OneLunG
Extreme
So today was my first real day of sledding ever...
My buddies took me to a place called Spaulding meadows - Its a huge expanse of meadows on top of a mountain, has many large hills in it and rolls and all of that good stuff....Said it would be a good place to learn because not much to hurt my machine or myself..
Let me tell you....I have the greatest respect for anyone that can powder ride well - I got my butt KICKED. I never realized it was so much work, and involved so much shifting of weight!
Biggest challenge I am having right now is carving. I'm no heavy guy...6' and around 145lbs and trying to throw the weight around is kinda hard...Any pointers for carving?
Powder was nice though - Lots of untouched fluff - next time I go out I'll get pictures!
My buddies took me to a place called Spaulding meadows - Its a huge expanse of meadows on top of a mountain, has many large hills in it and rolls and all of that good stuff....Said it would be a good place to learn because not much to hurt my machine or myself..
Let me tell you....I have the greatest respect for anyone that can powder ride well - I got my butt KICKED. I never realized it was so much work, and involved so much shifting of weight!
Biggest challenge I am having right now is carving. I'm no heavy guy...6' and around 145lbs and trying to throw the weight around is kinda hard...Any pointers for carving?
Powder was nice though - Lots of untouched fluff - next time I go out I'll get pictures!
skoalring11
Pro
don't let off once your sled is on top off the snow. As soon as your track slows down your going to sink and get stuck. As long as you keep your track from going under the rest will become easier IMO
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
OneLunG, first welcome to the site. Pretty cool that your first day ever riding is also the day of your first post on this site.
Do you ride an Apex or the RS/RX model? I can move your post into the appropriate mountain forum where there are a host of great guys that can give you some expert advice.
OneLunG
Extreme
Riding a vector mountain - I can ride on top of the powder fine - Its just carving - I seem to get flung off a lot 
I think my problem is I'm not counter-steering enough..
I think my problem is I'm not counter-steering enough..SoCoRX1
TY 4 Stroke Guru
skoalring11 said:
Looks like you have a short track. This is not a problem, especially on the sled he has. The 162x16 mav stays on top very well.
Carving tips - turn the skis in the opposite direction you want to carve. want to carve left, turn the skis right. all the way to the right. pull the bars to the left and it will roll right over for you.
OneLunG
Extreme
I got a few decent carves in - But mostly I was either not getting it over enough or I was getting it over too much, or getting flung off
Just takes some getting used to - I dont think it was the most ideal conditions for carving either...3-4" fluff with a pretty solid layer under that...None the less....fun....and a learning filled day - Its just great to have a group of guys to ride with to help me out and give me points - On the bright side - I only trenched it once!
Just takes some getting used to - I dont think it was the most ideal conditions for carving either...3-4" fluff with a pretty solid layer under that...None the less....fun....and a learning filled day - Its just great to have a group of guys to ride with to help me out and give me points - On the bright side - I only trenched it once!
It takes practice in powder riding.Not many people pick up on it right right away.
Frostbite
TY 4 Stroke God
Welcome.
If you haven't tried it yet, and you run in deep powder and not trails the majority of the time. Remove your sway bar.
There are two dog bone links just inboard of each ski. Remove the bolts and slide the sway bar out one side or the other. Now your sled won't be fighting you as you lean over in the powder. The sway bar is always trying to keep the ski you're lifting on the ground.
Move your skis to the narrow position. Put the spacers on the outside of the spindle and you'll narrow you ski stance enough to notice the difference. I assume you have Apex mountain skis?
Stand up. I can't say this enough. If you're on the seat it's just not going to work. I tend to kneel from one knee to the other on the seat a lot. I stand up when needed and rest on one knee.
Make sure your handle bars as high as possible. The higher they are the better leverage you have for rolling the sled side to side.
The throttle is your friend! Use it! You'll feel the sled get up on plane just like a boat on a lake. Until you're there, keep that throttle pinned and let off as you get up on plane just like a boat.
Look far enough ahead so you can see what side of the seat you'll need to be on for the next 50 yards to 100 yards. Alot of guys I know look to close to the front of their sleds and they aren't where they need to be when they come to that off camber hill.
Forward momentum is the key. Either you have it, or you don't. If you do, keep it. If you don't, get it.
If you're spinning the track and not moving let up on the throttle!!! Deep trenched are tougher to get out of than shallow ones.
When stuck and digging out. Find a friend (or two) and pull in the same direction at the very same time. I always go 1-2-3 and on three we all throw our weight in the direction we want to move the sled. Throwing your weight into it and moving as one are the key.
Bring a shovel! Sometimes it will save you hours of work. You'll need a saw too and make sure you cut that tree off as far down in the snow as possible. You don't want to screw up your track trying power over it.
If in a pinch, you can just roll your sled over on it's top real quickly (being careful to gently lay down the windshield over the instrument pod) and it will put you track in fresh snow lickety split. It's a great trick that has a place occassionaly.
It's easier to drag the heavy front end (typically pointed up hill) around and aim it down hill than to lif the back end out of the snow after a trench has been made. Stomp down the snow on the side of the sled you intend to go and drag the front end around.
Put on a 16" wide track. I'm still floored on how much difference in floatation it makes on these rather portly mountain sleds.
Make sure your clutches engage on the lower end of the spectrum. Use a low preload spring with a high total force so you can pull more clutch weight on the big end. You don't want to dig a hole everytime your primary clutch engages.
Lighten your weights on the tips so you can pull as close to 8,500 as possible (10,250 to 10,500 on a RX-1) while climbing a hill. The extra RPM really make huge difference on how these sleds climb.
Ok, I'll quit for now but here's a rider's clinic in a post
Best of luck.
Frosty
If you haven't tried it yet, and you run in deep powder and not trails the majority of the time. Remove your sway bar.
There are two dog bone links just inboard of each ski. Remove the bolts and slide the sway bar out one side or the other. Now your sled won't be fighting you as you lean over in the powder. The sway bar is always trying to keep the ski you're lifting on the ground.
Move your skis to the narrow position. Put the spacers on the outside of the spindle and you'll narrow you ski stance enough to notice the difference. I assume you have Apex mountain skis?
Stand up. I can't say this enough. If you're on the seat it's just not going to work. I tend to kneel from one knee to the other on the seat a lot. I stand up when needed and rest on one knee.
Make sure your handle bars as high as possible. The higher they are the better leverage you have for rolling the sled side to side.
The throttle is your friend! Use it! You'll feel the sled get up on plane just like a boat on a lake. Until you're there, keep that throttle pinned and let off as you get up on plane just like a boat.
Look far enough ahead so you can see what side of the seat you'll need to be on for the next 50 yards to 100 yards. Alot of guys I know look to close to the front of their sleds and they aren't where they need to be when they come to that off camber hill.
Forward momentum is the key. Either you have it, or you don't. If you do, keep it. If you don't, get it.
If you're spinning the track and not moving let up on the throttle!!! Deep trenched are tougher to get out of than shallow ones.
When stuck and digging out. Find a friend (or two) and pull in the same direction at the very same time. I always go 1-2-3 and on three we all throw our weight in the direction we want to move the sled. Throwing your weight into it and moving as one are the key.
Bring a shovel! Sometimes it will save you hours of work. You'll need a saw too and make sure you cut that tree off as far down in the snow as possible. You don't want to screw up your track trying power over it.
If in a pinch, you can just roll your sled over on it's top real quickly (being careful to gently lay down the windshield over the instrument pod) and it will put you track in fresh snow lickety split. It's a great trick that has a place occassionaly.
It's easier to drag the heavy front end (typically pointed up hill) around and aim it down hill than to lif the back end out of the snow after a trench has been made. Stomp down the snow on the side of the sled you intend to go and drag the front end around.
Put on a 16" wide track. I'm still floored on how much difference in floatation it makes on these rather portly mountain sleds.
Make sure your clutches engage on the lower end of the spectrum. Use a low preload spring with a high total force so you can pull more clutch weight on the big end. You don't want to dig a hole everytime your primary clutch engages.
Lighten your weights on the tips so you can pull as close to 8,500 as possible (10,250 to 10,500 on a RX-1) while climbing a hill. The extra RPM really make huge difference on how these sleds climb.
Ok, I'll quit for now but here's a rider's clinic in a post
Best of luck.
Frosty
SoCoRX1
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Frostbite said:
Its got a 162x16 Maverick from the Factory
Frostbite
TY 4 Stroke God
Don't be so sure sunshine.
If it's a Vector Mountain it's a 151" track.
If it's a Vector Mountain SE, yup then he'll have a 162".
I just see he has a Vector Mountain so I assumed a 151 x 15" track.
I really do hope he has the SE. Then he's one step ahead of the deep powder game.
Frosty
If it's a Vector Mountain it's a 151" track.
If it's a Vector Mountain SE, yup then he'll have a 162".
I just see he has a Vector Mountain so I assumed a 151 x 15" track.
I really do hope he has the SE. Then he's one step ahead of the deep powder game.
Frosty
SoCoRX1
TY 4 Stroke Guru
His Signature says RS Vector Mountain SE
sledskiing
Expert
I have not removed my sway bar.
Counter turn your skis as SoCORX1 said to stay balanced
I do not stay hard on the throttle
Here is a video of me and my buddy doing a lot of powder turns. Mine is heavily modded his is stock.
Silver = Modded
Red = Stock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ftiQZoHYw
Counter turn your skis as SoCORX1 said to stay balanced
I do not stay hard on the throttle
Here is a video of me and my buddy doing a lot of powder turns. Mine is heavily modded his is stock.
Silver = Modded
Red = Stock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ftiQZoHYw
OneLunG
Extreme
I do have the SE with the 162x16 maverick track - love it floats way better than my buddies RX1 with the 151.
What is a good setting for the front shocks? Everyone is saying my looks like they are really preloaded...
What is a good setting for the front shocks? Everyone is saying my looks like they are really preloaded...
OneLunG
Extreme
lol watching that video makes me sick - Wish I knew how to turn like that
Couple of things . First off how deep was the snow cause it is much easier to carve in 24" of snow than in 12" of snow because you tend to hit stuff under the shallower snow packs which will buck you off. Secondly you don't probably know it yet but you'll be modding that sled. Rider forward steering makes these sleds much easier to carve.
Rx1M5
Rx1M5
