Have you waxed your bottoms?
If you haven't, Lizardhead Cyclery is ready to make sure the business side of your skis and snowboards are in tip-top shape for the winter season.
Owner Nicholas Tyson Jones now offers waxing, tuning, and repair services for skis and snowboards.
"Properly tuned skis and boards are key for performance and a good recreation experience, whether in the backcountry or at the resorts," Jones said.
Jones has been tuning skis and snowboards for nine years, and takes a meticulous, thorough approach.
Before even looking at the equipment, he goes through a interview process with the customer, ticking off a checklist of questions in order to get a custom tune. Where do you ski? Is it more on the north face or south face? Do you prefer the trees, moguls, or groomers?
"It all plays into what kind of wax they need," Jones said.
Properly sharpened edges are an obsession with Jones. He hand files each edge to perfection, and he has built specialized tools to get a nice buffed base. A carpeted roto brush effectively and evenly buffs the wax into the base.
Repairs of dings and gouges on bases is also done at the shop.
"I'll do a P-tex repair if the damage is light, and if it is too deep I'll use an epoxy resin," Jones said. "Blown edges can be fixed with JB Weld and clamps."
Services also include binding repair and adjustment, and snowshoe repair.
The shop also offers used ski equipment, including cross-country, downhill, and telemark skis, in addition to snowboards, bindings, and boots. Various waxes are also on sale.
"I take tuning very seriously and do it all by hand," Jones said. "Neglected skis and boards will not glide correctly. Dull edges will make your turns slide out, and base damage can buck your skis in a direction you don't want."
A basic wax costs $10 plus labor. Ski or board sharpen is $10 plus labor. Repair costs depend on the damage.
Jones accepts walk-ins or by appointment. Check out the shop off the main road through Dolores or contact him at (970) 394-4168.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com