What is that thing? Sean tries Arizona Snowbowl’s sno-go’s!
Ski-bikes gaining popularity on Arizona slopes
FLAGSTAFF, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Our nonstop winter storms have been a blessing for our state’s ski resorts. Skiers and boarders have flocked to the slopes. But there’s a new sport that’s attracting a lot of stares and questions on the slopes.
“We have a lot going on up here at Snowbowl. And you know it’s truly a place where everyone can go and have fun,” said Angie Grubb, marketing coordinator for Arizona Snowbowl. When she says everyone, she’s including a whole new group of snow enthusiasts.
For the first season ever, Snowbowl has embraced what’s called a Sno-Go. The easy explanation? It’s a bike or trike-like device with skis instead of wheels, and it’s an easy learning curve.
At Snowbowl, anyone 13 years old and up can rent them. That experience comes with a lesson to get you down the slopes safely. You must leash up to the bike with a metal ring that separates if you have a bad spill. The ski trike rides up with you on the chair lift, and after a quick lesson, you’re off!
I tried it and fell one time! But I’ve got to admit, it was super easy to catch on. It was way easier than skiing or boarding, and it was a lot of fun. But if you a looking for something a little more tricked out than a snow trike, call the Good Time Boyz.
Geoffrey Manes, Trent Paulin, and Brandon Robertson are the Good Time Boyz that saw a business in the booming sport. They rent their tricked-out, two-ski, fully stocked ski bikes for people to have a good time! “A lot of people struggle with snowboarding because it’s hard to strap down a little bit and that whole one-edge slipping thing. So, on the bike, you’re moving; you’re actually cruising,” said Trent Paulin.
Brandon Robertson explained the difference. “With the Sno-Go’s, they have a ski underneath each foot. And you’re still kind of absorbing some of the impact. Where with both bikes, they have full suspension, and it’s going to take a lot of the impact from all of the bumps and different stuff in the snow,” he said.
Regardless of the equipment, it’s just fun! Grubb says a quick lesson is key for you to enjoy the experience. “The instructor told me you’re going have a smile on your face. I was super nervous, and I did not stop smiling and laughing the whole time I was out there,” he said. Me too!
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