Look Pivot Release Problems

Kryss

New member
I've owned a few bindings from various companies but have had durability problems with them all, except my old Look Pivots (the 18din ones). I destroyed a few bindings and constantly snapped the brake mounting plate on my Jesters so don't want to use them again. The choice seems obvious but I'm hesitant about getting Pivots again because I broke my leg in the Whistler black park with these bindings and the it didn't release. The reason for this thread is to see if this was just unlucky (no binding will release in all situations) or if this is a regular problem. Details:

I'm 6'4" ~190lbs and spend most of my time doing basic spins+flips on ~50ft kickers. I had my din set on a pretty conservative 8, which didn't ever cause me any pre-release problems with these bindings. The way I broke my leg was coming into the big quarter pipe at the bottom of the black park at (going REAL quick) on a warm spring day and the tip of my ski got caught in a slushy divot on the quarter transition on the way up. This twisted my leg outwards and sent a small fracture up my fibula bone. I ate shit and smashed into the quarter pipe but skis didn't release. Thoughts?
 
im not really sure but an 8 din for 190 pounds seems pretty weak? idk if it was a problem with your binding or just unlucky? i have the same bindings and i weigh like 180 and keep them at 11 or 12
 
Ok thanks. Also, does anyone know the actual brake width? The "wide" version is listed as anywhere between 90mm, 95mm, 98mm, etc. depending on what site you look at. I want to fit them to 92mm Moment Rockers without having to bend them. I have no problem bending brakes but like to use a vice to do it and don't have one where I'm living in Japan.
 
isn't an 8 the lowest the pivot 18's will go? I always thought you didn't want to ride on the extremes of the binding's din settings.
 
I thought they went lower than that, I don't have them here to check.

So this isn't a common problem?
 
no, this is not a common problem. i am about 160, 5' 8" with a 318mm bootsole, and keep my FKS at 9, and release when i need to but never else. what is your bootsole length?

and skiing on the bottom of the range of a binding is fine, it is the top that is dangerous. what happens is the spring gets compressed all the way and then cannot compress anymore, allowing for no movement in the parts that are supposed to move to allow release.
 
Forward pressure was setup by a shop, could be wrong but not sure. Those bindings aren't even on the same ski anymore so will never know. Boot sole length I don't remember, whatever 29 shell Dalbellos are. I've bought the pivots now anyway, needed them asap. I'll check the forward pressure after the shop mounts them and hopefully I don't have the issue again.
 
You need to be 100% honest with yourself when it comes to your skiing ability to make sure you have your equipment which will serve you best. At fist glance if someone was to tell me they are 190lbs and they are hitting 50 ft jumps with a din set at 8, i would say they are crazy.
You should go down to your local shop and have a chat to the tech there about your bindings and tell him/her where exactly you are at when it comes to your performance level so you guys can come up with a good solution.
Good luck:)
 
8 seems crazy low if you're actually flipping 50 foot jumps. im 40 pounds lighter and 7 inches shorter than you and mine are set at 9, and i still occasionally pre release, and they've never not come off when they should.

most likely you just got unlucky and something didnt perform as it should. I wouldnt be worried about having a problem like that with your new ones.
 
Well I bought the pivots and they arrived today. The brakes fit my 92mm rockers nicely, with a couple of mm to spare. Could probably fit up to 95mm ski without without needing to bend the brakes.

 
Back
Top