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Apex V1 duckbill cut or not cut?


Calle

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Got a Apex V1 plate with the duckbill yesterday. Been trying it out today. Whats the general opinion on the duckbill?
Stomping on it a bit I believe I can hear when the board contacts the plate. But I can't say if it makes it ride better or worse. Its hard to make back to back testing :D
Board is Oxess RG.

Positive:
Might have positive impact

Negative:
Might have negative impact

Looks strange

Weight

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4 hours ago, daveo said:

JJA exhaustively researched it with the Canadian program... I vote to leave it. 

The Canadian riders would put a foam block under the nose to control the nose flex on the board. Jasey used to swap out different densities of foam every training run until he dialed it in. 

Kessler started stiffening up the nose of the board a bit so the duckbill became unnecessary. Too bad because it was a nice place to put our logo. 

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You can cut.  I've talked with Apex to confirm.   The only reason not to that I've heard is that some of the 2010ish KSTs were built to be ridden with the v1 (hence the good comment above about the new stiffer noses), so not having the duckbill might change how those boards ride, or worse.  Indeed, that is the only reason I have not cut the duckbill that I have; it's on a 2010 KST that was specifically designed for it, so I have concerns about folding the nose.  I ride V2 on my other KSTs, and will cut the db once I move it off that board. 

PM of you want to discuss.  I can dig up my emails with Apex to revall what they recommended for how to cut, etc.

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The nose stiffness thing was what i thought. However not to the extent that they were built softer to utilize the duckbill.
More testing today. Somehow its atleast confidence inspiring charging through ruts and hearing the board hitting the plate and knowing theres more support for the nose.
Might be a good way of making it bend less in soft conditions?
Apex info on how to cut would be most welcomed :)

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46 minutes ago, Calle said:

The nose stiffness thing was what i thought. However not to the extent that they were built softer to utilize the duckbill.
More testing today. Somehow its atleast confidence inspiring charging through ruts and hearing the board hitting the plate and knowing theres more support for the nose.
Might be a good way of making it bend less in soft conditions?
Apex info on how to cut would be most welcomed :)

I don't run Apex anymore but when I did, I would have to decline giving advice on any modifications. A couple of things to consider 1) it's a dusty, dirty job. 2) carbon fibre is very abrasive. 

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When i got my V1 I contacted apex and asked about trimming it, I explained that it was just slapping the board and very loud, apex said "Don't cut!!,"

I didn't, now I have a V2, no slap.

If I were going to cut ' I'd mark my cut, not square, and use a coping saw then a bastard file to clean it up, just like the top edges of a snowboard.

If I was going to cut square and was doing 100 of them I'd turn a carbide blade around in a circular saw, go outside, cover my eyes, wear a breathing aparatus, and go to town, if the blade wore out to fast I'd switch to a ceramic-fiber-metal blade $

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Here is my follow up, with what I heard from Apex (cut/paste from an email exchange):  "So its not a problem to cut the front off, so long as you leave enough room for your binding/boot to be fully supported by the nose. To cut it off, the best way is to use a cut off wheel in a die grinder. Assuming you do it out side and with the appropriate mask on. The resin may smell when you cut it with an abrasive cutter, but its the best way to make nice clean cuts without a CNC router. Carbon fiber destroys HSS or Bi metal bandsaw blades so unless you have an old blade you don't care about, abrasive cutting is the best way. Then sand the cut area with fine sandpaper to smooth off the end so you don't risk getting splinters."

When I do it (sometime after this season), to get the right "shape," I plan to:  put some tape across the V1 nose (thanks Lowrider for the great suggestion), take a V2 and lay it top-against-top across the V1, and then use a sharpie to trace/outline the V2 nose shape on the V1.

Obviously, be careful if you do it, and you're doing it at your own risk (just like I will be).  I'd be surprised if any express or implied warrant on a V1 survives all these years later, but I would think cutting the duckbill voids just about any warranty.  Also, I'm not telling anyone they should do this (nor was Apex telling me that I should do this (merely that I could); rather, I'm just sharing the info I have.

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