Author Topic: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed  (Read 664 times)

bf_hill

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Svend:

Yes, Brad should do the same evaluation on his RX8's once he gets them mounted.? Hope he reads this.? As you are probably aware, he is well into his 50's and while you can lead an old horse to water, it's hard to teach him new tricks.

This is where the Tomfoolery begins.? Not surprising that Jim is involved. ::).? Actually, I would prefer a 'one eybrow raised' smiley, but you take what you can get.? But I digress....

First of all, 53 is hardly "well into his 50's".? More like dipping one toe into the aforementioned water.? As for the mangled metaphor(s), the horse part of me is considering dropping road apples in your respective ski paths and the dog part is pondering (pun intended) shaking his extremely smelly, wet, shaggy fur in your general directions. ;D

That is all...for now.

Svend

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Now that's what I like -- a guy who can take some good-natured ribbing and still put a smiley in his comeback.  Had I not felt that you could take it with humour and grace, I wouldn't have taken the liberty of poking some fun your way.  But seeing some of your first posts to this forum, and the jibes you've been dishing out....well, it's self explanatory...he who lives in a glass house should be able to take a joke.  Ooops, Jim must be having some influence -- I do believe that was another mixed metaphor.  Where has my linguistic style gone? In a box, in the corner.

As for the road apples, at least they'll be a different colour from the snow, and should be easy to dodge.  Just in case, I'll put extra wax on my skis to just glide over em.  Will keep my eyes peeled for the dripping furry guy the raised tail.

Cheers, and good luck with your Fischers.

BTW, I'm thinking of buying the RX8's.  How do you like them?  Not sure if you're the same size as me (6'2", 220 lbs), but it would be good to get some feedback on them.  No chance of demoing them here in my area (near Toronto).

Svend

bf_hill

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Hi Svend,

Yes, I can take a ribbing.  Especially, as you say, since I dish it out.  Good to check though I suppose.   Even Don Rickles says 'just kidding' and does a spiel about how wonderful everyone is. :P

Haven't had a chance to ski the Fischer's yet.  April 5th-10th in Vermont.  I'm 205lbs, apparently height has no role in ski length. but 5'10 and 9/13 inches.  I got the longest length, 175cm, since I'll be coming off of 195's and like my GS and speed at times.  Apparently they are quick enough that it shouldn't affect their slalom ability too much.  But I will post on my experience.  Since they have the railflex bindings I'll likely swap with my brother to have some newer shaped skis to compare them to.

Did I mention the furry guy is a Huskie?  Might want to watch out where he goes......
I wonder if the yellow lenses can differentiate.....

midwif

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As for the road apples, at least they'll be a different colour from the snow, and should be easy to dodge.? Just in case, I'll put extra wax on my skis to just glide over em.? Will keep my eyes peeled for the dripping furry guy the raised tail.


Now, all we need for this thread is for Gary to chime in with the perfect type of wax and proper application of aforesaid wax to prevent road apple wipe out. ;D
« Last Edit: March 18, 2008, 10:18:14 pm by jim-ratliff »
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Svend

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2008, 01:23:02 pm »
Just wanted to revive this old thread, and get an opinion on something:

We're ready to move the bindings forward (never got around to it last spring), and I was wondering whether this was something I could tackle myself, or whether this is better left to a shop.  I'm handy with tools, and mechanically inclined so that's not an issue.  The question is whether there is anything that needs to be tested after the procedure, that I can't do at home?  Jim mentioned something about testing forward pressure again.  Any thoughts?

jim-ratliff

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #20 on: December 20, 2008, 09:28:41 pm »

You should be able to tackle it yourself (I have and I'm not very mechanical at all).  You will need to mount the bindings in different holes in the plate, but the screws are self tapping and you don't have to drill any holes (so not at all like mounting bindings on a flat ski).  Before you start, put her boot in the binding and close the binding (just as if she stepped into the binding).  Find the etched marks on the steel lever at the back of the binding.  The edge of the binding should fall within the etched lines when the binding is closed (that is the forward pressure check).  Then move the heel piece back one notch by releasing the lever.  Latch the lever and test forward pressure again and you should see that it no longer falls in the scale.  Move the heel binding back to the original notch.

Unscrew the bindings from the plate (release the pressure screw in the middle first if there is one).
Decide whether you can use another set of holes to move the toe binding forward.
Decide which set of rear holes will give you the boot sole length range for the rear binding.
Adjust the metal level and notches to get the right forward pressure.


"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

Svend

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #21 on: December 21, 2008, 07:36:36 am »
Thanks Jim, I'll have a look at that today and get back to you if I have any questions.

When I unscrew the front and rear pieces, does the middle section come apart (where they are joined and where the screw and tension springs are), or does the whole thing stay together?

jim-ratliff

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #22 on: December 21, 2008, 10:59:56 am »
Svend:

BTW, one of the years that JBotti attended the spring Harb Race Camp I had him ask Harald and Diana about the FreeFlex bindings because they were the first ones I heard recommending that Head skis with the Railflex system be skied in the +15 position (at least on groomed snow).? They responsded that their experience was that it wasn't necessary with the FreeFlex bindings and the Carve Plate.? And, btw, almost all of the Harb instructors have been on original SuperShapes since the year they came out.? My "assumption" was that the carve plate (and the little rubber bumper/damper) does a better job of distributing pressure over the front of the ski than the Railflex.

I'm pretty sure the bindings and connecting strap comes apart into 3 pieces (the two pieces of the carve plate will remain screwed onto the ski).? The fact that I can't remember it as challenging must mean that it is intuitive as far as how it all goes together.? ;D ??? :-\

« Last Edit: January 12, 2009, 08:48:41 am by jim-ratliff »
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Svend

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #23 on: December 21, 2008, 02:34:29 pm »
OK -- here's what I'm gonna do.  Our local shop has the women's Power One skis, which are the ladies version of the SS Speeds that my wife has -- exactly the same ski, but different colour.  I'm going to take my wife's skis up there and hold them side-by-side with the Power Ones and compare binding position.  If Head is mounting the FF binding more forward on the women's version of the ski, then I have my answer and will move my wife's bindings forward. If not, they stay where they are.

FWIW, I posed this question to Lou Rosenfeld at Epic last spring, specifically about the FF14 binding and CP13 plate, and his response was "To my mind factory position is always irrelevant other than as reference to understand companies philosophy."  I think he's the guy that did all the research at U of A about binding position, and is a proponent of the BOF-CRS position.  His response, although vague, tells me we should still pursue this on the Supershapes.

BTW, on my new SS Speeds I've had the binding mounted just a hair behind the BOF-CRS position, and the skis handled superbly.  Very responsive, great control, great turn initiation.  Not sure if this is related to the binding position, or if the skis are just like this, but it the skis seem to have a huge sweet spot when set up this way.  Since I have no way to compare before-after, I can't say.  When we move my wife's bindings, I'll post some feedback and results here and let you know what the outcome was.

jim-ratliff

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #24 on: December 21, 2008, 02:49:42 pm »
Svend:? Good approach, and a very good point that your wife is on the "unisex" version.? I had forgotten that. I would expect the Power One to be forward 10-20mm.? Also, even experimenting and moving the bindings doesn't do anything that can't be readily undone.? The plate has little pre-drilled holes in it, the screws tap that small hole out into a larger hole but the hole is only in the metal plate and nothing changes on the ski itself (so no need to fill holes or anything).

Yes, Lou was the person doing the Nordica research at Snowbird, and the +15 of the Railflex is just an approximation of finding that point for the standard way Head (and other Austrian manufacturers) set up their default boot center.? So called "French skis" will have their default center of boot position farther forward than the Austrian style.? Also, while I haven't measured it, my perception is that Head has moved their default mounting position forward some even on Railflex skis.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2008, 05:32:48 pm by jim-ratliff »
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Svend

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Re: FF14 binding setting for female skier, Head SS Speed
« Reply #25 on: December 21, 2008, 03:04:15 pm »
....the +15 of the Railflex is just an approximation of finding that point for the standard way Head (and other Austrian manufacturers) sets up their default position.? So called "French skis" will have their default center of boot position farther forward than the Austrian style.? Also, while I haven't measured it, my perception is that Head has moved their default mounting position forward some even on Railflex skis.
  Interesting comments, and good point about being able to undo any changes.  It's not like I'm going to mess up the skis irreparably if this doesn't work out.  If she doesn't like it, so what...I'll move 'em back where they were.

Thanks for the insight, Jim! And I'll be in touch on this....