Author: Boulder Nordic Sport

BNS Midwest location now on 23 kilometers of trails, 3.5 miles from Downtown Minneapolis. 

Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) formally announces today the opening of their new location at The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. BNS has served the Twin Cities area since 2014 from its former location in Bloomington.

“This move represents a unique opportunity to serve the Midwest skiing and cycling communities, putting our world-class staff, products, and services steps away from some of the best skiing and mountain biking in the Metro area,” says BNS Founder, Nathan Schultz. “The new venue allows BNS to help more skiers and cyclists get the most out of their sports—from beginners on their first rentals, to those looking to perform at the national and international levels.”

In addition to the sales, ski service, and stone grinding already offered by BNS, Boulder Nordic will also provide a full range of rental equipment from basic touring gear to high-performance demos. During the summer months, Boulder Nordic’s sister company, Boulder Cycle Sport, will take over with a full-service bike shop. Retail sales, rentals, and bike service will begin in spring 2020.

“We are excited about our new location,” says BNS Midwest manager David Chamberlain. “The move to the Trailhead puts us on the front door of some of the best skiing in the Twins and will allow us to build on our goal of providing the best Nordic ski service possible.”

The former BNS Midwest location on Penn Avenue in Bloomington, MN closed at the end of September, and the new Trailhead location is now open for business; hosting all Midwest sales and operations, including stone grinding and ski fitting.

“We’re very excited to be partnering with the Loppet Foundation to help support their mission of creating a passion for year-round outdoor adventure,” says Schultz. “The Trailhead and Wirth Park itself create incredible possibilities for getting outside, being active, and connecting with nature. It’s inspiring to be a part of it.”

BNS is currently hiring to round out its winter staff and is looking for cross-country ski and cycling sales and service staff. Interested parties are encouraged to email a resume and cover letter to jobs@bouldernordic.com.

Find the new BNS Midwest at:

The Trailhead

1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55422

952-303-5683

877-BNS-SKIS

bouldernordic.com

About Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS): Boulder Nordic Sport brings World Cup Service to everyone with full-service ski shops in Boulder, CO; Minneapolis, MN; Portland, ME and online at bouldernordic.com. BNS specializes in professional ski service using Tazzari stone-grinding equipment as well as sales and advanced fit of cross-country skis, equipment, and technical apparel. BNS imports Holmenkol and SkiGo wax lines and carries a full line of wax and professional tuning equipment from over ten wax brands. 

Information about Boulder Nordic Sport and the new BNS Magazine are available at www.bouldernordic.com.

bouldernordic.com · 877.BNS.SKIS (267.7547) · Facebook (bouldernordic) · Twitter (@bouldernordic)

Deadline May 1

Boulder Nordic Sport is heading out for our annual Spring trip to hand-pick skis. In addition to hand-selecting skis for next year’s inventory, we will be selecting Madshus Redline 2.0, Fischer Speedmax, Rossignol X-ium Premium, and Salomon S/Lab skis specifically for customers who place their orders by the May 1 deadline.

BNS selects all top-tier skis by hand to ensure the highest quality inventory anywhere. For customers who order before the picking trip, the BNS staff will select skis with precisely the characteristics requested by the skier— just like a World Cup athlete and at no additional cost.

To place an order, call 877-BNS-SKIS or contact us via bouldernordic.com and let one of BNS’ expert staff walk you through the process. Just be sure you get in touch by May 1, 2019 so we have time to get you in our pick list before we leave. The process is simple: call us, we get to know where you’re skiing, what you’re looking for and how it should fit in with your existing skis, if relevant. We’ll make some suggestions for skis and stone grinds, confirm your order and then charge a small deposit. The remainder of the balance is paid when the skis ship in the fall.

If you missed our last newsletter or our recent blog posts, we’ve highlighted a great deal of the new gear that is coming for 2019-2020. Here are a few more details on next season’s skis:

Madshus Redline 2.0 Classic

Madshus Redline 2.0 Classic skis are an evolution of the wildly successful Redline classic ski with a stiffened transition from the bridge (center) of the ski to the tips and tails. The Redline is known for its abundantly available kick and silky smooth glide. It is definitely one of our favorites and our customers constantly tell us how much they love them.

Madshus Redline 2.0 Skate

The Redline 2.0 skate skis have a completely redesigned shape and camber profile that makes them radically different from the previous generation of Redlines. In our experience, the skis have been incredibly smooth and stable, managing well in all conditions. Racers gave us similar feedback and we are seeing great performances on Redline 2.0 skate skis.

Fischer Speedmax 3D Skate

We were lucky enough to demo the new Fischer Speedmax 3D with Gliding Sidewalls this winter and were really impressed.  The updated Speedmax is lighter, has a lower and stiffer camber, and a “Gliding Sidewall” that can help make up that fraction of a second at the finish line. These sidewalls are different than the P-Tex clad skis of the ‘80s, featuring a slick, lightweight material that can be waxed with a liquid to reduce friction resistance on surfaces that contact snow.

With a reduced overall ski weight, this new generation of Speedmax was developed with the most successful World Cup racers to be the lightest and fastest ever built. It is available in both World Cup Plus and Cold options. After skiing it this winter, we agree that the new Fischer Speedmax is the lightest and fastest ever.

Fischer Speedmax 3D Classic

The Fischer Speedmax 3D Classic has been updated with a “Gliding Sidewall” that features a slick, lightweight material that can be waxed with a liquid to reduce friction resistance on surfaces that contact snow. Designed to World Cup standards, the Speedmax 3D Classic have a reduced overall ski weight, with better waxing and grindability for maximum speed. It is available in both Plus 902 and Plus 812 options. We expect to be able to find some special cold skis on our ski selection trip as well.

Rossignol X-IUM Skate Premium

Rossignol’s Premium Skate ski has been well-received by everyone: elite athletes, BNS staff, and our customers all agree that it is a great ski. Rossignol made a big step up when it introduced the Premium Skate and the evolution continues to impress. Lightweight, stable and snappy, Rossi Premium Skate are a lively ski that is worth considering, especially for those who want help with V2 and stability.

Rossignol X-IUM Premium Classic

The Premium line from Rossignol uses the same elite-level technology and materials from its highly sought-after, handmade World Cup Race Room skis. The Premium Classic skis have a reinforcing strip on the kick zone that greatly improves speed by making the skis stronger over the kick zone, holding wax off the snow and giving predictable, easy kick.

Salomon S/Lab Carbon Skate

The S/Lab Carbon Skate improves each of the three phases of skating utilizing thin-ply carbon technology that is thinner, lighter and stronger than conventional carbon fabrics. The construction of the ski allows for the ends of the ski to be thinner and lighter while increasing torsional stability. On snow, the skis feel light, lively and fast. The S/Lab Carbon comes in three models: S/Lab Carbon for Universal conditions, S/Lab Carbon Blue for cold/dry and S/Lab Red for Wet & Icy.

Salomon S/Lab Carbon Classic

The 2019/2020 Salomon S/Lab Carbon Classic is a lively ski that features an all-new construction with a dissociated grip and glide. The low-profile camber enables direct connection to the snow for a subtle snow feel and smooth kick during the propulsion phase. The ski’s Thin-Ply Carbon layer is positioned strategically at the back of the ski providing quick acceleration on every stride.

To learn more about BNS’ process for hand-picking skis and to place an order, click here.

Boulder Nordic Sport is excited to announce that it will again be proving race wax service for the 2019 American Birkebeiner.

Why worry about dealing with your waxing equipment, wax testing, and fretting about your skis? Just relax and focus on your race while our World Cup-level technicians take care of making sure your gear is dialed.

In 2019, BNS will again be providing convenient ski drop off and pick up options for classic and skate racers. All racers can drop off or ship skis to BNS Midwest in Bloomington, MN any time before 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 20. Skiers who drop their skis off before 8:00 PM on Tuesday, February 19 at BNS Midwest will receive a $20 BNS gift card. The last chance for ski drop off is at the Birkie Expo in Hayward, WI on Thursday, February 21.

The BNS Birkie Race Wax Service is $115 if you sign-up before February 1 (enter code “Birkie” at checkout) and $125 after that. This includes base prep, LF & HF paraffins and pure fluoro topcoats.

Classic skis will receive an ironed in binder layer in the kick zone you designate for a $25 fee, but we will not wax with the final kick wax layers. We will test kick waxes, provide recommendations, and sell you kick wax if you need it, but you will have to apply it yourself race morning to achieve the best results.

Kortelopet skis will receive the same testing data, base prep and HF as the Birkie skis. The race service fee is $55 for LF graphite and HF paraffin. The deadline for Korte ski drop off is also 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 20. Ski pickup is that the Birkie Expo in Hayward between 6:00 – 8:00 PM on Thursday, February 21.

Dropoff + Pickup Information and Deadlines

Please deliver skis that are cleaned and scraped. Make sure skis are labeled with: name, cell phone number, the event/distance you are doing, wave number and make sure your classic ski kick zones are clearly marked out. Print out your receipt or take a photo with your phone and bring with you to drop-off.

Drop off locations and schedule are subject to change. We will provide more details for our pick-up spot as the event gets closer on our website and Facebook pages.

*Please get your skis to BNS Midwest as early as possible, this allows us to do base prep and deliver your skis on time and without stress. Receive a $20 BNS gift card if you drop skis off at our BNS Midwest location before 8:00 PM on Tuesday, February 19.

** Please note there will be no Friday ski drop-off. Skis must be dropped off during the two options above to be waxed for the race.

Visit our BNS Midwest location in Bloomington, MN and our BNS/Holmenkol/Ski*Go booth at the Birkebeiner Expo in Hayward, WI to get all your pre-race questions answered.  Our expert staff will be on hand to tell you what wax is running fastest and get you set up with any last minute wax, tools and accessories you need for race day.

We will post wax updates at our Birkebeiner Expo Booth, on Facebook (@bouldernordic), online at bouldernordic.com, and in-store at our BNS Midwest location. Anglų kalbos programėlės ir jų apžvalga

See you at the start line!

Click here for more information and to sign up for Birkie Race Wax Service.

The BNS race service team is on the road again this winter and will be at some of the biggest skiing events in the U.S. this year.

Why worry about dealing with your waxing equipment, wax testing, and fretting about your skis for the biggest race of the year? Just relax and focus on your race while our World Cup-level technicians take care of everything.

BNS race wax service will be available at:

Masters World Cup—Beitostølen, Norway

Boulder Mountain Tour—Sun Valley, ID

City of Lakes Loppet—Minneapolis, MN

Noquemanon—Marquette, MI

Mora Vasaloppet—Mora, MN

Pre-Birkie—Hayward, WI

Stagecoach Classic—Winter Park, CO

American Birkebeiner—Hayward, WI

BNS Midwest Race Wax Service:

BNS Midwest is offering forecast-based race wax service for races within the region out of the Bloomington, MN store. Drop race skis off on Wednesdays for Friday pick up. $85 includes LF graphite, HF paraffin, fluoro powder, fluoro topcoat. Call 952-303-5683 for details.

Boulder Cycle Sport (www.bouldercyclesport.com) and Boulder Nordic Sport (www.bouldernordic.com), two Boulder-based retail leaders today announced the merger of their business operations. The exciting merger of these companies means heightened service and an enhanced year-round offering for cyclists and cross-country skiers of all levels in all four of the company locations and online.

Boulder Cycle Sport (BCS) and Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) are both industry-leading retailers that provide equipment, fitting and service in the cycling and nordic skiing communities. The merger is part of a shared vision to support and promote year-round outdoor activity by providing exceptional service and products for skiers and cyclists at all levels.

Boulder Cycle Sport launched in its current North Boulder location in 2005 and rented space for Boulder Nordic Sport to launch the following year. Both companies experienced rapid growth that required expansion with BNS moving to its own location in 2007, expanding to Portland, Maine in 2009 and Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2014. BCS expanded to a North Boulder Service Center, then added a South Boulder location in 2010 and built out a Central Boulder location in 2015. In 2009, Boulder Nordic Sport became the leading specialty dealer of cross-country racing skis in the US. Since 2005, BCS has won numerous awards including America’s Best New Bike Shop, multiple Top 100 Dealer lists, and America’s Best Bike Shop.

“Our companies have worked alongside one another for 12 years with parallel goals and challenges. This merger is a powerful way to combine strengths, mitigate seasonality, and focus on what we are all passionate about – helping people have fun with two amazing sports.”  said Boulder Nordic Sport founder Nathan Schultz. BCS founder, Taro Smith, added “We are

overjoyed about the potential this brings to both companies in our mission to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Joining forces creates new paths to navigate through the evolution of retail while simultaneously supporting our customers, vendors and team.” 

BCS and BNS will continue to operate as individual entities under a new parent company, Boulder Sports LLC. Nathan Schultz is the CEO and managing partner for the parent company and BNS, with Justin Hoese remaining the GM/partner in the bicycle division. Together, the combination of the two retailers will allow for more growth in a consolidated space while offering exceptional year-round products and service.

“There are a lot of strong reasons for this merger, “ Schultz added, “What excites us most is that this opportunity empowers both companies to put more energy into customer service, while improving the products and services we bring to our customers and community. We are looking forward to seeing all that we will create together.”

About Boulder Nordic Sport 

Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) is a leading resource for world-class advice, equipment, fitting and ski service for everyone from elite racers, to first-time skiers and tourists. With full-service ski shops in Boulder, CO (HQ); Bloomington, MN; Portland, ME, and online at bouldernordic.com, BNS believes in setting the highest possible standard through sharing its knowledge and experience. BNS specializes in professional ski service using Tazzari stone-grinding equipment as well as sales and advanced fit of cross-country skis, equipment, and technical apparel. BNS imports Holmenkol and SkiGo wax lines and carries a full line of wax and professional tuning equipment from over ten wax brands. For more information about Boulder Nordic Sport, please visit bouldernordic.com or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter using @BoulderNordic.

About Boulder Cycle Sport

Boulder Cycle Sport (BCS) was founded by a small group of University of Colorado Alumni in 2005. Since then, BCS has won numerous awards including America’s Best New Bike Shop, multiple Top 100 Dealer listings, and America’s Best Bike Shop. Its continued mission has been to redefine the community bike shop with the highest level of customer service to all levels of cyclists while igniting change in the world through the power of riding on two wheels. A full-service bicycle retailer with three locations (Boulder Cycle Sport, Boulder Cycle Sport Outlet and Pro Peloton), BCS offers bicycles, accessories, apparel, repair/maintenance services, professional bike fitting, and hosts community events for bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and all abilities. BCS provides a range of road, mountain, comfort, triathlon, commuter and electric bikes from brands including Yeti, Scott, Giant, Liv, Pinarello, Mosaic, BMC, Focus, Linus, Surly and Seven Cycles. For more information about Boulder Cycle Sport, please visit Bouldercyclesport.com or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) is gearing up for our annual ski picking trip and now is the time to place your pre-order for next season’s hand-selected skis. This June, BNS is sending Nathan Schultz, David Chamberlain and Roger Knight to hand-pick next season’s inventory and to confer directly with the ski manufacturers. This trip not only ensures that BNS has the highest-quality stock available but also enables our staff to have first-hand knowledge of what is going on with the world’s leading ski companies.

Pre-ordering your new skis produces the best possible results by allowing us to pick the perfect skis that exactly match your requirements. While we pick our entire inventory of high-end skis by hand so that we can ensure we have the highest quality inventory, when we pick skis with your pre-order, it allows us to precisely match a pair with the exact characteristics youwant. We are proud to offer this service at no additional cost to our customers. Pre-ordering for custom selected skis is available for:

• Madshus Redline
• Fischer Speedmax
• Rossignol Xium WCS

The deadline for ski orders is June 1, 2015. Orders can be placed at any one of our locations, by calling 877-BNS-Skis or by filling out a ski request form at bouldernordic.com. Free grind promotion applies for 1 pair of pre-ordered ski per customer—order must be placed with $200 deposit on or before May 15.

Boulder Nordic Sport is teaming up with Sparks Expeditions for an all-new junior training camp in Europe this summer. Skiers will experience three different training venues over the duration of the camp, two of which offer opportunities to be on-snow. In combining BNS’ expert staff with Sparks Expeditions’ proven record of overseas training camps, this is a unique chance not only to become a better skier but a more rounded athlete and person. Applications are being accepted through April 15, but candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. See below for more information, email info@sparksexpeditions.com with questions or apply at sparksespeditions.com.

Europe Junior Nordic Skiing Program from Quiet Finish on Vimeo.

A One of a Kind Nordic Skiing Program in Europe

This program will take place in Oberhof & Oberwiesenthal, Germany and Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria and is designed for serious, experienced juniors seeking an edge.

Oberhof is home to a 1.8 KM indoor ski tunnel. Students will spend a short amount of time here at the beginning of their trip to acclimatize and set technical and training goals for the rest of their time with the program.

Oberwiesenthal is on the border with the Czech Republic and served as the base of the East German alpine and nordic skiing teams. It is home for Olympic gold medalist and world champion Claudia Nystad and Olympian and overall World Champion Rene Sommerfeldt. It also serves as the base for the current German elite sport school for winter sports. Students can expect to gain exposure to the European club scene in Oberwiesenthal while training out of some of the top facilities in Europe. Included is access to the roller-ski track at Oberwiesenthal, which is challenging even for elite athletes, and time to train with European juniors.

Throughout the program, students will receive coaching from some of the best minds in the sport.

Ramsau am Dachstein was the site of the 1999 FIS World Nordic Skiing Championships; it is a glacier in the Liezen district of Austria, and a favorite summer training spot for many national teams. Students will spend a week on-snow amongst some of the best skiers in the world. The glacier is accessible via cable car. Optional hikes are available in Ramsau that include via ferrata, whereby students will use a harness and carabiners to secure themselves on a fixed cable route in the mountains.

Students considering this option are expected to be of above average maturity and thoughtfulness with a clear intention to explore their relationship with the sport. Despite the emphasis on building a relationship with the sport, training will be more physiologically intense than athletes have experienced in the past. Admission to the program is selective.

Who May Apply

Student athletes must demonstrate a willingness to commit to a three-week intensive program combined with the thoughtfulness necessary to grow during time abroad. All students who wish to apply for the limited number of positions in the program must by necessity be more mature in their daily comportment and decision-making than the average high school athlete.

Maturity and thoughtfulness are — specifically — a requirement to find enjoyment here. Sparks believes in allowing students to engage their own freedom of choice; each athlete’s choices will ultimately determine the benefit of the program for each student.

Students will submit a short initial application. After this, a second round will require a letter of reference from their coach or someone similar. Finally, students will be asked to interview. See the application tab for our application deadline schedule.

Exposure, Experience, and Development

Athletes’ primary motivation for choosing the program should be to further themselves both personally and athletically. The scene in Europe will be challenging but encouraging; students will meet European skiers and realize we really are on the same playing field. The reality is that there is no magic pill that makes European skiers better, other than the culture of the sport. We allow students access to the top sport cultures and coaching in the world and then let them determine the outcome; the result will be a mix of success and failure at times on each student’s part, but regardless educational all the time.

Questions may be forwarded via email here or find the application tab here.

Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) is at the West Yellowstone Ski Festival. Our staff will be on-site and focused on education and helping skiers with skis, wax and equipment. BNS will not have a stone grinder on-site this year, but the BNS Mobile trailer will be located at the trailhead and BNS staff will be at the Expo for wax and ski support. BNS staff will also be collecting skis in West Yellowstone to bring back to the Boulder and Minneapolis shops for service work. To arrange pickup or drop off, contact BNS at the in-town trailhead area.

BNS Mobile: Wax, Ski Evaluations & Stone Grinding Advice

The BNS trailer will be located at the in-town trailhead to provide advice on wax, equipment, stone grinding and any of your other skiing needs. Please look for the SkiGo/Holmenkol trailer and stop by to see us. We will be at the trailer 9-11am and 2-4pm Tuesday-Thursday, Friday 2-4pm.

BNS will be offering Fleet Evaluation services: helping skiers understand their quiver, which skis are suitable for which conditions, and how to best set up grinds. For the last several years, BNS has done evaluations for elite athletes and this year we are excited to make it available to the public. The cost for service will be $50 and can be applied toward a new pair of skis. Fleet evaluations will be available 1-4PM Tuesday through Saturday.  Time slots are limited. Please reserve your time today by calling BNS Mobile at 303.656.3886.

Wax Clinics: SkiGo & Holmenkol

BNS will be offering waxing clinics for two of the industry leaders, SkiGo and Holmenkol at this year’s indoor XC Ski Show located at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. Come by and learn about these two great wax lines and how to make fast skis efficiently and keep waxing simple.

SkiGo Wednesday, November 26  6-7pm.

Holmenkol Friday, November 28  6-7 pm.

Indoor Expo

BNS will once again have a booth at the Indoor XC Ski Show. Please come by, introduce yourself, and see the Holmenkol, Ski*Go and BNS product lines for the upcoming season. You can also drop off skis for stone grinding at the expo.

About BNS: Boulder Nordic Sport brings World Cup Service to everyone with full-service ski shops in Boulder, CO;  Bloomington, Minnesota, Portland, Maine and on-line at bouldernordic.com.  BNS specializes in professional ski service using Tazzari stone-grinding equipment as well as sales and advanced fit of cross-country skis, equipment and technical apparel.  BNS imports Holmenkol and SkiGo wax lines and carries a full line of wax and professional tuning equipment from over ten wax brands.  Information about Boulder Nordic Sport and the new BNS Magazine are available at: bouldernordic.com.

bouldernordic.com · 877.BNS.SKIS (267.7547) · Facebook (bouldernordic) · Twitter (@bouldernordic)

BNS HQ  ·   Boulder, CO  ·   3600 Arapahoe Ave  ·   80303  ·   720.227.9400  ·   info@bouldernordic.com

Boulder Nordic Sport Midwest ·   Bloomington, MN  ·   8929 Penn Ave S ·   55431  ·   952.303.5683  ·   midwest@bouldernordic.com

BNS East  ·   Portland, Maine  ·   200 Anderson St, Suite 5  ·   04101  ·   207.541.7438  ·   bnseast@bouldernordic.com