Good tips, i had my t bar cherry popped last season and i found riding a poma also good practice. The tip about weight is spot on too. My big failures are because i favoured my rear foot not my front but it makes sense. Thanks Chris!
Yeah, in France you still find the older construction that snaps the disc handebars right onto the main cable, only slightly dampening the acceleration with a spring in tde bar. Always give me a smile and the urge to ride it at least once when coming across one, even whe chair or gondola next to it would get me higher up the mountain in less time.
@@ChrisEyres awful experience in Megeve France with those. They have the button seat or discs, never slowed down and it slings you up the hill. I should've just put it under my armpit, but absolutely brutal experience. Also, out of 200 skiers, like 5 boarders in line, so not much to learn from!
There aren’t any button lifts in Whistler and it’s been so long since I used one. Tbar gives you more options on where to put it, but easier chance it comes out. I think most operators prefer tbar as you can theoretically get 2 ppl on every lift
Mostly good tips but I dont get why people say lean back, you will have a lot better success stand relaxed and straight, keep your weight over your front foot, keep your core strong, let the tbar guide your direction and steer by lifting your toes and heels or by sliding your tail as necessary. Perisher rider here, kind of an expert on tbars...
In general yes, just have a solid position. Especially with these modern drag lifts that have a very mellow acceleration due to the T-bar/disc being attached to a rope that unrolls. Most of the time I even just quickly put the bar/disc between my legs as it passes by and then lauch hands free not bothering to hold it. But I also see where the leaning back comes from - there is that other, older type of platter/disc drag lift, that has a depot of handlebars at the bottom which (nowadays) have spring dampened extending bar (but I've once witnessed a solid one) which by some trigger are snapped onto the main cable after you grabbed one. Those can have a dell of an acceleration up to the point sending you into a lemarkable. jump from stand-still and will yank your back leg into the air making you y]fly head first if you do not lean back. If you can ride drag lifts, those are fun though.
ive been riding the T-bar for years and i still struggle with tip 6. ill randomly panic and fall when i start to move side to side too much like halfway up
Most important thing is to practice! Its no wonder people nowadays seem to have such a hard time with drag lifts, when most resorts are gondola and chair only and have magic carpets on the bunny hills. I did learn snowboarding before magic carpets existed in a resort with mostly drag lifts, so after day one of walking up the bunny hill 10-15 meters to get the first feeling for the board and some one-footed riding practice, on day 2 of the beginner course everyone had to and did learn riding a drag lift. It was hard and the days after still had a number of involuntary early exits, but thanks to that and the years after in that same resort, I quickly got to the point doing well. Few (vacation only) seasons in I started using the time in the lift to put on sunscreen or eating a sandwich while riding hands free and eventually messing around doing tail presses (which due to the handlebar giving you something to hold on to are more easy in the lift than one might think ).😀 I also joined people going alone in a T-bar in some flat section to skip the queue and witnessed the (very lucky for being able to ride whole season and get the timing down) local kids even jump off the wall of the lift's cat track to grab an empty platter or T-bar mid air to join that way. 😆 Fun times. Bottom line: Do not avoid them, embrace them and practice, practice, practice. 🙂
Thanks for the comment. Times they are a changing. But like you say, just gotta practice! Enough good spots that are accessed by it, it deserves a try. But if you’re home resort doesn’t have one it’s tougher…
@@isaac827 Two beginners together is not a good idea indeed. A beginner with a tolerant skier or an advanced snowboarder can greatly help the beginner providing stability, someone to hold on to and doing the work when you have to dodge someone who fell in front of you. If your (drag lift) riding is solid, there is no need to be afraid and to not offer a beginner to serve as a stable anchor on the lift. Heck, I have joined intolerant skiers that wanted to go alone despite a long queue, shouting something like "I do not ride with snowboarders, let me go alone or I will push you out" just responding "Try it." with a shrugging motion - only few remained furious after that and no one succeeded. 😆
@@elho001 You are correct, I go with people all the time, it is the best time to show people and help them get the feel for it, and lift lines get out of control, the lifties here dont even allow singles when it is busy, but I have been taken out a lot... :)
Good tips, i had my t bar cherry popped last season and i found riding a poma also good practice. The tip about weight is spot on too. My big failures are because i favoured my rear foot not my front but it makes sense. Thanks Chris!
The first time is always gonna be tough. Glad you got through it!
A right of passage to snowboarding: falling on a surface lift!
Good tips Chris!
It definitely is. People worry too much about it, embrace it and you shall conquer
I like the T-bar lift. Good memories. I've met my first girl friend in such a lift.
That’s a good story. The hidden benefits of the tbar…
these used to be my nemesis, mega anxiety getting on them, but now i find it fun! once in France one of their button lifts literally started at 20mph
Yeah, in France you still find the older construction that snaps the disc handebars right onto the main cable, only slightly dampening the acceleration with a spring in tde bar.
Always give me a smile and the urge to ride it at least once when coming across one, even whe chair or gondola next to it would get me higher up the mountain in less time.
I’m glad we don’t have those here
@@ChrisEyres awful experience in Megeve France with those. They have the button seat or discs, never slowed down and it slings you up the hill. I should've just put it under my armpit, but absolutely brutal experience. Also, out of 200 skiers, like 5 boarders in line, so not much to learn from!
Thanks Chris! Any difference vs the button lift?
I prefer the button lift, especially on steeper terrain, you can just sit on the button
Pretty much the same thing, i personally find the button less comfortable between my legs
There aren’t any button lifts in Whistler and it’s been so long since I used one. Tbar gives you more options on where to put it, but easier chance it comes out. I think most operators prefer tbar as you can theoretically get 2 ppl on every lift
Mostly good tips but I dont get why people say lean back, you will have a lot better success stand relaxed and straight, keep your weight over your front foot, keep your core strong, let the tbar guide your direction and steer by lifting your toes and heels or by sliding your tail as necessary.
Perisher rider here, kind of an expert on tbars...
In general yes, just have a solid position. Especially with these modern drag lifts that have a very mellow acceleration due to the T-bar/disc being attached to a rope that unrolls. Most of the time I even just quickly put the bar/disc between my legs as it passes by and then lauch hands free not bothering to hold it.
But I also see where the leaning back comes from - there is that other, older type of platter/disc drag lift, that has a depot of handlebars at the bottom which (nowadays) have spring dampened extending bar (but I've once witnessed a solid one) which by some trigger are snapped onto the main cable after you grabbed one. Those can have a dell of an acceleration up to the point sending you into a lemarkable. jump from stand-still and will yank your back leg into the air making you y]fly head first if you do not lean back.
If you can ride drag lifts, those are fun though.
ive been riding the T-bar for years and i still struggle with tip 6. ill randomly panic and fall when i start to move side to side too much like halfway up
I’ve been on some big side trips before, but they always bring you back.
I avoid T-Bars. Hell for the snowboarder. I've done a couple at psychotic speeds and picked up worse injuries than I've ever got going down a hill.
Haha definitely not made with snowboarding in mind. Glad you do what makes you happy
I learned how to take them apart and rebuild them while working at the local ski hill,
That’s a cool skill to have
we have button bars here, i never saw a T-bar in my life, may be it s country/continent specific...
Most important thing is to practice!
Its no wonder people nowadays seem to have such a hard time with drag lifts, when most resorts are gondola and chair only and have magic carpets on the bunny hills.
I did learn snowboarding before magic carpets existed in a resort with mostly drag lifts, so after day one of walking up the bunny hill 10-15 meters to get the first feeling for the board and some one-footed riding practice, on day 2 of the beginner course everyone had to and did learn riding a drag lift. It was hard and the days after still had a number of involuntary early exits, but thanks to that and the years after in that same resort, I quickly got to the point doing well. Few (vacation only) seasons in I started using the time in the lift to put on sunscreen or eating a sandwich while riding hands free and eventually messing around doing tail presses (which due to the handlebar giving you something to hold on to are more easy in the lift than one might think ).😀 I also joined people going alone in a T-bar in some flat section to skip the queue and witnessed the (very lucky for being able to ride whole season and get the timing down) local kids even jump off the wall of the lift's cat track to grab an empty platter or T-bar mid air to join that way. 😆 Fun times.
Bottom line: Do not avoid them, embrace them and practice, practice, practice.
🙂
Thanks for the comment. Times they are a changing. But like you say, just gotta practice! Enough good spots that are accessed by it, it deserves a try. But if you’re home resort doesn’t have one it’s tougher…
If you have a Goofy and Regular rider just go on the same T Bar.Neither of you need even hold the handle as the two boards with do all the work!
Make sure you brush your teeth ahead of time though. I rode up Showcase once with Chris and he was complaining about my garlic breath the whole time.
It's important to practice good hygiene.
Dont get on a tbar with someone who doesnt know how to ride one, it is a recipe for disaster.
@@isaac827 Two beginners together is not a good idea indeed. A beginner with a tolerant skier or an advanced snowboarder can greatly help the beginner providing stability, someone to hold on to and doing the work when you have to dodge someone who fell in front of you.
If your (drag lift) riding is solid, there is no need to be afraid and to not offer a beginner to serve as a stable anchor on the lift.
Heck, I have joined intolerant skiers that wanted to go alone despite a long queue, shouting something like "I do not ride with snowboarders, let me go alone or I will push you out" just responding "Try it." with a shrugging motion - only few remained furious after that and no one succeeded.
😆
@@elho001 You are correct, I go with people all the time, it is the best time to show people and help them get the feel for it, and lift lines get out of control, the lifties here dont even allow singles when it is busy, but I have been taken out a lot... :)
I hear that Ellstacker is a big T-bar guy these days...
T-bag? Just messing @ellstacker