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The Sexy Shape of a SnowboardJakob Jelling Everyone knows that an hourglass figure turns heads. Not as many people know that the same figure is also behind the design of modern snowboards. While the hourglass figure on a snowboard doesnt turn heads as fast as a womens figure does it does help you to turn faster than any head can. The degree of side cut on a snowboard does effect its performance on the hill. The side cut radius is the size of the circle that is cut out of your snowboard. To put this into perspective, most skateboarding ramps have a radius of 9 and professional ramps as seen on TV will have a radius of 11. As you can imagine, there is a definite curvature to the snowboard but it is subtle enough that it isnt always easy to spot. When a person first thinks about the side cut they may feel that it is a ploy by manufacturers to reduce the materials and thus cost of producing the snowboards. This can not be further from the truth. To understand side cuts you must think of why the map of the world has slices in it. A flat object can not proportionally represent a round object. For this reason a snowboard with a curve, or side cut, can turn faster and more aggressively than a snowboard that is straight along its length. The reason that this is true is due to the way that the snowboard tries to bend and comfort to the surface that it is on when riding. When you turn your snowboard your weight and twisting causes the snowboard to flex and bend. The key to turning is to have the effective edge bite into the surface that you are riding on while being flexible enough to twist so that you can control the movement. A long straight line does not like to deviate from its basic shape but a curved line will meld with the hill and still have enough flexibility to bite into the surface as needed. When it comes time to purchase your snowboard you must think of its use and how it will react to the environment that it is exposed to. Proof of this fact comes when we think of surface area on a snowboard. A small side-cut radius means that more of the material has been cut out of the center of the snowboard. A large side-cut means that the cut is shallower thus leaving more surface area. So what difference does side cut make to the rider Simple, more surface area means more pressure is spread out over a larger area, which leads to more potential energy and thus greater speed due to reduced friction. Basically if you want to go fast, and reduce your maneuverability, than you want a large side-cut in your snowboard. However, if you seek more control and sharper turning than you want a small side-cut in your snowboard. To many people snowboarding seems like an easy and simple past time that can be mastered in a very short amount of time. While it is true that snowboarding can be learnt in fairly short order there are many fine details that a snowboarder must pay attention to in order to achieve their peak performance. As you can tell from this even the seemingly minutest details can have a big difference.
| RELATED ARTICLES Sport View for October For those of you keeping score at home, my preseason picks for the World Series were in fact Anaheim over Houston. Up until a week ago it wasn’t looking the least bit likely, now it’s at least possible I will admit maybe not probable. But I do still like Anaheim to come out of the American League, I like their lineup 1 through 9, they have the best bench in the post season the only good thing to come from all their injuries this year was it got time for a lot of different players to get looks. There are concerns about their rotation, but then again in this post season whose rotation doesn’t have questions. The Red Sox in the first round is probably the worst matchup for the Angels, but I’ll take Anaheim in 5. As for the other AL matchup, as much as we all love to pull for the underdog, and as much as the Yankees have shown their vincability this season, you still have to take the Yankees in 4 Johan Santana alone is worth 1 win for the twins. I then will take the Angels over the Yankees in 6 games. In the National League the series between the Astros and Braves should be interesting. Atlanta has been pretty overlooked all season the one year they aren’t expected to make noise in the post season they are liable to make their best run. The Astros come in the series as the hottest team in baseball, and have a good balance between their offense led by the killer B’s now led by the underrated Carlos Beltran and their rotation led by Clemens and Oswalt. Their biggest concern is clearly their bullpen. In what could be the closest of the 4 opening series look for the Astros to finally beat the Braves in a playoff series.in 5 games. The St. Louis Cardinals were the best team in baseball all season; the heart of their lineup Edmonds, Pujols, Rolen, and the addition of Walker is as good if not better than anyone’s. The Dodgers had an incredible turnaround this season, taking what was the leagues worst offense last year, and turning into a productive unit. Unfortunately it isn’t going to be enough to get them past the Cardinals St. Louis in 4. The NL championship will be a matchup of NL central rivals St. Louis and Houston. Houston coming off a recent sweep of the Cardinals just to get in the playoffs, could indicate they have their number, but the more likely scenario has the Cardinals avenging that sweep, and taking the series in 6 games. However if the Astros can force a game 7 do not bet against Roger Clemens. In the World Series look for Bartolo Colon to shake of a bad season, and cap of the postseason by dominating the Cardinals mighty lineup, and the Angels take the series in 7 games. A Different Kind Of Catch Brought to you by www.discovereronline.com - Educational Research Marine Biology Keys to Responsible Recreation in the BackCountry Having a good time is pretty high on everyone’s to do list, especially when surrounded by awesome views and super-awesome friends. We hike, bike, climb, camp, raft, fish, hunt, four-wheel, sleep and eat – among other things – in the backcountry. If not done properly, that’s a lot of wear and tear on our natural resources. Responsible recreation ensures future outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as you have. Without a recreation code of ethics, our backcountry would become a thing of the past. Here are some universally agreed upon keys for having a good time – the right way. One for Ten Cabin Fever in Haines Alaska Mountains, massive piles of rock and earth shaped by glaciers, erosion, and weather; can conjure feelings of awe, enlightenment and fear in people. For millions of years weather systems have shed soft crystals of snow on these massive peaks, and now we stand as mere specs in the history of these giants, aloft on their high ridgelines. As we descend a sensation secretes from our brains pulsing throughout our bodies as adrenaline, sculpting our passion to return to the top of these towering peaks over and over again. Guide To Be A Successful Soccerpunter Why becomes a soccer bettor one may ask Where it is considered a negative occupation where it is often regarded as non productive, immoral behaviour. Well as for every other thing everything there is the pros n cons. If you able to use it to your advantage it could be becomes your full-time occupation or a second income. Morever, soccer betting is a big thriving business where it is prevalent throughout the worldBy the use of statistics, experience and practice, an astute gambler can consistently beat the posted odds . However to do so one must behave in a manner consistent with success. One thing a successful bettor must do is to continually learn. History of the Adirondack Chair Thomas Lee designed the first Adirondack Chair in 1903. He was on vacation in Westport, NY and he needed outdoor chairs for his summer home. He tested the first designs on his family. Geocaching: A Great Way To Get Outdoors If you’re tired of hiking the same trail or picnicking at the same park, then Geocaching may be exactly what you’re looking for. Geocaching, pronounced gee-o-cashing, is the high tech version of a treasure hunt. Armed with nothing but a handheld GPS unit and a thirst for excitement, you’re off for new adventures and the likelihood of finding a hidden cache. Who Invented The Game Of Golf Well, who actually did invent the game of Golf The question has been asked and argued for many years with no true winner. Many countries have a valid claim to an early game that resembles the game of golf. Some of the countries that make this claim are England. Scotland, China, Rome, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Laos. The most heated debate over who invented golf definitely comes from Great Britain and Scotland. US Women Soccer Superstars - Victims of Their Own Success With the imminent retirement of long-time veterans Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Joy Fawcett from the U.S. Womens National Soccer Team, I often find myself thinking how fortunate my family has been to witness their heroics on the field and their positive influence off of it. Make Your Sports Viewing More Fun and Interesting! Many years ago when I started betting on sports, I never imagined that ten years on I would be betting and trading for a living. Confidence in Fly Fishing For those of you who, like me, have memories of fishing that pre-date memories of school, think back to as many fishing partners and trips as you can.Even those people you only went fishing with once.Then try to recall times where the success or failure of a fly fisherman seemed to lie strictly on the fly fisherman’s confidence.If you think about it in these terms, I bet you can remember numerous times, when an angler’s, confidence or lack thereof, either doomed them or buoyed then until they started catching fish. Mission Impossible - Construction of a Backcountry Ski Lodge How can a 9200sq.ft. ski lodge be built in just six months when it took over three months to finish your downstairs bathroom Now, place the project at the 5250 ft elevation in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, 90 km from the nearest paved road, and it’s easy to think, “Mission Impossible” The Base Hit Sometimes there is that rare moment that causes one to reflect on those matters that are deemed important and deflect those that are not.It is a very humbling experience but a nice feeling nevertheless.I had one of those moments. Carlos Zambrano: Over-Shadowed by Greatness With Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Greg Maddux and Matt Clement on his staff, Carlos Zambrano has been over-shadowed by other household name pitchers. After todays May 13th start, in which Zambrano pitched 8 innings giving up 0 ER and striking out 11 hitters, Carlos Zambrano is now 4-1. On May 7th, Zambrano pitched a 2-hitter against the Colorado Rockies and threw just 97 pitches in the shutout. In Zambranos last 3 starts 24 IP he hasnt given up an earned run. In 2 of his 3 starts during May, Zambrano has striken out more than 10 batters. Zambrano hasnt always been this good however. Horse Training Gets A New Face Lift From A 108 Year Old Horse Training Manual! If you have a passion to learn all you can about horse training, then you will want to know about a 108 year old horse training manual recently revived from a dusty old book shelf of a used book store. Get your Band out of the Garage and Into a Gig. "Press Kit and Demo" So you have your garage band and don’t know the next step to start performing for an audience.Maybe you are the parent or friend of a band member and feel the band is ready to play some shows.You may just be sick of all the noise coming from the basement where your son or daughters band practices.Well, its not easy to get out of the starting blocks, but with a little hard work, your band can get moving. When your band finally has some songs together and are playing well, now its time to take the next step. Get the band out of the garage and in to a gig.Of course your band won’t make much money at first, but with a well rehearsed act and some leg work your project can get off the ground running.In the following article I will explain a few tips your band or band manager may need to get your band some gigs or shows. Making Music As A Lefty Author Interview with Ryan Thomson, seacoast New Hampshire resident, and author of a new book advocating left handed violin playing by lefties. - Playing Violin and Fiddle Left Handed. Camping in Lead King Basin The first Summer that I lived in Colorado provided me with an opportunity to spend six weeks camping in the western Rocky Mountains, during June and July.In preparation for a summer in the outdoors, I acquired an eleven-year-old1985 Dodge Ramcharger, a model famous for its 4x4 capability and ruggedness.Just the thing for negotiating the wilds of the West Elk Mountains.I cruised south from Glenwood Springs, turned short of the road to Aspen, and passed the beehive coke ovens of Redstone to the town of Marble.In some ways, Marble is a modern ghost town, with dirt roads and weather-beaten cabins, but as it hosts a Post Office and fire department, it retains its "living" status.True to its name, the local quarries provided some of the highest quality stone for monuments in Washington. Top 5 Baseball Speedsters 5. Joey Gathright- Tampa Bay Devil RayOF, Minors WVU Mens Basketball Season Preview There is positive talk of post-season tournaments for West Virginia University. |
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