jng Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Has anyone experienced a failure in their Fin-tec step-ins where they were unable to release from the binding? This hasn't happened to me, but suspect there are interesting stories. On related topic, how often do you inspect/replace your release cables? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Edges Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 (edited) Fin-Tec I have no experience with, Intec only. Never had release failure but I have broken a release cable. The older Intec heels had a button on each side of the receiver that let you push the pins in but this usually involved taking your boot off first. (fun on a cold day...). The bigger concern I have had is not listening for both pins to "click". Often the inner pin on the back binding engages but the outer pin does not. Your first heel side turn will reveal all... Ever since I check my release cables regularly. I do tend to be anal about this and remove the heels and lube the inner workings prior to every season. Also watch the heel receivers for splay or opening up. A simple C-clamp or vice will usually bend everything back into place. My original Intecs are now over 20 yrs old and going strong. The receiver holes have worn a little but still hold well enough for the 4X4 174. Cheers, Trev Edited April 16, 2017 by Rusty Edges addition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Broken cable - once, right at the demo tent in Aspen. A small army first laughed at me falling on my face, then immediately helped. I was back on the lift again in 15 minutes. Premature release - a few times many years ago. Now I violently shake my knee side to side right after stepping in and it hasn't happened since. Well, a few times but I'm barely moving at that point. Usually the disengaged pin clicks right in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drschwartz Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 One broken cable, fortunately on a Bomber demo day at USASA nationals - use of a pliers and 15 minutes of help from Jim and Angela put things right again. Our favorite premature release story involves one of my racers who was showing off to a rather cute racer from another team, and demonstrated his step in release handle while halfway up the lift. Needless to say, and to his embarrassment, the fintec released just perfectly, sending his board cascacading into the closed area below the lift. Fortunately, a coach one chair behind witnessed the event and made mental note of the location, buried in 3 feet of fresh pow. 2 other coaches teamed up to retrieve the board while the racer played Wal-Mart greeter at the top of the lift for a while. When the board arrived back at the top of the lift the coach threw it off into the pow in the trees at the top and made the racer go get it. I don't think he'll make that mistake again... Paul 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 My only failure of an Intec cable was during SES 2013 on Banzai Ridge at Snowmass. I had a spare in my luggage, and was back up and riding in about 45 minutes. Getting the pins to disengage from the binding required a screwdriver and some imaginative ankle movements. I always have a spare cable with me, amongst a range of other spares, especially when riding in New Zealand. It takes a long time for stuff to come in from the USA. Plenty of failure to engage the Intec pins properly events. Commonly due to ice/packed snow buildup on either boot heel and/or step in heel fitting. I almost always visually check before I start off, know what the proper "click" sounds like when the system engages properly, and recognise the lack of precision in the forces applied by my rear foot if the previous two strategies have failed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 with Intecs, if a cable breaks one can spend the remainder of the day using a hex wrench to push in one of the two pins to disengage the heel from the receiver. it takes a strong hand and the boot has to be aligned perfectly for lifting the heel but it does work and avoids the mechanical downtime. the pins act in unison so only one side needs be manipulated. not sure about the Fintecs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1xsculler Posted April 17, 2017 Report Share Posted April 17, 2017 Nuisance releases do suck big time. I have a hard enough time when both feet are well locked in let alone when one lets go at speed! It has happened once and I now also carefully rock side to side to be absolutely certain I am locked in. Carrying a spare cable is a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jng Posted April 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Nobody ever have to walk across the parking lot with board stuck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 40 minutes ago, jng said: Nobody ever have to walk across the parking lot with board stuck? I'd walk in the liner before I did that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) 11 minutes ago, corey_dyck said: I'd walk in the liner before I did that! A pair of screwdrivers, preferably Robertson, will serve to get you out if the cable fails. ETA Just noticed Dave suggesting a hex key, did not know that only one side needs to get pushed in. Edited April 18, 2017 by Neil Gendzwill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Most trouble i had once when i manged to push those two small guiding pins of Fintecs to heel receiver holes. It was real pain to get boot out with limited ammount of tools in top of slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertAlexander Posted April 18, 2017 Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 Have had a Fintec release while fully locked in, both pins in the holes completely, the pin bushings were worn and worn enough to give just enough angled pin movement to have it pop out , right at the power portion of a hard carve. Luckily it was the rear boot and all I did was a wash out slide. Lesson leaned here is , always check your pins potential of angle movement, and visually inspect with a good magnifier, your bushings for damage, the bushings kind of self destruct after a while, A while for me was about 60 days of carving. I check the pins a few times a season. This is also a good reason to take them apart and inspect them before each season. No excuses, it is what holds us onto the board. Also another good reason to wear a leash on the front boot, if this had happened on the front...would have been a different story. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted April 19, 2017 Report Share Posted April 19, 2017 A leash won't do much. I had a toe clip front binding release (my setup error) - the Fastex buckle shattered real easily. No injury, other than a broken leash and an active imagination pondering how bad that could have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted April 19, 2017 Report Share Posted April 19, 2017 Been riding F2 Challenge comps for years. Hundreds of days, and never had a release that wasn't my fault. Failure to clear heal of snow and only 1 side clicking in has been the culprit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.a Posted April 20, 2017 Report Share Posted April 20, 2017 ^^^ Same here, no failure after 8 seasons of use I've pretty much used up one pair of F2 heels and replaced one cable that was almost frayed. The cables always fray at the same point, just where the plastic insulation ends at that little plastic cap. On my newest pair of heels I wrapped that area using some duct tape to beef things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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