SofaKingSickCan anyone explain "bi-radius sidecut" to me? i've had a little interest in a couple ON3P skis lately but after trying and hating a few modern skis with less traditional sidecuts, i'm a little gun-shy.
what is bi-radius sidecut and how does it make the ski behave? i straight up hate 5 point skis and don't really even like taper that much
thanks all
Which "modern skis with less traditional sidecuts" are you referring to? Cause, from my understanding, the bi-radius design on most skis only applies to the area between the widest points at the tip and tail, not the tapered sections past those widest points. I.e., bi-radius is not the same as a "5-point" shape like a Soul 7, JJ, etc. The "5-point" design refers to the tapered shape at the ends, not the radius created by the sidecut of the ski.
I'll let the guys who really know what they're talking about break down the specifics since I'm sure I'd mess it up or miss something, but from my experience, I've never noticed any weird feeling in dual-radius skis like the Moment Commanders, ON3P Woodsman 108, or Faction Dictators (or "triple-radius" skis like the Volkl Mantra 102).
To me, they all just felt pretty normal with nothing weird going on in terms of carving, slarving, or general performance on edge. And of course, the radius is only one part of the equation, and since I didn't notice anything weird going on with the radius, things like weight, flex pattern, rocker profile, mount point, and shape stood out more to me on those skis.
*edit: see Fauna's explanation
**This post was edited on Feb 25th 2020 at 11:53:54am