Their bocks look interesting, I do hope that they come to an agreement rather than get forced to shut down.

Have we no bockers under 15?

They are, in fact, real.  At least that much is true.



Springs a little soft?

what is that click?

It's when the gears in your mind align, and it clicks! LOL

Or when the joints get loose and they click every time you move, often happens around the same time too.

As for the inability to compress the springs, how heavy are you in kg?
Regardless, I suggest you keep your weight towards your heels on those and remember not to try and absorb the shock of landing.  It's a very natural reaction that has kept more than a few noobs out of the air for a while.  Learn to fall onto your springs like a ton of bricks rather than landing lightly like your instincts tell you.  Oh yeah, and stand up straight.  That's important.  If you look at the pros, their stance in the air is reminiscent of a soldier at attention.  It's hard to do at first, but keeping your back straight helps out your balance a lot.

Flying Locust springs are relatively soft.  You really don't want M70s.  I'm 70-72kg and I'm quite happy with Poweriser 7090s, which are made for 70-90kg and Poweriser springs are generally stiffer.  The M70s will be too soft.  It is common bocking lore that if you're near the top of one category, you should go up to the next.  My suggestion about the proposal of M90s is that they will probably be a good choice once you've worn out your first pair.  I've never used Flying Locust springs, but the suggestions of very overpowered springs often come from people who have forgotten what it's like to suck at bocking.  It takes skill to bottom out overpowered springs.

As for the pro vs normal model choice, just go with the normal ones, I don't think one is sturdier than the other.  Plus, I have heard very little in praise of the pivoting footplate on the FL Pro model.

I checked out this Aircotec company they keep on referring to, and sent them an email inquiring about Funrisers.  I figure they have less to gain by lying than the Funriser company themselves, so I'll see what they have to say, if anything.  The email went as follows:

http://www.funriser.com/

They attribute many of the important parts of their jumping stilts to your company.  This is all very interesting.

The market for jumping stilts is very deceptive, with every brand claiming to be superior and two crappy brands, one of which is very shady and often disguises their stilts as higher-quality brands in the hopes of attracting customers.   I would have dismissed Funrisers as another incarnation of the shady brand, but they have some parts unlike any other brand currently on the market.  Naturally, we at www.PoweriserPages.com are intrigued and suspicious of these Funrisers, and I'm very interested in anything you have to say about them.  Particularly, are they associated with Poweriser, Powerskip, 7leagueboots, Flying Locust, or Skyrunner?  Or are they a stand-alone company, aside from their obvious association with Aircotec?  Importantly, do you know if they pay royalties to Powerskip or Alexander Boeck?

Also, just an engineering bit, it would surprise me greatly if the bearings they claim you make can hold up to the shock and abuse that the joints go through.  Even the really high-end brands use bushings because they are tougher.

Someone who knows German should try asking some of the same questions to the Funriser guys.

I seem to have found a new brand, they have features that do not match up with anything I've ever seen before, even the color scheme is unique.  Too expensive to rationally be Skyrunners, notorious as they are for deception, especially given that the pro version's footplate does not tilt.

http://www.funriser.com/

I don't really know what to make of them.  They have some stolen videos on Youtube, but the pictures look legit and they have some bindings unlike anything else.  They even bothered to hire an artist to draw some pictures.

Do we have another high-quality brand, cheap ripoffs, both depending on the model, or another intermediate brand?

Get M80s, definitely.  M70s may or may not break, but either way they will be pretty soft.

The one good thing about bocking in the rain is splashing in puddles.

thegoldshado got it pretty much right.  Sometimes they screw up and give you springs of different strength, but it's also quite likely that one of your legs is stronger or you stand on it differently, or maybe you just pay a little more attention to one leg than the other.  Try bouncing on one leg for a few hops and then to the other for a few hops and see if there is any difference in the time it takes to snap you back up.

If you're having trouble bouncing, start with one foot and then use that bounce to get into a two-footed bounce- I'm pretty competent and still do it that way.  Keep in mind that you cannot use your ankles, so bouncing technique is considerably different from jumping on foot.  It's a good deal more like stomping the ground.  Starting a bounce from two feet is not easy.

As for the weight, bocking takes muscles that aren't normally used.  I am in great shape and even so I couldn't use them for more than half an hour and that would leave a few muscles sore for quite a while.  You get used to it.

Don't worry too much about it being difficult for you- it always turns out harder than it looks for everyone.

By the way, what springs do you have?

Hi, I live in the area, but you'll probably never see me.  I work on the weekends, making meets hard for me, and I'm moving to California in two weeks.  Anyway, welcome, and I hope the other Boston area people get to meet you.

Anything that is not mutually inclusive to wet or icy pavement.  Beyond that, I don't care.

OK, you will go through hooves or tire socks very quickly and spring efficiency is a big issue when running.  I'd suggest 7leagueboots or Powerskips if you can afford them and you can find a place that sells them.  Otherwise, the Flying Locust stilts you found are not bad and perhaps better than Powerisers for your purposes, since I've heard that the new springs have a better character, but maybe not.  Flying Locust hooves and springs are said to wear out very quickly.

Running is hell on springs and hooves.

The weight categories listed on that site are incorrect.  The number in the spring name is the maximum weight, not medium recommended.  For example, M80 should be 70-80kg, not 75-85.  Too much weight on a spring can make it break prematurely.  Or really, too much abuse regardless of weight, as I have destroyed slightly overpowered Powerskip springs in two days due to my (I would guess) unusual strength.  Since you're a biker, I'd suggest slightly overpowered springs for you.  Biking muscles are by no means all you use, but they make a difference.  Stiff springs are tough to learn on, but they will serve you well in the end.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and hooves get no traction on ice or snow.  Just thought it was worth mentioning.

Sounds like some woman is having quite the time in the background...

That price is pretty nice, 300 Australian dollars.  But beware that the weight charts are a little weird.  Rather than having a system that appears totally whimsical. the deal with the springs is that the number after the M is the maximum weight in kilograms they can handle.  For example, M70 is actually made for people 60-70kg.  They are designed in metric, not english, so I'm not sure why the vendor tried to use nice, round english measurements and ugly metric numbers instead of the other way around.