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Osian 
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Post subject: Any racers in the house?
 Posted: Dec 06, 2011 - 10:02 PM
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First post: Nov 02, 2010
Total posts: 4
Status: Offline
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Background:
I am a mechanical Engineering student looking at designing a portable/personal start gate, mainly for training purposes that could be used in an indoor slope, outdoor dry slope and snow.
I am currently using a friend who is on the GB team as my customer as it were, but would appreciate it if any of you other racers would answer a few questions and give any extra information that you feel might help me.
Questions:
Do you currently practice gate starts on a regular basis? (if so, where?)
Would you be interested in a product such as a portable start gate?
If so, how much would you be prepared to pay for such an item? (<100> £400)
I am currently at a preliminary investigative stage at the moment so any feedback / critisism / thoughts are appreciated and hopefully I will come back with some more questions and keep you updated with the design if anybody is interested.
Cheers |
Last edited by Osian on Dec 06, 2011 - 10:37 PM; edited 2 times in total
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yoda
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 06, 2011 - 10:28 PM
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First post: Oct 12, 2004
Total posts: 770
Status: Offline
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Osian
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 06, 2011 - 10:40 PM
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First post: Nov 02, 2010
Total posts: 4
Status: Offline
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yoda wrote:
Hi, I have already seen they're site and that they seem to have a session with a 1 lane gate. Is this what you are referring to?
For some reason it wont let me correct the cost segments in the first post :S |
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yoda
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 06, 2011 - 11:20 PM
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First post: Oct 12, 2004
Total posts: 770
Status: Offline
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| Sorry dude, all I know is they race, its not my cup of tea, I just know the guys that run the club, or is it boarder cross gates? In that case I know even less. |
_________________
Pimp your board with my die cut vinyl stickers, PM me or email signsnlogos@live.co.uk way cheaper than Bsmarter graphics.
Jakes latestvideo
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Osian
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 06, 2011 - 11:34 PM
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First post: Nov 02, 2010
Total posts: 4
Status: Offline
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Sorry, maybe I should have made it clearer. Yes it is a boarder gate so whilst adhering to FIS gate specs, it won't be suitable for skiers.
Cheers |
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murray888
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 07, 2011 - 08:54 AM
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First post: Dec 05, 2005
Total posts: 521
Location: Basingstoke / London
Status: Offline
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I used to race in the Kings series when I was at uni. All I've ever come across is two vertical poles with a shin-height stick/light gate to initiate the timing system.
The main issue I can see is...why have anything more complicated? You need to start this project with a customer spec and a specific goal in mind, otherwise you'll just float along with no specific end point. |
_________________
TINA!
Nitro T1 156 // Flux Titans // 32 Lashed
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Richard_Sideways
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 07, 2011 - 10:50 AM
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First post: Sep 28, 2009
Total posts: 23
Status: Offline
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| Assuming that your gate allows boarders to 'push off' against it through the timing beam, and that it'd be for use in uk snowdomes, it's an interesting problem on how to anchor the gate well enough to support the rider pushing off without moving, in a relativly shallow snow base thanks to the cooling pipes under the snowpack, while still making it portable. |
_________________
CAUTION: The above post may contain small pieces of humour and irony which may choke small children and the serious
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Osian
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 12:45 PM
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First post: Nov 02, 2010
Total posts: 4
Status: Offline
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murray888 wrote:
I used to race in the Kings series when I was at uni. All I've ever come across is two vertical poles with a shin-height stick/light gate to initiate the timing system.
The main issue I can see is...why have anything more complicated? You need to start this project with a customer spec and a specific goal in mind, otherwise you'll just float along with no specific end point.
Hi Murray, Cheers for the feedback. To answer the "why anything more?" question, well that's what my fried/gb racer has asked for, this answers your second pointe regarding spec and specific goal. After his initial question, I have found a number of comments / pictures of people who are looking for something similar. I agree that for most, such equipment wouldn't be worth it, but for a few it would.
Richard_Sideways wrote:
Assuming that your gate allows boarders to 'push off' against it through the timing beam, and that it'd be for use in uk snowdomes, it's an interesting problem on how to anchor the gate well enough to support the rider pushing off without moving, in a relativly shallow snow base thanks to the cooling pipes under the snowpack, while still making it portable.
The gate will definitely allow a push off and I have a few ideas on anchoring it in different environments. Testing of these will happen once the first working prototype is built.
Cheers
So does anybody else know of any proper boarder gates in the UK at all? |
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yoda
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 12:56 PM
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First post: Oct 12, 2004
Total posts: 770
Status: Offline
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| maybe contact stu@soulsports.co.uk part scuk owner and organizer on the Brits and the snow tour, so maybe able to point you in the right direction |
_________________
Pimp your board with my die cut vinyl stickers, PM me or email signsnlogos@live.co.uk way cheaper than Bsmarter graphics.
Jakes latestvideo
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murray888
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Post subject:
Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 01:00 PM
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First post: Dec 05, 2005
Total posts: 521
Location: Basingstoke / London
Status: Offline
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Osian wrote:
To answer the "why anything more?" question, well that's what my fried/gb racer has asked for, this answers your second pointe regarding spec and specific goal. After his initial question, I have found a number of comments / pictures of people who are looking for something similar. I agree that for most, such equipment wouldn't be worth it, but for a few it would.
But what more are they looking for? Be aware of trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Current gates do the job - they give you something to push off against and allow the timing instrumentation to work. Granted you could make something along the lines of a BMX start gate such as is used in the olympics...
...but in my eyes it's going to have to be pretty simple not to fail all the time (which would obviously be a PITA).
I'm not trying to dig holes in your designs etc, I'm just trying to make sure you think the problem through properly - i'll result in a better design in the end.
Have a look at this page too - seems someone's already making one
http://store.planetsnowtools.com/Racing-Gates/BXT-Starting-Gate/view_product |
_________________
TINA!
Nitro T1 156 // Flux Titans // 32 Lashed
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