Snowboard setup question

[Dean]

I probably find a small local SECCS club where the first S is "Snowboard" and the CC is "Carving Club", but here goes.

I recall having this issue to some extent in the past on my Eldorado, but really noticed it yesterday trying to get back into it.

Board well waxed and edges sharp, but heel side turns feel wrong. It feels like the front portion of the edge under my front foot is not biting and carving, only the portion under my rear foot does, and it kind of wants to slide out. Toe side turns are fine.

I ride with about a 10 or so degree angle on my front foot, so my toes are further forward and weighting that edge further forward than my heel does.

I am considering moving my stance further forward, and/or shifting that binding toward the heel side. I was also considering tightening up my stance. I only have a 30" inseam, but have a 20" binding center to center, and it torques my front leg more than was really comfortable yesterday.

I'm sure being out of practice and leg condition are part of it, but not all. I know how to ride and only bit it once yesterday, as usual, going slowly and catching an edge.

Any thoughts? How wide is your stance vs. inseam? If you mostly carve going 1 direction, where is your stance front to rear on the board?

Or point me to a good resource.

The Eldo is on the right in the pic from the Share Your Quiver thread. I am goofy foot, so heel side is on the right.


P.S. Long boards rule as you go blowing past losers on short shaped skis and short boards poling/pushing across the flats.

[cody]

I've never used that type of binding but if you can adjust the angle so that the heel edge is lower, it might bite more. You might also slide the bindings closer to the heel side edge.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by cody

I've never used that type of binding but if you can adjust the angle so that the heel edge is lower, it might bite more. You might also slide the bindings closer to the heel side edge.

In which plane do you mean lower? Rotate binding clockwise? raise toes,lower heel relative to the plane of the top of the board, or what?

[cody]

On my bindings, you can lower a thingy that pushes your knee forward, pushing the heel down. It's the same effect as shoving a wedge between your heel and the bingings.

[cody]

I circled the thingy in this pic.

[Jeikun]

It's called Forward Lean and, on my bindings, are specified by F# (1-5), the higher the number, the more forward lean. It'll make your thighs burn the first few times as it'll force you to squat more, but its useful if you dont like to keep your knees as bent as they should be. I keep mine set at F1 as I do park and need to stand up straighter so I dont end up landing on an edge.

I dont personally have a suggestion for you (even if you can adjust forward lean on your step-in's), but you should set it where you're comfortable but where your knees are forced forward a little.

as to your problem with your edges, your stance could be causing it (likely is). I'd say set your bindings to shoulder width, centered over the board and work from there. when setting your bindings, be sure to take into account the length of your boot (overhang). Also consider putting setting your back foot to a negative angle. It'll help with possible overhang and to keep your weight centered. I'd say probably -5 would be good. To sharpen your edges, you could either buy a $50 tool for tuning edges or you could call around to see what shops can do for you.

[MattR]

Dean, you may try moving both your bindings forward one set of holes, that way your stance is still comfortable and it will take some weight off the back of the board and cause that heelside front edge to do more work.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by cody

On my bindings, you can lower a thingy that pushes your knee forward, pushing the heel down. It's the same effect as shoving a wedge between your heel and the bingings.

That piece is built into my boots. I have a cam lock that lets me freeze my ankle at most any angle. I usually have it near max forward lean, so I don't think that is it.

I did some more research, and 20" stance is about right for someone my height, though I have a longer torso and shorter legs than average.

This board is wide enough that I have no problem with toe/heel drag even with the 90 degree rear foot angle. I may try some more front and rear stance angle, but it is about where I like to ride a skateboard. Since I only carve in the forward direction, maybe some clockwise rotation of both feet is in order.

Matt reaffirmed what I was thinking, move forward a 1/2- whole set of holes but not on powder days. That may be another part of it. This is the first spring conditions riding I think I have ever done on this board. I used to be a powder day purist. The Eldo rules in the fresh, the more the better.

Guess I need to find an Uber cheap day somewhere and just go out and do some testing on a nice short intermediate lift on the same run over and over and see if I can cure it as well as try some different stance angles/layouts.

I spend hours tuning my car, but have not spent that kind of time adjusting my board.