How to crack a board and buy a new one - couple questions...

Post by **#hash** » Tuesday 11 January 2005, 16:34

...sorry if some questions are too much "newbie" for you... :)

I have been riding my board for 4 seasons before I broke it today, when I pushed it little bit hardly to do a quick turn in a heavy snow.

Here are some photos :
http://carv.hash.cz/board.jpg - front look (96kB)
http://carv.hash.cz/edge_look.jpg - (54k)
http://carv.hash.cz/with_binding_1.jpg - (118k - photoshop doesn't like carbon texture of my board :)
http://carv.hash.cz/under_binding_1.jpg - (144k)
http://carv.hash.cz/under_binding_2.jpg - (166k)
http://carv.hash.cz/base.jpg - nothing to see (36k)

http://www.hash.cz/prkno_1.jpg - my board before

I´m thinking about :
a) How could it happen? (fatigue of material, character of the board, defect in manufacture)
b) Why did it happen? (Do I ride the board too "soft" for my weigt? or it was just end of lifespan of the board?, ...)

I´m 174 cm tall, my weight is 79 kg and my board is 163 cm long.
It is the a one of the first chocs (www.choc-snowboards.cz)

Earlier on, the carbon made very small cracks - it happened to some other people too...but the snowboard manufacter disallowed the claim, because “such things will happen...”

c) If I could do a curve with a radius of 6 metres and smaller with my board, it does mean that board was too soft (worn out) ? :)

d) Does it have anything to do with the fact, that the board didn’t keep its edge on ice well?

e) If it was the defect of the board, would you buy the board from the same producer?

f) Is there any universal formula to calculate what the correct length of the boar should be used for users of different heights?

I would like to buy a new one, but I live in the Czech republic (I am drooling over pictures in the topic “Guess! Where is this spot at?” :))), where is it little bit difficult - I would like to ask you, skilled riders, If you were me and have 300 EUR, 7 years experience on carving board, narrow, jammed and slow slopes and need to buy a board by the end of January (I'm working as a snb instructor at a few ski courses), which one would you buy or what yould you do ?
Some cheap brand and hope to get a good one ?
Choc again ?
Try to search in second-hands in Austria and Deutschland ?

I will be glad for every opinion...

--
P.S.:
I am trying to skim through Carver’s Almanac (http://www.alpinecarving.com/) and Scott Firestone wrote there:

"three boards stand out:
Donek GS, Coiler PureRace, Prior WCR"

these are definitely out of my financial possibilities, but...has anyone of you ridden on one of these? Is it really that great ? :)

Of course, I would like to buy the SWOARD (...in the nights I am dreaming about extremedreamer movie...his track is so...elegant...graceful...smart... :), but I am studying at college and I don’t have enough money (even my parents :) to pay such a high price for this excellent board. :(

Thank you for every opinion...and sorry for my not so well english...

Post by **fluke** » Tuesday 11 January 2005, 18:20

#hash,

300 Euros should definitely buy you a decent carving board -- maybe no new one but some good used one. Can you read German? If so, why not trying your luck on eBay? Check this Pogo out, for instance:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 96354&rd=1
(no, it's not my board, and I don't get commission.)

Good luck!

fluke

Post by **Felix** » Tuesday 11 January 2005, 21:01

check ebay for burton boards

just a week ago an unused burton custom board made for Sigi Grabner changed hands. And that for only 200 Euros. unbelievable.
just try to get a Raceboard which says that it is new or not ridden very often.
Burton and some small manufacterers go cheap on ebay. Only F2 and Hot seem to be sold overprized.

Wish you luck

Post by **pokkis** » Tuesday 11 January 2005, 21:15

But be aware that selecting Burton board, you will be stuck with that stupid 3D insert system too, and ammount of suitable bindings are more limited.
My advice is for F2, one can not make bad choice economically with that or take another Choc, but this time newer one. My friends here have several of those and they are very pleased to price and quality of those as my to our 2 Trans, which are made in same place but as different brand.
And if you live close of factory of any of their shops, you could bring that board to them and ask how they see situation. They might want to give perhaps good deal of new one, how knows ?
I would not dump brand just if one board fails like that. I dont know how it broke and how much it was used but i've seen many pics of broken boards of different brands.
And remeber carbon is very fragile material, fibers could break from sudden hit and everything looks still ok and when there is force again everything just breaks.
I remeber many years ago whe first mast from carbon came to windsurfing, you could ride in very nice weather and then suddenly mast just broke but in real life it was broken much earlier and just epoxy was keeping it as one piece, oh those were the good old days

Post by **Braun** » Wednesday 12 January 2005, 6:27

Hmm, choose Choc again. Why ? Take look at http://snb.bazar.krej.cz/
someone offers there NEW(!) Choc Alpine boards for 100Euros/item,
offer is dated 9.1.2005

Post by **#hash** » Wednesday 12 January 2005, 11:00

that is exactly what I had been loking for and didn't found.

thx !

Post by **McFussel** » Wednesday 12 January 2005, 11:20

Hi there....

saw my poll about destroying a board???

"Some" people thougt I was writing or asking just because of one particular brand, but my question was more comon.

When I see the pictures, these are my thougts:

1) this is the normal place, where the boards crack
2) after 4 years riding (how often did you ride it), this is possible
3) my feeling: CARBON!!!!
4) I would buy board of same brand again - if you liked tha board!

Sorry for you......but now you have a trophy to hang up in your rooms

..... Shit happens sometimes!!!

Good luck

Post by **#hash** » Wednesday 12 January 2005, 20:09

McFussel wrote:Hi there....
saw my poll about destroying a board???

yup :)

McFussel wrote:1) this is the normal place, where the boards crack

is it possible to "avoid" it by using non-step-in binding ?

McFussel wrote:2) after 4 years riding (how often did you ride it), this is possible

every weekend...I love it

McFussel wrote:3) my feeling: CARBON!!!!

good or bad ?

McFussel wrote:4) I would buy board of same brand again - if you liked tha board!

I will buy a race special from Choc on non-carbon base...

McFussel wrote:Sorry for you......but now you have a trophy to hang up in your rooms ;-) .... Shit happens sometimes!!!

I will make a holder on wall :)