the Nordic Ice Skating Thread

[jtb]

The 75mm binding on Zandstra's above looks like a good setup to me. I have a have a TTS-style binding on mine that I use with F3 or F1 boots. I got the 48mm blade but IMO it's a bit too long as I sometimes bump the blades during crossover turns. Nordic blades aren't really meant for sharp turns anyway, but I think I would like the 45cm blades better.

[mca80]

Fixed heel 75mm.

[turnfarmer]

Fixed heel 75mm.

Tell us more about binding please!

[mca80]

Fixed heel 75mm.

Tell us more about binding please!

Not sure, saw the pic on wikipedia and there wasn't any other info there. Seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to try and rig something like this diy.

[mca80]

Maybe folks with the various brands can measure their skates and provide effective edge and total length info along with make, model and stated size. And maybe blade height and width, so we could get a comprehensive chart going, would make purchase decisions a lot more informed.

Izvidda and Lundhags go from 40 to 55, Zandstra only goes up to 48 and as stated earlier they measure differently. Skyllermarks Blue come in 44 and 49 but used to be measured differently and were 46 and 51 previously. But what is being measured? To top it off, Lundhags T Skates lists 45cm as 17" and Zandstra NIS has 45cm as 18.5", the actual conversion is 45cm = 17.75".

Very disorganized.

[tkarhu]

Maximum lean angle will of course depend on blade height, and I measured it now on Lundhags T-Skate which is 40mm high to top of skate where binding is mounted: With Rottefella Super Telemark I got 43°, with Xplore 49° and with NNN (Atomic pro-link) I got 52°. I assume regular NNN-BC will be close to NNN and the magnum (which I would not choose on skates) closer to Xplore. What is sufficient depends on the skater.

Isvidda Flex has identical height to T-Skate, but many more holes for mounting bindings.

This is great info. Thanks.

Came to think, what do cables add to nordic skating? I think I have seen pins-only 75 mm bindings on club trips.

With soft flexors being recommended for Xplore and NNN-BC, wouldn't they give a pins-only feel?

Further, nordic skating is more like XC than downhill. With 75 mm boots, aren't pins-only more common than cables in XC?

@mca80 Skate boots are good, when you want to go as fast as possible. However, their problem is that soles may be slippery, when walking. And it gets often icy, where you walk, when skating. Some people who wear skate ski boots have had crampon-like solutions to fix this. They have put some heel pieces on for the approaches.

EDIT: I had fixed heel bindings on my first nordic skates. Fixed heels shortened my kick because a skating kick is a lateral, sideways movement of pushing. For that reason, the bindings slowed me down about 10-20 %. Like in XC touring, a good kick gives you a nice and long glide on nordic skates, with minimum energy. However, a main benefit of fixed-heel nordic skates is that you could skate with climbing boots, or any boots basically.

[mca80]

With soft flexors being recommended for Xplore and NNN-BC, wouldn't they give a pins-only feel?

I have only heard that stiff flexors are recommended with these.

[tkarhu]

I would not want a fixed heel on Nordic skates; then I would bring my hockey skates as they have a much smaller turn radius. So far Xplore with the normal flexor is what feels best and I do not think I want a stiffer flexor, but I have not tried the hard flexor yet, nor any NNN-BC boot/binding. Comfortable and warm enough are likely the main properties that matters on boots.

@mca80 I meant telerat’s above message. I skate with NNN-BC and red flexors, and have skated with black flexors, too, without issues.

I think your gear setup sounds good already. I would appreciate a liitle longer blades than my 43 cm Zandstra NIS’s for safety, when bumping into snow at speed.

[lilcliffy]

Fixed heel 75mm.

Curious- why would one want a fixed heel Nordic skate?

[lilcliffy]

I have the 55cm Isvidda Nordi skate - mounted to NNNBC-manual.