Turning Radius Question?

I've got some Salomon Streetracer 10's which have a 12.2m radius? How is this radius measured? What I mean is, is it just a case that at a given edge angle and a given pressure the turning radius is measured? Also, would you need to be tanking it to bend them enough to produce the stated turning radius or should it be fairly easy?

I'm sure the answers to these questions will have no effect on my skill level but it will help when next bragging about each others skis down the pub :?

My understanding is that if you have 12.2 turning radius skis that if you were to carve a full circle with those skis the radius of the circle would be 12.2

when you chose skis you look at the turning radius as a speed indicator longer Radius longer turn faster carve

shorter radius shorter turn slower carve.

hope this helps

cheers

Max

The sidecut radius of skis and boards is given as the radius of a circle the sidecut would match when flat on the floor. However, most sidecuts are compound. That is, the radius would vary along the lengthof the edge. This makes the ski or board directional and explains why it is harder to ride a snowboard fakie (backwards).

Weight, speed and the pressure you apply, will determine how a given ski will flex. This combined with how much the ski is inclined will determine the final radius of the carved turn. I changed my avatar to illustrate this. The board has a 15m radius and you mat be able to see the track in the snow is about a 5m radius.

What's all that mean ?. 12 m is a great radius for medium speed carving. The reference to "the pressure you apply' above is really where the difference between skis comes in to play. Expert skis tend to be stiffer. Better ski design has allowed skis to be made with a softer flex while still retaining performance. This softer flex has allowed anyone with some basic skills (like me) to carve turns.

The streetracers should be great carving skis (it's what they're designed for). Unless you are very light weight, you should have no problem flexing them at low to medium speeds. The trick will be to pressure the tips and tighten the turns, but don't rush it. If yours have the adjustable bindings, make sure they are forward, in the carve position.

Trencher

How do I know if the bindings are adjustable (god I hate now knowing enough about something!)?

Would there be any downsides to moving the binding forward? I don't want to mess up the rest of my poor skill set too much.

Three key concepts which all skiers should understand.

Take first : Speed

Speed is only generated by the skier and slope. The skier develops speed by various techniques. The angle and length of ski run also generate speed.
The radius has nothing to do about speed generation.

PS. Yes, skiers that do downhill racing ( very very very fast) have larger radius type skis since they do not do tight turns on race course. Most downhill skis have radius of 27-30 meters

SuperG skis have radius of 21 meters

Slalom skis have radius of 13 meters

These are all World Cup skis. It should give you a reference.

I ski on Head World Cup SL with radius of 13 meters and can easily pass skiers with a ski having radius of 17 meters. I determine the ski speed not the ski via radius.

Here is a very simple way to show radius.
Take any ski. Place it on edge on a hard surface and pressure it until the complete edge touches this surface. Project this arc in your mind and you will have a giant circle. The radius of this giant circle is the SKI'S RADIUS.


Flex is the way the ski "bends" up or down under pressure.

Very sorry Max, but you DO NOT use radius of ski as speed indicator.

Also read in some message that Slalom skis are stiff. Wrong. Modern slalom ski are "soft" compared to GS or SuperG skis.

Again speed is generated by the skier and slope NOT ski!

An interesting question was asked about putting ski on edge.

The ease or force which you must use to really place on ski edge to get full or perfect radius in not related to ski radius but rather to ski flex. That is how the ski goes up or down !

Generally SL skis have softer flex in front and stiffer tail.

Women's skis have the very softest flex.

All bindings are adjustable!