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Trouble with pivots

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ballsofsteeze
Posts: 611 - Karma: 45
Hey NS, so I bought look pivot 14s for my filthy riches this year and I've been having some release problems, namely when I land nose-heavy. I use them with my 28.5 full tilt dropkicks from last year. I am about 5'10", and just under 140 lbs, and my DIN is currently at 6.

Before anyone suggests I simply crank my DINs, I rode all last year on my old skis and rossi axial 10s with a DIN of 5 with the exact same boots, and I weighed about the same.

Anyway, the problem really is when I do nose presses, or just put all my weight on my tips. The heel pops right out. This also tends to happen if I land switch a little tip heavy, but it's not anything I would expect to cause a release.

I'm finding this to be problem, as I'm getting scared to do nollies and nosepresses for fear I'll lose my skis, and sometimes I'll release on what seems to me to be a perfectly good switch landing. Any suggestions? One of my friends thinks that it might have something to do with the compatibility of FTs and pivots, that they need a higher DIN for some reason. I'm thinking it might be a forward pressure issue, or a combination of both. Any suggestions would be highly suggested, and I'll probably take them to a shop to get adjusted if needed.

Thanks! +K will be given to helpful responders.
Jan 6 2013 4:58PM
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boobie
Posts: 917 - Karma: 90
of course its hard to tell without seeing them but sounds like forward pressure
Jan 6 2013 5:18PM
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
Switch landings are one of the hardest things for a binding to hold. The ability to do this well is what makes a freeski bindings different from others. However, even freeski bindings have a limit. Charts work great for normal skiers, but when you get into heavy switch landings, you need to make some personal choices.

The first thing is to definitely check your forward pressure. If that is off, it throws off everything else.

Then if this is all perfect, and you want to stay with this binding, you need to ask yourself what din you are willing to ride. There is a scale where you want the binding to release nicely in a twisting fall to prevent any injuries, but you need them to be tight enough to hold on a nose heavy switch landing. This is why people like super high elasticity bindings like FKS and Jesters, because they will allow a good amount of give when landing switch without releasing, allowing you to ride a lower din and still stay in the binding. However, even with these bindings you need to find a balance of what din you are comfortable putting yourself in. Higher is better for staying in on switch landings, but you risk injury when catching in a twisting fall.

I am not sure what to suggest. Yes a higher din will keep you in better then tip heavy, but it may not be something you want to risk. You can look for a binding with more elasticity if you are willing to buy something else. The choice is really up to you. No chart or person can tell you what is best for you.

Now I am not saying you should do this, but if for some reason someone wants to try increasing their din a little, do it slowly. Go up 1/2 a number and try it out for a few days and see if you still release when a bit tip heavy. Chances are only a little bit will be needed to make you happy, and will still keep you safe. But also remember, you can tear you ACL with your din at 3. Skiing is dangerous.
Jan 6 2013 5:22PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
^good post, but pivots are the same as fks. They are the HIGHEST elasticity binding on the market.
Jan 6 2013 7:03PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
And to op, take it to a shop and make sure your forward pressure is correct, and you are within the in use range in forward lean. maybe have them adjust the bindings to make sure you are testing at the upper end of the acceptable range in forward lean.
Jan 6 2013 7:06PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
*in use range for recommended din that is.
Jan 6 2013 7:10PM
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rwalk
Posts: 442 - Karma: 36
Similar thing happening to me, I upgraded from griffons to pivots this year, pretty much the same din setting, but I used to be able to balance/stand on the noses of my skis, but now whenever I try I get like halfway up and eject.
Jan 6 2013 9:33PM
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
I guess I was thinking he meant the Look pivots they had before the PX series. I could see it going either way.
Jan 6 2013 11:19PM
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Z-PAULY.
Posts: 559 - Karma: 284
Seems like forward pressure? I'm 5'5" and 125 ish and mine are at 8.
Jan 6 2013 11:46PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
Get them checked first. If everythign is good, don't be scared to run the heels at a higher setting than the toes; a lot of people do with turntables.
Jan 7 2013 3:56AM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
I had the same problem. The forward pressure is a bit tricky to set on the fks/pivot.
Jan 7 2013 8:59AM
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EastShoreDrive
Posts: 188 - Karma: 862
This is not exactly true. There is a white tab on the back of all Pivots/FKS heels that gives you an indication of the forward pressure. The tab lines up with two indicator bumps to let you know the forward pressure. With a boot in the binding and locked in, the back of the tab should line up with the two bumps and create a straight line. If the back of the tab is behind the two bumps, you don't have enough forward pressure. If the back of the tab is ahead of the two bumps, you have too much forward pressure. You then use the adjustment screws on either side of the heel piece to adjust accordingly.
Jan 7 2013 10:59AM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868

Disclaimer: The following is binding "bush wisdom" and will probably result in you breaking your leg and spiders will eat your ACL in your sleep, so don't do it.

It is fairly widely regarded that the forward pressure adjustment on FKS/Pivot is a pretty imprecise beast, depending on the brand of boot and the wear condition of the heel and toe lugs (and the phase of the moon and position of Venus in the north quarter) it can be perfectly flush with the little bumps and your forward pressure could be miles out. FKS/Pivots are pretty sensitive to having the right forward pressure as too little means that the heel assembly will rise when you nosepress/butter/charge. It's a bit of a black art to getting it just right...

Jan 7 2013 5:53PM
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Jaggy_Snake
Posts: 2287 - Karma: 1,418
This is what is the case with my FKSs. I'm clipped in and the tab is nowhere near flush with the bumps.

I'm wearing Full Tilts if that helps the OP at all
Jan 7 2013 6:01PM
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k2andcannoli
Posts: 644 - Karma: -36
Take boot. Put boot in binding. Have a buddy hold your ski tight. Grab heel piece. You should be able to fairly easly push and pull your heel piece. If real easy tighten, if hard then loosen.
Jan 7 2013 6:12PM
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ballsofsteeze
Posts: 611 - Karma: 45
Alright thank you everyone! I think what i'll do is take them to my local shop and explain the problem. one of my friends is a tech, so he'll probably help me out. I might try setting my heels a bit higher than my toes also, to see if that helps, so thanks for that tip. I'll update soon telling what i end up doing for anyone else who is in a similar boat.
Jan 9 2013 9:01PM
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