Bike recovery?

[motoxvet]

 In my riding areas, there are a couple of terrain features that include about an 80 ft. hill.  The average slope is probably about 45 to 50 degrees.  TOO steep to push a bike up.  I'm going to get some kind of winch or pulley system with rope to pull a dead/broken bike up one of these hills.  I don't plan on carrying it with me when riding but just having it at the cabin, an easy walking distance away.  I'd also always be able to find at least 1 helper to help recover a bike.  I just don't know what kind of winch or pulley system is suitable for what I'm doing.  Has anyone had experience with doing this?  I know that at least one location I'd never get any vehicle near the top of the hill, so I'm thinking some kind of manual set up.

[William1]

A lot of money for a rarely used device. Warn makes a small winch that is cordless, also one that is gas powered that you use a trap on a tree for an anchor. Instead, a good length of rope with a few snatch block with a buddy pulling will work. A 80' hill would need about 300' of rope, 3/16" Amsteell would be plenty.

[mudmixer]

Lewis/chainsaw winch using 2000lb mule tape used by electricians works great.

[motoxvet]

51 minutes ago, mudmixer said:

Lewis/chainsaw winch using 2000lb mule tape used by electricians works great.

I like the idea but holy crap, are they spendy!  It makes me lean toward what William suggested - Lots of rope and some snatch blocks.

[1.21GW]

Ropes and some know how can get the bike to the top, especially with a helper.

https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/151573/

[Chuck.]

When i ride steppe mountain terrain I pack a light weight block/tackle system with one block having a cam lock for the line, very similar to the boom vang used on sailboats.

Light and easy to pack and when you pull the line the cam lock clutch keeps it from going back; makes it easy to pull the bike. 

[Singletrack_rider]

Lots and lots of helium balloons, that would be cool. 

[motoxvet]

7 hours ago, 1.21GW said:

Ropes and some know how can get the bike to the top, especially with a helper.

https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/151573/

Thats a great post.  I'm sure I can use one of the set-ups they showed.

[motoxvet]

6 hours ago, Chuck. said:

When i ride steppe mountain terrain I pack a light weight block/tackle system with one block having a cam lock for the line, very similar to the boom vang used on sailboats.

Light and easy to pack and when you pull the line the cam lock clutch keeps it from going back; makes it easy to pull the bike. 

That's a great idea.  Somehow, I'll get a cam lock into the setup.   Between this and the configurations from the Southbayriders web site, I think I have a plan.

[BOAB]

11 hours ago, 1.21GW said:

Ropes and some know how can get the bike to the top, especially with a helper.

https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/151573/

Only one suggestion on that if you aren't going to use pulleys and you use carabiners, use locking ones.  Haul systems such as the Z rig are used all the time in SAR.

[Still Bill]

Tow it with a quad?

[motoxvet]

One area i CAN get near the top with a quad, one area I can't so I thought I'd plan for a worst case scenario. On top of the hill the trees are so thick and close spaced, it's like a wall.

[Still Bill]

Drill winch!

[motoxvet]

58 minutes ago, Still Bill said:

Drill winch!

Cool.  I didn't know something like that existed.  That's why I thought I  should start a thread!

[William1]

You still need a drill, power to charge the batteries and more rope as the drill winches have about 30', so figure 25' is usable. I'd think (pure guess) one charge would be consumed on a 25' pull of a bike up a steep hill. You have 80', figure on having at least three, preferably four batteries charged and ready.

250' of rope, two snatch blocks need no electricity, two blocks divides the effort by 66%. One guy pulls the rope down the hill, another guy guiding the bike.  Less rope can be used if you break the pull into sections.

It comes down to how often will you use it. Recovery should be an emergency procedure, not a typical mode of operation. I have a winch I can use on my tractor or my pickup. Maybe once a year I use it. Usually to apply tension on a tree when felling though I have been stuck twice in the last three years as well. I still needed snatch blocks and rope.

When loading my lawn tractor into a pickup by myself, I just use a come-a-long. $30 and 30' of cable. Thought to use it to pull a bike up a 80' hill, that would take all day.

[Pittbull]

Chances of the bike at the bottom of an 80ft fall being in any condition to be guided back up are slim. You'd better make plans to lay it on a skid or travois, strap it down and guide up the entire rig. Rocks, roots, trees etc won't be your friend. In Canada it'll cost you a $1000 for most any bike, quad or snowmobile recovery by helicopter and you won't endanger yourself or those who've been volentold to help...

 

 

[motoxvet]

33 minutes ago, Pittbull said:

Chances of the bike at the bottom of an 80ft fall being in any condition to be guided back up are slim. You'd better make plans to lay it on a skid or travois, strap it down and guide up the entire rig. Rocks, roots, trees etc won't be your friend. In Canada it'll cost you a $1000 for most any bike, quad or snowmobile recovery by helicopter and you won't endanger yourself or those who've been volentold to help...

 

 

I think you're slightly reading more into this situation than it would really be.  It wouldn't be an 80 ft. fall.  It would be more likely no fall at all but in this area, there's no other way with bike problems to get from the lower "valley" area in order to exit but somehow get back to the top one way or another - 80 ft. up a dirt slope covered with grass weeds and bushes..  No rocks, no cliffs, no bikes "end-over-ending" down the hill.  And recover one for $1000?  I'll take it apart first.  This is all walking distance from my cabin and my full tool box.  Worst case I COULD drive a truck within about 200 yds. of the most difficult  areas.  Shopping for an old truck right now....

[The Inquisitor]

Ya there are lots of light weight set up options if you need to carry something full time but if you just need something easy and cheap another option is a basic come along with some carabiners and wedding to attach to a tree and long enough rope but as Pittbull posted you sit need someone to guide the bike up the hill while you use what ever method you choose.

Another option that you can carry on the bike is this BUT you would have to figure out if it work for your situation.

http://www.stuckmate.com/en/

Then its getting everything setup so you can work a winch with a minimum of 2 people

Yes that is a tree, winch/rope and bike ?

Edited November 7, 2017 by filterx

[bowhunter007]

A small hand crank boat trailer winch. Mine were given to me, unused, by people immediately upgrading to an electric model. I drilled out a mounting hole, so as to accept a small D ring shackle so it can be anchored to something. With 1/4 line, a mini block(actually designed for mountaineering), effectively doubling it's 900# rolling load capacity. It stows away in the bottom of a pannier on the F800. I made soft tow straps from unused ratchet straps that lay around unused.

[Pittbull]

The small boat winch is a good idea. I actually have a 25ft boat winch strap rolled into a tiny pouch which lives on the front fender of my Husaberg. Takes up less room than a rope and maybe a bit more useful. Worse comes to worse I figured I could always tie each end off and use a stick twist method to hand winch my bike out of a tough spot.