Help with T-Bar

Posted: 26 April 2011 07:45 AM

Okay so last season I tried riding the T-Bar and failed miserably. This season with more experience under my belt I want to try it again but I still have a feeling I’m gonna bail out again. I kinda suck with 1 footed gliding stuff. I don’t know if it’s the board (Lib T.Rice) or me but it feels really squirelly like it wants to pivot. I feel it more when I compare to some of the board I demoed such as the Capita BSOD and Signal Omni which feels way more planted and can track straight.

So if any of you guys can give me any tips that will be very helpful =)

Cheers

Posted: 26 April 2011 09:46 AM

Yeah boards with rocker between the bindings always feel more squirly on T-Bars and drag lifts. There isn’t really any magical technique, you just have to relax as much as possible and look ahead instead of at the board.

I tend to ride T-Bars a little differently to most. At Dachstein glacier at the Horsefeathers park I don’t usually get a choice as there’s a big queue for the lift so it gets put between my legs. If I’m riding solo I’ll put the base of the “T” behind my rear buttock and the main bar behind my back and hold it with my leading hand. Riding it like that means I can pump little bumps and don’t have my weight pulled off my front foot when the lift pulls high at a pilon.

Other than that it’s just time spent on T-Bars tha will help, particularly on the T.Rice. Also riding solo will help a lot, there’s nothing worse than your tips getting locked on top of someone elses cambered board, you will almost certainly stack. Try and ride solo until you’ve got it mastered.