Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2018 February 25

= February 25 =

Olympic Bobsleding
why do 4 man bobsleds tilt the sled on its side before the start — Preceding unsigned comment added by Browndawg28 (talk • contribs) 08:06, 25 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Can you find an example? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 08:51, 25 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I noticed the same thing while watching the Olympics. Just before the start, the sled rests on its starboard side. Then the competitors tilt it upright, and begin pushing it down the run until they jump in. Every team did the same thing, so it wasn't just the idiosyncrasy of one team or one sled.  (I can't find a video from this year's competition, but look here for an example at 4:01.)   → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 14:38, 25 February 2018 (UTC)
 * If you leave the sled sitting with the runners pressed to the ice they will tend to freeze to the surface. You will also notice that once the sled is the right way up they keep it moving back and forth to prevent that happening. So the idea is not to put the runners to the ice until you are ready, and then make sure they can't freeze in place, because even if it only took a little extra power to break them away again, that could make a difference in a race determined by tiny fractions of a second. Wymspen (talk) 15:04, 25 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I have been working my way through this wonderful set of films from the Criterion Collection. Early bobsleds as seen in the top row here were incredibly rickety and dangerous. It is also interesting to note, in the early winter games, all of the events were held outdoors. Seeing Sonja Henie skate with the Alps in the background is quite extraordinary. MarnetteD&#124;Talk 16:14, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
 * As I recall, figure skating was outdoors until at least the early 60s (1960 Olympics indoors but 1961 US championships outdoors), and speed skating was outdoors until at least 1980. The great Eric Heiden won gold outside in the 1980 Olympics. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 17:59, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
 * 1992 Olympic speedskating was outside. 1984 was outside but Sarajevo so if that was boycotted like Moscow no wonder you don't remember. Otherwise it's been inside ever since. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 22:10, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Neither the 1980 nor 1984 winter games were boycotted. It was only the summer games. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 00:48, 28 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Its simply to keep the skates in perfect condition. Since they have a hollow shape with very sharp edges and a very high surface finish, which is of course essential especially in competitions where a 1/100 second may decide if its going to be the gold or "just" the silver medal, that will wear off surprisingly fast, no matter they are made of high alloy steel. You probably have seen the same from ice skaters, who put on plastic protection rails on their skates immediately when they leave the ice. --Kharon (talk) 21:23, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
 * All ice skates seem to have this shape, why? Is it just the best shape to make a modern steel skate that's thick enough to be strong and not chip? Is it to make being cut by the skate less severe without increasing friction? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 22:34, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I googled the subject, and this is the first item that came up. It has a whole bunch of information about skate blades. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 10:45, 28 February 2018 (UTC)
 * The shape is simply so they can cut into the ice enough to cancel any side drift. Else skaters could not change direction let alone skate sharp curves at high speed. --Kharon (talk) 00:58, 3 March 2018 (UTC)