Boom! And The Hub Bearings Were Gone!

December’s slippery start coincided with the complete and extremely audible implosion of the Univega’s rear M475 hub. Slightly tickly shifting was the only warning that something might be wrong. Thankfully the cheap but relatively cheerful unit held together long enough to nurse it the final five miles home.

Some mouse action and a few emails later secured a complete, machine built wheel turning on a more refined NOS, pre disc Deore hub. Something of a workmanlike groupset, I was also very fond of its STXRC predecessor.

This also boasted decent performance and was inexpensive enough to replace should you come a cropper. 

Anyhow, concluding this eulogy to the dearly departed M475, here’s a strip and overhaul piece in Seven Day Cyclist http://www.sevendaycyclist.com/rub-a-dud-hub. 

Better sealed and arguably built than the M475, general consensus suggests to high quality greases and regular servicing is crucial to their performance and longevity.

I have a love/hate relationship with many things, though limited daylight can be a drain; I remain strangely endeared to winter. Not least since it provides the ideal opportunity to see how greases, lubes, polishes and bike washes cope with the blizzard of slush, slurry, salt and slime.

I’ve tended to err towards daily drivers and winter/trainers rather than specific winter bikes per se. However, a simple, well-dressed, season specific machine can be seriously good fun to ride.

In fact, it’s incredibly liberating because you’re focused on enjoying the ride, rather than being pre-occupied with thoughts of expensive composites and brightwork being under siege.

Regular washing (rinse salty bikes with cold water first, since hot will simply accelerate the caustic component destroying process), cleaning and re lubing save wear, expense and hassle later on.

Another editor has left me to play with a selection of lovely degreasers, some high octane, super flammable but ultra convenient aerosol types, others (including Pedro’s Bye Grease Degreaser) are biodegradable pump spray formulas. Pedro’s, like many other brands are decidedly tight lipped about its composition.

In these circumstances, I err on the side of caution and don disposable inspection gloves, keep recipient bikes/components away from plant/animal life and the contents from entering waterways. Pedro’s recommend it as a general gunk removing potion, not just for transmissions.

Like Fenwicks’ FS1, it’s not a visually lively brew but supposedly breaks down contaminant on contact and dried, ingrained stuff within a minute. Despite the fanfare, I felt a little cheated since it requires some concerted stiff brush agitation before making inroads, even on more basic mineral oil/ISO wet lubes or 5w/30 semi synthetic motor oils.

Nonetheless, it’s otherwise pleasant to use, kind to surfaces and skin alike. Siphoning off 20% and diluted with water, it makes a mild bike wash, dismissing organic and lighter petrochemical gloop with similar panache as other eco-friendly blends.

Finish line wet is something of an institution among wet lubes and in many respects, still cuts it 22 years on. Made from “a blend of high viscosity synthetic oils, water repelling polymers and advanced anti-wear additives”; it works out very cheap and so long as you’re prepared to give side plates, jockey wheels and derailleur cages a weekly cat lick, it doesn’t turn into horrendously gloopy component gobbling mess.

Bikes on tarmac only diets can get away with a trace amount on every link, enough lubrication and corrosion inhibition yet minimises the amount of contaminant collected and ultimately, cleaning frequency. During a mild to moderate winter, expect to replenish with trace amounts on a fortnightly basis. Wet lubes of this ilk also double as nifty grease substitutes on fasteners, cantilever posts etc.    

I’m not sure whether it’s the shortage of daylight, pre Christmas mania, or a combination of both but people’s road craft seems to nosedive the deeper we get into December. 

Just this past week, I’ve had several uncomfortably close encounters, despite being lit up like a Christmas tree on acid. A disturbing number of drivers seem distracted and unable to execute competent overtaking manoeuvres, often passing with inches to spare, then braking hard to avert collision with an oncoming vehicle.

Some have clearly been preoccupied with online shopping apps, others applying makeup but I’ve even noted one van driver playing a banjo while at the wheel!  On that note, I’ll leave you with a few more shots of Tanya Atherton from last week’s studio session.