 先日、CadoMotus の海外出荷が本格的に始まり、４月には世界中に行き渡るようです。カタログの中に一風変わった Nordic 90/100 Clap Frame がありましたが、さらにサイズアップした 110 Clap Frame が追加されました。テスト走がTouTubeで紹介されていますが、すごく重そう・・・ダブルプッシュでも速そうに見えません！と云っても急な登り坂には強そうなので、いつか試してみたいと、すごく期待しているのもホントです。
NORDIC HILO 110, freedom and climbing performance for Nordic Blading... with unrivalled speed on 110mm wheels!
The product of extensive development and testing in Nordic Blading, and big brother to the 100, presenting the NORDIC HILO 110. Beginning with CadoMotus SemiSolid extrusion (as used on the COMP frame), a Front-end Clap Mechanism allows a more free-flowing skating movement, as well as enhanced climbing performance. The HILO design keeps the Clap action light and fast, and keeps your foot low over the wheels for optimal control and stability – with the roll of 110mm wheels under your heel.
We made the NORDIC HILO 110 for Nordic Blading performance.
Discover the emerging culture of Nordic Blading. With the NORDIC HILO 110 you're equipped to skate up, over and down anything the trail puts in front of you - fast.
 | Configuration : 4-wheel (100,100,110,110), Front-end Clap Mechanism (100,100)
Compatibility: 195mm
Length: 13.2in/334.5mm (111.5mm)
Deck Height: 110mm rear wheels (108mm), 90/100 Hi-Lo (12.8in) is 107mm
Mounting: 1x Lateral Slot 20mm wide front, 1x Lateral Slot 18mm wide rear (195mm separation)
Front Axle to Front Mount: 13.2in = 71mm
Material: 6000-series Aluminium Alloy, Semi-Solid Extrusion
Axles: M7, anodized shaft (not head)
Graphics: Full-color sublimated, scratch-resistant
Weight: 240g (13.2in with axles), 90/100 Hi-Lo (12.8in) is 234g |
| Nordic110 Test Report & VIDEO | 35km test speed skate on CadoMotus new NORDIC110 Clap Frame - Hoenderloo, NL.
The 35km was skated on a mix of surfaces on roads and paths, of varying quality asphalt and concrete. The course undulated throughout, with some small hills being up-and-over in 100m, while the incline of others continued for up to 500m.
Tester: Mick Byrne (178cm, 77kg) with a 275mm/US10.5/EU44 foot.
It has been some years since I skated on a clap frame, and I currently race on a 12.8 or 13.0-inch frame, with the Nordic110 tested being 13.2-inch. My straight-line stroke on the frame felt fluid and easy, with no feeling of requiring any 'additional' force to activate the clap toward the end of a stroke, and a rapid, low-impact return. My immediate feeling, over the first kilometers (with my frame set at 50/50 front/rear), was that the clap felt easy to open, but that it was opening early in my stroke. For me, this caused early fatigue in my hamstrings and lower back, perhaps because I found it difficult to maintain my neutral position without my weight shifting forward. Also, for me, over rough road the 50/50 position could cause the clap to chatter a little, pulling my weight forward and reducing my roll.
After approx. 15km I moved the frame approx. 8mm forwards (boot rearward) to position the clap hinge further forward. This immediately caused the clap to remain closed until later in the stroke, and allowed me to apply more power through a conventional stroke before activating the clap – which made a big difference in maintaining a relaxed neutral skating position and felt more efficient – with more power getting to the road.
When climbing, the clap mechanism is fully utilized, and I found it to be of more benefit if I skated in a more upright position – pushing downward into the clap. Here I found climbing to be more relaxed, and with a more fluid stroke action than usual. If I maintained a lower racing position however – pushing across the surface, the clap lengthened my stroke which worked against the higher stroke-rate I wanted for climbing. Where the frame felt particularly good, was in the transition grade where you begin to 'crest' the hill. Here, where it often can feel hard for skaters to 'change gears' on a fixed frame, the HiLo clap let me maintain forward momentum well without consciously changing position or stroke angle. This skate gave a real feeling of simply skating up-and-over something, fast.
You can expect that the longer frame, combined with the longer and more fluid stroke that the clap allows, will be of significant benefit at the kinds of average speeds experienced in a World Inline Cup Marathon event – where the ability to shorten up your stroke in race conditions is of less importance.
In terms of maneuverability, I found the 13.2-inch frame to feel long at low to moderate speeds (but I skate on 12.8 to 13.0-inch). Steering the skate was slightly more comfortable when at the 50/50 position, however this was outweighed for me by the lack of comfort when the clap opened earlier in my stroke.
At high speeds, when frames of 13.0-plus come into their own, the 13.2 Nordic110 felt strong, straight and fast under power – with the clap mechanism providing a smooth stroke finish (although longer, with a longer recovery phase). When striding out for efforts of up to one minute for example (frames at 50/50), the frames were fast and the longer, smoother strokes as the clap opened gave a feeling of more top-end speed being available. My body position when sprinting was subjected to a gradual and cumulative forward shift in my weight – which I felt put me out of my ideal position over time – but this is a fine positional adjustment that would be expected to occur as you became more familiar with the skate.
Overall first test impression: Although 13.2 is a little long for me for most applications other than for fast, open-course marathons, it has proven to be an ideal length for many male skaters and a dominant frame length in Men's WIC competition. The Nordic110 was conceived for Nordic Blading, and climbing efficiency. It delivers here, and it performs smoothly and predictably at speed (and you can imagine the capacity for high speed on 2x100 and 2x110mm wheels). How do 2x100mm wheels affect the clap return? No problem. How is the alignment of the skate when open and under power? No problem.
Who's going to like it? Many skaters.
Who's going to love it? Nordic Bladers, of course... and high-speed marathoners, breakaway specialists, and particularly skaters coming off a winter season on the ice. |
CadoMotus News: Nordic110 Test Report & VIDEO
Bont Skates Message Board and News: Inline Clap frame
RaceReportsNet: 110 claps
Inline Skating Notebook: CadoMotus Frames
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