There isn’t any question that motorsport is an expensive hobby, doubly so when you consider all of the expensive bits that you need to own to do anything worthwhile. One expensive bit that you need to own is a racing sled. A few years back, getting a decent one would set you back thousands of dollars. It wasn’t really that long ago that you would need to be pulling in some very big dollars just to get a foot in the door with a professional team. These days, though, there are plenty of opportunities for individuals to race with amateurs that you can join for next to nothing. All you need is a bike, an ice sled, and some snow tires.
What Is An Ice Sled?
An ice sled is essentially just what it sounds like; a device that allows you to drive on ice surfaces. These days, ice sleds are not just limited to motorsport use as they are also popular for recreational use (especially in Canada and Minnesota where it gets cold enough to create some amazing opportunities for winter sports). Ice sleds are also essential for keeping your car and other vehicles from being damaged during rough driving conditions. This type of driving can cause serious injury or death if proper precautions are not taken, especially if you are driving on an icy surface or near-constant speed when things start to melt under your wheels.
The Simple Math Behind Riding A Bike On Ice
To someone who has never ridden a bike on ice before, it might come as a bit of a shock to learn that just because the temperature is below freezing, it doesn’t mean that you cannot still ride a bike. In most cases, it is actually quite safe to do so as long as you take the appropriate precautions. Of course, you should never do anything that is going to cause you or others harm, but for the most part, you can take a casual ride and have a good time without risking your safety or the safety of others around you. It is also important to note here that bikes can be quite dangerous on pavement if you are not used to it. This is why most people avoid biking in the rain, as it can make the surface of the road slippery and dangerous to handle. On an icy road, though, the rain isn’t nearly as dangerous as the road conditions themselves. If you want to play it safe, wait until the ice has frozen over completely before taking your bike out for a spin.
The Physics Of Ice Sled Driving
If you are new to this world of crazy winter sports activities, then you might be wondering how all of the skidding and sliding around is actually possible. As it turns out, it has a lot to do with what is known as ‘friction’. When an object moves closer to another object, the force of the impact is usually enough to cause some degree of friction, meaning that the objects in question tend to stick to one another. When you drive on ice, this is exactly what happens; the surface of the road is like a sticky, plastic layer that helps to keep you stationary while also slowing you down. What this means is that you need less effort to maintain a given speed. As a driver, this could prove to be quite the advantage since you can keep the revs of your engine relatively low while also being able to move at a relatively slow pace compared to most cars. As a result, you will get less tired and more pleasure out of your drive. In addition, you can also rest assured that your vehicle is going to perform better in the long run as a result of all of this friction. This is something that you simply cannot get from skating on a pool or other types of water surfaces.
Choosing A Bike For Ice Sled Use
If you are serious about taking your bike on the ice, then you are going to need something more than just any bike. This being said, even then, you are still going to need to choose your bike wisely because not all are made equal when it comes to handling on ice. Some will work much better than others and you will need to take a little bit of time to find out which ones these are. As a rule of thumb, anything within the 500cc range is going to be a good option as long as you are looking for a beginner’s bike that is going to be suitable for ice sledging. If you are going to be taking your bike up on the mountain, then you might want to go for something a little higher powered since the gas canister can also help to provide some extra thrust for the effort that you are putting in. Of course, you will also need to be careful with how you tune your bike once you have found the right one. This is even more important if you are also going to be using it for recreational purposes in the summertime, as you will want to make sure that you are still able to have some fun during the warm days. In other words, your summer time bike should not be too powerful compared to the winter time model that you are driving now.
How To Set Up Your Ice Sled Safely
It is a good idea to take the time to set up your ice sled in a safe place beforehand. This is especially important if you are driving on an unfamiliar or unrecorded road. You don’t want to be scrambling for your phone to call for help if you come off of a bridge or other type of road tunnel and your vehicle rolls over. Setting up your sled in a safe place is also a good idea so that you can easily find it whenever you are ready to go. This is important because if you have trouble locating it again once you have found it, then it might be quite the adventure trying to figure out how to put it back together. Alternatively, you can also purchase an ice anchor, which is essentially a weighted bag that you can drop into freshly melted ice to stop your car in its tracks. This is something that you might want to keep in mind if you plan on spending a lot of time on the mountain.
The Equipment That You Will Need
There are essentially two categories of equipment that you will need in order to get started with ice sledging; vehicles and safety gear. The first item on our list is going to be the vehicle itself. This is where most of your money is going to be spent and it is also worth it. Remember, though, that this is not a cheap hobby. You will most likely need a good helmet that shields your head from injury in case you happen to skid or spin out. You might also want to invest in some sunglasses and gloves if the weather is particularly bad. One of the most important things, however, is an ice-proof jacket. You are going to be driving on the rough roads a lot and you will be sliding on the ice, meaning that you will need something that is ice-proof to keep you from being injured by the stones and other objects on the road. Wearing protective gear is also important for the safety of others around you when you are driving on unfamiliar roads or in bad weather conditions. This equipment is also relatively cheap and you can find good deals if you shop around. In many cases, you can get a helmet, jacket, and gloves for around $100. This is not including the cost of the bike itself, which is usually around $500. This is still quite a bit of money for a hobby that most people would consider to be fairly cheap and even a little bit of an addiction.
Getting the orb on an icy speedway doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need is a good snowmobile helmet, good gloves, and a jacket that is ice-proof. In addition, make sure that the tires are fitted for slick surfaces and that you are using a reliable machine that is already set up for icy driving conditions. Once you have done that, all you need to do is find a good place to park your vehicle and get ready to hit the road. Are you prepared to give it a go?