Chilly Charms & Sudden Thaws

 

Conditions became wintrier as January unfolded and I was relieved I'd left the Schwalbe Marathon Winter mounted to Denise's wheels meaning I could just hop on, relax and enjoy the ride, despite the icy stretches. I decided to switch the Selle Royal Respiro for the WTB Rocket WTB Rocket Saddle | cycling-not-racing . The Respiro served me well for the best part of 13 years and I wondered whether the foam matrix was beginning to lose its memory around the rear.  It also heralded the return of these “lobster” gloves, since wind chill had brought the air temperatures considerably lower than minus 6.

Warmth is a definite plus but there’s trade off on the dexterity front, which can dictate their removal when bag rummaging, multi tool wielding and other tasks requiring fine motor skills. These link two fingers together, so allows me sufficient freedom to operate a compact camera, adjust a zipper etc. Better than the mitten type, but still comparatively limited.  For this reason, I also pack a set of liners, or middleweight gravel types, should I need to tackle a flat, or similar.

Considerations aside, they are blissful for otherwise bitterly cold midwinter outings. Blessed with a generous thatch, I tend to default to a water repelling, breathable cap such as this Showers Pass Elite SHOWERS PASS ELITE CYCLING CAP | cycling-not-racing. However, when il fait froid, I reach for another old favourite, the “Belgian” style cycling cap, which has served me well for around twelve winters.

These are characterised by better coverage and protection to the ears and a slightly thicker, sometimes fleecy inner fabric. I reach for mine once the air temperature hovers around zero, or the wind chill drags it into minus figures. Higher and I find the breed a little too toasty for my tastes.  The Sidi Algor Sidi Algor MTB Shoes | cycling-not-racing have proven themselves extremely temperate when the mercury’s dipped to minus 6. Not that I’ve had any issues with Shimano’s mighty MW702 Shimano MW7 (MW702) Gore Tex MTB Shoes | cycling-not-racing in similar contexts, but the Algor are slightly toastier.

The Zefal Shield G50 guards continue to impress with their capacity for keeping crappy stuff off myself and Denise.  Aside from a weekly, judicious check of the Velcro, I've not needed to give them a second thought. I've also been pleased by Ursula's new front mudguard.

Though less elegant than the Mudhugger MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing and similar designs, its simple and offers good coverage to rider and machine without risk of clogging. How it will fare longer term, when the glop, UV light, heat and cold have done their worst, remains to be seen.

Mudguards, though a valuable defence are no substitute for regular cleaning. When the gritters have been out, give bikes regular washes, starting with a cold rinse to flush away the corrosive contaminant (hot will only accelerate the caustic process) before going for the warm sudsy bucket and brushes.  

There’s a lot of discussion around bike washes- in the Marmite sense. Some really like them, other folks loathe them, citing them as money for old rope. I sit somewhere in the middle. Salty season aside, I like those which can applied direct to the bike i.e. without having to get the bike wet first- scrub and rinse.

Otherwise, I default to good quality car wash n’ wax type formulas, which will gobble the grime, while leaving a light wax barrier behind. Obviously, this can’t compare with a decent quality hard paste, or fluid formula, but does offer some defence. Great for when time and daylight are at a premium.  

In a matter of days, ice and snow gave way to flooding, so it made sense to switch to Ursula for a bit, and I was also curious to see how well the new front mudguard performed when it came to waterlogged lanes. Suitably impressed, it made a huge difference to my comfort, although they’re arguably perfect for 1.9 section rubber. Glad I’d donned the Shimano MW702.

Managed to get the Blackburn Atom4 to play nicely with minimal effort. A shot of PTFE free spray on the sensors contacts and decent quality CR2025 cells seem to address the intermittent connectivity issues. The smaller frameset places the head unit and sensor in closer proximity, which probably helps.   

Balls Greased & Thighs Chafed

One thing led to another, and with the fresh spare wheel built for Ursula, it was time for a tear down of the Rigida Sputnik/Shimano XT M756 hub. It has served for nigh on two years without a break. I ordered another set of balls and did a double check of the manual to familiarise myself with any potential differences (between it and the lowlier Deore).   

Same modus operandi 15mm cone spanner, 17mm locknut. I had toyed with the idea of packing the fresh bearings with Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is more durable than a low friction formula might imply.  

Cassette slipped off easily since I’d applied a liberal amount of Park Tool Poly lube 1000 grease TESTED: PARK TOOL POLYLUBE 1000 LUBRICANT FOR BICYCLES (sevendaycyclist.com) to the lockring. Opinions vary regarding greasing the freehub splines. Slathering them in thick grease is not the way forward.  

Some suggest copper grease, but this can also become a horrible mess, given a few months-especially during winter. Summer bikes can forgo this altogether. I opt for a few localised spots of grease, which should rule out creaking and keeps the elements at bay, without attracting too much crap. 

Talking of which, I was surprised to find that while the factory grease had turned to a fluid state, there was still a decent amount protecting the hub and bearings. Components stripped, degreased and examined, all were in good shape, so I decided to re-grease and reassemble, leaving the new balls for another time. 

It was minus 2 and the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice seems tricky to apply when the mercury’s tanking. I was tempted to reach for some Muc Off Bio Grease TESTED : MUC-OFF BIO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com). However, I stuck with Juice Lubes Bearing Juice, since it’s intended specifically for bearings. Given the temperature, I brushed it into the races, carefully repatriated the bearings and then added a further layer of grease atop.

Axle back, cones snug, washer and locknut added, I gave things a quick, cursory spin. Buttery smooth-yay! 

I’d intended to swap wheels in any case, given the weather was turning bandit again. More ice, snow and similarly wintry stuff. The new Halo/Ryde and Shimano Alfine/Ryde Andra40 Shimano Alfine UR700 Hub Dynamo | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) wheels were shod with spikes in preparation.

Forecast was –5 on some days, so an opportunity to give the fixed gear winter trainer a good clean and switch to Ursula.  It was the ideal opportunity to get busy with some of the Weldtite Deluxe Bike Care Kit.  I had also succumbed to some painful chafing on my right thigh, which I initially drew a blank with. Thought it must’ve been a seam but while working around the bike, discovered a blood stain on the zipper of the Kinekt bag, suggesting my inner thigh had been brushing it.  

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the soft brush, which is relatively slender and for these reasons, nimbler than those with big surface areas. The Bike Wash also seems surprisingly efficient on heavily solid, ingrained muck. Spray on, leave a minute and then rinse with lukewarm water. This on the downtube literally slithered away with the first tickling from the bristle plot. I also took the opportunity to apply their Rapid Ceramic Shield, since it was part of the kit and I’d been sent some to test. It works like a wipe-on lacquer to seal out the elements.  

Simply spray into a damp micro fibre cloth, work into the frameset and components (avoiding the saddle, brakes and bar tape), then buff with a fresh cloth. Claimed safe on matt, satin, gloss, and natural/raw finishes.  

Once cured, theoretically wet, oils, sap, and similar stuff can’t adhere, keeping the bike cleaner longer. I’m hoping it delivers, given the forecast. Will be interesting to see how it compares with others, in terms of economy and staying prowess. I applied ours to the damp frame and then worked into the bike using the cloth, just to see if doing so made any difference.   

Weather forecasts were bang on and true to form, plenty of ice and an air temperature of minus 4. Thermal base layer, mid, and an old faithful wind and waterproof technical jacket. “Belgian” cap beneath a Bell Sweep lid, liner gloves, and some Altura Night Vision old faithfuls atop.  For the legs, thermal tights, Merino socks, and the Shimano RX600 Gravel Shoes Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).

Temperate, especially when turning a decent cadence, but there’s always the possibility of a roadside mechanical, which can prove uncomfortable, especially if it means gloves must come off. Talking of which, I also err towards a backup AAA-fuelled light, just in case the freezing temperatures have a negative effect on rechargeable Lithium Ion/Polymer cells.  

As I’ve said before, I’m not sold on magic links, and it was the first outing with Ursula’s new KMC chain. Rationally, there’s no reason to think it would give any issues, but humans are not rational. Thankfully, this was all academic and I was able to cruise along in comfort and enjoy the silence- interrupted oddly enough by the lovely whirr of the Halo Spin Doctor hub and the appearance of a solitary gritting lorry 2 miles from home.