Tests of Time

Nostalgia is very comforting and there were some genuinely great products and concepts back in the late 80s. Many I recall from the cycling press, read during my otherwise instantly forgettable, and decidedly dubious school career. Some have stood the test of time and remain very relevant, others consigned to history.

Anything dirt based with drop bars obviously grabs my attention. Specialized’s Rock Combo (sadly short-lived) and Muddy Fox’s Trailblazer being two prime examples. Seems I'm not the only fan, either! https://bikesboardsandphotos.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/specialized-rockcombo/ 

I’m not convinced U brakes were an inherently bad idea. They certainly offered considerable stopping prowess.

However, chain stay mounting was more conducive to dry, dusty California. Not the damp, leafy climes more commonly experienced in the UK and Canada. Little wonder why Kona mountain bikes were such a hit in the UK. Compact geometry framesets with sensible clearances. Designs that look current and still perform beautifully today.   

Some saddles fall into the classic narrative. Aside from traditional leather saddles, which has remained a quiet institution among tourists, there’s the Selle Italia Turbo, the Rolls etc. The catalyst for this sudden rush of retrospective was induced by the arrival of Selle San Marco Concor Super Corsa saddle. Tipping the scales at 320g, it’s not the lightest but hardly outlandish, so now sits pride of place on my fixed gear winter/trainer.

I had a Concor on my first fixed-a conversion based around a 501 tubed Raleigh frameset. 

When that frameset died in July ’92, I bought a comparable frameset from a small scale, midlands-based builder. Ported most of the stuff over and headed to London’s East End. University and idealism followed. Come ’94, I’d worn it smooth, the rails a little wobbly where they slotted in the base.

Flogged it to a cash strapped land surveying student for as little as I paid for it (Having bought a luminous yellow Turbo gel from a shop’s bargain bin). Not a bad buy and it matched the frameset’s lurid enamel. Shortly afterward, I’d primarily switched to cross country mountain bike racing and a flyte.

Had a couple of the minimalist, ti railed wonders and got along with them surprisingly well. Back then, saving every last gram, as economically as possible, was the primary focus. Though I keep a keen eye on my machine’s girth, it’s not at comfort’s expense.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this PRO Stream Off Road Saddle weighs a positively feathery 207g. Surprising, since the rails are stainless steel (Inox) Yes, there’s a bit of carbon involved, and on some levels, a less obvious choice for my Univega. However, I’ve been running the BBB Echelon with good results. Besides, being a mixed terrain, four seasons’ build its perfect for assessing the design’s capabilities and potential limitations. 

Classics aside much technology has improved considerably. Clothing is one area, where materials have become more sophisticated on the one hand but crucially budget and mid-point clothing staples arguably represents better value than ever before. I’ve been quite impressed by these middleweight Prendas Ciclismo Winter Cycling Socks https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/prendas-ciclismo-coolmax-winter-cyc   

Lighting and other, electrical tech are another, prime example. These days it’s difficult to find a poor light, thanks to competition. I’ve been particularly impressed by this Moon Meteor.

Not the most powerful designs (400 lumens steady, 500day flash) but extremely compact and a great companion to my high-power dynamo units. 

A good choice for pared-to-the essentials best/winter bikes.  Intelligent and tuneable designs are another clear trend. Knog Cobber Mid rear Light https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/knog-cobber-mid-rear-light  being one example. At the time of writing, these are at the upper end of the market. However, like most tech, it’s only a matter of time before this technology trickles down. 

Others, such as this See Sense Icon2 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/see-sense-icon-2-rear-light offer these options but are also capable of monitoring road surfaces and a wealth of other information. This can be shared, via their app and theoretically, has the power to shape town planning and improve safety. However, you don’t have to use all these features to appreciate its intelligent design.  

At the other end of the market, this Oxford Ultratorch R75 pumps out an impressive 75 lumens (tops) and so far, decent run times, from a full charge.

There are four modes in total. Three flashing (high, medium and low) modes and my default, flashing.  COB (Chips on Board) technology intensifies output, since you can pop more diodes within the same space. In this instance 24. 

These are fuelled by a lithium polymer cell and the unit meets IP65 for weatherproofing. To date, ours has been swamped with dodgy standing water, silt, spray and similar unmentionables with no issues. Talking of subverting wet stuff, I’ll close with my review of the Raw Prismatic reflective Mud flaps https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/raw-prismatic   

Hairs' Breadth

Tyres have been at the forefront of my mind these past couple of weeks, what with the Schwalbe Kojak suffering some rather gruesome lesions courtesy of broken glass and my Ford Ka’s front pair suddenly splitting where it wasn’t obvious, leading to some very curious motorway handling as I cruised home from another day’s temping. Then we’ve these Schwalbe Marathon plus, which are the best road-orientated commu-winter/touring rubber I’ve used to date. Rolling resistance is refreshingly low too given their relative girth, deep tread and maximum 85psi operating pressure.

Seemingly invulnerable to the usual suspects, Kevlar is superseded by a soft, maulable sub section, which forces potential invaders out, as opposed to in with every rotation, which holds obvious appeal for dead of night riding, four seasons’ commuting and of course, laden touring. However, while our 35mm sections shared more than passing affinity with reality, shipping them aboard standard section ‘cross hoops saw rapid development of embarrassing hand muscles. 

I knew I was pushing my luck somewhat given the Ilpompino’s wishbone rear triangle is reckoned to manage 35mm tops-sans guards. No surprise then to discover their residual rubber whiskers tickling the undersides but given a hundred miles or so, these wore smooth, although clearance is strictly fag paper territory!

Said experience saw expedient purchase of this Cyclo workshop tyre fitter. Essentially a Godzilla lever, it works on the simple principle of leverage-slip the hoped end aboard the axle and rotate clockwise to persuade stubborn beads on/off in seconds. Hardly a novel concept perhaps but aluminium construction with high quality composites bodes well for longevity, even in commercial settings and better still, Cyclo are a UK brand.

Despite cataclysmic industrial decline these past four decades; the UK remains a hotbed of invention. Take these Santo Velo arm warmers.  Brainchild of midlands based Guy Stanton, one time moto-crosser turned sportive specialist who has devised protective models following a nasty spill that left him nervous about riding with extensive gravel rash. Unable to find a commercial product, he experimented with various materials before ultimately settling upon antibacterial EVPA- a rubberised elastomer more commonly employed in flat roofing contexts.

Initial impressions are very favourable, rugged fleece lined Lycra is extremely tactile and does an excellent job of retaining warmth, while the padded fillets offer excellent damping from road shock and general fatigue when hunkered low on the tri bars for longer periods. Fordist black with retro reflective detailing is quite nifty on nocturnal runs and compliments this Primal Wear Tattooed print jersey handsomely. Primal have been spicing up race jerseys/accessories since 1992 and this sports a medley of classic and contemporary designs ranging from Chinese tigers/90’s tribal stuff to Celtic crosses and themes from an era when ink was strictly the preserve of service folk and “undesirables”. 

Cut is extremely flattering, though while Primal make much of their  “Pro sensor Advanced Moisture Transfer”; essentially it’s just a plaited two layer polyester weave. Fibres against the skin absorb wetness, while the second uses existing body heat to spirit it away, thus banishing odour and chill. 

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem so effective at warding off little darlings who believe twelve-year-old bangers with big cans and thumping base are suitable substitutes for driver competency…Staying retro, this SKS triangle bag is the 80’s shoulder holder repackaged for a new audience. Made in cooperation with deuter, there’s a more tour friendly persona-hence less pronounced padding but Bontrager has also reintroduced the classic holster design with a distinctly pure, Mountain bike flavour.

Nonetheless, It swept me back to 1989 and geography classes spent ogling triple butted, rigid cross country Cro-moly fare with bio-pace cranksets, Tioga farmer John tyres, Girvin flex stems, Power grips and a host of similarly iconic stuff that proliferated the era’s cycling press. Not a good example for subsequent generations perhaps but infinitely more appealing than listening to a hirsute middle aged man prattling on about his gap year adventures across the Sahara desert aboard a melon truck with his old Etonian friend!

Correctly tensioned Velcro and slimline profiles eliminate annoying, thigh-brushing sway while the rip-stop nylon fabric seems pretty waterproof, aided in no small part by its sheltered location between seat and top tubes. Hmm, Ridgeback S, Muddy Fox Courier, Fisher Hoo-Koo-Ecoo, Saracen Kili Flyer anybody?