Baka Dasai Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by lonerider I'm actually pretty sure that SUV also more likely to get into a higher percentage of car accidents in the snow despite having 4WD - mainly because it makes drivers over-confidant, where as 2WD drivers tend to be more conservative on the snow (and hence safe). What you're talking about is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation">risk compensation</a>. It has some pretty important implications for the sports we do, for example it may not be safer to wear a helmet when snowboarding/skateboarding/cycling etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonerider Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by Baka Dasai What you're talking about is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation">risk compensation</a>. It has some pretty important implications for the sports we do, for example it may not be safer to wear a helmet when snowboarding/skateboarding/cycling etc. Exactly... if you are an idiot and think your are invincible with a 2 lbs piece of plastic on your head... nothing will save you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baka Dasai Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by lonerider Exactly... if you are an idiot and think your are invincible with a 2 lbs piece of plastic on your head... nothing will save you! And it's a characteristic of risk compensation that almost everybody who hears of it denies that it applies to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by lonerider Update: the author replied to me... I write incredibly poorly, so I deferred on the chance to write a letter to the editor. Scott, you are very good with making you point clearly and concisely... wanna send them an email as a Dirtsurfer owner? [/b] Here's a statement for you to send them, lonerider. :) ----- Hi Del: While your article on the Dirtsurfer (a skateboard/bicycle hybrid) pointed out the fun of this new gravity-ride, you neglected to point out an important feature of the Dirtsurfer: it has brakes! Unlike traditional skateboards which do not have brakes (and require the rider to skid or drag a foot to slow down), the Dirtsurfer comes with either a bicycle-style caliper brake on the rear wheel or a disc brake. To engage the brake, the rider simply leans back against a vertical lever next to the rider's leg. With practice, this is an effective way to quickly slow or stop the Dirtsurfer---even at high speeds. Many people find the Dirtsurfer much safer than skateboards for this important reason! ----- How's that? Scott PS - Regarding the Dirtsurfer brakes at high speeds...I've found that at any speed, I can brake more effectively if I shift my position rearward before braking, to compensate for the inevitable "over the handlebars" tendency (in other words, I sort of "brace myself" by getting low and to the rear before braking). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stoked Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 well I was amazed that it took only 15 minutes to get into riding the t-board since I never skateboarded before actually I thought more about surfing than snowboarding when I started to ride the t because just pushing the board and then getting both your feet onto it reminded me somewhat of getting up on a surfboard in the waves after all summer even without an ocean in sight isn't that bad :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted July 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 I found the T-Board very beginner friendly and less scary than the Loaded when going fast. It also went over dirt, pebbles, cracks and bumps better. The problem is finding a nice hill that doesn't have traffic. Motorists can have a real attitude, as if I don't pay taxes to build/maintain roads. Haven't tried the Dirtsurfer but I tried some contraption with slip-in snowboard bindings and a hand brake. Wasn't impressed. The brake didn't really work at high speeds. Skateboarders are looking for different characteristics in a longboard than someone who surfs or rides and is skateboarding for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chili Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 I'm new here, but had to jump in to stick up for the Tboard. 1) Allows you to not only finish a turn but do the classic "J" turn that lets you carve back up hill 2) Allows you to achieve high angles of inclination (ie. lay it over, baby!) 3. The ability to reach similar speeds to an alpine snowboard. The T-board meets all three criteria listed. If I'm doing a controlled run with my Tboard, I'm able to do "J" turns/ exaggerated "S" turns to my hearts content. Also, lean it over 45 to 50 degrees. Plus, with rubber wheels on my Tboard I'm able to do 45mph and check my speed back down to 15mph in two carves. One thing to keep in mind when considering all the hybrid boards out there, ANYTHING WITH MORE THAN TWO WHEELS AND YOU'RE STEERING A PLATFORM. You can have a sports car which turns great but it'll never feel like a motorcycle. You'll never actually be carving on an edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonerider Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Originally posted by Chili degrees. Plus, with rubber wheels on my Tboard I'm able to do 45mph and check my speed back down to 15mph in two carves. Hmm... the T-board I had had urethane wheels... maybe I need to try out the one with rubber wheels. The problem for me is the tippiness of the T-board... it is effortless to get the T-board to lean over, which is not natural for an alpine board - it's just way too easy. You make nice effortless surfy carves, but I don't get the feeling of powering down the edge into a carve. Maybe for beginners or people who go really fast... but I want to be able to commit my whole weight into a carve and from what I've experience, the T-board doesn't quite do that for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chili Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Lonerider, The Tboard with rubber wheels, you can commit to a much harder line and pull some G-forces thru the turn. I can definitely lay my whole body out. Also, at the end of my carve I throw a little umph into the back wheel for added decelleration. When/if the rubbers give, it is a controlable slide. Not like the urethane wheels which are much harder to control in a slide. But, you're right, no way can you pull the same amount of G's as an alpine board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted July 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 I would like to use your quotes in an article on longboarding but you don't have an e-mail listed. Can you write me? ckleh63193@aol.com How did you get hooked up with a T-Board? Where do you live? Are you a hardbooter in the winter? Cindy Kleh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 Lonerider,The Tboard with rubber wheels, you can commit to a much harder line and pull some G-forces thru the turn. I can definitely lay my whole body out. Also, at the end of my carve I throw a little umph into the back wheel for added decelleration. When/if the rubbers give, it is a controlable slide. Not like the urethane wheels which are much harder to control in a slide. But, you're right, no way can you pull the same amount of G's as an alpine board. Chili - I hope to have your skills on a T-Board someday! I definitely like the rubber wheels, and agree with your statements. I can't lay out by any means though. Although some of that comes from the fact that I haven't found the ideal hill yet - I used to love on a decent one, but it was too short... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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