183 Bro mounting point/review

**Vets** · 12-01-2007, 07:24 PM

I have had the pleasure of spending a few days on the new 183 Bros.
(These are the first issue 183s that have a 188 Bro topsheet)
Splat asked me to check how they ski on the currently marked boot center line (Splat can provide further details) as well as in front of and behind that line. The skis have Tyrolia SP130 Demos that move in 3mm increments. Today I skied them on Heavenly's dual WROD.

First, how they ski on the marked boot center line:
They feel like 188 Bro stiffs. They love forward pressure on the tip and love to rail long turns. Short turns require a bit more effort. A heavier and/or stronger skier would be happy with this mounting point.

1 click (3mm) back:
They felt like only the tail of the ski was engaged. It was more difficult to drive the tip of the ski.

1 click (3mm) forward:
They feel like 179 Bros. They will do any turn shape and will still rail.

2 clicks (6mm) forward:
Very easy to turn, in fact almost too easy to turn. I would be concerned with this position if I was skiing pow. However, in this position, they were very easy to ski backwards. This might be a good mounting point for a lighter/less aggressive skier or someone who skis more centered.

If I could move them 1/2 of a click forward, they would probably feel like their true 183 length.

BTW - I'm 5'10", 180 lbs. and have happily skied many flavors, flexes, and lengths of Bros.

I'll cross link this with a recent 183 Bro post.
New 183 Bros fresh off the boat w/pics

**hutash** · 12-01-2007, 08:11 PM

Cool, thanks for the info, I was about to post and email the same question.

What does the marked boot line measure from the ski tip? Mine seems awfully far back.

It sounds like 3mm forward would be the sweet spot for me. I loved the 179 stiffs, but found the 188 stiffs to be too much work. Maybe I'll just mount them 10mm forward and ski them switch all the time.

**Vets** · 12-01-2007, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Cool, thanks for the info, I was about to post and email the same question.

What does the marked boot line measure from the ski tip? Mine seems awfully far back.

It sounds like 3mm forward would be the sweet spot for me. I loved the 179 stiffs, but found the 188 stiffs to be too much work. Maybe I'll just mount them 10mm forward and ski them switch all the time.

I just did a quick measurement with a funky old steel tape measure. It looks like about 41" when almost pulled straight (bindings are sort of in the way.)

3mm forward seemed the most versatile.

**hutash** · 12-01-2007, 09:56 PM

Thank you kind sir, I will check mine at the first opportunity.

So, after you got the binders dialed, what was your impression of the skis?

**Vets** · 12-01-2007, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Thank you kind sir, I will check mine at the first opportunity.

So, after you got the binders dialed, what was your impression of the skis?

Double check with Splat on the measurement.

I felt right at home on my first run on the 183s. After that they just kept feeling better. Once they are dialed in they are very predictable and confidence inspiring.

**pechelman** · 12-02-2007, 09:52 PM

is that really 3mm or 3cm? on the binding track?

id honestly think 3mm not to make that much difference.
?

and it seems like 3cm of adjust would be hudge

**splat** · 12-02-2007, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

is that really 3mm or 3cm? on the binding track?

id honestly think 3mm not to make that much difference.
?

and it seems like 3cm of adjust would be hudge

That's 3 mm, three cm would whack the shit out of the way it skis.
That's one click on the Tyrolia demo bindings we use.
I left my pair with Vets at Mammoth a couple weeks ago and realized that I'd been doing that dumb thing I do - enjoying the skiing so much I never looked at the boot centerline Aldo put on them and skied a couple different clicks off it to see how it skied. I just jumped on them and took off and, well, you know....

I'd suggest to anyone who has gotten 183s and hasn't mounted them yet to go 3-4 mm in front of the line on the skis. I noticed it looked a bit too far back and asked Vets to move the mount around and see how they skied. Vets has been through the testing of almost every model we've done, so his word is good on this.

Thanks, Vets!

**pechelman** · 12-02-2007, 10:23 PM

awesome
good to know

vets is definitely, a, um, vet, when it comes to bros

sounds too like people who want a bit more stability and bigger ski feel would like the line location.

1 ski that can ski like a 188 and a 179, how crazy

**hutash** · 12-03-2007, 12:38 PM

I just measured mine, and got 41 1/2 inches with a straight tape.

I am putting solly 912 Ti's on them. Might even ski them this weekend.

**skiingsamurai** · 12-03-2007, 03:11 PM

hijack/
how do you measure to the center of your bindings?
ie, where do you measure from the tip to?

endhijack/

**Lani** · 12-03-2007, 07:42 PM

My 183 BROs are mounted with Dynafit TLT Classics 3 mm forward of the boot-center mark. This puts the point of rotation for skinning about 8 mm forward of the true center of the ski. They felt great on my first day skiing them, really quick and stable. Can't wait to fully heal so I feel more comfortable opening 'em up. Tracks on the far right:

**Lani** · 12-03-2007, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by splat

I'd suggest to anyone who has gotten 183s and hasn't mounted them yet to go 3-4 mm in front of the line on the skis. I noticed it looked a bit too far back and asked Vets to move the mount around and see how they skied. Vets has been through the testing of almost every model we've done, so his word is good on this.

Thanks, Vets!

WTF - I hadn't read this, but that's exactly where I mounted them.

**swissbro** · 12-22-2007, 04:43 AM

Skied the 183 stiffs yesterday. I'm 5'11" and 185. Mounted 3 mm forward. Ski with a very centered stance. Have used most of the Bros from the past two years except for the 188 super stiffs.

Found it turned as easily as Bro 179s and stable as the 188s. Seemed like I was on the 188s when I looked at them due to the rearward placement of the boot compared to the Reno models.

Anyone who knows how to make a turn and wants a ski a bit shorter than the 188s shouldn't be afraid of the stiff flex on this ski. If I had to pick only one ski out of the current lineup for a one ski quiver, it would be the 183 stiff.

Checked my boot centerline today after skiing and found they are exactly 3 mm ahead for me.

**splat** · 12-23-2007, 11:50 AM

I finally got to move them around while skiing Italy last week. I started at -3 and couldn't get the shovel edge into the icy groomers without really laying into them. I clicked them to a point that was only about 1.5mm -2mm forward and they were perfect for me. Skied some sweet fields of pow at the setting, hit the icy groomers and they killed it on every front.

**swissbro** · 12-23-2007, 09:33 PM

Skied the 183s today on boilerplate and icy groomers. In the morning it was 46 F and by 11 it had dropped to 20. The skis just ate it all up without a hiccup. Same goes for the 164s, 174s, and a blem 179 with a bit of tip rocker that my friends had out for the first time. They couldn't believe how well they handled.

Splat, you've now got a group of converts in northern Michigan even if they have to endure the endless questions about why they are trying to use powder skis on icy groomers.

**Magnus_CA** · 01-20-2008, 01:21 PM

Just wanted to confirm...is 2-3 mm forward the consensus mouting point? Anyone compared this point with measured center of the running surface?

**splat** · 01-20-2008, 05:39 PM

It was confirmed by a consensus of people that skied it.

**pechelman** · 01-23-2008, 06:29 PM

i am here to post cause i came home to a pair sitting on my doorstep

i am absolutely floored by the top rate construction and finish on these sticks
my orange raceroom legend pros look like they were assembly by monkeys in comparison
i am dead serious.

i am absolutely dead stoked to ski these things

they look just like my 186 legend pros minus .75lbs EACH, have less tail width (one of my biggest complaints with the LP, have the same generous shovel for planing up in pow, and have a slightly softer flex than the LP (just ever so slightly). Id say the tips are definitely softer on the 183s, but I dont mind that at all. Also worth mentioning, at a very first quick glance, the mount line appears to be 1cm back of where the 186 Legend Pro is. Ill spend more time measuring (heh, lots more Pat

) but my first impression is that I will mount them +.5cm from the line.

dynafits here they come, no question.

SO STOKED.

**hafilax** · 01-23-2008, 06:41 PM

Out of curiosity, how accurately can someone mount bindings especially dynafits. I would have guessed that +-3mm would be near the limit especially taking into account measuring and placing the boot center. If binding placement is really that sensitive to position wouldn't this cause problems?

**pechelman** · 01-23-2008, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by hafilax

Out of curiosity, how accurately can someone mount bindings especially dynafits. I would have guessed that +-3mm would be near the limit especially taking into account measuring and placing the boot center. If binding placement is really that sensitive to position wouldn't this cause problems?

it depends how eleet you are

if youre as eleet as me, you have your own custom made jig template that allows you to mount to within the width of a printed line

if you're as eleet as someone like marshalolson, then you can mount them to within a metric ball hair using your eyes to line up the line on your boot and the line on the ski.

these are all technical terms btw

realistically, id say mounts within 1mm are easy for someone who has experience.

**Magnus_CA** · 01-23-2008, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

i am here to post cause i came home to a pair sitting on my doorstep

Nice work. We look forward to the review.

**cinnepa** · 01-23-2008, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

i am here to post cause i came home to a pair sitting on my doorstep

i am absolutely floored by the top rate construction and finish on these sticks
my orange raceroom legend pros look like they were assembly by monkeys in comparison
i am dead serious.

i am absolutely dead stoked to ski these things

SO STOKED.

you too??? same thing....opened them up today and i was just doing the stare for a while, followed by some drool. bindings coming friday, need to get on them soooon - maybe next w/e up to sugarbush; others are welcome to give them a ride if i make it there.

**hafilax** · 01-23-2008, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

it depends how eleet you are

if youre as eleet as me, you have your own custom made jig template that allows you to mount to within the width of a printed line

if you're as eleet as someone like marshalolson, then you can mount them to within a metric ball hair using your eyes to line up the line on your boot and the line on the ski.

these are all technical terms btw

realistically, id say mounts within 1mm are easy for someone who has experience.

Has anyone ever mounted bindings with a milling machine or even a CNC mill? That would give you at least 0.1mm accuracy.

I've been marking 1st year physics labs for the last couple of hours with error analysis being a large part of the mark. It's affecting my brain.

**skiingsamurai** · 01-23-2008, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by hafilax

Has anyone ever mounted bindings with a milling machine or even a CNC mill? That would give you at least 0.1mm accuracy.

I've been marking 1st year physics labs for the last couple of hours with error analysis being a large part of the mark. It's affecting my brain.

yeah it is.
Im an engineering student, so accuracy and precision is key in my life
but when it comes to ski bindings, .0001" is going to make zero difference.
I doubt even Bode's skis are mounted to those tolerances.

**hafilax** · 01-23-2008, 10:06 PM

Hey if you can feel a huge difference from moving a binding 3mm and you have a 1mm mounting accuracy that's a big effect. I've seen a botched dynafit mount which using a milling machine probably would have avoided. They have huge machines for waxing and sharpening, why not use one to mount bindings?