Fortunes. Fleet & Fargo

                                    

Seven Day Cyclist’s new site is well underway and we hope to be live in a matter of weeks. Snow struck central, Northern and even some South Easterly parts last weekend before turning to wintry rain and subsequently slush, which turns surfaces into skating rinks.

Rob Harwood (Col Velo www.colvelo.co.uk) warned of black ice on his facebook page and was remaining on the turbo trainer. I’m still toying with the idea of shodding my Univega with Schwalbe winter spiked tyres but after a few days of seasonally appropriate temperatures, the mercury zooms upwards into the mid teens!

Timely then these 25mm section BTwin and lifeline (Decathlon www.decathlon.couk  and Wiggle www.wiggle.co.uk respectively) should arrive at my door. Once shunned in favour of 23 and 28mm, 25mm is enjoying something of a resurgence, with some commentators suggesting it will overtake 23mm as the default for competitive riding.

 

Both sport direction specific tread, relatively and puncture repelling belts, although the B’Twin is a coarser, 60tpi casing. Aside from being tricky customers to mount, several wet rides in  and I'm quite impressed. The B'Twin deliver a less compliant ride but both offer a decent turn of speed, reasonable comfort and decent grip when cornering at 23mph.  

Looking good for cost conscious winter/training builds, though I'm inclined towards the B'Twin on a fixer build where transmission braking (Holding off against the cranks) offers more control across slippery surfaces.
 

Generally speaking, tyre casings are puncture resistant by degrees  (rather than proof) and this tends to be determined by belt material and coverage. Some only defend the centre strip, which still offers useful protection but leaves the shoulders vulnerable to sharps. Similarly, some riders are more prone to puncturing than others. 

Goo filled tubes are another concept that has been with us for a very long time.

 

The idea is the sealant sloshes around in the tube and seals tiny holes as you ride, with nominal loss of pressure-hence their appeal among commuters. I’ve found them quite useful as compliments to stout tyres with aramid casings. Some brands work better than others and the slimy stuff eventually goes off-sometimes spurting from the valve head (splodges on rims and flooring alike are tell-tale signs).

In my experience the sealant is most mobile and therefore, effective in milder weather. A really viscous sharp can rupture them irreparably-thankfully rare but seriously messy and never tempt fate by leaving spare tubes at home..

Riders with bikes on strict calorie controlled diets should also note there is a minor weight penalty to be paid. Nonetheless, it’ll be interesting to see how these compare with some household names.
 

Talking of which, my Ilpompino’s Acor sealed cartridge bearing bottom bracket has unexpectedly got the grumbles less than 4,000miles in, which is disappointing but I’ve decided to plump for a UN55, which should run closer to 10,000. It also forced the issue of sorting the Univega’s front brake and other generic, mid-winter servicing.

A hole in the rear mudguard has been successfully plugged with this AA fuelled single (steady) mode “Torch” guard specific LED cum reflector and aside from giving everything a seriously thorough clean, we’ve lost the rack mounted bag and Axiom lowriders in favour of the brands capacious H20 wedge pack.

Then we have these exotic looking Rock lube Rock n’ Roll chain lubricants-gold, extreme and absolute dry. Colour aside, these are a potent petrochemical family that differ from traditional chain lubes, most notably in terms of application.

Firstly, the solvent properties seem such that (a) to stripping chains of pre-existing lube beforehand isn’t strictly necessary (although I’d still recommend doing so, especially if you’ve been running a grime-enticing wet blend). Secondly, you don’t drizzle them into the links in the traditional way but apply it atop the chain from the cassette end.

Directions suggest they cure best I warm conditions-so I’ve applied the gold and extreme outside and then brought Ilpompino and Univega inside (room temperature) for twenty minutes. Despite their viscosity, wastage has been fairly nominal, although wiping the links afterward is imperative. Either way, I’m expecting something very special given they command £20 apiece.   

Elsewhere, I popped down to Coventry’s fargo village to see what had changed-quite a bit and not just the menu at Urban Coffee Company. Expansion has brought new traders, while others have grown into larger premises. Dashing blades is a slightly unusual but very enticing barbers offering a blend of traditional and modern scissor skill. My significant other had been enthusiastic about the proprietor’s distinctive and well-groomed style.

Cue a reworking of my generous thatch, which was beginning to look straggly, rather than styled. Given Rob has long curly hair, I automatically felt at ease and Sharon noted our obvious rapport. Fifteen minutes later, ten pounds changed hands and I left, pleased with his service and happy to return....