Roger Bikes

Category: Splitboard

  • Sunday Funday

    Sunday Funday

    We drove up to Telluride for some skiing and snowboarding yesterday. It hasn’t snowed in any meaningful amount for over a month but the ski mountain looked pretty good. We got great weather and for a holiday weekend the crowds were small.

    On the gondola before noon!

    I tested out my splitboard but in the snowboard co figuration. I already knew that I was happy with them as skis but the whole point of going up is to snowboard down. I figured taking the board up on the ski mountain would give me a whole day to test things out.

    Stuck together with rubber bands and chewing gum.

    I immediately noticed the drag created by the scales in the middle of the underside. When they are skis these scales grip the snow giving you traction when going up a climb. While the scales are point one direction they still create noticeable drag. This affects speed and control of the board.

    Scales for up but slower down.

    I discovered that keeping this board on edge is the preferred way to go. Keep that in mind if you have any flat sections. Maintaining speed is even more important. Switching from edge to edge at speed was fine. At low speeds, like approaching a lift line, you should plan on it handling like a slab of iron.

    One concern I had about using a split board for snowboarding is the flex. Since the board is basically cut into two pieces the potential for flex is considerably higher. While I was ready to get back on my other board after a few runs that was not due to any flexing issues.

    When a snowboard has too much flex it won’t hold its edge and you either slide out of a turn or fall down. This board held its edges well and I felt in control at all times.

    Don’t forget to keep your eyes on the ski run!

    We had a great day on the mountain and are probably gonna go again next weeekend. Looks like we might get some snow this week. 🙏🤞

    1 star!
  • Snowtastic fun in the sun

    Snowtastic fun in the sun

    I like getting outside and being active. Movement makes me smile and laugh and helps me forget about everything I don’t need to be worrying about. With the recent snowstorms we have been getting it has been difficult to get outside and have fun.

    For over a year now I have been looking for cross county ski equipment so that I can go outside and play with snow on the ground. The problem we ran into last year was that everyone else wanted to do the same thing. There was a shortage of cross country ski equipment, similar to what the bike industry is seeing. I looked for used and new gear but nothing came to fruition.

    One option to cross country skis are a splitboard. A splitboard is a snowboard that comes apart into two pieces that resemble skis. The bindings are moved from their snowboarding position into a cross country ski position with the heel free to lift, just like a cross country ski. This allows the user to traverse flat sections of snow like a cross country skier. With the aid of climbing skins the user can go up steep hills. Once at the top they recombine the board into one and snowboard down in style.

    The problem with splitboards is they are expensive due to the added manufacturing work and lower demand as most people like riding up chairlifts to snowboard. The good new is that Craigslist is still in operation and still delivers the goods. Sure enough I though about getting a splitboard last Friday and searched on Craigslist for one. I got a hit from someone in my small ass town selling a 2 year old board with bindings for a steal. I contacted them and made the purchase Saturday morning. Within 20 minutes I was skiing around our property.

    In snowboard form here but it transforms! More than meets the eye!

    The main purpose of a splitboard is to allow people to get into the backcountry and snowboard. The problem with this is avalanches. The key is to wait until later in the season to start going into the backcountry. Once the snow settles it is safe from avalanche and is then safe for splitboarding. I figure that will be around April. Until then I will enjoy using the splitboard only as cross country skis on my land and other flat areas.