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May, 2025

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Putting skis on the rack bases up and topsheets down

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weastcoat
Posts: 6505 - Karma: 75,422
May look kinda kooky but I wonder if you did this over your life time, how much money in gas (or electricity) you would save.

I always think about how the normal base-to-base contact way to put your skis in the rack causes a lot of drag because the tips of your skis literally act like a parachute and catch air, especially if you have rockered skis in the rack. But if you put your skis in the rack upside down the air would glide over the bases and reduce drag significantly.

I also think This definitely affects those who travel at higher speeds (50-60mph +) to get to their hill, whether that be on a highway or a backroad you can scoot on.


just a weird thought for your Thursday evening.
4 years ago
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Christian_Bale
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 25,739
No disrespect but this kinda sounds like a Dolan thread. An interesting thought tho
4 years ago
55 5
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Biffbarf
Posts: 7452 - Karma: 79,895
You're probably right, but a rack can only hold like 2 pairs if they're both upside down. Also, another thing to consider is that the cross-section of the rack itself is likely the largest amount of drag. I like the low profile racks, but I also like my roofbox that holds a ton of shit and doesn't have an appreciable effect on my mpg. Skis don't get nasty that way either.
4 years ago
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weastcoat
Posts: 6505 - Karma: 75,422
Christian_BaleNo disrespect but this kinda sounds like a Dolan thread. An interesting thought tho


Oh it is 100%. I like the way that dude thinks about shit.
4 years ago
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TheMoostafian
Posts: 4504 - Karma: 9,443
Idk dude I just yeet my skis into the bed of my truck
4 years ago
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r00kie
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 59,602
Real question is tips up front or pointed to the back?
4 years ago
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skierman
Posts: 8604 - Karma: 9,550
I bet its not enough to make up for the $400 cost you sunk into that stupid fucking rack
4 years ago
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The.Fish
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 4,997
If you aren't unmounting your skis every trip to reduce drag from the bindings, you are wasting money on gas.
4 years ago
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guelah_papyrus
Posts: 122 - Karma: 841
Funny enough when I had a full size tire on top of a roof rack I only lost around 1-2mpg
4 years ago
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
I always put bases up if i have to separate the skis to put a snowboard up there too. Usually just keep the skis together if its just skiers that day and always tails forward.
r00kieReal question is tips up front or pointed to the back?


umm... tails forward and besides.. you should be using twin tips so that question is irrelevant.
4 years ago
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piss.boy
Posts: 1491 - Karma: 10,621
Lol build a spoiler out of skis
4 years ago
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bertBertson
Posts: 290 - Karma: 4,680
Drag is proportional to cross-sectional area (the shape you would see if you cut your car in half perpendicular to the road). So, while you're probably right about the upside-down skis having a little less drag, the effect would be pretty insignificant since the difference in area is negligible compared to the total area of your vehicle.
4 years ago
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switchlip2
Posts: 2142 - Karma: 25,179
The.FishIf you aren't unmounting your skis every trip to reduce drag from the bindings, you are wasting money on gas.


Facts
4 years ago
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The.Fish
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 4,997
bertBertsonDrag is proportional to cross-sectional area (the shape you would see if you cut your car in half perpendicular to the road). So, while you're probably right about the upside-down skis having a little less drag, the effect would be pretty insignificant since the difference in area is negligible compared to the total area of your vehicle.

That's assuming a constant drag coefficient. This new design would induce less turbulence, so the coefficient would decrease. That means you become another 0.1% or so more efficient pffff.

**This post was edited on Apr 30th 2021 at 11:24:49am
4 years ago
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TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12707 - Karma: 120,063
about as efficient as bitcoin mining with a texas instrument calculator
4 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
Piss_BoyLol build a spoiler out of skis


Lol when I was in high school someone did this, looked pretty cool honestly but they used 2x4s as the support struts so it also looked like shit
4 years ago
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Chunderface
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 10,047
You would save zero dollars. Same with putting skis in the rack tail forward.
4 years ago
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bertBertson
Posts: 290 - Karma: 4,680
The.FishThat's assuming a constant drag coefficient. This new design would induce less turbulence, so the coefficient would decrease. That means you become another 0.1% or so more efficient pffff.

**This post was edited on Apr 30th 2021 at 11:24:49am

You are, of course, correct, but reality is poison I choose to ignore it and think in simple mental models only
4 years ago
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Paul.
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 11,580
freeskibum82umm... tails forward and besides.. you should be using twin tips so that question is irrelevant.


skeirmanYou would save zero dollars. Same with putting skis in the rack tail forward.

The point of tails forward isnt to reduce drag. You do it so the grime from the road doesnt smear from your tips all the way down the ski once you are on snow
4 years ago
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Chunderface
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 10,047
Paul.The point of tails forward isnt to reduce drag. You do it so the grime from the road doesnt smear from your tips all the way down the ski once you are on snow


Sure I mean it depends who you ask but there are plenty of people out there doing it because they think its more aero.
4 years ago
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Simkiwinki
Posts: 281 - Karma: 1,865
weastcoastI also think This definitely affects those who travel at higher speeds (50-60mph +) to get to their hill, whether that be on a highway or a backroad you can scoot on.


hahahahahha greetings from Germany. you’d probably get pulled over if you were going that slow
4 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
guelah_papyrusFunny enough when I had a full size tire on top of a roof rack I only lost around 1-2mpg


This. Did the same thing and barely noticed a difference MPG wise.

Also racks are barbaric. Boxes are so much nicer for so many reasons.
4 years ago
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
skeirmanSure I mean it depends who you ask but there are plenty of people out there doing it because they think its more aero.


i guess im different then. i just always put it so the toe piece of the binding is as close to the rear tray as possible in the event it slides at all it hits the rack and stops moving. i mean, they shouldnt move but could. I also keep the skis together usually so the bases do not get road grime on them. properly waxed skis this really isnt an issue anyway but when getting home it's much easier to wipe down without road sludge on them

**This post was edited on Apr 30th 2021 at 2:58:31pm
4 years ago
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animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,429
For the record OP if it’s only me or me and a homie I put the skis bases up but not cuz of mileage or aerodynamics it’s more just the wind noise is RETARDED otherwise
4 years ago
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shin-bang
Posts: 4106 - Karma: 7,037
bases up = more aeordynamic but you get more salt and grime on your fully exposed bases. its a trade off.
4 years ago
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LokenLaps
Posts: 52 - Karma: 949
Wouldn’t matter on my car it’s already shaped like a brick
4 years ago
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dolanslebensraum
Posts: 5959 - Karma: -13,093
Christian_BaleNo disrespect but this kinda sounds like a Dolan thread. An interesting thought tho

My arrival to this thread was inevitable, whether i made it or just posted in it.



Op, i like your logic, and it makes sense that the skis bases up would contour better to the airflow as the air flows over the top of the windshield.

but i dont think its going to make too big of a difference or a noticeable mpg difference.

also you dont want to punish those beautiful bases by exposing them to the high altitude uv radiation from the sun. The bases are more important to protect than the topsheets.

unless your bases are extruded. Extruded bases can go fuck themselves.
4 years ago
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