Tips and trick - Reproduced with permission fromm Mervyn and Gail Charlton at www.skibikers.tk

Indian Rope Trick
Even the most seasoned of skibikers will at some point have struggled to negotiate the dreaded Drag-Lift, or T-Bar as it is more commonly known. We have tried all the more common techniques with some degree of success but find this to be the best for us so far. You will need about 1 metre of lightweight cord or rope (the type used for drying clothes on is more than adequate.) It should have a small loop at one end and a knot at the other; you attach the cord to the centre stem of the handle bars with the small loop, make a loop of around 8" (20 cm approx) and wrap the remainder of the cord around the right handle bar leaving enough to go over the handle bar grip, normal pressure is all that is required to hold it there. The T-Bar pick is placed through the 8" (20 cm) loop by the lift attendant and off you go up the track sitting on your skibike. At the top where the track flattens out you let go of the cord with your right hand, this allows the cord to unwrap from the handle bars which releases the pick. Put the cord in your pocket and off you go

Skibike Maintenance
Skibike maintenance prior to your departure, and in the ski resort itself is often over-looked. A Skibike like any other piece of equipment needs to be maintained if it is to perform to it's maximum capabilities and provide you with a degree of reliability and safety. It has to be borne in mind that even the gentlest of pistes are not completely flat and level, and can place considerable stress on all the moving parts of your bike. A little time spent checking out all the various bits and pieces prior to your departure can save you a lot of time in the resort.

The main points to inspect are ski and foot skis for signs of wear on the soles and edges. Also check for delamination - most modern skis are made of various plastic laminates that are bonded together - they are very robust and flexible but have been known to delaminate. This severely weakens them and also affects the overall performance of the skis.

All skibikes have some type of suspension. This may take the form of mini shock absorbers of the type now found on mountain bikes, leaf-type suspension which can be seen on some types of Brenter Snowbikes, and Koni-type shock absorbers which can be found on Flachsmann Skibikes. They all play a vital part in the performance of your skibike and should be checked out thoroughly prior to your departure.

The skibike is held together by a variety of nuts, bolts and screws. These should be checked for tightness but remember not to over tighten the screws and bolts that retain the skis to the frame as this will crush the ski laminates and severely weaken the ski. We usually carry a small quantity of similar screws and bolts to the ones used on the skibikes, it doesn't happen very often but we have known the odd one to fail. There is nothing worse than having to foot ski down the mountain carrying your bike over your shoulder because your front ski came loose.

It makes good sense to carry a selection of small tools that can be carried around in a 'bum bag' or strapped to the bike; these are useful for running repairs and for making any necessary adjustments.