When snowboarding, it is important that the legs and the board form a single whole, in this case the bindings act as a connecting link. They also allow you to make the control of the snowboard easy and painless. They are made of steel, aluminum, titanium, plastic and composite materials, due to which they remain very strong, but lightweight. While the most important function of bindings is not to let go of the foot at a crucial moment, they differ in how they work, riding styles and disciplines.
It is necessary
- - snowboard
- - fastenings
- - screws
Instructions
Step 1
Soft crepes (as pro-riders are called bindings) are used for free riding (freeride, freestyle, etc.). They appeared a long time ago and have practically not changed in recent years. All of them have an anatomical shape and look like two small platforms with rotary discs, which are screwed to the board with screws, under the right and left legs. All of them have highbacks that support the leg from the calf (often with an adjustable angle), ratchet straps, and suspender locks. All bindings are equipped with two straps, but soft crepes with an additional shin strap come across. In most cases, fasteners are made of plastic, although there are metal ones, however, they are now trying to move away from such models, since the metal bends and bites into the legs. In addition, fastenings are divided into "strap" and "anal", in the first case, the leg is placed on top of the platform and is fixed with straps, in the second - the boot enters the crepe at the back. As already mentioned, such mounts have restrictions on riding styles, they are suitable only for soft, non-aggressive riding. The disadvantages of such crepe can also be attributed to a large number of screws, which must be monitored so as not to unwind, a lot of plastic parts that can break with a strong blow and crack in the cold, as well as a long time for fastening. On the other hand, their advantages include a tight fit of the boot and a variety of settings that contribute to a more comfortable positioning of the boot inside the crepe, and, accordingly, more comfortable riding.
Step 2
Rigid bindings are designed for sports disciplines: slalom, downhill, carving. They are arranged simply: two platforms fastened together with metal arcs for fixing the boot, while the front arch has a lock, and the rear one does not. At the same time, the rider is shod in hard plastic boots that are rigidly fixed to the board. Dressing is also simple: the rider inserts the heel into the back arch and locks the toe of the boot. Stiff bindings have limitations on riding style and rider training. They are usually preferred by experienced riders with good technique, who like to develop high speed and cut corners. And this rather refers to the disadvantages, since a beginner snowboarder should not even try to stand on hard crepes.
The advantages include a rigid fixation of the leg, ease of fastening, as well as greater wear resistance. By the way, in Europe and the USA, the Step-in system mounts have gained great popularity, allowing you to fasten the board without bending over. Of course, this is convenient, especially when entering and leaving the lift, but in our country such crepes are not yet very common.
Step 3
However, choosing mounts is only half the battle. In order for the leg and boot to be correctly and comfortably fastened, it is necessary to correctly install the mount itself on the board. The rule is one - the higher the snowboarder, the further apart the bindings should be. However, if the rider likes an aggressive riding style (cut turns, high speed), the closer the platforms should be to each other. Fans of halfpipe and trampolines, on the contrary, put crepes at the maximum distance possible for their growth, as this contributes to a more stable landing. In general, the distances range from 40 to 70 centimeters, and how far you put the crepes depends only on you. For beginner riders, there is one simple way to calculate the distance between the bindings, for this you need to stand up straight and measure the distance from the floor to the middle of the knee joint. This height will be the optimal distance between the crepes.
Step 4
The inner mount disc is required to position the crepes at the correct angle. These angles depend on the riding style and personal liking of the rider. The most important rule is that the difference between the angles of the front and back legs should not exceed 12 degrees. For beginner snowboarders, small angles are most suitable - the hind leg is between 0 and 6 degrees, the front leg is between 9 and 18 degrees. Freeriders usually rotate their front leg 25-35 degrees. For fans of the pipe and trampolines, the front leg is turned at an angle of 9 degrees, and the back leg is at minus 6, slalomists and fans of aggressive skating turn their legs almost parallel to the board: the front leg is at an angle of 45-50 degrees, the back is 40-45, since a large angle makes it easier reversals.
