Freerides unintentional tele mode, fixes?

so I popped my freerides cherry yesterday at K mart and I found myself getting this cool feature where my AT bindings also could perform as tele bindings everytime I tried to get forward on them and drive the ski, or when I'd hit a bump or crud or what little soft snow we had. Was skiing in pretty stiff race boots with 178 Dynastar Bigs which for me is a pretty soft ski. Anyway I stopped in at Mtn Travelers and my ski shop where I got the freerides and both of them are scratching their heads as they've never heard of this problem. I remember it being talked about here. My guess is that it has something to do with the soft tail and me being 235#'s, but I know there are some tall people on the board so they've got to generate as much tourqe on the walk lever as I do. Schuss can chime in here too since he was skiing with me when it all happened but after the first 3 times it happend I tried to really ski smooth and controlled thinking that I was just overworking the binding but that really didn't help either since I kept popping into walk even while skiing slow and controlled while keeping my weight in the backseat.

Any guesses as to why this is happening? Schuss and I thought its either my boots are too stiff for the binding, or the ski is too soft for my weight. I have a pair of G4's that are definately stiffer in the tail but I REALLY don't want to have to put another set of holes in my favorite skis just to have the same problem happen.

It happens, but it shouldn't happen that often. You sure your shop didn't screw up the mount (maybe by mounting the heel and toe piece too far apart)?

If not, stiffer skis will help, as will NOT skiing in the back seat.

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Originally Posted by flip

If not, stiffer skis will help, as will NOT skiing in the back seat.

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Thats what was so funny if I tried to get forward and out of the back seat it happed more often. If I put my weight more on my heels it happend less.
Shops looking at the mount as I type, I don't think they screwed up. I have a sneaking suspicion after reading some threads that its from the rebound of the ski flipping the heel lever, If I was to shim the heelpeice so that it was off the ski would that help? That way it would take more flex to knock it open. Other then that I'm gonna see if they'll swap a pair of Naxos, even if they're not as burly the ski/walk interface makes it impossible to go into tele mode.

Had it happen once, in the middle of mile long couloir. Not a fun feeling to go tele mid-turn.
Only happened that once - I figured it got knocked loose earlier, hitting a tree branch or other object.
I'm 6'4" 215lbs, so don't think this should be happening to you.

Is there a positive detent or click when you lock the heel down?
I can't imagine flex nocking the heel out of the grip, but I suppose it could cause the lever to lift.

It aint you. Its either a bad binding or a bad mount.

yeah theres a positive click when its down. I know I'm an animal ;) but 6-8 times on blue runs with moderate soft bumps and pow/crud? Maybe it is the mount but it was BOTH skis not just one specifically. I know the guy who did the mount and he KNOWS his shit(and hasn't had any problems except for me) I'd really like to keep the freerides on the Bigs but am strongly considering moving them to the G4's if that would help any

flex can do it. the skier can do it by catching the lever with the opposite ski tail. a bad mount can surely do it. i've had mine go into tour mode before while skiing. usually it is something i have done to cause it. try flexing the ski, while off your feet, to see what happens. then try putting weight on tip and tail with no support under the waist. that should tell you for sure if it is flex.

bad mount - It should be obvious how it's happening by looking at a correctly mounted pair.

It's probably from the tail flexing like you suspect, this has been a known problem on Freerides for a few years and is why they now have that little black riser piece under the climbing bar which is supposed to prevent this from happening. From the discussion here it looks like it is more of an issue with folks approaching 200lbs.

It happened to me last year within the first 5 turns at the top of a couloir. Scary. I only weigh about 170 lbs., but was skiing super soft skis that I was flexing the hell out of on some steep ice. Was on stiff Alpine boots.

It certainly could have been my fault..i.e. didn't lock it down all the way at the top, or clipped it somehow with my other ski. Just can't say for sure.

was the mount, aparently the heel lever was too far forward and when I flexed the ski the bar slid out of the heel lever, shops going to move it back for me

I will state that it was fairly hilarious to watch laser go through a soft bump field in tele-free. Especially when I just steamed around on the bro's.

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Originally Posted by laseranimal

was the mount, aparently the heel lever was too far forward and when I flexed the ski the bar slid out of the heel lever, shops going to move it back for me

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that'll be a tough mount. he may just move the whole mounting point back instead of just the heel. to do the heel you'd have to put some dowells in and drill right thru part of the dowell.

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Originally Posted by AltaPowderDaze

that'll be a tough mount. he may just move the whole mounting point back instead of just the heel. to do the heel you'd have to put some dowells in and drill right thru part of the dowell.

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Were they new skis?

Might be a good idea to bitch until they just give you a new pair. The shop will be able to sell your old ones as a deal for anyone who wants to put alpines on them.

You might try telling them you have no confidence in their abilty to carry out such a delicate repair and that your lucky you didn't hurt yourself or tear apart binding and or ski because of their screw up. Since you're on the "chunky" side you also don't want to ride a bc set up with a dubious mount.

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Originally Posted by PNWbrit

lucky you didn't hurt yourself or tear apart binding and or ski because of their screw up.

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that reminds me, have you checked the toe jaw on the fr's yet. they are pretty easy to bend if you torque them when not locked down.

They're an old pair of Dynastar Bigs that are basically serving as a stopgap until I find another worthy candidate for the Freerides(and assess they're skiablity/durability). Dynastars are forward mounted to start with so back would actually be an improvement for me. Yeah I'm kinda pissed about the mount being fucked up but, from talking to the tech it sounds like he did it right by the numbers but failed to take into account the flex/weight of the skier. I really like the shop and they're the only place in my area to get anything done that needs doing so I'm not sure pissing and moaning over a pair of skis that are only gonna turn into rock skis someday is gonna do anything productive. I'm going to see what happens when I go pick them up tomorrow AM.

oh and schuss.........

:cussing: :fuckyou: :fuckyou: :fuckyou: :cussing:


:biggrin: :biggrin:

[QUOTE=laseranimal] from talking to the tech it sounds like he did it right by the numbers but failed to take into account the flex/weight of the skier.[QUOTE]

Flex/weight????? WTF! Did you leave your bull shit meter at home?.

If they're old/trashed skis you've got no real comeback. A good shop should still offer you some compensation since they ruined your days skiing.

Check the bindings very carefully maybe even dismantle them completely, as APD says you'll probably have fucked something with all your telemodeing.

yeah, that wasn't his excuse it was mine, he admitted that he put the lock lever too far forward. I will see if they won't charge me for the tune/coreshot repair on my G4's since I wound up skiing those and trashing them rather then the Bigs that I was hoping to trash

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Originally Posted by laseranimal

he admitted that he put the lock lever too far forward.

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just wondering how this is possible. the fritschi jig is rigid so he must have used the wrong holes, which would not allow you to lock down your heels at all, since the heel lever is in the wrong friggin place....

something sounds fishy here.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

just wondering how this is possible. the fritschi jig is rigid so he must have used the wrong holes, which would not allow you to lock down your heels at all, since the heel lever is in the wrong friggin place....

something sounds fishy here.

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he probably free handed the mount, which is fine if you are paying attention to what you are doing. i have freehanded mine a few times until i picked up a mounting template.

there arent a lot of fritschi jigs around the east coast.. i bet he probably freehanded it from the template.

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Originally Posted by AltaPowderDaze

he probably free handed the mount, which is fine if you are paying attention to what you are doing. i have freehanded mine a few times until i picked up a mounting template.

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right on... that make sense. this means the shop def. owes you compensation for their mis-mount and you trashing your good skis.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

just wondering how this is possible. the fritschi jig is rigid so he must have used the wrong holes, which would not allow you to lock down your heels at all, since the heel lever is in the wrong friggin place....

something sounds fishy here.

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Fritschi actually makes a jig? Everyone I know has used the paper template. Good to know. Also, I've only unentendo teled once stuffing my Gotama into a bump. It seems like an obvious design flaw. The taps that keep the bar down should be extended to take into account the ski flex. Someone should design an after market heel lock.

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Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

Fritschi actually makes a jig? ... Someone should design an after market heel lock.

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yup, and i have one :the_finge

i would buy an aftermarket heel lock if anyone has the means to make a few :)

ok so when I walk into the shop tonight what should I say to the shop owner since he's the guy who screwed up the mount? I really like these guys and I'd hate to get into an argument

lazer once again try this - "telling them you have no confidence in their abilty to carry out such a delicate repair and that your lucky you didn't hurt yourself or tear apart binding and or ski because of their screw up. Since you're on the "chunky" side you also don't want to ride a bc set up with a dubious mount"

If he's the owner and he doesn't do something to keep a loyal customer happy then find another store. With the amount of gear you buy he should value your business by now!