when is stiff, too stiff??

A snowHead

OK OK, but i couldnt think of a better title.
There is all those ski length charts, but they dont take into consideration the ski stiffness which seems to have an even greater impact on the skiability of a ski. Boots have a flex index - should skis?
In a fit of over enthusiasm over starting to go offpiste and reliance on magazine reports (i know i know), I bought Rossi SC80s w in a 155. OK i admit my technique needs developing, but they are way stiffer than other skis i have been on and it takes pretty much 100% effort each turn to feel like i am skiing them rather than the other way round. So the advice I could do with is have i bitten off more than i can chew for now or are they really just too stiff unless i eat loads more pies? Im fairly athletic 40 yo female 159cm but weigh a meagre 51kg which is very light for my height, which isnt much anyway wink

A snowHead

I'm not sure that theres an index for ski stifness but a competant shop should be able to tell you if a certain pair are likely to suit you, I have a pair of Head GS (Race department) Skis which are considerably stiffer than their normal shop bought GS skis, however I'm a very heavy person with a lot of leg muscle so they suit me fine, however when they were reviewed in a ski mag the conclusion was superb ski but too stiff for 95% of skiers

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I found that a stiffer ski caused initial problems. It took no prisoners and had to be skiied properly (I couldn't cheat!), but I'm glad I persisted as I prefer it to what I had before, however, that might not be the case for everyone.

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bitoffluff, what do you mean by "stiff"? Longitudinally? Torsionally?

How does it relate to the shape and sizes of the ski?

Ski boot stiffness is relatively simple to measure and has relatively predictable results.

Longitudinal stiffness of a ski is relatively simple to measure but may have absolutely no bearing on how the ski feels to ski.

That's the problem - also why "It's stiff" isn't necessarily an interesting thing to know about skis.

My wife suggests that it's a more appropriate criterion elsehwhere. Twisted Evil

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

They aren't really massively stiff skis, so I wouldn't be too suprised if technique was a greater problem than the skis. Persist with them, get a few lessons, and soon enough you will find yourself a better skier for it.

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clarky999,

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

parlor, I read that as well first time. I think he;s saying the SC80s aren't massively stiff skis.

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[quote="under a new name"]bitoffluff, what do you mean by "stiff"? Longitudinally? Torsionally?[quote]
its longitudinally stiff, i wanted the torsional stiffness but they are much longitudinally stiffer than the Fischer Koa 78s i picked up ina sale with a similar contact area for float, so is there any point in battling on?

I did take a lesson cos the SC80s had set my skiing back massively, but didnt really help sadly.

I loved the Rossi Bandit B78w, but that was a lot less stiff, i think they are a bit stiffer than the B2s as well.

Re shop advice, Im seriously disappointed in most of the advice I have been given in shops sadly, so Im putting my trust in snowHead

Ignoring my issue - presumably there is a limit to the stiiffness any particular weight can handle just because of the difficulty of flexing, irrespective of technique. NB Im definitely not saying technique has something to do with it in my case, but in theory, there must a limit, right? OK, Im no physicist, but ... Puzzled

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bitoffluff, hmmmm, nope, not even going to try after quiet a nice few glasses of wine. Willl revert in the morn.

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scotia, clarky999, oops. Yeah sorry, it was late... Wink

bitoffluff, sorry, my point is that there is probably not that much real difference in longitudinal stiffness and even if there is, it's probably geometry and torsional rigidity that is making the difference.

You are right though, IMV, that there's probably a limit. Many years ago I skied a couple of runs on some Atomics that were (allegedly) the retail race dept version of the ski designed for Alberto Tomba. They were the same "type" and length as my then current Rossignols, but while I could ski them, I really felt that I was just too light for them Lots of work (and I had spent a lot of the previous season on 207 Atomic GS skis) - BTW I'm 5'6" and 62kgs. Tomba is somewhat heavier!!

Equally, I spent most time now on either FIS SLs or 190 FIS GSs. Cos I like them. I have a pair of fatter skis, but they are stiff enough that my GS skis are easier in powder. My fat freeride skis demand warp factor 11 before they start to perform, the GS boards, for whatever reason are actually easier.

I can't see SC80s being so stiff as to be an issue though?

You know it makes sense.

guess im probabaly not expereinced enough with the range of skis, so stiffer translates to stiff for what i have tried as they are stiffer than any else i have skied and that been a range of all sorts including womens advanced skis, although ive never tried any SLs or GSs so maybe my thresholds would shift if i tried them. Ho hum, maybe im just a **** skier Toofy Grin

i tour on Pilgrims which are supposed to be torsionally stiff, but are also way less longi stiff than the SC80s interestingly. So maybe what i want is torsionally stiff but fairly soft longitudinally in mid fat 150-155 ish length. Thanks for all the suggestions, Im just beginning to feel my way around all this techie stuff and really appreciate the input

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

bitoffluff, yeah, but I'm stil struggling a little but with how you are arriving at the description of stiff.

Anyhoo, I am thinking two things.

1. Are you sure they are properly tuned and set up? If some numpty has messed up your edge angles, of something then they will feel like poo.

2. It may just be that your binding angles are wrong. i.e. your footbed is more or less inclined than you are used to. this can make a surprising difference.

3. You might just not get on with the skis. It happens. Nothing to do with skill or technique.

A snowHead

A snowHead

[quote="bitoffluff"]

Re shop advice, Im seriously disappointed in most of the advice I have been given in shops sadly, so Im putting my trust in

Just find someone on here who has a shop and actually skis them every year on the ski test and isn't full of BS!

I don't have one, jsut spend time in lots of them, maybe one day...............

Help!!

when is stiff, too stiff??

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