Jump to content
Note to New Members ×

Stiffness Versus Sidecut Radius


Chubz

Recommended Posts

Folks,

just looking for input on opening up my railed turns from tight arcs to something a little larger, if not much larger. In recent weeks, I have felt my riding jump to the next level and my confidence is ever-increasing on the boards I am currently riding, which include RT Sabertooth 173 GS, MADD170 and MADD 158. With that increasing confidence, my arcs are becoming tighter and tighter. At the same time, board speed has been decreasing as I am linking more and more tight arcs together, thus only using half widths of the trail.

I've stayed away from larger sidecut radius boards, simply due to trail widths where I ride, but as my skills/confidence level has been increasing, I am interested in discovering what will allow me to utilize the entire width of the trail once again with larger arced turns, maintaining speed and still railing it.

Looking for input from you folks on what type/brand of boards, length, sidecut radius and/or stiffness ratings that will help with what I described above.

Thanks

Greg :biggthump

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i don't wanna do some silly promotion.. but a board with a progressive sidecut let's you easyli change the radius while on the edge.

if not available, try to bring some pressure to the rear foot right after starting the carve. means, don't push long from the front or the middle of the board. of corse this works not on all kinds of boards, depending on construction and charakters. just give it a try:biggthump

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's fun! :biggthump

I've got a Coiler PR 188, 15.7 sidecut which is just a blast to ride. If you're worried about maneuverability try something that's a bit shorter but still with a larger sidecut, it's easier to snake around and based on the small sample size I've tried, won't pick up speed quite as quickly when run flat.

When I'm having a good day I can actually turn the 188 pretty tight. When I'm not on my A game, it can be a bit much to handle. Judging from what I saw at SES, I've got a lot of room for improvement in my riding so you may be able to crank such a board tight on any day ;)

Oh, and as far as stiffness goes: bigger sidecuts make a board feel stable at speed so you don't need to go super-stiff. Obviously, compare notes with others in your weight range if you can't demo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You hit it right on the head. looking for a board, that I can give it all I've got and it still has more open arcs, simply because it was designed to ride that way, not because I decide to ease up and the arcs bcome more open..

I can ride my existing boards so they arc at different sizes, but I'm looking for one that I can throw everything I've got at it and it still produces open arcs.

I hope this makes sense.

I think my best bet it to attend an expressions session next year and get a taste of different boards.

Thanks for the input

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live and die by boards that are under 170. The most important spec to look at from my 17 years of riding experience is board stiffness. As long as you have a good stiff board you can turn slalom turns into any radius turn you want. A soft board can't handle the pressure. ON the other hand when you go out and get a long board its much harder to pull the board through to make tight turns when needed. So a shorter board, once ridden correctly is much more versatile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But I'm not looking to work a board that is versatile into diff sized arcs. My MADD's live up to that. They allow any sized arc that I desire and are being ridden correctly.

I'm looking for that board that no matter how hard I push the thing, it stills holds big open arcs, at speed and while be on rail. One that is going to fight back a bit.

The reason I am looking is b/c I mostly ride weekday mornings and the slopes are open for the most part and I wanna use all of the slope, while pushing the hell outta the board. When I push my current boards, the arcs just get tighter and I'm not using the entire width of the slope and losing some speed due to fully carved "C's". Sure I can adjust my riding to make my current boards open up and use the entire slope, but I feel like I am being lazy on them when I do that. I'm not out for full days typically (2-3 hours) so when I am out, I'm giving it everything I have in the tank for 15-20 runs.

I want a big fast board that will maintain speed, rail and bite back at me a bit. This will be a board for certain days that the slopes are open and I can let it run.

Analogy I can give is I am current carving size 12 font "C's". I wanna carve size 20 font "C's" because that is the smallest the board can make, because of the way it is designed and not by choice.

as far as identifying the specs of a board that will fulfill this thread, that is the intent of the thread. To help me ID that board.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

get the 180 and open it up

also many of the stiffer GS sticks with big SCR might work as well such as the older Prior WCRs

willy whit is selling his burner 197, that would probably fit the bill, very rider friendly for such a big board too

if thats not enough for you then you're gonna have to go big or custom maybe something like the Coiler 190 PureRace SG or the 196

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bob

Thanks

trying to track a 180 down. Speaking to Shaggy is part of the reason I am insearch of a bigger beast of a board, but I havent had any luck tracking any down.

Will note your other comments and drop Willy a line. Maybe he needs a 16m kite?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

forgot to mention that stiffness is so damn important but your needs will vary, here in the east I like my boards much softer, more friendly on ice

out west in the soft groom I like them super stiff

I see that you are in PA so I would think that ice is common, go with a softer board in that case

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg

You're really into the realm of customs with your request, unless you can get that 197 Burner. Sounds like you need at least a 17m sidecut on a stiffer board, and as others pointed out, that may not work so well on ice. My riding buddy has a 202 Tinkler with a 15/17 sidecut, and it turns ridiculously tight when you consider the specs, so you need to go BIG to get what you want. Split tail may even be a bad idea because it will tighten up the turns compared to the same board specs without the split.

Wish I could ride every weekday morning!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But I'm not looking to work a board that is versatile into diff sized arcs.
I'm looking for that board that no matter how hard I push the thing, it stills holds big open arcs, at speed and while on rail.

Well, you've answered your own question: Sidecut.

A board that is stiff doen't necessarly mean it will ride well and the length of the board doesn't imply stability. And, if you find the board that makes the same turn no matter how hard you push it, let me know.

It you want to put all your eggs in one basket, buy a board a retail or have one custom made. Buying used race stock boards in the classified saves money and resells with minimal loss. You can also get an idea of what brand of board you like, produced at a custom level, and then decide if you want to spend the money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...