Friday 23 October 2015

Dollars, Discs & Distractions















 
I was contacted by someone via “Up work” inviting me to write for them this week.  Keeping an open mind, I responded asking for their exact specification-sign of the times perhaps but, these sites tend to foster a race-to-the-bottom mindset where remuneration’s concerned.
A few minutes later, I received a further email offering me $17 Canadian dollars for a 1,000 word feature including photographs! "Up yours" was a tempting retort but rather than dignify this with a response, I decided stripping and cleaning the Ilpompino’s disc setup was a more positive use of my energies.
Avid’s BB7 is a markedly easier system to adjust than their justly popular BB5 but mine had become misaligned, causing the inboard pad adjuster to brush the spokes. I hadn’t taken a spill, or incurred similar trauma but a thorough back to basics exorcism seemed the most remedy.
Removing the front wheel and inspecting the 160mm Shimano rotor confirmed it was perfectly true and snug aboard the hub. Next stage was to disconnect the cable and reseat the calliper. 5mm Allen and 25 torx keys at the ready, I slackened the mounting hardware; then wound the pad adjusters out, before driving then fully home against the disc rotor. Centring the calliper is simply a matter of pushing it against the fork mount and then tightening the mounting screws.
Strictly speaking, I should’ve reconnected the cable at this point but was following my own intuitive flow, centralising the pads and double checking everything by spinning the wheel. Cable reconnected, a very gentle whisper was corrected by a quick turn of the outboard pad. Spinning the wheel and engaging the Cane Creek lever ten times to verify (and/or placate my advancing neurosis); I repatriated tools and drizzled a little more lube on the chain. Unfortunately Writer’s block was still a sitting tenant, so my attentions turned to mowing lawns before they assumed jungle status and while October still permitted.
Down time paid off, since paragraphs and inspiration flowed consistently once I’d settled back at my middle aged desktop. Four days and 100miles hence verified everything’s behaving impeccably and while I’ve a thing for fierce brakes and solid lever action, allowing fractionally more cable slack has rewarded with more progressive stopping, though pulled in anger, there’s sufficient wallop to raise the rear several inches from the ground.
That Bobbin bar wrap continues to impress with its stylish, shock absorbing properties. Tenure bare handed, even in the wet is pretty impressive too; not that I ride without gloves with any regularity.
The G-Eye2 action is another pleasant surprise and a definite improvement on its predecessor. Whether it’s a poor man’s Go Pro, in much the same sense Triumph’s GT6 was to Jaguar’s E-Type remains to be seen, although it does illustrate how far budget tech has come along in recent years.
Recording quality is good and ideal for developing video reportage skills but the Go Pro will shoot professional grade footage, whereas the G-Eye 2 is firmly in enthusiast hobbyist territory. 
Despite daily rides of 20miles plus, sometimes the walls can start metaphorically closing in. Needing some inspirational escape, I headed out in the Micra with my trusty NEX5 and stopped off at Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating.
Alongside various classic Porsche shells and a 1966 GT40 race car, the methyl chloride tank was making short work of this MG BGT’s blue 2pac paint, revealing plenty of filler and the original orange livery beneath.
This scabby but otherwise sound Specialized Rockhopper built from a Ritchey Nitanium steel alloy tubeset was also awaiting blast and pale blue powder coat makeover and certainly held my attention. I’ve always been a big fan of Specialized’s iconic steel Stump jumper and rock hopper series since first clapping eyes on them back in 1986/7. 
The romance of adventure, exploring foreign lands on a lightweight go-anywhere bicycle was an obvious draw. Then of course, the thrill of speeding along deserted singletrack, flicking around tree roots-just me, the machine and my thoughts-often fuelled by magazine contraband and rudely interrupted by a teacher’s confiscation!
Detailing suggests this one’s of 1998 vintage and while the cable run places them right in gloop’s path, I like the clean aesthetic and would be inclined to build it into a pared to the essentials 1x10 drop bar adventure bike with old school, wide arm cantilevers, fast rolling knobblies, 12-30 cassette...
Back to the future and speaking of romance, I’m due at a wedding, so will pack camera equipment into the Ka and head off to Bedfordshire.

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