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October, 2024

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Are rails better on a warm or cold day?

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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6985 - Karma: 61,024
I recently got some skis with a sharp factory tune and it’s been killing me. Really making me go crazy. Been sticking on rails a lot. Granted the rails at local park don’t seem that great (a bit rusty) but everyone else is sliding. This has led me to dive super deep into the sticky rail wormhole.

I’ve detuned my skis twice and they are still sticky. I think they finally chilled out after some skiing in ruka but damn they were driving me crazy.

I was thinking about it and I’ve done a lot of my rail skiing in North Carolina, California, and western Colorado. So pretty much always warmish weather. I’ve been reading how warm weather makes metal softer and edges less prone to cracks.

Is it possible I got used to rails feeling less abrasive/more smooth because I was used to riding them in warmer areas?
Jan 8 2021 7:04PM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11232 - Karma: 76,337
BradFiAusNzCoCaSecond update: it was the skis. I still don’t know what it was. The edges feel pretty damn round underfoot. Maybe I just didn’t prep them right in the beginning but it was a nightmare since day 1 with those skis. I ended up getting 2 edge cracks too so I sold them for cheap cheap to a friend who doesn’t hit rails.

I got some Chronics for cheap and asked the tech mounting to detune them. He didn’t do a heavy detune (in fact I thought it was too little). I skied them for about 3 days and then started hitting rails again. World of difference. This is how rails should feel.

I don’t know what was up with those Völkls but good riddance.


It's not always enough to "detune". You still might have edge high bases. One needs to bevel the base edges at say 1 degree and bring the bevel into the plastic about 2 mm.
Mar 11 2021 9:25PM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6985 - Karma: 61,024
I did that. IDk. Maybe I didn’t do it well enough
DominatorJacquesIt's not always enough to "detune". You still might have edge high bases. One needs to bevel the base edges at say 1 degree and bring the bevel into the plastic about 2 mm.
Mar 12 2021 3:50AM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11232 - Karma: 76,337
BradFiAusNzCoCaI did that. IDk. Maybe I didn’t do it well enough

There is no foolproof, but waxing the ski every few days is recommended. Scrape and brush like crazy!
Mar 12 2021 10:16AM
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STEEZUS_CHRI5T
Posts: 2928 - Karma: 22,277
Warmer weather leads to catching since the material softens up a bit. Colder the better

**This post was edited on Aug 25th 2021 at 9:44:11pm
Aug 25 2021 9:42PM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6985 - Karma: 61,024
Since I’ve done away with those Völkls, everything is back to normal with my rails. Skied quite a few cold af days on the Lines. No issue. Just a gummy stone and a file here and there to clean up the carnage. Otherwise, all good
STEEZUS_CHRI5TWarmer weather leads to catching since the material softens up a bit. Colder the better

**This post was edited on Aug 25th 2021 at 9:44:11pm
Aug 25 2021 10:13PM
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