http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/No-Numb-Bums-this-year-20160220New twists
This year’s Sandy Beach race will feature about 60 riders on two 10 km tracks, Caissie said. It’s been a pretty warm winter, but January’s cold gave Sandy Lake the ice and snow it needs for a proper course, and crews have not had any issues with water on the track.
“Everything’s looking great for this weekend.â€
One track will feature a standard four-hour motorcycle race where riders will try to complete the most laps possible, Caissie said. The other will have side-by-sides (off-road buggies) doing two shorter races – one with screw tires and one without.
“Not having studded tires does add an additional challenge,†he said, and makes it more like the old car-based ice races.
This year’s race will also feature what’s likely the first electric bike to ever participate in an Alberta ice race – a 2013 Zero MX electric motorcycle driven by Calgary’s Ryan Biffard.
Biffard works for the California-based Zero Motorcycles and designed the bike’s powertrain. He said he’s ridden it in two Canadian winters and raced it on ice previously.
“It’s a fully electric motor,†he said of the bike, which means it’s quiet and has few moving parts. That could give it an advantage over gas bikes, the many components of which often break under the harsh conditions of winter racing. There are also no gears to shift, which should make it faster in the corners.
Biffard said his team wants to race this bike on ice to prove it can stand harsh winter conditions. The biggest challenge will be the batteries, which don’t perform as well in the cold. They can swap them out in 30 seconds, but they’ll have to do at least one swap every 40 minutes – that’s at least five pit stops in a race where most gas riders would make two.
“We need to make sure our pit stops are flawless.â€
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Feb. 21 at Sandy Beach. Admission is $5, with all proceeds going to support the Sandy Beach Community League.
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Topic: Ice Racing - Sandy Lake - Alberta Canada (with an electric!) (Read 749 times)