skier
2008-06-08, 10:58
This link was posted in the old forum. Great source of information:
http://tognar.com/tips_tricks_information_ski_snowboard_waxing_tuning_repair_tools.html
Most skis (and some snowboards) shipped from factory do not come with 90 degree base or edge bevelling, so be very careful not to file yourself unless you know.
quote:
"Beveling the steel base and side edges on skis and snowboards can greatly affect their performance.
Increasing the base edge bevel lifts more of the bottom edge off the snow which, because steel edges drag in snow more than p-tex base material, results in better glide and greater speed. Base edge bevel at the tips and tails also makes it easier to initiate a turn, since the outside lip of the edge is lifted slightly off the snow and won't catch unexpectedly.
Beveling the side edge surface helps increase the gripping power of a ski or board on ice and hardpack snow. The trick is finding the right relationship between the base and side edge bevel to match your needs....
When American Bill Johnson won the Olympic downhill years ago, his skis were tuned with a 4-5 degree base edge bevel and a slightly reduced side edge bevel...this provided the fastest possible speed for Johnson on a relatively flat, soft downhill course. By contrast, Tommy Moe won his Olympic downhill gold with only 1 degree of bottom edge bevel. This was dictated by the steep, icy conditions on the course in Norway.
A mogul skier who pivots their ski underfoot and doesn't want tips or tails to catch in the bumps might prefer a 1.5 degree bevel on both the base and side edges. Extreme skiers who drop into ultra-steep or icy chutes will graduate the bevel along the length of their skis, such as a 2 degree side bevel underfoot that changes to a 0 or .5 degree bevel at the tips and tails. Conversely, they'll start with a 2 degree base edge bevel at the tips and tails, then taper down to a 0 degree base edge bevel underfoot. This allows their skis to get great grip underfoot (handy when you're perched above a cliff or crevasse), while allowing the tips and tails to turn easily in narrow chutes."
http://tognar.com/tips_tricks_information_ski_snowboard_waxing_tuning_repair_tools.html
Most skis (and some snowboards) shipped from factory do not come with 90 degree base or edge bevelling, so be very careful not to file yourself unless you know.
quote:
"Beveling the steel base and side edges on skis and snowboards can greatly affect their performance.
Increasing the base edge bevel lifts more of the bottom edge off the snow which, because steel edges drag in snow more than p-tex base material, results in better glide and greater speed. Base edge bevel at the tips and tails also makes it easier to initiate a turn, since the outside lip of the edge is lifted slightly off the snow and won't catch unexpectedly.
Beveling the side edge surface helps increase the gripping power of a ski or board on ice and hardpack snow. The trick is finding the right relationship between the base and side edge bevel to match your needs....
When American Bill Johnson won the Olympic downhill years ago, his skis were tuned with a 4-5 degree base edge bevel and a slightly reduced side edge bevel...this provided the fastest possible speed for Johnson on a relatively flat, soft downhill course. By contrast, Tommy Moe won his Olympic downhill gold with only 1 degree of bottom edge bevel. This was dictated by the steep, icy conditions on the course in Norway.
A mogul skier who pivots their ski underfoot and doesn't want tips or tails to catch in the bumps might prefer a 1.5 degree bevel on both the base and side edges. Extreme skiers who drop into ultra-steep or icy chutes will graduate the bevel along the length of their skis, such as a 2 degree side bevel underfoot that changes to a 0 or .5 degree bevel at the tips and tails. Conversely, they'll start with a 2 degree base edge bevel at the tips and tails, then taper down to a 0 degree base edge bevel underfoot. This allows their skis to get great grip underfoot (handy when you're perched above a cliff or crevasse), while allowing the tips and tails to turn easily in narrow chutes."