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Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 26th 03, 01:28 AM
Douglas Diehl
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

My friends wanted to know why I hammer on Jenex. I've purchased 6 pairs of
roller skis from Jenex over the years and put up with the Black Mamba and
urethane wheels blowing apart, 910 shafts breaking and premature wheel wear.
I was willing to put it all in the past after buying the Aero 150. Here was
a reliable roller ski with a awesome ride on rough pavement. The only draw
back was it's weight and slow wheel turn over due to it's diameter.

The final straw was purchasing the Aero SR 125 this spring. Clearly Jenex is
not owning up to their responsibility for their product. Their reasons for
the tires failures are numerous. Underinflating, bad batch of tubes, no
orings installed, no talc on tube, poor technique ect. They told me they
were going to send a half dozen new tubes which never arrived. Through this
news group I've learned Jenex has set a weight limited on Aero SR 125.
However, I've read 185# in one thread and now 165# in another. It would be
prudent of Jenex to inform the public of some of these facts through their
web site, or send info via the mail. It's fortunate for Jenex they are in a
small industry of making roller skis. There is no safety organization
looking at their products. For example if the Aero SR125 tire was sold to
the public in the cycling industry Jenex would be hung out to dry because of
it's short comings

Finally, I'm just a "no name" skier who pays retail for his roller skis and
expects some sort of support from the manufacturer not excuses. Perhaps I
should learn to ski smoothly as one reader shared. Come to think of it maybe
I skied smoothly on all my other roller skis which didn't fall apart.


Ads
  #2  
Old September 26th 03, 02:03 AM
Gary Jacobson
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

.. Perhaps I
should learn to ski smoothly as one reader shared. Come to think of it

maybe
I skied smoothly on all my other roller skis which didn't fall apart.


BTW, I didn't mean to infer that skiing smoothly is necessarily the right
way to ski, and certainly it often is not the fastest way to cover ground.
It's just that I am "smooth", and relatively slow, and heavy, and haven't
had problems with my most recent tires. Maybe in time I will. I do carry a
spare wheel in my fannypack when roller skiing. Maybe I'll get a flat the
time I forget to bring the spare along.

On a similar note, I am interested in Nathan's comment that the axles of
Aeros (150's, or maybe 125's?) of skiers that he has coached get "ground
down" by aggressive V-2 and V-2 alt. I can't imagine extending and edging so
much that the nuts or axle bolts would grind against the pavement. And I've
not been told that I have a commitment problem (well my wife said that
before we got engaged), so I am a bit more bemused than usual.

Doug has quite a litany of Jenex woes. Time to throw in the towel, it seems.
But what's the best replacement for the 125? Let us know what you find,
please.

Lack of competition does seem to limit the sense of choice. I am in a
minority by having a bum, lemon Subaru. Probably will buy another one
though.

Gary Jacobson
Rosendale, NY


  #3  
Old September 26th 03, 01:42 PM
Serge
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

The problem with rollerski manufactures is that being a small
industry,
every company is represented by one skier(we hope
so)-engineer(backyard mechanic rather)-businessmen(street paddler
variety).

There are people that are quite good at two, but never all three
trades.

Big boys, like Salomon, Rossi and alike could whip up good design with
good supply of affordable wheels, but they never seem wanted to.

Fortunately, this is coming to an end.

Millennium skates, Chicago company, that is taking market by storm,
making
dozen variety of skate frames, carbon boots and 100mm wheels is
working
on their own model of rollerski.

I only know, that European standard (530mm base, 100mm wheels) was
adopted,
but they will make any length on order.

Also there is no idiotic bushing/6mm bolt/spacer design (skating
industry
threw it away ears ago) - there is a 8mm Alu. axle w/Allen drive -just
like
on rollerblades.

Even though the ski is designed for 100mm PU or rubber wheels, all the
skating wheels are working -from $3 76mm generic to $20 100mm racing
wheels.

From skating set up comes one advantage - spacer - it can be shortened
(with a simple file) to make any wheel much slower by "jamming
bearings".
  #4  
Old September 27th 03, 01:55 PM
Fitzgerald
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

The cost of replacement wheels on my Jenex 840Rs made me look into the
Marwes.It was costing me $120 a year in wheels.I have 1.5 seasons on Marwes
and really haven't noticed any wear yet. YMMV
Fitzgerald


  #5  
Old September 27th 03, 04:02 PM
Joe K.
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

Buying a pair of skis from Jenex is like buying a Barbie Doll. The Dolls
(skis) are cheap but once they have you locked in, the clothing (wheels) is
where they make a killing. I have owned half as many Jenex skis as you and
felt the same amount of frustration but to my amazement three years ago
discovered the Jenex 6400. I feel its there best ski but least advertised
model - you have to hunt for it on the Jenex web site. Its very stable, has
a great on snow feel, the wheels last two seasons (Sept-Dec) and are only
$10.00 each. Could it be coincidental that the 6400 is Jenex's least
advertised ski?

Thanks,
___o
_\ _
(*)`(*)


Joe Korzenecki



  #6  
Old September 27th 03, 09:37 PM
Serge
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

I donno about you guys... $120 per wheels... Marwe's...

I got mine "Eagle Rabbit" with bindings (Salomon Pilot 9) and four best

wheels on the market (Alu.hub Eagle pink 82A) plus 2 spare slow rubber

wheels w/slow bearings, spacers and bushings installed! (total 6 wheels w/bearings)

including shipping from Holland for $170.

I'd be curious to know where you guys been shopping lately.
  #7  
Old September 27th 03, 11:10 PM
Fitzgerald
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

The wheels I was referring to were the Jenex replacement wheels. They cost
29.95ea which includes the bearings. For inline relacement wheels I buy from
RollerBob.com


  #8  
Old September 28th 03, 12:41 PM
Serge
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

I am not talking about skate wheels at all.
"Eagle" is the dedicated rollerski brand and the most winning
rollerski in Europe.

Besides they claim to make wheels for almost all other brands.

http://www.rolskitotaal.nl/Pagina%27...Onderdelen.htm
  #9  
Old September 29th 03, 12:15 AM
Serge
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Default Roller Ski companies belong to a small industry. Good news for Jenex.

"Ken Roberts" wrote in message ...
I'm not getting this "not skate wheels at all".

That page says their 80mm wheels are 24mm wide -- same as the wheels I just
bought for wet pavement with my inline skates.

What makes them different from inline wheels?

True, they would work on skates, but at that price they are almost
twice the price of best skating wheels and you need all 10 and they
last a month of good training - enough reason to look for something
else..

Skating wheels are made to very close tolerances for bearing-spacer
and if they
do not spin freely, throw them out. Rollerski wheels are not and not
need to be.
I actualy heard sombody spin the wheel for 4(!)min. before stopping.
 




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