Well folks I know this isn’t your usual MTB post, but I feel that this vid is worth a watch. Myself, James Doefling, Graham Aggasiz, and Kurt Sorge have for a few years been getting our adrenaline going in the winter months on snow bikes since riding big mountain lines on mountain bikes is kind of hard to do when the beautiful mountains here are covered in snow.
It's such an easy transition into snow as they honestly feel so similar to mountain bikes in a lot of ways and for all of us it is a perfect way to keep the big mountain shredding skills sharp so when the snow does melt or we make the annual trek to Utah, we're ready to shred.
We have been chatting about getting together to do a trip to @bralorneadventurelodge for a few years now and finally this year we made it happen with the help of our winter sponsor @yetisnowmx and Ambrose Weingart shot and put all the footage together to bring you this rad web video!
Hope you like it as much as we do. Stay tuned for spring MTB edits coming out soon from all 4 of us!!!! Stay safe and hope to see you on the trails soon.—Darren Berrecloth
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sarahmoore
Member since Mar 30, 2011
1,351 articles
I know I'll get downvoted in heII, but I have very mixed feelings about this. I grew up sleeping in Minnesota, love to ride my KTM and soon to be delivered Tenere 700, and I mtn bike and ski and backcountry ski.
While it looks like so much fun to ride one of those, I know the number one reason why I back country tour is for the lack of motors. The sound, the fumes....I do it to get away from it all. And I'd imagine being in there and hearing those 4 sleds echo loudly off the hills would be sad. Like I said, I ride dirt bikes, an grew up on sleds, so it sounds hypocritical, but there's just something about the silence of a snow filled wilderness I no longer want to hear destroyed. Hence the conflicting feelings about it. Id hate to ruin someones else's time for solitudes with a 2 strokes motor just for my own happiness I guess.
@johnnygolucky What I'll say is this - All of the Federal/State ground in western states is open to skinning on a board/skis, there are very limited areas to rides sleds/snowbikes on (none are in designated wilderness areas). I toured on skins for about 7 years before we swapped to backcountry sledding about 5 years ago, we have fallen in love with it. There needs to be balance, folks like to do so many different activities on our public ground - hiking, hunting, biking, backpacking, fishing, sled/snowbike, bird-ing, jeep-ing. Just because someone doesn't like some activity doesn't mean it should go away, what if I don't like yours?
We should feel fortunate, a good friend of mine in Germany cannot backcountry ski...it is illegal to be off resort.
I do both (sled and ski tour). Up here in Canada we're fortunate that outside s few population centers you don't need to see one another if you don't want to. That said I don't see the purpose of these machines. They're almost as expensive as a sled, seem like they'd put unnecessary strain on your machine, and can't be as good in the snow as a modern mountain sled.
@Cezcez1928: I also def wouldn't want to take a battery machine anywhere near where these guys are going. The outside is big here, and batteries don't do so well in the cold. If a gas sled dies you can double out. I wouldn't trust the range on a battery sled pulling an extra person after having had to stop and fiddle with a dead machine (or one that got stuck/buries). Seems like a pretty green way to die.
@mgrantorser: 3 seasons on one KTM 450 and one timbersled kit here. The bike and kit are holding up just fine. You can go anywhere, they are more playful, ride like a dirtbike, and you can reach untouched snow that would be near impossible to get to on a modern mtn sled. If high horse power, outright speed, and hill climbing ability is the goal sure a sled is the tool to have.
@mgillign: I know most sledders are part of the "up/down crowd" but give some of us credit! We've ridden with Chris Burandt and crew for three years now, we're in the trees too after learning from them...so long as my skis fit I'm there.
Man some haters down here, to me this is a super cool video that a lot of us can gawk over. I'm not a simpleton, I like non-mountain bike action sport content. PB has turned me onto some awesome skiing, surfing, and bmx stuff before, and I'm happy for the occasional snow bike post as well.
Keep scrolling if you are not interested, and those of us who are excited by the broader outdoor action sports world will click and enjoy.
Haters because they haven't tried it or because they're jealous. It's been awesome watching some of my favorite pro mtn bikers send it on my favorite winter sport.
@Ride406orDie: Hell yes, this! We are backcountry sledders in the winter, such an incredible activity! Most folks don't truly understand the athleticism either, I'm much more tired from a day of sledding than any other sport I participate in.
@markar: If your knees are completely shot and can't snowboard any more then ski bikes are an amazing way to be able to get out in the snow covered mountains. Although, I do fundamentally disagree with your 'lame' sentiment. I can hit tree runs, park jumps, floaty powder runs or go eye wateringly fast in straight line bashed runs, all of which always bring a huge grin to my face!
@markar: did you actually try and "ride it", cause I have a buddy in Utah that goes out regularly with a group of proper freeriders and it looks cool as shit. To each there own I suppose.
@markar: I do own one and have hung up my snowboard. I was a boarder for 23 years and then I found ski biking. If ya like downhill biking then ski biking opens that up to a year round sport with the exception of there isn't a set trail with jumps or berms to ride. With snow there are jumps and berms everywhere and if there are none, a jump is way easier to build from snow than it is from wood and dirt.
I've been riding snowmotos for four seasons now and it has been the most incredible motorsport/sport I've ever been involved with. As an experienced pro mountain biker I regularly find that my skillsets transfer over in many ways. Reading terrain and exploiting natural features is just a few of them. The fine balance and control skills built from a bike crossover immensely as well. I definitely feel like I have an advantage over riders without this experience. I just see things with a different eye than most sledders or moto riders that tend to get into this sport. As mountain biker and dirt biker, the experience is utterly surreal and what you dream of. Excellent video! I can relate 100% #anywhereyouwanttogo #timbersled
4 of the best MTBers in the world riding Snowbikes isn’t worthy of a Pinkbike feature? People bitching must have absolutely nothing better to do, and/or just enjoy complaining. Thoroughly enjoyed the video PB. ????
Love my timberlsled! It seriously feels like mtbing and skiing/boarding in one sport. The way you can ride steep, tight, deep trees is incredible. But, I don't belong here anymore apparently. This "community" is so toxic and closed minded.
There's so many rad ways to enjoy the outdoors. No need to be closed minded, especially if in the end there's really no impact on your individual experience. There's plenty of playground for us all to play in.
I just ordered my YZ 450 to put a track on! Love biking enough that I have to try this sport before I'm dead. Ive had sleds but always wanted the feel of a Bike while riding in Pow!
It's Mega expensive but if these guys are promoting it through Yeti maybe the prices will go down , Maybe !
Cool vid! Would love to try it, but would need to upgrade to a 450. Qt. Do the fork guards freeze up, so is that why they remove them? Seems a tad sketch not to run them and damage the lower tubes which in turn damages the seals.
I still don't get the comment section: all the riders in the vid are healthy, fit and can earn the downs with hiking/skiing up? I thought the main reason against e-Bikes content is, that if you are healthy, you should not use a motor. I often read, that such "Moto"-content should be moved to a motorbike site and people feel offended by the fact alone, that it's posted? Why is motorised freeskiing a cool thing and e-biking isn't? Honestly confused and would appreciate explanation.
Just read the threat about the custom Levo E-Bike for Jason Momoa. First and most liked comment makes fun about him being unfit ("batman wouldn't ride an e-bike" 188 likes). Most comments are against e-biking in general. No comment about fitness of those guys here? Why?
Funny how E MTBs are criticized but a bad ass snow bike, everybody seems to like . I wonder what would happen if you found a way to put a 2 stroke motor on an E Bike? eh?
Everywhere in the northwest without a problem. Washing had licence issues at first but that's about it. Montana we ride them everywhere snowmobiles are allowed and they can go places sleds could never fit.
Looks really like a lot of fun, shredding through untouched nature, endangering wildlife with an overpowered petrol run toy that has not really anything to do with mountain bikes. Next time please show us Remy Metailler on a bulldozer in the Amazonas
I'm so incredibly tired of the overly zealous 'leave every single part of the planet untouched' hypocritical preaching. You realize there are plenty of people out there that look at mountain bikes exactly like you look at those dreaded, evil, 'overpowered petrol toys' don't you? Do you realize how much oil is used, no...NEEDED... to make so many things in our lives not to mention our holy and altruistic bikes?
This looks like a total blast and as soon as you fire one of those things up every animal within miles will dart away so really, they're probably safer than mountain bikes to wildlife.
@jeremiahwas: That is not at all what I said. My point is that some "untouched" areas should remain untouched, especially during some times during the year. If you have heard the noise level of a 2- or 4-stroke engine in a snowed in valley, you are probably aware how far you can hear it. This stresses out thousends of animals and risking them to die, because of what? - 3 dudes having 15minutes of fun.
I've done powersports myself and know how much fun it is and wouldn't want to miss out on it. Doesn't mean you can't respect the planet you live on a little bit and give it some rest in some areas.
The consumption of oil has by the way not really anything to do with this topic. My reference was only hinting to the heated discussions here on this page about eBikes all the time. So it seems a bit hypocrit to me, that these snowbikes should be fine.
Having the right balence is the key to make the things work in the long run.
@sprecks57: sadly there is no balance, hence global degradation, global warming, famine, desertification, etc
So feel free to support the global demise, you won’t be here to see it, but your kids and your kid’s kids will certainly thank you for you consideration.
if you don't like it don't watch it? lol they are/were some of the best mountain bikers, claw was a pioneer. i'm interested in seeing his other sports.... that's... why.... they... made... this... video..............
We should feel fortunate, a good friend of mine in Germany cannot backcountry ski...it is illegal to be off resort.
Last time I checked, the comment section was not only to praise everything that is being posted.
There's so many rad ways to enjoy the outdoors. No need to be closed minded, especially if in the end there's really no impact on your individual experience. There's plenty of playground for us all to play in.
Video if an excavator knocking down full grown pine trees!
Seriously, this stuff is not good.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWZWFMyff4w&list=PLH_C6uQp5imztyxobjgACRrh6KzGcrhI0&index=123
This looks like a total blast and as soon as you fire one of those things up every animal within miles will dart away so really, they're probably safer than mountain bikes to wildlife.
If you have heard the noise level of a 2- or 4-stroke engine in a snowed in valley, you are probably aware how far you can hear it. This stresses out thousends of animals and risking them to die, because of what? - 3 dudes having 15minutes of fun.
I've done powersports myself and know how much fun it is and wouldn't want to miss out on it. Doesn't mean you can't respect the planet you live on a little bit and give it some rest in some areas.
The consumption of oil has by the way not really anything to do with this topic. My reference was only hinting to the heated discussions here on this page about eBikes all the time. So it seems a bit hypocrit to me, that these snowbikes should be fine.
Having the right balence is the key to make the things work in the long run.
So feel free to support the global demise, you won’t be here to see it, but your kids and your kid’s kids will certainly thank you for you consideration.