The maximum load allowed for this model, in other words, the maximum weight that the sled can carry without consequences. It is highly undesirable to exceed this load: even if the structure does not break immediately, it can happen at any time, and with a high probability — at speed. And ideally, it is desirable to have a weight margin of at least 10-15 kg — this will give an additional guarantee in case of unforeseen situations.
The main material used in the construction of the sled.
Modern sleds can be made from one material (plastic, metal, wood), or from several — usually
metal with wood or
metal with plastic. Here is a more detailed description of each option:
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Plastic. Plastic has a low price, weighs less and “cools” hands than metal, its properties allow you to give the sled a variety of shapes and colours, and its strength is quite sufficient for most cases. This has made it one of the most popular materials for all types of modern sleds. At the same time, inexpensive plastic models have low impact resistance and tend to crack, especially in severe frost.
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Tree. Wood is most pleasant to the touch in cold weather and looks good, but the production of solid wood sleds involves certain difficulties, ranging from shaping the runners to the desired shape and ending with special processing to achieve the required strength. That is why such sleds are very rare and mostly belong to the premium class; much more often wood is used in combination with metal (see below).
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Metal. The main advantage of the metal is its strength — the greatest among all materials for modern sleds: it easily survives heavy loads and almost does not lose its properties in the cold. At the same time, the metal has
...a lot of weight and greatly “cools” the hands and other parts of the body when touched in the cold (up to freezing if touched with bare hands). Therefore, all-metal sleds are very rare, and even there the seat is made of fabric — usually metal is combined with other materials (see below).
— Metal/wood. In such sleds, the runners and frame are usually made of metal, and the seat is made of wood (most often from wooden planks). This allows you to combine the advantages of both materials at a low cost: metal gives the structure the necessary strength, and wood provides comfort to the rider, because. much less cold.
— Metal / plastic. Structures that are completely similar to metal-wood (see above), with the same basic features, only wood in this case is replaced by plastic.
