13 replies to this topic

[polarbear925]

We're looking at possibly helping a currently-closed resort in Michigan get up and running again. One of the things we're looking at as a summer amenity for this resort is to allow mountain biking on the hill. I was wondering if anyone had info (or links to info) on the process of loading and unloading bikes on lift chairs. We could use some good information with which to train lift operators on the process. We would also like to see how we would need to fit our chairs to carry bikes. We're also not sure if the process will be feasible given the current lift system (the lifts in question are all fixed-grip Hall doubles). Any info would prove helpful.

Thanks

[Allan]

We've done this on a couple lifts over the years... On the Mueller chair, the bikes just sat over the back side of the chair. Worked really well, never lost a bike like that.

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[polarbear925]

Allan, on 11 June 2010 - 06:47 PM, said:

We've done this on a couple lifts over the years... On the Mueller chair, the bikes just sat over the back side of the chair. Worked really well, never lost a bike like that.

I like the idea of the hooks in the first photo - easy to load in a hurry and less damage to the bikes (unless they bang against the chair frame on the way up). Padding (like with foam pipe insulation) might solve that problem. A few more questions, if you don't mind...
- Are the hooks a prefabricated item that can be ordered to fit the existing chairs? If so, who carries them?
- Was the rope speed or the distance between the chairs the same as the ski season or changed for the summer season (slower rope speed or greater distance between chairs)to accommodate loading and unloading?
- Which seems easier or faster - rear-wheel or front-wheel loading? It would seem to me that rear-wheel hook loading might be easier in terms of handling the bike onto the hook.
- Any info on how the lift gear holds up over the use during the summer season?

Thanks for your help.

This post has been edited by polarbear925: 11 June 2010 - 07:50 PM

[Allan]

Those hooks were Whistler/Blackcomb if I remember right. You'd have to get them made.
The bikes go through a lot more abuse on the trails than hanging from the carriers, I wouldn't worry about the foam.
Your code governing the lifts (ANSI B22) should state a speed for foot passengers, ours on the triple was 1.4 m/s.
Front wheel loading is easier... trying to pick up the bike by the back and having the front wobble around is difficult.
Lift ran fine in the summer, motor and gearbox got a little warmer than normal, but nothing outrageous.

[polarbear925]

Allan, on 11 June 2010 - 07:59 PM, said:

Those hooks were Whistler/Blackcomb if I remember right. You'd have to get them made.
The bikes go through a lot more abuse on the trails than hanging from the carriers, I wouldn't worry about the foam.
Your code governing the lifts (ANSI B22) should state a speed for foot passengers, ours on the triple was 1.4 m/s.
Front wheel loading is easier... trying to pick up the bike by the back and having the front wobble around is difficult.
Lift ran fine in the summer, motor and gearbox got a little warmer than normal, but nothing outrageous.

Okay...I know a few good local fabricators who might be able to make the hooks. We can coat them with tool-handle dip.

Going to have to review the code for rope speed, but your info sounds correct.

Maybe we'll just have to put a solar panel on the roof of the engine house to power an exhaust fan to clear the excess heat from the compartment.

Thanks for your help, Allan.

[Allan]

polarbear925, on 11 June 2010 - 08:13 PM, said:

Okay...I know a few good local fabricators who might be able to make the hooks. We can coat them with tool-handle dip.

Going to have to review the code for rope speed, but your info sounds correct.

Maybe we'll just have to put a solar panel on the roof of the engine house to power an exhaust fan to clear the excess heat from the compartment.

Thanks for your help, Allan.

That's half inch rubber tubing on our hooks, the engineer wanted it red so they could be seen.
I had a couple heaters with the heating elements disconnected to blow air at the gearbox/motor, don't know if it helped or not. Does your machine room not have electricity?
I wouldn't think a solar panel would run any fan that would actually move the air around enough, unless you're going to have a big panel with batteries.

[polarbear925]

Just thinking out loud with the solar panel idea - trying to think of was to keep the power draw as low as possible. Then again with a 480v electric motor on the lift, a 120v fan motor won't make much difference, will it?

[Lift Dinosaur]

Allan, on 12 June 2010 - 12:04 PM, said:

"... the engineer..."

polarbear- This is a key term. You can't just go and bolt something to a chair and call it good. It needs to be reviewed by a knowledgeable Engineer to make sure it complies with: Regulations; swing clearances; capacities; etc.

Dino

This post has been edited by Lift Dinosaur: 13 June 2010 - 08:08 AM

[polarbear925]

Lift Dinosaur, on 13 June 2010 - 08:07 AM, said:

polarbear- This is a key term. You can't just go and bolt something to a chair and call it good. It needs to be reviewed by a knowledgeable Engineer to make sure it complies with: Regulations; swing clearances; capacities; etc.

Dino

Fully aware, LD. Anything we do will go thru the normal approval process with engineers and state inspectors before being put to use.

[Lift Dinosaur]

polarbear925, on 13 June 2010 - 09:08 AM, said:

Fully aware, LD. Anything we do will go thru the normal approval process with engineers and state inspectors before being put to use.

Once again...

As for cooling the Motor Room: I have seen reflective window shades (like for your windshield)for plexi / glass openings; venting the warm air can be accomplished by adding some vent fans up high and replacing some of the floor plates with open grating.

Dino

[Allan]

Lift Dinosaur, on 13 June 2010 - 02:31 PM, said:

Once again...

As for cooling the Motor Room: I have seen reflective window shades (like for your windshield)for plexi / glass openings; venting the warm air can be accomplished by adding some vent fans up high and replacing some of the floor plates with open grating.

Dino

I also had the carpenters build a little roof to shade the roof mounted oil cooler on our Yan.

[Snostyle]

When I was workin ' up in Mount Snow we had racks that bolted to back of a quad chair and allowed one bike per chair but no one could ride up on that chair b/c it disabled the safety bar from being lowered which is state law in VT. That was on the #9 I believe it was called the Canyon express lift that runs halfway up the mtn and runs for a much longer time period than the other. On the Grand Summit quad (lift #11) they had side mounted hooks which allowed for a full chair of people to ride up with one bike.

Where i work now at Mountain Creek we are forunate to have a open air cabriolet that allows for 3 to 4 bikes and bikers to go up in one cabin and eliminates the chance of workers comp claims from lifting the heavy DH bikes

[stmad12]

Here at Copper, we have pre-bolted bike hooks on our quad, the American Eagle. That disables the safety bar, but is very efficient.

[mthornton]

Re motor cooling : At Pano we have run a detachable quad for summer mountain-biking since 2002. Dust is a concern. Prior to the 1st summer of operation, I had a local tin-smith make up a roof-top air-intake, which has 2 sets of home-furnace style air-filters. Inside the machine-room, a 12" flexible duct connects the outside air intake to the motor blower inlet. If you pull the flex-duct off the motor, you will also see a fine nylon screen covering the motor blower inlet. Photo attached showing the outside air-intake.

The air blowing through the motor is much cooler and cleaner than if the machine-room air was being recirculated through the traditional arrangement. This also has the benefit of significantly pressurizing the machine-room, which helps keeps dust out, as well as reduces build-up of rubber-dust & motor carbon from the machine-room surfaces.

The filters used are fine/dry. I have a hate-on for any type of oil impregnated air-filter, when applied to a DC motor intake. The intake filter area is 8 sq ft total.

During winter operation, the flex-duct is disconnected, and machine-room air is recirculated through the motor, in the traditional manner. However, during very warm spring afternoons we can quickly hook up the outside air duct.

There is also a 20" 3000 cfm machine-room exhaust fan on thermostat control, which comes on automatically if the machine-room is ever too warm.

The LVC control cabinets also got cooling-fan upgrades, as the Pilz PLC cards don't like getting too hot.

M

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