question on what causes the board to bend

[Viviane]

Jacques, Patrice or Nils,

Sam and I and probably other girls are asking ourselves what causes the board to bend in the curve.
Is it the flex, the power on the board, the radius, the steepness of the slope, the riding style or the combination of all?
Or could it be some hocus pocus in the way of riding, like Sam wondered?
Viviane

[nils]

physics of what happens really in a snowboard is very complex... but basically its the G-forces combined with how much the rider pushes the board away ( push sequence). The G force are a combination of steepness of slope, sleep, turn radius and energy put in the whole, and also, especially in EC, how much of it you distribute along the arc ( goal is to distribute it / balance it along the whole 180° of the arc ).

The shape of the board is made to grip almost at all cost on both ends ( especially on the extremecarver) and hence the pressure is mostly in the binding area. The tips grip and the sidecut of the board just allows this bend, carve etc... some boards are designed to be very bent ( case of the ECarver ) and some are designed to be tilted not so extremely ( race boards). You can test this ability when sitting on a steep slope and pressing the board... the bend can be pretty extreme without breaking !!!

Nils

[Viviane]

Ok Nils,
thanks you very much. Your explanation did make things very clear.
In practice:
When I got it wright I have to push starting from the moment I switch edges untill I am parallel to the slope again? Push nicely spread over the 180degr?
Things Jacques told us on Sundays lesson are revealing again now.
And the steeper the slope the more the board will bend?
So pictures made on a flatter slope want show a board bended heavily? This is not due to bad technique than?
Once more thank you,
Viviane.

[nils]

Since carving on flatter slopes EC turns will likely slow you down so much, you usually do them less extreme, and put less pressure, wider radius etc... means the board is less solicitated.
This winter i have done 360 turns in a pocket really... the circle is so tight it is around 5-6m diameter.. however it killed all speed... so yes, less steepness means less pressure, less bend !

Nils

[Viviane]

Thanks again Nils,
for now this wil do,
by,
Viviane

[harald]

Hi,
In my experience, the more you tilt the board vertically, the more it bends and the sharper the turn. Flat board, little bend and a wide turn, so it is not only the steepness of the slope but also how you use your legs to tilt the board.

[Viviane]

Thanks Harald,
Friday I am off training again. I think what you mean is to put your board 90degr or more on the slope ? Am I correct?
Viviane.

[RicHard]

Thanks Harald,
Friday I am off training again. I think what you mean is to put your board 90degr or more on the slope ? Am I correct?
Viviane.

More than 90°?

Put your boards in the sky!

[Viviane]

Hé Richard,
don't laugh, it is just to express that I have to tilt as much as possible!
Are you being childish or what?
I thought the forum is there to help people who are learning and have questions, not to make them look like a fool
But nevertheless, thank you for being so helpfull
Viviane

[skywalker]

Jacques, Patrice or Nils,

Sam and I and probably other girls are asking ourselves what causes the board to bend in the curve.

General and always true answer: A force perpendicular to the topsheet, space below the base (and something to fix nose and tail).

skywalker

P.S.:
The force can be centrifugal or gravity.
Nose and tail should be fixed by the edge in the snow.
space to bend is created by scr and "tilt" angle. Softer snow should make bending easier.
Edit: Space between bumps i.e. provides some space, too

[Viviane]

Hé Skywalker,
thanks for you adult reply. Here is something I can use...
Thanks again,
Viviane

[RicHard]

Hé Richard,
don't laugh, it is just to express that I have to tilt as much as possible!
Are you being childish or what?
I thought the forum is there to help people who are learning and have questions, not to make them look like a fool
But nevertheless, thank you for being so helpfull
Viviane

I don't understand your message (mainly, the lack of SMILING faces).
Have you ever heard about being "ironic"? Did you see MY smiling faces in MY message?
Have you got a bad day? Perhaps but... don't be angry with people that you can't blame for it.
There was no smiling face in you "90° or more" post, so I used an ironic way to tell you that you CAN'T put a board at more than 90° (except if you detach it from your feet!).

Regards,
Richard.

[RicHard]

space to bend is created by scr and "tilt" angle.

Tilt angle! Great. This is one of the most important way of bending the board.

[starikashka]

what is bending? ))) does this not allow to make laydown carves?

[harald]

Viviane,
You are correct. Almost vertical 90° and good grip = much bend and sharp turn. Skywalker has explained it very good. Then the radius of curve can be moderated by the degree of pressure on the edges but then we are talking about more advanced techniques.
starikashka
Yes, the bending of the board when it is put almost vertical to the snow is what makes a laid and carving turn possible.