 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I had a BIG stack in February on my 4 day old Atomic M:11 skis. As we still don't know exactly what happened (As I was on piste on a smooth green run at the time) I wanted to get them checked as the ski literally shot off down the run! I contacted my local store, but they advised they make only a visual inspection and check my DIN settings. I was hoping to get someone from Atomic to look at them, possibly via the UK distributor.
So I contacted Atomic in Austria but have not received a reply as to who I can contact over here. Does anyone know the UK distributor, or can anyone recommend a shop that can give them a proper looking at to check they are mounted correctly and operating fine?? I am based in Sussex.
Thanks in advance for your help. Understandably nervous about using my skis until I know they are OK (So I can then blame myself for the crash  )
ScottyDog
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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scottydog, any good ski shop will be able to test your bindings against the DIN settings, they use a device similar to a torque wrench which is loaded to the same DIN setting as your bindings. The mountings should be easy to check, presumably the manufacturers jig was used to drill the screw holes and the centre line on the skis lines up with the centre line of your boots?
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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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scottydog, not quite clear about your incident. Are you saying that the ski released too easily?
If the bindings were brand new, then the shop has no responsibility to independently test them before handing them to you. They will have received the bindings fresh from the factory, which is reponsible for verifying that the DIN scale on the binding is true to any setting made.
Have you been over the DIN chart (which was probably not issued to you)? If you can specify your weight, height, whether you are under/over 50-years-old, how long you've been skiing, how adventurously you ski and how aggressively you ski (which determines your skier type) the DIN calculation can be made. Finally, your boot sole length in mm is needed - it may be marked on the boot.
The bindings may, indeed, be defective - though this is unusual.
If you want the bindings independently tested you'll need a shop that bothers to use a testing device - not all ski shops use them. You can track down the Atomic UK distributors via Snowsports Industries of Great Britain (SIGB). I've forgotten who they are, but if we don't get an answer here, will find out. The SIGB might assist in locating a shop with a binding testing machine, too - I seem to recall that Captain's Cabin in Kent had one, but don't know if they still do.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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scottydog, Where are you in Sussex ? There are some ski shops in Brighton who may able to help, or S&R at Chertsey. As David Goldsmith, said, you need to get them checked by machine. The shop does NOT need to be an Atomic stockist to do this. You will need to take your boots with you for this.
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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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Depending on where you are, I think Filarinski's in Havant have the facilities to test (though it might be an idea to check with them first)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Years ago, when I still skied, I had a ski pop off during a run, luckily without any injury from the fall. What I think had happened in this case was that I had too much ice build up in the base of the binding, preventing my boot from going all the way in and clicking in properly (it popped of after just a few turns). Possibly a similar thing happened in your case?
As DG stated, it could also be an improper DIN setting.
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Thanks for the advice guys. My DIN settings are the only thing that have been checked and are ok for my data. The ski (according to my eye witness behind me) quite literally shot off my foot mid turn (Inside ski) for no apparent reason, I was moving swiftly but was just putting in gentle turns on a green. Landed face first, and broke shoulder and dislocated it so bit of a mess, although could have been much much worse (neck).
Just hesitant about using the skis a bit. ALTHOUGH that morning, I was in Meribel and managed to trap the back of my trouser leg in the binding, which I spotted straight away, so my best guess is that this is what happened again! Sold trousers and have some nice snug Eider ones for this season!
I am in Crawley, so will locate a store that has the equipment to check the binding, just to be safe!
Thanks again
ScottyDog
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scottydog, Try Edge 2 Edge ?
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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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scottydog, I really sympathise. If you really suffered a pre-release - which is not unknown with unfamiliar bindings - you've suffered a classic result. Upper body injuries are typical when bindings open unexpectedly.
British ski shops have always been reticent about installing binding testings machines. They ought to be part and parcel of the discipline of offering workshop services. Way back around 1970 I remember having my Look bindings tested on a machine in a Pindisports shop in central London. Pindisports was then one of the main ski shop chains. I don't know the current picture, but today's main chains - Snow+Rock, Ellis Brigham etc. - dominate workshop practices in Britain. Last time I looked into this (some years ago) neither of these two chains used testing machines.
We expect tyre service shops to be able to check our tyre pressures (a safety issue) - why don't ski shops check binding settings? The machines concerned are not that straightforward - for one thing they themselves have to be periodically checked for correct calibration - but they are widely used on the continent.
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| ski wrote: |
| scottydog, Try Edge 2 Edge ? |
Yepp, been there I work 200 yards from them. Nice people, but can only suggest DINS and make visual inspections.
| David Glodsmith wrote: |
| We expect tyre service shops to be able to check our tyre pressures (a safety issue) - why don't ski shops check binding settings? The machines concerned are not that straightforward - for one thing they themselves have to be periodically checked for correct calibration - but they are widely used on the continent. |
Agreed. I work in the cycle trade and all retailers should provide full after sales for items such as bikes and skis, where there is a risk of poor set-up leading to injury. I will hunt around, but may try using my broken french on the continent to get them assessed (That'll be fun!)
Thanks again
ScottyDog
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just spoke to filarinskis.co.uk in Havant (Thanks Caspar) and they have the equipment and are happy to check my bindings for a tenner. Seemed very pleasant on the phone. Now to convince the other half to go to Havant tomorrow
ScottyDog
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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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scottydog, Good stuff. They are very helpful there - if you speak to Steve (he's the boss), ask him how the cooking is going
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scottydog, If you don't get sorted at filarinski let me know & I'll PM you the Atomic UK rep's number.
BTW, the DIN calibration on the Atomic Neox 412 bindings should be spot on due their unique(?) manufacturing system. Each individual binding is assembled & tested. The DIN scale is then laser etched according to how the spring tension in each individual binding tests. This elliminates any variations in the individual spring tensions & means that when a pair of heel & toe bindings are all set to a certain figure that they are all actually the same.
Out of interest are your bindings mounted in the forward position? (I'm not suggesting that this is related to your stack). I'm asking as most stores seem to supply the skis set up in the centre position yet user feedback certainly favours the forward position.
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You know it makes sense.
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| spyderjon wrote: |
scottydog
Out of interest are your bindings mounted in the forward position? (I'm not suggesting that this is related to your stack). I'm asking as most stores seem to supply the skis set up in the centre position yet user feedback certainly favours the forward position. |
Let me know how I can tell, and I will look at them and let you know  Further food for thought if they are set up centre though!
ScottyDog
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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scottydog, Between the toe & heel bindings is a squarish piece of plastic (it's grey on my 04/05 b5's & I think it still is on the 04/05 M11's) that has a large #3 posidrive screw in the middle of it.
On the ski edges sides of the screw head are the windows through which you can read the boot length setting in cm's (the boot length is always rounded down to the nearest setting on Atomic bindings).
Above the ski tip end of the piece of plastic is the word 'forward' & below the tail end is the word 'central'. At one end end of the piece of plastic is a raised arrow head which has been moulded in to the piece. This will either be pointing to 'forward' or the tip of the ski, or to 'central' or tail of the ski. Which ever way it's pointing that's the binding position that's set.
To alter the setting simply undo the screw, remove the square plastic piece & reverse it's direction. Underneath where the plastic piece was located that are two slots in the side of the mounting plate. For the forward position the boot length scales are both lined up with the forward notch & for the central position the boot length scales are both lined up with the rear slot.
Slightly lift the boot length scales to disengage the ratchet teeth & then both the toe & heel bindings can now be slid (or gently tapped if they're stiff) forwards or backwards as appropriate, by an equal amount so that their respecitve length scales line up with slot you require. Replace the plactic piece & check the boot length scales in the windows are both the same. Retighten the screw until firm (or to 4.0Nm torque if you want to be precise!)
No forward pressure adjustment is required as both bindings have been moved by the same amount.
It's actually faster to do than type the precedure.
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Poster: A snowHead
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bl**dy fantastic info! Thanks very much for this. Didn't realise it was that easy, so will try it out.
Thanks.
(Its central at the moment by the way)
ScottyDog
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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scottydog, Glad to be of service.
Far better turn initiation in the forward position for carving/ripping up the groomers etc. Also better on bumps. Well that's what the Atomic binding manual says & as confirmed by all the Epicski guys to Rockyrobin & myself. We've tried both positions & concur.
If you get a deep powder day they suggest using the central position although we haven't tried this off-piste yet.
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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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spyderjon, any chance of a couple of pictures to illustrate this? I have the smae ski/binding combination (as yet unused) and it would be nice to see exactly what you're referring to.
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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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rob@rar.org.uk, scottydog, I'm a bit of an IT dunce & dunno how to post pics. If you PM me your email addresses I'll take some pics & attach them to an email back to you.
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FAQ
