Gotamas Mounting Point

[adam]

I just got some new gotamas in a 176, and I'm going to mount them up with some Salomon 914's. I'm wondering what I should mount them at. I'm 5'9, 140 pounds, and I'll be skiing these on powder, jumping some cliffs (usually 5 and all the way to 20), straightlining groomers, some gs turns in bumps, and skiing steeps all I can. No ice (I have skis for that).

Thanks!
Adam

[Foggy_Goggles]

straightlining groomers,

Thanks!
Adam

-.5cm fo sho

On the line, seriously.

[Arty50]

-.5cm fo sho

On the line, seriously.

Heh. Yup, put em on the line. That's where I have mine and they're easily my favorite pair of skis.

[cinnepa]

i'm assuming you are going to mount on the FR line, not the FS line? i'm going to be mounting mine soon also; won't be landing switch - unless i really fuck up. thinking the free-ride line is the way to go?

[homerjay]

Anybody know where to mount teles on gotama's? 183s w/ size 27 boots.

(and please don't send me the link to the teletips website)

[Lok]

Anybody know where to mount teles on gotama's? 183s w/ size 27 boots.

(and please don't send me the link to the teletips website)

I had the first-year (all black) ones mounted tele at the line, i.e., with the line positioned right between the pinline and the back end of the sole (like an alpine mount). I also have size 27 boots and used Rottefella R8s. The mount felt spot on, I just thought the skis were a little too soft.

Actually, that mount has worked very well for me on pretty much all German/Austrian made alpine skis I've mounted tele, while I think it can put you a little too forward on other makes. Also, do check where "pins at chord center" (without the twin!) puts you. It shouldn't differ by much. I know a few very decent skiers that always take the mean of that and the "alpine mount".

Your choice of bindings also has a part to play. More active bindings will give you more control over the shovel than less active ones with the same mount (and a ski is more prone to tip dive if you use a more active binding). So if you are really not sure where to mount them, and have felt comfortable with a variety of bindings before (Targas and Linkens are not very active, while R8s and Bishops are at the other end), the Hammerhead might be a good choice. Since you can decide how active you want it to be, it will effectively give you a couple of centimeters to "play" with.




edit: Just read through what I wrote. That probably didn't help at all...

[homerjay]

edit: Just read through what I wrote. That probably didn't help at all...

It's actually very helpful. Did you measure chord center without twin from tip to rear contact point, then measure back up 1/2? Did you feel like there was too much tail when you mounted alpine boot center?

edit- I plan on running R8s on mine, too, how did you like the setup? Any tip-dive I need to worry about other than my lack of ability?

[Lok]

It's actually very helpful. Did you measure chord center without twin from tip to rear contact point, then measure back up 1/2? Did you feel like there was too much tail when you mounted alpine boot center?

edit- I plan on running R8s on mine, too, how did you like the setup? Any tip-dive I need to worry about other than my lack of ability?

Yup, I used a credit card to determine the rear contact point (put a few books on top of the ski so that it is flat against the floor). On the Gotama (and other Völkl skis like Sanouk, G4 and Explosive) that "alpine mount" has worked really well, and, although I don't remember the numbers, it put me very close to where "pins at chord center" would have. I ran R8 (or the older Cobra) on all those skis and never had any problems with tip-dive or edge-hold.

IMHO, a more active binding makes it easier to keep your balance on anything steep and/or in crappy snow conditions, especially as your legs get tired. + I don't think step-in bindings, with the nordic norm, are that much of an improvement over cable bindings in terms lateral stability. For the most part, that depends on how tight the duckbill fits into the toe-piece. The more worn your boots and bindings are, the more lateral "play" you will have, and that is greater than anything created by hinges, rods or cables. When/if you feel this has become a problem, you can have a paint shop give the inside of your bindings (just the sides of course) a durable powdercoat of some sort. I did that twice on an older pair of Cobras, and it really made a difference.

[Arty50]

i'm assuming you are going to mount on the FR line, not the FS line?

Huh? Do the 05/06s have two lines?

[stump832]

Huh? Do the 05/06s have two lines?

They do indeed. Not sure where I'm gonna mount mine this year. I guess a good starting place is - what the hell do FR and FS stand for? Freeride and Freestyle?

[Arty50]

Does anyone have access to the new and old ones, for comparison sakes? I want mine right on the old line.

[stump832]

I have the 03/04 and the 05/06, not last year's though.

[stump832]

Arty - the FR point on the 05/06 looks to be the same as the center point on the 03/04s. Though thats just sort of a rough eyeballing approximation.

[Arty50]

AFAIK, the 03/04 and 04/05 mounting points were exactly the same.

Thanks stump for doing the comparison! That's a big help. FR line for me.

[LaramieSkiBum]

How far forward of the rear mount point is the new FS point? Is that cord center?

I've been eye balling my 190's next to my bros / pocket rockets and am a little worried about the short tail. The tail's running length is actually shorter than my Pocket Rockets....expected for a volkl I guess, but I've been playing with the idea of mounting slightly forward for more balanced spins and more tail for landings. It is a slightly stiffer tail than I'm used to on a big ski, but it really seems like all the gotama riders land back seat alot, even in the volkl team DVD.

[stump832]

How far forward of the rear mount point is the new FS point?

The FS line is 3cm forward of the FR.

[LaramieSkiBum]

thanks..I assume your on 190's?

maybe I will mount 1.5 or 2cm forward then...

[silentlyrising]

in addition to the FS/FR lines that are added on the 06 Gotama, the sidewide "I" mounting point remains as it was last year.

that said, I decided to try something new and, disregarding the FS/FR lines, go 1cm foreward of the sidewall, boot-center "I" line. This ends up very close to being right in the middle on the FS/FR lines. My initial reasoning for changing the mounting point from last year even though they were great skis was that on many landings, when I would not stomp the drop just right, I would wheelie away on the [relatively] soft tails and struggle to pull myself back again. I figured a bit more tail would help with avoiding this "wheelie" situation but after I mounted them last week I've been wondering if A, I just need to stick my landings and avoid the backseat altogether and B, will my tips now be more susepitble to diving in pow?

Anyone do a forward mount last year and have powpow problems???
(I'm on the 190s)

[stump832]

I'm actually riding 183s. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the positions of the mounting points probably changed in proportion on the 190s as well (so the FR is still the mount point from the earlier models).

Just an interesting note - was down at a shop today getting new boots (OHYEAH), and the guy helping me was saying Volkl has sold out of the Mantras, fully negative quantities at this point (as in some people who have ordered don't have their skis). Theres just 3 sets left down at the Lift House on Wasatch Blvd. FYI.

[DarkStar]

I'm actually riding 183s. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the positions of the mounting points probably changed in proportion on the 190s as well (so the FR is still the mount point from the earlier models).

Just an interesting note - was down at a shop today getting new boots (OHYEAH), and the guy helping me was saying Volkl has sold out of the Mantras, fully negative quantities at this point (as in some people who have ordered don't have their skis). Theres just 3 sets left down at the Lift House on Wasatch Blvd. FYI.

I actually just pulled the trigger on some 05/06 190 Gotamas...for a while I considered the Mantra as more what I was leaning towards, but after talking to my Volkl rep today, he said the same thing...they are totally sold out. He thought he might somehow be able to hook up some 191 Mantras, but it sounded pretty slim. I thought that was kind of interesting.

Great to see all the replies in here regards to this though...I was curious as to where to mount these skis and it sounds like the FS is right for me (+3cm) or thereabouts...I definitely plan on doing some switch skiing with these.

[snocat]

I read on the Footloose message board last year that they recommended mounting the Gots 1-2cm back. I tried the 183's 2 back and they sucked, they were harder to turn and gained no stability. Centered they were just a little turnier than I liked, so I ski mine .5cm back, not much difference but gives me just a bit more tip to pressure and they feel a touch less turny. I don't ski switch though, just fast big mountain skiing, and generally like my bindings back if I ever change the mounting point. They still feel a little short to me though, so I'm picking up some 190's this year.

[DarkStar]

question for you guys....did you mount with any sort of lifter plate, or go with bindings directly to ski? I have some Rossi axial 140's and havent decided how to mount them...perhaps with the girth of the ski adding a little height to the binding isnt such a bad thing?

[adam]

Not sure about the lifter plate, but I've decided to go +2.5 (right around the middle between the fr and fs lines). But my Salomon bindings haven't come in yet! I ordered them on October 1st . . .
Also, how much girth can the Salomon fat brakes handle?

[Oslo T. Norway]

03-04 bootcenter marks from tail
176-74.5 cm
183-77.8 cm
190-80.8 cm

[Arty50]

Also, how much girth can the Salomon fat brakes handle?

More than any other binding, but it depends on which Solly fat brakes you're talking about. They sell four different sets of brakes:

Salomon B80 (Standard <85mm)
Salomon B95 (86mm - 99mm)
Salomon B105 (100mm - 109mm)
Salomon B115 (110mm - 120mm)

I took a pair of the Solly asymmetrical fat brakes and mixed them up for my Spatulas. The super fat brakes (purple arms) fit my Spats without any bending, and the remaining brakes (grey arms) fit on my Gotamas perfectly. I believe the 100-109mm set are the equivalent of the all grey arms. The 110-120s are the asyms I think.

question for you guys....did you mount with any sort of lifter plate, or go with bindings directly to ski? I have some Rossi axial 140's and havent decided how to mount them...perhaps with the girth of the ski adding a little height to the binding isnt such a bad thing?

Mount them flat. You don't want lift in pow.