dawicks - 28-5-2011 at 08:17 PM
Well, I live in small town Saskatchewan. Had a great season on the snowboard with a used LEI. I will hopefully be learning on the water once the
local lakes get a bit warmer. But I would really like to have something for on land. The way I see it there are three options, but there may be
more.
1) Buggy
2) Mountain Board
3) Doomwheels
The available terrain I have to work with are:
Smallish sports fields, very soft ground (i.e. where people grow crops) or open fields where there are lots of little bumps, gopher holes, and some
spots with thick grass. The later seems the most probable because there is lots of it.
The kites I'll most likely be using are my LEI or a homemade NPW. I'd like to get a foil at some point... but budget doesn't make that so easy quite
yet, so that would not be anytime soon.
So, what is the best choice for wheels? Option 1,2 or 3? My first thought is 3... should be pretty cheap and would be versatile... and you could soak
up some of the bumps presumably.
Thoughts?
Bladerunner - 29-5-2011 at 09:21 AM
I say buggy should win out here ?
The question is , what set-up works best in farm fields ? Bigfoot?
Poaching back roads with Coyotes , ATB and an NPW on short lines is also an option?
Without a doubt, SKIS, EH !!!!! For 7 months a year ! :smug:
BigMikesKites - 29-5-2011 at 03:05 PM
soft fields you want the bigfoot. even the lumpy fields call for a bigfoot. Nice to have the extra clearance when you roll over pointy rocks.
shaggs2riches - 29-5-2011 at 03:41 PM
Depending on how big your local sports fields, or possible packed beach are, I'd say give ATB a try, but if you really want open space to ride you'll
need a big foot. I rode my ATB in a pea field in the spring, not that much fun wayy to bumpy for my liking. The XR+ worked alright, but barrow tires
were a tad too small. That's the downside to these prairies, all the space in the world, but it seems only best when its covered in snow.
Bladerunner - 30-5-2011 at 06:50 AM
Where are HoustonAirhed and a few other coutry boys on this ?
I think what works and doesn't in farmland areas is an important topic .
Seanny - 30-5-2011 at 10:01 AM
Riding in soft dirt with an ATB is fun 
we've been in a drought for a while now,
so the ground is usually hard and dry... which is actually great for riding. But when it rains and the soil gets turned over, there is a good time to
be had there also. It's very different however from riding in sand or hard field. There is more resistance, so you will need a bit more wind to keep
you rolling, and to start from a standstill position, I find it's easiest to hop and get the momentum going. It takes practice and a certain skill set
to learn to ride in mushy dirt, but it can be done and it can be a lot of fun (landings are a bit softer, power sliding is easier).
I ride in cattle pastures more than I ride in farms, and the pastures can be pretty rough sometimes but 8" ATB wheels seem to handle it. They can
handle just about anything... tall grass and thick grass clumps are quite annoying... but it's just a matter of what you're willing to crash on :D
I'd say stick to the open fields for now. Little bumps and occasional tall grass makes it more fun. You can try out the farms later. It'd be easier to
learn on the hard ground, since getting bogged down in deep soft soil is definitely a frustrating possibility.
dawicks - 30-5-2011 at 12:29 PM
Hey, I am finding all the input very helpful. Thanks. The Bigfoot looks sweet... but not cheap. My wife agreed to the snowboard, the kiteboard, the
Cabrinha, the materials to make some NPWs, the wetsuit, the booties... etc, etc... Can I convince her of a 900 dollar "trike." Maybe not... not yet.
So, the mountain board at this point is looking to be a more realistic option. Versatile enough for small sports fields and for the open spaces...
and with some skill in the softer conditions.... but please any more info and ideas would be much appreciated.
ripsessionkites - 30-5-2011 at 04:48 PM
if your park is small, i think you would have more fun with a freestyle buggy.
with conditions of soft sand, get BF wheels
if you're traveling around to more hard packed places and might wanna pick up a mtn board instead, it will feel somewhat like your snowkiting days and
future kitesurf days.
dawicks - 3-6-2011 at 08:45 PM
Thanks all for all the advice. I think I am gonna hold off on things until I log a few more hours on the water. Bladerunner gave me some great
advice about expanding my quiver for on water (and on snow) before getting ahead of myself... and hey I am still having a blast just static flying my
NPW with shinny new handles and lines from Ripsession.
That being said, when the time comes I think I would go for an ATB.
Cheers,
D