Stance setup

[corey_dyck]

Awesome site, I can't believe I didn't find it until now! :)

I'm trying to setup some TD1 bindings on a Burton Alp 6.9, but am unsure about stance width/positioning. I've read the excellent articles here on BOL, but I'm unsure which compromise is best for me. Angles, I understand; minimum that eliminates overhang. Check.

Width/setback. Almost no idea where I should start. The Burton recommended stance on the board is 18" (really 17 3/4"), 15 mm back from center. I've seen recommendations here for 19+" stances. So I've got a few options with the coarse adjustment allowed by the TD1 baseplates (0 and 3 degree cants):
1. 17 3/4", 15mm back
2. 18 1/4", ~28mm back
3. 19 3/4", ~5mm back
4. 19 1/4", ~23mm forward -I don't think so, but I included it anyway

Which of these is a good starting point for me? I'm leaning toward #3, but I feel it might be too wide. #2 sounds better than #1 for width, but it's pretty far back!
:confused:


Another option is to make new cant plates. I'm a mechanical engineer and could re-design the plates around my 3-D hole pattern. There would be obvious compromises such as reduced angle options, but at least I could adjust stance width. This is a longer-term solution as this would take a while to re-design everything and spend some time in the machine shop! One of the beauties of the TD1 is its simplicity and elegance, it's hard to improve on the design without compromises in other areas.

Background:
I've just bought a carve setup after floundering for years on a freestyle/freeride setup. I started snowboarding on a Burton Cruise 165 in 1988. I practically lived on the hill until 1993, when I went to University and found myself suddenly too poor to ride as much as I used to. I finally realized that I wasn't having fun with jumping and doing tricks. But I always loved carving! The highlight of the boards I owned was a 1990-ish Nitro 156 -I can't remember the name, but it had a small tail and dug trenches like nobody's business. This was the same time as the white Elfgen bindings with the big tongues. I'm still sorry I sold that one and bought into the freestyle wave!

So, I got a set of TD1's from Loui Racer on this board. I found a Burton Alp 6.9 and a pair of Burton Freecarve boots on eBay for fairly cheap. No ragging on this setup, it was the best my budget allowed for, and can be gradually upgraded as I feel the need!

I'm about 5'11", 180 lbs., and ride a 21" stance at 25 degrees front, 17 degrees rear on my Sims Max 157 in soft boots.

Any suggestions you can make would be greatly appreciated! :D

[Baka Dasai]

Go for no. 3. It won't be too wide, seeing as you have a 21" width in softies. And if it is, you can always change it :)

When you say setback, do you mean setback from the center of the board, or setback from the center of the insert pattern?

[NateW]

#2 or #3 sound worth trying...

3cm doesn't sound very far back to me, if that stance with is comfortable, try it. I'm pretty sure I was more than 3cm aft a couple years ago (granted, I moved my stance forward since then) and it does work. If you find yourself leaning forward a lot, then trying moving forward.

My setback now is close to zero and it actually feels kind of awkward. I'm not sure if it's because I'm just accustomed to leaning forward as I crouch, or because there's something inherently weird about not leaning forward when crouching, but I'm getting used to it and having fun trying it just for the sake of variety.

I really think experimentation is the name of the game for stuff like this. Switch things around at night if you don't want to waste valuable snowtime fiddling with tools... But try some different stuff and see what you like.

Also, how long is the insteam on your jeans? Not that I care personally... :) but if you multiply that by 0.6 you'll get a number that makes a good starting point for stance width experiments.

[Jack Michaud]

If those are truly your only options (I thought the Burton 3D pattern was supposed to be more versatile), I'd say #3 just as long as you have cant disks to use on both feet. 18.25" is too narrow for a five-elevener imo, and you don't want to be 23mm forward on a 169. You could get away with that on a 185, but not a 169. But definitely experiment.

Welcome!
-Jack

[corey_dyck]

Thanks for the suggestions! I typically wear 33" inseam pants, so 19.8" seems about right by that formula. I'll try out #3 over the Christmas break. If it feels too wide, I'll switch to #2.

The setback I quoted was from the center of the running length. The insert pattern is offset towards the rear of the board.

The 3-D pattern does allow for other choices when using most other bindings, but the Bomber TD1's that I have only allow one position for 3-hole patterns. There is no fore/aft adjustment possible.

See the holes between the center bump and the base plate mounting hole:
http://www.bomberonline.com/Store/images/photos_products/binding_part_td_disk_med.jpg
That's the only position that is allowed with the 3-D pattern. That's a design constraint that Fin and Bob must have wrestled with when first making the bindings. When you look at adding more positions you run into the base plate mounting holes in a hurry. If you move the front/rear holes to one side, you can allow fore/aft adjustment, but you eliminate some angles and would probably have to make regular and goofy versions. Yuck! (Fin and Bob, does that sound about right?)

I'd rather have 4x4, but that's not an option at this point! My next board will not have a 3-D pattern. ;)