If you have spent winters anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring as a mountain biker or a cyclist, the next thing you need to try ASAP is riding a SNO-GO ski bike. Now, winter’s fastest growing sport, ski biking, is very comparable to mountain biking and is a great way to enjoy outdoor recreation during the snowy months. Why wait until spring if you can hop on a ski bike and hit the slopes today? Here's 8 reasons this new downhill activity is just the fix you need for winter blues.
Outdoor thrill seekers wanted to let bikers know why to consider getting a SNO-GO ski bike rental this season.
1. Similar handling and thrill
The crossover from a bicycle to a ski bike is a smooth and easy transition. SNO-GO Co-founder Chase Wagstaff likes to say, "If you can ride a bike, you can ride a SNO-GO." SNO-GO ski bikes are a bike-like device that use three skis and are carefully crafted to transfer skills easily from a bicycle. Using the same motions of holding onto the handlebars and leaning into your turns as you do on a bike, ski biking uses the same movements as biking down a hill with speed. You simple stand and tilt the bike to arc turns. Ski biking is an excellent way to cross train in the winter before bike season starts up again in the spring.
2. Great value
With new premium mountain bicycles creeping into higher quadruple digits, investing in a ski bike is going to be much less expensive than buying a top-tier mountain bike. A SNO-GO Shift ski bike price is $2,499 and has virtually no learning curve. "You jump right on and within a few runs you are carving and exploring the mountain." says SNOW Partners COO Eric Lipton. Rental a ski bike this winter is also an affordable option especially if you are interested in a SNO-GO for your first go. There are dozens of SNO-GO rental locations across the country. Here's a look into the average participants first day:
3. Family friendly
While you might rip down a single track with your friends and potentially other family members, extended family might not have the skills or want to partake in the more risky aspects of downhill mountain biking. Because SNO-GO Ski Bikes are so intuitive and easy to pick up, hitting the mountains and ski biking is a great option to enjoy with the whole family. Everyone can choose between skiing, snowboarding or getting a ski bike rental to all hit the slopes together.
People often wonder if ski bikes are hard to ride or if ski biking is easy to learn. The ski bike learning curve is easy while most people pick it up and feel comfortable in less than an hour. To understand the learning process and how ski bikes load chairlifts, check out the learning hub. SNO-GO ski bikes are more simple to learn than skiing or snowboarding making it a more accessible option to be enjoyed by the entire family together.
4. Create your own trail
An all-mountain ski bike, like a SNO-GO, will bring you the same thrill as mountain biking, but instead of having to stay on a single track you can create your own lines as you carve down the mountain. You'll have more ability to navigate through trees, off of jumps or even hit other park features.
"A SNO-GO ski bike is made for the entire mountain and can be used in all terrain from the bunny slopes to double black diamond powder runs. A bike can’t truly take you off the trail but with snow on the ground and a ski bike under your feet, the entire mountain is your playground." - Reed Boggs, Professional Mountain Biker
5. Clock vertical feet fast
SNO-GO ski bikes are engineered to be compliant with chairlift safety codes and they are easy to ski on and off a chairlift. Being able to easily get on the lift offers the opportunity for more vertical feet and runs during the day. Using chairlifts makes it fun to use apps such as Strava or Ski Tracker to track your vertical descents throughout the day, similar to what you can do with a mountain bike!
Brodrick Nickens currently holds the record most vertical feet in a day with 98,669 feet at Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado.
6. Create fun challenges on Strava!
By using the Strava app while ski biking, you can create segments for different parts of your favorite runs. SNO-GO suggests using the “alpine skiing” option on Strava until a ski bike option exists in the app. If there is a patch of trees that often has untouched powder or a jump you like off the side of a trail you can save these segments in Strava. Continue to take laps on your favorite runs adding more features or carve down an entirely different area of the mountain as you cruise around on a ski bike. Try to shoot for a personal record or become the king/queen of the mountain and see if you can leave the skiers and riders in the dust while riding your SNO-GO ski bike.
7. SNO-GO Community
Many cyclists and mountain bikers rely heavily on their biking community to enjoy going on rides and discussing their favorite sport. SNO-GO already has an active community of enthusiasts that regularly post about meeting up to go ski biking. Check out the SNO-GO Tribe Facebook group to find other adventure seekers around the country who are passionate about ski biking. Feel free to post about a meetup, ask about where to rent a ski bike or get different opinions on the best places to go ski biking.
8. Take part in races & events
Races and events are becoming more common for this rapidly growing winter sport. Some past events that were held in 2022 were the Hoodoo SkiBike Fest in central Oregon as well as the SNO-GO Hot Cocoa Hustle at The Highlands in northern Michigan. Race series are a big part of the culture for cycling and mountain biking and the events and race series for ski biking are on the rise. A race series specifically for ski bikes is hopefully coming soon for future seasons.
Check out SNO-GO Resorts to find out which mountains allow ski biking and where you can rent a ski bike for your first time. If you tried it out and are ready to hit the slopes on a regular basis look into purchasing the SNO-GO Shift Ski Bike and acquiring $150 discount your first purchase by signing up on our mailing list!
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