Forum: bicycles.stackexchange.com
Tags: <winter><luggage>
Title: How to carry skis on a bike?
Question: 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.

Answers:
sents: text: 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.
text: Found many images using google image search for "carry skis on bike" http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5471607772_40dc377ed0_o.jpg
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/2953/Glenn Gervais
score: 11
sents: text: Here's a DIY solution, adding a vertical ski tube to your rack
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/17/Drew Stephens
score: 6
sents: text: When ski touring we often carry skis on our backpacks - tied together at top and one each in loops each side.
text: Very stable except in high winds.
text: No reason this would not work riding a bike.
text: Here is a pic
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3924/mattnz
score: 5
sents: text: 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.
text: Was even able to carry a mid-sized backpack alongside the ski bag.
text: The trick is to put the shoulder strap over your head so that the skis won't fall off or hit your bike.
text: 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
text: There is a model made for cross-country skis, alongside ones for different types of downhill skis.
text: 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.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3911/newenglander
score: 3
sents: text: 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.
text: also if you have a rack over the rear wheel this will further support them...
text: Wouldn't try this for my old Downhill boards.
text: by my newer and shorter Slalom boards would do the trick.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/6530/JR McKee
score: 2
sents: text: The Burley Travoy trailer is an interesting design and is a good deal more compact than a traditional trailer.
text: The trailer folds down to keep it convenient while still being able to carry a good deal of stuff.
text: 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
text: - it'd only trail by a few feet.
text: 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.
text: This might be the ideal option if you were to carry more than one pair of skis in addition to your standard gear.
text: 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.)
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3844/WTHarper
score: 1
sents: text: Surfers here in San Diego carry their boards to the beach with this little side or rear-mounted rack on their beach cruisers.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/6474/Josh Smith
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
Many people trailer their skis when carrying them by bike, 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. There are various othe DIY methods of carrying skis on a bike. However, there is an interesting commercial product called the Gunslinger that also seems to solve this problem:  https://defiantpack.com/products/gunslinger-ski-carry . The  Burley Travoy  trailer is an interesting design and is a good deal more compact than a traditional trailer.  
Skis can be strapped to the top tube, extending behind the bike, or carried over the shoulder in a ski bag. A trailer can also be used, which has the advantage that the skis can be carried at an angle to take up less length.