The SkiBike Shop

I used Winter X Bike foot pegs for years on my skibikes, the US based company was the first to start the D.I.Y. mountain bike to skibike conversion craze.

As with other similar products this Winter X Bike kit is designed to fit into the cavity normally occupied by a bike frame bottom bracket. Fitting is very straightforward and should only take minutes to complete.
The foot pegs have a serrated edge to grip your footwear and offer plenty of grip in cold, icy conditions. They have huge voids to allow the snow to fall through and not build up.

For sale - Winter X Bike footpegs - £25

The foot pegs have been used, but baring some cosmetic scratches are still in great condition with only very slight wear to the finish.


Features:

• Light weight
• Strong
• Low profile
• Dimensions: Overall width  cm
• Construction: Alloy Pedals, Steel Mounting Bolt
• Colour: Natural silver
• Origin: Made in U.S.A.

They are on offer for just £25; the price includes delivery within the UK. I can send to some European locations too, but please ask for a quote first as this could be quite a high sum.

Send a message or leave a comment if you have any enquiries

Updates:

None so far

This the latest new old stock Winter X Bike skibike conversion kit to come my way. If you are new to the skibike scene you may not be aware that Winter X Bike was the first iteration of Matt Hanson's designs, which have since been re-branded as Alpine Skibikes.

On offer is one complete kit, including the skis and foot pegs. These adapters are the first generation model fitted with 9mm axles, although you can still buy adaptors from Alpine Skibikes to run 15mm and 20mm through axle style forks too. The rear axle length is 170 mm with spacing of 135 mm for the rear triangle.

For sale - Skibike conversion kit with skis - £340

The parts are all in mint condition, the skis are still in their original shrink wrap covers.

The price for these parts is equivalent to their cost if bought in the USA at current prices. For European Union based skibikers this will be a substantial saving over the regular price. As anything imported from outside of the European Economic Area is subject to courier fees + handling fees + import duties @ 2.5% of the net value + VAT @ 20%. Do the mathematics, this is a good deal.

For sale - skibike conversion kit for any bike - £340

The cost for the complete kit of adapters, skis and foot-pegs will be £340. Free UK delivery is included, I can send to some European locations too, but please ask for a quote first as this could be quite a high sum.

Send a message or leave a comment if you have any enquiries


UPDATES:

27/10/18 - Now sold

This is the first of a pair of skibikes for sale built by a fan of this Blog. Sadly they have been virtually unused ever since, skibiking may not be for everybody, it wasn't for him, but if it's for you then this is your chance to buy a ready to ride skibike for much less than the cost of the individual components.

For sale - a pair of Alpine Skibikes mtb conversions for £300 each

Using the design philosophy of Wayne Richards and his ever popular "DIY Skibike Design" series of articles as a skibike builders bible, he religiously followed all the same principles.

As Wayne recommends, the frame is a basic Y shaped full suspension frame, this shape makes for very convenient loading on the chairlift; you can even sit on some chairs with the skibike between your legs without causing fouling, just like a pro.

It is a 18” frame measured from the centre of the crank to the seat post, constructed from aluminium it is both strong and corrosion resistant. The overall weight is 13.5 Kg.

For sale - 18" frame skibike

The forks are basic 1 1/8” units, possibly by RST or Zoom with 80mm or 3" of travel, with BMX handlebars mounted on an Ahead stem.

The rear suspension is a basic coil sprung, un-damped unit with an eye to eye distance of 160 mm.

For sale - skibike ready to ride for £300

The skis fitted are Gaspo PTS99, a brand which has a good reputation for coping well in icier conditions.

Obviously there is nothing state of the art about this combination, but then neither is the asking price, which even includes delivery within the UK.

The beauty of this style of skibike conversion is the way you can upgrade parts to a much better specification easily and very economically by trawling eBay, mountain bike forums and Facebook groups for unwanted new or second hand parts.

Gaspo skis fitted - great for icy conditions

This Alpine Skibikes skibike conversion has been priced at £300 for a quick sale, the price includes delivery within the UK. It can be sent to some European locations too, but please ask for a quote first as this could be quite a high sum.

This is the second of a pair of skibikes for sale built by a fan of this Blog. Sadly they have been virtually unused ever since, skibiking may not be for everybody, it wasn't for him, but if it's for you then this is your chance to buy a ready to ride skibike for much less than the cost of the individual components.

This skibike has now been sold, but here is a link to the first skibike of the pair which is still for sale.

For sale - a pair of Alpine Skibikes mtb conversions for £300 each

Using the design philosophy of Wayne Richards and his ever popular "DIY Skibike Design" series of articles as a skibike builders bible, he religiously followed all the same principles.

As Wayne recommends the frame is a basic Y shaped full suspension frame, this shape makes for very convenient loading on the chairlift; you can even sit on some chairs with the skibike between your legs without causing fouling, just like a pro.

It is a 16” frame measured from the centre of the crank to the seat post, constructed from aluminium it is both strong and corrosion resistant. The overall weight is 13.1 Kg.

For sale - 18" frame skibike

The forks are basic 1 1/8” units, possibly by RST or Zoom with 100mm or 4" of travel with BMX handlebars mounted on an Ahead stem.

The rear suspension is a basic coil sprung, un-damped unit with an eye to eye distance of 155 mm.

For sale - skibike ready to ride for £300

The skis fitted are Brenter a market leading brand which should need no introduction.

Obviously there is nothing state of the art about this combination, but then neither is the asking price, which even includes delivery within the UK.

The beauty of this style of skibike conversion is the way you can upgrade parts to a much better specification easily and very economically by trawling eBay, mountain bike forums and Facebook groups for unwanted new or second hand parts.

This Alpine Skibikes skibike conversion has been priced at £300 for a quick sale, the price includes delivery within the UK. It can be sent to some European locations too, but please ask for a quote first as this could be quite a high sum.

It is rare to find freestyle skibikes offered for sale in the UK, especially a matching pair, stock is limited to these two skibikes, so don't hang about if this is what you need for your next winter holiday.

This skibike has now been sold, but here is a link to the first skibike of the pair which is still for sale.


UPDATES:

11/01/16 - Now sold

FOR NEW 2017 STOCK CLICK HERE

It is said that every cloud has a silver lining. Some recent health issues gave me cause to take advantage of the services of Dr. Robert, Croydon's very own skibiking chiropractor. To say that he is a skibike enthusiast would be an understatement, his passion borders on obsession.

My visits gave him a good reason to dig out some new old stock original Winter X Bike skibike conversion kits which he had bought as a batch but never got round to installing all of them. If you are new to the skibike scene you may not be aware that Winter X Bike was the first iteration of Matt Hanson's designs, these have since been re-branded as Alpine Skibikes.

On offer is one complete kit, including the skis and foot pegs; furthermore there is a second set of adapter triangles only.
These adapters are the first generation model, so you they have 9mm axles, although you can still buy adaptors from Alpine Skibikes to run 15mm and 20mm through axle style forks too. The rear axle length is 170 mm with spacing of 135 mm for the rear triangle.

For Sale - Winter X Bike skibike conversion kit

The labelling on the packaging dated these units to 2005, none have been used, but they have been stored for a decade in a loft.
As a result there is light corrosion on the plated parts and ski edges. You could clean this off with metal polish if their appearance was that offensive to you. I would have done this myself but the demands of the blog tour made it impossible before departure day.

Light corrosion on the plated parts from a decade of storage

The aluminium parts are all in mint condition and very sparkly!

Dr. Robert doesn't want these parts sold off at yard sale prices, he would like the equivalent of the price these parts would cost if bought in the USA at today's prices. For US based readers of this blog it would make no sense to buy these parts; but for European Union based members these prices will be a substantial saving over the regular price. Anything imported from outside of the European Economic Area is subject to courier fees, handling fees, import duties @ 2.5% of the net value and VAT @ 20%. Do the mathematics, this is a good deal.

Adapters only - £136 or €186

The cost for the complete kit of adapters, skis and foot-pegs will be £340 or €465 - SORRY NOW SOLD OUT - FOR NEW 2017 STOCK CLICK HERE.

The cost for adapters only will be £136 or €186 - ONLY ONE PAIR LEFT! This price includes delivery to a UK address. I can send to some European locations too, but please ask for a quote first as this could be quite a high sum. - SORRY NOW SOLD OUT - FOR NEW 2017 STOCK CLICK HERE

If you have any further questions, please leave a comment or send a message.


UPDATES:

18/02/16 - The kit complete with skis is now sold.
06/11/16 - The kit is now sold.

Alpine Skibikes conversion kits have been around for a decade now, they are robustly made, some people may even say "over engineered".
The body is made from a sturdy extruded aluminium section, whilst the axle and cones are made from hardened steel. Where these two dissimilar metal surfaces meet there will be wear and sooner or later you will need to adjust them to reduce free play.

How do you know when this needs doing? I find it is most noticeable when the front adapter needs adjustment as the ski tends to clunk abruptly from one edge to the other and won't glide smoothly on gentle gradients and hunts around. As a double check, turn the skibike upside down put your foot lightly on the handlebars to prevent them from turning. Now check whether you can waggle the skis left or right of centre, if there is any movement, it is time for a service.

Luckily adjustment is very straightforward, if you have ever adjusted the bearings on a bike wheel, you find the method familiar. I have used the rear ski adapter for this example as it has more parts than the front adapter.

First remove the wheel nuts and washers from both sides of the adapter.

First remove the wheel nuts and washers

Next, pull the springs off the axle, they are an interference fit; firm hand pressure should be enough, if they are stuck fast use penetrating oil, WD40 etc. rather than forcing them off with tools.

Pull the springs off the axle - firm hand pressure should be enough

Using two spanners in opposition, free off the slim lock nuts from both sides; then with a pair of bike cone spanners free off the cones and spacers, then completely remove them from the axle.

Using two spanners in opposition, free off the locking nuts

Layout the parts and thoroughly clean out any old grease or other debris with a suitable cleaner, such as; methylated spirits, brake cleaner, etc. using a lint free cloth. If the adapters have seen considerable use, the threads on the axle can become worn and damaged, should this be the case, replace the axle.

Reassembly is the reverse of removal, apply grease generously to all mating surfaces, clean away any excess as you go.

Reassembly is the reverse of removal

Tighten the cones so that the axle can only just move without binding, don't be tempted to set them so they spin freely like a bike hub.
Clean away any excess grease, then tighten the locking rings and spacers. Finally install the springs, washers and mounting nuts.

It is worthwhile checking the adapters after every three weeks of use or annually, if you use your skibike less than this per year.
Remember 50% of servicing is visual inspection, so look closely at all components for any signs of potential failure, such as cracks or other damage.

If you want to make your Alpine Skibikes conversion perform even better, you really need to read the following article about modifying the Alpine Skibikes conversion kit.

Make your Alpine Skibikes conversion kit better with this modification

You can also take better care of your skibike by brushing all snow and ice off your skibike before putting it away after use. Never leave a skibike outside overnight, the freeze/thaw cycle and corresponding expansion of ice can have a detrimental impact on the all working parts.
Applying some light machine oil to all moving parts periodically will benefit the function and appearance of your skibike.

Step 1 - Place the skibike upside down on a level surface with some grip, avoiding slush and muddy puddles!




 Step 2 - Mount the front ski on the forks, note that with twin tipped ski boards it is easy to mount the front ski back to front, so use the graphics on the top to guide correct orientation.

It helps to hold the tip between your thighs whilst you adjust the nuts with a 15mm socket.



Make sure that the large washers fit next to the springs not outside the forks for the correct self levelling action. Tighten each side progressively to a moderately strong hand tight fit.



Step 3 - Mount the rear ski in a similar manner to the front. Note that there are 4 washers on the back axle which fit each side of the chainstays.


Step 4 - Fit the retaining strap between the rear ski and the frame (if you have one).

Step 5 - Keep a lightweight 15mm socket wrench in your day pack, just in case you want to dismount the front ski for easier Gondola travel or make fine level adjustments.

Step 6 - Enjoy your mountain bike now it has been transformed into a skibike.


A final comment once you have fitted and removed the skis a few times you should be able to complete the task easily in under 10 minutes. You may need to use light hand pressure to pull apart the frame to allow the adapters to slide into place, no further tools should be necessary.

An interesting video where it would appear a group took their mountain bikes converted with the Alpine SkiBikes adapters into skibikes from the UK on holiday to the home of European skibobing - Austria, not only that, they rode US "Pegger" style too