Are you still skiing or already snow biking?

If one is honest, snowbiking is of course not a completely new invention. Some may still be familiar with the skibob, which enjoyed great popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. The skibob was developed in 1949 by the Austrian inventor Engelbert Brenter. At that time, the device was still called "Sitzski" and had a frame similar to a bicycle, with the wheels replaced by short skis. In addition, the rider wore short foot skis to facilitate balance and steering. The first official skibob race took place in Obertauern in 1951, local and national associations were founded, European championships were held from 1963, and world championships from 1967. In 1965, even the legendary Beatles had a skibob appearance in their movie "Help!"

The modern snowbike is still based on the skibob, but materials and processing have developed enormously, like with bicycles. The suspension technology has been adopted from mountain bikes. Snowbikes are easy to control and intuitively steer due to their low weight of only 7kg. With a low center of gravity and six points of contact, they are also extremely stable and safe. Although snowbiking looks very spectacular, the risk of injury is significantly lower than with skiing.

What makes snowbiking so particularly ingenious: it is fascinatingly easy to learn! A short workshop of a maximum of 2 hours with a professional trainer is enough to be fit for the fun on the slopes. Snowbiking is therefore also suitable for non-skiers and people with disabilities.

What is also ingenious is the versatility: carving, cruising, drifting, or rebounding - everything is possible. And the snowbike is not only a hit on the slopes, it is also an ideal sports equipment off-piste and in deep snow. Even using the ski lifts is no longer a problem with the ultra-light snowbikes. Whether alone or in a group: snowbiking combines a great feeling with fun and action.

If anyone still needs proof that snowbiking can be a serious sport, here are some current records: On March 22, 2007, Hermann Koch and Harald Brenter, the grandson of the inventor Engelbert Brenter, set a world altitude record in Obertauern. They completed 32,736 meters of altitude in just eleven hours in 62 descents and reached top speeds of 107km/h. The world record device was a 7kg lightweight modern production snowbike C4.

Harald Brenter was also the one who, in April 2010, together with two other athletes, dared to tackle the Grossglockner with a snowbike for the first time. With a special tour model weighing only 5kg, they managed to conquer Austria's highest mountain uphill and downhill. This adventure was also documented in a film. In May 2011, the Mont Blanc was finally conquered with a snowbike.