Seven day cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com was
at the Cycle Show in Birmingham’s National Exhibition centre. Quite a lot
caught my eye, although given the focus of my last entry and the recent sentencing
of Charlie Alliston, I was very taken with the Cinelli and Condor stands.
Unusual to see a linear pull brake these days, especially on a road biased
fixed/single speed build.
Gravel and bike packing
remains a big trend and another genre that strongly appeals to me. The Cube stand also sported this Nuroad EXC;
a convergence between gravel bike and lightweight tourer. Complete with dynamo
lighting, disc brakes, full-length guards and a Tubus rack.
Staying on this lightweight,
versatile tourer theme, we stopped by the Isla bikes stand and had a closer
look at their Luath, which is perfect for younger riders seeking an
all-rounder.
Ready to tour, commute, or
drop rack and guards and try a bit of cross. Sensibly proportioned crank
length, gearing and contact points are definite plusses. This also serves to
illustrate how serious the brand is about providing correctly fitting machines
for younger audiences.
Often parents will fight shy,
on the rationale their offspring will “grow out of it in no time” but in the
longer run, decent quality machines hold their value. Even after they’ve been
handed down two, maybe three times come resale; expect to recoup 50% of the
original ticket price.
Isla bikes also have an
interesting rental scheme called the “Imagine Project”. At the end of this
lease, machines will then be returned to the factory, refurbished and leased
again.
Theory goes; this “closed
loop” system prevents raw materials being buried as landfill. We’re told these
bikes will be rugged, utility machines, rather than thoroughbred lightweights
but these have a vital role to play in a sustainable, mixed mode transport
system.
I also dropped by the Halo
stand and they have graciously agreed to supply me with a suitable (model) rim
for my shutter precision dynohub build. Staying with lighting, exposure lights
showed us their Strada 900. This uses the same kind of dipped headlight
technology commonplace in cars, providing plenty of illumination for high speed
outings but without dazzling oncoming traffic.
We’re told the Revo dynamo
light is pretty much (graphics aside) unchanged from that adorning my Univega’s
bars for the past five years. Some people criticise it for not having a USB
charge port for smart phones and other tech. However, Exposure has apparently swerved
this route and in my opinion, it’s the ideal lamp for long, steady, mixed
terrain miles. Their revo dynohub also stirred some lustful yearnings...
Elsewhere, I’ve made time to
strip, inspect and re-grease my fixed gear winter/trainers FSA Orbit headset.
There was a decent amount of Green Oil eco-grease (link) clinging to the upper
and lower races. Reassuring and suggests it’s very much on par with PTFE
infused formulas.
I’ve substituted it for the
Pure bike grease to see how it copes with more demanding service. Lower,
butter-like viscosity means it spreads effortlessly over bearings, races and
other components but superficially, doesn’t bind, or cling to hosts with the
same tenacity as the eco-grease it replaces. Time and miles will tell.
I’ve also been spending some
time behind the dark shield-familiarising myself with John Moss’s Clarke MIG130
EN gas/less welder. MIG/MAG/GMAW welding was originally developed during the
Second World War and used widely in munitions factories before finding favour
in automotive contexts.
Filler rod is continuously fed
on a spool, minimising interruption and in an industrial context, maximising
output. I was taught on a 105 amp Clarke unit feeding from industrial Argon/Co2
cylinders.
A failed spot weld on his
stool (something of an heirloom, having been in his family for 65 years) proved
the ideal candidate and was easily repaired, with a few relatively short beads.
Flux corded weld wire produces
a less refined weld compared with Argon/Co2 shielding gas and standard .6/.8
filer rod. Nothing judicious deployment of a grinder doesn’t sort, mind. Right, time to put self-activating dark
shields (Technology my grandfather would never put his trust in-I can almost
feel him turning in his urn) down. I’m off to play with some post show test
goodies.
