"Look, a bike without wheels! Hey, a motorbike! Wait, what is that thing? Where are the wheels? How do you even ride it?" These are just some of the questions bewildered skiers ask when spotting this "newfangled contraption". Surprisingly, the first snow prototypes were developed back in 1991, drawing inspiration from BMX bikes and Snowboarding.
Snowscoot
The Snowscoot - as this snow bike is called - originates from France and consists of two independent parts. The front assembly comprises handlebars, a stem, a fork, and a ski. The front ski initiates steering and provides balance. Contrary to what you might think, simply turning the handlebars won't automatically make "the bike" follow that direction.
The rear assembly features a rigid frame and a longer ski where the rider stands. The rider shifts their weight on this rear ski to steer it according to the movements initiated by the arms and body on the front assembly. Don't overthink it! Just follow these steps:
Riding Technique
The steering system on snow works like other alpine disciplines: through weight shifting and edging.
- Turns. Snowscoots are primarily steered with your arms. Initiate turns by slightly angling the handlebars while simultaneously leaning the bike's edges toward that side. The slope gradient determines how much edge angle you need for controlled turns. Keep your body semi-flexed during turns, shifting weight toward the turn's direction. Unlike skiing, most turning weight goes on your inside leg for proper positioning.
- Speed control. Braking: Never stop applying arm pressure for edging. This maintains constant speed control, preventing runaway acceleration. To brake sharply, shift the bike to a 90-degree position and edge aggressively.
- Stance. Similar to skiing or snowboarding, your weight should be forward on the Snowscoot. Keep legs semi-flexed with your arms transferring weight through the handlebars to the front assembly.
Difficulty? Compared to learning to ski or snowboard, Snowscoot is much easier for beginners. Progress is straightforward if you meet these requirements:
- Fitness level. You'll constantly need arm strength to control both direction and (crucially) speed. Don't neglect upper body conditioning.
- Two-wheel experience. Motorcycle or bicycle riders will adapt more quickly to Snowscoot steering.
- Caution required. Poor speed management leads to wipeouts. The advantage? You can stick your feet out to brake or sharply swing the rear assembly to skid. Remember - the Snowscoot's ~10kg weight makes braking harder, and poor fitness might prevent timely stops.
- Green, Blue, Red or Black? Choosing appropriate slopes is vital. While Snowscoot is easy to learn, accessing difficult terrain differs from skiing/snowboarding. Start on green runs practising turns and braking (where arms quickly discover their role). Progress swiftly to blue runs to hone full control, steering and emergency stops - building confidence for genuinely challenging terrain. Red and especially black runs demand advanced technique, strong arms, and perfect riding posture.
- Iiiiiice! The universal slope warning, especially for beginners. Distinguish between hardpack and ice - similar but different. Navigate these treacherous patches smoothly before readjusting speed. Attempting to brake here usually means eating snow. Snowscoots handle particularly poorly on hardpack - the difficulty of secure edging combined with the bike's weight demands expert-level skill.
For two-wheel enthusiasts, Snowscoot delivers unique "feeling". Jumping, racing, laying it down, skidding... everything feels like having wheels beneath you. Sometimes you'll swear you feel engine power and instinctively "accelerate". Wild skid recoveries, subtle terrain changes, jumps, "full-send" descents - plus countless personal sensations - let you mentally add engine noises in real-time.
Powder
Nothing beats fresh powder days. To ride this snow type, slightly lean back while avoiding excessive front ski pressure. Balanced weight prevents the front ski from diving too deep in powder. When leaning back, maintain directional control through arm input to the front assembly. Leg work increases versus groomed runs, so ensure secure foot straps.
Lift Access
Snowscoots pose no issues for lifts. Use chairlifts and drag lifts exactly as with skis/snowboards.
For chairlifts: Wait standing with both feet positioned correctly before sitting. Mind the handlebar width, then lower the safety bar and rest the rear ski properly. For comfort, rotate the handlebars 90 degrees and relax until arrival. Disembarking is simple - as the ski touches snow, stand up while the chair pushes you forward.
For drag lifts: Stand straight at the start point and position the T-bar like other skiers. Maintain Snowscoot direction during ascent. At the top, release one hand (avoiding handlebar collisions) to smoothly detach the T-bar. Be quick retrieving it to avoid one-handed starts.
On gondolas, cable cars or funiculars, position your Snowscoot to minimally inconvenience fellow passengers.
Maintenance
Snowscoots are more complex than snowboards or skis. Beyond standard waxing, edge sharpening and ski inspections, they require additional component care.
Check all bolts after each session - handlebars, stem, chassis and steering mechanisms need just five minutes' inspection for next-day safety. Grips may loosen during frequent falls - watch for internal moisture ingress. Protective padding on handlebars, intermediate tubes and stems helps absorb impacts.
Gear
No special clothing exists for Snowscoot - standard snow gear providing warmth and mobility suffices. Sunglasses are essential, and proper snow gloves prevent cold (motorcycle gloves soak through faster but work in good weather for advanced riders). While no dedicated Snowscoot boots exist, dry motocross boots (currently best), hiking boots or snowboard boots (slightly wide) work. Always wear a helmet - it's unobtrusive and prevents "bad vibes" more often than you'd think.
