s just silly..... it's only for a few turns and less than a minute anyhow. With the busted ankle, sprained ankles, and torn calf and soleus last year I could not turn left...same thing this year with the left foot ..it might be "turf toe" so I am not an Ambi-turner....I can only turn right...Derek Zoolander can identify with this....but it is an extreme handicap for slalom. Edited March 17, 2012 by John Gilmour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_1 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 But I am very interested in The Ride... for me... it seems like a bit too much taper ...what were your impressions? Too much taper - I'd say no. The 163 has 15mm of taper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapster Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Are "The Ride"s metal boards? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 That's a lot of taper... I won the snowboard division Aspen Town Race SL today... on the Rossi Judge powder board on bullet proof ice man made. I did, however miss my Madd 158 at several heart stopping sections of the course which was very tight and offset... I took one look and thought...Hmm I'll DSQ by gate 3. But made it. Too much taper - I'd say no. The 163 has 15mm of taper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailertrash Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 John, let me get this straight... You are a rep for Kessler and you send your (presumed faulty board) back to Catek? You rep for Kessler and you don't even know 'The Ride'? What?! ...didn't Kessler just have a bunch of DEMOs out at SES...where you live...and rep? Does anybody really believe anything this guy posts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) Does anybody really believe anything this guy posts? Actually the question is...does anyone really believe what you post? Do any of your posts have any merit whatsoever... or enhance the knowledge base? http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/search.php?searchid=27141 pretty much worthless drivel..... The East coast has produced a lot of snowboarding greats who have contributed to this sport (Jake Burton Carpenter, The Coughlans, Mark Heingartner, Will Garrow (carving exposure in Warren Miller flicks) , E. Beckman, PSR (taught at least 20,000 to ride) ) ...sorry to say, you aren't great and have about as much credibility as a guy with $90 in his bank account trying to tell the Federal Reserve Chairman how to manage the money supply. When I say I don't know about a board- it means I have not ridden it or flexed it- I don't claim to know a product unless I have physically checked it out. Specs change quickly with many manufacturers- sometimes in season - so I do not claim to know a product unless I have actually ridden it... or perhaps in some cases with conventional materials and construction techniques- flexed it. You seem to think you know a lot about things- but as far as I can tell you are merely a deluded backwoods dopehead with no girlfriend or money for a social life---> who spends his time trolling websites in a vain effort to bolster his standing..... and no one is listening. When I think of you I think of the character portrayed by Christian Bale in "The Fighter"...just minus any talent. Do you ever travel beyond a 40 mile radius? There are many janitorial jobs available in Denver's front range and even you could afford a $347 season pass- expand your horizons. Your life would be far better than living in Lynn. I lived in Massachusetts for 22 years... Lynn sucked 50 years ago and still sucks today and will suck for the next 3 decades- a place where generations of abusive shoe makers high on glue acted deranged enough to affect the upbringing of kids for generations to come. Seriously- get outta there and go somewhere with a future. Edited March 18, 2012 by John Gilmour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) Kessler site doesn't list Catek as a dealer... http://www.kessler-swiss.com/en-US/pages/dealer/presentation I am sure Hans can shed some light on this... Edited March 18, 2012 by *Ace* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 Kessler site doesn't list Catek as a dealer...http://www.kessler-swiss.com/en-US/pages/dealer/presentation http://www.catek.com/Kessler-snowboards.htm I spoke to Kessler Cust. service a few weeks ago- they wanted me to go through Jeff about my Kessler warranty board. So I have no reason to think they have dropped him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Since the Catek site hasn't been updated since 2008, and the Kessler site is new as of this year...I am going to take Kessler's word for it on their site. Not only that, nowhere on the Catek site does it say they are an authorized dealer of Kessler. I spoke to Kessler Cust. service a few weeks ago- they wanted me to go through Jeff about my Kessler warranty board. So I have no reason to think they have dropped him. Good for you. I am the Aspen rep. and sent mine back to Catek 3 seasons ago...and still have yet to get a replacement. So this is a Catek customer service problem? Strange, first I've heard their customer service is bad. :rolleyes: Speaking of Catek, nowhere on their site do they say anything about you, or an Aspen Rep.. In fact, Catek's business model is modeled around "direct consumer level distribution"(right off their website). So where do you get your credentials as a rep for them? Anything at all that proves you have any sort of relationship with Catek other than a buddy/customer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 (edited) the 168 BX was ordered in Jan. of 2010 through Catek. Jeff Caron made me the Aspen rep. for Catek about 4 years ago. I turned screws for Catek at SES before with Bola. Jeff regularly shipped me product to distribute. I have ridden Cateks for a long time. I rode the early prototypes too..Jeff gave me a set prior to a Utah based SIA show- he said he was going to be selling these as a replacement for the CAT binding... I rode the crap out of them at Brighton UT. and Jeff asked me how they rode..i said fantastic... he asked if anything on them broke..and I said no. he said "Great now I can send them to Fawcett". I was the unwitting demolition tester. Jeff gave me a set, and later another set after I punched my disc all the way through a Madd 170 and bent the disc like a potato chip. He has always been good to me. I met Jeff in the early 1980's when he rode with the Flite Crew Jerry Morse (G-wood) Steve Darra and others. I was the first SIMS Rep. and Winterstick rep. on the East Coast and never got anything formal declaring me a rep. other than dealer price sheets and dealer cost. When you are a small company- its different than if you were a rep. say for Rossignol or Oakley where there are many formalities and contracts to sign. I don't blame people for being skeptical... but that is how it is and I have nothing to gain from associating myself with Catek at this point. A few years ago Catek announced on their site that they were the designated USA distributor for Kessler. Though Aspen is amazing for carving, there aren't many hardbooters in residency here- just a bunch of Pure Carve guys at Buttermilk, and Jim C. I almost never see hardbooters on AJAX save for Ray S. and when SES or the WCS is in town. For my first two seasons full time here- I only saw about 10-20 hardbooters on Ajax when SES or WCS was not going on. I don't carve buttermilk as much- greatly preferring the steeps of Aspen- Back of Bell, Aztec, Ruthies, Copper etc... Pretty much when the principal designer and owner of a company asks me to be their rep. verbally- I don't demand a written document saying so unless a lot of money is at stake- which in the realm of alpine carving... isn't the case. As for Catek, CMC was recently with Jeff boxing up orders- he was trying to get step in kits for Ray S. so ....as long as there is inventory I assume they are still shipping....albeit...likely slowly. Edited March 19, 2012 by John Gilmour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_1 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I don't think there's any metal in these. Definitely not where I drilled a hole, but there may be some metal in there somewhere... I've also been asked if the topsheet is p-tex - It is not. I'd say the material is most similar to prior's 'backprinted mat' topsheet. Are "The Ride"s metal boards? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapster Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Thanks Andy! FYI, I think the matte Prior topsheets are nylon. I've always liked them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailertrash Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I won the snowboard division Aspen Town Race SL today... That statement is a little misleading... You were the only snowboarder according to the results... Doesn't look like there was a "snowboard" division. Seriously, stop the charade, nobody is buying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 That statement is a little misleading... You were the only snowboarder according to the results... Doesn't look like there was a "snowboard" division.Seriously, stop the charade, nobody is buying it. Nor is there any actual "winning" in Nastar irrespective of how many competitors there are. It's handicap racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I didn't realize you could win with the highest time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 yes it isn't the highest time... that would go to cowboy the other guy I was racing.....lol... but it is what you could expect for pushing a powder baord through ice. I'll likely win every race next year..as I will probably be the only snowboarder to race those cousrses. I might have an advantage as I run the race timing... I'm going to try and recruit other riders. Not easy... I'm not even sure we posted a snowboard result.... but as I am the only rider all I have to do is make the course which was not easy- the other snowboarders didn't even bother to enter. I was ready to drop out too as it was pure ice and very offset- we had a really bad injury too hospitalized a guy (a good skier too) . I figured..I race for free since I work for them... so why not just go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 It was not a NASTAR race , we used the NASTAR timing software and hardware as such can only post to their website... no one was pulling out singles to pay for their runs. I raced against Cowboy...certainly one of the slowest skiers in the leaugue and beat him on both runs..though the timing on my second run does not reflect it. I wasn't about to bother to complain. I beat him by several seconds on both runs. We kicked back at teh BBQ which I dj'ed and I told him to get on a snowboard. he must be about 65 years old or more. It was a really difficult course... if I had to pay to enter... I wouldn't have bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Does anybody really believe anything this guy posts? That statement is a little misleading... You were the only snowboarder according to the results... Doesn't look like there was a "snowboard" division.Seriously, stop the charade, nobody is buying it. TT, JG is the gift that just keeps giving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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