By Arne Lysne
Updated: 27.07.20 22:30 – Published: 27.07.20 22:16
(This article is over 5 years old.)
Henrik’s (43) Bad Knee Set New Developments in Motion for the National Sport: “It’s Almost Revolutionary,” says Didrik Tønseth.
Henrik Lindhagen (43) from Teie has always loved skiing. But when bad knees ruined his joy of training, it sparked a bout of brainstorming that has now led to new products in a traditional market.
– “I think I get more out of the training hours I put in. It’s almost a revolution in classic roller skiing,” boasts national team skier Didrik Tønseth enthusiastically.
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The Trøndelag native recently signed a contract with the Teie-based company FF Rollerskis – a startup that hopes to turn upside down a market which hasn’t seen a whole lot of development in recent years.
– “I have a trade certificate as a car mechanic, and the first thing I thought of was how we could develop suspension on roller skis so that the strain on joints would be less,” explains founder Henrik Lindhagen.
Experience Authentic Norwegian Roller Skis:
Innovation: The V-groove in the wheel is just one of several innovations in FF’s roller skis. Photo: Arne Lysne.
Since that idea arose over four years ago, a lot has happened. Henrik knew ski coach Lars Elverum from Stokke and asked him for advice.
Henrik’s (43) Bad Knee Set New Developments
– I thought this had to be easy to solve, but Lars told me that it wasn’t the frame that was the costly part of roller skis – it was the wheels, Lindhagen says.
So Henrik Lindhagen began searching online, and through a Canadian who produced wooden roller skis he got in touch with owner Zoran Bozinovic and the company Springwheel in Zaječar, Serbia.
– I emailed them a presentation, even though the Canadian fellow thought that the world’s largest wheel manufacturer probably wouldn’t even answer me. But suddenly an unfamiliar phone number rang, and in the summer of 2016 I visited Springwheel, three hours’ drive from the capital Belgrade. From there, things evolved from ideas and brainstorming to the project behind today’s products, Henrik Lindhagen recounts eagerly.
Pushing Even Harder Now – Henrik’s (43) Bad Knee Sets New Developments
Henrik’s mother, Unni Lindhagen, owns the firm, and Pernille Engebretsen now takes care of the daily operations. She is also from Teie, but didn’t know Henrik or Unni before she came into contact with them while studying innovation and entrepreneurship management at the University of South-Eastern Norway, Bakkenteigen campus.
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– I wrote a project paper about FF. We got to know each other, and they were so pleased that they hired me, says Engebretsen, who runs her own company. In addition to handling the administrative side of the business, she is now responsible for the hunt for more capital.
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– “We are looking for investors. We have great faith in our products, we get good feedback, and our prices are good. To reach out, we have to step up our efforts even further,” says Pernille Engebretsen.
FF Rollerskis’ standard models are manufactured at Cycle Start in Eik, while the pro models – both classic and skate – are assembled at the warehouse they have in Horten. The company focuses on online sales to individuals and direct sales to teams and clubs.
All Hands on Deck: Henrik Lindhagen (left), summer temp Tobias Sørby, and Pernille Engebretsen at the Horten facility where the roller skis are assembled. Photo: Arne Lysne.
The Story of a Cancellation
After much trial and error, the year after that first visit to Serbia the skis were finally ready for testing. For that, Henrik needed a somewhat more professional skier than himself. That’s when it was handy to be able to call in a favor.
– I was working as sales manager for Stangekylling (a poultry brand) and had been in contact with former elite skier Oddbjørn Hjelmeset about sponsoring a meet he was going to organize. But something got messed up, and I had to take back the chicken and sell it elsewhere. I told Oddbjørn that now he owed me a favor, Henrik Lindhagen recalls.
And lo and behold, Hjelmeset suddenly found himself testing roller skis in Serbia.
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– He wondered a bit what the point of my ideas was. But I was determined. I was going to develop new roller skis, even if it was only for my own sake. I came from the outside, and that was probably an advantage when it came to thinking in new ways, says Lindhagen.
Read the about the inventor Henrik G. Lindhagen here
During the testing, founder Henrik suggested milling a groove in the wheels.
– When Oddbjørn gave the thumbs-up, I realized that we had something, Henrik Lindhagen says with a smile.
Out on a Trip: Henrik Lindhagen (left) brought former skiing star Oddbjørn Hjelmeset to Serbia to test roller skis in 2017. Photo: Private.
Back to Didrik Tønseth and the summer of 2020.
– “I train roughly 400 hours on roller skis over the course of a summer. With the FF skis I get a feeling that is very similar to skiing on snow. It was Eirik Mysen who introduced them to me — I tested them and liked them immediately,” says Tønseth.
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– Eirik has been a very important piece for us. We got in touch with him through Lars Elverum. He’s very honest with his feedback, adds Pernille Engebretsen.
FF’s roller skis feature a proprietary suspension system that sits between the fork and the frame. (In fact, FF stands for Floating Fork, referring to this technical solution.)
Additionally, the classic-style skis have a V-groove in the wheels that makes them track more straight and stable. With the wheels mounted on a rim, there is also less wear on the rubber.
Thrilled: National team skier Didrik Tønseth now trains on roller skis from the Teie-based company. Photo: FF Rollerskis.
Believes They Will Succeed
– It’s a very good product, and I believe they will succeed, says Teie local and Oseberg club skier Eirik Mysen. Mysen is an ambassador for these roller skis, just like Tønseth.
– There hasn’t been any major technological development in roller skis for a long time. The key going forward is to get them out on the market so that even more people can test them. I have yet to hear of anyone who tried them and didn’t feel that FF’s roller skis are better, says Eirik Mysen – who, in the accompanying video, explains how the roller skis work.
Check out our new FF 360 FLOW SKATE
The roller skis have also been noticed beyond Norway’s borders. The company recently won a contract with the International Ski Federation (FIS). They will produce 80 pairs of their best classic skis. These skis will be used in the Roller Ski World Cup in Latvia. The event takes place at the end of July and the beginning of August. In addition, they will supply around 100 wheelsets for the freestyle races at the same event.
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