Fritchi's, Ramp Angle, and ACL's, oh my!

[dude_le_skibum]

so like i was trying to get parts for cheap to build those shimmies but i never could. i have a set. they work, basically you get a similar feel then on your regular alpines, i find... I ride evereyday with alpine touring buindings and boots. i just got used to it. my touring boots fit almost like a race boot though. i like this set-up because it always work the same, i don't have a different feel when i am riding in or out.

but eh, is there any long term users of the few shimmies i sent out ??

[PNWbrit]

Yeah, freerides are awesome. I can't see how anybody could have a problem with how they ski..... Seriously, I think they suck.

Very few modern alpine bindings have (near) zero ramp, but some do, specifically Atomic Race and I believe Look P18's, or are at least close. Do these bindings ski funny vs. regular stepins? Yes. Is the (lack of) ramp noticeable? Yes. Do these bindings and freerides ski funny because of the zero ramp. NO! All these bindings ski differently because various design choices. Atomics use a sliding track for the toepiece which is connected to and anchored at the heel, for a free flexing arrangement. P18's use a turntable heel, which lets the tail of the ski flex easier.

If you take a standard pair of salomons, and add lift to the toe until you have zero ramp, they will not ski like looks, atomics or freerides - they will ski like salomons with zero ramp. I have done this on multiple pairs of skis over the years, and regularly adjust binding delta to suit the feel of the ski, it's mounting point, and intended use. I also adjust boot forward lean of my boots sometimes - I find that the change to your forward lean of the boot caused by the change in ramp is much more noticeable than the actual change at you foot sole. If you change binding ramp, and compensate for the change with a forward lean adjustment, the actual change to the angle of your foot is hard to notice. Typically, I find that a zero ramp works best on carving skis (or skis that I carve alot on) and on forward mounted newschool skis where the "sweet spot" tends to be in the back seat. Older style skis that may not be as carving biased or have a rearward mount point tend to work better with with some more forward lean or ramp angle. So yes, having zero ramp angle translates into a "back seat" feeling, but there is something else going on...

So why do freerides SUCK? Why do they ski funny? Well, it's because the heel is free floating, and the toe pivots. Got that? Your boot is attached to a rail. The front of the rail is attached at a single pivot, and rear of the rail is secured only from moving vertically and laterally - it sildes back and forth as much as it wants. You pick up a certain amount of support from the red plastic bumpers under the heel, but these are limited in their effect as the ski flexes. All this translates into poor snow feel and detached feelling on the skis, and makes it hard to drive the ski off the heel while finishing the turn. How this plays out in everyone's skiing varies. Some people are ok, some aren't.

Great first Post - welcome Highway Star

[cj001f]

So why do freerides SUCK? Why do they ski funny? Well, it's because the heel is free floating, and the toe pivots. Got that? Your boot is attached to a rail. The front of the rail is attached at a single pivot, and rear of the rail is secured only from moving vertically and laterally - it sildes back and forth as much as it wants. You pick up a certain amount of support from the red plastic bumpers under the heel, but these are limited in their effect as the ski flexes. All this translates into poor snow feel and detached feelling on the skis, and makes it hard to drive the ski off the heel while finishing the turn. How this plays out in everyone's skiing varies. Some people are ok, some aren't.

Amusingly this is the same manner in which the captive plates that carvers love operate

[Schmear]

i bet that your feeling is more from being high off the ski

This is the one thing I dislike (and have to get used to each time) about my Fritchi's. The height definitely changes the sensation of skiing as compared to normal bindings.