Lubes & Links

 I’ve noticed an interesting dual persona to the Blub Ceramic Lube now that temperatures have crept a little higher and roads a little drier. 4 degrees or so and it requires eight hours or so to cure and assumes a state closer to a lighter middleweight wet lube. Muckier to touch but has stayed put for 280 generally wet, gooey miles before topping up was needed. Interestingly, Blub says it will also need topping up on bikes left standing (i.e. not ridden) longer than 48 hours. It took a week before this became plain during March, and with the temperatures wavering between 3 and 16 degrees.  

Same story with the fixed gear winter/trainer. 10-25 degrees is apparently where the lube’s qualities are best. Having replenished Ursula’s thirsty links, I only needed to wait five minutes before it turned from creamy to glazed. Much cleaner too.  Not necessarily ideal for weekend/ sunny days’ bikes but not necessarily a bad choice either-so long as you don’t mind reapplying a light coat each week. Talking of lubes, I’ve played with the Silca Secret Formula Chain Lube long enoughto form firm conclusion Silca Super Secret Chain Coating | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Steve's also been impressed by the Blub Chain Lube BLUB Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)Though unplanned, the Continental Cross King has proven a positive move. In common with the Maxxis, it’s relatively quick on tarmac and hardpack surfaces and sufficiently nimble along gravel roads, green lanes, and forest trails. I’m pondering going the Continental route up front too-again, with the puncture-repelling belt.       

As for the camera mount, well, that’s going to need some revision. The preset positioning is obscuring the Giant computer and I’ve also noted the camera platform, coupled with the use of resins isn’t adequately supporting the camera’s weight, resulting in shake and therefore blurred footage. I’m pondering whether I can revise this mount, or maybe salvage the Minoura. Perhaps a “permanent” bar bag, rear mudguard upgrade...Aside from consumables and testing, I’m not looking to change Ursula’s spec. The old girl is staying in Monster Cross guise.  

The recent blowout allowing, all the tubes have been easily patchable and have returned to the Axiom Ocean City Wave City+Seat Bag AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), a packet fresh WTB tube has also been parked in the bottle cage caddy. It’s been a bit of a journey, these past 25 years in life and indeed, component changes reflect this. Ursula: The Never-Ending Story | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Tag along tug, four seasons hell n’ high water, Ursula has been a friend, a confident and a reliable companion through some extremely turbulent times. While the days are quite chill suggesting winter hasn’t relinquished its grip just yet, there’s a brighter, sometimes drier narrative. It’s light by 630, enticing me to head out earlier and enjoy the peace.  

I’ve reached the conclusion that the most important components on a working bike are well sealed, hubs, headsets, bottom brackets, and sturdy paint.  

Opinions vary when it comes to colours. Skid mark brown certainly has a wealth of benefits, especially on the theft -repelling front. However, I’m drawn to more neutral livery- dove grey, cream, blues etc. I’ve occasionally toyed with the idea of a bold, vibrant purple next time round but “light” (Ral 7035) grey with a tough clear lacquer coat seems the most likely candidate, come the time the timeless cream starts looking, er, tired… (tyre photo Michael’s garage).     

Not to be left out, the fixed now features this rather lovely Ritchey WCS Carbrillo Saddle. Aimed at road and gravel audiences and measuring 260x146mm, it’s slightly shorter and broader than my “bike-fit” ideal but this wider, flatter shape has some other interesting features.  First up, there’s the patented “Vector Wing” technology, which I’m told features across all Ritchey saddles.  

This means the rails (stainless steel, in this instance) are isolated to help prevent hot spots by dissipating pressure more evenly, away from the sit bones for “all day” comfort. The cover is also noteworthy since it's seamless and attaches to the base without glue, staples, or stitches.  As for the padding, it's a light polyurethane foam.  As the name and 227g might suggest, there’s also some carbon involved. It features in the shell, which is a nylon/carbon fibre mix.  

Shorter nose saddles are designed for riders who want to assume a lower more aggressive stance, although at 260mm, the WSC is much closer to a traditional road saddle (and none the worse for it). Stubbier designs have been compatible with me in the short terms but in practice, I favour something slightly longer.  These things aren’t an exact science and as I’m always saying, contact points are the most personal, some might say, divisive points. 

Plan is to do three hundred miles on the fixed and then switch to Ursula, to test not only its comfort and performance on and off road, but to see if a more upright positioning, placing greater weight on the saddle has any impact. Then of course, there’s the flat profile. Does this have any impact when re/mounting along more technical, or potentially boggy sections of trail for example. 300 miles on each should give sufficient insight into its longer-term comfort, considerations, and potential limitations.  

Do those extra 3mm improve, or detract from comfort, does the sculpted design make any tangible difference? Racing and touring may seem worlds apart but the common link concerns equipment. Saddles being obvious examples, but it goes much wider and includes a change, or tweak to positioning. Never roll up to the start line, or into the wide blue yonder with equipment that’s fresh from the box- get at least a couple of hundred miles with it, while the stakes are low. New bike, groupset, wheels, panniers, shorts, shoes, shifters, the rule applies. I'll close here with my review of the Leatt Jacket MTB Endurance2.0 Leatt Jacket MTB Endurance 2.0 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

Mysteries...

 Playing a waiting game when it comes to hubs and teeth at present, although the latter is booked in for November, while the embers of a National Health Service remain. I’ll just be known as Meth Lab Mikey for the interim period. Credit to Ison DistributionWelcome to Ison Distribution | Ison Distribution (ison-distribution.com), they’ve sent me a replacement SL9. Next job is to drop hoop and hub with Mick Madgett. I’m sticking with the existing Evaura rim since it’s in good shape and given the UK’s economic climate, I’ll be using what I have, wherever appropriate. 

I dropped by Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating since I was in the area and happened upon this Dawes frame. At first glance, I thought it was a Dawes Edge-a high-end early 90s mountain bike built from Reynolds 531 Magnum tubing, but then I spotted the downtube gear lever bosses and the geometry...Maybe their One Down, a mountain bike frameset built for drop bars and with the full complement of touring braze-ons? 

However, it didn’t employ the “guitar string” cable guides typical of mountain bikes and there’s also a pump peg, which screams traditional road tourer. From memory and indeed, photographs, the One Down was TIG welded, not lugged and brazed.  Wish I’d taken the frame number now, but still.  

The more I reflect, the frame size and configuration shout tourer from this era and the 3rd bottle mount had possibly been added later down the line, coinciding with a re-spray. It certainly wasn’t a sibling to this Dawes they kindly refinished for me, back in 2018 GRAVEL BIKE ON A BUDGET: PART ONE (sevendaycyclist.com) 

The Dawes One Down and to a lesser extent, the Sadar follow a remarkably similar narrative to Ursula, and I really loved Dawes’ take on the rough stuff narrative during the late 90s. Both machines fired my imaginations to the point I would’ve bought either, had I not literally just built Ursula. Everything on the Dawes was right, off the peg, although I would doubtless have gone for a hub dynamo, upgraded the transmission etc, as components wore out.  

The frameset would also have been refinished by now, so in some respects, not much to choose pricewise between these complete builds and Ursula some 23 years hence. Ursula: The Never-Ending Story | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Fear not my tubby tourer, if you’re reading this, we are staying wedded.  

Later versions of the steel Strada also boasted disc brake mounts, although it was sadly replaced by an aluminium framed, flat bar incarnation in 2007. More town bike cum towpath cruiser than tubby tourer-it was hefty, too. 

A wetter, cooler autumnal progression confirms that, despite not being the sleekest aesthetic, the front Blumels Shiny mudguard SKS BLUEMELS SHINY MUDGUARDS | cycling, but not ususally racing (sevendaycyclist.com) remains highly effective at protecting rider and machine from wet, mucky stuff thrown up by the front wheel. Lights are mandatory on my morning outings- dynamo and potent blinkies at the rear.  

I was stunned to discover the Ravemen CLO6 USB Rechargeable Lightweight Sensored Rear Light RAVEMEN CL06 SENSORED REAR LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) has mysteriously expired. Luckily, I had the Kranx Strix 100 Kranx Strix 100 USB Rear Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) playing backing singer, so I just engaged the 50-lumen flash and carried on.  

Strange since the CLO6 is exceptionally reliable and I was convinced it was fully charged, before heading out. It's since received a full charge and behaving impeccably once more. One of those things, that can strike seemingly without reason. The Kranx Shard 100 USB Rear LightKranx Shard 100 USB Rear Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) also made a positive impression on Steve. 

Not to be outdone, my fixed fear winter/trainer’s handlebar mount suddenly imploded mid-ride, sending the long-serving Geonaute G-Eye 2 clattering to the tarmac. Mercifully, it seems unharmed. Thoughts were toward another Minoura mount, like that adorning Ursula’s bars.  

However, it’s been discontinued and while those I’ve spotted were around the £25-mark, £50 postage renders them uneconomic.

I spotted a composite homage on an auction site-£6, so could be bargain or bin fodder but at that price, a gamble I’m prepared to take. This also prompted a more general, fastener and cable tie inspection- I wasn’t surprised (yet still relieved) to find all well, but this serves to illustrate the importance of regular inspection. Things can still fail unexpectedly and without warning...