| Where
can I ride a skibike...?
The
type of terrain to be found in all ski resorts, is quite suitable
for skibiking. It is fair to say that if you can ski or snowboard
on a particular piste, then a skibike will perform equally well.
There
are restrictions on the use of skibikes in some resorts, this is
not due to the types of piste to be found in a particular area,
it is more a political issue and is dictated by the hierarchy within
the individual resorts. Some resorts welcome skibikers and have
no restrictions, others forbid the use of skibikes, or limit their
use to certain lifts or pistes. As with all new or unusual sports
(snowboarding) etc., it can take time for it to gain popularity
or acceptance.
America
may well insist that the skibike originated there, and this may
be the case but the US resorts that allow unrestricted skibike use
appears to be rather limited at the moment.
We always
check with the resort's tourist office before booking. It is unlikely
that your local travel agent will have detailed, or up to date information
on skibike use in a particular resort.
How
much do they cost...?
Skibike
hire is the best option for a first outing. We hope to provide a
detailed list of suppliers of hire equipment, in the near future.
A good
mountain bike (ATB) can be expensive, and the same goes for skibikes.
It has to be born in mind the amount of stress that can be placed
on the machine, even when negotiating sedate runs at slow speeds,
you will have heard the old saying, "you only get what you
pay for".
Who
can skibike...?
Pretty
much anybody really. My daughter started at the age of 10 years
on a home made Bike, (courtesy of yours truly), and there was Baron
Von Holliweg (Mops to his friends), who skibiked with an artificial
leg. A gentleman by the name of Sir Henry Wooga, regularly takes
parties of partially disabled army personnel to the alpine pistes,
and has been featured on national TV in the UK.
If you
can ride a bicycle, you are well on the way to being a skibiker.
How
fit do I have to be...?
All
physical sports require a degree of fitness, but if you can make
it to your local pub 500 metres down the road in one go, or regularly
walk the dog with no adverse side effects, then skibiking should
not cause any problems.
Most
winter sports enthusiasts do however, embark on some form of fitness
regime, a few weeks prior to their departure, it is up to the individual
to decide the level or intensity.
What
clothing do I need...?
No special
clothing, other than normal ski attire is needed, most items can
be hired from reputable ski shops, and offer decent discounts if
you choose to purchase the clothing on your return. Gloves, hats
& goggles cannot usually be hired so you will need to purchase
them in your local ski shop, or in the resort. We recommend you
purchase these items in the resort because there is usually a larger
selection to choose from.
Where
can I get skibike instruction...?
Due
to the lack of snow clad mountains within the UK, we are unable
to give any firm advice on where to obtain suitable instruction.
Most of the dry ski slopes dotted around the country welcome skibikes,
but they do not usually have any equipment for hire.
There
is no substitute for the real thing, (snow that is,) and we firmly
recommend you to take your first venture through one of the skibike
clubs, or go on one of the Brenter courses. We hear they are very
good.
Do all
resorts allow skibiking...?
Sadly
the answer to that question is no. Resorts fall in to 3 categories:
(1)
Resorts that allow unrestricted use of all lifts and pistes.
(2)
Resorts that allow restricted use of skibikes on some of their lifts
or pistes.
(3)
Resorts that forbid skibike use completely.
Before
booking our holiday, we always check with the village tourist office
as to what lifts and runs can be used. Keep in mind that some resorts
allow you to skibike on the pistes, but do not allow the use of
the lifts. Fine if you are prepared to spend 4 or 5 hours carrying
your skibike 2000 metres up the mountain, only to spend 30 minutes
skibiking back down, this is not our idea of a good time, so check
carefully.
Why
is skibiking restricted in some resorts...?
A very
good question, and one which is not easy to answer.
The
resorts that either restrict, or forbid the use of skibikes, will
usually quote either the unsuitability of their lift/piste system,
or the dangers involved with skibike use.
In the
20 years or so, that we have been skibiking, we have encountered
very few lifts or pistes that we could not negotiate with both safety
to ourselves, and others. The ones we have come across on occasion,
have proved to be intimidating to skiers as well as snowboarders,
and tend to be little used by most parties.
Where
can I buy equipment...?
In the
past:
Brenter
(Austria), Keeda (Germany), Porche (Germany), Hari and Jafca (England),
all produced skibikes in some form or other. To our knowledge there
are only 2 surviving European manufacturers.
Brenter
GMBH, Arnsdorferstrabe 19-23, A-5110 Oberndorf, Austria.
Tel:
0043 (0)6272/7777-0 Fax: 0043 (0)6272/7777-22
Flachsmann,
CH-8038 Zurich, Butzenstrasse 54/56, Switzerland.
Tel:
01/481/7877 Fax: 01/483/0039
K2 have
now started producing skibikes, we do not have an address for them
but their web site can be found in our Links Page.
Stalmach
skibikes can also be found in our Links
Page.
All
companies, we believe, can arrange delivery of your equipment to
a UK address, or to your chosen ski resort, prior to your departure.
Brenter
Snowbikes (Austria) have Snowbikes for hire, and run very good instruction
courses, their web site can be found in Links.
Is skibiking
dangerous...?
As with
all physical sports, there is always an element of risk, but the
risk is far less than is the case with skiing and snowboarding.
This is due to the low centre of gravity on a skibike, and it's
4 points of contact. Generally injuries are usually of the minor
bruise variety.
Transporting
a skibike...?
By air
is the most common way to get your bike to the alpine slopes. Most
tour operators are happy to transport your equipment for you, though
some will charge a small fee due to that little bit of extra weight
involved, when compared to a pair of skis, some will also insist
on a protective bag of some kind, this is for safety reasons, we
use light weight canvas bags.
By car
is also very popular, this method is dependant on the distance to
your chosen resort though. Driving to your resort gives you the
advantage of having transport to go exploring your chosen region,
should the occasional day of bad weather make skibiking less appealing.
Skibikes
can be transported on roof racks, bike racks, and when broken down
into their component parts, transported in the boot of your car.
A small spanner and screw driver are usually all the tools that
are required.
When
is the best time to go skibiking...?
The
European ski season has been a bit unpredictable in recent years
due no doubt to global warming but is usually from mid November
to late April, this can vary though, and is usually dependant on
the altitude of your chosen resort, and the snow conditions that
prevail at the time. February is a popular month, when both sun
and snow are usually at their best, this is high season and holiday
costs go up accordingly. We prefer the last 1 or 2 weeks prior to
high season, the costs are substantially lower, but the conditions
are usually very similar to high season.
There
are a number ski resorts with glaciers, while it can prove rather
costly, these resorts offer glacier skiing well into August and
beyond. We have not personally indulged in summer glacier skiing,
but we are advised that up to lunchtime the skiing can be superb,
thereafter the snow tends to get rather wet and sticky.
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