mackDan Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 OK, I've been riding hardboots for about 8 years, have a couple boards (164 Oxy Proton, 162 Hot shine, etc..), which I ride just fine, carve good stable ripping carves. I just bought an older used Nitro Scorpion 160 (thanks Dan) which I took out to the mtn today. I set the bindings centered on the board, at 56 degrees front, 55 rear. I rode the set up for a while and the tail seemed like it was catching early on the toe turn, the heel turn would not carve well, mostly skidding. I tried to adjust my weighting on the board (leaning forward, sitting on the tail). After riding for a while and not feeling like it was working very well I moved both bindings to the rear by one binding spacing (Catek OS2, about 1 cm). Which seemed to help a bit. The toe turn still felt pretty good, but with a bit of nose chatter/slip/grab. The heel turn was better, but slipping a bit. On the flats the board seemed to be catching edges a bit more than I'm used to. I tend to ride front boot unlatched, rear latch at 3 deg. The rear binding is toe down slightly canted outside (rearward), the front is slightly toe up and canted inward (New CATEKS!!!). A. anybody got one, and where are your bindings? B. anybody ridden on and have any suggestions? C. any suggestions in general? TKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timinor Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 I have some 163 Nitro Scorpions. I rode them new back in '93, '94, '95. They were sweet and held on any ice you could throw at them. I still have one that I take out occasionally as a rock board. It doesn't hold anymore and washes out on firm snow. I found that after riding a Scorpion hard for 75 days +or- it lost its ooomph and wouldn't hold as well. I think these are great boards but they get old and tired. I know your board is old but how many days does it have on it? Another question...Does a board loose strength just sitting in a closet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Yeah, I had/have a couple of 163 models. The first model year didn't have inserts IIRs: I broke the nose of mine so I bought another one (orange and black). The later model was a fair bit different that the first. They were excellent boards in their time. Once I got to inserts, my bindings would have been at around 55 parallel back then. I may have cranked up to 60. Centered with the insert pattern (as the manufacturer intended). I don't set back even in powder. The ride would depend on your style and weight relative to the board I'd say. These were high-camber boards which worked well when matched to your weight and ridden agressively. So both 163s I had were great at my 62kgs when thrown around... perhaps you're having trouble if you're overpowering the board, as they're certainly not planks. I can't comment on how you have your boots/ bindings set up - I guess that's a personal choice. I would have my boots done up as otherwise I may as well ride soft boots. Depending on what boots you're using, and if you're on Intec or not, I'd have the front boot set so you can push against it to hold the front of the board down, with the rear cranked down so you can bend that knee (although I don't and never subscribe to the old-school tuck yer knee in business). The board isn't quite as stable in the carve as (say) a Donek FC1. IIRC it was more of a slalom board (ie lightning fast transitions) rather than a locked-in carver. Assuming the board's not dead (which you'd easily be able to tell, right), then probably you just need to adapt to the way it rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 If the board's not dead maybe it's in need of a tune? Sounds like your issues are not to do with binding or stance placement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timinor Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 If you go to: http://www.stoked.at/snowboard_freecarving_clips.html ...and click on "A Carving Moment" you'll see a video of a Nitro Scorpion in action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackDan Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Just tuned the board, sharpened the edges. The board is used, but looks in good shape, i.e. not too many riding days (ususally get beat up on the lifts and moving around). But I don't know the actual history of the board. It seems pretty snappy riding, but doesn't want to hold. Well Tim looks like he's ridding to the rear of the board a bit. He's riding pretty good, but not pushing the board really hard. I was riding it both on long turns and trying to power sharp turns. The long turns I found the tail catching on the heel/toe transition. In the short turns is when it was not holding the turn, felt like I was riding the center of the board with the nose and tail slipping. I was trying to do fast carves and that was when I was having the problems holding, which doesn't fit with the comments about being a great SL board. So back to a more basic question, have any of you of had a board catching the tail, not holding very well and did you change the bindings or riding position to fix the problem?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Hello I am in Korea ridig the scorpion 163 ! The nitros were a great board in their day; I was very lucky to get a few come my way; the 160 I am not familiar with; I rode either side of that the 163 and the 155. The insert pattern, depending on height should be centered; I go full front full back and your angles and canting might need to try some other angles. Over here the first day was total man made snow after 2 days of rain; so it was ice granular. After pushing hard all day to the point of tearing off my shin, I can recommend trying the following back 50 front 55 or go upwards in increments until you have no overhang on the back then add 5 degrees to the front. You need this offset to get weight onto your back foot in heel side turns; you can get away with parallel bindings or even further in really nice snow; as you get into ice and bad conditions, I believe that the offset helps to maintain heel hold. Get rid of the lift on the toe. I'd suggest trying flat on the front, or maybe slight inward canting - 2 degrees or something. Keep heel lift on the rear, and either flat cants or cant inward 2 degrees or so. I don't ride the scoprion with outward cant; I am not sure if it would like it.... Try this set up, and see if it doesn't help. It is a snappy board, so you need to be onto your game to ride it. I have just spent the last 2 days riding with korean racers and have emulated their no rotation style (Jack would love it here :-) and also my own rotation style. Both work well. However, The nitro likes to be driven into a heel side with weight well forward with a smooth transition through the turn and finishing with weight back to get snap to drive into the next turn. If you do this, you can turn up the hill on every turn because the sidecut is qute tight and it also has a decent snap to go into the next turn at low speed. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow|3oarder Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 If you go to: http://www.stoked.at/snowboard_freecarving_clips.html ...and click on "A Carving Moment" you'll see a video of a Nitro Scorpion in action. lol....that "coiler scene" made me laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Well Tim looks like he's ridding to the rear of the board a bit. He's riding pretty good, but not pushing the board really hard. the "he" IS Tim. and...he's farking RIPPING in the bumps! not pushing the board? people trip me out sometimes. nothings EXTREME enough. I love those dudes in Harold and Kumar! Tim...post those vids here, man! oh, and :D:D:D @ your "nightmare on elm street" clip!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackDan Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 The insert pattern, depending on height should be centered; I go full front full back and your angles and canting might need to try some other You need this offset to get weight onto your back foot in heel side turns; you can get away with parallel bindings or even further in really nice snow; as you get into ice and bad conditions, I believe that the offset helps to maintain heel hold. Get rid of the lift on the toe. I'd suggest trying flat on the front, or maybe slight inward canting - 2 degrees or something. Kipstar, Thanks for the information, A further questions: 1. you state that the bindings should be centered, but... "I go full Front full back" Whats that mean?? I just got the New Cateks OS2s and I've been experimenting with the cant/tilt to eliminate some knee problems. The outside rear cant is the first part, the front tilt is the second. The front tilt does not seem to be an issue on any of my other boards. I'm still playing around with the outside rear cant, but it also doesn't seem to affect my riding on other boards either, I'll try your suggestions on rear binding angle offset, and also use a greater front back weight shift in the turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timinor Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 D-sub, Is the nightmare on elm street the Anniversary clip? That file got mis-named but, it is labeled "The Anniversary." Bernhard at www.stoked.at posted a notice that those clips were up on his site. The thread is in the video forum. And yeah, I thought I was pushing hard. Those bumps were coming pretty fast as I recall...but I guess not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowghost Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 Your description is accurate. 75 to 100 days. Thought you would be here somewhere. - "ghost" 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.