how do they control those sleds in the luge?

[ddeclue]

I don't see any means of control.

[HeresyLives]

1. With their legs and their shoulders.

They 'shift their balance'.

[ddeclue]

purely by shifting the center of gravity?

wow.. I thought there might be a hidden handler or something. It's hard to tell when they do shift their body weight - it's not obvious to me but I am totally clueless about the luge.

[Posteritatis]

13. With those kinds of speeds and positions, very subtle shifts could do quite a bit

They're on a really, really smooth surface and pretty close to the ground; something as simple as a small shrug of the shoulders would probably add up quickly at times.

[ddeclue]

6. Is there a rule about going "feet first" or is head first just too dangerous?

[HeresyLives]

8. Have to go feet first.

It's part of the fun. LOL

On edit: to be fair I should add, going head first is the 'skeleton'.

[MadBadger]

2. You see the American just crash into the side?

[ddeclue]

5. yeah and for the right candidates (Alan Grayson, Maureen Hackett, Kendrick Meek, et. al)

[ddeclue]

9. weird- not what I posted - a really old post - please disregard folks.

[MadBadger]

10. I was wondering.

That was strang.e

[teenagebambam]

3. Saw a luge practice once in Germany

It's really terrifying to see up close. I can't imagine ever wanting to go that fast.

[left coaster]

4. This might help..

http://blog.lugeteam.us/2009/01/strategy-of-steering-luge-sled.html

[fishwax]

11. cool -- thanks for that informative link

:thumbsup:

[left coaster]

12. You're welks! :) nt

[tularetom]

7. Centrifugal force pushes them to the outside wall on turns

but it looks like they can counteract this somewhat by leaning their body away from the turn.

Far as I know there is no steering other than by shifting body weight.

The course itself mostly controls the direction of the sled.