byronm
Recent Member
Posts: 15
|
Post by byronm on Nov 23, 2013 18:34:05 GMT -7
Hey all...getting ready for a new season and thought I would solicit some advice.
1) My skis have been stored indoors getting "dusty" during the off season. As I get ready for my first day? Complete function check at LSS or fire up the compressor in the garage and literally blow the dust out, snap in and out a few times and call it good in terms of bindings?
2) A lifestyle change and some sedentary time this summer due to yet another surgery has endowed me with some additional weight. Okay, yea...I ate an extra "biscuit" or six while I was down. The short version, until my metabolism catches up, I am packing an additional 20 lbs. Bindings I will be using the first day out are PRD 14's and set to my previous weight. Review of the chart indicates I am still in the same setting zone (as far as I can tell). Thoughts?
|
|
|
Post by JimRatliff on Nov 24, 2013 8:06:29 GMT -7
Hey all...getting ready for a new season and thought I would solicit some advice. 1) My skis have been stored indoors getting "dusty" during the off season. As I get ready for my first day? Complete function check at LSS or fire up the compressor in the garage and literally blow the dust out, snap in and out a few times and call it good in terms of bindings? 2) A lifestyle change and some sedentary time this summer due to yet another surgery has endowed me with some additional weight. Okay, yea...I ate an extra "biscuit" or six while I was down. The short version, until my metabolism catches up, I am packing an additional 20 lbs. Bindings I will be using the first day out are PRD 14's and set to my previous weight. Review of the chart indicates I am still in the same setting zone (as far as I can tell). Thoughts? Byron: Welcome back, glad you were able to find us after the recent move. 1. Not professional advice, but I've always figured that, since bindings were designed to work in snow and melting snow, I just wash them off if I wanted. My concern with compressed air is potential (but not very likely) forcing dust or something somewhere it doesn't belong. I am the same way with my bikes, it doesn't bother me to wash off the shock absorbers but never with the pressure washer, because the high pressure isn't the normal environment. 2. Since you've gained a couple of pounds, the WORST that could happen is that the bindings pre-release. This isn't likely, especially since you are still in the same setting zone. Ski them. If you notice or feel as if they are releasing when you don't want, then increase the DIN setting a bit (or takee to a shop and have the release values torque tested to make sure the bindings are working correctly). If you had lost a lot of weight i might be more concerned because the envelope pushes in the opposite direction and any change would be in the direction of stressing legs and knees more before releasing. BTW, I must confess so much admiration for your Avatar that my close friend Gandalf "adopted" it as his own for a brief period on the new forum, but he was then concerned about the morality of such an action. He said it felt almost like stealing something that belonged to another.
|
|
|
Post by meput on Nov 24, 2013 11:32:01 GMT -7
Interesting binding problem yesterday that falls into the category of this discussion.
First day skiing on monster 78's this year with Head RailFlex bindings. Not used or touched since last year. No due diligence done to bindings. Not even looked at beyond slamming boot into binding to ski. Skied for several hours until tired. On releasing left boot and removing from binding, the toe, heel and rail of the railflex binding fell off of the mounting plate. The center locking screw had backed out. Don't have any idea how long the screw was undone. Suspect the boot itself had held the screw in place, preventing it from totally backing out and allowing the rail to slide. Lucky for me otherwise it would have been an "explode-amatic" as I skied. When I checked the other ski, the screw was loose but had not started to back out.
Moral of story: At least look at the bindings and tighten any screws that might have loosened.
|
|
|
Post by JimRatliff on Nov 24, 2013 12:02:25 GMT -7
Swims up, looks at the bait, decides to decline the obvious joke.
However, FWIW and JFYI, the redesigned railflex (power rail) wouldn't have this problem. Instead of attaching the bindings to a rail that is then screwed to the plate (three possible positions), the new design bindings clip directly to the plate with a lever. Its easy to see if the the levers aren't both locked down, and the boot may not even go in if they're not It's almost like a demo binding, so you can clip the toe and heel piece in place anywhere, and letting someone with a different boot sole lenghth try your skis is a 5 minute process. To move forward (or backward) on the ski you just move the toe and the heel forward (or backward) one notch.
Glad the "revelation" was at the end of the day and not while moving.
|
|
|
Post by meput on Nov 24, 2013 12:24:28 GMT -7
Swims up, looks at the bait, decides to decline the obvious joke. Gee Jim, always go for it. Well aware of the benefits of the power rail design as they are on my RnR's. Until yesterday, I have been very pleased with these rail flex bindings. Except for juggling pieces walking back to the car, I still am pleased with them. Now that I am aware of a potential weak point, I still plan to be pleased with them in the future. I assume you are aware that these are your old rail flex's compliments of Svend. If you were not aware of that, I thank you for giving them up to Svend, who honored me with them in my time of need.
|
|
|
Post by gary on Nov 24, 2013 12:55:19 GMT -7
First thought, your back and thinking sking...sweet! I know you went through a bunch of stuff last year...glad you're fired up and ready to go....do you plan on staying at your new svelty 20lbs heavier?
I would be concerned about the binding release settings with an additional 20lbs.....I don't have a chart available but it may be worth having them checked at the shop.
You for sure want them babies to release when they are suppose to, not worth risking it for a few bucks and quick adjustment at the shop.
G
|
|
byronm
Recent Member
Posts: 15
|
Post by byronm on Nov 24, 2013 14:06:41 GMT -7
Thx for the WB's Jim and Gary and the input from all. Jim, I was thinking along that route. A good washing, as Meput advised a good inspection. A function test on carpet perhaps...snap in and out...a bit of twisting...etc.
Funny story behind the avatar. That's me the day I donned the mask to attend a Halloween party mainly for the kids (grade school aged) of staff at work a few years ago. My plan was to dress up like a wizard, Gandalf/Dumbledorf fashion and hand out candy. But when I exited the vehicle at the park and headed for the kids with candy...they headed for cover behind their respective parent protectors. Mask scared the hell out of em....had to take the mask off just to get rid of the candy...and still got the wary stink eye from the kids for awhile. he he
That said, Gandalf is welcome to it...I claim no copywright.
Gary...thx for the thoughts. BMI wise...doc says I was too light before for my height and likes the new found weight. I plan on firming it up a bit tho and since I have a more slender build, at least by design, once I start golfing and skiing again, I would bet the net gain might be 10 to 12 lbs. I downloaded the PRD fitting chart and it seems as if the release value parameters as they relate to me encompass 148-174 lbs so I am thinkin I should be ok. That said, I gouged my Blizzards last year end of season, and wanted to get a base grind on them. May not happen right away, but when I do, I will haul the Rev's in and have them function test. Five bucks and five minutes...well worth it even post script.
Cheers
|
|
|
Post by JimRatliff on Nov 24, 2013 14:41:09 GMT -7
Swims up, looks at the bait, decides to decline the obvious joke. Gee Jim, always go for it. Well aware of the benefits of the power rail design as they are on my RnR's. Until yesterday, I have been very pleased with these rail flex bindings. Except for juggling pieces walking back to the car, I still am pleased with them. Now that I am aware of a potential weak point, I still plan to be pleased with them in the future. I assume you are aware that these are your old rail flex's compliments of Svend. If you were not aware of that, I thank you for giving them up to Svend, who honored me with them in my time of need. "I know nutthing" said Schultz. No culpability here. :-) Actually I had forgotten that. I'm very glad they are getting used. Btw, I still have a pair of Railflex bindings on my Watea 84's if anyone wants to recycle the bindings and/or the skis.
|
|
|
Post by beastieboy on Nov 24, 2013 17:38:40 GMT -7
There is also an online calculator at dinsetting.com that I have found duplicates what the shop sets my bindings at. Doesn't answer the question of whether the bindings are out of calibration, but might increase your confidence that your settings have not changed at your new weight.
Personally I'm a big fan of the FKS bindings. I set them at the recommended setting, and have never had a prerelease or injury caused by lack of release. I've come close to a prerelease hitting a water bar that I didn't anticipate at high speed and feeling the binding half release, then re engage - thinking 'this is going to hurt' ... They are hard to adjust etc.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2013 19:34:33 GMT -7
Interesting binding problem yesterday that falls into the category of this discussion. First day skiing on monster 78's this year with Head RailFlex bindings. Not used or touched since last year. No due diligence done to bindings. Not even looked at beyond slamming boot into binding to ski. Skied for several hours until tired. On releasing left boot and removing from binding, the toe, heel and rail of the railflex binding fell off of the mounting plate. The center locking screw had backed out. Don't have any idea how long the screw was undone. Suspect the boot itself had held the screw in place, preventing it from totally backing out and allowing the rail to slide. Lucky for me otherwise it would have been an "explode-amatic" as I skied. When I checked the other ski, the screw was loose but had not started to back out. Moral of story: At least look at the bindings and tighten any screws that might have loosened. Gary has a whole thread going on loose screws. Seems to be the beginning of an epidemic here. Must see Doc about a vaccine. Jim2, glad you weren't hurt. Like Jim Schultz said - "Me know nussink!" Received bindings from Schultz; never mounted them; resealed the box and shipped 'em to you two days later. I am liking the look of blue Loctite more and more....
|
|