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danwilli
Nov 27, 2002, 3:31 PM
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So i joined an gym a few months back, and really have enjoyed being able to climb anytime despite weather, lack of daylight, etc. But I've noticed that the gym I climb at some of the holds tend to rotate when you climb them, like they where not screwed in tight enough.
So I'm wondering if this is because someone was sloppy and just didn't bother to tighten the hold well enough, or if it's just a cheap hold, or what.
And it's happened more than once on different holds. So it's not like it was just one particular one someone forgot to tighten.
Is this a regular thing that you have to deal with when climbing indoors, or is my gym cheap and sloppy?
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mozea
Nov 27, 2002, 3:48 PM
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This is a natural occurence when climbing in gyms. Each hold is attached to the wall via a bolt and a t-nut. The hold obviously has a hole in it where the bolt is inserted and then screwed into the wall. In the wall is a bracket of sorts called a t-nut which the bolt is threaded in to. After climbing on the hold for a period of time, it will gradually loosen, and will inevitably need to be tightened. This speaks nothing of the hold, but simply shows that it needs to be tightened. This can easily be accomplished by using an allen wrench (which I'm sure are of abundance at your gym). Somone may have to go behind the wall to fix the problem if the t-nut is stripped or otherwise messed up. I hope this helps.
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marcel
Nov 27, 2002, 3:50 PM
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As a person who use to own a gym I can tell you it almost impossible not to have a few "spinners". But, if a person is carfull in the way the holds are placed and if you use the proper torque, spinners can be minimized, but not eliminated. A properly placed hold should get tighter when it spins. That means that you try to place the hold in a way that when it's used it will turn clockwise.
When you do experience a spinner, just keep in mind that in the real world of outside climbing holds break off. Be sure you tell the gym staff that you have found a spinner and if it's a good gym they will tighten it ASAP.
Have fun and good luck.
[ This Message was edited by: marcel on 2002-11-27 07:52 ]
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bsperes
Nov 27, 2002, 3:53 PM
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I popped off a .12a last night cause of a spinner. Sucked cause I did not want to get a ladder to fix it.
As mentioned already tired and stripping of the nut can cause this. The texture of the wall, if any, as well as the hold itself affect this. Some holds, due to size and/or orientation will spin when excess force is applied to one side, e.g. if campused or dynoed to.
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wv5ten
Nov 27, 2002, 4:02 PM
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well it is normal, spinners are inevitable, it could also just be sloppy work but i doubt it. I peeled off my share of indoors because of it. just think of it as working a route and the rock breaking off :/
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redpoint73
Nov 27, 2002, 4:03 PM
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I'm with Marcel, loose holds are a part of the game. Holds outside can be loose, so its just good practice lerning to live with it, at least when you first try the route. Give it a try. Then after you come down, make sure you tell the gym staff about the loose hold, so they can tighten it. Or borrow a wrench and do it yourself. If you don't tell them, they probably won't know.
Spinners are sometimes due to the original routesetter not tightening the hold enough. When putting up a hold, you have to strike a balance between too loose (hold will loosen and spin) and too tight (you may crack the hold).
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alvchen
Nov 27, 2002, 7:29 PM
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Spinners are there to make the route harder than it is. It simply adds to the challenge.
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cloudbreak
Nov 27, 2002, 7:34 PM
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.....this occurs on real rock as well!!
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paintinhaler
Nov 27, 2002, 7:34 PM
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You guys rate climbs in a gym!
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milesdesbrie
Nov 27, 2002, 7:38 PM
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Spinner holds suck but I agree that they're inevitable in a gym. I actually dislocated a shoulder when a foothold spun while I had my arm in a vulnerable position. Didn't give the gym owners a hard time, just let them know what happened and chalked it up to "shit happens".
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bsperes
Nov 27, 2002, 7:45 PM
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dan, what gym did you join?
and yes we rate climbs in the gym
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vegastradguy
Nov 27, 2002, 7:51 PM
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f***ing flare head bolts!
9 times out of 10, if a hold spins on me, its a flare head, not a regular bolt (larger hex). grrrrrr......
I feel ya. Definitely annoying. I was two moves from flashing this beautiful 5.11a on lead and a small crimper spun on me. Took a 12 foot fall...GRRRRRR!!! Flare Head bolts SUCK!!!!
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monkeyarm
Nov 27, 2002, 7:57 PM
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Some holds will spin although some better made holds like voodoo will spin less then others, there is really nothing you can do about that.
At the camp I work at over the summer we just tell campers that they are "spinning holds" and they are made like that to make the route harder.
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ontario_guide
Dec 18, 2002, 2:00 AM
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Sometimes the T-Nut pops or the teeth get ripped out. This will also lead to spinning holds and is a much bigger pain in the butt to fix.
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climbergirl15
Dec 19, 2002, 1:50 PM
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That happened to me, and it really freaked me out. Until one of my partners convinced me it happens. I had to reposition my foot, to move it back, and it did not rotate again. If you let the staff at the gym I go to know, they sometimes give you a wrench to fix it, or they go up themselves.
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nospe690
Dec 19, 2002, 7:44 PM
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What would u do if a t-nut did pop out. Is it just a dead spot or is it possible to fix from the front of the wall????
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sauron
Dec 19, 2002, 8:49 PM
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Due to my size (and the fact that I'm probably one of the heaviest climbers at the gym), I tend to find loose holds all the time..
It got to the point where they'd just let me grab the wrench and tighten it down, instead of doing it themselves.
(I think the most, was 6-8 in a 2-3 hour period of climbing)
- d.
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jughead
Dec 19, 2002, 8:56 PM
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my gym has a warning on that they say its cos if they srew the holds in when its cold the plywood wall contracts cos of the cold then when it heats up the plywood expands causing a spinner
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sauron
Dec 19, 2002, 9:39 PM
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Your gym is smoking crack.
As the plywood expands, it will put more force on the hold, because metal does not expand as much as the plywood.
- d.
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mark_e_wallace
Dec 19, 2002, 9:53 PM
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>> Due to my size (and the fact that I'm probably one of the heaviest climbers at the gym), I tend to find loose holds all the time..
Dunno if you climb at NARG or not, Sauron. If so, I think we might be the right team to make sure that all of the newly-placed holds (post Dec 6 comp) are well tested. I manage to spin one or two every few times out myself.
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stan70
Dec 19, 2002, 10:08 PM
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about spinning holds, I have a couple hundred, mostly home made on my home gym. I have almost completely stopped the spinning by brushing a thin layer of carpenter's glue on the back and then sprinkling fine sifted sand. when dry, install! (occasionaly one does loosen up because of the way it is used.)
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theperfectdrugsk
Dec 22, 2002, 9:16 PM
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although its never happened to me, *knocks on w00d*...i do know of this happening at the gym ive climbed at, which is a fairlyt nice place...either theyll tighten it right away, or the guy who found it will whip out his wrench and tighten it himself...though im not too sure that they should do that...anyway...it happens
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sauron
Dec 26, 2002, 7:45 PM
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Mark,
Yes, I do climb at NARG (every monday, and occationally on wed/thursdays) - and yes, I've "settled" a few of the post-comp holds myself...
The most that happened, was 6-7 holds during a 2-3 hour session..
- d.
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peanutbutterandjelly
Dec 29, 2002, 1:21 PM
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Holds spin, its a fact. 3 weeks ago I was bouldering and the last hold spun (got tighter) and I broke the last inch off of my left fibula. Ii tried to walk it off but I could not. The worst part is that 2 weeks ago I left to spend a week on overhanging limestone on the sea cliffs at Cayman Brac. Stuff happens.
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crack_head
Dec 29, 2002, 2:32 PM
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yeah expensive holds like vodoo and that sort dont spin as much because they are duel textured.
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