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I don't have a car and think about biking to ski resorts. So the question is how to carry my XC skis on a bike. Have anyone tried doing this and what was the solution?

Thanks.

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  • A "Bob"-style trailer is one option. (Look here for "how to carry a surfboard" for other ideas.)
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Mar 8 '13 at 22:48
  • I think a trailer might be an overkill for something that light. Plus, I live in Boston so maneuverability in traffic is desirable.
    – golobor
    Mar 8 '13 at 23:08
  • The right trailer is very maneuverable.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Mar 9 '13 at 3:44
  • @DanielRHicks: But still, I agree that a trailer is overkill for skis. The answers from Glenn Gervais and mattnz show that.
    – Carey Gregory
    Mar 9 '13 at 6:32
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    This question needs a corollary - how to carry a bike while skiing
    – Criggie ♦
    Dec 2 '17 at 9:28
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I have seen people trailer them, but for a local race here, many people go car free and strap them to the top tube extending back behind the seat, usually onto the rack.

Found many images using google image search for "carry skis on bike" http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5471607772_40dc377ed0_o.jpg

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Here's a DIY solution, adding a vertical ski tube to your rack

enter image description here

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When ski touring we often carry skis on our backpacks - tied together at top and one each in loops each side. Very stable except in high winds. No reason this would not work riding a bike. Here is a pic

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  • This might make getting on and off the bike a bit more difficult, or even dangerous if you happen to forget about them (especially if you have a rear rack).
    – newenglander
    Jan 22 '18 at 21:47
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I myself just put my x-country skis and poles in a lightweight ski bag with a shoulder strap and rode short distances without issues. Was even able to carry a mid-sized backpack alongside the ski bag. The trick is to put the shoulder strap over your head so that the skis won't fall off or hit your bike.

However, I recently came across an interesting commercial product called the Gunslinger that also seems to solve this problem:

https://defiantpack.com/products/gunslinger-ski-carry

There is a model made for cross-country skis, alongside ones for different types of downhill skis.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0970/7138/products/IMG_0660_1024x1024.JPG

Though to be honest, the solution seems to be similar to other answers here about strapping the skis to the bike frame, except that the part of the skis strapped to the bike is protected.

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Depending on the length of the skis a "Sandwich" of skis with the frame in the middle can work, using bungees to strap them together. also if you have a rack over the rear wheel this will further support them... Wouldn't try this for my old Downhill boards. by my newer and shorter Slalom boards would do the trick.

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  • My friend used to do this with his x-country skis, worked fine for him.
    – newenglander
    Jan 22 '18 at 20:38
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The Burley Travoy trailer is an interesting design and is a good deal more compact than a traditional trailer. Burley Travoy

The trailer folds down to keep it convenient while still being able to carry a good deal of stuff. The benefit of a trailer mounted at an angle rather than parallel with the ground is that you wouldn't need to drag along the length of your skis - it'd only trail by a few feet. In mounting skis you would have to angle them upwards so as to avoid whacking yourself in the head, but with the right arrangement of luggage I don't see that as being a problem. This might be the ideal option if you were to carry more than one pair of skis in addition to your standard gear.

Disclaimer: I am quite fond of my Burley Flatbed trailer and can attest to Burley's design, but have never used the Travoy (it generally gets pretty good reviews, though.)

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  • Tried this with my 179cm x-country skis, they were a bit too long, but I think if the Travoy were attached to the end of a pannier rack rather than the seat post that would be no problem (burley.com/product/travoy-rack-mount).
    – newenglander
    Jan 22 '18 at 20:35
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Surfers here in San Diego carry their boards to the beach with this little side or rear-mounted rack on their beach cruisers.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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I would use bungees to secure them to the rear rack and let them stick out behind me. As their weight is minimal, the bike's handling should change very little.

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  • I don't have a great feel for how long skis are but won't they swing out into traffic when you turn? That seems very dangerous.
    – David Richerby
    Jan 22 '18 at 18:12

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