schreef in bericht
ups.com...
I've got one and maybe two solutions for off-road. First, Catskis.
See 'em at Catskier.com or planetxc.com.

The other idea I haven't yet tried. I bought some used Italian
Rolskis, which I think were also called Grasskis. They were sold as a
way to downhill ski in the summer. Think of miniature free-rolling
tank treads with a platform over the middle for bindings. They feel
ather heavy, and the platform is probably at least two inches off the
ground, but I'm hoping they may function okay as off-road skate skis.
I'll let you know when I get around to them.


Randy,

The Grasskis look interesting
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopos...&password=&sor
t=1&size=medium&cat=616&page=
I wonder how effcient they are though.

Catski's seem a great solution for classic skiers. I'm just not into that
very much, and think my Crosskates could handle that just fine, if I cared
for it. The whole movement doesn't work with my sense of balance, while
skating seems pretty natural to me. I feel fluent, and people comment on it
looking natural and fluent. I do realize I most likely look like a total
noob to experienced skiers.

I run the crosskates at high pressure to get some sort of snow-like speeds
from them on pavement. At least, I hope I'll manage such speeds on snow.
It's well below Worldcup level, obviously.
With the hard tires, the slightest obstacle or bump stops them dead. What
doesn't help I think, is the high boot position (who need ground clearance,
really, we're not attacking rockgardens or root fields) combined with my
tall height. 610mm wheelbase just isn't much, I bet I could handle 10cm
more, the front wheel moved forward. Less weight on the front wheel, and
less leverage to send me flying.
I think I could be much faster with the 240m wheels, if they'd have nicer
tires/tubes and were a stiffer whole. The pivoting front wheels gave my butt
more than once, but kill the efficiency of my skate, they're like a brake
that engages when I load one skate with my full weight, let alone push off.
Too much technology for XC, but great for alpine I'm sure.

Yes, two extra 150mm wheels would add weight over the V2 Aero 150's, and
perhaps indeed with all the linkages come close to or match the Crosskates.
But that's okay. Some rolling will be worth the weight. I CAN handle the
Crosskates weight, quite well really, and a bit more wouldn't be disastrous
either, as long as I get some speed from it. Just too bad for climbing
practice.
Being able to escape traffic and just ski over any dirt or fire road just
seems way cool, and as close to the snow experience as you can get. As a
mountainbiker I hardly enjoy pavement at all.

The Doppel Quatro technology seems like it could make all the difference in
making a wheelsize off-road capable. Less weight per wheel, and if it comes
across a bump or obstacle, it's got leverage on the rest of the ski to roll
over it, pure genious.
Not sure if it adds up that simply, but if you'd have a Doppel Duattro setup
on medium pressure 150mm wheels, it might roll faster than ordinary V2's on
pavement, and on dirt come close to the V's pavement speed. They'd be huge,
a bit over a meter long in total (4x150mm + spacing + size 13 boots), but
then, so am I.

Using technniques hardly more advanced than kid's scooter wheels
(one-dollar-tires) and home crafted frames, offroad skiing will probably
always be heavy and slow.
To get snow-like performance over low-traffic forrest roads may require more
expensive techiques such as MTB-quality tires and carbon fibre frame parts.
An example, though very affordable for it's seemingly high quality : the
?200 Powerslide Nordic Trainer
http://www.funbox-shop.de/shop_detail.asp?id=40771
big pic here :
http://www.sportobchod.cz/brusle-pow...ic-trainer.htm
With that technology level, a longer wheelbase, some extra or just much
larger wheels....I see a lot possible.
Just too bad about the huge ground clearance.