Ball Bearings: Who Uses What

Ball Bearings: Who Uses What

Gear News, Newsfeed
Some rollerski makers only produce frames, others also mill hubs and even mold rubber in house. One thing that all of them have to buy from third parties is, perhaps, the most crucial element in construction: Ball bearings. Devout rollerskiers want to shave a fraction of second from their results and thus use mega-expensive ceramic bearigns that they also clean before each race. We reckon there are only a few hundred people like that on the planet - and they all/mostly are into speed rollerskiing. The hundreds of thousands of "regular skiers" care more about longevity and reliability of their gear. [caption id="attachment_16189" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The most important quality of the ball bearings when it comes to rollerskiing is an ability to handle abusive treatment[/caption] Which means that pretty much…
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Rollerski Market Appears To Be Growing Like Flowers After Rain

Rollerski Market Appears To Be Growing Like Flowers After Rain

Gear News, Money & Finance, Newsfeed
We talked to many a rollerski maker in the last week or so - and they all sounded busy. It appears that the rollerski industry is living through boom period like never before. Sounds strange in these trying times? Not when you get to think about it. [caption id="attachment_15956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] " The consumer here in the USA has money. Our government has pumped a ton of money into the economy, and people aren't spending it at restaurants and bars, so they have money left to spend. ", says Clayton Keim, founder & CEO of RollerskiShop.com, maker of Pursuit rollerskis[/caption] Keim says sales figures this year so far exceed his projections - especially in top segment where he offers Pursuit skis. So much so, that at the times where many…
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Coronavirus: How’s Your Business Affected?

Coronavirus: How’s Your Business Affected?

Money & Finance, Newsfeed
"How's Your Business Affected?" - that's the question we put to people directly involved in making things tick in the cross country skiing sector: gear manufacturers, retailers and coaches. The caveat that needs to be applied: different countries are on different stages of being hit be the coronavirus. This, alas, is not a subject that will go away any time soon so we shall update with reaction from the other captains of the industry when we hear from them. [caption id="attachment_15236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aki Tuovinen, country manager for Swix/Toko, Finland"At the moment in Finland it's still quite OK. In Lapland and Vuokatti regions are actually really well, since many ski enthusiasts went there for "remote working". But it strongly seems that within the week all shops (except grocery shops) will…
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Rollerski Market: Yearly Review

Rollerski Market: Yearly Review

Gear News, Newsfeed
November 1st seems to be a good day to look back at what we saw on many a rollerski track & competition in the season behind us & to share the impressions. A couple of points before we start: - We absolutely refuse to be dragged into a conversation about which rollerskis are better and in what way. As far as we are concerned, the skiing public is discerning enough to make all the right choices. Choices both rational - and those determined by emotions. - There will be nothing said about the so-called "speed rollerskis: those 530mm rockets have evolved into pretty much a separate sport with its own technique, races, stars etc. It hardly overlaps any longer with snow skiing ( only in boots and poles, to be…
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Rollerskiing Is About Being Fit, Great Looking And Overall Cool . Why Industry Fails To Advertize That?!

Rollerskiing Is About Being Fit, Great Looking And Overall Cool . Why Industry Fails To Advertize That?!

Leaders, Newsfeed, Trivia
Let us state the obvious for an umpteen time: it's 2019 on the calendar. The year when success or failure of promoting yourself on social media decides fate of any business. Certainly decides all-important volume of sales. If you're not cool - it doesn't matter how technically great your device is. In other sport industries new brands are virtually created on Instagram and then proceed to capture customers' imagination - as well as their hard earned cash. [caption id="attachment_11279" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Why in this day and age manufacturers of rollerskis prefer talking about technical aspects of their products rather than selling the "Cool Factor" is beyond us. [/caption] But this is not a diss - it's a guide! [caption id="attachment_11276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By talking up technical aspects of their wares,…
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