Thread: skiing on dry land

Hi,
I have been playing with devices that simulate skiing on dry land for a number of years and have come up with something that feels quite a bit like it. Each "ski" is about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long, has two wheels which turn sideways when you tip your knees to the edge. The front and rear wheels turn in the opposite direction in a synchronized way thus simulating the side cut + camber operation. The more you tip your knees the more the "ski" turns. The turning radius and "longitudinal rigidity" are both adjustable.

Before coming up with this thing, I scoured the Internet, patent databases etc. to see if there's anything that truly simulates carving, does not require pivoting like in all sorts of short in-inline skate type devices and is easier to control than rolling tread grass ski. I have been asking skiers around the world, mainly in different forums, what they think about it and would appreciate comments of this forum.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnjYzLLYwkw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bzg4xHCksM

This space reserved.

Good Luck

I expected Euro. But the birds in the background... that wasn't Europe. And then you are confusing 'a' and 'u' like someone from Japan.

Originally Posted by Hohes

I expected Euro. But the birds in the background... that wasn't Europe. And then you are confusing 'a' and 'u' like someone from Japan.

It's Australia. Fixed u -> a. It's something that couldn't have been picked up by the spell checker but easy to pick on second pass. Cheers.

Neither one of your videos show you stopping. How do you stop these thngs once they are rolling?

Originally Posted by nosnowski

Cheers.

No probs.

Have a very thick skin.

Originally Posted by Goombay

Neither one of your videos show you stopping. How do you stop these thngs once they are rolling?

If you take a closer look at the video when I am on the road doing wider turns you will see two brake cables hanging from my ski poles. Same thing as on bikes and some mountain boards. However, the cables were restricting my arm movement when I was doing skate pushes so I removed them and came up with a different solution that relies on pushing brakes with skis poles. Also, with enough space I can make a U-turn and the turning radius can be as short as 5 feet.

My first instinct was to laugh but as I watched the video I couldn't help but form a feeling somewhere between pity and respect for a man in Australia, so desperate to somehow recreate the feeling of skiing, that he put in the time and effort to come up with that contraption.

huge inline skates for grassy knolls might be fun

I feel your need.

How heavy?

Cost?

please

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1XrV...eature=related

Originally Posted by XXX-er

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1XrV...eature=related

bahaha fuck , i was going to post this



fixed

Originally Posted by StuntCok

Days on snow this season: 77 Last Season: 55

I consider myself lucky if I get 10 days with our ski seasons no longer than 3 months.

Originally Posted by Mike Pow

I feel your need.

How heavy?

Cost?

please

Too heavy the way they are made with the aluminum alloy beam but could be made much lighter with composites. Surprisingly the weight does not seem to be a big issue the way I use them but I can imagine that it would make a difference in a rough terrain when you need maximum agility. Unfortunately you can't buy them.

hmmm.

applaud the effort, but riding on asphault seems very unlike skiing but for the leg mechanics.

was hoping/expecting to see someone shredding on some sandy incline.

isn't much of australia desert? i'd think there might be some sand-skiable terrain not too far from melbourne?

still wanna do that myself, but can't think of any good sandy vert near me that's not either protected/delicate or likely toxic (like an open pit mine)

one suggestion: try to get more days out on snow when it's available. it makes the off-season more bearable, however long...

I've seen something like this on the bike path that athletes use as a summer training tool. They weren't quite the same.

Do these need a slope or can you skate with them?

Originally Posted by nosnowski

I consider myself lucky if I get 10 days with our ski seasons no longer than 3 months.

If you need to waste your time, scour patent applications and/or invent a device like this to make up for not skiing more than 10 days a year.

Because skiing is really that important to you

Move to somewhere else.

best thread in a while IMO

I have to get me a couch cruiser!

Originally Posted by meatspicy

best thread in a while IMO

now THERE'S some skiing on dry land...yow!!

Originally Posted by buckethead

now THERE'S some skiing on dry land...yow!!

The guy in the video is Blake Saunders who has not really been acknowledged for his epic rock skiing. He had quite a few cuts and bruises from the fall off the cliff and had to use scissors to cut his skin off and remove little rocks.

Originally Posted by buckethead

hmmm.
applaud the effort, but riding on asphault seems very unlike skiing but for the leg mechanics.

Thanks for letting me know that tarmac is not snow Yes, the legs mechanics is practically the same and it's a pretty good exercise that can prepare you for the season.

Originally Posted by buckethead

hmmm.
was hoping/expecting to see someone shredding on some sandy incline.
isn't much of australia desert? i'd think there might be some sand-skiable terrain not too far from melbourne?

You have to drive over 1000km to get to the desert which is flat and not really sandy. You are confusing Australia with North Africa. You can find sand dunes at the coast but try shredding them and you will be caught and fined by a local ranger.

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

If you need to waste your time, scour patent applications and/or invent a device like this to make up for not skiing more than 10 days a year. Because skiing is really that important to you Move to somewhere else.

Brilliant idea. I'll check with my boss if he wants to move his company to a country with good mountains and snow. Divorcing my wife and leaving the kids behind should be easy.

Originally Posted by nosnowski

Brilliant idea.

My wife and I moved halfway round the world for great skiing and 100 days a year of it. Best thing we ever did, it's worked brilliantly.

But good luck with your 6 foot long roller blades.