Courting Controversy

 

My bars, although particularly Ursula’s Soma Condor II Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) court quite a lot of online attention. I had someone get unexpectedly excited about my choice of brake levers, convinced that I am running a dual cable “tandem” model.  

Amusing, since they’re cheap but decidedly cheerful Tektro RL340. There are several benefits to a two-in-one system, such as Dia Compe BRS 400. Tandems, trikes and other specialist builds aside, they can greatly improve the comfort and control for people with reduced hand strength/degenerative conditions.  

Others have failed to grasp that I am running a bar end, not Brifter, and critical about cable emerging from the bar tape. I have taken the more traditional, direct route, so the cable appears from the drops, rather than tops. A more efficient cable run rewards with snappier shifting. Now, I can appreciate the draw of a clean aesthetic, hence I run “aero”, rather than traditional brake levers (where cables exit the tops in a wide arc).  

Makes rummaging in handlebar bags much easier. However, the non-aero type produces a more efficient cable run and make roadside replacements that bit easier. Some models, including Campagnolo Athena (c.1990/91) were reversible, depending upon taste, you could run them aero, or traditional. Indeed, these were the Teenage Dream’s original stoppers-commanding Athena single pivot side pulls., in case curiosity got the better of you.  

Ursula and I spotted some interesting clearings and designated bridleways too. It would’ve been rude not to explore, before returning home to strip the Momum MIC Dry Chain Lube and start testing the Green Oil Dry Chain Wax.  

I’ll end with this fabulous video documenting someone’s home brewed single wheel bike trailer. (599) DIY Bike Bicycle Trailer Build - Part 1 Video Tutorial | Welding and Fabrication - YouTube 

Building bike trailers (I couldn’t afford a Bob Yak/similar back in the late 90s) was the catalyst for me learning to weld. Looking back on it, I would’ve gone the scrap frame route- an old Peugeot Carbolite 103, since these are relatively light, yet very tolerant of being MIG welded. I opted for very thin Columbus, which was much trickier to work with. Sometimes it's not the mistakes we make, but rather what we learn from them.