Large-scale manufacturing is very much a thing of the past here in the UK. There is a sense in which the nation still yearns for this, possibly as an antidote to a palpable sense of managed decline.
There also seems a romanticised idea of the post-war period, and a yearning for its return. Hmm...petrol rationing, communal outdoor toilets, no, or extremely limited access to contraception, abortion and widespread austerity...Be careful what you wish for... One of those things I often reflect on, through the dark lanes in the wee small hours.
I’ve always been very drawn to highly skilled people-their intelligence, humility and eagerness to learn is very infectious. Now, the relevance of this backstory? Finding a suitable mount allowing the TRP HYRD to fit a fork’s IS mount. John Moss and I were discussing our respective projects- he's been upping the gearing range on his beloved Mango.
He seemed confident and moreover, offered to make a mount from stainless steel. I had an appointment in the midlands that week, so popped the TRP HYRD calliper, red mount, and severed Kinesis fork (as templates) into a box and 18-year-old but much-loved Specialized messenger bag.
Upon my arrival, he ushered me and my stash to the garage and then, to the workshop. I had my trusty compact camera in pocket, so took various shots in alternate positions for John to refer to. Nonetheless, John remained convinced he could machine something bespoke, from stainless steel.
He’d trace around the red mount and possibly mill some slots for a precision fit. Now, this wasn’t urgent- the TRP SPYRE SLC were in good health and highly functional and I didn’t want John feeling under pressure or distracted from his own projects. However, I don’t like things that aren’t ready to go, as and when I want/need them.
Life and sometimes ideas can be cyclical. Six years since I went the 1x9 route with Ursula After The Gritters Went Home | Seven Day Cyclist and two since I switched to a Hollow Tech II crankset, I found myself contemplating a double. Serendipity had someone waving a new 36/26 175mm crankset and braze-on derailleur under my nose for a ridiculously keen price. Decision made...
I’d a new left hand Microshift bar con, inner and outer cables, chain(s) and indeed, an STX front mech. However, this was from the original build, and I didn’t want to get side-lined by something that wasn’t going to plug and play. Make no mistake, a lot of components will adjust nicely...
Being a 7 speed MTB mech, the pull wouldn’t be an issue, and the travel easily restricted but I thought it best to get a compatible contemporary model and keep the STX on the subs bench.
I also had a Microshift and Sun Race front mechs (double), but these were braze- on, requiring a suitable aftermarket clamp and, being road models, were bottom pull, thus requiring an adaptor. I’d be into £30 on those alone.
Now, I could always whip the 28.6mm STX band on clamp over to the Deore but I didn’t want to start cannibalizing stuff. I was tempted by a BBB Shift fix, but these weren’t available in 28.6.
Thankfully, M Part does. M part is Madison Cycles' in-house range and, in my experience, nicely executed. It may also mean removing the serrated section of the rear mudguard (its deliberately engineered for this purpose). I’d run bar con shifters on Ursula’s original build (Deore XT) so knew the left-hand Microshift would be fully compatible.
I also took that opportunity to prune an outer housing to length, making the switch cum upgrade that bit quicker. I put some helicopter tape around the seat tube, where the front mech mount would sit against the paintwork. A bit OTT perhaps but rules out marking paint, when adjusting the mech’s height/positioning.
As a side note, I’ve always liked Deore and STX/RC groups. Good performance-to-price ratios. Finish is generally decent, too. Smart enough for pretty builds but rugged-great for daily drivers and working bikes. What’s the best bike? Is a question so commonly put to shop staff. The best bike is that or those that meet your riding needs. The same applies to components- horses for courses, essentially.
Good planning and preparation are key-I've even found these KMC magic link pliers, which I’d had for a decade, or so but believed lost during the last move. I’d secreted them inside a Lezyne pannier of similar heritage. Even with the stock 11-25 cassette, I’d have a range between 26.8 and 84.3 inches. With an 11-28, I’d be looking at a bottom gear of 23.9. However, I have a quiet (possibly unfounded) concern this would put the Tiagra mech under potential strain.
Might be a red herring but I didn’t want it imploding like the Sun Race and Micro shift did-at the least convenient moments. Not that there’s a fun time for a component’s expiry. In terms of chain length, some sites suggest I will have no issues with chains of 100 links, but this seems a little short to me. I’ll go with the existing 110 and place a little less stress on the system.
I’ve decided to wait until the unseasonably wintry March and potentially awkward start to April pass- no sense giving the new components unnecessary exposure to the elements. It also means I could switch to the fixed gear winter trainer, should I need to “pause” with Ursula’s upgrade. That said; I’ve switched the spikes in favour of the Maxxis Maxxis Overdrive Excel Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and reached my CST Xpedium CST Xpedium Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) conclusions.
Why not a triple? Well, simply put, this would be excessive/unnecessary and a chore to keep harmonious year-round. A 26-inch (or 23.9) gear is more than sufficient torque for most gradients and contexts the old girl and I are likely to meet. 84 inches is tall enough for bombing without blowing knees, or spinning myself into another dimension-although some might suggest that might be desirable, given the UK’s present trajectory.
I’m holding on to the single ring deore but I’ve decided it’s time to move the 170mm, Shimano Zee, since it’s a downhill crank and surplus to my requirements. Right, time for a change of lube...
