"Look, a bike without wheels! Hey, a motorcycle! Hey, what is that? Where have you left your wheels? And how is that driven?" These and many more questions are what the engrossed skiers ask you when they see the "new device." To the astonishment of many, in 1991 the first snow prototypes were created, based on BMX bicycles and Snowboarding .
Snowscoot
The Snowscoot, as the snow bike is called, is of French origin and consists of two independent parts. The front axle is made up of a handlebar, a stem, a fork and a skate. The front skid performs the steering and compensation initiation functions. It is not true that because you have a handlebar, just by pointing it to one side "the bike" will follow the trajectory.
The rear axle is made up of a rigid structure and another longer skid where the pilot is located. The pilot performs on said skid the change of weight that displaces and orients the rear axle in the direction commanded with his arms and body in the front axle. Don't let it sound strange to you! You just have to follow the following steps.
Driving
The snow driving system is the same as for other alpine modalities: moving and edging.
- Turns. The Snowscoot is driven mainly with your arms. The turn is carried out by slightly beginning to steer to one side with the handlebars, followed jointly by leaning on the edges of the bike to the same side. The level of slope on the track marks the inclination that must be adopted on the edges to achieve a controlled turn. During the turn the body remains in a semi-flexed position and occupies the side of the turn to exert weight. Unlike skis, the main weight in the turn falls on the inside leg, to support the proper position.
- Speed control. Braking: never stop exerting force in your arms to edge. This way you control the speed at all times and will not leave the Snowscoot "free" to roll. To brake, we move the bike to the 90-degree position and edge sharply.
- Position. In the same way that we position the body in the modalities of ski and snowboard to driving, the weight of the body falls on the front of the Snowscoot. The The legs acquire a semi-flexed position and the weight of the body falls with the arms on the handlebars towards the front.
Difficulty? If we compare the degree of difficulty when learning to ski or snowboarding, we can say that Snowscoot is much easier to get started with. We can also rate the learning progression as "simple" if we meet certain requirements:
- Physical form. At all times we have to exert strength in our arms to master both direction and speed, the latter being very important. For this reason, we must not neglect optimal form in our upper body: the arms.
- Habit to two wheels. If you are a regular on motorcycles or bikes, it will help you assimilate the direction of the Snowscoot more easily.
- A lot of caution. The wrong choice of your speed can take you to the ground due to lack of control. One advantage is that you can put your feet out to brake or suddenly cross the rear axle to skid. Keep in mind that the nearly ten kilos that the Snowscoot weighs are a problem for braking and poor physical condition may cause you to not be able to stop in time.
- Green, Blue, Red or Black? Choosing the tracks well is another very important factor. Snowscoot is easy to learn, but difficult access to the slopes is different from skiing or snowboarding. On the green slopes we begin the initiation, making the first turns and learning to brake. In this first contact the arms already discover their function. The transition to the blue slopes is quick and serves to begin the entire process of driving, steering and sudden braking. This process aims to find safety and control of the Snowscoot to face the really difficult slopes. The red tracks, and especially the black ones, require a high level of technique, a high physical level in the arms and a correct driving position.
- Hieeeeelooooo! It is the alarm cry for all modalities on the slopes, especially at low levels. First we must distinguish between hard snow and ice, similar but not the same. You have to pass these damn plates smoothly and then regulate your speed again. If we want to brake in them we will surely end up on the ground. With the Snowscoot it is especially difficult to drive in hard snow. The impossibility of edging strongly and safely, together with the weight of the bike, means that you require a very high level to ride in these types of conditions.
For lovers of two wheels in general, the Snowscoot produces a very special "feeling". Jump, run, fall, skid... everything, as if you had the wheels underneath you. There are moments when you think you feel the power of the engine and you accelerate as if it were possible. The exits of the wild skids, the small changes in elevation, the jumps, the "egg" descents, and... surely many personal details that each one can feel about the Snowscoot, make you set the sound of the engine yourself. at every moment.
Virgin snow
One of the best times to enjoy snow in general is, without a doubt, virgin snow. To drive in this type of snow we must slightly delay the position of the body and not load excess weight on the front skid. By balancing the weight we ensure that said skate does not sink too much and allows driving in powder snow. When delaying the body we must not neglect its direction and transmit the necessary force with the arms to the front train. The work of the legs on this type of snow is greater than on marked slopes, therefore, we must not neglect the correct fixation of the feet in their straps.
Lifts
With the Snowscoot you will have no problems getting on any lift. Chairlifts and tows are used in the same way as if they were skis or snowboards.
To take the chairlift you wait standing with both feet in place and sit down. Keep an eye on the width of the handlebars and then you can lower the safety bar and place the rear skate on the corresponding support place. For added comfort, we turned the handlebars 90 degrees and relaxed until the finish. Getting out of the chair is equally simple, the skate makes contact with the snow and we rise up while the chair propels us forward.
For the drags we stand straight at the starting point and insert the hanger like the other skiers. Do not neglect the direction of the Snowscoot so as not to have any scares on the way up. At the finish, we release one hand and, being careful not to hit the handlebars, we leave the perch free forward. When picking up the hanger we have to be quick so as not to go out with only one hand in the initial impulse.
On other lifts such as cable cars, cable cars or funiculars, we must place the Snowscoot in such a way that it disturbs the other "travel companions" as little as possible.
Use and maintenance
The Snowscoot is a to ride in these types of conditions.
For lovers of two wheels in general, the Snowscoot produces a very special "feeling". Jump, run, fall, skid... everything, as if you had the wheels underneath you. There are moments when you think you feel the power of the engine and you accelerate as if it were possible. The exits of the wild skids, the small changes in elevation, the jumps, the "egg" descents, and... surely many personal details that each one can feel about the Snowscoot, make you set the sound of the engine yourself. at every moment.
Virgin snow
One of the best times to enjoy snow in general is, without a doubt, virgin snow. To drive in this type of snow we must slightly delay the position of the body and not load excess weight on the front skid. By balancing the weight we ensure that said skate does not sink too much and allows driving in powder snow. When delaying the body we must not neglect its direction and transmit the necessary force with the arms to the front train. The work of the legs on this type of snow is greater than on marked slopes, therefore, we must not neglect the correct fixation of the feet in their straps.
Lifts
With the Snowscoot you will have no problems getting on any lift. Chairlifts and tows are used in the same way as if they were skis or snowboards.
To take the chairlift you wait standing with both feet in place and sit down. Keep an eye on the width of the handlebars and then you can lower the safety bar and place the rear skate on the corresponding support place. For added comfort, we turned the handlebars 90 degrees and relaxed until the finish. Getting out of the chair is equally simple, the skate makes contact with the snow and we rise up while the chair propels us forward.
For the drags we stand straight at the starting point and insert the hanger like the other skiers. Do not neglect the direction of the Snowscoot so as not to have any scares on the way up. At the finish, we release one hand and, being careful not to hit the handlebars, we leave the perch free forward. When picking up the hanger we have to be quick so as not to go out with only one hand in the initial impulse.
On other lifts such as cable cars, cable cars or funiculars, we must place the Snowscoot in such a way that it disturbs the other "travel companions" as little as possible.
Use and maintenance
The Snowscoot is a
