It’s not what but who you know…Word of
mouth has seen Seven Day Cyclist invited to attend the upcoming Adventure
travel film festival www.adventuretravelfilmfestival.com/uk-festival , which is a
great opportunity to get inspired.
Traditionally this attracted 4 wheel
drive and motorcycle explorers but we’re told cycling audiences are also
beginning to gravitate; hence our attendance. On subject of
touring/exploration, Steve Dyster has found plenty of decaying soviet era
relics; especially in Germany’s easterly towns and villages.
At this point, I felt an acute sense of
excitement and before he moved back to the west, begged him for some
photographic evidence of this delightful derelict industrial porn...Hopefully
I’ll be able to share this very soon-he’s due back in the next few days.
Several hundred miles in and the
Ilpompino’s FSA headset bearings remain well behaved, although its replacement
arrived and will be substituted at a convenient moment should the dreaded slop
rear its ugly head again.
Talking of which, I returned from a
weekend’s social photography in Bedford and decided summer’s decidedly soggy
official start should coincide with the introduction of WD40 dry chain lube.
For the past few weeks’ I’ve fed the
fixers Green Oil’s chain wax, which is a super clean brew with friction in
snake’s testicle territory. While the formulas are very different, one derived
from plant based ethanol and similarly natural (though extremely flammable!)
components; the other employing old school PTFE.
Both are very runny; so deploy in
well-ventilated areas- away from chain smoking neighbours or other sources of
ignition and keep some old rag/kitchen towel hovering beneath to capture the
inevitable overspill.
Green oil likes a double up and while
directions suggest it’ll cure in around six minutes, twenty seems optimum, even
on very warm, arid days. Technically; as is the case with many PTFE fortified
blends, WD40’s follows the drizzle on, dismiss excess and scoot-off narrative.
In practice, leaving it twenty minutes
or so, improves staying prowess, especially in slightly changeable conditions.
This, coupled with the fact that its 100ml bottle slips nicely into most jersey
pockets/saddlebags means it’s convenient for roadside top-ups too
First impressions along waterlogged
lanes suggest they’re on the right lines when it comes to staying prowess. I’ve
avoided roads which have become virtually impassable rivers; claiming late
model SUVs, vans and smaller vehicles.
Nonetheless, some sections were deep
enough to engulf said fixer’s stainless steel chain and lap at its sealed hubs.
We’re only seventy miles in so far, which in many respects is nothing, although
I’ve often found myself topping up those lightweight ISO/PTFE formulas around
this point into a similarly wet spell. The next three hundred miles could prove
very interesting, or highly predictable...
Elsewhere; I’ve
been busy in the midlands; succumbing to a very nasty bout of food poisoning;
demanding a couple of stops at Northampton and Toddington motorway services. In
any case, the M1 was pedestrian due to a series of equally visceral collisions,
one involving a Truck and several cars.
My series of
Children’s stories, characters and themes continue to develop. Once we’ve
agreed the second draft of our prequel’s narrative, Michael J Murphy will
commence the initial sketches for approval, before bringing them to life
digitally.
The Free parable
T2 trailer continues to impress me. Its long sleek profile is reminiscent of a
spine and when combined with its waterproof dry sack, will manage a competitive
30kilos plus of kit without feeling overburdened.
Being 6061
aluminium, it’s a little lighter than the Yak patterns, though the same rules
apply-plan your gear changes carefully, before reaching junctions or climbs
and, in my case, over- estimate your turning circle. That said; it tracks more
accurately behind and coupled with a slender profile, makes negotiating tighter
gaps-traffic, alleyways or indeed, forest trails.
The “spinal”
design and plastic mudguard also means annoying chatter is a moot point when
gliding over inclement/washboard tarmac. OEM wheels tend to be another
afterthought. While hardly exotic, the T2’s 12 inch rolls surprisingly
efficiently and while there’s an argument in favour of being able to strip and
service/rebuild a basic cup and cone hub in the back of beyond.
In practice the
sealed “fit n’ forget” units turn very smoothly and shouldn’t require any
intervention in the longer term. There
are a few minor limitations with the design, mind. Those, myself included; who
are less orderly in their loading, may find models with broader platforms more
convenient for everyday bung in and go missions. Complete review coming soon in
Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com
