Frozen Frolics

Forecasters have been promising wild and wintry conditions here in the UK.  Gritters were certainly out in force. Add indecisive models to the mix and it’ll be no surprise that I’ve swung a leg over my Univega and busied myself with some intensive kit testing.

I should point out, most models I liaise with (such as Karen, photographed here) are consistent, reliable, professional and ultimately delightful. There are always exceptions, as per any trade/profession. I am very adept at reading people and anyone presenting “red flags” of any description, is swerved, like a pothole.

Dry/wax lubes might sound like an odd choice for chains and other moving parts and though not perfect, the Smoove Universal chain lube is certainly among the most stoical I’ve come across in grotty weather https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/smoove-universal-chain-lube . I’ve swapped over to the lighter weight TF2 Ultra dry chain wax https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-ultra-dry-chain-wax to see how that copes with mid-winter. 

An intermittent phantom squeak, prompted some more stripping and component swapping. The phantom in this instance, turned out to be loose cranks. I stripped the 8mm bolts and re-lubed using Finish line wet. Decent quality wet lubes, also double as excellent grease substitutes, on threaded fasteners.

Chain-ring bolts received the same treatment, since I was there. Shimano A530 pedals were substituted, for these Ritchey lookalike XTC, which have proven tough n’ dependable. Being able to clip in and power away pretty much instantly is another definite draw, over the otherwise agreeable platform/SPD patterns.   

There are several things that take the struggle out of winter riding. First and foremost reliability. Being plagued by punctures miles from home on cold, dark, rainy nights isn’t my idea of fun. Let alone if I’m hauling a week’s worth of shopping back from the supermarket. 

I’ve a soft spot for Kenda’s relatively frisky, uni-directional small block 8. However, the lack of aramid/similar belting means it’s more susceptible to thorns, flints and similarly invasive sharps.

I was going to switch to the Schwalbe Marathon GT 365 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt365-tyre  last puncture but held fire. (Vee Rubber are due to send us some interesting models for testing).

Chickens and roosting sprung to mind, while riding the crest of a slow-puncture wave. This struck along a deserted lane, exactly fourteen days and almost to the hour, hence.  

No rain but a very strong, blustery crosswind, depleting my reserves and bringing the temperature closer to -2. Another shrewd move during the colder months/early Spring-packing additional layers, in case the mercury should slide, or delays/detours present. 

Ten minutes and some cursing later, tube swapped, wheel reinstated with 50psi and we were homeward bound. Three miles or so later, I was flagged down by a long wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter van…

Transpired the driver, a young Polish man was lost on his multi-drop round. Having experienced the misery of multi-drop myself, I took pity on him but didn’t recognise the address on his job sheet. The irony was, he seemed colder than me! No such thing as the wrong weather, just inappropriate kit... 

Elsewhere, John Moss wants his Sinner Mango’s body refinished in a retro-reflective signal yellow. Wet spray 2pac is the obvious choice, given its carbon fibre.

However, preparation is the tricky part. I reached out to Carbon Bike repair in Leatherhead https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/a-visit-to-carbon-fibre-bike-repair  and another in the midlands, to see if they’d help. John’s after a retro-reflective effect, the sort used on vehicle licence plates. Signal yellow with a sparkle lacquer top coat is our starting point, prior to professional guidance.

Talking more generally about these things, while the body provides fantastic protection from the elements per se, akin to glass fibre cars, the occupant can get a full “cauldron” experience i.e. freezing cold in winter, roasting hot in spring/summer. Going off tangent, I’ve long had a yearning for a Lomax; the 2CV based kit car/trike. Incredibly simple, robust and inexpensive to run/maintain. However, sporting glass fibre bodies, air conditioning would be a must.

Lotions, Potions & Lessons

A cold and icy start to February, has spelled Univega. The tubby tourer’s blend of big tyres, full length guards wide gearing and more upright stance, is particularly welcome in these conditions.

Pot-holes, spilt derv also fuel my desires to detour via unmade roads and green lanes. Escaping the increasingly maddening crowd is another peripheral bonus.
 

Prevention is always more convenient, not to mention, cheaper than cure.

Coinciding with a weekly sudsy bucket clean, I stripped its chain and cassette of waxy, congealed beard using Green Oil Agent apple degreaser and Duck Smart the black stuff chain degreaser. Both require five minutes standing time but the mixture of citrus and plant-based ethanol is ruthlessly efficient.

So much so, that chains, cassettes and anything else, should be stripped and placed in a suitable receptacle. I’ve seen it consume supermarket ice cream tubs, rubberised components and bite into anodised/painted surfaces too. In this instance,

I removed the rear wheel and basted a couple of light coats into the nickel-plated cassette. Avoiding unwanted contact with seals and painted surfaces. Agitating the mix with a stiff bristled brush after 3minutes, flushing through with tepid water on the stroke of 5.

The black stuff is gentler, thus making safer transition to more generic grot busting-bar wrap, saddle covers and faux leather shoes being the most obvious candidates. Compared with green oil’s chain cleaner jelly, it requires more concerted/repeat applications to shift middleweight lubes, let alone the more stubborn wet/ceramics.  

Galvanic seizures (Where materials of different parentage corrode together) are another potential nightmare. Several months in, I decided to inspect said machine’s Titanium post. I’d applied Green Oil eco-grease https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/green-oil-ecogrease-long-ter-test?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_HzseyRI7TPke0IAp4p5LCPqksuJyh1ic29yvU2TfegmE7GxMZyflTS8NQ2cQGf1mHF6nxIA7ChkaUFGG7eBhKXklWzmmndMucOwAj8_R0VAjNHKI&_hsmi=55822957&utm_campaign=Private%2BGroups&utm_content=55822957&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email  several months previously but with the binder bolt undone, it was clear replenishment was due.

A liberal helping of Park PPL-1 seemed the most stoical option. Seeing as the Passport wedge pack was also showing signs of fatigue, I resurrected this Altura Aero post pack. More than roomy enough for a day ride, right down to food and spare layers. A three-kilo maximum payload is pretty good-means a decent lock can join the party while two pockets riding shotgun either side provide neat parking for tubes, Co2 cartridges.

The SQR bracket makes for convenient whipping on/off and means I can swap over to my boxier cotton duck Carradice with no effort/alteration. 

Talking of resurrection, while I was rummaging in the spares drawers, some old but much-loved Ritchey pattern SPDs emerged-perfect for my cross inspired fixed, since they mean I can ride wearing those Lake booties.

Dynamo lamp and switch gear was also bundled up in a padded envelope and left with John Moss. Cursory inspection confirmed it was a short in the system-water had infiltrated the plug. Minutes later, he’d stripped the wiring back, trimmed it to length. Refitting was equally precise.

He’s pulled the outer wires further into the port for a better seal, although (as he was quick to point out), silicone grease would be a shrewd move. Interesting that the Exposure Revo has never missed a beat, regardless of how grotty the weather got.

Returning my attentions to the drivetrains, I cleaned and replenished Smoove universal chain lube and took the Weldtite Tf2 ultra dry wax https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-ultra-dry-chain-wax  route with the Univega. 

The latter mightn’t be the most obvious choice, given the time of year. However, cleaner lube means a cleaner drivetrain, albeit with more frequent application. Besides, but I’m keen to see how it holds up in harsher conditions and now’s as good a time as any.  Hmm, speaking of opportunities, now would be a good time to start brewing my own…

In the meantime, SKS’ range of bike potions have just arrived. We have a bike wash, bike wax, some PTFE infused spray and a tyre sealant. Looking forward to seeing how these compare with some iconic workshop staples.