Changing
baskets on a cross country ski pole is easy to do and hard to do wrong so
don't feel the need to take them into a shop to get new baskets or roller
ferules put on. If you live in Alaska we do it for free for our customers
so by all means drop your poles off.
Usually a
faucet turned as hot as possible is all that is needed to take a basket off,
Just hold the basket under the running hot water for a few minutes and twist
off. If it is to hot to grip use a pair of pliers (gently) on the tip or with
a cloth over the ferrule itself. If it does not go easily it is not hot enough.
If the water does not get hot enough (it should) use a hair dryer.
If needed
put a little hot glue on the shaft by heating it over a burner, with a hair
dryer or some other source of heat and smearing a little of it on the tip
of the shaft. Put the new roller ferrule or basket on and twist to its proper
position. Let it sit for a minute or two before skiing (in case you happen
to have a hair dryer in your car and are doing this at the trail head). Should
take a couple of minutes each.
You can do
much the same thing for grips. Pliers can leave a permanent mark. We reccomend
you don't use them but with some oval shafts it is almost necessary. Use a
rage between the pliers and the grip. If you have cork grips - good luck.
Just kidding. If the cork is over plastic then grip the plastic.