Tweaking The Tempo

 

I’m consistently told that I’m very adaptable and for the most part, that’s very positive. To some extent, there’s never the wrong conditions, just the wrong equipment. Whether that be coping mechanisms, or material stuff. I’d been pushing myself very hard in broader contexts, to the point of chronic emotional depletion. This was only evident to a very select few and I was struggling to pinpoint; dare I say articulate the experience and root causes.  I’d been down to London to experience BTS  BTS World Tour London: 70,000 ARMYs Fill Tottenham Hotspur Stadium!

Not my genre of music but the spectacle and company were fantastic. The fanbase seemed a really supportive and positive collective- this was incredibly palpable at every point, within the train carriages, the stadium and the immense crowds snaking through the streets of North London afterwards. Potentially a mugger’s paradise, the sea of bodies flowed without incident, although we were exhausted after the two-hour journey back to our Goodge St hotel.

The sustained heatwave hasn’t negatively impacted my riding pattern, rather I’ve taken more time to explore the lanes and byways. Being mindful to cover my neck, apply a high factor sunscreen to exposed skin and carrying two full trade bottles. Soda water is my mid-ride tipple of choice, although plain tap water comes a close second. I don’t miss sugary, caffeine-laden drinks, but I’ve always missed the carbonated fizz.

Some years ago, I encountered a recovering alcoholic who told me he was able to quit gin but not the tonic water.  

Two hundred and fifty miles later and I’m forming the opinion that Juice Lubes Slick Juice is loosely comparable to Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing on the friction front. I’ve also applied some to Ursula’s Kinekt post, since I was doing some seasonal checks, topping up internal frame preserves etc, while the weather was particularly conducive.

This is particularly apparent on the Hollowtech II axles and anecdotally, contributing to a higher average speed when measured over a particular circuit. I’ve been defaulting to these Sidi Aertis Sidi Aertis MTB Shoes | cycling-not-racing, which are a sporty cross country mountain bike shoe but one that makes ready transition to gravel, audax and general road duties. Contexts where safe, dependable walking is desirable.

The soles have marginally more give, compared with the Shimano SHRX600 Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing  , which is welcome off the bike but doesn’t impair efficiency when I’ve been tackling extended, or sharp climbs on the fixed. As gravel and backpacking has evolved, manufacturers have responded by introducing models with more and less compliant soles to suit different tastes.

Stiffer, dare we say sportier soles are fabulous for pedalling efficiency, but can induce fatigue on long rides.  Models, such as Leatt Pro Clip Endurance Shoes  Leatt Pro Clip Endurance Shoes | cycling-not-racing  are aimed at those wanting “dependable performance and all-day comfort but without the race focus stiffness”. I’ve found they meet this mission statement handsomely and also have scope for touring. The wider profiles are also very accommodating of waterproof socks, which is significant, especially given the extensive mesh panelling. This also extends their horizons to winter.  Compared with the Shimano and Sidi discussed; the sole has a little more give, which is apparent during out of-the-saddle efforts on the fixed and I’ve noted a little extra cleat clatter off the bike. 

Genre blurring is nothing new. Mountain bike drivetrains became the norm on road going touring bikes and higher-end hybrids back in the late 80s, especially as triples became increasingly expected on new builds. I’ve never been shy of mixing and matching to suit gearing and indeed taste. For example, Denise sports a 2x10 Deore crankset, Tiagra rear mech and an old Deore LX front mech commanded by bar end shifters.

I’ve had a Shimano 600 road front mech commanding a touring triple and it could struggle bringing the chain over to the big ring. Back in the days of square tapers, I originally paired a Stronglight 100 Touring triple to Ursula, although even with relatively long axles, the cranks ran a hairs’ breadth from the chainstays-literally. Hence, I ultimately opted for an Alivio, when one came along at the right price back in November 2009.

 There’s much less scope for adjustment with a contemporary external bottom bracket configuration, meaning a gravel specific crank is likely to present Q factor, chain line and chainstay whacking issues.

Again, these things are nuanced. Experimentation is one thing; fool's missions are quite another.

If you’d one laying around, or gifted you, it might be worth exploring. However, it could also turn into a time sapping saga. For me, I’d reach for a 68mm Deore bottom bracket and crankset. I initially fitted a Tiagra bottom bracket when Denise was built as a 1x10, but switched for Deore when that mysteriously got the grumbles and an XT is the planned successor.  Right, I’ve just bolted some pattern cleats to these Leatt Trail shoes and will head off on Ursula to explore…