Modified Lange Plugs

[Gremlin]

I've had some requests to post photos of my Langes. They are very much still a work in progress. Boots are 150 flex plugs. I thought the stiffer plastic would be a benefit when cutting away and adding new T-nuts. It might be, but I will choose a softer flex next time. Getting in and out is not my favorite part of the day. I only got in two weeks on my hardboots this year, so development and testing wasn't ideal in time or conditions.

I like the response and feedback that the solid sole and good plastic provide. This made tuning underfoot geometry significantly more effective, and somewhat easier to find the correct ballpark as a result.

The front (right) boot is very close to correct. It needs an update to the spring system to hold forward lean, as the set collar doesn't cut it. It also needs a stiffer spring setup.

The rear boot is still giving me issues. I had mobility problems, which have been eliminated within the range I require when staying on the ground in soft snow. However in hard snow, coming out of the air, and in bumps or rough terrain, the end of that range is still abrupt and very stiff. After several days riding spring conditions with often questionable or no groom, the top of my foot in front of my ankle ached for at least a week. I'm also having some issues which seem like cuff alignment, so I rode with just my booster strap secured. The stock cuff pivots don't have provisions to adjust cant for some reason, and my pivots will require tools I didn't have access to.

 

End result is good flexion and extension through turns, very solid underfoot feel, and a much more upright and neutral posture than regular hardboots allow.

[teach]

Wow, that's impressive in so many ways. The thickness of the plastic on the lower is crazy! 

Why did you relocate the cuff pivot? One side only? Or is it front boot only?

Why no rearward-travel spring? 

[Gremlin]

Thanks. Yeah, probably around 3/8.

Pivot was relocated on both sides of the rear boot. Done at @Beckmann AGs suggestion to allow the cuff to travel more up and out around the ankle rather than down onto the foot. Seems to have the intended effect.

Have never had a want or seen a need for them.

[daveo]

Got any footage of you riding them? Would love to see them in action

[Gremlin]

There's footage from last year in this thread. Boots (especially the rear) are lacking a lot of range of motion there, and underfoot geometry is different. Flexion/extension wasn't nearly as free.

Unfortunately nothing from this year. Getting a buddy to film, on a clear enough day, in decent conditions, is challenging in the east. I also only got three weeks in this year, and two of them were in powder.

[hknz]

Impressive! That's a lot of work. I once wanted to start doing something like this. but there is too much friction whatever.

I end up finding Atomic Backland is the easier boots for modification and have completed one mod. The pivot has some sort of bearing for smoother cuff rotation. It saves a lot of weight as well.

Edited April 14, 2021 by hknz

[SunSurfer]

I've used pieces of cut off boot plastic, and a soldering iron to melt it, to fill no longer needed screw holes that were potential points of moisture/snow entry. 

[Gremlin]

Thanks. I've never had any friction issues in boots, plastic has a pretty low coefficient. My rear pivots are spherical bearings for other reasons though, and there's no compressive force transferred into the cuff. I'd guess your boots together weigh less than one of mine. Not built with uphill in mind.


A good idea to use donor plastic as hot glue. I surprisingly have very minimal ingress unless it's actively wet out, so I'm not worried for now.