Positive Changes

Change your weather; change your luck, then I’ll teach you how to…find yourself. Well, perhaps not quite that profound but I managed to slip away to the midlands for a few days and return with a renewed sense of purpose.

Perspective and priorities realigned, copy that had felt baggy and lifeless was swept into shape Mary Poppins ‘ fashion. Piles of creativity sapping drafts, notes and calling cards ruthlessly expelled through the shredder, leaving behind a relatively clean workspace.

Timely then that another tide of tasty test goodies should lap at my shore, including these Time Alium (shaving a further 226g from the Ilpompino), a quirky yet remarkably competent Selle Royal Perch and this ultra chic weatherproof, breathable jacket from Urban 34. Their entire range is really seductive, so scooting moderate distances to work and looking instantly presentable upon arrival (save perhaps for some tell-tale helmet hair) is now a reality.

Admittedly, driven by messenger chic, street styled threads have been coming on tap a while now but these folks and Oregon based “Showers Pass” have brought it to a new level. Early impressions are extremely favourable and I’m revelling in the ability to break away from the keyboard, pop out for a ride, passing by the bank with a few cheques and making other business appointments without feeling underdressed or compromised in the saddle.

Elsewhere, Joshua returned from a quick, unaccompanied blast announcing his solo’s tyre had exploded (!) Closer inspection suggested the resplendent hiss was merely a common or garden puncture (the god of blowouts was merciful this particular morning, clearly recognising I was clean out of 20x1.75 tubes).

Persuading the non-descript knobbly from its steel hoop required the combined efforts of three tyre levers, agricultural language and superhuman thumbs. Having extracted the tube, chasing round the tyre carcass uncovered a particularly gruesome shard of glass and another sharp burrowing inward. However, rim tape was sound and the tube easily patched.

Ironically I’d just written a puncture prevention and repair piece, so emailed photos sequentially to him should it strike again. I’m not overly keen on children having potable devices per se, not least since firewall and similar security software lags ten years behind that of desktops. That said; I also recognise their benefits when used carefully. Refitting was markedly easier, although puts a not too distant future tyre upgrade and workshop quality tyre fitter on the cards.  

My first puncture struck when I was thirteen. Haring round the sweeping back doubles aboard my Holdsworthy built Butler, there was this sudden slow but audible procession of air escaping the front 25mm section Hutchinson.

A local farmer took pity on me and tried to help, reasoning it might just be a leaky Presta valve. He belted what must’ve been forty odd Psi inside courtesy of said steeds’ bargain basement frame fit AFA in the hope It’d hold the last mile or so.

It didn’t so I walked home and sought solace not from my father but Uncle Benny’s- he’d had a 531 framed Dawes road bike in his teens and was more mechanically minded. Continuing the tyre theme, I’ve managed a few brief outings with those spiked Schwalbe to ensure they don’t shed the spikes during the first wave of icy weather.

Modest weight and their more generic winter design brief translates into a friskier ride than comparable models I’ve tried thus far-although obviously remaining upright takes precedence over warp-speed hossing in these conditions. Hmm, coupled to mono-wheel trailers and I’m starting to feel another seasonal, niche’ sport coming on.

Been pleasantly surprised by this Weldtite TF2 wet lube too.

A little still goes a long way but middleweight consistency looks to offer similar protection without succumbing to stodgy shifts or pied piper gloop enticing tendencies. Wonder how we’ll fare two hundred miles down the line. On that note I’m off to craft another caffeine fuelled first draft… Assuming my home brewed kettle de-scaler’s done its job.