Mike T Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Several have asked me to post regarding this board after I rode it... so here goes. The flex is exactly where I want it, stiff enough for charging hard in hero cord and soft enough to make carves on an icy beginner run where I wanted to keep my speed down. It is much quieter on hardpack and uneven snow than the other Doneks I've ridden. But I still had a really good feel for the snow. So it's nothing like a Coiler where the feel for the snow is muted. It's feel on chalk was not unlike the Madd 170, however it works much better than the Madd for me, in a wide variety of conditions. The 11.75 sidecut makes it a great go-to carving board for me - tighter than that and going from pointing fast it back to carving feels scary. But still tight enough to ride in traffic which is something I am not comfortable with. Overall very stable. Still has the slightly hooky feel of the 163 and 171 (same waist, tip and tail width - no taper) and loves to get air on edge changes. Definitley retains all the things I liked about the older 163 and 171's I've ridden, just with a much friendlier stiffness and much quieter on hardpack. Also it seems to handle choppy spots easier. I won't try to speculate on what's the added elngth/sudecit radius, what's the Olympic construction, and what's the softer flex, but after one day of riding it (open to close - even as some runs got chopped up and others became scraped-off chalk/ice), I have only one word: AWESOME. If the smaller lengths' flexes have been adjusted to have a similar feel as the 175 - then I'd love the chance to ride the newer versions of them again as well. I'll post again when I've had some more time on it. My first impressions were so incredibly positive that I just had to post them though - Kudos to Sean for pushing the envelope; advancing the sport for riders at my level is great for alpine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Mike, we need pics. I was thinking of the middle design below for a topsheet if I get the Olympic construction: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Mike, we need pics. Mine is metallic red - looks very snazzy, although different from what's on the graphics page on the website. I'll take a pic sometime this week and post it. Where did you get those topsheet pics Randy - I didn't see them on the Donek site just now. BTW, I remember hand flexing your 171 two years ago, my 175 feels much more like I remember your 171 feeling when hand-flexed than the 03/04 version of the 171. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying_burito Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I purchased a 175 FC II also this season and I can't wait to ride it. However I couldn't find it in my wallet to purchase the olympic upgrade. It was the perfect compromise of size and sidecut for here in Minnesota. Mine is solid black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Mine is metallic red - looks very snazzy, although different from what's on the graphics page on the website. I'll take a pic sometime this week and post it. Where did you get those topsheet pics Randy - I didn't see them on the Donek site just now. BTW, I remember hand flexing your 171 two years ago, my 175 feels much more like I remember your 171 feeling when hand-flexed than the 03/04 version of the 171. I asked Sean for some Olympic themed topsheet ideas and that's what he sent me. I love my older 171 FC. I'm glad the new one flexes like that. I should probably flex mine next to a new one and see how much mine has lost. It has a fair number of days on it, but still rides great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Ain't she a beauty? "new" soft e-rings, no suspension kit. I really like the way it feels without the suspension kit, might try it sometime though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Ain't she a beauty? "new" soft e-rings, no suspension kit. I really like the way it feels without the suspension kit, might try it sometime though. Wow....she looks amazing..... But I really want to see this Speedzilla's Coiler in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350 Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I just got my 175 Gs with the the olympic construction. Amazing. This board makes my 168 volkl suck lol. This thing just holds. I love it. I got mine in the metalic silver because you cant get a clear topsheet with the olympic upgrade. The silver looks like tin foil kindof, its cool. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I just got my 175 Gs with the the olympic construction. Amazing. This board makes my 168 volkl suck lol. This thing just holds. I love it. I got mine in the metalic silver because you cant get a clear topsheet with the olympic upgrade. The silver looks like tin foil kindof, its cool. Nick If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh and how's the stiffness of the 175 GS for you? (And specifically which model is it on the Donek specs page?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350 Posted December 18, 2005 Report Share Posted December 18, 2005 Im 140 or so pounds. the board is a little stiff going slow, you just have to let it get going then start carving. its the 175 GS_18.5. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 I really appreciate Mike's review, but I thought I'd resurrect this one to ask this: Has anyone had a chance to ride both standard and Olympic construction decks this past season as a comparison? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Kirk, Keep an eye on the site, I rode the same stick one with one with out, and am working on a reveiw. We just don't have any photos so we are waiting for some thing local to open. Worst case we will shoot photos in Copper next weekend and have the reveiw up ASAP. Both Thorndike GS shapes, Come on by we have them both in the Demo Fleet you can check them out your self!!!! before you order a Donek from us!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Got a chance to spend a little time on standard construction FC II - fun ride! I kinda figured the added dampening would be noticed as trail conditions deteriorated. Looks like I'm gonna have to visit the Hardbooter crew and take one for a test drive this season. (Oh yeah...and maybe a Prior Metal ) Thanks for the feedback guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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