Ski Bike

This will show you one way to build yourself a Ski Bike (aka Snow Bike, Skibob, Skike, or Skicycle). It is a downhill only machine and if you like bikes a lot, then it will probably keep a stupid grin plastered on your face all the way down whatever crazy hills you choose to take it on. It is easier to ride than it looks and is quite stable at high speeds (not sure about the speeds you could achieve at a ski hill, but its worked great for average hills in Wisconsin).
There are many ways you could build one of these, this is just one way to get you started.

Build one! You won't be sorry.

Step 1: Get a bike

Find yourself a bike that you think would be suitable. I like to keep it small so that its easier to kick with your legs or do a running start and hop on. Smaller is also generally lighter and easier to carry up a hill. In addition, if you crash, you're closer to the ground. I got this BMX that someone was just throwing away. (Seriously, it just had a blown tire and slightly crooked front wheel, wtf?)

Strip all the unneeded parts off the bike. Namely, brakes, wheels and chain.

Look for a removable link in your chain to make your life easier. If there is none, then use a chain tool to push out a rivet. Or just chop it, whatever works.

Comments

[benduy]

could you use pegs from bmx bikes as foot pedals

[mkinnon]

BMX pegs can be bolted through the bottom bracket shell, but don't offer much grip in the snow because of their shape. Recycled old pedals are another option, with a lot more grip.

[ereynoso1]

yeah you could, you would have to add them to the axles though

[Pe-ads]

I guess so. Be creative! That's what Instructables is all about... :D

[fortunare]

thanks for the ideas but Instead of the hokey 2 x 4's I bent some 1/8" Galvanized from Home Depot. Only problem is with two sets of shocks it weighs over 20 pounds plus I;ve just added an extra wide seat that probably weighs 3 pounds.  How do you hook it to the chair when riding up?  

[jsar54540]

I bought a commercial ski bike because I found one for a relatively low price and I didnt want it to come apart and crash. To take it up the chair I grab it by the seat boom (or A-Frame, depending on your design) and handlebars and lift it up. Then I set it on the seat and hold on to the handlebars. When you get to the unloading area, shove it off the chair, hop on, and ride away.

[fortunare]

thanks, I'm in AZ and only one of our 4 ski resorts allows ski bikes and only during non holiday weekdays so I didn't manage to use it this year. I'm 75 and have bad ankles but seriously considering ankle surgery since even with braces I have trouble walking far, much less skiing. However may still try it. The one I built is very heavy duty and I probably have less than $50 invested in it thanks to finding some super bargain parts. good luck with yours.

[mkinnon]

The oldest skibike instructor in Europe is nearly 90 and still teaching limbless ex-servicemen how to ride (and regain their self-esteem). Try out one of the ready made skibikes in resort, ghetto rides are fun on the local sledging hill, but not suitable for the big mountains.

[deweydude]

This is how you do it

[bnauss]

some of the commercial bikes that have longer skis aren't ment for hittin jumps, there ment for runnin downhill and ski hills. the shorter skis are ment for hittin jumps and doin tricks

[TheLodgeShop]

really cool DIY project.

[dfrost]

can you put it back together
without the brakes cause i have a bike that works but i have no brakes cause i tore them off

[rockymountainrider]

has anyone done a jump with it? does it get wrecked easy from a fall?

[snaketon]

i guess it depends how strong the bike you use is and how big the jump is
maybe the build quality will come into it at some point

[txinote]

yes!! see my video at down... i do a lot of small jumps the first day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJB0zfDvu3k
 

[kingbob9_9_]

im going to try it as soon as i get a cance to.it probley will if you do a bad job.

[Glockenator]

i find the best way to do it is to have 2 skis on the back fork or whatever you want to call it and one on the front fork to steer

[snaketon]

that sounds better.
i should try it when i make one

[crazyboy007]

me and my friend made one, it was great. thank you for the idea.
the only difference was that we kept the back wheel so we had "propulsion," very fun for icy roads =)

[krazy K]

thats cool:)
wish i could make one

[wheelerzack]

Do you think it would make the balance a little better if you put 2 slightly longer skis in the back with the one in the front.

[shootfilm]

I'd love to try making one of these, but I live in the South and we get snow maybe once a year; there aren't going to be any old skis in the thrift stores.

Still, this is so awesome I may have to give it a shot anyway.  I'm not crazy about the pedals though.  What if I just put a bar through there to rest my feet on?  Do you think that would work?

[Oblongata]

Yea, replacing the pedals with some sort of fixed foot pegs is the next mod to do if you like what you've built. Check out my very last page, I made some pedal-like fixed foot platforms for it that I totally love.

[dirty_valentine]

If you want fixed pedals just zip tie one of the cranks to the rear stay. That way they will always be up and out of the way. A couple heavy duty zip ties should be able to hold your weight.

[Eh Lie Us!]

The side 'pedals' foot rest things are a good idea. How does it handle?

[thomasbleser]

Some of us are serious about survival and get a little tired of all these narcissistic cheap thrill stuff. For me, it isn't a "snow bike" unless you fit the rear wheel with paddles and both wheels with something to keep you above the surface of the snow when its frozen (like skiis) and above the water (like pontoons) when it's not. We only have so much time to check out indestructables and and most of that time seems to be wasted with most of the bright ideas that come our way

[drummonkey92]

with all due respect, chill out! you can see from the first picture that this is a fun 'ible that's probably just gonna waste your time

[misses_soulful]

omg this is hilarious. love it.

[hotcharlie]

"I want my two dollars!!"

(somebody had to say it)

[Charlie13]

snowscoots are basically the same thing but they are a bit easier to control (getting up on the edges is easier which makes turning easier) This seems a bit more dangerous to the men among us if you were planning on doing any jumps. I can imagine falls being pretty brutal

[kibukun]

I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!

[actionjksn]

Who in their right mind would throw a Haro bike frame in the trash. I wish someone in my neighborhood would do that. I don't think I would have used something that nice. I would probably use something cheap like a Huffy.
When I was a kid I strapped a cheap little plastic ski called a Fun Ski, on the front of my Schwinn. I just peddled it on the street. It actually worked pretty well.

[ThatGuyRandy]

A buddy of mine did this with an old mountain bike, and attached the skis to the
frame with upside down skateboard trucks. This gives you some lean-steer.

[soapbox derby car]

am I crazy or on big jumps would you need a bungee system to keep your skis from pointing in directions poorly suited for landing? I'm just imagining your front ski coming off a jump with some forward rotation and nose-diving when you get to landing.

One example would be if you had a bungee from the front of the front ski to the handlebar tube and a rope from the back of the ski to the frame to keep it from rotating too far forward.

[Hunterrgedon]

As I was reading this I thought "hey I live in Wisconsin too so why not" but ill have to save for the weekend:(

[harbourlady99]

I am intending to make my own ski bike but I am unsure as to what size frame I should go for. Can you advise please

[unkabuzz]

Been riding full suspension mountain bikes with X-Bikes/ Hanson / Alpine skibike kits installed on them for 8 years now. Terrain parks, groomed, black diamonds, moguls, trees, powder, etc. Any questions ???
Enjoy the pictures of my many builds.

Unkabuzz

[lilrou15]

That is sick. You should post plans for sale.

[trampbiker]

how did you attach the forks and back end to the skies?
did you machine that out of one solid piece of aluminum or weld three pieces together?

[unkabuzz]

As in my original post, these were all assembled from X-Bikes/ Hanson / Alpine skibike kits.
I believe they are "extruded". Pretty tough to do that at home !!!!! I have seen almost an exact replica that was 3 welded pieces ........
Here's another closeup of the "powder" setup. Bungies are critical in the deep stuff though.