START HAUS Ski & Bike Blog Home Scroll down to content POSTS POSTED ON 08/24/2021 Basic Bike Maintenance: Brake Pad Replacement Welcome back to our Basic Bike Maintenance Series! This week we are breaking down another important topic, how to replace your brake pads. Check out the video on our youtube channel HERE. The first step in this process is determining whether or not your brake pads need to be replaced. It can be difficult to determine wear without having an idea of what a new brake pad looks like, so we recommend purchasing a new set of pads before starting this project. In fact, having an extra set on hand is always a good idea, just in case something goes wrong and you can’t get to a shop right away. Just like choosing bike tires, you must choose the correct size and the right compound for your needs, so give us a call if you’re not sure what to buy! Once you have a new set on standby, look into the caliper and view the old pads from every angle. A new brake pad is typically 8-12mm thick, and they should be replaced when the thinnest part of the pad is 3mm. If the pads wear much thinner than 3mm, you risk wearing through the spring and damaging your calipers. If you have determined that your brake pads need to be replaced, remove the old pads and clean the calipers (inside and out) with isopropyl alcohol and a rag or brush. Be sure the brush is clean/new, to avoid contaminating the area with grease or other bike grime. You really can’t overdo it with the isopropyl alcohol, so don’t be afraid of oversaturating the area. Once the pistons are squeaky clean, gently pry them back into the caliper with a tire lever, and pop the new brake pads in. We recommend wearing gloves while handling the new pads to avoid contamination. Secure the pads with the brake keeper/cotter pin, and reattach the wheel to your bike. Once the wheel is attached, you may need to pump the brake lever a few times to restore pressure to the system. Perhaps the most important part of replacing your brake pads is bedding-in the new set. This process is just a series of slow-downs from approximately running pace to walking pace (without coming to a full stop) repeated 10-20 times. The goal here is to heat up the pads and transfer an even layer pad material onto the rotors, creating more bite and braking power over time. Do this in a safe parking lot or driveway before hitting the trail, and be prepared to have very little braking power the first few cycles. Once the brakes are feeling powerful again, you’re ready to hit the trail! We hope you are enjoying our Basic Bike Maintenance series! Stay tuned for our next topic, deraileur adjustment, and let us know what other topics we should cover in the comments. POSTED ON 08/02/2021 Annual Ski Consignment Sale is Back! Its that time of year once again to bring us your consignment ski’s and race suits! Crack open the attic, move the bags out of the garage, and bring your used (and in decent condition) recreational ski, race skis, adult skis, junior skis, and race suits down to Start Haus. We’ll help you price the gear to sell and you choose either 70% store credit or 60% cash in the form of a check. We’re taking in skis now and space will be limited- get your skis in today! Sale happens over Labor Day Weekend 2021- that’s Friday August 3rd to Monday September 6th. Accepting gear starting Friday August 6th! POSTED ON 07/31/2021 Basic Bike Maintenance: Tire Sealant Check Our Basic Bike Maintenance series is here to answer the questions our customers ask us the most! Last time we talked about chain wear, which you can read about HERE. Today we are going over how to maintain your tubeless tire system, and more specifically, tire sealant. If you’d prefer to watch the video, you can find it HERE. Don’t hesitate to drop a comment and let us know how we are doing! First of all, how do tubeless tires work? At the simplest level, an air-tight seal is created between your bike tires and your rims, eliminating the need for tubes. Of course, small leaks will develop over the life of the tire, and a puncture or pinch-flat could happen while riding. This is where sealant comes into play! Tubeless sealant is a mixture of liquid latex and small particulates, which work together to clog holes in a tire. [Note: composition varies between brands, so its important to pick one and stick with it!] Sealant is added during setup, and often forgotten about until leaks arise. If your tires lose pressure over a few days, especially during storage, you’re probably running dry. It’s easy to check the level by hanging your bike, removing the valve core, and using a dipstick to get a visual indication. If that sounds too involved, you can also try removing the wheel and shaking it side to side. By listening for the slosh of sealant in the tire you can get a (very) rough idea of where you stand. For best results, we recommend maintaining 3oz of sealant in each tire. Is it time to add more? Grab your favorite brand of sealant, give it a good shake, and fill ’em up. We like the 2oz squeeze bottles because they’re easy to inject through the valve stem (after removing the core!!) without making a mess. They’re also small enough to fit into a hip-pack in case you have a large puncture on the trail. If you prefer, sealant is also available in larger 32oz bottles. Some folks opt to pop the bead and pour sealant into the tire directly, which is a great option if you have an air compressor or can easily set the bead at home. However you do it, we recommend checking every couple of weeks to make sure you’re trail-ready! Questions? Give us a call, or drop by and chat with one of our expert mechanics. We’re happy to help! POSTED ON 07/05/2021 Start Haus Operations Update It has been a whirlwind year and a half since we were first affected by Covid-19. In March 2020 when ski areas closed and the stay-at-home order went into effect, the futures of Start Haus and many other local businesses were unknown. We operated online-only and asked our customers for help. The local ski and bike communities overwhelmed us with support, from online orders to gift card purchases, and we’re very thankful to everyone who helped us keep the doors open. We were able to reopen the brick-and-mortar store in accordance with CDC, state, and county guidelines by installing ventilation fans, requiring masks, reducing capacity, cleaning often, and switching to an appointment system for boot fitting. On June 15th, California ended the stay-at-home order and posted new guidance regarding the pandemic. If you’ve visited our shop in the last two weeks, you may have noticed some changes in accordance! All of our employees are fully vaccinated, and we are no longer requiring masks to be worn in the store. Capacity limits are back to normal. The ventilation fans are still cycling new air through the shop 7-8 times per hour, and high-touch areas are being cleaned often. The boot fitting appointment system is also here to stay; we think it provides a better customer experience! While we aren’t out of the woods yet, we’re glad to be approaching a new normal. Thank you for your support over the last year and a half, and we look forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces in the shop again! -The Start Haus Crew POSTED ON 06/22/2021 Basic Bike Maintenance: Chain Wear Welcome to the first post in our series of Basic Bike Maintenance! Whether we started riding at 5 or 45, we were all beginners at one point. This series is chocked full of information we wish we knew from the start, and is focused on empowering new riders to feel confident in maintaining their equipment. Many of us have learned these lessons the hard or expensive way, but you shouldn’t have to. This brings us to our first topic, chain wear! Bike chains are made of up to 116 individual links, and have the most moving parts of any component on your bike. They’re constantly under stress while we pedal, and are usually covered in dust, mud or anything else you might encounter on a ride. Knowing this, it makes sense that your chain will wear with normal use. So what does normal chain wear look like, and when is replacement appropriate? Luckily for us, chain wear is quantifiable using a chain checker tool, which indicates wear on a scale from 0 to 1. Our favorite tool is the Park Tool Chain Checker CC-2, but any chain checker tool that you use regularly is a good one. A brand new chain should measure exactly 12 inches between two metal pins, which is our “zero” measurement with any chain checker tool. On a road bike, a measurement of .75 is the highest tolerance for chain replacement before the chainring and cassette must be replaced simultaneously. For mountain bikes that tolerance is lower, at .5, due to the drive train being used under more stressful riding conditions. As Gregg mentions in our video tutorial, the cost of replacing a chain ranges from $20-50, whereas replacing the chainring and cassette can cost between $300-600. Ideally, your chainring and cassette should last through 3 chains before needing replacement. If cost isn’t enough of a motivator, the effect on performance is also significant, causing skipping and sluggish shifting. Our two cents? Get a chain checker tool, and check your chain monthly to get a baseline understanding of how quickly it is wearing. Always clean and lubricate your chain AFTER each ride so the lube has time to dry before hitting another dusty trail. Opt for a high quality (more expensive) chain that will last longer and wear slower. Use a quality lubricant, such as Dumonde Tech Original. And, if you’re having trouble, bring your bike to Start Haus to get checked by a pro! POSTED ON 04/24/2021 Tahoe Area Tire Guide There are plenty of YouTube videos describing the full gamut of Maxxis Tire offerings, how to combine them, and what conditions to run them in. However, there is a surprising lack of tire guides specific to the conditions of the Tahoe area. The basin is unique, with early season hero dirt rapidly devolving into dusty hardpack, to the deep dust of summertime. Techy rock gardens and loose-on-hard flow means we need ultimate grip and cut resistance out of our tires. Here we will break it down to basics- pattern, casing, and compound- plus we will share our favorite front/rear combo for the local conditions. Tread Pattern (Front): First up is the legendary Maxxis Minion DHF. In our opinion, this tire is the best compromise between traction and rolling resistance for our area. Combining fast-rolling center knobs with well-supported cornering knobs, it has been a solid choice for a front tire since its debut almost 20 years ago. Next is WC Downhiller Greg Minnaar’s signature pattern, the Maxxis Assegai. This pattern builds upon the success of the DHF by adding specially shaped knobs for better braking, plus a transition knob to create a more predictable transition between the center and cornering knobs. You do pay for better traction to the tune of an additional 25-40 grams, meaning it’s slower rolling, but for enduro style riders this compromise is well worth the downhill performance. Tread Pattern (Rear): When it comes to rear tires we like something with good drive traction and braking ability. The Maxxis Minion DHR II is a shop favorite, with the cornering knobs of the DHF plus ramped, paddle-shaped center knobs that prevent slippage in the loose-over-hard and hard pack conditions common in the Tahoe area. We also carry the Maxxis Dissector, WC Downhiller Troy Brosnan’s signature tire. It features a low knob height and ramped center knobs, combined with an open pattern for reduced rolling resistance. The Dissector is faster rolling than the DHR II at the expense of ultimate grip, which is perfect if you like to drift the back end. Compounds: Without getting too technical, rubber compounds are always a tradeoff between grip and durability. We stock three of the four compounds offered by Maxxis, including Dual, Triple Max Grip and Triple Max Terra. Dual compound uses a foundation of harder rubber capped with slightly soft rubber for maximum durability. Triple compound has a harder base rubber, softer rubber in the center knobs, and even softer rubber in the cornering knobs. Max grip is the super sticky (fast wearing) option, compared to Max terra which is a compromise between grip and durability. The Max Speed, which we do not stock, is optimized for fast rolling and XC purposes. Casing: Maxxis casings ordered from lightest to heaviest are EXO, EXO+, Double Down (DD), and Downhill (DH). EXO is their standard trail casing, best for front tire use, although lighter less agressive riders can use it front and rear. EXO+ builds upon the EXO casing by adding a cut resistant aramid layer. This improves slash resistance without adding too much weight, and is ideally suited for rear tires. Double Down is a casing born of enduro racing applications, using two 60-tpi plies to provide additional sidewall support for more aggressive riding. Downhill casing uses dual ply carcass combined with a butyl insert at the bead for maximum support and rim protection. This is the heaviest option and best suited to the most aggressive riders. Shop Favorite: Simply put, our favorite combo for local riding is Assegai Front, DHR II Rear. Casing and compound vary from rider to rider, but we love maximum traction and don’t mind the increased rolling resistance that comes with it. Start Haus stocks many combinations of pattern, compound and casing in a number of sizes and widths. We’re always happy to make recommendations specific for you, whether you’re ripping locally, planning a trip to Sedona, or cruising on an e-bike. Drop by or call to chat with one of our local experts! Check out the staples for sale here. POSTED ON 03/25/2021 Bootfitter’s Notes- How to Easily Take Ski Boots On and Off If you’ve ever had a bootfitting appointment with us, you know our fitters are meticulous. From measurements and mobility tests, to custom footbeds, canting and alignment… their expertise ensures a great fit! This season we have welcomed so many new skiers to the sport, and had the pleasure of fitting their first pairs of non-rented boots. With that in mind, we want to go back to the basics to address some of the often unspoken techniques that make our lives a little easier. A very common question this year has been “How do I put my boots on/take my boots off? It takes so long and can be painful… there must be an easier way!” Well, there certainly is a technique to it, and with some preparation and gear you can make things even easier. Read below, or check out the video tutorial! Step 1: Boot storage is important. Be sure to always buckle your boots in storage so the cuff retains its shape. Step 2: Make sure your boots are warm. As Alexis mentions in the video, 70F or warmer is a must, as it softens the boot plastic and makes it more pliable. We highly recommend using a heated boot bag such as our Kulkea Thermal Trekker or Snow Eagle Pro, as they are designed for this specific purpose. Both of these bags have wall and car outlets, making it easy to pre-heat the boots at home and keep them warm all the way to the mountain. Do keep in mind that overheating a boot can cause punches to “bounce back,” or custom insoles to lose their shape, so the medium heat setting is a safe bet. Step 3: Once the boots are warm and pliable, you may opt to use Slide-On boot spray. This silicone spray reduces friction between your socks and the boot liner, and can be helpful if you have limited ankle mobility. Step 4: Point your toes and step into the cuff of the boot. Grasp the tongue of boot and pull it to one side. With your free hand, pull the other half of the boot away from the tongue. This will open up the ankle area to allow your foot to slide in. Weight your foot, pushing your heel down into the boot. Step 5: Buckle the top buckle and flex forward a few times. This will push your heel into the back of the boot and give your toes some room. Many people’s first instinct is to pull up on the tongue, but resist that urge. Instead, push it down and wiggle it a bit to ensure its not pinched by any plastic layers. Buckle up and get to skiing! To take your boots off: Unbuckle everything and push your hand against the rear of the boot (where your calf normally touches). Flex forward, pushing your knee towards the ground. Relief! Slide on your hot-pink Croc’s and loudly exclaim that snowboard boots would be much more comfortable (it’s tradition). We hope this helps! Featured product: 2022 Technica Cochise Pro W DYN GW Boots, Kulkea Thermal Trekker Boot Bag, Spray On Silicone Spray, Darn Tough Ultra Light Socks. POSTED ON 03/15/2021 Spring Sale- 20% Off 2021 Skis, Helmets, and Outerwear Can you believe it’s already March? With mixed precipitation in the forecast, rising temps and longer days, spring skiing is just around the corner. As such, we have already begun receiving bikes from Evil and Giant, and early-release 2022 skis from Volkl (we have tried them and have plenty to say- stay tuned). Here’s the catch… we need room for all the new equipment! 2021 Skis are 20% Off: Whether you’ve been looking to upgrade an older setup or you’d like to expand your quiver, this is the perfect opportunity to get a great deal. All of our 2021 skis are 20% off, and bindings are also 20% off when you buy a pair of skis. If you’ve been thinking about a pair of DPS Wailer 112’s for those bottomless pow days, or a pair of Stockli Laser AR’s for carving on firm spring mornings, we’ve got you covered. Just make sure to get them early- we’re selling out of popular lengths quickly! 2021 Helmets are 20% Off: Did you know that your helmet should be replaced about every 5 years, or after a significant impact? Whether your kids are on race team, or you’re skiing a couple of weekends per year, be sure to inspect your helmet for signs of damage and replace it when needed. We carry recreation and race helmets from POC, Smith, and Sweet Protection. Try them on in-store without worry- we sanitize with UV light after each try-on. Helly Hansen Outerwear is 20% Off: These H/H jackets and pants are stylish, warm, and waterproof. Pro tip: If you plan to try them on in-store, wear the baselayers you would normally wear while skiing. We just have a few sizes and colors left, so be sure to check our website for availability! POSTED ON 09/04/2020 COVID-19 WINTER OPERATIONS- A Word on 2020/21 Winter Retail Operations SAY HELLO TO SKI SEASON Our staff wishes each and every one of our customers well while we continue to experience quite the atypical year. The effects of the ongoing pandemic have proven to be incredibly diverse and widespread so we hope that all of you continue to stay positive, strong and healthy as we roll into winter. Speaking of winter, we’ve been busy receiving a good deal of our ski and boot inventory along with a variety of hardgoods and softgoods. With fresh product on the shelves that we know you’re hungry for, it’s imperative we share some details of how your upcoming Start Haus experiences will be different than before. With the current public health crisis and in order to protect our employees, customers and community, our boot fitting and retail operations will follow some drastically new guidelines. PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE YOUR VISIT US OR CALL US! 20/21 WINTER BOOTFITTING CHANGES Starting immediately, all boot fitting will be performed on an appointment-only basis. Let us repeat – all boot fitting will be performed on an appointment-only basis. This means that drop-in and walk-in boot fitting services are no longer being offered. This is a radical change for us and it will greatly impact the experience for both customers and staff alike. The quality of our work will remain unchanged, BUT YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR PART in order to reap the rewards of the best bootfits in Tahoe! By planning ahead and making an appointment, you’re not only using your time more wisely, you’re helping us provide more personalized service and assisting with keeping unnecessary congestion out of the shop. You can call us seven days a week to schedule your appointment for any of our professional boot fitting services. Or head over to starthaus.com to book an appointment online. A credit card number will be taken at the time of your booking and $50 will be charged in the event that you don’t show. We understand that life doesn’t always pan out as expected- please cancel or reschedule prior to 24 hours before the appointment time. Again, we are trying to serve our customers in the safest way possible and we encourage you to plan ahead. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to discover that field mice ate your footbeds, go inspect your boots this evening. Don’t put off rolling into our parking lot at 4pm on a Saturday in hopes that we can squeeze you in. Shop early in the season and early in the day! We promise your experience will be improved with a little forethought and advance planning. 20/21 RETAIL SHOP CHANGES We’ve spent the summer keeping customers out of the store to help minimize the spread of COVID in our community, but realize that winter will dance to the beat of its own drum. Our team has been working hard to generate a new retail operating plan that will protect the safety of staff and shoppers while ensuring you’ll have access to the gear and services we’re excited to share with you. Start Haus will have limited capacity this season when it comes to shopping in our retail space. If you’ve found yourself within our walls on a Friday evening at 5:15pm, you’ll quickly realize that limited capacity is long overdue! So if you want to have the best shopping experience possible featuring the customer service you’ve come to love and respect, YOU’LL WANT TO PLAN YOUR VISIT. Otherwise, be prepared to wait in your car and we’ll have you come in when you can. We encourage you to visit us online at starthaus.com to see the massive assortment of winter gear we have in stock. Detailed info of every product can be found along with the option to buy online for curbside pickup. Our staff is also available every day to answer any questions you might have. After finding the products you want after researching online and speaking with our staff via phone, your visit to Start Haus world headquarters is next. Mornings lend themselves to the best time to stop by. We’ve been doing this ski shop thing for a long time – trust us. Carving out an hour and visiting us at 8am will pay off in the long run. And if you’re curious as to what’s going on in real-time under our roof, you can now check out our foot traffic cam HERE and see how busy we are before making the trip down here. Please understand that we are doing our best to offer up the pinnacle of safety and service here at Start Haus. It’s emotionally and financially disruptive to have to make such changes to the way we do business, but imperative for us to continue providing the best ski tuning, boot fitting and ski shopping experience in town. In the event that we have to close our doors due to the virus infecting our staff, it’s really everyone that loses. We ask for you to help us make your shopping experience at Start Haus as streamlined as possible and also thank you for your continued support during these challenging times. Now, lets gear up and hopefully go skiing! -Start Haus POSTED ON 09/01/2020 Introducing the Start Haus Managers Special Consignment Sale! After deciding on canceling this years consignment sale our general manager cleaned out his garage to offer up his extensive selection of used and new race skis! Some are mounted, some are tuned, and some are new with unmounted bindings. Its quite a mix of Blizzard and Head racers, and even a Nordica thrown in the mix. Prices range from $150 – $250– everything from 143 SL skis to 186 GS race skis. Give us a call or swing by to take a look! Posts navigation Page 1 Next page RECENT POSTS Basic Bike Maintenance: Brake Pad Replacement 08/24/2021 Annual Ski Consignment Sale is Back! 08/02/2021 Basic Bike Maintenance: Tire Sealant Check 07/31/2021 Start Haus Operations Update 07/05/2021 CONTACT Phone: 530-582-5781 Email: online@starthaus.com Search for: Search PRODUCT REVIEWS Ski Reviews Bootfitter's Notes Ski Tuning Instruction CATEGORIES Bikes Content Equipment Featured Informational Interviews Reviews Shop News Ski Racing Stand Up Paddle Board Training Tuning Uncategorized Weather TAGS 2012 ski 2012 Skis 2014 ski review 2014 ski reviews 2015 ski review 2015 ski reviews all mountain ski alpine meadows bike shop Blizzard blizzard skis bootfitter's notes Groomer skis Lake Tahoe mountain bikes NASTC northstar Off Piste On Piste powder Powder skiing Powder skis race ski race skis Rockered skis ski skiing ski instruction Ski Racing ski review skis ski sale ski tuning squaw valley stand up paddle board Start Haus start haus ski news start haus ski shop Sugar Bowl Summer Race Camp Summer Skiing tahoe bike shop tahoe ski news truckee bike shop volkl skis Proudly powered by WordPress