# God damned T-bar.



## PaoloSmythe (Aug 19, 2007)

a taller t-bar rider can be a problem, but only _can _be. i ride them with my missus and whilst i am touching 6 foot, she if 5 foot nothing and we do fine.... the t bar bar can work on the diagonal.

if this is a problem for you tho, how about you catching seperate t-bars?

for me, to stay on the bar when riding solo, (as a regular rider, as opposed to goofy) i get on the right hand side of the pole. i then grab the pole with the left hand and the end of the t-bar with my right; so my arse is in the corner. no stress.

if you are on the left side and sharing tho, i reach with my right hand and grab the end of the t-bar, so my arm goes behind me. this can be a little bit tiring tho, as this arm position forces a right hand 'turn' which you effectively ride against, to stay on the straight and narrow.

general tips include: stay flat footed and just let the board go where it wants (within reason) the pulley will keep you in the correct direction and do not try putting the t-bar between your legs to ride it like a poma / button lift. painful!


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2009)

found this - help at all?

How to do a T-Bar in Snowboarding: How to Snowboard | eHow.com


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## nzboardlife (Mar 25, 2008)

At my home mountain all we have on the upper mountain is T-bars. I have only ever fallen off once on my own accord (been taken out by the other person on the t-bar once aswell) so i don't really understand your frustration but i will give you some tips on how i deal with them.

I find it easier to ride them on the left hand side, with the tow pole in front of me (natural). This helps when im on my own as i can put my hand on the otherside of the t and counter rotate it. I am 6'3 and smaller people never have a problem riding with me as it is just as easy on the butt as it is just above the knee, so if your with a taller person take control and get it under your ass, they wont mind.

Identifing what is causing you to fall is the key here, you havn't really given any info about that but from what i gather its bumps and starts. 

You should be able to do in with your back foot unbound as some moutains wont let you do it with both bound and its much easier to handle the line unbound.

When you hit a rough patch or bumpy zone make sure you keep your knees ready for anything, your still riding a snowboard so ride it like you would on a snowboard. To often you see people coming off because they do not bend their knees to cope with the terrain, instead they stand with locked knees. Also don't let other tracks or bumps dictate the direction your board is heading. Use your front foot like you would when your normally riding, control your edges with pressure and flex from it.

With starts make sure you lean right back on that back foot and beyond, the t-bar can take it and it'll make the start much easier to control.


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2009)

Had my first experience on a Whaka t-bar on sunday... made it about 15m before falling off and taking my mate with me hah!  He rides goofy but told me to ride on the right hand side even though I told him about 5 times I would prefer the left. Might see if i can go by myself next time... how different is it from the platters in terms of keeping the board steady and balanced?


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## nzboardlife (Mar 25, 2008)

I actually find it easier with a skiier or boarder on the right hand side as you dont have to work as hard to stay steady, but if your learning you wont want to take someone you don't know out, so on your own could be a good idea. Just be confident, lean back and try to control the board, read the pointers above. I find them easier than platters just because you don't have to do as much work, key is confidence.


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## Patrollerer (Jun 6, 2009)

Ha, i learnt how to ride a t-bar too on sunday was a bit awkward 1st time two times fell off then i was perfect, had to learn it because i had gate training so i had to learn the t-bar fast, only ever done lifts before.


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2009)

My first few seasons I could NOT ride a T bar for the life of me, then the next season no trouble :dunno: 

Just don't lean back to far, (funny to watch a skier try and sit on it ) and don't fight it (within reason) like obviously if ur heading for a tree then do something but if your staying within the track don't move.

And look a head, don't look around


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## Dave P (Mar 5, 2020)

I failed on the T bar at Breckenridge last year, I ride right foot forward (goofy) and this year went to Crested Butte. After looking at a video, I saw that instead of sitting back on it, I put the right side bar behind my front leg and hold the left side with the left hand and the center bar with the right ( ride by yourself) go early in the day so you don't put on a show if it takes a couple tries!


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## BoardieK (Dec 21, 2015)

Eleven year old thread but hey-ho. Worth reading just for the original post (rant), it's a classic!

Welcome to the forum *DaveP*, you are doing it the right way, I don't know why all the previous poster were trying to "sit" on the bar. 

I consider myself a bit of an expert on draglifts, weirdly some of my favourite places only have T-bars and buttons and I've done over 100 miles a week on them, the last place I rode had two 10 minute drags going up 1000m (3,300ft). Camber boards are the hardest as they are difficult to veer a bit to one side to avoid deep ruts or those nasty divits that empty buttons can dig into the snow. No matter how confident and accomplished you are though, a moments cockiness or lack of concentration can cause a wobble at least. My Tip: try not to drift sideways across skier tracks as the (rear) edge can catch and topple.


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## Dave P (Mar 5, 2020)

BoardieK said:


> Eleven year old thread but hey-ho. Worth reading just for the original post (rant), it's a classic!
> 
> DaveP, you are doing it the right way, I don't know why all the previous poster were trying to "sit" on the bar. I consider myself a bit of an expert on draglifts, weirdly some of my favourite places only have T-bars and buttons and I've done over 100 miles a week on them, the last place I rode had two 10 minute drags going up 1000m (3,300ft). Camber boards are the hardest as they are difficult to veer a bit to one side to avoid deep ruts or those nasty divits that empty buttons can dig into the snow. No matter how confident and accomplished you are though, a moments cockiness or lack of concentration can cause a wobble at least. My Tip: try not to drift sideways across skier tracks as the (rear) edge can catch and topple.


Thanks fellow shredder, I love Colorado, but I was in front of the only asshole within 200 miles one time and he says ( as I was getting on the T bar) , you shouldn't be on the T bar if you can't ride tandem, and I really am pissed still, sorry for whining but , what an asshole! I said: Hey I'm from Illinois!


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## poser (Mar 7, 2018)

Dave P said:


> Thanks fellow shredder, I love Colorado, but I was in front of the only asshole within 200 miles one time and he says ( as I was getting on the T bar) , you shouldn't be on the T bar if you can't ride tandem, and I really am pissed still, sorry for whining but , what an asshole! I said: Hey I'm from Illinois!


Reading through this thread, I am shocked that there are snowboarders who attempt to ride T bars side by side. Stick that thing between your legs. In fact, the lifties are so good at getting in just the right spot, I just let them do all the setup work. -never caught any lip about riding single.


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## Dave P (Mar 5, 2020)

poser said:


> Reading through this thread, I am shocked that there are snowboarders who attempt to ride T bars side by side. Stick that thing between your legs. In fact, the lifties are so good at getting in just the right spot, I just let them do all the setup work. -never caught any lip about riding single.


I appreciate it thanks! It just hit me 5 days later, I am not violent, but I want to punch that dick so bad! I was just putting it there and he says it THEN so I can't see him, but I recognize the voice behind me, no more crying I'm positive thanks for both of y'all for some reassuring common sense!


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## ctoma (Aug 9, 2011)

It's been several years but I know that T-bar at Breck, the Horseshoe Bowl T-bar that you have to take to get to the Imperial Express SuperChair to get to (almost) the top of Peak 8. I fell the first time I was on the T-bar but made it up the 2nd time. It's definitely not comfortable having that bar jammed behind your lead leg.

Regarding the asshole from Illinois, it was probably my brother-in-law...


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

Huh. I put the bar behind my trailing leg and hold the upright in front of me (riding sideways/normal). Then I can play air guitar with it. <insert Dave Mustaine riffage>


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## Kevington (Feb 8, 2018)

Stick it between your legs from the front. Stand still. The less you do the easier it is. On good snow days I use it to eat sandwiches and smoke to maximise shred time. Gravity pulls you down the hill, T-bar pulls you up. Don't think about it too much.


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