 Poster: A snowHead
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Martin Bell, why thank you!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| From the opening post wrote: |
| Compare a Formula 1 car with a bicycle. The car with the broad base is more stable than narrow-stance bike. That’s why skiers ... |
Not keen on this comparison! I think it is entirely bogus. Formula 1 cars are very fast. Motorbikes are also very fast and I guess their tyre contact area is of similar width to a ski. Skiers and bicycles top out at around 70mph. Professional racing cyclists go down hills at 60-70 mph on tyres about 0.5 inch wide.
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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?
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What about when you leave dry tarmac? There must be a reason why those speedway riders put their inside foot down when they go around those cinder tracks. My guess would be that a car would always be more stable than a bike, especially on a loose surface, because it has a wider base - but I don't claim to be an expert on motorsports.
What I do know is that a snowboarder is never as fast as a skier down an icy racecourse. The reason: a snowboard only has one edge, and if that edge skids then the snowboarder must make a very athletic reaction to correct. If a skier's outside ski skids, the skier can use the inside ski to correct. So it would make sense not to have those two skis too close together, to maximise the advantage of having two skis.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Martin Bell, I'd hazard a guess that few of us would want to walk down a race prepared downhill piste, let alone ski down it . . . and the thought of boarding down one just adds to my laundry pile  A board on ice, unless constantly driven, is just a liability looking to break your bones.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Murdoch,  very nice indeed (where's the "green with envy" smiley?)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is the difference between static and dynamic stability - a car will sit on all fours all day. A bike or (narrow) skier will fall over. Bikes (and skiers) correct continuously by steering the point of balance all the time - usually back under the centre of gravity. This leads to more agility.
Modern military aircraft are similar - unstable and kept pointing in the right direction by fast computers. We just use our brains !
As Martin says, the extra edge is very useful when our brains arn't quick enough fot the conditions
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If you are using both skis to carve then you need to move to the inside of the inside ski to turn, and to the inside (the curve, as in past) of the other ski to turn back. You will need to move back and forth a lot more if your skis are wide apart. This makes a narrow stance better for lightly scampering through bumps making quick turns. You are also much less likely to catch one ski on a lump of snow while the other ski faces no such obstacle when you skis are traveling almost in the same path.
If you are pulling high gs you need big lean angles and your skis will necessarily (Euclidian geometry) be far apart. For the type of skiing you see a DH racer doing, wide apart skis definately provide a broader base of support as well.
It seems quite simple to me. I really don't know what all the fuss is about 
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No need to respond, just being slightlty cheeky, but do I detect a hint of A-framing in the third, widest, "carving" sequence?
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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.
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| Quote: |
It seems quite simple to me. I really don't know what all the fuss is about
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There is no fuss, and the concept of adapting stance width to conditions has been a feature of CSIA instruction since I started taking lessons with them.
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GrahamN, Cheers!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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Sorry for going slightly opff topic, but he discusses in the early slides the effects of equipment innovation on technique
On skis [slide 4], "(modern skis) ...encourage 'park and ride' skiing". Love it!
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FAQ
