 Poster: A snowHead
|
My last two pairs of ski's have been Rossi Bandits/B2's with different bindings on. They both seem to suffer with brake failure due clogging of snow around the brake lever when in use. I ski lift accessed off piste a lot of the time. I don't fall all that often  and most of the time it's not a big issue as a) they don't fall every time and b) they don't go very far. However, sometimes they've got away a little and last time they came off on piste (long story) and travelled a good 100m down slope. Fortunately the slope was near empty. So apart from the ignominy it was also quite dangerous. Has anybody suffered a similar problem and I guess more to the point has anybody been able to solve it?
Not sure it's significant but being 196cm tall (6'4" in old money) I ski quite long ski's.
I've used powder traces off piste quite regularly. However these are not foolproof especially if your ski brakes don't trigger! So another question is what exactly are the dangers of using a leash. I guess if you are caught in an ava it's an issue? Any other reasons not to use a leash? Is it a complete no no on piste?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Layne,
- are you quite sure the brakes are failing to deploy? in very soft snow they aren't going to be so effective, espcially if it's steep (and the skis don't impale themselves).
(It's not something I have ever noticed btw).
- leashes? why not? I think relative risks would suggest to me that having your skis attached is less of an issue than being caught in an avalanche. There is some risk in a proper old starfish that you might have an attached ski smack you somewhere painful. e.g. head. But we all used to use leashes, back in the day. Why would it be a "complete no no" on piste?
Anyway, tele skiers and several models of dynafit type touring bindings require leashes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
I've had a ski set off for a bit of a run down on its own before, even with the brakes deployed.
I don't think they'll be clogged, but if you're on a steepish slope the brakes aren't perfect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
under a new name,
| Quote: |
| are you quite sure the brakes are failing to deploy? in very soft snow they aren't going to be so effective, espcially if it's steep (and the skis don't impale themselves). |
Yes. Quite often when I disengage the binding the binding at walk up lift or end of a session it won't pop. I am not sure if the brake lever is too tight on the binding or if there is some other cause. Not sure if there is any adjustment can be made.
| Quote: |
| leashes? why not? I think relative risks would suggest to me that having your skis attached is less of an issue than being caught in an avalanche. There is some risk in a proper old starfish that you might have an attached ski smack you somewhere painful. e.g. head. But we all used to use leashes, back in the day. Why would it be a "complete no no" on piste? |
I agree on the ava situ. And I know leashes tend to be used in the back country where losing a ski is potentially very serious. I guess the crashing out issue was my main concern, on and off piste. Currently I am self confessed non-helmet wearer so I guess that may become more of an issue should I leash up.
I've also felt in the past maybe my bindings have come out too easy. I have made a few adjustments and a mate passed me some information on that, so looking on all fronts.
We lost one of my (at the time) 5yo sons skis in some powder. All be it I was a bit short of time to look and they were short light blue ski's so didn't help. That wasn't a brake problem though. Wondering why more people don't wear leashes in general.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Mosha Marc, I hear what you're saying. iirc I did check and the levers hadn't popped. It has been noticeable the number of times just when taking ski's off how many times the bindings haven't popped. My missus for example never seems to have the issue and has noticed my issue. And previously she had exactly the same set up - just shorter ski's 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
What sort of bindings? Brake width vs ski width issue?
Most people don't wear leashes because they present a risk to the user... an unnecessary risk for the vast majority of skiers, it seems. Losing a ski in a fall isn't exactly an unusual situation... if this sort of brake failure were commonplace pistes would be a rather more hazardous environment and I'm sure you'd see a lot more people walking down the slope trying to find their stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Serriadh,
| Quote: |
| What sort of bindings? |
Will have to check the exact model of binding.
| Quote: |
| Brake width vs ski width issue? |
That's partly what I was thinking though the ski's aren't particularly wide underfoot and the levers appear to release normally free of snow. Wondering if there is a way to broaden the lever reach.
| Quote: |
| Most people don't wear leashes because they present a risk to the user... |
What is the risk?
| Quote: |
| if this sort of brake failure were commonplace pistes would be a rather more hazardous environment and I'm sure you'd see a lot more people walking down the slope trying to find their stuff. |
I have seen people occasionally having to walk/slide/ski quite a way to get to a ski but I grant you in the grand scheme of things it doesn't appear to be a big issue. Off piste people do seem to lose ski's fairly regularly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Layne wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Most people don't wear leashes because they present a risk to the user... |
What is the risk? |
First ensure there are a pair of razor sharp metal edged planks, approximately as long as you are tall, securely tied to your feet. Now take a tumble (not merely a slide) at moderate to high speed. What happens next?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
Layne, You need to buy some new bindings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Layne wrote: |
| ... the levers hadn't popped. It has been noticeable the number of times just when taking ski's off how many times the bindings haven't popped. |
As Cynic says; either new bindings or new springs for the brakes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Or as you say, maybe wider brakes?
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
Cynic, Mosha Marc, with all due respect I am not sure there is a failure of the binding/springs. If I bash the ski's together vigourously to loosen the snow they will usually spring out quite happily. I could of course get some new brakes fitted or indeed have these one's seen to. I was just wondering if anybody had had the same problem and even better solved it in the past. I try to look after my own ski's these days but quickly may have go to a professional tech in this case. But I like to go in fully informed if poss.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name,
| Quote: |
| Or as you say, maybe wider brakes? |
I guess that was one of my questions really. Can you buy wider brakes or adjust brakes so they come out slightly further?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Serriadh,
| Quote: |
First ensure there are a pair of razor sharp metal edged planks, approximately as long as you are tall, securely tied to your feet. Now take a tumble (not merely a slide) at moderate to high speed. What happens next?
|
Well that was my question really. The insinuation is that you will get clocked and potentially severely injured. However, what type of falls result in your ski's releasing and then coming over on top of you. Clearly ski tourers manage but may be that has something to do with style of skiing undertaken and that for the most people it will not be on hard packed snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Layne wrote: |
| The insinuation is that you will get clocked and potentially severely injured. However, what type of falls result in your ski's releasing and then coming over on top of you. |
Well, when your skis are tied to your feet the range of possibilities for being hit by your skis is vastly increased, isn't it? But for a couple of easy examples that have happened to me over the past year or so... horizontal pre-releases (which should be rare) and forward releases (which I suspect are more common off-piste than on) both acquire exciting eggbeater potential. Remember also that in a slide the skis will not come to rest until you do, and drag being what it is you will probably find that you are downslope of them if you've travelled any distance. Collisions with other skiers may also be an issue. And so on.
| Layne wrote: |
| Clearly ski tourers manage but may be that has something to do with style of skiing undertaken and that for the most people it will not be on hard packed snow. |
Ski tourers should probably be skiing more conservatively than they would on piste, for safety reasons if nothing else. Limitation of kit and terrain may also play a part. These things won't generally apply on piste; cautious skiing when you're above a cliff band and miles from help is a bit different from cautious skiing on a busy red.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Layne wrote: |
| I guess that was one of my questions really. Can you buy wider brakes or adjust brakes so they come out slightly further? |
You can, but they're more likely to get dragged in the snow if they're too wide for the ski.
Man up and get some new ones. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Brakes on my big skis (mounted with Barons) are similar - stepping out, the brakes don't always pop out, until I whack the pad thing you step on to bring them up out of the way as you click in. It's because the ski is too wide for the brake, guess this is the same for you. I keep meaning to to bend them more, but never seem to get round to it... Bending the brakes is a pretty simple process, should fix your problem. So far I haven't had any problems with the brakes deploying 'in action' (touch wood) - when I fall it usually seems to be with enough force/impact to get the brakes to pop out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
I've had a similar problem (184 Mantra's with standard Salomon bindings). The worst thing was taking them off outside a bar and seeing them shoot off down a very gentle slope but at some speed.
I took the brakes apart and cleaned/regreased. Not skied on them yet, so don't know if it is fixed.
I will also check them tomorrow and see if some bending of brakes would help - given clarky999's comments.
Maybe I'll also try cleaning the brake area and spraying with furniture polish or PTFE spray or something - that should reduce the snow sticking - and will only take a minute.
It does seem like something that should be easily fixed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| elbrus55 wrote: |
| Maybe I'll also try cleaning the brake area and spraying with furniture polish or PTFE spray or something - that should reduce the snow sticking - and will only take a minute. |
I'd be super keen not to use anything solvent-based on bindings which contain large amounts of plastic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Serriadh wrote: |
I'd be super keen not to use anything solvent-based on bindings which contain large amounts of plastic. |
Yes, both PTFE spray and furniture polish should be fine on plastic. (PTFE is a plastic, I think - Goretex is made from it.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
PTFE is pretty inert stuff. Its the solvents it is dissolved in to make it sprayable that are less benign.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Serriadh wrote: |
| PTFE is pretty inert stuff. Its the solvents it is dissolved in to make it sprayable that are less benign. |
Dry PTFE spray - it is FDA-certified for use in food and pharmaceutical industries on plastics and rubber, I guess if you can eat it - it shouldn't dissolve your bindings!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nice to know I am not going to bonkers and at least a couple of others have experienced something similar. Daft question I'm sure but longer ski's will be wider by default won't they so shouldn't there be some adjustment of brake lever width to match this? Or just different bindings altogether. I had a brief flirtation with some Movement ski's and I recall now that when I had some bindings put on that had come off another pair of ski's they had problems getting the brake levers to come down. I think they shaved a bit of the plastic off or something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
Longer doesn't always mean wider.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mosha Marc,
| Quote: |
| Longer doesn't always mean wider. |
But presumably it might do?
I think I am just going to have a fiddle around and see what I can adjust/bend. It may only be a marginal thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Vice'n'pipe required 
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
spyderjon, thanks for the pic. I have a vice, I'm sure I can find some sort of pipe!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
| I guess if you can eat it - it shouldn't dissolve your bindings! |
That's an incautious assumption especially without asking about my diet 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
spyderjon, heh! - just done that to a pair of Salomons
elbrus55, PTFE is branded 'Teflon', that's right you heat your bacon through with it. It's food safe. Goretex is stretched PTFE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Serriadh,
| Quote: |
Well, when your skis are tied to your feet the range of possibilities for being hit by your skis is vastly increased, isn't it? |
That all sounds OK..but... I tele a lot, and have had a lot of falls on tele, with release and non-release bindings (and with non-release -- if you go big enough the skis do come off)... and I've never experienced a problem with flailing skis whilst falling. The worst things about leashes are that they are a complete faff to put on, and sometimes they break - which without brakes on the skis get's expensive ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
