Smartwool Presents: Riding the Rails

You’ve never heard of a choose your own adventure story quite like this-where personal and professional passions are combined to create a whole new way to explore the outdoors. Smartwool presents Riding the Rails, a short film about one man’s drive, his family’s love for the outdoors, and how their railroad-ready bikes allow them to access the most secluded wild places in the Northeastern United States. #gofarfeelgood

[@219enri1]

We did that once here near us in Sweden. My father can weld and helped with it. Later, when the tracks became more and more overgrown, it was no longer possible, but until then it was fun.

[@TheLoamRanger]

A rail bike! So awesome. And that’s just it, isn’t it? You never know what the future really holds, so I think taking the time for projects like these is a beautiful way to spend ones time. Big thanks to the whole team for producing this. 🤟

[@jimburtwell2731]

Awesome outcome, dog looks like he's loving the ride, too.

[@BowenOrg]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Suggestion: start building the "kits" and selling them.... the combo bike idea is PERFECT! I think you can make a million.... look at Dr. Stone Beck's comment below... he would probably send you a 1,000 clients just by himself. Tip: Just make sure you take the rail bike system off the tracks when you're biking because there are a lot of people doing this now! HAVE FUN!!! Mr & Mrs Bowen Veteran & Retired San Diego CA

[@K777John]

Love it, couldn’t do it in the UK unfortunately since any unused rails are either ripped up or used by heritage steam and railway enthusiasts. Mind you when they do rip them up the tracks are often used as walking/cycling paths so it’s not all bad. Engineers are born as well as trained-as a young child I was bought a clockwork train-which I immediately took apart-much to my parents disappointment. I then reassembled it and it worked-I have no recollection of doing this but it’s the story I was told-long line of engineers-and teachers-on both sides of my family.

[@RussellNelson]

You can always ask permission of a railway. Promise them something, like inspecting the tracks, the culverts, the ties, picking up litter, something.

[@drstonebeck]

That looks like a great time...how fun! I would love to do something like that. And great production quality on the video as well. Props to the whole crew!

[@chrischrisman8851]

I LOVE THIS!!! I see that others have asked, but I saw no reply, whether you'd share the plans for this rig. I'd be willing to buy a copy from you. Thanks for the adventure!

[@CarrieMtn]

Wow. I love old railroads. What a cool concept.

[@russellturpin1259]

What tha heck! This is awesome!! Thanks for sharing and I thought shredding was the most 🤪😁

[@chetmyers7041]

0:30 When I was three I found the "J" section from a kitchen sink "P trap," and that became my favorite bathtime toy. Named it my "drain-o."

[@clintonthe4th245]

Nice little doc.!

[@jkeiffer]

Wow, what an incredible way for a couple to spend together.

[@BellinghamTreehouseYoga]

This is the coolest! Alex and Ella- you two are so awesome and I want to come adventure with you!

[@stevenboyd593]

Well executed, just watched a vid of some grampas (like me) on tracks in south America which led me to your video ....my wheels are turning upstairs, may have to brush up on my welding €;-)} Blessings and Shalom

[@deerfarmcxcyclocross8649]

This is amazing guys!!! love your adventures

[@reiki1211]

Freaking amazing and so very cool! I love your life! I want to find a way to do this! 🥰🙌❣️

[@eightballsidepocket]

Love it! I need to build a copy of this thing!

[@TheDeLeon-Family]

This is awesome. Inspiration!

[@user-jv9gx9dh9k]

Did you see the 4 Senior gentleman who rode the rails in Patagonia? They camped almost all of it too.

[@averteddisasterbarely2339]

I watched that video and it's now something I'd like to do (I'm 63 and retired) ! I'm just concerned about how dangerous it is today to go there !

[@EloEast]

Absolutely awesome!

[@KentuckyCycling]

What an awesome project!

[@chessiesystemrailfanman3741]

This is so cool and as a bicyclist and a railroad enthusiast, I am wondering what railroad company once traveled on those tracks. Perhaps the New York Central or Vermont Railway!? Anyway thank you for sharing and be safe riding the rails.

[@kevinnielsen1356]

I'll bet the corners and hills are thrilling.

[@jonwalter6317]

So how do the guide wheels work when you come to a switch or a road crossing? Looks like you'd have to lift it over. But very cool.

[@tarekihaddaden9512]

I love the idea and the project! But by using rollers instead of a traditional flange, how can you pass over level crossings and track switches? Or are the rollers in fact narrow enough to pass through?

[@htweelz]

This was amazing! The only ad on KZbin that I ever followed. That is an amazing adventure. I can identify as I was a kid that loved everything mechanical and played with legos and became a mechanical engineer.

[@kylee.8918]

So good!

[@reelisticoutdoors4358]

Great video my friend. Finding your video is exactly they same reason I was looking for it. We have some back country fishing to do and this unit would get us and out gear in there perfectly. I was hoping you would be able to send me some detailed pictures of the both sets of wheels. That would be amazing. Ty in advance.

[@reelisticoutdoors4358]

@Lancashirelad I feel like the outrigger wheel just needs to rest on top, the side guides are causing too much tourque

[@jeremyjohnson4113]

I’m no engineer. Plans and designs won’t help me. However, please tell me how I can buy one of these!?!

[@bagoston325]

There isn't a manufacturer that I know of that sells these, probably because it's such a niche thing. But it really isn't hard to create something like this. You don't have to be an engineer for it. You measure the distance between the rails, how thick the rails themselves are, and from those 2 measurements, you can mock a simple frame up with wheels on it that will just roll on the rails. And after that it's just a matter of figuring out how the bike will go on it. You could probably do a somewhat scale mockup, maybe from toothpicks, and hotglue even.

[@joseville]

@@bagoston325 how to make sure you don't detail? Use flanges?

[@bagoston325]

@@joseville you put additional wheels on the side of the rails so they keep you aligned all the time.

[@danielpouzzner6333]

What is that song in the credit roll? Hey hey hey/That's what all the people said *2/When it blows their mind Hey hey hey/Show us one more time *2/And now press rewind [guitar solo] [groovy guitar+synth+backing chorus]

[@pamela97015]

LOVE it!

[@123ABC-Machine-Basics]

Way cool !! Got to do it !

[@kentemple6498]

Love the design.

[@davinrasta]

That is so rad.

[@muohiodpowell1974]

Where did you find these old “not in use” railroads?

[@bellinivernon]

Que bien ... !

[@tylergoins2026]

I wanna try this so bad I just found out about it but I want one to ride around on and fish of bridges and get to spots others can’t

[@cybertrk]

Very cool!

[@chrismillerphotography8359]

sick flick!

[@wilburbum]

eccelente hermano ¡¡¡

[@danieltaylor3396]

We have a no longer being used rail line on Vancouver Island, B.C. It would be great to set up rail bikes for use by blind people.

[@glevideo]

Any drawings or more detailed photos of the build?

[@johndee68]

I am curious as to what the laws are in the USA for public accessing the rail road systems like that. In Australia the lines are usually perceived to be privately owned, but I am yet to confirm that.

[@robertsmith2300]

A lot of these tracts in new England are completely abandoned so they're basically public land/property of conservation or logging companies.

[@lawnmowerdude]

@@robertsmith2300 really?! They look awfully shinny for being abandoned.

[@aztralflayer]

Hi that is amazing I live next to a rail I wanna bild one of those platforms you guys made i wonder if can you mail me the building process please and thanks happy holidays from AlderpointCalifornia 😎happy rides!!

[@mesfromusa]

Did I miss where it says who this guy (and his wife) is?

[@user-qv6sn9xy9k]

Wait. If you built another one of these and then replacaited the cupeling that the train cars use, then you would have four humans pedaling instead of two.

[@gadgetguy4463]

This is such an insanely COOL idea! Would you please share the plans with us?

[@lawnmowerdude]

Those rails are awfully shiny for being unused.

[@RussellNelson]

It's possible they had permission. I rode the line north of Saratoga Springs with permission. We picked up a 30 gallon bag of litter (that was our payment to them).

[@westdakota9180]

I'm not an engineer but what do they do about passing trains?

[@RussellNelson]

Obvs you only ride on active tracks with a Form D or on disconnected tracks.

[@Tomcoma2832]

Rad!

[@antonioinserni258]

Absolutely really great. One note though - using a cutting wheel or grinder - the safety glasses are for your eyes, the face shield's for your face. You need both. One of those wheels comes apart, and the glasses are not going to be enough. Good luck!

[@zues1992]

What's the legal side of this? if I build one of these and take off will I get in trouble?

[@aleisterblacke]

it's trespassing, and very illegal.

[@RussellNelson]

@@aleisterblacke Not if you ask for and get permission. Plus, some tracks are publicly owned and reserved for railbiking.

[@N24revision12]

👍

[@andymullarx6365]

What breed or breeds of dog is that ?

[@stonecoldmunchin]

No fishing report? Dang....

[@RussellNelson]

Note to all the people who claim they are trespassing: See the "Special Thanks To ... Revolution Rail"? Revolution Rail operates on several railroads with permission. I'm sure that these folks ran their railbike on one of those railroads with permission. So mellow right out with these accusations of trespassing.

[@carls283]

Consider us inspired...

[@jny78]

Wow

[@Railfanproductions-hq8hk]

Dangerous as all hell and illegal as all hell but cool as all hell lol 😂

[@RussellNelson]

Nope. Some tracks are disconnected and cannot have any opposing traffic. Some tracks are publicly owned, e.g. Wolfeboro in New Hampshire, and reserved for speeders and railbikes.

[@nandrews8412]

Totally skipped over the build process.

[@G1G1Q1]

But you can ride on a bike on the side of the rail, why bother to build that...

[@Fwb316]

We need laws to stop this, or just make away for the government to make money.

[@lawnmowerdude]

There are. It’s called trespassing lol.

[@RussellNelson]

@@lawnmowerdude Why do you assume it's trespassing?

[@greg4629]

what an odd documentary to come from a wool sock company

[@robertpalmer3166]

Far less odd than your comment.

[@greg4629]

@@robertpalmer3166 how is my comment odd? what the fuck has woolen sock manufacturers got to do with riding bikes on train tracks

[@aserta]

It's a common misconception that by road you get things faster than by rail. That's untrue. It's just that US track is ... just about as bottom as it gets. Really, there's only a few places in the civilized world that are as base as it gets for US when it comes to rail engineering and transportation. Had it not been mined by the US' car industry (most recently a certain "entrepreneur" fooling everyone with tunnels just so he could make a publicity stunt and destroy potential for a genuine attempt at tracked transportation renewal (by his own pathetic admission)) US could've had a seriously good cross-continental track setup and localized systems as well that would've been an asset globally, not just for the country itself. For shame.

[@aleisterblacke]

railroads are private property. You are encouraging people to trespass.

[@matthewlemke5310]

Go back to watching wrestling and leave the internetting to the adults.

[@aleisterblacke]

@@matthewlemke5310 And why don't you get a clue? This is my real name. That wrestler stole it after seeing a post on twitter. and you have no content on your youtube page, which tells me that you are a troll account. Bye.

[@lawnmowerdude]

Trespassing is the least of their worries. I’m more concerned of a train finding them because those rails look active.

[@RussellNelson]

@@lawnmowerdude Why do people just assume that they're riding without permission? Do you think it's impossible to get permission?

[@JaymoJoints]

As I went walking I saw a sign there, And on the sign it said "No Trespassing." But on the other side it didn't say nothing. That side was made for you and me. -- Woody Guthrie

[@UmamiPapi]

The overbearing indie movie aesthetic makes this unwatchable.

[@badbiker666]

I certainly hope that these people using railroad property for their personal transportation got permission before they set out on this adventure. The rails are private property. It is illegal to build a device that operates on them and then travel all over using that which doesn't belong to you. This is shameful, not laudatory!

[@Mdkeiper]

Lol. There is always one and cheers your it! Engineers are known to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. A better question to ask would be the ease at which permission was granted to use the tracks. Rather than your boorish accusation. Great video! Thanks for sharing. Looks like great fun.

[@badbiker666]

@@Mdkeiper It's true. I am usually "that" guy. It's a personality flaw. But at least I own it.

[@Mdkeiper]

@@badbiker666 lol. Yes sir you do!

[@lawnmowerdude]

@@Mdkeiper the funny thing is those rails look 100% active. I don’t know what metrics this guy is using to determine what’s abandoned and what isn’t. Finding a tree branch down hardly qualifies for it being the former. People that put stuff like this out while fun will get someone killed because they think a line is unused and free to play on because they haven’t seen a train go by all day.

[@RussellNelson]

It's possible to get permission, so mellow right the F out.

[@DizzyDad]

Literally hundreds of ads in the last week or so alone. Smartwool can go to heII

[@JaymoJoints]

What's wrong with warm feet?