Is This The Answer To Winter Commuting?
 

Last year, we had the 3rd worst winter on record and it wasn't far off the very worst we've ever had. I don't recall ever seeing as much snow in Toronto as I did during February and March, in particular. I had to leave my commuter locked up as I ride a semi-recumbent with 16" and 20" road wheels, clearly inappropriate for the kind of conditions we had. Yet I watched a number of intrepid commuters making their way through blizzards on mountain bikes. And then last night I was watching a program we have up her called 'Dragon's Den' where budding entrepreneurs bring their ideas, products, businesses or whatever to a panel of millionaires with hopes of having the millionaires invest in their enterprise. All the Dragon's, save one, were interested in this product, but they wanted 50% of the company or more before they would part with $300,000. The young inventor turned them all down.

What do you think of this? I know it's meant for mountain biking, but hey, it can be adapted pretty easily to roads.

https://www.ktrakcycle.com/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dom5kfEhuw

I dunno. Are you in an area that's snowbound for days/weeks/months at a time?

We have pretty prompt snow-clearing in Toronto, but one can be riding to or coming home from work with several inches on the ground when the plows haven't been by yet. There can also be ice and drifts.

I actually didn't miss a workday commute on regular mountain bike studded tires last winter. Some rides were slow, but far faster than trying to drive.

Although I like the idea of floating the bike up in deep snow, replacing wheels with skiis is a non-starter. There's always bare pavement, and lots of it, even during snowstorms in the city. And of course I have to ride the same equipment home after eight hours of plowing and salting.

I'd go with a pugsly if I was going to put money towards deep-snow mobility. Maybe if someone wins a major winter cycling event on a ski-and-track bike, I'll take another look.

Looks fun as a recreational/sport type device. As a commuter? Maybe in the bush.

Other youtube videos show people taking them downhill, and using a chairlift to get back up hill. I'd like to see someone ascending the hill just using the ktrack....

Having said that, it might be a viable business idea. If it's fun, people will buy it!

Fun but not practical.

Keep in mind, you don't have to use the ski in front. In the demo they did on Dragon's Den, they rode around the studio with the Ktrak in back and a knobby in front. Seems that would be ideal for those stormy or just-after-we-had-snow and the roads haven't been plowed yet or when the plows leave all that crap in the bike lane.

What the...

Im from florida so this is oddly strange.. yet interesting.

what he said.........

I am a tele skier and have seen bike type stuff people used at the resorts to replicate skiing downhill. This is the first where you can pedal.............

Also since the Ktrak is really rear wheel drive/traction don't think you can stand up and peddle.......

My guess, though it is ONLY a guess, is that a mtn bike with studded tires would work just as well for city conditions with tons of snow.........

I'd rather ski frankly

Yes, I notice the same thing. There are plenty of packed, snowmobile trails and backroads where I live, where one could conceivably ride a Ktrack. The thing is, I have yet to see a video of someone just riding along on level ground with any amount of control for an extended distance.

I havn't road in the snow yet but how would you stop that thing with no breaks.

But why? I don't see anyone on a downhill bike riding back to the top of the mountain.

Well, unless you removed the rear brake you wouldn't have to worry about that.

Friggin' global warming. Looks like I'm gonna have to get the hummer out of storage. :rolleyes:

The thing looks like a great fun, but the ice-bikers in Alaska still roll big fat tires. Still, if you've got nothin' but snow, it seems like something fun to try on a cheap, used hard-tail.

Edit: And you stop this thing how? Tail slide into a snow drift?

I'd already seen that ages ago at this site called notcot.org with loads of other interesting things (not bike related things) SHould of posted it then!

Gut reaction: "f'cking awesome"
Sober reflection: "hmmm, seems toyish"
Although i could probably cut my 20km commute to around 14km cutting across fields with one of those.

I sent this to my Canuckian friends up North.

Looks like it would be kewl for a fun filled weekend!

No use for it here in Texas, but I'm impressed with the ingenuity.

KISS.

You'd be better off with studded tires and some snow practice

Looks like fun, but not too practical for Toronto's winter street conditions which aren't that much different from Detroit or Windsor from what I recall. Well they probably have prompter snow removal than perpetually cash strapped Detroit. The real solution to winter commuting is probably something like what some Scandinavian locales have, good separated cycling facilities which get priority in snow removal. Time to organize!

We just have too much bare pavement here in CT in anything but the absolute worst storms. That ski would get demolished. In the absolute worst storms, where the road is packed snow for a couple hours, it could be seriously fun. And on an unpaved MUP it would rock!

But for everyday commuting, I'll take an MTB.

It would be great when you ride into work in the snow, not so great when you have to get the thing back home in the evening with the streets plowed.

Carry the front tire with you and switch it before the commute home?

What actually is the question here regarding winter commutes? If I had to commute in deep snow, muscle powered, absolutely no plowing, I'd ski. If the issue is inadequate/sporadic plowing (and hence shallower snow), ice etc, studded tyres FTW.

--J

I I was to be posted in the South Pole, I would hit it.

If your commute is a downhill ski slope, I guess it would work. As for that track system, seems to me that an aggressive knobbie gives you all the traction you can use. When the snow gets deep enough to need a track, you better have an engine to help push you through. That is an engine other than your legs.

But ... would it work in sand ?

It could have been somewhat useful last year in Quebce city with our wonderful 560+ cm of snow from last winter, but I would worry about the front tire floatation then... :eek:

I know a guy who bikes in winter on the unplowed MUP for 8-9 km, he has a Surly Pugsley with the Large Marge rims. If I wanted to bike in heavy snow, that is the kind of tool I would use rather than that cool attire, which I see more as a tool for a snow bikercross or something more downhill... I guess!

My cheap bike and Nokian 296 Extreme's do me just fine.