RJ-PS Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 OK so recently the fantasy blinders were pulled off and I realized I'm a middle aged fat man. Sucks. At 215 lbs and 5'8" I'm going to "bust" into the snowboard racing scene and needed some advice. What boards will be able to handle the little fat man in the slalom course. I think I'm gonna start there to help me perfect my technique without having to go balls out fast before I even know what I'm doing. I know some of your are around my weight and wondered what short boards you are riding with any degree of success in the courses. Furthermore I am only calling myself fat as I know that there are many people that can weigh 215 at 5'8" and be totally ripped up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfj04 Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Renntiger 163 - love it although may be to large for full scale slalom racing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Renntiger 163 - love it although may be to large for full scale slalom racing How much do you weigh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfj04 Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 6' 2" - 200 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamran Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Renntiger 163 - love it although may be to large for full scale slalom racing I second that. One of the best slalom boards. I should have kept mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 I questioned your weight because I thought that the RT was waaay too soft. I just did not like it. That is why different companies make different boards though, right? I did not think that the RT 163 was a good board for big guys, so I sold it to a 150 pounder and he loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfj04 Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 It's built with enough camber that it stiffens as it arcs. I've ridden the RT 163 168 and 173 and prefer the 163 most of all. Now - do we want to have a discussion about a Madd Proto 167 that I was able to get my hands on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 RJ. Most of us who ride in the weekend warrior league in Tahoe ride that RT 163 for our slalom board. Its a little wide for my taste, but it holds an edge really well and carves nicely. I'm 200lbs and 5'10" so we're not much different. Have you met Dane from Modesto? He rides one also. You shouldn't be shy about the GS races either. They are pretty tame and not much different from the SL races. You could do them both on that board. If I had my druthers, I'd probably ride a 167ish Donek Freecarve 1 for SL, but I already have the Volkl and it doesn't get much use other than SL races. Are you racing South Shore USASA this year? I should try to come down for one of those races. Hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpio Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Randy/RJ, I plan to do some of the south shore races this year. Plan is the operative word. Depends on money and time. I have a slalom board but don't have a GS board. Was thinking about using my slalom or axis for that event. Am I crazy for attempting to do that? I've never done a race so I don't know what to expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ-PS Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Scorpio, Me neither, I've been pressing the folks at my local mountain to start a snowboard racing team, just gives them good laughs. A guy actually tried to start one a few years back and no one showed interest, guess that made 'em gunshy. However everytime I'm on alpine the locals are all questions and props about it. The timing could be right soon as dodgeridge has hosted a few BX events. Now I just have to win it on hardboots to give them the whats up! :D Anyway since a few of us are looking into it, we should start a 40-year old virgin club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ-PS Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Randy, We definitely need to hook up. Now that you'll be coming back from an injury, perhaps I might be able to keep up with you? We got a light dusting yesterday and today on the mountain......I hope we're open for Halloween like last year! I've only ever seen three guys riding alpine at Dodge I've averaged one a season for the past three years. One was on an old BS One was on a Proton (he didn't answer my calls from the lift) One was on an old Rossi setup but mostly he skied Any of those sound like Dane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Frankly, I find slalom to be a much harder discipline than GS. You have to be super quick on your feet and it's a much more touchy-feely kinda race. Definitely do some GS. It's by far my favorite event. Now if only they had Super G events nowadays... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy T. Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 It sounds like a lot of you have different boards for slalom and GS. How necessary is that and why? I am new to carving, got my first board last year, and I plan to race in the USASA North Tahoe series this year. I'm 6'2" and 220lbs and riding a Nidecker Custom GD 170. I want to race slalom and GS. How will this setup work out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagen Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 You don't really need different boards. From my experience racing at the two tahoe series the slaloms are set on the wide side (more like a tight GS). So if you should only use one board, go for a GS board. Scorpio, you can use the Axis for the GS. If you're not sure, just bring both boards to the first GS and use a different board on each run... Hagen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar(angel Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 I've got a friend who has one for sale..... Have fun, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 The reason for the different setups is because slalom is a much tighter course than GS. Slalom radii vary from person to person, some like closer to 8m, I prefer a larger radius at 9.8. It's mostly personal preference. GS radii average between 13-15m, with the smaller radii being used primarily for PGS races. The boards are also longer, in the high 170's, low 180's. You want the length so you're stable at speed. Will your 170 work for both races? Yeah. Will it be optimal for either one? No. Too long with too big a radius for slalom, too short to handle the speed of GS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Any website for when the races are? I might return to the race course with no training for 10 years, no riding at all for 5 years, all new gear, 1 day or so preparation and see how i get on (probably not very well :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagen Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Check out the usasa. They list all the local race series including the schedule for the upcoming season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.