Who has ever seen one of these - Swing-bo?

[skategoat]

I buddy of mine who originally hails from Austria dug this up from his basement for me. It's called a Swing-bo. Ingenious design with a pivoting suspension that puts two edges on the snow at all times.

The binding isn't anything more than non-adjustable plastic straps.

He tells me it's a wild ride. Very swoopy and manuverable.

[skategoat]

Closeup of the suspension.

I forgot to mention, it has a metal fin in the middle of the ski that retracts on the uphill ski when you lean.

[philfell]

That looks a lot like the platform that some disabled skiers use when they are learning or if they don't have enough ability to use a sit ski.

[philfell]

Most of us fit that description Kent. Ha, ha.

[NateW]

Looks to me like the 'snow skate' idea done right. However I do think there might be such a thing as too much sidecut. :)

I'd love to take a run on one. Maybe two runs. Probably not three.

[Chris Houghton]

That thing looks scary - Henry can I watch you try it out?

Maybe TomC would be interested in it for his adaptive skiing equipment, although that sidecut is pretty deep.:eek:

[skategoat]

Unfortunately, one of the fins is broken and it's not like you can get parts for it. My buddy tells me there was a "racing" version that was longer and with less radical sidecut.

He says this thing "whips" you around and your falls are almost always high-side throws. Probably not the most welcome thing on public ski hills.

Still, the design is ingenious, especially the mechanics for retracting and engaging the fins and for angling the skis to get both edges on the snow. I'll bet if someone re-designed it, incorporating plate bindings, it would actually make a viable ride. Plus, when you look at all the variety of snow riding equipment these days, I think the market would be more accepting than in the '80s.

Kent, if you are interested, I would love to buy your Swing-bo. Just to try it out.

[Skully]

I remember I wanted to try one of those in the late 80's.

They were high-tec back in the days of fins, no sidecut, no metal edges, etc.

It would still be fun to try one.....

[philw]

I saw one in use in the mid 1980s, probably about '86 I think. That was in Tignes. The guys with it couldn't ride it.

[Smitty]

hey guys
I saw my first swingbo on ebay this past feb. I missed out on it & vowed to get one the next time I saw one. I recently won this on ebay-its called a Fuzzy snowsurfer & very similar in design. I haven't got to take it on the hill yet, but the previous owner said they couldn't get the hang of it.....ha ha that will all change.....this was made in about 1984. Can't wait to try it out!

[Linus]

I'll just stick to snowboarding....:)

[stoked]

I remember them being around in the early 90s when there were several things around like monoskies and other ideas I never tried it out though

[Wolfman]

I wish I still had mine.
These things are killers.
Getting up to high speed they are very unstable and not to mention try to stop in time, no way!!! :eek:
Does it still have the little fins on the bottom that prevent you from scidding a turn and that ridiculous emergency brake system, aaaaarrrgh.

Definately collectors items, or if you want to steel the show amongst the youngsters and the oldskoolers.

I would love to get one for my own collection. I had one in 1987, the same year I fell in love with my first Burton Cruzer 165 and started snowboarding.
In those days the Swing Bo's were the bomb in Italy and France.

Well, if one of you guys have one for sale, let me know.
:D

I think I have a picture somewhere with me doing my first run on the Swing Bo, see if I can find it.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Evidently they were huge in Europe at one time. Story is that if you can get over the height , they do carve quite well. Story has it they had race leagues at one time, however I have not heard from anyone that was acutally in one. I have several, however I probably paid allot more than they are worth to most for a novelty.

I can post a gallery of photos some time. Red, Blue etc.

[Smitty]

well I never got back to you guys a year or two ago. I had to take the straps off the top; they were great for toe turns, but as soon as you make a heel turn your feet come right out. I also carefully removed the brake bar that gets in the way. I mounted a set of regular bindings using existing holes on this beast (no way am I cuttin or drillin on my fuzzy). NOW they work great. I'd really like to see someone ride this thing with the foot straps; I can't wedge my feet in far enuf to get em to hold.....
Boy this baby cooks when the snow is right; its VERY hard to skid- you have to carve it like skis going down the hill. I can pitch it into a skid of sorts to slow it down before I run over anyone at the lift line! Stopping is the hardest part. But she carves better & nicer than I can carve on skis or a board. Its an amazing ride.... (but not for the faint of heart)

[tex1230]

I know a guy who is loking for one of those if you want to sell it (he doesn't post here...)

[pebu]

I swear to god I had that idea and I was about to draw some stuff up on solidworks to design one. Now I'm angry. I can't invent ANYTHing that hasn't already been invented!

It's gotta be better to ride than the "hang-boarder" or whatever it was called..

[fluke]

Sometimes you can spot them on eBay in Europe. See
http://cgi.ebay.de/Fuzzy-Surfer-Snowsurfer-Snowboard-2-Paar-Skier_W0QQitemZ270083760016QQihZ017QQcategoryZ4282 2QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Please note the catalogue (attached). Sorry, it's all in German--but who needs explanations when the pictures say it all? :lurk:

[pebu]

That's quite the fashion.........:nono:

[Randy T.]

:biggthump I need to find some of that swingboard fashion for retro day at my local hill!