Most people will say yes, it is easy to learn. But as with anything, how easy something is to learn depends 100% on the person. We often get asked if skiers, snowboarders or mountain bikers pick it up quicker. Not necessarily. Having an understanding of edging control and weight transfer/balance helps but it is not necessary. Likewise, just because you are/were a good mountain biker does not indicate how quickly you will learn skibiking. We typically say that there is a good chance you will mostly figuring out the basics within a couple of runs. Some variables that may affect how quickly you pick it up are:
- If you teaching yourself or getting a lesson
- The quality of snow (a little bit of soft snow on top is better for learning than hard pack or ice)
- If the bike is the correct size for you (see the above section, “how do I know what size I need?)
- If the skis are good to learn on (see the section below, “what is the difference between the Conniption Styx and Riff Raff”)