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Pulled the trigger on an E-bike to ski tour and explore & result!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Think a few on here know that for a few years I've been considering if using an ebike / fat bike to go ski-touring might be a good option, knowing full well that it's not simply a case of taking skis and getting on your bike!

So the bee was truly in my bonnet this weekend, and after a couple of chats with people a plan was concocted and I set about the mission, but as we know in the Mountains, that old adage.

How to make God laugh, make a plan?

Read how I got on, and off Laughing

https://stylealtitude.com/using-an-ebike-to-ski-tour.html



Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 21-01-22 19:14; edited 2 times in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks for this - been giving this serious consideration - might have just helped me make a decision. Access is really hard in NZ, and not unusual to have to do 10 or 15km uphill on tracks with no vehicle access. Would rather save the legs for the skin up.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I haven't ridden a fat bike, but with plus size tyres, riding in anything but hardpack, is impossible on a bike.
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I'd have thought that if there is snow cover then you are always better skinning given the hassle of carrying boots and skis and dealing with the bike. Bikes come into their own when you have a long approach on tracks with no or patchy snow cover?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I want fat tires for my ebike to ride on the beach.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
I have not bothered gaining altitude with my bike, just getting close to the base of the climb. This can be useful if parking is limited, icy, or not cleared. No need for fat tyres. The trailer was used as if you are cycling 2-3 miles with a backpack with 20-30kg in it you become a little unstable on roads. Also it is easier with a trailer for distance cycling. No real point in splashing cash on an electric bike with fat tyres if it only gains you about 100m of altitude very infrequently and at much slower pace than climbing up a steeper path.




This bike cost about £70 from Argos about 15 years ago. The golf trolley is almost 35 years old. Not a bike which is worth stealing, even so I still padlock it, and the trolley. The handle of the golf trolley attaches to the back of the rear rack with a special attachment I made out of and old spring and clamp. It is not rigidly attached so can swivel.

Skis are now 20 years old, their 21st birthday is due this year sometime! I had to change my boots in 2005 when someone broke into my van and stole my 10 year old Nordicas! This makes my current pair 16 year old with a 17th birthday coming up soon.


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 17-01-22 12:08; edited 4 times in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Weathercam, Don't you bake in the sun with all that weight on your back and ski gear on? Also aren't you concerned about leaving the bike at the bottom of the tour? i'd be spending all day wondering if the bike would be there on my return.....good effort though.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
You don't need to ride the bike all the time Laughing (12:50)

http://youtube.com/v/tn-8_8ozDYQ?t=769
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Just following up on some of the questions/points raised etc

So yes anything deeper than 10cm on top of a hardpack base will be just too hard to attempt to cycle up.

However in Spring with an overnight freeze-thaw cycling in the morning would be better, though you'd have to deal with soft snow/slush on the descent.

Like I say I think Spring will be way better, if you take our local peak at circa 2,800 there is the Col de Granon road which runs underneath it, the road gradually opens up as the snow-line recedes, but only as far as the snow-drifts that are present on the N facing hairpins 1,900m, so impassable in a car but a bike you can get past and end up saving yourself a good 90 mins of skinning, and there are other similar long approaches.

Put it into perspective, tomorrow we'll be boot packing through the forest for well over 90 mins to get to a point where with the bike it took me 20mins and even then I'm not too sure what the snowpack will be like so it's a long hike to maybe get to crap snow.

This route was from last year hiking, and you can see the road to the right, and the blue dot is probably where I could cycle to, whilst tomorrow with the OH that will probably be over 2hrs, game plan is climb circa 1,000m and then ski down to that new Cafe I found.

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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Daishan wrote:
You don't need to ride the bike all the time Laughing (12:50)

http://youtube.com/v/tn-8_8ozDYQ?t=769


I was going to post that.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@adithorp, only fair as you beat me to posting the Scott Manley volcano one NehNeh
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Weathercam, how do you get the bike back?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Frosty the Snowman wrote:
@Weathercam, how do you get the bike back?


He skis back to it Puzzled
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
He's training a dog for that.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Long hike to today to get just to the point to put the skins on and as if to tease us saw a skier on an e-bike merrily going up the hill on the hardpack XC piste (closed), and then on the way back as we were having to pole/skate along the plateau so he came past us, and wearing ski-boots!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Made the mistake of taking @KenX, with me yesterday to "research" possible modes of transport and ended up buying an Orbea Wild HT 20, ex-demo with 900km on the clock, but with 2 years warranty and at a good price Laughing

And today was a very memorable day, using it to climb up a valley to the very end that one would never normally consider doing unless you're into 12km approaches and a climb that I've so often looked at and though that might be rather good.

Have to say, nerves got to me being that far away from anyone, and was thinking at my age should I be doing this tout seul, but to still have adventure's and push the envelope a little life is good Cool

I rode the bike in ski-boots and everything all worked out.

Video pretty well sums it up.


http://youtube.com/v/DiBh4t3DhV4
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Written up the above as a blog along with the thought process behind it all and bike selection etc

https://stylealtitude.com/using-an-ebike-to-ski-tour-and-success.html

Interestingly, Scott Sports developed a concept ski-touring bike, and their thought process very similar to mine.

When mountain passes are still closed and the spring snow is high in the mountains, it’s often a sign of great ski touring conditions. However, how can we reach the first snow patch without burning all our energy, how can we use electric assistance to get to places you’ve dreamed about for a couple of seasons, make sure the journey is a moment of fun from bottom to top, don’t destroy your back by carrying all your equipment, all negative meters should be a source of fun, make a 1500m elevation to a 2500m elevation day. These are all the points we wanted to answer by developing a more advanced solution for a winter approach ebike. The SK-eRIDE

https://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/ski-touring-with-winter-electric-bike-approach

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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:

Scott Sports developed a concept ski-touring bike


@sharkymark's brother is one of the designers at Scott and I'm sure is a keen skiier and cyclist
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Back up the same valley, this time exploring another new sector, which was a huge area, and given how the snow-pack depth is circa 100cms down on what you'd usually expect there was still ample cover.

Again the ebike proved to be a superb tool, as the approach is really too long for all but the uber keen.

Snow again was a little technical, but bearing in mind we've not had any snow for nigh on 3 weeks still good to be scoring nigh on untracked, and again saw no other skiers!

Temps are still very cold so I only found S facing Spring snow towards the bottom.

Face in the distance



Zoomed in on the face









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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Interesting project, also to see your real use of it along with suitability appraisal.

The Scott concept overall is interesting, but would think something like a "Surly ice cream" truck with Rolhoff gear set could be more ultimate in simplicity (no derailure, no suspension etc) as conceptual basis to make the lightest most weather and condition proof start point in producing an e-bike for soft surface.
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The standover height on that Scott with skis attached doesn't look too clever... edges pointing towards a delicate area! I sometimes find even a second bottle on the seat tube annoying on a road or gravel bike, although maybe a very different q-factor on an e-MTB
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Certainly to carry items (especially so opposed in geometry to a bicycle) carries the inevitability of compromise with it. My preference to carry anything is attach to the bike frame to free your physical performance.

Given the bicycle is secondary to supporting ski exploration here the compromise seems a reasonable and tradable one. They'll probably have a kevlar cover for the skis they could sell you Very Happy
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
And so, with reading this thread, my list of items and ideas for a lottery win extends Laughing
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Am loving this thread Smile
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
On the SOPiB, @Richard007, took us on an ebike and split board tour from Briancon to the Col Perdu via the Izoard. It was a great day!

Del looking like the man I want to be when I grow up:

20220317-084152

we started on the road:

20220317-094627

onto the snow:

20220317-103511

Locking the bikes up and splitting the boards:

20220317-112916

touring up to lunch:

20220317-125547

Soft snow back down to the bikes:

20220317-140803-1
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@leggyblonde, looks amazing! Would love to ebike and split!
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I bagged another E-Bike tour yesterday, managed to drive up from Cervières to a parking area that was just about open, then out with the E-bike for a rather tricky ride along the plateau in soft snow, if it hadn't been for the walkers and the refuge ski-do don't think I could have managed it!

The worst part was walking 500m the bike in 25cm of heavy snow to the foot of the climb and the buildings (barn) where I was going to lock the bike up.



Plus for me it was all the more tricky having the dog on the lead attached to me as he disappeared twice on the outward leg after marmots which are now coming out.

Then it was tough climb, breaking trail up to the frontier.




https://www.strava.com/activities/6930213176
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@kat.ryb, you'll have to come on the SOPiB next year!
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