The mystery of the dormant dynamo

 

Once upon a time, dynamos needed voltage regulators to prevent bulb implosion that was a very common issue when tandems and long descents. I was surprised to discover a pronounced lack of illumination from the long serving Exposure Revo lamp. Thankfully,  the Gaciron Cetus 1700 Gaciron Cetus 1700 Underneath Bike Light | cycling-not-racing was playing backing singer. Most dynamos are very reliable these days, but we only need a snagged cable, or some other issue to plunge us into darkness, possibly many miles from home. For these reasons, I typically have a secondary high power rechargeable torch type along for the ride.

The mount remains permanently attached to the bars, the light typically secreted inside a bar bag, or similar bike mounted luggage. Having returned, I pondered the possibilities. The lamp itself, though thirteen years old and exposed to the worst the lanes and trails could throw at it, very well sealed from the elements and had never been subjected to jet washing, or similar abuse.

The cabling also seemed fine. No obvious signs of wear, or damage.  That left the Shutter Precision SL9 hub. The terminal block, spring contact possibly? The hubs themselves are well sealed and turn on cartridge bearings that in my experience, run for 20,000 miles before getting the grumbles.

Before getting deep in the diagnostics, the easiest thing was to switch back to the Shimano Ultegra unit. I’d already decided that I was using the Sl9 wheel as a second/spare so would not get the hub’s electricals repaired, simply run it as a traditional front wheel. Repair would mean stripping the wheel and returning to Shutter Precision in Taiwan.

I’m fond of these units, but I’ve found Shimano are more cost-effective long term. Not least since basic servicing, such as bearing replacement is within the means of home mechanics and decent shops.  The switch coincided with returning from a mucky ride to discover a slow flat caused by a tiny sharp, most likely a hedge clipping.

Tube switched, pin hole patched and a deep, sudsy bucket clean followed. Switching wheels and giving the wheel a good spin, I was relieved to find the Revo lamp coming to life. While the Weldtite All Weather lube Weldtite All Weather Lube | cycling-not-racing was turning a little filmy, it was holding on, so I decided against topping up, not least since the KMC X10 was coming to the end of its life.

Plan was to run the chain out, switch and either apply some more All Weather, or something similar, should it land on the test bench.  Having washed, waxed and dried Denise, I’ve decided to switch to Muffin, since the weather is progressively wetter. Mudguards and a simple drivetrain being the obvious practicalities, although the geometry and stout buxom rubber makes for engaging, yet predictable handling, not to mention a magic carpet ride. Perfect for general riding, these characteristics come into their own during the darker, slippery months.  The M Part Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar Tape M Part Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar | cycling-not-racing is still impressing with its damping and reliable all-weather grip. Then of course, I want to get some more miles in with the Sigma Buster1600 and RL150 lights. Steve’s been impressed with its 800lumen sibling Sigma Buster 800 and RL150 Light Set | cycling-not-racing  

Autumn well underway and another year wiser, I’ve decided to drop Muffin’s gearing slightly, no sense straining the knees, or other joints- another Arundel fixed sprocket since these seem accurately machined, well finished and modestly priced. I’ve gone the electroplated, rather than stainless route on the basis of price, although the latter might repay the investment on salty winter roads.  

I’ve been pondering suitable substitution for the Silca Nastro Piloti Silca Nastro Piloti Bar Tape | cycling-not-racing which performs really well on the tarmac and excellent connection with the bars-a good bet for long steady audax miles, possibly winter training too, although in  my view, a bit pricey for the latter. However, given I like to play in the dirt regularly, damping was also a priority.

Enter this Ergon Orthocell. Apparently, it’s made from a medical grade material that’s also employed in their saddles. This is designed to distribute pressure evenly, thus insulate against intrusive vibration, and ultimately fatigue in the hands, arms and shoulders. In common with others, an anti-slip coating to counteract sweaty hands and torrential rains. Whether these qualities also improve grip and control when the temperatures tank, remains to be seen.  

Autumnal Promise

 

Not had the cool, bright ambience I’m particularly fond of, rather the rush and rumble of sugar beet being funnelled into trucks and lanes carpeted in a mixture of leaves and acorns, bringing a new dimension to riding. Acorns can prove surprisingly good at testing a tyres traction, especially when the rains strike. No issues with the Maxxis Ravager Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing, Rambler Maxxis Rambler Tubeless Ready Tyres | cycling-not-racing, Vittoria and Continental Pure Contact-plenty of feedback and compliant casings certainly help. The Weldtite All Weather is doing its thing impeccably too. It’s a lower viscosity formula, so a little trickier than some to get a really controlled, sparing coating on the chain. Doing so rewards with much less grit, grot and ultimately need for weekly wipes of the side plates.  Fitting the Zefal Crank Armor presented an ideal opportunity to check chain health-just shy of .5, so a reasonable amount of life remaining. .7 is pension point for 10speed chains, although sometimes, say following a more involved strip, or deep clean and there’s a replacement to hand, I may switch at .6.

There’s no such thing as the wrong weather, rather the wrong clothing- a phrase credited to Alfred Wainright, back in 1973 but it certainly resonates with me, both throughout my riding “career”. Basically, the notion we can enjoy any kind of weather, with the right kit. Admittedly, while I accept punctures and other mid ride mechanicals are “part of the ride”, not to mention product testing but they’re not my favourite experience when it’s raining dogs in the wee small hours. While DWR coatings found on jerseys are great for an unexpected showers and will typically buys 30 minutes to either reach home or don a technical jacket.

The Castelli Do Di Ci to my surprise, forgoes the DWR component in favour of rapid wicking (which it seems to do very effectively) although surprisingly enough, I’ve remained dry in the showery contexts described above. On longer, or potentially changeable outings, I default to Madison Road Race Super Light Men’s Waterproof Softshell Jacket Madison Road Race Jacket | cycling-not-racing since its packable and offers a decent level of protection. Unlike, the classic “condom” jacket, which are great if you want to sweat some weight off, the Madison breathes very effectively and packs nicely into a bigger wedge pack, assuming if like me, you prefer it didn’t consume a jersey pocket.    

Continuing the right kit narrative, packable garments have their place and can be a serious godsend. However, more persistently wet, wintry weather calls for a more traditional technical jacket. A sudden onset of “stormy” weather saw me reaching for this Showers Pass Elements Jacket SHOWERS PASS MEN'S ELEMENTS JACKET | cycling-not-racing which boasts excellent 15000mm waterproofing and breathability, not to mention some very clever retro-reflective technology. The only thing I’ve really missed is a breast pocket for easy access to my compact camera. It also proved an ideal opportunity to don the Sidi Algor, which have held up very well against deep standing water and similarly wet and occasionally gritty stuff. I’ve gone for waterproof socks in the first instance but will also get soe miles in wearing traditional merino blend socks to see how the boot’s water repelling properties hold off the elements.    

 

I was delighted to receive this Altura Night Vision Storm Jacket. The Night vision could arguably be described as something of an iconic model for commuting and general riding. I’ve used previous versions long term and found them very practical and surprisingly durable. Waterproofing and Breathability are 10,000mm apiece, which is my yardstick, for this kind of garment-one that will wick fairly effectively when turning a decent tempo.

That said, I prefer those with a breathability rating closer to 15,000mm for longer, more intensive riding. Weight is another consideration, this Altura tips the scales at just under 500g, which again is typical of this genre of garment but a higher end model, such as this Gore are around the 300g mark, which is quite considerable. Similarly, while models such as the Altura are packable, we’re talking 126-20 litre pannier, or Bike Packing Seat pack such as this PASSPORT CYCLES BIKEPACKING SEAT PACK | cycling-not-racing  or the Lomo 13 Litre Bikepacking Seat Pack  Lomo 13 Litre Bikepacking Seat Pack | cycling-not-racing not rack bag, let alone jersey pocket.

Fine on a tour, but not necessarily ideal on a training run, or day ride. Oh, and if you’ve gone this route (or at the other extreme, returned from a hell and high-water mission) hang the jacket out to dry properly.  Polyester blends are pretty easy to wash too-pop in the machine at 30 degrees, minimal detergent, line dry (or indoors) naturally away from sources of heat.   

 

Bosses, BIg Tyres & Brainstorming

 

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the low-rider mounts on my fixed’s replacement fork blades. I have no use for a low-rider, least of all on carbon blades, so will ponder what (if anything) other purposes they might serve. Feel free to comment.  

For the time being, while I await a few things and battle Sabre Tooth Man-Flu, I’m sticking with the Kinesis DC7 and see no sense in creating more work for its own sake. I’m still putting the CST Pika and Xpedium pairing through their paces and am generally impressed by their blend of dependability, relatively low rolling resistance and surprisingly compliant ride. Particularly when I’ve introduced a TPU tube, such as this Pirelli PIRELLI CENTURATO REINFORCED SMART TUBE (sevendaycyclist.com) .  

Admittedly, most of us would stick to bog standard butyl, especially with the Xpedium but it’s worth noting that a TPU tube brought a livelier persona-most obviously when accelerating and climbing.  These can be patched but it's not something you’d want to chance by the roadside, so bring a couple of butyl spares along, just in case.  

Staying with tyres for now, having tracked the weather forecast for an extended period, I am satisfied now thundersnow, or similarly extreme weather is coming for the foreseeable. Therefore, I’ve switched Ursula to the Maxxis Overdrive Excel, which has a tread pattern reminiscent, but different to the CST Xpedium.  

They're a similar weight too- the 26x2.0 tip my scales at 720g apiece, while the 700x35c CST Xpedium are 715g. However, Overdrive Excel boasts a dual compound for reliability and grip, the Xpedium a single, supposedly for longevity.

Both seem rugged and dependable and will entertain “gravel” type excursions quite convincingly. The last thing I want along a pitch-black road where it’s raining dogs and blowing a gale is a puncture, or similar mechanical.   

Riders something slightly quicker for their winter road bike, might be interested in these Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Reflective tyre Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Reflective Ty | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Steve’s been suitably impressed but it’s worth noting they’re a good deal dearer than the CST. 

Even seemingly belt n’ braces models such as Schwalbe’s mighty Marathon GT 365TESTED: SCHWALBE MARATHON GT 365 TYRES WINTER UPDATE (sevendaycyclist.com) can succumb to a nasty sharp. Ursula’s rear had a flint cut through to the puncture-repelling India rubber- their last line of defence. Thankfully, this didn’t result in a flat and I was able to plug the hole with a decent quality superglue, for workable, lasting repair.   

Back to the Maxxis... 

Since I had the rear wheel out, it seemed the ideal opportunity to get the drivetrain surgically clean. I delivered some Green Oil Clean Chain Degreaser Jelly GREEN OIL CLEAN CHAIN DEGREASER JELLY (sevendaycyclist.com) to the KMC chain, ring and jockey wheels, then blasted the cassette with the Motoverde Drivetrain Cleaner Motoverde Drivetrain Cleaner | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since this was almost spent. After agitating this lot with a stiff brush, I chased the residual, filmy layer away with a quick drop of Green Oil Agent Apple Extreme Immersion Degreaser TESTED: GREE OIL AGENT APPLE EXTREME IMMERSION DEGREASER (sevendaycyclist.com) and rinsed with fresh, tepid water. 

Drivetrain dried and everything reinstated, I treated the rear triangle to some Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax to seal the shine and keep the elements out.  Muc Off All Weather Chain Lube arrived over Christmas, so was the obvious candidate. This is marketed as a race ready synthetic lubricant, designed to resist water and fling. The four-hour curing time is less convenient than some, but isn’t particularly outlandish, either. I left ours overnight, since circumstances allowed.  

Curiously, for an all-weather blend supposedly capable of standing up “to even the toughest rides”, it's recommended you clean and reapply after riding in wet conditions. Only time and real-world mileage will give proper insight. Winter is sneaky and while components may remain in rude health, given proper care, fasteners can turn furry at the first hint of a puddle. Ursula’s six bolt disc rotor mount and calliper mount hardware was showing signs of orange taint. A drop of Green Oil Wet lube is great for preventing the taint’s progression and unlike a maintenance spray, won’t contaminate rotor, or pads. Finally, for this post, here's my review of the Shimano RX6 Gravel Shoes. Definitely one of my favourite shoes of all time Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)