The recent episodes of creaking led to methodical re-greasing of fasteners and other easily forgotten parts- across the fleet. Grease guns, though not essential, gets gooey stuff exactly where it’s needed and minimises wastage.
I'm the first to admit I tend to set a glob of something suitably synthetic and waterproof into hub and headset races, giving a luxuriously sticky bed for the bearings. However, the top layer is always carefully piped in.
Threaded stuff and contact points, such as bottom brackets, derailleur hangers, pedals and seat posts also get the piping treatment. When it comes to posts, Hollowtech cranks axles and skewers, I distribute evenly with gloved digit afterwards.
A Finish Line model has been my go-to for the best part of a decade now.
It threads nicely on most brands’ tubes and delivery is very precise, although the flow rate can be a little slow. Enter this System EX Grease Gun. Made of metal (Stainless steel and powder-coated aluminium alloy) the nozzle is particularly giraffe-like-perfect for trafficking greasy goodness into freehubs and other recessed parts. Still summer, so I’m continuing to enjoy the Teenage Dream’s charms.
The CST Cito have continued to impress, and we’ve had some sudden heavy downpours to test their road holding in the wet. Spoiler alert, they’ve gripped winding bends and greasy tarmac like the proverbial leech.
Greens aren’t everyone’s choice of livery and admittedly, had I been having the frame restored now, I’d probably opt for a chrome effect base and rosso red topcoat- giving the look of a chrome rear triangle but without the nasty processes, compounded by the need for acid etch primers to make the paint stick. Oh, and the electroplate always wins, eventually.
Now, you’d never (or at least, shouldn’t) electroplate thin wall tubing such as 531c given the filing and acids involved but some did and with the inevitable structural damage. I recall experienced frame builders recounting tales of them emerging from the methyl chloride tank disintegrating before the eyes.
Some folks have suggested 531c was a good bet for smaller riders and lightweight touring. Not sure I subscribe to that. A compact bar bag and a post-mounted SQR Tour-type saddlebag are pretty much where I’d stop. I’m 70 kilos and there’s some small but tangible whip around the bottom bracket shell when powering away-especially climbing out of the saddle. Experienced frame builders have suggested additional “braze-ons” are not problematic, so long as silver, not brass is employed.
Anyhow, I still love the RAL 6010 green, it’s a little different-not a colour I’d generally default to. I also had flashes of inspiration, ideas of going for a pursuit-type bar- I had a set of Carbon TT levers knocking around somewhere...
However, this was also switching for its own sake. Unless of course, something suitable landed in my lap...Higher-end brake pads might be a better performance upgrade. Not that the existing aftermarket Fibrax Wet Weather and Jagwire pairings are lacking but pads and cables often reap surprising and very inexpensive performance benefits. The Holdsworth’s Miche Primato and BBB Tech Stop pads offer superb braking, with excellent modulation and feel. No need to change here.
I’d recently switched to the Ravemen LR 1600 Ravemen LR1600 Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) up front. It’s a light I’m very fond of, and despite using the LR500’s “watch strap” type mount, slippage hasn’t been a problem with 31.8 bars. However, this wasn’t so with the Salsa Bell Lap which are 26.0. Obviously, this would be a moot point with its lighter LR500 stablemate.RAVEMEN LR500S FRONT LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Indeed, since I’m not doing dark roads proper, rather wanting something to be seen by, the LR500’s flashing setting would arguably be ideal.
Anyhow, some experimentation with shims did not offer the vice-like tenure I was seeking, and though safely packed away, the OEM LR1600 mount wasn’t to hand so I opted in favour of Sigma’s 700-lumen Buster. This, along with its 2000lumen stablemate SIGMA SPORT BUSTER HL 2000 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) employs a thumbscrew clamp, which sorted things.
Oh, and the flashing mode is 700lumens, so no issues when it comes to being conspicuous on dawn blasts. Rear shifting had suddenly gone off mid-ride slipping-a cable tension issue by my reckoning. I returned and found the inner wire fraying, so replaced it. A particularly quick switch on old-school, friction shift downtube levers.
Five minutes and that included snugging down the Campagnolo Victory mech’s cable bolt and pruning the inner wire. Yes, that is a bolt, not an Allen bolt. Thankfully, I had my trusty 34-year-old Y wrench handy, so easier still.
