I don't use one but if I have to turn my sled in a tight area at very slow speeds I do miss it sometimes. Also can be very use full when riding tight uneven ridges. Bar risers in my opinion are mutch better suited for helping people sidehill.
help or hinderance?
- Thread starter ridealaska
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Here are some pics that may show an example. Sidehilling... bar would come in useful if he wanted to lay that sled over into the hill and turn upward 90deg.
This was my buddys first season riding...on his new sled. He was practicing sidehilling. You can see how his head is over the handlebars instead of centered over his running board... mostly because his "off" hand is still ahold of the handlebar on the downhill side. As soon as I snapped the pic, the sled pulled him downhill, couldnt hold it uphill..
This was my buddys first season riding...on his new sled. He was practicing sidehilling. You can see how his head is over the handlebars instead of centered over his running board... mostly because his "off" hand is still ahold of the handlebar on the downhill side. As soon as I snapped the pic, the sled pulled him downhill, couldnt hold it uphill..
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Puddy Tat
Well-known member
use mine on a regular basis it makes side hilling a lot easier. Boondocking couldn't imagine not having one but you don’t need it in every situation that you have but you will find a need for it and when you do you will be glad it’s there. And I have never hit it with my ribs either and if I did its soft no biggie
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IDAHO HOT SHOT
Well-known member
Here are some pics that may show an example. Sidehilling... bar would come in useful if he wanted to lay that sled over into the hill and turn upward 90deg.
This was my buddys first season riding...on his new sled. He was practicing sidehilling. You can see how his head is over the handlebars instead of centered over his running board... mostly because his "off" hand is still ahold of the handlebar on the downhill side. As soon as I snapped the pic, the sled pulled him downhill, couldnt hold it uphill..
I think the problem here is maybe the fact that he is trying to sidehill a John Deere tractor with a red hood. I don't think you could sidehill a JD even if it had a grab bar. Keep both hands on the bars and get that leg dangling, the sumbich'l come over
Here are some pics that may show an example. Sidehilling... bar would come in useful if he wanted to lay that sled over into the hill and turn upward 90deg.
This was my buddys first season riding...on his new sled. He was practicing sidehilling. You can see how his head is over the handlebars instead of centered over his running board... mostly because his "off" hand is still ahold of the handlebar on the downhill side. As soon as I snapped the pic, the sled pulled him downhill, couldnt hold it uphill..
I don't want to be stickler for details but regardless the weight of that sled the rider seems to have his hands on the handle bars in all of the Pics.
I'm 6'2 and about 185-190 with all my gear on and I use the crap out of my mtn bar. On average prolly 30 to 40 times a ride. I use a lefty throttle too and I wouldn't own another sled without one. Its saved my bacon many a time. Once you get used to riding a sled with one it'll be hard to ride one without. I got so used to having it that when you grab for it, and its not there, more often than not my a$$ winds up in the snow. Its all rider preference tho.
I agree with this statement, I'm 6'2'' 230lbs with gear and pack and I can pretty much tip my sled over in the garage with minimal effort. Being a bigger guy may very much be the reason why I don't use one. But like said above most aftermarket mountain bars are real dangerous and it will only take once before you want it gone. The stock ones on most sleds are soft. Ride with it then ride without it, its a simple 2 bolts to take it on or off.
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yardfarmer
Well-known member
I thought you stayed on the trail.
yeah.., but I still use my mtn grab bar to dry out my piss soaked panties ...., while riding on the trail!
...THAT was the point I was trying to make.
He couldnt hold an extended sidehill (BOTH hands on the bars). To his credit, that was 2yrs ago (and his FIRST sled)... now he has an 800R and sidehills with the best of us...
The one on my Powder Special is a cable with a cover over it and I have to say it's the best out of the 3 sleds we own. When you grab it it gives you more leverage because you can pull it farther than a fixed strap. Plus it will never bang you in the ribs or anywhere else >>>>.
If you're hitting against the handlebars with your chest, whether you have the Mtn Bar or not you're still going to hurt your ribs. I don't ride that agressively but I still use mine quite a bit. Leave it on. 
I agree with many of the other responses here. I might use my mountain bar once or twice in a ride and the most common time is when you are in a situation when you need to cross a sidehill slowly without laying into it. Getting into the trees and needing additional leverage to get your self out of a spot is also another prime example. Just for regular riding and sidehilling, even in spring snow conditions, I never use mine, but there are those couple times when it is nice to have and I would never even consider taking it off.
Here's one off to the left side (only pic I could find) on some pretty hard June snow (last ride of the year)... still had both hands on their respective sides of the bars without an issue, just takes practice.
Here's one off to the left side (only pic I could find) on some pretty hard June snow (last ride of the year)... still had both hands on their respective sides of the bars without an issue, just takes practice.
Here are some pics that may show an example. Sidehilling... bar would come in useful if he wanted to lay that sled over into the hill and turn upward 90deg.
This was my buddys first season riding...on his new sled. He was practicing sidehilling. You can see how his head is over the handlebars instead of centered over his running board... mostly because his "off" hand is still ahold of the handlebar on the downhill side. As soon as I snapped the pic, the sled pulled him downhill, couldnt hold it uphill..
You don't need that mountain bar to do what you say. The guy in this picture only needed to get his weight off the middle of the sled and it would turn up the hill. Try turning the skis down hill while in a sidehill, it allows your weight to come way farther out from the center of the sled and leans the sled more turning you farther up hill.
I am 5'4" 180 with my gear. I ride a Polaris Edge chassis sled. I can lay it over in even hard spring snow to the point it will turn uphill without using the mountain bar. I do not ever use the mountain bar in a sidehill. You loose all your leverage. At 5'4" I need all the leverage I can get.
I do use it for some circumstances, but I am learning to not use it as much, same with the lefty.
Exactly. Hard wind scrubbed snow or iced up on a super off-camber hill, and you need to cross it slowly and you CAN'T lean into it. This is pretty much the only time you need a mountain bar. If you don't have it when you come to this situation, you're SOL. I've seen it happen to my buddies who were "too cool" to have leave their mountain bar on. They simply could not cross a wind scrubbed slope, period. I was able to crawl across with the aid of my mountain bar and lefty.
Rarely use mine but as mentioned above bigger guys probably don't use them. I am 6'1" and 215lbs. As stated above mountain bars are probably like lefty's if your a bigger guy then you don't have or need a lefty. Its all about leverage and little guys just don't have it. If I were smaller I would probably use my mountain bar all the time and have a lefty. My question is if smaller guys have to have these extra devices to get it done on the mountain what do they use in the bedroom?
It's good for kids to hang on to or to pull your sled over on the shop floor. Otherwise very little use for one. If your handlebars are at about belt level you will have no problem with leverage. Ride wrong foot forward when sidehilling. Check out Bret Rasmussen & Chris Burandt new video "Schooled". They don't use them. Lefty or mountain bar.
This is an interesting subject. My kid brother wont use his on his MM but me and my dad cant ride with out one. It seems that to each his own but all I have to say is I cant imagine riding my summit 100 with out one. Plus it gives me something to hold on to when I let my 5 yr old drive my sled in the fields and he decides he wants to tap the NOS.
