nbseer

Anyone here thinking of going skiing this winter.. but afraid of getting injured on the slopes, which would totally mess up biking for the spring/summer/fall? Just stick to the greens on the slopes.. don't go too fast, anything stupid, don't get hit by a speeding snowboarder?

Thinking about going next week but I sure don't want to have an ACL or some other leg injury.

Carbonfiberboy 

I ski DH. I don't worry about it. Riding a lot and doing weights gives me endurance, flexibility, and strong ligaments. I ski hard. For me, it's kind of like riding on the road. I just can't worry about it. If I worried about stuff like that, I'd find myself in ever smaller boxes. I know I'll be in a box some day, but for now I'm alive.

Of course I take precautions: I have modern equipment in good condition. I don't ski when conditions are dangerous. I don't do big jumps or crazy stuff, but then I never did.

But everyone has different experience and operates on different levels. You have to do what's comfortable for you.

PaulH

I got clobbered skiing in February of 2007 -- fractured a leg. I was riding to work again in May. I only had to drive for two months.

StanSeven

I used to ski but quit for that exact reason - fear of injury. I'm a serious runner and more of a cyclist now. I do both or at one every day. It's become too much a part of my life to miss. Skiing just involves too much of a risk. I like skiing but nearly as much as cycling.

gif4445

Gave up skiing 2 years ago. It wasn't a big part of my activity list and I don't really miss it. Rather take my chances out on the road. But that's just me.

Biker395 

Not me ... I love skiing. We're even season ticket holders.

I know skiers who hike to the top of glaciers for summer skiing. And I also know cyclists who ride bikes on icy, snowy roads in the winter. Both make no sense to me. I take what mother nature provides.

Yea, it is possible that a ski injury could foreshorten my cycling season, but I accept that risk. And you can minimize your risk substantially by how and where you ski.

And I'm gonna use this opportunity to sneak in a ski video. I took this a few weekends ago with that helmet cam. Wish I could ski fast enough to keep up with The Outlaws' "Waterhole."

Spoke

I just got back from two weeks in Colorado. I did both Alpine (downhill) and Nordic (cross-country) skiing. Being a Hoosier living in Texas, I have to get myself up north once a year to get my snow fix. Both cycling and snow skiing have their risks, the wise thing is to take all reasonable precautions and cycle or ski within your ability. Life is for the living. Enjoy it or you may miss it!

Ride On!
-Spoke

social suicide

Everyone I know who bought a fat bike no longer skis. COLD ROLLED-Full Length Film on Vimeo

Doug64

My wife and I are still active NSP patrollers. However, Oregon ski conditions suck right now. We are thinking of going to Canada to see some snow!

We enjoy telamark skiing; a technique where the heel is not locked down. Sort of like downhill skiing on cross country skis. Only today's tele gear is as heavy and stiff as most alpine ski gear. Our motto is: if you are not falling, you are not skiing hard enough.



Sometimes I ski hard enough


Here is a short video my wife took of me playing around on tele skis.

A quote comes to mind when I hear questions like this:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in
a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming......
“Hot Dog! What a Ride!”

tigat

Great quote, Doug.

Although I could not envision a life without either skiing or cycling, the reality is anything we treasure could disappear tomorrow, despite skill, precaution, or otherwise. I'm going to gratefully take advantage of both opportunities any time they come around.

Gerryattrick

Unless you have a specific weakness that is more likely to lead to injury then go for it. Skiing is potentially dangerous, so is cycling, crossing the road or standing on chairs to paint a wall.

I've had injuries at just about every sporting activity I've done, but I've never regretted doing any of them.

I've had cycling injuries that even stopped me going to the pub for a while!!! But I still ride.

obed7

most everything we do has some risk involved... so just look at it with risk Vs reward in mind....the more you enjoy something, the more it lifts and motivates you....the more reward it is, the more risk you take...
some folks live the old saying.... life if not measured in the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breathe away...others not so much, you choose which you are.

BobbyG

I tried skiing when I moved out to Colorado. I thought, "I'm a bike rider, I should have excellent balance...". Never made it off the bunny slope. The next winter I tried cross-country skiing. At least then when you fall, it's over, you don't continue sliding. I suppose if I really wanted to, I could have done it with lots of training and practice.

BlazingPedals

I gave up DH skiing years ago, but only because skiing in Michigan is such a disappointment. If the skiing's good, I say go for it; it's good cross-training!

redcon1

Man I can't imagine winter without skiing, it's so much fun to get out and enjoy the snow.

That said, at about 48 I started slowing down, and traded my stiff Volkl skis for some soft intermediate K2s, much friendlier on the knees.
I still ski Black runs but hang mostly on the Blues, which is nice because my wife won't venture into black territory.

I consider skiing, like cycling, a lifelong sport. But then again, I started both very young and continued them all along. Don't know if I'd be up to learn now that I'm over 50.
My serious injuries have all come from cycling, not skiing.

BadBurrito

Everyone has difference tolerance for risk, so who am I to tell you what to do.

I started skiing when I was 13, I'm now 61. I've never had a ski injury beyond a sore muscle that cleared up in a day or two. I started biking when I was in my 30's to improve my conditioning for skiing, and now it's my favorite non-skiing sport.

I have had bike injuries that stopped me for awhile and sometimes, in the late fall, I do think, "I hope I don't get a bike injury and miss skiing this winter". So I guess it's depends on what you think is risky and what your priorities are.

John E

If I ever were to take up skiing, it would definitely be Nordic / cross-country. I do not have the coordination or physical self confidence required for safe downhill skiing.

I have read about a number of competitive cyclists who are also top notch skiers, and many of the same muscles are involved.

Darth Lefty 

I gave up motorcycling so I wouldn't be too hurt for snowboarding! All these things are dangerous.

fietsbob

Cross country, Nordic skiing, doesn't even need Mountains, And, with a blizzard filling the streets , you can get across town that way ..

RISKDR1

go for it if you have the skills. When you arrive at old age and you have not accumulated a good collection of scars and a broken bone or two you have wasted your life cause you have not had much fun.

btw you might consider cross country ski touring as well or cross country (Nordic) on prepared trails as great aerobic workouts. Also snow shoeing. If you have the opportunity to do short or long track speed skating that is great too. Winter is a smorgasbord of possibilities.

berner

I ski a little down hill but in the last several years I begun with cross country skis which I also enjoy even though asthma is worst during winter months. As long as I live north of the snow belt, I believe any activity that gets me out is good for the body and the mind so long as I keep in mind that Olympic competition is not in my future.

dbg

25 years ago, when I used to ski, I found it to be less dangerous than other things I did. Other sports irritated my back or knees or shoulders or such. Skiing seemed to fix it all. Back pain went away as I schussed endlessly down the hill. I loved it (loved it). Gave it up to raise a family and work a job (gave up water skiing also -which I also loved).

I started back at age 60 because of a rare opportunity (free access to exclusive ski mansion on-the-mtn in Deer Valley). I pretty much picked up where I left off (was amazed). Once again it felt like all my aches and pains disappeared during a week of non-stop skiing.

[only once in my youth do I remember starting a tumble and realizing my leg was torquing in a bad direction. It kept twisting, twisting ... pop! ...the binding released. I no longer tighten my bindings so much]

JohnJ80

... and it's gotten a lot safer than it was.

I've been a ski patroller for a long time and I'm seeing a lot less injuries that I was even 5 years ago. The equipment is getting better and better and better.

FWIW, my two passions are cycling and skiing. I'll ski over 60 days this year and I've been doing that for years and years too.

There is a new binding out called 'KneeBinding' that has a different release mechanism. It's been out for a number of years and they claim that they have not had an ACL rupture yet. If so, that's amazing because that's an injury that is now more prevalent than broken legs (which hardly ever happen). The whole thing impressed me enough as an engineer that I bought a set and have them on my powder skis. Seem to work well.

At any rate, I think it's probably more dangerous driving to the ski area than it is skiing when there - especially so if you stay on the ground (i.e. no jumping).

And then there is the benefit that skiing and cycling are synergistic. Training in one seems to work well for performance in the other. My plan next year is to get a fat bike to wind my legs down after a day skiing. That ought to be a great combination.

J.

Ludkeh

Like BadBurrito, I started biking in my early 30s so that I could be a better skier! Now at 66 I love both sports equally! Can't imagine going thru a long cold winter without having a good ski day to look forward to. Today, I skied all morning in a light 8- 10" layer of powder! To much fun!!! I usually get in 30-40 ski days each season.

Makes me a better cyclist, they call it cross training, I call it fun.

Nightshade

Try sledding instead. Sliding in the snow is fun on your feet or your stomach!!