EnduroPro

Hi all. I'm a Super Noob. My friends and I are avid mountain bikers and trail runners here in Connecticut. We have a nice coating of snow covering the trails now which makes cycling difficult.

Some friends were talking about back-country nordic style skis. I've been snowboarding for years, but never skied. They swear it'll feel like trail-running after a few days of practice.

New England mountain bike trails are narrow, windy, and hilly. I'm 6'1" and 195lbs. Any suggestions? My friend is suggesting Salomon XADV 89. We know these mountin bike trails like the back of our hands and that's were we want to play in the winter.

Any thoughts? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Snowolf

If you snowboard like I do, have you given any thought to split boarding instead? For uphill and flat, it is just like Nordic, but when you are ready to ride down, you now have your board. Telle gear is also a thought.

I tried some Nordic here on the trails around Mt. Hood and it was torturing me to pass through these wide open tree glades and not having my board. I have stepped up and gotten a split.

kballing

Your best bet is probably renting gear the first few times you go. The local college outdoor recreation center rented me and my wife a complete setup for the weekend for < $10 each. Also the rental shop staff will be able to tell you how to get the right size and style. XC skiing is pretty straight forward.