Detuning

Jack O

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Nov 15, 2008, 6:03:08 PM11/15/08

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I'm kind of new at snowboarding, with about 2 seasons of experience,
and I got a new board last year - a Burton Custom X. I can ride some
pretty steep stuff with ease, but often crash and burn when I have to
ride flat, like on cat tracks. This is embarrassing and dangerous.
The scariest place for me is at a local hill where there is a tunnel
that is usually glare ice. If I get the slightest bit sideways in the
tunnel, I'm in for a body slam when I come out.

I noticed that my new board has sharp edges all the way around. Will
detuning the board from the effective edge toward the tip and tail
help this situation? If so, exactly where do you start detuning?

Thanks,
Jack

Neil Gendzwill

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Nov 25, 2008, 2:35:06 PM11/25/08

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It might help a little, but really you just need to develop the skill.
Try running it always a little on edge in those conditions. Eventually
you will be able to run a flat base. The trick is to be able to relax
and not put any input into the board, yet be able to react if the
terrain demands it.

Neil

Jack O

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Nov 26, 2008, 7:13:10 PM11/26/08

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On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:35:06 -0600, Neil Gendzwill
<ngend...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>It might help a little, but really you just need to develop the skill.

Thanks Neil,

I was afraid of that. It's so strange to me that I can cut some
pretty good turns on steep terrain, but cringe at the thought of
flats. Maybe I just need to relax a bit.

Jack

Bob F

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Nov 26, 2008, 9:21:21 PM11/26/08

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"Jack O" <jolly_...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:7cpri4l94vs4nlpco...@4ax.com...

Just remember to put a little pressure on one edge or the other on the flats. It
doesn't take much. A truly flat board tends to wander a bit. All it has to do is
turn a tiny bit to catch an edge. A tiny bit of edge pressure will prevent this.

rou...@googlemail.com

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Dec 22, 2008, 1:06:01 PM12/22/08

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> It might help a little, but really you just need to develop the skill.
> Try running it always a little on edge in those conditions. Eventually
> you will be able to run a flat base. The trick is to be able to relax
> and not put any input into the board, yet be able to react if the
> terrain demands it.

I agree with Neil. A flat board will follow the natural camber and you
can catch it if it misbehaves. Relaxing into it isn't always easy but
it comes with time.

I'm no expert at setting up a board, but it does sound to me like it
needs detuning, from your description - maybe have a shop look at it
for you?

Jack O

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Dec 22, 2008, 2:51:40 PM12/22/08

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>I agree with Neil. A flat board will follow the natural camber and you
>can catch it if it misbehaves. Relaxing into it isn't always easy but
>it comes with time.
>
>I'm no expert at setting up a board, but it does sound to me like it
>needs detuning, from your description - maybe have a shop look at it
>for you?

Thanks. I think that I am catching on. Before I left for SLC Utah
last week, I detuned just slightly as I was instructed by my local
shop. After a few days at Brighton and Solitude, my confidence on the
flats was much increased and I didn't worry about it anymore. Just
being more relaxed seemed to help a lot.

BTW, conditions were great!

Thanks,
Jack

rou...@googlemail.com

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Dec 22, 2008, 4:55:07 PM12/22/08

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Good to hear!

I'm over in Europe and conditions are off to a flyer this season here
too - opposite to last year.

Happy boarding!