It害羞草研究所檚 no longer just skiers and snowboarders shredding powder on the hill at Fernie Alpine Resort.
A sport known as ski biking has started to gain popularity among the area害羞草研究所檚 snow enthusiasts, and Ross Frazier is one of a few locals who has tried it. Frazier, who can be seen cruising the slopes on a black and yellow SKIBYK, became interested in the sport after he saw a group of people doing it.
害羞草研究所淚 was just skiing down and I saw this large group skiing kind of slow, then I realized it must have been a family and some of them were on a ski bike testing it out for the first time. I害羞草研究所檇 never seen it before,害羞草研究所� he recalled.
He had already mastered skiing and snowboarding, and was seeking a new challenge. Ski biking turned out to be exactly what he was looking for.
害羞草研究所淚 want to learn something new,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e kind of reached the point of skiing, [where] getting that sort of excitement means going faster than I want to and trying to hit drops and trees and everything. It害羞草研究所檚 not worth the risk of injury in my mind.害羞草研究所�
Ski bikes have the frame of a bicycle with skis underneath rather than wheels. They have stationary peddles that riders can rest their feet on, but no brakes, so riders stop the same way as skiers would.
It remains a fairly niche sport and there isn害羞草研究所檛 a huge community of riders in Fernie yet. Frazier said that although he害羞草研究所檚 taken a few people out with him and he害羞草研究所檚 taught some of his friends, he害羞草研究所檚 really only seen a few bikers out and about. He害羞草研究所檚 often the only biker out of the hill, so he tends to attract a lot of attention.
害羞草研究所淵ou can give the people on the lift a show,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 like to make people害羞草研究所檚 chair ride up more entertaining. I like to go underneath the lift because if I wipe out big, I want people to see it and have something to talk about.害羞草研究所�
He said he can do most runs at the hill, although particularly steep slopes give him difficulty and the t-bar is too challenging to ride. His favourite run is Arrow because of its mixed terrain.
害羞草研究所淚t has a lot of little side jumps. You can go into the trees. It has some steepness, a good mixture of everything,害羞草研究所� he said.
Ski biking is not as hard as it looks. Frazier said the bikes are easier to take on the chairlift than a snowboard, and there害羞草研究所檚 less risk of injury because the rider isn害羞草研究所檛 attached to the bike when they fall off. Bikes also take stress off the knees, which makes it a good option for people with mobility issues, and knee and joint problems.
He enjoys it so much that he bikes more than he skis or boards and he害羞草研究所檚 looking forward to taking it out on the slopes this season.
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