How to Summerize Your SNO-GO Bike: 5 Essential Steps
As the snow melts and summer approaches, it's crucial to properly store your SNO-GO ski bike to ensure it's ready for the next season. Drawing from expert advice and community insights, here are five key steps to effectively summerize your SNO-GO. By following these steps, you'll extend the life of your SNO-GO and ensure it's ready for action when winter returns.
For a visual guide on inspecting your SNO-GO Shift or Shifted:
1. Clean and Inspect Thoroughly
Begin by giving your SNO-GO a comprehensive cleaning. Remove any dirt, salt, or debris to prevent corrosion. Pay special attention to the skis, chassis, and other moving parts. After cleaning, inspect the bike for any signs of wear or damage, such as loose bolts or worn components. For details, see step 2.
2. Perform Maintenance and Tighten Bolts
Before storing, perform routine maintenance. Ensure all screws and bolts are secure.
The nut of the bolt should always spin with the rotation of the bolt using a 5 mm hex key. If the nut does not spin, the loc-tite has likely been compromised and the bolt needs attention.
Bikes may need to have bolts and bearings replaced if there are signs of rust, wear, or lack of movement. Refer to the videos above for details on the tests below.
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Perform a Ski Test to check ski screws: Ski screws can loosen over time. With the bike flat on the ground, you can check ski tightness by grabbing the tails of the skis and moving them laterally side-to-side to check for any play or movement. Any movement requires attention.
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Perform a Drop Test to check chassis bolts: By holding one rear ski down and lifting the other ski by the binding, you can determine whether your rear chassis needs attention. A proper rear chassis should drop to the floor without slamming down.
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Fast Drop. Your bolts are too loose. Check each bolt and tighten evenly so there is enough friction to keep the chassis from slamming down.
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No Drop. Your bolts are too tight or your rear ski mounts could be bent. Check for mismatching angles where the control arms connect to the rear chassis. Mismatching angles mean that your mounts are bent and need to be replaced. Otherwise, slightly loosen the bolts so that the rear ski drops smoothly.
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Perform a Tilt Test to check your tower: While standing on your bike with your feet on the stomp pads, tilt the bike left and right both slowly and rapidly while looking down. You should not feel or see any play in the tower where the frame connects to the chassis. Any clicking sound is a sure sign that bolts need to be tightened.
Grease: Bearings should be the only areas that should be lightly greased if they are dry.
Loc-tite: We recommend blue loc-tite on ski screws and bolts to prevent loosening.
3. Apply Protective Wax
Apply a generous layer of all-temperature wax to the ski bases. This protective layer prevents the bases from drying out and protects against oxidation during the off-season.
4. Store in a Cool, Dry Place
Choose a storage location that is:
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Climate-Controlled: Avoid areas with extreme temperatures or humidity.
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Away from Direct Sunlight: UV rays can degrade materials over time.
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Off the Ground: Store the bike on a rack or shelf to prevent moisture accumulation.
5. Schedule a Professional Tune-Up
Before the next snow season, consider a professional tune-up to ensure optimal performance.
Services may include:
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Edge Sharpening: For better grip on icy conditions.
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Base Repair: Address any scratches or gouges.
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Component Check: Ensure all parts are functioning correctly.
Authorized SNO-GO service centers offer comprehensive maintenance packages to keep your bike in top condition. Find a location here.
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