Originally Posted by
Attilio
Agree that XC is more similar but both have same drawbacks in terms of practicality vs cycling in general. Can easily bike almost every day and I have done so the last 3-4 years. The biggest expense and aggravation with cycling is the initial purchase hit and maybe clothing for winter and eventually a few mods to your bike to better quality, more durable equipment as things break. But the ongoing cost and effort of keeping your bike on the road or trail is a rounding error compared to initial purchase. All you have to do is....... get on the bike and ride and it can be done literally anywhere. Not so with skiing. Dollar for dollar, hour for hour I think they are at opposite ends of the practicality and ease of doing spectrum. Maybe running or walking is more efficient money wise but running is too harsh on my joints and walking is not enough exercise or calorie burn. Nothing like cycling has hit that sweet spot.
This sidebar conversation concerns when there is snow, not year round use. You are kinda moving the goalpost, here.
I’m guessing you have little experience XC Skiing. Basically none of the arguments you were making against DH skiing apply to XC Skiing.
I do Fat Biking in the snow, XC Skiing, and downhill snowboarding. I can tell you that from a cost, convenience, practicality, and how, when and where they fit into ones life, XC Skiing and Snow biking are very similar - nearly interchangeable - and both are a world away from downhill skiing and snowboarding.
When there is snow on the ground, XC skis are every bit as practical, and more economical than a fat bike.
The initial cost for XC skiing is generally less than a fat bike. $750 gets you a very nice new setup (boots, poles, binding, and metal edges skis). And after that it costs no more to go xc skiing than it does to go fat biking in the snow. I don’t pay anything to ride my fat bike on snowy trails, and I don’t pay anything to XC Ski. And there is way less maintenance (in terms of both time and money) for XC skiing.
Also, when the snow gets deep, it is way easier to ski where it is ungroomed. Once there is a foot or more of snow on the ground, there are WAY more trails I can XC ski on than fat bike on.
Look, if XC skiing does not appeal to that’s fine. But to suggest that a bike makes more sense on the snow than skiis is patently ridiculous.
XC skiis are also a lot smaller and easier to deal with. Folks around here just leave them in their car. You don’t need a bike rack or a big vehicle to transport gear for several people.
I ride my fat bike in the snow when the snow is too thin for skiing, and I ride my skiis when the snow is too deep for fat biking.
There is a reason that there are way more people XC skiing than fat biking in the snow.