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The only conceivable use I could find for this is in a racing aspect. It would be SO nice, as a racer, to be able to purchase a single ski and be able to use it in multiple events. Race courses have no soft snow, so a base really isn't needed, and would remove unneeded friction.
Still a really bad idea though, I can think of so many ways this would murder me. What if the length changes when I'm in a turn? I'm screwed. What if one of the bars breaks? Now I'm skiing on a sharpened narwhal horn of terror that will probably impale me. Imagine if you caught a tree branch in the middle of the ski. DEATH
Nope. I would know. Ruts get a bit sloppy, and the days that it does snow they happen to be softer. Every other course is inherently icy and awful. Oh well. Tis the life.
robotdnaNope. I would know. Ruts get a bit sloppy, and the days that it does snow they happen to be softer. Every other course is inherently icy and awful. Oh well. Tis the life.
I was more at the part where a "base isn't needed".
Think about what you just said for a second. Do you really think that with all the chemistry that goes into wax set ups for racing that trams haven't chosen the best material for a base, vs just going with a hunk of steel.
japollnerI was more at the part where a "base isn't needed".
Think about what you just said for a second. Do you really think that with all the chemistry that goes into wax set ups for racing that trams haven't chosen the best material for a base, vs just going with a hunk of steel.
Eh, less friction. I would rather have a ski made from all edge. I am under the opinion that a ski, straight, on edge is faster than on the base. Less surface area, and to my knowledge the coefficient of friction of a brushed or grinded titanium is a lot lower than that of ptex.
Then again, the boot system might catch a lot of snow and slow you down. Notice, I said the only thing I could think of in the op.
It's a bad idea overall. I would never use it if it was in production.
robotdnaEh, less friction. I would rather have a ski made from all edge. I am under the opinion that a ski, straight, on edge is faster than on the base. Less surface area, and to my knowledge the coefficient of friction of a brushed or grinded titanium is a lot lower than that of ptex.
Then again, the boot system might catch a lot of snow and slow you down. Notice, I said the only thing I could think of in the op.
It's a bad idea overall. I would never use it if it was in production.
robotdnaThe only conceivable use I could find for this is in a racing aspect. It would be SO nice, as a racer, to be able to purchase a single ski and be able to use it in multiple events. Race courses have no soft snow, so a base really isn't needed, and would remove unneeded friction.
Still a really bad idea though, I can think of so many ways this would murder me. What if the length changes when I'm in a turn? I'm screwed. What if one of the bars breaks? Now I'm skiing on a sharpened narwhal horn of terror that will probably impale me. Imagine if you caught a tree branch in the middle of the ski. DEATH
Thats real stupid for racing because the base is faster than the edge. If you only have edge you wont go as fast.
Tao.Thats real stupid for racing because the base is faster than the edge. If you only have edge you wont go as fast.
See, everyone keeps telling me that but I don't believe it. Does someone have numbers for the coefficients of friction? I think it's because velocity is not conserved in a turn, but it is while one is moving straight.
robotdnaSee, everyone keeps telling me that but I don't believe it. Does someone have numbers for the coefficients of friction? I think it's because velocity is not conserved in a turn, but it is while one is moving straight.
You have less friction on the base than your edge because while you are on your base the snow under you is actually melting due to the wax and you are riding on a thin layer of water (which is also why a longer downhill ski is faster than a shorter slalom ski) while it is mostly snow not water under your edge. The snow has more friction than the layer of liquid water.
This is a terrible idea, if they did manage to pull of building it (a feat in itself) the only place it might work would be on glare ice and they would probably ride like ice skates.
It looks like the creation of a weekend warrior, go post it on TGR or something.
kylemcleanYou have less friction on the base than your edge because while you are on your base the snow under you is actually melting due to the wax and you are riding on a thin layer of water (which is also why a longer downhill ski is faster than a shorter slalom ski) while it is mostly snow not water under your edge. The snow has more friction than the layer of liquid water.
But the pressure per area is larger on an edge, so the conversion to the liquid phase occurs more easily as more frictional energy is available to add kinetic energy to the system....I'm not arguing with you, I am just trying to understand.
I was unaware that a slalom ski is slower than a downhill ski. I assumed it was because none of us like going too fast on those tiny razors. ;P hahaha
kylemcleanYou have less friction on the base than your edge because while you are on your base the snow under you is actually melting due to the wax and you are riding on a thin layer of water (which is also why a longer downhill ski is faster than a shorter slalom ski) while it is mostly snow not water under your edge. The snow has more friction than the layer of liquid water.
But the pressure per area is larger on an edge, so the conversion to the liquid phase occurs more easily as more frictional energy is available to add kinetic energy to the system....I'm not arguing with you, I am just trying to understand.
I was unaware that a slalom ski is slower than a downhill ski. I assumed it was because none of us like going too fast on those tiny razors. ;P hahaha
robotdnaBut the pressure per area is larger on an edge, so the conversion to the liquid phase occurs more easily as more frictional energy is available to add kinetic energy to the system....I'm not arguing with you, I am just trying to understand.
I was unaware that a slalom ski is slower than a downhill ski. I assumed it was because none of us like going too fast on those tiny razors. ;P hahaha
Also if a ski was not to have any core/base/fiberglass/core metals it wouldn't be as stiff. If its not stiff then the ski will bend easily on the turns creating less power, with a stiff ski when the ski bends as a skier carves a turn the ski releases power from the pressure. This release of pressure is why it is sometimes faster to turn then to go straight.
robotdnaSee, everyone keeps telling me that but I don't believe it. Does someone have numbers for the coefficients of friction? I think it's because velocity is not conserved in a turn, but it is while one is moving straight.
It's not about friction coefficients. It's about suction and water management.
When your actual ski base glides over the snow, it literally melts the snow. You need a material that has been treated with a hydrophobic wax to repel water and that material needs to have a certain pattern ground into it in order to break up the suction that occurs between a flat base and the water that sticks to it. Imagine two wet panes of glass pressed together and you try to pull them apart- it's very similar to that.
Head makes/made a ski for skiing on dry slopes (material similar to astroturf) with a full metal base in order to be more durable. But, it got so fucking hot that it could not be handled. If your snow ski had a full metal base, not only would it be mega heavy, it would also be heating up while gliding over the snow and producing more water than before thus creating more suction.
The amount of R&D in ski racing that is done to find faster materials bypassed metal ages ago. And the only numbers I currently have are race results. Racers who stay on their bases are far faster than racers who put the ski on edge.
onenerdykidIt's not about friction coefficients. It's about suction and water management.
When your actual ski base glides over the snow, it literally melts the snow. You need a material that has been treated with a hydrophobic wax to repel water and that material needs to have a certain pattern ground into it in order to break up the suction that occurs between a flat base and the water that sticks to it. Imagine two wet panes of glass pressed together and you try to pull them apart- it's very similar to that.
Head makes/made a ski for skiing on dry slopes (material similar to astroturf) with a full metal base in order to be more durable. But, it got so fucking hot that it could not be handled. If your snow ski had a full metal base, not only would it be mega heavy, it would also be heating up while gliding over the snow and producing more water than before thus creating more suction.
The amount of R&D in ski racing that is done to find faster materials bypassed metal ages ago. And the only numbers I currently have are race results. Racers who stay on their bases are far faster than racers who put the ski on edge.