Rubber Up. The Man Who Fell to Earth

 

No sooner had the snow fallen, temperatures rocketed, inducing a rapid thaw. Howling winds and torrential rain followed. Perfect conditions for switching from Ursula to Denise for some more, foul weather testing of the Wolf Tooth Supple Bar Tape and Lomo 13 litre Bikepacking Seat pack. Or so I thought. However, this is a cautionary tale regarding thermometers and internet weather forecasts. According to my devices, it hadn’t hit zero overnight. A few miles into the ride, I entered a bend and hit a stretch of sheet ice, taking us “rubber up”.  

Mercifully, nothing more serious than damaged Lycra and a trashed right hand RL520 lever. Having returned from the 15-mile loop, I wasted no time ordering a replacement pair, since I only had a couple of left-handed Tektro in the spares box. £20 all told but I could’ve done without it, especially given the time of year.  I’d also toyed with going the retro, non-aero route.  

On the one hand, this would make for easier cable replacement but would also mean unnecessary outlay. I’m not paying retro prices either (although suspect I may have a set of Campagnolo Athena that are reversible-new hoods are all I’d need). I’d also seen some Dia Compe 204 with integral quick release for £28.   

These good ideas cum rabbit holes can prove time consuming and ultimately, uneconomic.  Besides, effective repair was simply a question of undoing the inner wire, peeling back the bar tape and removing the broken lever, salvaging hoods and other parts as spares.    

I’d been on plenty of soggy outings with the Lomo and found it highly weather resistant but while the 5mm Wolf Tooth Supple Bar Tape has proven incredibly effective at isolating against road and trail buzz, I hadn’t been able to assess its wet weather prowess.  

I wasn’t surprised to discover, like most silicones grip and tenure are superb. Leach-like, but without the “gripping flypaper” sensation. Obviously, gloves with silicone imprinted palms are the ideal marriage, but traditional palms-synthetic, or leather come a close second.  

I’m also forming the conclusion that while offering excellent damping properties, without unduly muting connection, being 5mm thick, it could prove too bulky for smaller hands. As the photo illustrates, it also survived our tumble with terra firma completely unscathed.   

The wet, wintry conditions had finally licked Denise’s chain clean, so I went the full blown, bars to tyres deep clean route, stripping the residual WTB, degreasing and drying before reaching for the Peaty’s Link Lube Premium All Weather PEATY'S LINK LUBE PREMIUM ALL WEATHER | cycling-not-racing   

Staying with contact points, I read a comment recently regarding quill to Ahead converters and specifically, why people still use them. Sure, they can seize if not greased properly and the guest stem needs to be snugged very tight but they’re also a very inexpensive way of running a modern stem on an older bike.   

Denise Gravel on A Dustbowl Budget PT V Lesson | cycling-not-racing sports one and thus far, its proving dependable. Admittedly, I have used a suitably stiff grease- Oxford Mint Assembly Grease Oxford Mint Assembly Grease | cycling-not-racing and check it periodically to ensure nothing’s turning arthritic. Judging by the pedal threads and fasteners, it’s both highly water and wash-off resistant.   

Having the steerer tube cut and replaced a ’la the Holdsworth Oldie But Goodie: Fork Repair & Revision | cycling-not-racing is arguably a more reliable method but will require a compatible Aheadset, which are getting trickier to find. Unlike replacing the fork steerer, there’s no risk of cracking the fork crown and paint stands a sporting chance of remaining intact too. Other folks will cite period authenticity, and I can also empathise with this school. However, in the latter context, it's easily reversed.  

Talking of bulk, while I’m fond of the Lomo, for everyday duties, I’m drawn to something smaller. A quick rummage in the rafters unearthed this Zefal Adventure R11 Waterproof Saddlebag ZEFAL ADVENTURE R11 WATERPROOF SADDLEBAG | cycling-not-racing, which is surprisingly rigid and sway-free, despite employing a single Velcro post strap. No issues with fouling the seat post since the USE SX’s bouncy bits are neatly tucked away inside.  

The Passport Bike Packing Seat Pack PASSPORT CYCLES BIKEPACKING SEAT PACK | cycling-not-racing is likely to make a return, and it should also play nicely with the USE SX seat post, but Topeak’s UK importer has sent me the brand’s  Backloader Wishbone.  

It has a maximum payload of 2kilos, so not quite a panacea, but looks much better engineered than the auction site special (although arguably it should be, being three times the homage’s ticket price). Will be interesting to see how much well it tames sway with the 6litre back loader Topeak Back Loader Seat Pack | cycling-not-racing and indeed, some bigger models.  

Midwinter’s Chilly Charm

 

January crept in as it does and while others huddled beneath their duvets I headed out along the lanes, reflecting on the products I'd been testing and forming my conclusions about others. Temperatures had plummeted and with it came the blizzard of apocalyptic weather warnings.  

The tabloid press gets extremely excited about these things, steering people away from the significant issues affecting them, and the world on a wider level. The UK's press seems largely unfit for purpose, more concerned with giving platform to popularists with critical, investigative journalism a thing of a distant past.  

 

Back in the saddle, I'd been caught out by the unexpectedly icy spell, so hadn't yet switched Ursula back to the spikes. It was forecast but the sensationalism led me to overlook this. Took things carefully and the Continental Cross Kings provided sufficient feedback to avoid going rubber up, but I cursed myself for not being better prepared. All part of riding, I guess.  

 

Besides, I'd just have to get on with it, were the weather to turn mid tour I convinced myself. That was until I noted rainfall AND plunging temperatures for the week ahead, which would turn lanes and backroads to skating rinks. Visions of bent mechs, broken collarbones and back went the Schwalbe Ice Spiker ProSchwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Tyres | cycling-not-racing.  

 

Given the conditions, I’m sticking to Ursula on account of the riding position, big bars and 2-inch plus rubber’s contact patch. I’d toyed with switching Denise to the Schwalbe Marathon winter but can’t see the sub-zero wintry conditions lasting, so one bike shod with spikes is the way forward for now.   

 

Back went the Belgian cap, deep winter gloves and softshell jacket- yes, its pink and not my first choice but then, I'm very secure in my masculinity, it keeps me very temperate, so frankly, don't care. There have been some very chill spells, but the mercury hasn't slid below zero very often, so I've not had much cause to don the softshell and thermals.  Dress the bike and rider properly and the weather becomes less relevant. That said; always ride within sensible limits and give conditions the respect they deserve. Hypothermia, or at the other extreme, sunstroke are not to be taken lightly.  

 

A mechanic once told of a 'cross meet so bitter, they had to spray anti- freeze on rider's chains to keep them from seizing up. Though a moot point with sealed cables, I found standard gear inner wires turning unexpectedly arthritic in the cold, resulting in temperamental shifting (although easily remedied with a quick post ride shot of GT85GT85 ALL PURPOSE LUBRICANT /similar) 

 

I've resisted temptation to switch to winter weight wet lubes so far, primarily on the grounds they're durable but tend to attract dirt, which in turn becomes a cannibalistic grinding paste, limiting their charm.  I've drained every last drip from the bottle of WTB all conditions (which I really like, due to the self-cleansing properties) so will probably go for the next closest thing on my shelf- Peaty's Link Lube Premium All Weather PEATY'S LINK LUBE PREMIUM ALL WEATHER | cycling-not-racing.  

 

This is still stoical, similarly clean, and isn't hampered by a long curing time. It has similar characteristics to the WTB in that it purges grime and ingress as you ride, which given the conditions, is very welcome and theoretically cuts out the side plate cat-lick ritual.  

 

Given the price of chains and drivetrain components generally, I’m moving away from traditional wet lubes on 10 and 11 speed derailleur configurations given I’ll get between 1100 and 1300 miles (about 2092.15 km) from a bog standard10 speed chain. Old school 6,7 or 8 speed are less delicate in this respect, so I’d have less qualms about dressing these with a traditional hell n’ high water wet lube, such as Finish Line Cross Country. Petrochemical blends aren’t the only rugged choice either.  

 

One of the best blends we’ve come across is NZero NZero Lubricante Organic Wet Lube | cycling-not-racing and I’m also very fond of Green Oil Wet GREEN OIL WET CHAIN LUBE. Their Eco GreaseGREEN OIL ECO GREASE and Eco Spray Lube TESTED: GREEN OIL ECO SPRAY LUBE are similarly impressive benchmarks, although under no circumstances grease chains. Their Eco Spray Lube is just thick enough to serve as an internal preserve for steel framesets and summer weight chain lube, too.     

 

Talking saddles, I’ve become increasingly fond of the WTB Rocket, having racked up plenty of miles on and off road. Specification on paper might not set pulses racing or win bragging rights down the club house. We’re talking painted cro-moly rails, microtex cover, memory foam padding and a pressure relieving channel. However, standards of finish and construction are reassuringly high.  

 

Talking of which, I concluded that I needed to raise Ursula’s saddle height by a few millimetres. This can be all it takes between having something bang on and close-to. As with all thins, opinions vary but rule of thumb says the knee should be almost but not fully extended when the cranks at its lowest point. An easy post ride “while I remember” amendment that made all the difference. Right, ending on the foul weather note, I’ve been seriously impressed by how well this Oxford Aqua V20 Single Pannier has performed across the board. 

Oxford Aqua V20 Single Pannier | cycling-not-racing