Snow eMTB, Mt Wellington Hobart

digitalhippie

Likes Dirt
Been loving using the eMTB to explore Mt Wellington this Winter. The mountain is often closed to vehicles due to ice and snow, so you pretty much have it to yourself in the mornings until the road is cleared.

I've been riding a 2017 Levo, and a 2019 Levo from Cranke in Hobart (disclaimer: I work there! We hire eMTB, MTB, road bikes, vans, utes, bike trailers, bike racks etc as well as run eMTB tours)

It's usually cold and windy on the exposed summit, minus 15 to minus 20 factoring in wind chill, with ice growing off everything. The cold doesn't seem to effect the battery life that much. It's more the extra load of pushing through deep snow that chews it up.

Anyhow, basically it's a shitload of fun and a great way to roam around the mountain in Winter. I usually take in some South Hobart trails on the way down. Lots of great stuff happening in the South Hobart area ATM!

Here's a few pics. More at
https://digitalhippie.net/adventures/tassiestyle/mt-wellington-snowstorm/
https://digitalhippie.net/adventures/biking/snow-is-the-new-dirt/

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creaky

XMAS Plumper
Looks stunning .... cause you can't see the goddamn gale force winds !

Are you riding up the road, or on the steep trails that lead up?

I hired a (non-e) bike from Cranke in November last year. Helpful guys, may have been you? You should get some XLs though !
 

digitalhippie

Likes Dirt
Haha yeah the wind can be brutal on the summit of Mt Wellington!

I usually go up trails in South Hobart then Radfords track to the Springs, then on the road to the summit, unless heading down Big Bend way. Pretty important to stay off the walking tracks on the mountain to keep the peace.

It may have been me at Cranke for sure. We only had one XL dual and one XL hardtail in our older rental fleet which we've sold. Will have more XL's in the 2020 Turbo Levo fleet upgrade, hopefully prior to Summer. But yeah, no XL's in non electric dual suspension MTB ATM. We need to address that for sure.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Nice! Would be cool to have the summit to yourself, while everyone else is stuck at the Springs.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
what a great shot Haakon!, makes the ones above looks pretty shite
the juxtaposition is just mind blowing, you truly have a gift. ;)
Lol... This was just a proof I made it up primarily - 1300m over 27kms is a decent hill to ride up!
 
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Haakon

Keeps on digging
I’m guessing you were too exhausted to be bothered walking back a few more steps to frame the shot.

To me, that says impressive effort!

I guess it would have been more impressive if you’d shot from lying on the ground.
I was also freezing my arse off now that id stopped pedaling... I spent just long enough to quickly get off some shots, and fish out my extra windproof jacket and get going down to warmer climes. The windchill going back down was brutal though.....

Any decent photo I take is generally a fluke...
 
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digitalhippie

Likes Dirt
Good effort on the ride up Haakon. Valuable lessons indeed in this thread! :D:D

So I've done a couple more early morning MTB snow missions up Mt Wellington since the original post. One was especially freezing - literally. Massive rime ice formations growing off everything, and a layer of ice beneath the snow making the ride up and down super fricking slippery. Haven't been that cold for a long time.

Here's a boulder field on the summit covered in ice.

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and here's Pinnacle Road near the Chalet above the Springs at dawn.

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Haakon

Keeps on digging
Good effort on the ride up Haakon. Valuable lessons indeed in this thread! :D:D

So I've done a couple more early morning MTB snow missions up Mt Wellington since the original post. One was especially freezing - literally. Massive rime ice formations growing off everything, and a layer of ice beneath the snow making the ride up and down super fricking slippery. Haven't been that cold for a long time.

Here's a boulder field on the summit covered in ice.

View attachment 355334

and here's Pinnacle Road near the Chalet above the Springs.

View attachment 355335
Stunning. It’s gorgeous anyway up there, that adds a whole new dimension!
 
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