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jules
Jul 12, 2004, 1:47 AM
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Just a reminder to those who ever climb on fixed gear: ALWAYS inspect it and remember that you usually know NOTHING about its history and condition.
I've been working a route at Rumney that has fixed draws, and was a little uneasy about the way that one of the bent-gates made unhappy noises under my weight. It also looked pretty beat-up and I could see some rust inside it. The people I was climbing with told me not to worry about it, but today I did, indeed, worry about it, and swapped out a newer biner for the old one. As I opened the gate to take it off, it stuck open. I played with it a little longer, and the gate didn't close about one out of every ten times I opened it. Additionally, the bottom portion was worn down about 1/4". And I was up there taking whippers on it!
I doubt anything too tragic would have happened, but it is a little unnerving. It makes me wonder what other sketchy junk is hanging around that people use without questioning. It's easier to just trust it and say "eh, it'll hold one more fall!" but your life/others' lives aren't good things to gamble.
Just something to think about.
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roughster
Jul 12, 2004, 2:17 AM
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In reply to: It makes me wonder what other sketchy junk is hanging around that people use without questioning. It's easier to just trust it and say "eh, it'll hold one more fall!" but your life/others' lives aren't good things to gamble. Just something to think about.
No its not that it is "just easier", it is the plain and simple fact that most climbers think magic climbing fairies come around and donate gear and routes for them to climb on.
What you mean someone might *actually* have to donate a ratty old biner from their own stash to replace a worn out one on a route they are trying? OMG THE HUMANITY!!!!
Not meant as a slam towards you Juliana, you did the right thing. Its too bad so many others (the majority) will take and take whatever the few actual contributors to the climbing community are willing to give and still walk around back seat driving, complaining, and expecting more.
I can count the number of times people have said, "Hey, I loved these routes I've been climbing and I know bolting is expensive, heres some cash towards the effort." on one hand. Actually it has happened twice since I have been developing routes (10+ years).
On the opposite hand, I have had hundreds of dollars of "donated" fixed gear stolen from the crags that I placed there for the convinience and safety of others. I have had people steal hangers, say over and over, "Yeah I'm going to bolt a route here soon!" never to do it, or, "You should bolt this (that) line, I am can't wait to get on it! You going to develop it next??", or "Hey, I know of this other area that would be cool for me to climb at, would you should come check it out and put up some routes!" LOL.
If this sounds bitter, it should :lol: Anyways, heheh, it isn't something that most people care to think about, but the fact remains, 90+% of the routes you climb, are developed by 1% of climbers who are just as everyday 9to5 people with jobs, families, mortagages, and everyday financial strain that all of us feel that everyone else is.
I'm glad you were willing to step up and make a $3 donation to the cause Juliana, you are one of the few that has. Most people would just complain about it, and the sad truth is it would never cross their mind to actually do something about it...
EDIT: Horrible spelling errors.
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jules
Jul 12, 2004, 2:30 AM
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My webcam is tending to crash my computer, so I can't get a better picture of the groove in it, but 1) it's deep, 2) it's on 3 sides of the biner and 3) on the side climbers lowered off, it's worn to a nice, rope-friendly 90° angle. Also note that I am NOT holding the gate open. After I took the picture, I tossed the biner on the table and the gate still was open. It fell off the desk onto the floor... gate still open. Any idea how much lower the open-gate strength of a biner is than the closed-gate?
Like I said, I doubt it would have failed had I taken another fall on it, but it's a fairly popular route, and if people continued to say "hey, it'll hold another fall, someone else will take care of it" it would have just continued to get worse.
This is NOT a "be proud of me, I replaced a biner and my ego needs stroking" thread. In fact, it wasn't even my biner that went up there. This is a "don't be stupid because I don't want to be reading your obituary" thread.
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jakedatc
Jul 12, 2004, 2:38 AM
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Roughster.. after talking to one and meeting a few more bolters yesterday.. thanks dude.. i know ur way out west and i'm way out east but maybe i'll be out there someday.. even just walking past a guy/gal scrubbing off a route and/or tossing in bolts just say hey and tell them you appreciate it i bet would go a long ways too
Jerry.. did you read the post? the spring is rusted.. the bottom is 50% gone.. the gate sticks open 1/5 of the time with 7k open strength.. 3rd bolt on a pretty closely bolted route (ie not much rope out. higher stress with a fall)
so what if you have a ugly looking old LOCKER wow.. you know the history of it.. yours has never been left out in the rain for months on end.. you're not taking a __ft whipper onto it http://www.norope.com/...l/emoticons/bash.gif
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caughtinside
Jul 12, 2004, 2:44 AM
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In reply to: the gate sticks open 1/5 of the time with 7k open strength..
7k before the bottom wore halfway through! :shock: :lol:
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roughster
Jul 12, 2004, 2:50 AM
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In reply to: This is NOT a "be proud of me, I replaced a biner and my ego needs stroking" thread. In fact, it wasn't even my biner that went up there. This is a "don't be stupid because I don't want to be reading your obituary" thread.
Even so, you should be proud because at least you did something about it. A lot of people just would have bad mouthed *the other guy* who had the nerve to leave it there in that conditiion. You took steps to make it safe for the next guy/gal who comes along to try it. That is worthy of something.
In reply to: Roughster.. after talking to one and meeting a few more bolters yesterday.. thanks dude.. i know ur way out west and i'm way out east but maybe i'll be out there someday.. even just walking past a guy/gal scrubbing off a route and/or tossing in bolts just say hey and tell them you appreciate it i bet would go a long ways too
Sure does! Its good to hear that some people get it. Sorry to semi-hijack your thread Juliana, but this issue came up the other day in a PM I had with another developer. This guy is someone who has single handedly developed more routes than any person I know of, literally hundreds if not bordering on thousands by now :lol: He said,
In reply to: You don't have to work hard, picking up trash, cleaning and putting in new routes, trails, fighting for access, ect. You GET to. Keep up the good work.
And that says a lot about why people do it and I totally agree with what he is saying, but it sure is nice sometimes when you see people enjoying themselves and they are appreciative of the effort and willing to lend a hand, even in a small way like replacing an old fixed biner with a new good working one.
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caughtinside
Jul 12, 2004, 2:59 AM
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Yes, the fact that you DID something about old fixed gear, rather than complaining about it or asking someone else to fix it is commendable, and hopefully your action will set an example for others in the future.
Everybody gets something out of the climbing community, and it would be great if everybody was willing to give something back. 8^)
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caughtinside
Jul 12, 2004, 3:00 AM
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Even if giving something so small as to have a dancing banana with a poop sign in your signature on RC.com! I laugh every time I see that guy.
Just kidding rough, I know you do more than post amusing sigs. :P
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roughster
Jul 12, 2004, 3:01 AM
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In reply to: Yes, the fact that you DID something about old fixed gear, rather than complaining about it or asking someone else to fix it is commendable, and hopefully your action will set an example for others in the future. Everybody gets something out of the climbing community, and it would be great if everybody was willing to give something back. 8^)
Like two hour death belays in 100+ degree heat and in the full sun while your partner is dangling in space raining epoxy on your head while setting glue-ins. Right Dave? :lol:
Oh wait... that was you doing the belaying and me dangling, nm, move on nothing to see here :lol:
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jakedatc
Jul 12, 2004, 3:05 AM
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Ya... the person who put up the fixed draws on that route a few months ago is one of the developers in the area
yea.. you GET too.. i wish i lived in NH so i could go out some days and hang off stuff and help those guys.. it's really cool to see a route come to life and what used to be the crappy looking pile of lichen become a sweet line
back the the thread... Ya Climb.. who knows what the rating is with all that metal gone.. especially in such a vulnerable spot in the curve... not good
ya.. jules doesnt need any ego stroking.. just a bit more umph to finish the discussed route ;) :ducks:
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caughtinside
Jul 12, 2004, 3:05 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: Yes, the fact that you DID something about old fixed gear, rather than complaining about it or asking someone else to fix it is commendable, and hopefully your action will set an example for others in the future. Everybody gets something out of the climbing community, and it would be great if everybody was willing to give something back. 8^) Like two hour death belays in 100+ degree heat and in the full sun while your partner is dangling in space raining epoxy on your head while setting glue-ins. Right Dave? :lol:
God, who has nothing better to do than endure that kind of suffering willingly? Or semi-willingly? :lol:
What did kalcario say? Sometimes fun isn't fun? :P
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jules
Jul 12, 2004, 3:12 AM
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It's worn about halfway through on the climber-side, but significantly less on the other side. Either way, it's one hell of a groove.
My thanks goes to the guy who gave me a biner to put up there... I probably would've put it off for a while more otherwise, since I didn't have one on me. I didn't realized exactly how awful the biner was till I pulled it down.
Of course, I didn't send because I was scared of the gear. Next time... :p
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liam
Jul 12, 2004, 3:17 AM
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That beiner sucked. Worn, rusty, and gate that would not shut. She showed it to me a little while later in the day. I would have been spooked using that thing to say the least.
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liam
Jul 12, 2004, 3:18 AM
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That beiner sucked. Worn, rusty, and gate that would not shut. She showed it to me a little while later in the day. I would have been spooked using that thing to say the least.
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brutusofwyde
Jul 12, 2004, 8:20 AM
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In reply to: That beiner sucked. Worn, rusty, and gate that would not shut. She showed it to me a little while later in the day. I would have been spooked using that thing to say the least.
Looked pretty bomber to me.
A little WD40 in the hinge and should be good as new.
If that don't fix it, work some sand into the gate to wear off the places where it's sticking, rinse in hot water, and lube again.
:D
PS -- for the humor-impaired, please be advised that I'm not being serious.
Thanks for the public service announcement!
Brutus
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