 Poster: A snowHead
|
Had my first ride on a snow scooter today. The rear part of the binding on one of my Wave Magics fell off. I had fortunately stopped skiing and was picking them up to carry up a track. The screws had sheared - fortunately we were right at the top of a lift and a very helpful piste patroller struggled with them for several minutes before declaring them "foutu". He sent me down on the lift, which usefully was one which went down the valley and up the other side, where his mate put me on a scooter and took me back down to the village. I planned to come back to the apartment by bus, but it wasn't due for 45mins, so I left the skis to have a beer, and then found they'd been nicked.... first time in 6 years here I have ever heard of skis being nicked around here, let alone skis without a functioning binding.
So, now I only have the rear binding, and can't find out what happened to the skis to identify the exact cause of the fault (though to an expert, it might be clear from the heel piece which I put in my backpack and which is now the only bit I've got left!
I was lucky - it could have happened miles from anywhere, not right by a lift post full of helpful pisteurs. When my son broke a ski on the Tignes glacier last year he skied back to Val D'Isere on one. I'm not that kind of skier!! It was a beautiful warm day (ridiculously hot day, actually), I was not hurt, I had plenty of help, I speak enough French, the binding had failed at the most convenient moment possible, but it does make you realise how vulnerable you can be out there.
I am now off to report the loss to the local police.... on my old Volks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
well I guess looking on the positive side I hope you can claim for them, and get a fully working pair!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
kitenski, yes, I hope so (Ski Club insurance), except that I did get them through Snowheads for a bargain price. I noticed our local ski shop sells Elans - on the chairlift, on the way down, with them on my lap, I was planning to take them in to him to try to sort them out, as he is obviously going to be familiar with their slightly unusual bindings. Now it's time for Plan B...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
pam w  at both the binding breaking and them consequently being nicked. Off to inspect mine now.
What's plan B?........
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
pam w, what rotten luck !!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| pam w wrote: |
Had my first ride on a snow scooter today. The rear part of the binding on one of my Wave Magics fell off. I had fortunately stopped skiing and was picking them up to carry up a track. The screws had sheared - fortunately we were right at the top of a lift and a very helpful piste patroller struggled with them for several minutes before declaring them "foutu".
:( |
Screws? Were they not Fusion?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, what a day! Hope you get sorted with the insurance ok (replacement value of course). If you ever find out how the binding broke off it woulde useful to post - Megamum bought hers through snowheads too as you probably recall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
comprex, a good question. Yes, they are Fusion bindings, but yes, they do have screws (between the bit of the binding that is still firmly attached to the ski, and the heel piece itself. I am sure my nice ski shop man could have fixed it, had some helpful passerby not walked off with my skis. I was also planning to examine the intact binding in detail, on return home, to identify exactly what had gone wrong with the one that broke. Maybe something quite simple, but not something which an experienced pisteur with a whole row of screwdrivers could fix at the side of the piste, any way. I was getting quite attached to those skis, too (until I became unattached, that is). It would have been very useful to find out exactly what went wrong - and why. It could have been very unpleasant, as opposed to a mere inconvenience; and the ride in the scooter was ace.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
pam w, glad the scooter ride was ace 
Might be worth ringing Gavin at gbr sports as I think that is where we all bought them from and describing what happened etc.
http://www.gbrsports.co.uk/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, Really bad luck, someone might have thought you had ditched them as they had a heel binding missing!!You could ask the local shop if someone has just asked to buy just a heel binding?? I have not had any problems with mine over the last 3 seasons, they rattle a bit until the boot is mounted.
comprex, They are Tyrolia bindings rebadged, the screws hold the toe and heel bindings to the sliding rail that is incorporated in the ski.
Edited out red wine moment!!
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 22-01-08 9:15; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
minx, yes, I just sent him an email - to see whether he can suggest what might have happened, and whether he has any more. I have used the skis for two weeks, on all sorts of runs, in all sorts of snow, and they have felt solid as a rock. I fell over the first day I wore them (tripped over them, not paying enough attention!) but since then I have not fallen, they have not been dropped, or knocked, or anything. It looks as though the two screws which anchor the heel piece to the binding below have sheared.
I had really got to like them, and felt nothing like as happy on my old skis today - they just didn't have the same "presence" and solidity. After several visits to the Gendarmerie I have the right piece of paper, so will contact the insurance soon. Have to go to Geneva tomorrow - not much time. I do want my Wave Magics back, but I would be happier if I could diagnose exactly what happened to that binding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
pam w thanks for the update. It will be interesting to see what Gavin says as it's possibly made me a little wary with mine! I think I too would feel happier knowing what happened to your binding Especially given that you hadn't dropped/knocked/ fallen much in them. I've used mine for 10 days and I too like the solidity to them. I hope you get another pair. Keep us posted - thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My daughter had her skis stolen in verbier last year. On a hunch I went the next day to the bar they had been stolen from and the barman said two pair of skis had been left at the end of the night, one a set of hire skis. He gave them to me I took them to the shop and my daughters skis were there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Megamum good idea about about emailing elan direct. Is their mail address on their website?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
I have the Magfires and they also have the fusion binding..which I fitted myself and all you need to do is screw the bindings toe and heel piece on to the fusion bracket...
If the screws had sheared I would have thought any ski shop would have been able to replace them (unless they where a very unusual size) they looked std to me..Not much use to you now I know...and I hope you get them back.
I will be checking mine tonight..
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
cfc5mu0, I thought so too, especially as my local ski shop stocks Elan skis, and we do a lot of business with him (despite my buying my skis through Snowheads  ). However, that idea is now out of the window - and I would really like to know WHY the screws sheared, when the bindings hadn't been touched in the two weeks I've been skiing on them, and there'd been no trauma to the skis. A good idea to email Elan - might have a go at that tomorrow. Have to try to take a really close up photo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 emailed
info@elan.si
details that I got from the Elan web site
and got a reply from:
Mitja Urh
Marketing
mitja.urh@elan.si
------------------------------------------------
Elan, d.o.o., Begunje 1
4275 Begunje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia
T +386 4 53 51 421
F +386 4 53 51 422
M +386 41 607 466
www.elansports.com
I am sure it will be a lady given that Elan are fairly specific about only women being involved in the production of them, and although only marketing, I am sure marketing will be interested in something that could result in bad press for the skis and therefore want to pass you onto someone more specific.
I hope this helps
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
pam w, this is one of those situations where keeping track of who mounts the bindings and sets the forward pressure is fairly important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
My ski lock turned up in the mail this morning - I feel more inclined now than ever before to put it to use this year!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Megamum, thanks, I'll send Elan an email; I've had no reply from Gavin so far.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w any feedback from Gavin or Elan yet ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I sent the heel piece to Gavin, once we got back to the UK earlier this month. He says that without the other part, it's hard to see what caused the binding case to break. He has sent it to Elan (who will probably send it to Tyrolia) and is looking for another pair of skis for me.  This year's Wave Magics (the blue flower ones, which I like much less) are actually on sale in our small local ski shop, but at a price considerably higher, even at a more sensible euro exchange rate than we are currently getting, than the UK price. Apparently the blue flowery skis are exactly the same as last year's, and next year's will be the same too, other than an improvement to the bindings, which is down to Tyrolia rather than Elan.
I'll post an update when there is any more news.
Oh - Gavin also said that Elan had told distributors that Wave skis were apparently being targeted by thieves....
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
If thieves want them they must be good 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
minx, Well I guess someone has to - I much prefer the version Pam W and I had with the grey patterns on the white and the small splash of red at the front. You are right about them standing out on the racks though - I could see mine from a good 200 yards+ away.
Sadly I ended up with pink poles because they were cheap - they are however miles too girly and I'm quite tempted to spray them orange when they get a bit batty 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That reminds me, I no longer have a yellow and black jacket to go with my yellow and black poles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
This is a bummer for sure.
One question tho........do you have the serial number from the skis? If so then you may be able to contact Elan about them and get them to warranty them with just the heel piece(though its a long shot)
Then, if the thief tries to contact Elan for a warranty of your skis, Elan will be wise to the situation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
