Forging Ahead With A New Front End

Since my last entry, thanks to one publisher's punctual payment and some divine influence, the forks, Woodman headset, spacers and bar wrap have finally arrived. More curious perhaps are my choice of bar and stem. Admittedly the Salsa Bell-Lap with subtly flared ends were my preferred option but an over sized Outland stem with 31.0 clamp precluded this. To my surprise, the Salsa are standard 26mm bulge diameter and in no mood to waste good parts, I opted for super-stiff WTB drops with greatly exaggerated flare. They're intended specifically as a rough stuff touring/mtb drop but phenomenal rigidity ad broader profile makes climbing easier.

On something of a roll, I finally applied myself to ordering the Nitto shim ensuring harmony between 1/18th stem and one-inch steerer. Shims can be fashioned from scrap aluminium cut with tin snips but £7.50 saves scratching nice parts and/or potentially nasty accidents. Further modernisation comes courtesy of these Cane Creek SC5 levers that will commend the fender friendly Miche Performance callipers with upgraded pads.

Elsewhere, I remain of the opinion that turn signals are silly on a bike. However, these integrated light and indicator units seem very practical for trailers. UK law dictates (with good reason) all tag-alongs have independent illumination for nocturnal use and with the nights drawing in faster than the chancellor's belt, their discovery is timely.

Here in the UK, The Cyclist's Touring Club (CTC) is spearheading a campaign against the social acceptability of casually careless driving. Stop "Smidsy" (An acronym of "Sorry mate, I didn't see you") This classic war cry beloved of inept and dangerous drivers nationally is perhaps more accurately translated as " Sorry,I wasn't looking for you!". My son and I find this depressingly familiar riding the Univega and tag-along so all the more reason to ensure the touring trailer resembles a mobile flight path through winter. A more refined swing arm and hitch ensure snappier installation/removal while smoother bushes mean it tracks better than the older yaks especially through the swooping lanes and back roads where only gentle vibration reminds of its presence. Rummaging in my Ka's boot not only produced my long-lost Sugino crank extractor but two tins of silver enamel paint, identical to the trailer's finish meaning the inevitable nicks, scrapes and blemishes can be skillfully hidden. In any case, the good folk at Maldon Shot-Blasting and Powder Coating have given a sympathetic quote for a two colour black (swing arm) and red (trailer body) respray when the time comes.

Infuriatingly, I managed to loose some vital fitting kit but was rescued by Geld Holmyard from Edinburgh Bicycle (owners of the Revolution brand) with replacements and even included a much needed mudguard bridge in the parcel! Increasingly bitter industrial action by the Royal mail is likely to cause misery to many in the short term but rich pickings for the dispatch mob as the retail industry grooms the public for Christmas-the height of the last dispute saw messengers earning £800 a week! Should this continue, Univega, trailer and I might show some uncharacteristically entrepreneurial spirit!

Continuing the theme of generosity, this delightful mug was an early birthday gift from someone knowing my innermost thoughts and intimate details. For the pragmatists, it holds nigh on a pint of tea/coffee/red bush or indeed soup without resembling the proverbial builder's bucket.

Heeding the advice of one-time wrestler BA Baracus, I've got some (track) nuts, anodized blue Halo's for the Holdsworth no less. I'm not usually keen on alloy fasteners-there's no denying their allure but even precision fit wrenches can wreak havoc on the soft metal.

Unable to to resist the lure of leafy green lanes and forest tracks, made all the more beautiful by the rich autumn colours, I've fitted these Kenda small block 8 knobblies- one in the range of mountain bike legend John Tomac's signature tyres and pretty swift too in their 700x38c form. These are 2.1 inches wide leaving very little room to spare between both frame and portly mudguards-not fag paper close but as intimate as I'd like for trail duties, they're a great excuse for my six year old to join in some muddy fun on the tag-along.

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully by Halloween the shim and headset press will have arrived, signalling an afternoon of measuring, checking, cutting and ultimately a beautiful makeover.