January is a tricky month in every respect. The festivities forgotten, replaced by an unsettling silence. Some folks await the fiscal hangover, others plunge themselves into projects and traditionally, it’s a time of year when I disappear to the garage, fuelled by those nights where an idea can evolve into the ONLY idea.
I was recovering from a sudden, unwelcome seasonal lurgi and feeling infinitely better, (save for an infected tooth, spotted by my dentist during a routine checkup) decided I’d switch Denise to gravel rubber and complete testing of the Zefal Shield G50.Zefal Shield G50 Mudguards | cycling-not-racing Wheels fitted, tyres inflated to the desired pressure, I then discovered the rear Kore cantilevers were dragging. Hmm, just a case of changing the inner wire and a quick tweak of the balance screws.
No joy. After some deliberation,
I concluded the Tektro RL520 must be pulling too much cable, so after a quick
rummage of the spares boxes, I recovered a silver RL340 designed for cantilever
and side pulls and made the switch. Closer, but definitely not right. By this point, we were coming close to
midnight- I’d planned to have everything sorted and safely tucked up in bed
long beforehand. Firmly in the zone, I discovered a missing balance screw, so
decided to strip them from the bosses and switch to another set. This also
presented an opportunity to regrease the cantilever posts with Zefal Pro II Zefal Pro II Grease
| cycling-not-racing.
Refitted, snugged tight, some
minor tweaking of the balance screws- sorted. Ok, so a few localised squirts of
MO94 were needed, since I’d forgotten to flush the outers through in my
diagnostic phase. The RL340 and 520 levers have slightly different profiles,
apparent when looking down at the hoods but close enough aesthetically.
Moreover, I had a fully functional rear stopper.
Once-overs completed, bars redressed in the
Ergon Orthocell Ergon
Orthocell Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing it was 1245. Still, I’d
diagnosed and cured the fault, so off my list and out of my head. A test ride
the following morning confirmed all was well. Quit while ahead. Weeks and many
miles hence, the Zefal Shield G50 continue to impress with their rattle-free
construction and impressive protection- on and sans asphalt.
Definitely the best clip-on
guards I’ve ever used and by some margin. I’m still mightily impressed by Mudhugger’s
Gravel Hugger, but these are a more permanent design- none the worse for it,
but slightly different. The Gravel Hugger are also incompatible with rim
brakes. Fine for contemporary gravel, or bike packing framesets and the
coverage is also impressive.
However, incompatible with bikes
running cantilevers, or linear pulls. Talking of which, I’ve upgraded Muffin’s brake
cable with a Jagwire CGX 5mm outer and stainless inner. Not on par, with their
top flight Jagwire Road Elite Jagwire
Road Elite Sealed Brake Kit | cycling-not-racing, but a tangible
improvement. The Fibrax and bog-standard stainless inner fitted during the
initial build has served well enough in the “use what you got” sense. Now it
was due replacement, hence the opportunity to upgrade. A few months down the
line, I wasn’t surprised to discover the MPart Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar
Tape M
Part Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar | cycling-not-racing had weathered.
In fairness, it was re-useable and the adhesive backing still up to the job,
but the finishing strips were really stubborn to remove. Should get another few
months regular use before retirement. Switching to the Spa Aire Titanium has
also brought a new level of bliss. I’d broken it in years ago but forgotten how
comfortable it is, especially on a bike with similar positioning and geometry
as Muffin.
Mercifully, save for testing,
worn consumables and the odd tweak, I more or less have the fleet optimised. Major
revamps and overhauls are off the table. Invariably, when I’ve fallen down one of these
rabbit holes, some other expenditure has presented, whether it be cars, dental
treatment, or similar priority.
I should point out that while
brutally diminished by successive administrations, we do still have the burning
embers of universal healthcare, but there is still a fiscal contribution to be
made. Universal healthcare makes sound economic sense. The healthier your
nation, the more productive. There is an argument in favour of contribution and
I can see this, but only so long as it's proportionate and based upon the
ability to pay.
There is a large swathe of the
UK’s population who enjoyed increasing prosperity across the board-even those
in lower-skilled, dare we say “dead end” work. High quality affordable housing,
good schools and other public services. Housing was about community, not assets,
educational attainment and life chances were more closely associated with the
communities, parents and peers surrounding you.
Nonetheless, upward social
mobility was very much a lived experience. Something that progressively waned
through the 1980s onward, as industries and communities died. Those that could,
left and pursued new lives, those that didn’t were left behind, largely ignored.
Easy prey for the populists who offer slogans, emotional dynamite but no
solutions to inherently complex and ingrained problems.
