I have always been something of a minority and that doesn’t overly bother me, in any respect. Despite the very welcome resurgence in popularity, cycling remains a minority or less mainstream activity here in the UK.
The same goes for several interests and passions I hold dear. I’ve touched on this and my introversion before. In commercial (and indeed other social contexts) I am perfectly capable. Borderline loquacious, given the right variables. However, I deftly swerve introspection and beyond the quality of my work, feel no need to seek attention.
Provided I’ve done nothing to elicit a negative experience, I care little about whether people like me or not. Something I find very empowering and I’m very selective about those I allow beyond my veneer. Those who genuinely know me, describe me as a unique person, an acquired taste. I’d much sooner this, than a two-dimensional cardboard cut-out.
January can be a long, austere month. Long forgotten are December’s festivities and cosy glow, often replaced by dull skies, unexpected expenditure and longing. Distractions can also take hold. These are fine, so long as they don't detract from physical, mental or emotional energies that would be better employed elsewhere. This typically strikes me in the workshop. Left unchecked, experimentation with gearing and other component changes can develop lives of their own. I’ll just...Is an extremely dangerous thought. One that can see ideas rapidly assuming lives of their own.
Yes, winter can be a pain in the arse...
Having ruled out saddle misalignments and similar issues, I am doing some trial-and-error miles with fresh longs and pads. My hypothesis is that some favourite bib tights and ¾ lengths are coming to the end of their service life, resulting in discomfort.
While I felt able and had the grease out, I decided it was time to give my fixed gear winter/trainer a seriously good wash and perform the fork switch. I’ve stuck with the TRP Spyre SLC calliper for now since it was just a question of switching it over and the existing cable was fine. Annoyingly, unlike the basic Spyre, the SLC’s clamp seems more prone to fraying inner wires. Especially since I’ve always used a correctly calibrated torque wrench to snug everything down.
Mercifully, the fork switch was plain sailing. I decided not to prune the steerer any shorter and simply added another 5mm spacer. I also gave the Stronglight headset bearings a clean and liberal helping of Juice Lubes Bearing Juice. This is closer to a putty than a traditional grease.
Buttery smooth, friction is higher compared with preps like Park Tool Poly lube 1000 TESTED: PARK TOOL POLYLUBE 1000 LUBRICANT FOR BICYCLES (sevendaycyclist.com), not to mention, Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). However, during the depths of winter, I’m more concerned with a grease’s ability to protect against water, ingress and corrosion.
Closer inspection revealed some structural deterioration of the Kinesis fork. I whipped out the hacksaw and cut it up before I forgot about this and inadvertently passed it to a friend.
Credit where it’s due, this took more effort than I was expecting. I’ve kept the crown and steerer, so it will live on as a drift for headset cups etc, since (a) waste not, want not (b) I believe my scrap piece of downtube met the skip during 2020’s pre-move, garage rationalisation.
Since I was there, I switched to the Halo White Line/PD8 HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) wheel, with the CST Pika tyre, for aesthetic uniformity and improved clearance. I was surprised to discover the rim shod with a narrow, 559 (mtb) rim tape, not the 622 I’d expected to see. Testament to Schwalbe that it’s stretched so far without snapping or losing shape.
The new fork is closer to a traditional cyclocross design, with slightly tighter clearances than the DC7 it replaces. 35mm tyres. If you’re prepared to ditch a front guard, 38 tops.
Fixed gear winter/trainer freshly washed and waxed, it was time to pop it away and go for a formative shakedown ride the following morning. Unforgiving headwind aside, the fixed flew and everything felt exactly as it should, especially at the front end. Fate intervened in a positive sense, again. Talking of which, here’s my review of the Vecnum FreeQuence Suspension Stem https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/vecnum-freeqence-suspension-stem
Roads and clear, starry skies to myself (save for the odd rabbit) I just sat back and cruised as fast as my legs could carry me- ejecting meaty chunks of phlegm as need presented. I am strong but vulnerable to chest infections, which linger painfully- long after the other markers of cold, or flu have passed.
I am also very aware that old practices such as “running a cold out on the road” are potentially extremely dangerous. Certainly not something I’d advocate, but I do find that having recovered from a lurgi, riding is a great expectorant. Stubborn, residual nastiness that otherwise lingers and settles on my chest, shifts and is more readily expelled.
Not something I’d want to subject others to, but fine on solo outings. Given the typically wet, mucky conditions, I was rather pleased Weldtite sent me this fabulous bundle of bike cleaning and protectant goodies, for testing. Oh, and here’s my review of the CST Pika Gravel Tyres CST Pika Gravel Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)
