I realize the 14-15 Sparks have already made the show circuit with no changes to the lean adjuster, but I’d sure like something with a little less fiddle factor. Set it once, turn once to tour, turn once to ride. I ‘m begging, is it too much to ask? :bow:
Shark Snowsurf Chuna Voile V-Tail 170 BC Voile One Ninety Five Spark R&D Arc
What happened to “The Cube” idea a few years back? Something like this. . . Off center mounted rectangle which give easy adjustment to four different highback angles.
The only problem with the cube was the adjustment is quite “coarse”. I’d take course over fiddling around with my adjusters in 40mph winds with spindrift blinding me though…..
Bring back the cube!!!!! Maybe add a fifth side for those wanting finer increments? After using the cube the current system is just too fiddly for impatient curmudgeons like me. It’s my only gripe about my Burners :twocents:
Has anyone heard of any forthcoming changes or options from Spark on the lean adjuster, or come up with an alternate option?
This and the heel lock-down were the two things I felt I had to compromise on in going with new AfterBurners last year. With the add-on heal lock-down out now I’m still hoping to regain some touring/ climbing stride length. As others mentioned the existing adjust has a frustrating fiddle factor. I’ve had the lever ice up and the adjuster block freeze in place in variable conditions and have been unable to or given up on changing it at switch-overs. The Karakoram solution seems ideal.
I have an original pair of Ignition 1’s sitting around so might try the old highback with the cube system on the new binders in the interim.
Back in 12/13, Karakoram were debuting the carbon Prime at SIA and they were experimenting with a cable highjack retention system. They had no heel cup and their swivel thingy rotated up to tension a cable for fwd lean. It might have been rear-entry (a la Flow and some other tinkerers on the forum). They eventually went back to heel cups and downward swivel thingys for fwd lean. [youtube:xhl8hddm]g9-D0iySD5c[/youtube:xhl8hddm]
All it took was a TG morning skimo event and I’d had it with the Spark lean adjuster. So this morning I set about building up a prototype replacement – it aint fancy, but thats sort of the point.
Basically its a piece of bent aluminum stock, nylon sleeve, couple springs, washers, 6mmx100 hex bolts, a couple voile slider plate 6mm t-nuts (e.g. these are notched identically to the spark high-back cutout) and generous lock-tite.
Ride position
Walk position
Parts
Shark Snowsurf Chuna Voile V-Tail 170 BC Voile One Ninety Five Spark R&D Arc
That’s great! Soooo, ummmmmm, what do I have to do to get you to make me a pair?!?
Maybe – In the event these work well and I don’t end up selling a kit, I won’t mind posting a parts list for the DIY’ers..
Right now I want to tour a few times on the one I’ve built and see how it goes. I’ll then consider at any legal liability that might result from selling a kit, etc..
By the way the M6 bolt requires peeling back the highback foam and re-gluing it. Also, after spending considerable time analyzing the walk mode, I’m concerned that the boot itself is as much limiting factor as the highback. (cue Barrows comment in 3…2…1…) 😛
Shark Snowsurf Chuna Voile V-Tail 170 BC Voile One Ninety Five Spark R&D Arc
With regard to walk mode, I ride mushy, beat-to-hell 12-year old softies–and still, the lack of walk mode renders the abundant rear-tip of my high-backs largely unused. The boots never come close to touching the high backs when touring. Full stride for soft boot riders… Maybe someday.
Still rocking Fuse bindings and the cube is so simple and easy to use, especially when its freezing and 40mph winds. My one gripe is that i have gone through a few of them as the plastic they used would crack in super cold temps. When you turn the cube, you would need to be careful that you were not also tightening the bolt and putting too much pressure on the plastic.
Snurfer’s idea of using the spring to keep the spinning action independant from the tightness of the bolt would be a great solution for the cube as well.
^^^^ Awesome solution Snurfer! I came close to doing something similar with a cube and a dremel. How is it working?
Sorry I haven’t come back round to this thread. The proto-types have been flawless, I can’t believe I put this off for so long. The key to it spinning freely and not un-threading seems to be the washers and the stoutness of the spring, both of which I nailed through dumb luck. The biggest hassle is/was re-gluing the high back foam.
Even if Spark changes their design going forward, there are enough current binders in the field that I’d really like to make a kit available for those who don’t want to make their own adjuster. Just haven’t had the time to really commit to doing it, especially since the fabricated piece is all hand work with less than adequate tools.
Shark Snowsurf Chuna Voile V-Tail 170 BC Voile One Ninety Five Spark R&D Arc