Ruggedly Dependable

 

Yes, that statement could be applied to me in some respects, but I’m talking winter components. After some deliberation, I decided to switch Muffin’s Continental Pure Contact for the Contact Plus. No particular reason, save for the fact I was going to be cleaning the chain and applying the Muc Off C3 All Weather, so thought I’d switch rubber since opportunity presented.  Planet X advised that there was clearance for 43mm, so I’ve reached for the bigger, 40mm Continental Contact Plus TESTED: CONTINENTAL CONTACT PLUS TYRES  .

These are a wire bead model, adding some significant grams over the folding Pure Contact but they roll surprisingly well for a big tyre and are seriously dependable when it comes to cuts and ultimately, punctures. Flats happen and will claim even the most dependable pneumatic rubber at some points, but I’d sooner not be tending one on a cold, dark, wet night.

Interestingly, the Contact Plus are much easier to mount and remove and seem to offer a bit more room at the rear triangle- when both are inflated to 70psi. Anyhow, that’s all academic, the Contact Plus are staying, at least for winter.  

The Muc Off C3 All Weather seems a little slicker than its base counterpart Muc-Off All Weather Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing and indeed, Weldtite All Weather Lube Weldtite All Weather Lube | cycling-not-racing , although that’s less surprising, given the price differential. Mot much between them on the cleanliness front, if a diet of muddy, greasy lanes is any gauge.

The Weldite is drizzle on, wipe and go, whereas the Muc-Off require four hours to cure. I’ve tended to leave it overnight but as you’d hope, have also tested the four-hour claims.  Seems so in temperatures between 11 and 14 degrees, although tanking temperatures may sing a different tune.  

 Storm Claudia gave ample opportunity to assess its staying prowess, not to mention that of the Sidi Algor. Thus far, both are holding out against the waterlogged lanes and driving rains, which is very welcome. However, I’ll need some sustained cold to assess the latter properly-afterall, Algor literally translates as “cold”.  An unintentional ejection of the Gaciron Cetus Gaciron Cetus 1700 Underneath Bike Light | cycling-not-racing front light, into a deep puddle suggests weather sealing is very good. True, it’s not full-on submersion but still impressive and there’s been no lasting effect, or damage.

Wetter periods are also leading me to conclude the Ergon bar tape is understated on the grip front and reassuringly easy to get along with-no slipping, no white-knuckle rides and, unlike some, surprisingly straightforward to keep clean.

A quick shot of bikewash, lathered up with a medium stiff brush will shift mucky, ingrained spatter with nominal effort. Plenty of mixed terrain riding suggests the 3mm Orthrocell padding is very effective over longer distances but without looking unduly bulky. Less important on a gravel bike perhaps, but great if you were looking to dress a more traditional road specific winter/trainer, or tourer.  Until recently, temperatures have been mild enough for mitts. This is significant because it enabled me to assess the texture and purchase against bare skin. The woven surface texture is slightly reminiscent of cotton tapes, although without the sogginess when it’s raining dogs.  

     

Having tweaked Denise’s rear mech tension slightly, curing a modest but annoying shifting glitch midway along the cassette, I returned from a particularly wet ride, to discover a tiny but annoying amount of play in Denise's one- inch Stronglight A9 headset. 

 

An easy fix, although less convenient when you can't locate those large wrenches. I found my BBB Headfix but then recalled I only had a single 32mm and needed two. Couldn't locate my cherished Campagnolo but thankfully was able to remove slop and get everything bang on with a single wrench-seems as if the cable hanger worked as a useful buffer, preventing the bearing race moving while I snugged the locknut down. 

 

One of those periodic, rather than regular tweaks but reminded me how convenient the Aheadset systems are by comparison.  Two Allen keys-4mm for the pinch bolts and a 5/6mm for adjusting the pre-load. An easy job mid ride, or indeed tour-assuming bearings and races are otherwise in good health.

Servicing using stout grease and protecting the lower race from water and ingress. Obviously, mudguards (fenders) make a huge difference, but this isn't always practical.  A boot made from scrap butyl inner tube is another additional defence, extending their life and to some extent, service intervals. Especially on gravel and mountain bikes seeing hard service. 

After a very ambient start, November has awoken and with wet roads and temperatures dipping below zero, I decided to dust down some 35mm Schwalbe Winter Spikes- I really didn’t want a repeat of last January, claiming a jersey, tights and Denise’s Tektro RL520 brake lever. Not to mention some pride... The Marathons can be stubborn to fit, and these are no exception, claiming a composite Park tyre lever and causing a pinch flat.

 Minimum pressure is cited as 35psi, max 85, so I’ve gone for 65-70, offering a bit more grip but without unduly compromising rolling resistance.  Minus 2 on our first outing and the bike handled as if it were on rails, the spikes biting into the ice beneath and providing that beautiful traction. However, caution and sense are still called for- the elements can catch us out and other road users may slide, or experience difficulties. Something I was reminded of when a large Honda overtook, slid and then mis-shifted.  No harm done to either party but a reminder none of us can afford to be complacent.  

  

 

Women have interests, Men have obsessions

 

A common remark and anecdotally, quite accurate. There are varying degrees of this, but I will confess to having an obsessive streak, although in day-to-day life, am very adept at keeping these in check. The ability to obsessively tweak, refine and adjust stuff (with episodic euphoria and despair) can prove all encompassing.   

The wait for a new headset brought with it time to reflect and some switching round of the fleet. I’ve decided to take the fixed gear winter/trainer a more minimalist route, switching the Topeak Super Tourist DX over to Ursula and porting the Kinekt Waterproof Saddlebag KINEKT WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) back over. This has meant the front end is now heavier than the rear, primarily down to the Shutter Precision PD8 HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) dyno hub front wheel.  

A week of torrential showers led to some very muddy lanes and hedge clippings flushed from the verges, spelled punctures. Mercifully, these were pedestrian and only made themselves known several hours post ride when I was home. Tiny holes, so easily patched and no obvious damage to the tyres. I have switched Denise’s front from the WTB Nano WTB Nano TCS Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to the Maxxis Ravager TR Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which are slightly friskier and more resistant to thorns and hedge clippings.  The perpetually wet conditions are brilliant for evaluating waterproof kit, including these Shimano MW7 booties, which have stiffer soles and Boa fasteners for a precise fit.  

As I’ve said before, water will creep in via the cleat drillings, but this is easily subverted with waterproof socks. Will also be interesting to see how well the Oxford Mint Bicycle Assembly grease copes with the darker, colder and wetter conditions. Yes, I assembled the cleat hardware with it.     

With the Topeak Super Tourist DX switched, the Ravemen TR100 now clings limpet like from the fixed’s mono stay. 

Headset issues resolved courtesy of this FSA and another spacer, I bolted the front end back together, applying lashings of the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice. The lower race bearings are cartridge, the upper balls, but if you’re going the hybrid route, this is the way things should go. While both upper and lower races feature seals, I’m a believer in liberal amounts of grease to keep things buttery smooth and pitting free.  

 

 

I’ve also gone belt n’ braces, fitting a butyl tube boot to the lower race to lock winter right royally out.  Front end reinstated and behaving perfectly, I turned my attentions to the drivetrain, wiring up the STX front mech, fitting a chain. I left the front mech cable stretching for twenty minutes, on the big ring and then pulled it through before turning my attentions to the rear.  

 

To my horror, nothing would sync. Closer inspection revealed I’d been seduced by the lure of a bargain shifter, only to discover it’s an MTB version. Inconvenient, but I’m to blame and it’s hardly the world’s end. I had a quick wander round the web, bought another, double checking it was the road version. Not such a bargain, but still favourable and moreover, the right model.   

  

The pull ratio for road and mtb are different, hence the issue. Trying to get it to mesh would be an exercise in futility and wasted time. I’d also noted the inner wire had also frayed annoyingly, but not altogether surprising, since it was a workshop basic, rather than premium quality unit. Sometimes we get bargains but in keeping with life generally, we get what we pay for. Often, there’s not a massive jump in price between staple and mid-range.  The left-hand side was fine, given front mechs aren’t indexed.  

 

Some more enforced leave but crucially progress is being made and the headset issue, sorted. Just a question of wiring in the new bar con, dialling the rear mech in, wrapping the bars and maybe tweaking the rear brake. During this episode, I managed to break the pin of a rather nice chain tool- weird since everything was correctly aligned, and I wasn’t applying undue force…My first attempt to wash the bar wrap didn’t remove as much of the oily patina as I’d first hoped, so I gave that a degreaser pre-wash, agitated that with my Oxford Tyre scrub and then tossed it in the machine at 30 degrees, along with some equally funky riding kit.  So near, yet so far…

 

Upside Down

Having replaced the fixed gear winter/trainer’s headset, upon returning from our shakedown ride, I was despondent to discover a load of slop. A carpenter once said to me (while I was struggling with a student magazine feature) “Come back to it”. Words that have always resonated with me and usually, the most effective use of time, too.

Returning to something at a later point, the problem(s) and solutions are often obvious. Against this backdrop, I’d gone to do the supermarket food and fuel run in the KA.  

Fridge and cupboards stocked, I hopped online and looked for an exploded diagram of the FSA Orbit MX. Lo and behold, as I suspected the inscription on the lower race bearing was “upside down” when “right way up”.  

Hmm...work stand erected, wheel out, stem off. Sliding the forks out confirmed I had indeed, put the lower race bearing the wrong way up. Refitted, with an additional lick of Bearing Juice for luck, I double-checked the upper bearing-correct. 

 

Locking headset spacers make refitting stem etc that bit easier, since among other things, it’ll prevent the fork steerer from slipping out. This time round, I employed a gash 700x32c butyl tube to tether everything, while I fitted a 2mm spacer and a Dia Tech locking spacer beneath the Vecnum FreeQENCE Suspension Stem Vecnum FreeQENCE Suspension Stem | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

 

I’ve acquired two Dia Tech locking spacers, one plain, the other with a cable hanger. I’d found them bankrupt stock. Ursula’s is the only part that remains of its original build. Redundant in some respects, given I’ve gone over to disc, the locking function is to me, a serious boon.      

Back to the fixed...

Preload and stem bolts loosely set, everything felt buttery smooth and free of unwanted play. Wheel reinstated, K-Lite dynamo K-LITE ULTRA LOW DRAG DYNAMO LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) switch cabling retethered to the fork leg with two cable ties...Out from the stand...Front brake on while rocking the bike back and forth revealed some residual play in the bearings. A slight turn of the preload cured that.  

Stem bolts set to 5mm, rocking test repeated, all felt fine, so I quit while ahead and before obsessional neurosis set in. Anything obvious had been eradicated. A quick cleaning of the frameset with Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) before everything was repatriated to the garage.   

I’ve switched Ursula from the Muc Off Dry Lube to Momum MIC Wax Momum MIC Wax Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which, in common with its dryMomum Mic Dry Oil Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) sibling is quick curing, can be topped up (without needing to strip the residual) and returns a decent mileage per application. This also gave opportunity to tweak the rear mech’s cable tension, since there was some jumping when riding in the small ring and under load. Little n’ often checks and tweaks are what keeps us rolling and more serious issues/breakdowns minimal.  

 

A few formative rides on the fixed suggests the Dia Tech spacer has solved the problem. Much the same story for the Teenage Dream’s reconfigured transmission. My suspicions that a 42 ring was a better fit than a 39 with the 14-24 block and returning to Time ATAC pedals better knee health is panning out nicely.  

I’ll leave the spec alone now, although how many times have, I said that... Hmm, watch this space... The weather has turned decidedly soggy, meaning I’ve switched back to Ursula and the fixed gear winter/trainer but great for testing, too.  

Aside from being relieved, I’d gone the sealed bearing route with the latter’s new headset, it's proven a wonderful opportunity to get some serious miles in with the Muc Off Waterproof Socks. There are plenty of waterproof designs on the market. Most are genuinely competent, but these seem a better fit with sportier cycling shoes. 

  

I’ll close here with my review of the Madison Roam Men’s Cargo Bib Shorts Madison Roam Men's Cargo Bib Shorts | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and Steve’s test of the Chiba BioXCell Air Cycling Mitts Chiba BioXCell Air Cycling Mitts | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)