As mentioned before,
unlike skate skiing, classic skiing
utilizes another effect of physics
called grip. Grip is caused by the
middle portion of a classic skier's skis
having a much higher coefficient of
friction than the tip and tail. When
classic skiing, you want the ends of
your skis to have a low (µ) and the
middle portion of your skis to have a
high (µ). On the surface this sounds
like it would slow you down; but in
fact, classic skis are designed so that
the middle of the skis are raised until
you push down to kick-off the ground for
propulsion. This means that when you
need to glide with a ski the ends and
tips touch the snow with a low (µ)
value, and when you need traction to
push the middle with a high (µ) value
touches the ground to greatly enhance
your grip.
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