The Ktrak: half-ski, half-track mountain bike

We know what you're thinking: extreme ski biking is cool now? Or alternatively, who the hell would get on one of these? Just take our advice, next time you find yourself off-piste, keep your eyes peeled for Ktrakers -- crazy people who've bought a universal attachment that replaces the wheels of a mountain bike with a track drive and an optional front ski. Apparently the Ktrak's insane appeal comes from its ability to let cyclists ride over previously inaccessible surfaces like snow and sand, as the company's videos demonstrate. Due for a production run in early 2007 (priced at a reasonable $400 for the track and $140 for the ski), the Ktrak is apparently very easy to install and ride, and adds only 5-pounds to the average mountain bike's weight. If you can manage to convince your brain that this thing actually exists, your biggest problem is going to be getting your hands on one before everyone else: to that end, you can reserve a kit for $300, as long as you get your pre-order out before January 1.

[Via Spluch]

[thedonandmikeshow @ Dec 17th 2006 9:45PM]

100% worthless..........

[Roofus @ Dec 17th 2006 11:58PM]

The tracks are too narrow, hence too much surface pressure. I agree, worthless!

[thedonandmikeshow @ Dec 17th 2006 9:49PM]

Notice not a single portion of the video shows anyone pedaling or attempting to ride even the slightest uphill grade!

[Brian @ Dec 17th 2006 9:51PM]

Race you down the black diamond...

[blah @ Dec 17th 2006 9:52PM]

At first glance I thought, "Too bad you can't retrofit a bike with this," but it turns-out that's exactly what this is!

I think it's totally fucking awesome. :) I'm getting one for my Rockymountain Carve...

[Andrew Stewart @ Dec 17th 2006 10:06PM]

I want my two dollars!!

[doyouflip @ Dec 17th 2006 11:16PM]

Aww man, you beat me!!

[Roofus @ Dec 17th 2006 11:58PM]

HOLY SHSKJHT:A!!!!! love that movie!

[r080 @ Dec 17th 2006 10:30PM]

Their Safety Guide is very concise.

[Mr. T @ Dec 17th 2006 10:36PM]

thedonandmikeshow said: "100% worthless.........."

Is that you, Don? Thank goodness for her your wife died. She finally got away from you...

[thedonandmikeshow @ Dec 18th 2006 12:54PM]

HEY Opshie, you been on that fmer in NYC a year now, how come you can't pull more than a 1 share you failure?

[matt @ Dec 17th 2006 10:42PM]

MUST HAVE

[NeoteriX @ Dec 17th 2006 10:53PM]

"Push the tempo"?!!!?

Damn you Ktrak.

[Paul @ Dec 17th 2006 11:53PM]

Meh... I bet that thing is a pain in the neck to ride on an uphill grade. Heck, I bet its a pain to ride for any length of time.

[v_dogg @ Dec 18th 2006 12:09AM]

i like how the video shows how you cant go off a jump, cuz you will fall

[Eric @ Dec 18th 2006 12:12AM]

...cue Better Off Dead.

Great flick. The only movie I watched over and over during the Oliver North trial. I had no cable at the time, the trial was on every station except PBS. VHS baby! I can quote that entire movie!

[Gabe @ Dec 18th 2006 4:37AM]

Cute anecdote. Isn't it great when a movie or song or something gets a special place in your memory just because it ties into a specific time in your life?

[Karl Viklund @ Dec 18th 2006 12:55AM]

Hahaha I WANT ONE!!! :D:D:D

[Ein @ Dec 18th 2006 2:03AM]

I want to see them riding it through powder.

It's probably as narrow as a x-country ski. So, it should be a problem

[zip22 @ Dec 18th 2006 3:37AM]

get a surly pugsley
http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html

with some large marge rims
http://www.surlybikes.com/parts/largemarge_pop.html

and some 4" tires.

[SuperQ @ Dec 18th 2006 11:55AM]

Hell yea, the pugsley is awesome. I don't live in MN anymore, so I might just build a cross-check this spring.

[JP @ Dec 18th 2006 3:47AM]

At first glance I was stoked, but then I watched the video. For all the usability it gives, I would be better off investing in a nice set of wide low pressure studded, or spiked tires. It could distribute the weight better than normal wheels, but everything is too skinny to be of any real advantage, and the added traction would be negated by the rotating mass that would have to be over come. And it says that it will work with any bike, but there is no way I would put this on my bike (which has V-brakes) and assume that I could ever hope to come to a stop once the rim gets wet.

Defiantly meant for those down hill riders who take the chair-lift to the top and then let gravity do its thing. Shame too, this could have been really nice for the X-contry riders who actually need this to extend the season on trails that are not groomed.

[Tari Akpodiete @ Dec 18th 2006 4:21AM]

I'm getting deja vu - http://www.revopower.com - their site used to look like this site, and working and marketing materials are similar...

[Stakker @ Dec 18th 2006 5:34AM]

Well, it's always nice to see new ideas, but you can already ride a mountain bike through all winter. Just put on some proper studded tires like Nokian Freddie's Revenge. In fact, some riders even prefer winter over summer. Of course soft powder snow will simply just stop you, but hard-packed snow rides great.

I guess that front ski does offer a bit less "rolling" resistance than a front tire, and it might enable you to go over a bit softer snow, but it looks like it also makes it hard to go over larger bumps (the front bit will just hit them square) and there's no traction *at all* when you're going uphill slow and need it.

Also, there seems to be a brake cable going into the front "ski"... but how does it brake? :-) I'm not riding downhill without a front brake. (Front brake does most of the stopping since it has more braking power.)

But yeah ok, the guys aren't really going fast or anything, I guess it's fun for just fooling around a bit... As long as the kit is cheap :-)

[Alex C @ Dec 18th 2006 3:16PM]

Some forks have remote dials so you can adjust the stiffness form the handlebars. Maybe that's what the cable to the front is for.

[_man1c_ @ Dec 18th 2006 6:43AM]

will never replace sleigh dogs..

[Joe Maki @ Dec 18th 2006 8:37AM]

I tried this in the early 80's. The ski on the front makes it essentially useless, at least on flats. You depend a lot on the stability offered by a rotating front wheel. It was very difficult to balance and had little directional control. But then my ski should have had more side-cut :)

[educationvictim99 @ Dec 18th 2006 9:40AM]

this is hardcare. everyone who disagrees probably wears a pocket protector.
(norco?)

[zach @ Dec 18th 2006 11:18AM]

Coming from an experienced mountain biker and cyclist. This idea is freak'n awesome. I really don't care if you can't get enough traction to ride an uphill grade. Just taking this thing down greens would be positively sick. If I'm living in colorado in a year, I think I'm buying this thing.

[LTM @ Dec 18th 2006 11:48AM]

that's got extended hospital visit written all over it!

[Jack @ Dec 18th 2006 12:48PM]

My only question... How do you brake going downhill or if you;re going fast?

[Zuke @ Dec 18th 2006 1:20PM]

I attended the Interbike convention in Las Vegas this past September and these guys had a small booth showing a few different versions of this off. You cyclists out there know this is the E3 equivalent in the cycling world. I thought it was kinda kooky, but it was pretty ingenious and I have to give them props for innovation! You get a hundred of these off the wall ideas and one of them is gonna eventually stick and be a hit!

[RijilV @ Dec 18th 2006 10:51PM]

These things have been around for years, I remember seeing this crap in the back of bike mags for some time now. Points go out to anyone else who identified the frame, a Santa Cruz V10...great bike, terrible use for it - would be better to use it as the grocery getter...

Also, the reason there is a (not cable) hydraulic line running down the fork is because this setup is sold as an add on to an existing bike, and they're showing you what it would look like if you just slapped it all on there.

[Ace @ Jan 12th 2007 10:22AM]

What about this tracked concept... http://www.acedesignlab.com/Design_Services_01.htm

[Xguy @ Jan 16th 2007 12:26AM]

Too much work and not enough fun...just bomb the hill on this snow bike instead: the North Legion SMX http://www.xtremesportsxchange.com/xsx/snow/whats-the-hottest-new-toy.shtml