Paramount Sports

It Has Been Too Long

2012-02-10T13:12:00.000-06:00

Wednesday morning at five am I began to pack all of my snow gear. Now those of you that know me well may be wondering why in the world I would get up that early.... I had good reason. Soon I would be on my way to Afton Alps to enjoy an absolutely beautiful, sunny day on the hill! Another element of my excitement was that there were going to be winter reps from the Midwest with their 2013 lines and I was going to be able to demo them!!!! So needless to say, there was not much sleep the night before. We arrived around ten and as soon as we pulled in you could see all of the tents filled with next years skis, and snowboards. I got changed in the chalet, and headed out to see what I wanted to ride first. There were tales of the Rossignol Krypto-Mag being one of the most epic boards out there, so naturally that was going to be the first ride! It was awesome!!! Super responsive, yet rigid, and boy howdy was it fast!!! It was set up with the Experience Bindings, the bindings got a facelift since last year, with canted footbeds and a new highback. At the same time as I was out trying the new snowboards for the year, Craig was over checking out the new skis. At lunch we all convened and got a lil grub, shared our likes and dislikes, then headed back out to try some more.

Snowboard brands out repping were Rossignol, Flow, K2, Ride, and that one other company...

Craig talking with a rep

Some of the 2013 Volkl line

Getting ready to tear it up on the 2013 One Mag from Rossi

After riding all of the Brands I would say I really was quite happy with the two brands we already carry, that being Rossignol and Flow, I did however find the Ride and K2 boards to be pretty damn nice! On the Ski side of things, the general consensus of our group was that the Rossignols were consistent as always with their high end offerings, and who wants to ride low end?!!? That being said I am sure their price point skis are still higher quality than most in the industry. The dark horse in the race here was Volkl though. Everyone was raving about the way that their upper end was just dialed in. So, you may just see some of those Volkls gracing the floor of Paramount next season!

Post Turkey Pics

2011-11-28T14:59:00.001-06:00

It was a windy and cool Saturday evening, but we did get some awesome dudes out for the ride

All lined up and ready to go

itinerary

laughing it up, unaware of the ride to come

showing proof

Thanks to all who made it out. There will be another soon. Stay tuned for more pics soon

Come Ride This Saturday

2011-11-21T16:44:00.001-06:00

Minnesota State CX!!!

2011-11-21T13:10:00.001-06:00

Headed down to Minnesota State CX just outside of the cities this weekend to watch some awesome racers, cheer (heckle) for friends, and try and keep warm. It was definitely a success of a trip. Cyclocross has such a jovial demeanor, sure the racers are serious about there sport. That does not stop some of them for stopping for a beer to hand off, or picking up dollar bills stuck in a pants zipper or strewn across the ground.

pushin it

friends are always there with hydration

Beer and Coffee

Those stairs looked pretty brutal

After everyone finished their respective races, they came up and joined us

it was pretty chilly, luckily there was an awesome fire to warm up by

sand pit

the downhill

A pat for good luck

Sledding!

waiting for the cat 1 racers

One of those risk vs. reward type situations

smiles

All in all I would say it is the most fun I have had spectating a cycling event yet. It was wonderful to be able to spend some time with so many current, and former Fargoans. We had a great Fargo cheering section. I will definitely be at this event next year as well.

Lots of wax and a ski solution

2011-11-15T16:33:00.001-06:00

We are all prepped for the expo this weekend! Just got a ton of wax and waxing accessories in the store.

We have everything you will need for getting your ski's flying across the tundra!

Also Craig wanted a way to bring his skis along on his Pugsley. This is what came from that, pretty damn awesome if i do say so myself.

See I said it was awesome!

Come see the whole movie on Sunday at the Fargo Theater

2011-11-14T18:05:00.001-06:00

Tickets available at the shop!

Attack of La Niña Trailer HD from MSP Films on Vimeo.

Dialed and Drilled

2011-11-14T13:57:00.001-06:00

So we have been drilling out rims here at the shop lately. We are charging 75 dollars a wheelset, they are coming out pretty darn awesome! I was fortunate enough to get my Rolling Darryl's drilled out for myself this last week. They actually weigh in 80 grams less than the holy ones. We also drilled out a pair of Fat Sheba's for a customer last week. We were able to take off 180 grams a wheel on the Sheba's. Here are some pictures.

I was not too preferential to the stock look of the 2012 Mukluk 3, so I decided that the best and cheapest thing to do was swap out a few parts to make it more aesthetically pleasing. The setup of the 3 has a great hardware offering for a Fatbike, so I didn't feel like I needed to change the drivetrain which is a good thing. Here is what came about.

Dave getting it all tuned up for the first ride

We got it done late, so the first ride was in the dark.

Made it home, rode through every obstacle I could on the way there. It had been a very long time since I had been on a bike that didn't have skinny tires. It is so awesome to just be able to roll over just about anything!

In the light

Next to a stock Mukluk 3. The difference between the two are as follows 1) Stock Darryl's drilled out in house to a little over an inch and a quarter, with the Darryl rim bands in white. 2) Replaced the cables with Jagwires Ripcord compressionless housing in white and paired that with Avid brake levers. Resulting in a much better brake feel. 3) Went with a white seatpost and stem, and a Brooks B17 in blue. Hot pink Oury grips and a purple Salsa Liplock to tie it all together.

Next Weekend

2011-11-10T16:44:00.001-06:00

Here are a couple of things to really wet you appetite for some snow! Come on out it will be a blast!

On Saturday the 19th we will be hosting a ski expo, both downhill and cross country. There will be representatives from all of the local resorts, treats, and a helpful staff to help you find the right set up for you.

On Sunday the 20th "Attack of La Nina" premiere at the Fargo Theatre. Tickets are available here at Paramount 4501 15th ave. south. All sales benefit Detroit Mountain recreation area. So come on out, and help us work at getting that ski resort open again!

Another teaser!

2011-11-03T14:54:00.001-05:00

Finished bike coming soon

Death Alley Pics

2011-11-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made it out on the 29th for the Death alley alleycat race. It was an absolute blast!! A big thank you going out to our sponsors for the race, Quality Bicycle Products and American Classic for the awesome prizes, Bernie's Liquors for the delicious Hamm's beer, Wayne's Electric for helping out with supplies.

Hot Dogs and Beer, Makes for a tough stop

Soda was available to those who did not want to enjoy all the flavor Hamm's has to offer

Everyone showing up

LeMond Start

Getting everyone signed in

Now that is a fun Checkpoint!

One of the checkpoints involved picking up a raw egg to return at the end, unbroken

Doing some trick or treating

Zach made it out , even with a broken hand!

Asa picking up the egg, which he brought back unscathed for the Win!

"oh man, eggs!!! really??"

Judith and Oliver were pretty eggcited about it

always wear your reflective gear at night

Craig handing out the leftovers

Asa and his new All City Dropout frame

Grand Prize for Saturdays Race

2011-10-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

An All City Dropout frame and fork

To clarify, the race will begin at 8pm at the island park gazebo. It will be five dollars to enter. Bring a helmet, and lights are a good idea as well. Winner will be going home with an All City frame

this Saturday

2011-10-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

Don't forget your trick or treat bag

Ski Expo is going to be Awesome!!!

2011-10-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

I just can not help it!

2011-10-22T13:08:00.000-05:00

The Paramount Sports Limited Edition Pugsley!!!!

This one is for sale! Come on in and check it out!

You feelin mukky, punk?

2011-10-21T12:38:00.000-05:00

if you can't muk it.... It is fat Friday here at the shop. We received a couple of Salsa's Mukluk 2 bikes yesterday. They are awesome and these pictures do not do them justice. They are both already claimed, but if you would like one of these beautiful bikes for yourself we will have three more coming in next week. So let me know.

Internal Hub Pugs

2011-10-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

A customer recently approached us and wanted to build a fatbike with an internal Shimano Alfine hub. After a few more meetings this is what came to fruition. A very capable winter cruiser without anything to get hung up in the snow.

A very clean look!

Pretty awesome Vid preview

2011-10-20T10:16:00.000-05:00

Level 1 After Dark iTunes Trailer from Level 1 on Vimeo.

We have Skis, I can't promise they will make you capable of doing epic tricks. That is all on you.

Fat Fun

2011-10-17T16:07:00.000-05:00

thoughts of big tires crushing snow mmmmmmm!

you might recognize some familiar faces in this one

also stay tuned because later this week we will be building something special here in the shop.

Getting ready for the snow to fly

2011-10-13T15:21:00.000-05:00

It has been awhile since our last update. I do apologize, fact of the matter is I have been swamped getting all of our winter gear unboxed and ready for the floor. So it may still be nice out now, but as we all know in this part of the country we will be seeing lots and lots of snow very quickly. I am very excited about all of our snow offerings this year, so here is a little taste.

If you want to keep from going to stir crazy this winter, come on down and we can talk about all the fun ways to keep you from feeling the effects of cabin fever!

hahaha

2011-09-27T15:09:00.000-05:00

This would be a blast

2011-09-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

Lots of cool bike stuff happening in Grand Forks as of late!

Saturday Cross Race

2011-09-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

It was an absolute blast, lots of awesome people out racing and having some fun!!! There were some great pictures taken. First ones come to us from Dennis.

Pinwheel of Death!

Team Merkin was out reppin hard! Sickness can not hold Zach back.

Steve raced all three races an his LeMond road bike with cross tires, dude is an animal!

More Merkin! Brandon showing us how graceful he is.

Carbon with his flat bar "cross bike".

You can check out more at http://dehoff.smugmug.com/Sports/Bikes/Red-River-CX-2011
Matt raced in the first heat, but made some time to take some sweet action pics afterwards

Merk killin it

Such agility even after 17 laps!

gotta have refreshments

Check out more of Matt's pics here http://www.flickr.com/photos/matteckelberg/sets/72157627639816020/

October 8th

2011-09-09T12:33:00.000-05:00

Cow Pie Classic! Last year everyone had such a good time, it is definitely worth taking a look at doing it this year. Plus, the schwag this year is going to be even better than last.

plus beer and brats!!

This Saturday

2011-09-08T11:36:00.000-05:00

Come on down and get your dirt on, or just hang out with me

Fun shop happenings

2011-09-07T15:55:00.000-05:00

Well it is looking like we are going to have some great cycling weather for at least the next while, something we are all looking forward to. Another thing I am looking forward to is the Red River Cyclocross race out at M.B.Johnson park this Saturday Morning, registration starts at 8am. It is a 20 dollar registration fee, come out it will be fun! As well we just confirmed that the Cow Pie Classic will be going off October 8th!!! They had such a blast last year, I am definitely not going to miss it this year. Plus, the shirt that you get for participating is pretty sweet.
We have a couple really awesome rides hanging around the shop right now the first here is a special order Electra we just got in the model is the Blanc Et Noir. If you would like one for yourself, I may just be able to wrangle one up for you.

It is definitely a beautiful bike, and with Electra's foot forward technology it will surely prove to be a bike that can be enjoyed all day.
Another rad ride of a different kind, We built up our 56 Salsa Casseroll frame up with a Sram Rival group.

The build is rocking the Rival group, Avid Shorty 6's, Shimano RS10 wheelset, with Panaracer Tserv's in 700x32. It is a quick and comfortable ride, and it is still available to you the consumer! Calling it the Casserival. Would be a perfect around town bike, and for some light touring. I have one myself and it is definitely a comfortable bicycle.

watch these

2011-08-31T11:38:00.000-05:00

Brand New!!!

Synchronized biking in costume, pretty impressive I think.

Some fun vids for a Wednesday

2011-08-24T13:47:00.000-05:00

Custom El Mariachi

2011-08-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

It was a cold dark night..........not really, it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. On this day a man walked through the doors of Paramount Sports with some inquiries into the building of a 29er for himself. He walked out knowing that within a few days he would have a ride customized to exactly what he wanted. and it begins.....

The Salsa El Mariachi was chosen

X9 hubs for some serious roll coupled with Stan's rims for the convenience and lightweight capabilities of tubeless wheels

Sram X9 and X7 reppin the drivetrain

White cable housing to match the Rock Shocks Reba up front Stopping provided by way of the Avid bb7 front and rear

Almost ready for the maiden voyage!

All dressed up and ready to roll

The El Mariachi rolled like a dream we were sad to see it go, but glad that it was going to get a good home.

Caylan's Do Everything Bike

2011-08-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

We were approached last Monday by a Mr. Caylan Larson about helping him build up his ultimate do everything bike. Caylan had put a lot of research time into how and what he wanted from his buildup. It would all start with the build around the Salsa La Cruz ti frame. The La Cruz frame is made by Lynskey out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. That is right, made in America folks! From there the Rival group from Sram was chosen for the drivetrain. A mango Chris King headset and liplock from Salsa were added to provide a bit of flair. Braking was left to the Shorty Ultimates. The Ultimates are used to stop the Shimano Ultegra tubeless wheelset. Finished off with Ritchey carbon post, fork, and stem, this bike is one beautiful build that should seriously be able to do everything!

First look at the beautiful Titanium frame

Caylan and Craig making sure it all is looking good

Almost ready for the maiden voyage!

Here are a few more shots courtesy of Caylan himself! Oh bike love, it is such a beautiful thing!

if you have a dream bike, we can help make that dream a reality

Surly Trohloff's for the Berg brothers

2011-08-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

So a few weeks back I was approached by a couple of brothers from Starkweather, North Dakota. They had come into the shop and we were just talking all things bike. It came up in conversation that they and there younger brother would be riding from Alaska to Argentina within the near future to raise money for habitat for Humanity. You can follow their travels at http://www.boundsouth.org.So of course being a total parts dork I had to know what they would be riding on such a grand adventure. I was told they would be riding the new Surly Troll and GASP.......it would be equipped with the legendary Rohloff Speedhub! Of course I said they must bring them in upon their arrival so I could get a look at them. Even better than that, they informed me they needed a local shop to put it all together. So after we special ordered some Phil Wood bottom brackets to fit the unique chainline, the process began of piecing it all together

Craig making sure the chainline is dead on.

it really is a thing of beauty, 14 speed internal!

Trohloff Party

just some spacers and pedals and it will be ready for anything

These super burly Surly's were definitely a sight to behold! It will be super fun to follow their blog and see how it all goes. We are so happy that we could help, and get a chance to play with some fun hubs. We at the shop wish the Berg brothers the best of luck in their journey.

Coming Soon!

2011-08-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

This is going to be one of the most ridiculous and awesome builds you will ever see!

Back from a wonderful week in Iowa!

2011-08-01T16:18:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I set off on an adventure. I was set to conquer the ride known as Ragbrai. I had been somewhat informed on what to expect. There would be lots of other riders on the road, it would be soooo much fun, there would be humidity, and so on. What was left out for me was that Iowa has quite a few hills. Some of these hills are quite steep as well.
This is a video of twister hill, the steepest hill on the ride. Sure there are steeper hills in the world but it is pretty brutal for your average cyclist from the flat tundra we call home.

These hills did provide a definite shock to the system. After the initial shock had run its course I was left with what Ragbrai really is. Biker Mecca, there is delicious food , beautiful bikes , the camaraderie of thousands of people who all love bicycles, all of this in one place. It is like a carnival atmosphere at most of the small towns. You can stop and grab some food or the occasional beer, sit under a shade tree and watch the masses roll in.

one of the many small towns in which we stopped to re hydrate and grab a bite to eat

A town square filled with cyclists trying to cool down in the 100+ degree weather

Best beer cooler ever! had to throw this one in too. Was the only place we could find Hamm's the whole week and it was our last overnight.

Spent an entire week camping, biking, all in hundred degree plus weather. I know to some this sounds like no fun at all. I however consider this one of the best trips I have taken in my entire life!

Getting ready for Ragbrai!

2011-07-21T13:45:00.000-05:00

So I will be heading down to Iowa this next week to take part in Ragbrai, which is a ride across the state. I will be on the ride for seven days, and if I can figure it out I will be updating the blog from the road. Craig has got my Salsa Casseroll in tip top riding condition. Threw on some pink water bottle cages, because there has to be some flair. Trimmed the beard into a handlebar mustache. Now all that is left is to get all my gear packed up.

Well it is another wonderful humid day in the ole FM

2011-07-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

We offer all kinds of options for keeping you hydrated. That way you can beat the heat and stay outside and enjoy the ride. So come in and check out our selection of water bottles and cages. We also offer Hammer Nutrition's endurolytes, specifically engineered to help you keep those electrolytes we all need so much this time of year.