Rossi 159 Vas

[Scorpio]

I bought a used Rossi 159 Vas last season and haven't been able to find out much info on it. I've been searching the internet to figure out the model year as well as ride opinions but haven't come up with anything significant. Can anyone shed some some light? Possibly give their review of the board if ever ridden? I've only ridden it a couple times and am looking forward to next season to give it a full shakedown.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Rosi made a number of carving boards with VAS. Anti Vibration System. Everything from softer free carve to race boards. A good photo will help Id it. My guess it is a good , moderate free carving board with a fairly wide waist??
Shame they stopped making alpine boards, they did a great job for years. Shannon Melhuse was involved in the early alpine designs and did very well on them. I ride the WC 190cm from time to time, fairly stiff, low nose, carves hard. Super hard chargers do occasionally break the core, a friend has broken 2 of them. He nick named them "Exploders". He is VERY hard on his toys!!

[OCD]

I had a couple of Rossi Xvas boards, don’t know if your board is the same. Both of mine were 160’s and I really enjoyed riding them. They are fairly narrow GS boards and pretty lively. I broke one in a bad accident and the other in another less dramatic jump / crash. This is not to say that I think they are particularly weak, I’m a little unlucky I guess. The last line had a red and white top sheet and are no longer around so you may have been lucky and got a good deal. I’ve heard they had foam cores and would loose camber over time but I rode one hard for a couple of seasons and it was fine. You should have fun on it.

My first Xvas!

[Art]

If you can describe the top sheet colors and design we can probably figure out the year and model. Good boards IMO, it took a Donek to get me off my Rossi, rode it for 8 years and would buy another in a second. BTW, I'm on a 166 VAS in my avatar pic. What did you pay for it?

[Scorpio]

I'll try and get some digital pics soon but a quick description of it:

color: Red
topsheet design: looks like an arrow
model?: reads 'R159' at tail of board

Theres a factory sticker that's peeling off that has Shannon Melhuse's signature and also says "pro ride"

[Matt D]

I believe you have a Rossi Throttle based on your description. from 1999 or so.

[Art]

I agree but I think its an earlier vintage, bout 95-96 or so. earlier throttles looked like a rocket and later models were white, red/white/blue and then yelllow(?). Good ride. If the base is red with a black stripe in the middle than it is the same as what I had. you will find a bit of a loyal cult following on those boards. Enjoy

[Hugh]

I bought a 171cm Rossi Throttle a year ago and then bought another board that is exactly the same. Mine are black and red arrow design with wood core, different from the other composite Rossi boards.

I post a pic when I get a chance.

Hugh

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Here are a few more photos of Rosi alpine boards. A couple versions of the Throttle in the mix. Enjoy! Bryan

UPDATED, link removed, will be added to and uploaded again later in this thread.

[Hugh]

Yep, mine look just like the above pic labeled Rossi Throttle with the red base, but not like the 173 with the white base.

After buying the Rossi, I ride mine most of the season.

-Hugh

[Scorpio]

Mine looks exactly like that Rossi 168 but with a white base.

[bobdea]

at least the race models all had foam cores untill the WC came out that had wood and foam similar to the THC core now used in some of their softboot setups and the scratch ski as well
as long as its cheap pick it up it will be a decent deck I do have to say the WC was a way better ride than the older models though it was a little more racey and held a edge better
the boards with the foam cores lacked in some areas kind of felt dead after they had a season on them

[Matt D]

Yeah, I was mistaken on the year. Sorry bout that.

I picked up a used 2000 Race X VAS last season. It had the foam core and started to die after I had ridden it 5-6 times. Then at some point I cracked the topsheet behind the front binding.

A friend has 2 throttles though, and loves both, especially the 159.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Dug out some Rossignol Alpine boards today and took some fresh photos for all that admire them. I will generate a new gallery later tonight and send the link. Here is a group photo. Enjoy! Bryan

[Art]

Rossi on the left is a throttle vintage 95. I believe Hugh is correct in the wood core 171 if it is from 95-97. The shorter boards had a cap with a microcell core but the 171 had a 90 degree side cut with (I think) a wood core. The blue boards were the Accelerator series. I agree the foam core lost a little spring but mine had a good ride for quite awhile. If I knew they were gonna quit making boards I would ordered a few more when I had the chance. Not that i wouldt want to ride a Donek or Coiler or anything....

[Hugh]

This pair is for you...Rick. hahahhahahhaha

My two Rossi twins serial #'s

171 6 N D0600 000083

171 6 N D0600 000322

Does the 6 mean 96? Anyone know?

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Here is the Rossi Gallery. According to the seller the Rossi 171cm Throttle is a custom factory ride built for one of the racers at the time, specs don't match the original Throttle. It is new old stock. I think it is time to take it out for a ride. Pretty stiff, narrow, just like I like them. Wish it was at least a 185 though. Still like the WC and the way it rides. Lots of snap if you push it hard. Enjoy! Bryan


http://www.oldsnowboards.com/rossignol_alpine_gallery/index.html

The photos with a gray background were taken this afternoon. Most of the others have been sold or traded out or I never owned in the first place. Let me know if there is any interest in other board brands. At some point I would like to have a good gallery of alpine boards posted on the site. If you have good bright photos of your boards , they would be appreciated.

[UK2TX2CA]

Hey OldSnowboards,

What format do you want the pictures in?

http://home.att.net/~uk2tx2ca/TopSheet.jpg

http://home.att.net/~uk2tx2ca/Base.jpg

The Original Sin is a 1997 - unridden
The Wild Duck is a 1995 Knifer GS 'board ...almost the same specs as a SWORD no big suprise since it was shaped by Jacques Rilliet
The Burton ALP is a 1998 Blue top demo board for the UK market

Regards,
UK2TX2CA

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Thanks! Any format will do!! .jpg is probably ideal. If you want to send larger files that I can edit you are welcome to send them directly to me through the website
webmaster@oldsnowboards.com

Thanks for the photos , all interesting boards that will make great additions to the gallery. Note: Your photo is done so I can probably still seperate them for listing in their respective brands. However if I was to "Ask for the world" They would be seperate and against a solid background. Keep in mind, most of mine are not against an ideal backdrop and I am happy to take anything.

Your photos are excellent! Thank you. Bryan

I have a request for some Aggression "Stealths". Anyone remember them?? Super shifted sidecut. Narrow and some of the most radical of the "Asymetric Era". Early 90s.

Thanks again for contributing!

[philw]

I have a request for some Aggression "Stealths". Anyone remember them?? Super shifted sidecut. Narrow and some of the most radical of the "Asymetric Era". Early 90s

Ohh yeah. Asymettric, black. Radical. Or at least the one I'm thinking of was. Probably about 1992.

I think I have a magazine with a review of those in it somewhere, although I don't of course have the copyright to their pictures. If one doesn't turn up I'll try to dig it out anyway.

[nils]

The red rocket (spaceship like) is the last great racing board made by rossi, all the following ones were using foam cores and monocap construction.... It's a 94-95 season model, and the 95-96 already had the foam cores and was not as snappy or efficient ( many pro riders used the red spaceship model and stopped using rossi board after trying the foam ones for the reason they weren't lively enough...) I even saw early BX with riders on plates winning on that red rocket :)
It came in 159 and 167, and maybe a shorter one too... Not sure if they made a longer than 167 cos never seen it ( 171?)..

I still ride mine on rock days despite the twisted core ( after all these years) and the narrow width...

Nils

[pebu]

I know I'm reviving a dead thread here, but I've got a rossi xvas with the red white and blue topsheet just like OCD's only mine is a 162. Does anybody have any specs on it?