flex of cut poles

A forum to discuss everything to do with pole vaulting equipment: poles, pits, spikes, etc.

Moderator: Barto

User avatar
bjvando
PV Master
Posts: 855
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 1:40 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, former college coach
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Tim Mack
Location: Southern California
Contact:

flex of cut poles

Unread postby bjvando » Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:18 pm

Question:

I have a series of 5m poles with gaps in the seriesmy coach has a series of 5.20 poles cut down to 5m.

I now jump on a 5m 16.7 flex, theres a BIG gap to the next "natural" 5 m pole, but lots of cut 5.20 poles to 5m.

what would a 5.20m ( 16.4) cut to a 5m pole be now?( as in the flex)

kinda confusing, but hopefully someone understands...

User avatar
vaultguru6
PV Pro
Posts: 448
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2003 11:19 pm
Location: Eugene
Contact:

Unread postby vaultguru6 » Wed Feb 11, 2004 8:18 pm

well almost all poles 4.90 and above are flexed on a 4.90 span. So a 5.20 16.4 would be the same pole as a 5 meter 16.4 only 20 centemeters longer. Then you get into how it was cut and if it will be the same pole based on how it was cut. I know you're probably looking for some more professional opinion which is probably a good idea considering i've never even sniffed a 5 meter pole..........

By the way those are some big poles, even if you are a big kid.

User avatar
Barto
PV Great
Posts: 919
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2002 1:55 pm
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie

Unread postby Barto » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:14 pm

Flex them all yourself! As long as you are consistent in your methods, you will get a pretty good idea of what is what.

Barto

Skyin' Brian
PV Master
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:42 pm
Location: illinois
Contact:

Unread postby Skyin' Brian » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:04 pm

Barto wrote:Flex them all yourself! As long as you are consistent in your methods, you will get a pretty good idea of what is what.

Barto

very clever.
now, at the risk of opening up an really messy can of worms dare i ask the question of how the bend characteristics are effected by the pole being cut?

User avatar
bjvando
PV Master
Posts: 855
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 1:40 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, former college coach
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Tim Mack
Location: Southern California
Contact:

Unread postby bjvando » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:25 pm

havent jumped on the poles yet, thats what i was really curious about. the sail is higher correct?

i wouldnt be gripping any higher on the cut poles, so in theory it would be stiffer at the same flex because the sail piece is higher....... Same flex, but stiffer pole....

that work???

Skyin' Brian
PV Master
Posts: 681
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 12:42 pm
Location: illinois
Contact:

Unread postby Skyin' Brian » Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:00 am

bjvando wrote:havent jumped on the poles yet, thats what i was really curious about. the sail is higher correct?

i wouldnt be gripping any higher on the cut poles, so in theory it would be stiffer at the same flex because the sail piece is higher....... Same flex, but stiffer pole....

that work???

uhh, if they are cut off at the bottom wouldnt that make the sail lower.
unless the poles are cut off at the top which wouldnt make sense since then they would just be 520's that you cant grip very high on(well, i guess high is relative since i am still jumping on 475's but you know what i mean)

User avatar
opalkak
PV Pro
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2002 12:43 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 5.45m
Location: Tucson, AZ

Unread postby opalkak » Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:12 pm

I think you should flex them yourself and 'figure out' what the new flex's are. Set up a couple of supports for the ends (horizontally), zero a tape messure or yard stick with the top edge of the pole, hang a 25 lbs weight from the middle and read the displacement in centimeters (eg 17.3, 20.9....). Engrave the 'new' flex so you know what they are and now figure out how they fit in the series of poles that you have.

it will make a difference where they were cut, if the engraving is still on the top, logic makes me think they were cut from the bottom. I don't know how this affects the pole exactly as I don't like 'messing, with poles I just vault on them.

good luck
...success is doing what you can do well and doing well whatever you can do

natdog
PV Wannabe
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 1:19 am

Unread postby natdog » Thu Feb 12, 2004 3:53 pm

bjvando wrote:havent jumped on the poles yet, thats what i was really curious about. the sail is higher correct?

i wouldnt be gripping any higher on the cut poles, so in theory it would be stiffer at the same flex because the sail piece is higher....... Same flex, but stiffer pole....

that work???


NO Sail is Lower.
run high and hold fast

User avatar
vaulter580
PV Whiz
Posts: 141
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2002 2:08 pm
Location: jonesboro, Arkansas
Contact:

bt

Unread postby vaulter580 » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:10 pm

the sail is higher because by cutting the pole off at the bottom u force the pole to bend higher, the sail piece tapers off at the bottom and top of a pole, like a big triangle just rolled up, iff you cut 8" off of the bottom it makes the bottom much stronger and allows to pole to flex much higher

you might find that if you have an aggresive plant these cut poles will move much faster for you
-to measure just simply take two hurdles and place them 14' apart along a wall
-measure 1 foot from the bottom of the pole and 14 feet from there
-hang a 50 lb weight from the middle of the pole
-use a fixed light to cast a shadow of the pole on the wall
-measure the difference of the shadow with and without the weight, and there is your flex

the number you get may not be the exact flex, but will be able to tell how the poles relate to each other
BZ
Arkansas State University
sign yo pitty on da runny kine!!!

User avatar
Robert schmitt
PV Lover
Posts: 1108
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 7:41 pm
Location: Mount Vernon, WA
Contact:

Unread postby Robert schmitt » Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:18 pm

I have a question?? I know that cutting the bottom allows for the pole to potentially bend higher but isn't the sial closer to the ground. making the but stiffer causing more of the bend to occur higher. When you cut 8" off the bottom the sail piece doesn't move within the pole there is just now less pole between the center of the sail and the bottom because you removes 8" from the bottom.
An optimist is one who sees a light in darkness....a pessimist blows it out.

User avatar
Bruce Caldwell
PV Enthusiast
Posts: 1783
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 3:19 pm
Expertise: It is all about Pole Vaulting. I even catch the competitors poles!
Lifetime Best: 15'8"
Favorite Vaulter: Kjell Issakson, Jan Johnson
Location: DFW TEXAS
Contact:

ABOUT CUTTING POLES

Unread postby Bruce Caldwell » Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:44 pm

ABOUT CUTTING POLES
NO COMMENT LOL :D

User avatar
bjvando
PV Master
Posts: 855
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 1:40 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, former college coach
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Tim Mack
Location: Southern California
Contact:

Unread postby bjvando » Fri Feb 13, 2004 2:20 pm

im not bIG on cutting poles either... only in certain situations for certain vaulters.

the poles i was asking about were already cut when i got to the school i am at...... manufacturers make poles a certain way for a reason....


Return to “Pole Vault - Equipment”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests