Kickbike Setup and Review

Hey Tribe,

"What's the difference between a kickbike and an adult scooter?"  Well, for one thing, 'kickbike' sounds a lot cooler.

Overlooking the Susitna River

"Hey, you're missing parts of your bike." Nah, I actually paid good money to not have those parts.  I feel a lot safer knowing I can just step off the thing rather than having to swing my leg up and over a seat and my center of gravity is lower.

Near Eurkea, AK

Let's talk about the kickbike!

Moose flats bridge

First, it is plainly and simply super fun to ride.  Second, it is a fantastic way to exercise my dogs and we get to do something together.  Third, well, I just feel cool.

UAF Experimental Farm trails

We've had an entire season of use with it, so I feel comfortable recommending it to you all and can point out some things I love and some things I do not love.  Since I'm combining my review with how I set up and use the kickbike, this will be a slightly longish, but beneficial, post.

Byron Glacier

I bought my kickbike from Kickbike America, but was incredibly frustrated to discover that though they advertise "flat shipping fee of $60 in the US" they don't honor that statement.  They were willing to ship it to me, but rather than the promised $60 fee, they were going to charge me over triple that amount.  To add insult to injury, when I sent them an email about it, the guy who replied had the audacity to say I must be used to paying higher shipping fees since I live in Alaska.  Seriously? Who gets used to that?  Alaska is the 6th largest international cargo transportation hub in the world, so it isn't as if we're way out of the way.  There has to be a better shipping solution  

Fit for Finnish dogs

So, I did what all irritated Alaskans do and had the kickbike shipped to a relative who lives in the lower 48, then flew down and brought the box back up with me as checked luggage.  The cost of the airfare was still cheaper than what Kickbike America was going to charge me.  Yeah.

Such a hassle, but worth it

Anyway, let's move on from my distaste for the company's shipping woes and representatives and get back to the product, which I do actually like.

I like being out with my dogs

Assembling the kickbike was mostly straightforward, but we (it was a group effort) did have difficulties getting the wheels in place with the brakes all lined up properly.  I ended up just riding with a squeaky wheel for a bit until I got a bicycle savvy friend to take a look and fix it for me - took him all of two minutes and I was squeak free.

Silent ride along the Denali Highway

So, how does it ride?

Spoiler alert - it rides great on smooth surfaces

As I mentioned earlier, I love that I can just step off the kickbike - it's easier than trying to dismount from a bicycle.  People with flexibility limitations will find the kickbike delightfully accommodating.  People with giant feet may find the foot platform a little tight - I wear shoe size 8 womens and have plenty of room; people who have giant bodies may find the handle bar too short - I'm just under 5'10" and feel I have to slouch a bit, but not uncomfortably so, and when "rough riding" I'm bent at the knees anyway, so the handlebar height is perfect.

One size fits most

That being said, I have crashed. Several times.  I'll talk about the reasons in a minute, but want to say here that I always, always, always wear a helmet.  I dutifully don a snowboard helmet, because it wraps around the sides and back of the head better than a bicycle helmet: crashes on a kickbike typically cause me to fall to the side or backwards and a snowboard helmet is designed for just such impact.  Oh, and I'm totally going to buy kevlar motorcycle pants with knee/hip padding this season.  Gloves are nice too.

Wearing my helmet as we stop to play and cool off at Jim Lake

Propelling myself is easy and fun and I feel like a kid cruising around: the squishy suspension is fun, as is the silly bell on the handlebar.  Going up hill is still a chore, but I'm weak and out of shape.

These chubs are also currently out of shape.

That's why I use dogs and the primary reason I own the kickbike is for them to pull me and we can do this exciting activity together.  However, I quickly learned that wheels and pulling lines don't mix well - if the dogs' pulling line goes slack, it can get caught in the front tire and cause the bike to lock up and we all crash and burn.  It's bad. Very bad.  A lot of websites, including Kickbike, sell these funny arm things that suspend out from the front of the bike like a narwhal or unicorn horn and are designed to hold the line out from the bike wheel a bit.  But none of them can prevent the line from going slack and then you still risk running over the line, getting caught, and causing mayhem.  Enter the Tug and Tow mushing rig.  AKA, Salvation.  It is very much like a retractable leash that attaches to your bike and brilliantly keeps the line taught at all times.  I can't see how there is ever any danger of the pulling line getting caught in the front wheel with this setup; I cannot understand why anyone would want to use anything other than this genius device.  No, not a sponsored ad, I paid for my own setup and those folks don't even know I exist to write this, I just seriously believe this product is amazing.  Go buy it and be as happy as I am!  Oh, and you'll look cool and clever too, because everyone will want to look at it and ask about it.  Look closer at all my kickbike photos to see the Tug and Tow in use.

Designed for one or two dogs - Rex just wears both clips when he runs alone.

Since the kickbike rolls, the dogs have no problem pulling me and we cruise with ease.  I bought the Kickbike Cross Max, which boasts the highest ground clearance of their models and "tires that eat up any trail, shocks that smooth it out, disk brakes that will keep you out of trouble, and looks that give bears nightmares."  With a description like that, it sounds like it was specifically designed for Karelian Bear Dogs!  The website goes on to say it "was made for competitive dog mushing through extreme terrains." Awesome!  I'm not competitively mushing, but the KBDs and I do go pretty hard on gear and Alaska trails are rather extreme, so this seemed like a perfect fit.

Kickbike/KBD combo - maybe we'll give a Grizzly a nightmare today.

Let's recall that bit about extreme trails and eating it all up; well I ate dirt on the first real trail we rode, but I don't think that's what the company meant, and I'm pretty disappointed in that regard.  See, the kickstand is poorly placed and mounted so low it catches on most any root that rises above the dirt.  When it catches, the bike flips and I go flying.  Not sure what Kickbike considers extreme terrain to be, but any trail with exposed roots is apparently too extreme - practically every trail in Alaska.  Bummer.

Photo taken shortly before hitting a root and breaking part of the kickbike.

Oh, and those swell disk brakes?  All they do is lock up the tires, which leave rubber skid marks on the pavement, but do nothing to slow down the bike when it is being pulled by my two dogs.  That's not helpful.  Keep in mind this kickbike is designed and advertised to be pulled by running dogs, so it isn't like I'm using it outside the realm of it's intended use.  I'll work on my "whoa" command some more with the KBDs and use that as a verbal brake.

They're not even fast, pulling beasts - we enjoy trotting at a 5 mph pace.

Other than those two rather significant downsides, I do still like the kickbike and enjoy using it (on smooth, root and divot free trails and bike paths).  The dogs can run and I can go with them and we get to do something together.  Using the kickbike is an enjoyable way to explore; it is one of our favorite summer activities and we plan to ride often!

Rémi & Me

 Hey Tribe,

A sweet little shop I've wanted to introduce you to is Rémi & Me.  The shop owner, Kylie, is so thoughtful and it has been a pleasure chatting with her and discussing products and designs.  Why did I wait to tell you about this shop? Because I wanted to make sure I actually used and still liked the products, before I suggested them to you!

Fly's bandana from the shop is one of my favorites - I love the colors and how they pop on Fly.  Each product is handmade and the ice dye technique Kylie uses gives the products a special flair that just can't be matched with regular printed material.  Toss on the offered addition of a wax finish and the products are ready for adventure.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the tags - they are so visually sweet, I want to eat them!  I'm typically not a handmade tag fan, especially resin tags, because most are too big for the dog.  Take a look at what's out there and you'll see what I mean: hugs disks that hang awkwardly from the dog's collar and dangle from their chests like some sort of odd medal they won. Uck.  However, these resin tags are perfectly sized for average shaped dogs.  They are smooth, with the dog's name embedded (not on top to be scrapped off) on one side and a phone number on the back.  Fly wears hers attached to her soft collar for when we do Therapy Dog visits.  It's special and eye catching.

Not just a bandana and tag shop, Rémi & Me also sells poo bag holders, scrunchies, and face masks.  I'll leave it up to you to interpret Fly's thoughts on the mask situation:

         

You can find Rémi & Me at these social places: Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy.

Be sure to use our code FlyRex10 for a sweet discount!

Esla Kicksled Review

Hey Tribe,

Our Esla Kicksled has hit the trails quite a bit since the Karelian Bear Dogs and I set it up; if you follow @flyexplores on Instagram, you know last winter was a flurry of posts and stories about our kicksledding adventures.

So, now that we've used the Esla Kicksled for a full Alaskan winter, I am excited to share our experience with it thus far - the good, the not so good, and the bottom line.

The Good:

It is super simple to use - step on the runners and go.  If you're using it as intended (by kicking to move forward), it glides across snow faster than walking, so you can travel further in less time.  Hard packed snow is even easier to glide across and I feel like I'm flying.  If you're using it with dog power, it pulls easily and tracks well behind the dogs.

We can go for miles and miles.

It folds down sort-of flat, so transportation is easier if you want to put it inside your car or strap it on the roof.

It is lightweight.  I can easily pick the sled up at the truck and carry it to a trail, or pick the sled up on the trail to get over a log.  Though I typically run two dogs, you all know it's Rex who does most of the pulling as Fly runs along beside him pretending to do the work, so the lightness of the sled makes it easier for one dog to pull.

Fly thinks this is where she belongs.

It has a seat.  This one may sound silly, but that seat is a great place to carry a bag to store my gear or haul stuff - it's also a nice place to actually sit when we stop somewhere to rest or have a snack.  I'm excited to do an overnight kicksled trip and plan to use that seat to hold my compact/lightweight camping gear.

Ready for extended journeys!

It has several modes of propulsion.  This may seem like a "duh" statement, but stay with me: the dogs can pull the sled, but in the horrible event that a dog is injured, I can move the sled myself by kicking and won't be stuck out in the middle of nowhere.  Likewise, if I decide to use the sled without a dog, I can do that too.  I'm not limited to just one use for the sled; I like the duality of the kicksled.

I'm always going to use it with the dogs.

It comes in a variety of sizes and colors.  We get compliments and questions about the sled everywhere we go and every time I make a post.  It's super cute and super fun!

Finnish sled, Finnish dog - Red sled, Red harness

The Not so Good:

It doesn't come with a brake.  This is one of the biggest drawbacks for me.  I know, it is designed to be human powered, so the likelihood of a person kicking the sled so fast as to need a brake is unlikely, so I'm not being fair to the sled design by saying this is a negative.  However, as a dog pulled sled, as I primarily use it, I wish it had a brake.

It's just a chair on runners.

It folds down, but remains very long.  Sure the sled folds flat, but it is still super long with the runners, which makes it a challenge for transportation.  Happily, it juuuust barely fits in the back of my Ford truck and I can close the tailgate.  Folks with cars on the other hand, I think you'll have to get creative with transportation.

Those runners are designed to glide, but they're loooooong.

It isn't super, super light.  I mentioned it was lightweight, but at 20lbs, there are lighter sleds out there.  It's made of wood, after all.  I'd like a sled that I know one dog (Rex) can really easily pull and not strain himself under normal conditions.

One of these dogs only pulls when she wants to.

It's going to break.  I'm super afraid my reckless dogs are going to break the sled, since it's wooden.  The KBDs run like devils and have little regard for safety - we smash through brush, take turns that defy the laws of physics, and go over some seriously rough terrain; I fear one of these days they're going to pull the sled somewhere crazy and we will smash it.  Of course, this danger could be minimized with better training and better handling, but still, we're pretty rough on our equipment.

They are unruly beasts!

It did break - sort of.  The plastic runners are held in place by zip ties at the top.  This is awesome, because it makes it super easy to remove a runner to replace or to clean the blade so it doesn't rust.  However, plastic zip ties snap and break at the slightest jostle when in negative F temps.  The dogs and I lost a runner while out on a recent run.  I'll carry more zip ties in my basket until I figure out better attachments.  Little bungees maybe?

Oh snap.

The Bottom Line:

Would I buy this kicksled if I had to do it over again? Absolutely!  Would I recommend it to other newbies?  For sure!  It is a terrific way to get outside and play during winter and an easy introduction into the sport of dog sledding.

Search Dog Gear

 Hey Tribe,

Several of you have asked what gear Fly uses for Search and Rescue; while everyone has their own preferences as to what works best for them, I'll share what we have found to work well for us.

I've included links to products I have personally purchased and regularly use - if you shop using my links, I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you, so thank you!

The first item I bought was a harness.  My team was very particular about the style of harness, because many harnesses actually restrict a dog's forward movement.  I hadn't thought about that, but it's true and there is research out there that backs it up: just google "dog harness restrict shoulder video" and you'll find a dog on a treadmill demonstrating what I mean.  So, anyway, I finally selected a harness from Howling Dog and you can see Fly wearing it in this avalanche blog post.

With a harness, comes the need for a long line leash.  Biothane is a very popular dog material right now and this long line is a good choice.  I managed to snag a pink one for Fly!  The only downside to Biothane is that it becomes very inflexible in Alaska's cold (below zero F) weather, but if you don't plan to use it in such cold temps, then I absolutely recommend this lead!  You can see from the Avalanche post that I still use the lead in the cold, it just takes patience to manipulate.

Once Fly got the idea of scent and trailing and she transitioned to full time off lead work, she needed a vest.  She wears a home-made vest right now, but this one on Amazon is pretty close in style - I like that it is attached with Velcro, so if your dog gets snagged on brush, the straps can come off and your dog isn't permanently stuck and has to be rescued. 

Rex wears this super tacti-cool vest for his trailing training and I've been so impressed with it that I already recommended it to a SAR friend and now her puppy is rocking one as well!

In addition to the vest, both KBDs, as well as all the other dogs on my team, wear collars like these with the team name and handler's phone number embroidered on the collar.  They look very professional and are an additional layer of safety for our dogs. 

Fly also wears bells when she's out searching so I can easily know roughly where she is when out of sight.  There are a lot of bell options out there, depending on the sound you like and the size of your dog.  Oddly enough, Bear bells don't seem to have a sound that carries well and can be difficult to hear the further away your dog is.  Medium sized cow bells work well for larger dogs, but the bell part gets easily clogged with snow or other debris.  I like to use Falcon bells and these handmade bells from the UK sound beautiful and produce a ring that can be heard from at least 300 yards away (I know this for a fact).  I absolutely recommend these bells; in fact, I'm placing another order for a second set today!

One last thing Fly wears is her Garmin GPS collar and I have the handheld that accompanies it.  This collar and handheld are so incredibly useful for SAR work, I could (and may) write an entire post about it.  You can track your movements, your dog's movements, navigate, etc, etc, etc.   After seeing how useful mine is, my teammates now have them as well and we've linked devices so we can all track each other and the dogs at once.  If you work wilderness searches and get one of these, I'm sure you won't be disappointed: I tell people it is the best purchase I've ever made. 

While not something Fly wears, I thought I'd mention another gear question that is usually on folks mind: for a day pack, I wear this handy lumbar pack with shoulder straps (sold separately, why???).  It is a bit like a Mary Poppins bag and holds way more than you might think for a day out in the woods or away from your car for extended time.  I'll have to write up a post about what I carry in the pack, but for now, believe me when I say it will help keep you well equipped.  It is also pretty comfortable on the body and my back and shoulders are never sore after wearing it fully loaded all day.

Alright, that's plenty for now; I hope you have some good ideas for your dog's gear.  Stay safe out there!

Jax & Moonie 'Been There' Collar

Hey Tribe,

New collar alert!

If you haven't discovered them already, I'm about to make you want to reach for your wallet.  Jax & Moonie is a company that produces handmade leather collars; you may be thinking, there's nothing super special about that, but stay with me for just another second - as accessories, nay, necessary companions to the collar are little gems called Bark Marks: leather bands that slide onto the collar with stamped locations or number coordinates recording the cool places you and your dog have been.  Did your jaw drop?  Mine did.  It's brilliant.

These beautiful, non-dyed leather, Been There collars are soft, eco-friendly, and made here in the USA.  Red detail stitching is hand sewn and adds an additional feeling of top shelf quality.  But it is the Bark Marks that make my adventurous heart swoon - imagine returning home from that epic trip with your best woof and you have the keepsake photos, but you aren't going to look at them every day: you WILL look at your dog every day and seeing that Bark Mark representing your trip right there on the collar will bring back all the memories.  It's like a charm bracelet for your dog!

Selecting the places to put on the Bark Marks was such a wonderful experience for me - the KBDs and I have been to some really neat places.  What to choose, what to choose!

Rex checks out an abandoned passenger rail car in the woods.

Rex and I take in views of Eklutna Lake while hiking Twin Peaks trail.

I knew the collar would be for Rex, since Fly's fur absorbs collars like the Blob; I also knew that his first Bark Mark would say "Portugal" "Alaska" to represent his birthplace and his forever home and that crazy trip between the two places.

Rex's Been There collar records the awesome adventures we have taken together and the milestone accomplishments we have experienced; it also represents plans for future journeys, because I am totally planning trips just so I can add more beautiful Bark Marks to his collar!

Jax & Moonie's website is such a pleasant place to spend some internet time and they have a cute and helpful how-to video for making sure you are happy with your collar's size.  They are also just plain nice people and will put a smile on your face if you correspond with them.  You can find their other social places on Instagram and Pinterest if you need drool worthy photos.

Ready to purchase?  Use the code REX15 for 15% off your order!

As always, this review was totally independent and Jax & Moonie didn't ask for it, nor do they even know I've written it yet - all opinions are my own!