Didn’t feel inspired to
assume keyboard duties first thing, so resurrected “Ninja Blue” from hyper
sleep, popped it aboard the work stand and commenced disassembly, ready for
bottom bracket shell replacement surgery. Contrary to popular folklore, only
brazed/silver soldered framesets are realistic candidates for this sort of
invasive repair.
An ocean of home brewed
frame preserve sloshing round the tubes certainly rendered internal corrosion
academic, ensuring threaded components released easily too, though given their
high torque settings, crank bolts benefitted from a squirt of heavy duty
penetrant.
Bottom bracket extracted, I
doused the slightly grimy chassis in a blizzard of Brite Ride’s super sudsy
foaming bike wash and let its ionic surfactants get busy while harvesting
bucket, fresh water and super tactile Muc-off brush. The latter inducing
spontaneous, yet not universally welcome rendition of Prince Buster’s “Wine and
Grine”-afterall, have brush you avoid rush. Strongly suspect he wasn’t
referring to post winter cross race clean ups mind…
Joshua’s reproving looks
weren’t adding anything beneficial to proceedings, so he was sent in search of
SLR, prime lens and these Seal Skinz waterproof kid’s gloves… Several minutes
later, he emerged from the office brandishing said goodies, by which time the
Holdsworth’s 5012 powder coat livery positively gleamed, offering an unhampered
view of the hairline fracture.
Temptation has been to fill
with brass, smooth flat and repaint-somebody quoted £40 for the structural
stuff but Murphy’s Law dictates said damage will simply recur a few weeks
hence, rendering such efforts futile. Ergo, Midlands based Lee Cooper http://leecoopercycles.webs.com/
seems our best bet once cash flow resumes a more favourable state.
Some would suggest taking
this opportunity to introduce bottle bosses and similar modernisations,
afterall, said build is hardly original. However, there’s little need given the
availability of high quality pressure fit composite cages. Cosmetics will remain
unchanged, though it may be enamel rather than powder this time round-depending
on whether Lee is comfortable with paint being outsourced to Maldon Shot
blasting & Powder Coating…
With all that water sloshing
about, its inner sanctum was flushed through with liberal blasts of maintenance
spray. Gently rotating the frame before leaving it upturned for twenty minutes
largely eliminates risk of moisture
lodging ruinously inside.
Several season’s continuous
use of Seal Skinz products affirms they’re genuinely waterproof-right to the
cuff lines. Nonetheless, thorough evaluation of any performance claims is essential. Joshua willingly
immersed his hands for ten consecutive minutes, confirming bone dry digits,
although felt slightly disconcerted by the sensation of water lapping against
the inner membrane. Textured palms offer reassuringly good purchase too, so scoots
to school shouldn’t be too uncomfortable as the nights draw in and temperatures
plummet.…
