When’s the last time you tried something new…I mean something totally different?? For us it was just last week. We had planned our family ski trip to Colorado some months back, and as the date approached I started having some doubts.
You see, I learned to ski later in life (age 40) and honestly I would categorize my skill level as beginner. I enjoy getting up on the mountain, riding the lifts, and seeing the beautiful snow-covered peaks, but the way down is always a bit…bumpy!
Along with my mediocre skiing skills, this year added injury to my plight. Recent injuries to my right knee and foot had me seriously doubting the wisdom of skiing this spring. Fortunately a friend at work introduced me to the idea of trying a ski-bike (AKA snow bike) as a way to enjoy the mountain and protect my body at the same time.
The idea is simple….instead of wheels, a ski bike has (you guessed it…) skis! There are a few different types out there, but the one I used was a Brenter ski bike, which has 1 ski in the front and 1 in the back.
Basically you just sit on the Brenter similarly to any other bike with small foot skis on either foot. The foot skis are really there just to help with balance…the control is all done with the bike. Sitting on the bike (arms extended) you simply aim the bike in the desired direction and lean to either side to make it turn.
It took 4-5 runs on the “bunny slopes” to get the hang of it, but after that it was all just fun!
Turns out that my friend was right…not only did the ski bike allow me to enjoy the mountain, but it saved wear and tear on my knees and feet too!
Not only that, but the learning curve to feel comfortable on the ski bike was much (I mean MUCH) quicker than learning to ski. So a ski bike can be a great option for those that just struggle with skiing like I do.
If your interested in trying ski-biking for yourself here’s a few things you should know:
- Not all ski resorts allow ski bikes. You can check on the resort you want to visit by seeing if they are on the list of ski-bike friendly mountains in North America. http://ski-bike.org/ski_areas.html
- Some resorts require a tether (a small strap that attaches the bike to your leg). The tether keeps the bike from careening down the mountain if you come off. So make sure to check that before you go.
- Ski bikes are relatively new, so rentals can be hard to find in some areas.
- Because they’re new, many people have never seen a ski bike (I hadn’t) so be prepared to get a lot of looks and questions! I had several people ask about it on our recent trip and they were all curious and thought it looked super cool!
- You’ll still need proper ski attire, so make sure to have ski pants, coat, gloves, helmet and goggles.
- If you rent a Brenter like I had, ask about the bindings for the foot skis. Mine were set up for snowboard boots, although ski boot bindings are common as well. In my opinion the snowboard boots and bindings are more comfortable and easier to walk in than ski boots, so keep that in mind when you’re looking at rentals.
All in all, I thought the ski bike was a blast and it accomplished exactly what I was hoping for….getting me up in the mountain without causing any further pain or damage to my already injured body.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in, I encourage you to go give it a try….you might end up with a new love for the mountain and maybe even a new favorite winter sport!