Bright Lights Cold Nights

Second week in bedsit land and the boiler has gone bong, meaning no heating and hot water. Memories of the winter of ’92 are flooding back. At present, the temperatures are still creeping into double figures and this property is double-glazed. Therefore, the frosty glaze remains on the outside my window, when I don Lycra and head out for a 5am ride.

Cold showers and a vanishing toilet seat are less welcome, although said facilities remain superior to that infamous East London property 28 years back. Indeed, its 28 years since I bought my first LED light. A rear, two mode Vistalight that was essentially a reflector on steroids but a huge leap ahead of the basic, heavy filament lights that were the norm then.  

Enter these Magicshine See Mee lights. I have the 200, 180 and 100 versions on my test bench and am seriously impressed. The highest figure refers to the “Braking function” which kicks in for three seconds when their motion sensor detects deceleration/similar changes in momentum.

Formative impressions suggest these are too sensitive, triggered by washboard tarmac and longer climbs, thus putting a noticeable dent in run times. Thankfully, they can be switched off. “Braking” lights have become more popular but most I’ve used seem prone to these quirks, so I’m not singling the See Mee range out, per se.

The flashing modes are very effective and relatively frugal, across the board. The 200 also has a tracer light, a secondary diode that casts a 360degree flood at the road, to highlight bike and rider-again, fantastic in terms of presence and my inner child has grinned at the novelty value.

Talking of which, these are competitively priced. The 200 costs £33.99, the 100 £25.99. (At the time of typing, I’m not sure of the 180’s rrp). For the time being, I’m sticking with the Continental Contact Speed Reflex. These continue to impress with their tarmac hugging prowess, low rolling resistant and magic carpet ride quality. To my surprise, the Lezyne Floor Drive track pump’s gauge has expired. I’d had it for some years and it’s a really solidly made unit.

I didn’t want the hassle of buying and installing a replacement gauge, so I went the standalone route and this Topeak Smart Gauge D2. The only potential weak spot is the sprung head. I liked the original Smart Gauge, which came my way some 16 years back, which was a little simpler and had a press on head that would automatically morph to a Schrader, or Presta valve.

Alas after a few years faithful service, mine imploded rather dramatically. A backlight function would be rather handy, say when getting back on the road following a flat-my SKS Air Checker (in storage) has one.

Some would say for the same price, I could’ve bought another track pump but that would be wasteful, since the Lezyne is really well made and a standalone gauge is not only portable but the most accurate. Elsewhere, on the protective/winter front expensive crank arms can get a spanking. These Zefal Crank Armor https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/zefal-crank-armor  are an inexpensive way of protecting them from dings, stones, and other accidental damage. However, they won’t guard against unsightly toe-strap rub and may present compatibility niggles with some cadence sensors.

I was stunned to discover Control Tech are ceasing production of the Silicone bar tape, which I’m astonished, since performance is top notch, in all conditions. 155g (uncut, including CNC machined ends) might be a touch portly for bikes on calorie-controlled diets. However, for mile munching tourers, gravel, and winter bikes, there’s so much going for it.  Need something bike-themed to read as lockdowns come into force? This might fit the bill https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/northbound-down 

    

Get some nuts, temp work and install a new bottom bracket while you’re at it!

You at the back, stop guffawing! I’m referring to the track variety and more specifically these electroplated beauties from the good folk at Edinburgh Bicycle. These are designed so their sadly defunct Cargo trailer can couple with fixed, or indeed other steeds using solid axles. Might need to revise that eighty-one inch gear though…Time will tell. Falling leaves also signalled the boxing up and return of their Audax bike-its been a very welcome, albeit temporary addition to the fleet and I’ll confess to shedding a farewell tear as I drew the gaffer tape taught around the box. However, akin to ET, it didn’t belong in my world/workshop indefinitely.

Experience suggests there’s a fine line between complimentary, dare I say comforting clutter and that countering creative flow. A healthy sense of organised chaos permeates my workspace and on a day-to day basis, this works just fine. However, a post features/testing binge calls for cathartic cleansing of papers and where appropriate, repatriation of equipment. In common with most teenagers, I had dreams of professional recognition as a successful author-name in lights stuff. Fundamentally nothing has changed and these remain a central focus or paraphrasing Tom Simpson, “Something to aim at”.

Both book projects continue with a gentle, lapping tide of progression. However, a sense of pragmatism dictates that freelancers adopt other flexible income streams. While something of a frustration, it is impossible to remain relentlessly creative, nay productive on a 24/7 basis

Many, myself included have a notion that if we’re not locked away in our studios or  ivory towers; then by definition we are not working. Creative forums can serve as useful  springboards but all too often descend into habitual and moreover dis empowering grumble fests sapping morale and moreover ingenuity. Thankfully a temp opportunity arose which helps with short- term liquidity while allowing investment in other areas.

Speaking of which, I’ve discovered Green Oil can supply their chain degreaser in workshop quantities (forms the basis of their miraculous citrus based bike wash when diluted) so I’ll be investing in some. They’ve also sent some second generation “White” clean lube. Devoid of petrochemicals, the original was good (at least while it lasted-we were averaging a mere forty road miles per application) so it’ll be interesting to see how the new formula compares.  

Dressed in black patent leather, I feel so much better…as the weather starts becoming more inclement and nightfall descends around 19.30, I’ve resurrected these Bontrager twin bolt commu-tour types. Low “ deft lick of the Jey cloth” maintenance, grippy soles and neutral colours compliment both ends of the wardrobe, although their footbeds were firmly in wallpaper stripping territory given a few season’s service! A fresh set of cleats completes the makeover and the design is just narrow enough to accommodate traditional overshoes should things turn decidedly damp…Shame they’re no longer current-although online retailers seem to have healthy stocks at generous discounts…

A penny shy of £70 this rather fetching Dhb EQ 2.5 jacket continues my black theme. It’s an affordable weatherproof model with a sportier than average, tailored cut that still entertains the time honoured base layer and race jersey combo. Red/black or grey/green are the similarly subtle alternatives, which may not be to everyone’s taste in murky weather and a few moonlit miles saw me don a Sam Browne belt or reflective tabard for enhanced road presence. On the flip side, the darker colours and Teflon coating slows the advance of grimy patinas in between low temperature machine washes.

Moisture management is pretty much on par with competitor models, keeping pace with my own at steady cadences and to around 20mph. Upping the tempo closer to chain gang speeds sees it struggle, especially when the mercury creeps into double figures but its available in gender specific cuts and seems ideally suited to winter proper (November-March).

 Much is made of China's status as an economic powerhouse and its implications for the West. Schools in particular have been quick to leap on a dogmatic bandwagon of teaching Mandarin. However, thanks to an ageing population and one child policy, the numbers of economically active adults fuelling its corporate engine will be greatly reduced with crippling implications.

Arguably next in line are India and Brazil, so Punjabi or Portuguese might be more prudent. Some within the cycle industry are suggesting the rising costs of imports from the Far East may be fuelling a slow but steady return to large- scale domestic production of lightweight frames…

Right, I’ll leave you all to ponder this while I whip out my big 13-½ inch (33.5cm) Lezyne CNC rod and replace the Univega’s cartridge bottom bracket. 

Meandering through the monsoon: Helmet cams, Secret compounds & portable detonators…

Rain has remained a consistent metaphor for my somewhat downbeat mood these past few weeks but maybe it’s just a question of skies being darkest before dawn. A publisher popped up from behind the proverbial parapet keen for the book project to take off, subject to contact. Heartening though this is, congratulatory backslapping does not a book write. Sat under the shade of Uncle Benny’s Veranda, guzzling diesel strength coffee, we happened upon a light bulb cash-flow solving moment. I have a long held fascination for pattern parts, specifically electronics and am seriously looking into importing some for commercial purposes…speaking of electricals, I’ve been mightily impressed by the original Go-Pro Hero HD helmet cam.

Arguably superseded by its MKII sibling, build and image quality remain top notch, especially in 1280x960 mode thanks to a wide-angle f2.8 lens. Documentary filmmaking prowess aside, its had a very positive effect upon driver etiquette. All but the most ignorant/unlicensed/uninsured (and therefore untouchable) overtook and approached with greater courtesy. That said, it’s widely acknowledged that in tense inner city neighbourhoods, violent conflict can be sparked simply by a motor/cyclist making greater progress through stationary traffic, let alone potentially criminal driver behaviours being recorded. Generally user-friendly, it requires several trial runs for intuitive function and consequently, I lost some potentially hilarious footage on those initial outings. Similarly, it’s a little hefty worn atop a lightweight road lid longer than ninety minutes, so I’m eager to get hold of the recently launched handlebar mount.

Our celebrity culture isn’t a new phenomenon, people see a camera and either call the authorities, or loose all inhibitions. Two teenagers approaching me couldn’t have drawn more attention to themselves if they’d sported colossal white beards and red tunics. Even those who wouldn’t so much as manage a grunt couldn’t resist a breezy holler and one chap even indulged in a bit of ad-hoc business promotion (didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d got the weather and therefore, soundproof backing in situ!).

Extensive praying to the god of blowouts brought some lovely goodies. These Panaracer Ribmo arrived for the Univega courtesy of their UK importer (www.zyro.co.uk). Three hundred miles or so through flooded roads has left a very positive impression, although their profiles are closer to 1.6 rather than 1.75 inches as denoted on their sidewalls. This hasn’t negatively affected performance, especially cantering across metalled road but called for tyre levers when persuading their folding versions aboard common or garden cross country mtb rims. In the wake of this latest wave of terrorist paranoia, perhaps this beautifully executed Lezyne micro floor drive pump could be mistaken for a plastics explosives detonator when cadging a lift on the bottle bosses and perhaps best stowed away in the panniers. Subversive humour aside, its mightily efficient to a genuine 120psi, which is sufficient for all bar top-flight tubulars. However, care must be taken to avoid accidentally triggering the bleed valve when disconnecting the hose.

A fresh set of fetching Fibrax gear cables have brought renewed vigour to the tubby tourer’s shifting and I’ve resuscitated its cheap but oh so cheerful blinky whose switch had succumbed to the recent Bollywood monsoon conditions. Dismantled and left to dry at room temperature, I administered a slathering of Vaseline to the internals and repaired a hairline crack where seal and lens meet using Effetto Mariposa Carbo Grip. Essentially, it’s a sophisticated silicone resin assembly spray, designed for the modern, composite age but works a treat on a wealth of other materials/contexts including tri-bars, handlebar grips, bottle/carrier and fender mounts 

Elsewhere, The Teenage Dream was roused from hibernation with a set of these Fibrax Xtreme weather pads and I took this opportunity for a quick tyre swap in favour of those 25mm Freedom thick slicks-pretty much filling clearances to capacity while the pads stopping prowess saw me sit up and take notice. Perfect for winter trainers, I’d like to put their cantilever versions to the test on a laden tourer-just by way of comparison and mountain bikers will be interested to hear they’re also available in a V brake compatible format. Clever self-cleansing channelling uses rainfall to prevent muck/grit accumulating and scouring sidewalls-great news for less vigilant riders but those with swanky composite hoops will need to look elsewhere. Loquacious probing couldn’t reveal anything of their exact composition-apparently it’s a trade secret and native to Wales….

 

Dropping down to Dovercourt

Easter was once a time when folk would heed the call to Church, feasting and prayer. Now, the masses descend upon DIY stores in their millions, partaking in an orgy of frenzied bodging-whether painting the spare room, erecting pagodas, paths and patios or attempting full-on domestic re-wires. Accident/Emergency receptions brim with hapless heroes, who’ve discovered the human body is a mightily efficient conductor of electricity, dropped paving slabs on their sneakered feet or nailed themselves to the flat pack furniture they were trying so desperately to erect. Joshua and I took the opportunity to drop by on Justin Burls and take a sneak peak at those lovely fillet brazed prototype framesets I mentioned a while back. Both are fashioned from a lovely Columbus tubeset topped off in either electric blue or rich, ruby red. Construction is, as might be expected, flawless-evidenced by this road fixer chassis finished in a clear lacquer topcoat, that will no doubt catch on amongst the fixer fashionista. Timing (Justin had just returned from the Bespoke Bristol show) and the weather conspired against a preliminary spin but for now I’ll tease you with a few photos….
My own fleet continues to evolve, courtesy the Ilpompino's new S-Link chain and a very swish locking seatpost collar for the Univega. Now, the latter are built to order from aerospace grade titanium by Atomic 22- a small-scale manufacturer based in Horsham, West Sussex. This kit is unique, not only in terms of materials but in that they can produce locking fasteners for pretty much every component on your bike, whether road, fixed or mountain bike, brifters, brake mounts, pedals, derailleurs, crank bolts, you name it, they can protect it. Fitting is best performed using a good quality torque wrench and 8mm socket but a ring spanner will also do the trick, since most of us don’t pop torque wrenches in with the patch kit when heading out for a quick twenty-mile blast.
Early impressions are good, although I’ve had an attack of the vapours on several occasions, trying desperately to reclaim the tiny unique key from beneath the fridge/freezer. Obviously replacements are available (£30 each) and much easier to obtain since keys are automatically registered to the rightful owner at the time of order. Presently, they’re looking to employ alternative metals without compromising strength, thus lowering the cost and broadening appeal. However, it’s no substitute for a decent lock, insurance and similarly sensible precautions since a truly frustrated Neanderthal could wrap your pride and joy around some street furniture…

Theft, particularly of metals and central heating fuels is becoming endemic and almost normalised by the present economic climate but I find these rationale's a very convenient justification for wantonly criminal behaviour. A friend’s storage barn was recently ransacked of copper piping and similar raw materials associated with his plumbing and heating business. Subsequently, he spent a day making effective repair and relocating a project car and essential tooling for fear of subsequent visitation. A happier re-homing came for my faithful Specialized Air Tool track pump; this now resides with my mother and her partner’s bikes. I had a choice of two replacements, including this super sturdy twin barrel Zefal, albeit with defunct pressure gauge.
Back in the saddle and there’s been lots to play with. That BBB chain and cassette seem to be wonderful bedfellows with the Univega’s a’la Carte drivetrain, not so much as missing a shift in four hundred miles. Quality of electroplating appears equally impressive and the factory marinade tenacious for the first two hundred but I’ve since reverted to a wax based dressing. Then came these aptly named Knog Blinder, which belt out a whopping eighty and forty-four lumens respectively. Gone is the iconic medical silicone in favour of anodised aluminium faces and a choice of five funky lighting patterns.
We’ve got the standard “dice” but noughts; crosses, stripes and arrows are the alternatives. Tipping the scales at thirty-five grams a piece, they’re hardly going to cramp the style of even the sleekest of road/fixers either. Performance seems generally impressive, visible in the "bobby-dodger" see-by sense to around 750 metres and rechargeable run times between two hours fifty three and 78.47 hours in top and eco-flash settings respectively. Overall, aside from the slightly swanky price tag, I’m genuinely very impressed and the quality has been tweaked a notch or so higher than the otherwise loveable silicone types too…Back to the book…




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The trials and tribulations of the terrible triple…

Journeying through the mists of time, I recall a misspent youth cum school career with afternoons' spent sneakily pouring over the cycling press of that era. Enticed away from teachers’ dull and seemingly irrelevant pontification about their wife’s IUD, the world of work etc by the romance of faraway lands and their people. Obviously, this experience was aboard a heavily laden, ultra refined expedition tourer complete with top drawer tubing and cutting edge, mtb drivetrains with enough gears to ride up, down and along the Great Wall of China. Panniers bulged with magnesium bodied film SLR camera, lenses, rolls and rolls of film, pens and notebooks all documenting this adventure for press and publisher. Paragraphs from the buyers’ guides were quick to point out that keeping triple configurations in consistently rude year round health was something of a chore. Fast-forward twenty-four years and several configurations later; I’m inclined to agree. The most recent dig in the ribs came courtesy of the Sun Race chain’s unexpected breakage. Thoughtfully (In common with recently documented punctures) it had the good grace to expire at journey’s end, some hundred metres from my front door-not the back of beyond. Much soul searching gave way to opportunity. Time to strip, replace and perhaps reconfigure the tubby tourer’s drivetrain.

For starters I’ve introduced a New Shimano pattern nickel plated BBB chain and cassette to see how these shape up and a quick tweak of the front mech cable has righted the temperamental will it, won’t it clamber aboard the big ring. Continuing the health check suggests the rear LX is in early middle age, so aside from a cursory turn of the B tension screw and some very judicious lubrication cable and pivot points, it’ll remain in gainful employment. I am thinking of retiring the Ultegra bar cons in favour of “Brifters”. Shimano’s venerable Sora seem prime candidates since I don’t run linear pulls and received wisdom suggests in daily service, their operational lives are around the four, maybe five year mark.

My MTB based crosser cum working bike was initially conceived with Modolo Morphus units that were tuneable for either Shimano or Campagnolo seven/eight speed configurations. Bought as a bundle (bars, levers & wrap) for sixty odd quid, modulation and feel were excellent, although shifts clunky by modern standards even with an LX mech STX crankset and 11-19 straight through block. Brifters have the obvious vulnerabilities in the event of a nasty tumble but since my purebred crosser manages just fine I’m looking forward to introducing a set of suitable Microshift. In common with similar emergent brands, performance and pricing are ear- to- ear grin impressive on a scale reminiscent of Kawasaki and Honda’s impact upon the all but defunct British motorcycle industry back in the mid1970s.
There’s two variants-double and triple and I’m wondering how the left lever will cope with the 42, 32,22 Alivio rings since Microshift recommends 52,42,30. In practice and with a smattering of blind faith I’m hoping some divine influence will look kindly upon this here world-weary journo and a’la Carte drivetrain. Enforced leave from variable gears, coupled with the picture postcard spring weather presented the ideal opportunity for long, steady, reflective outings aboard the Ilpompino. I could pontificate ad pretentious nauseam about the Zen-like qualities of fixed and its ability to lift one into a meditative state but this is all deeply passé’ hipster-speak and there’s been no requirement on my part to appease this particular mindset, whether it be cycling or unrelated politic. Cliché’ might be truth in a processed and deeply over-simplistic form but its an irritant and something to be avoided at all costs.

Both book projects continue to gather momentum, albeit at different rates but there’s no room for complacency. My approach varies from a relentless need for progression during the week and being in the zone can mean simply typing during the day, editing at night or alternating between business emails, regular copy and book depending on which is most productive at that moment in time. Having organised drivetrain consumerables, I found myself galvanised into writing a related feature, which In turn lead to a thousand words or so invested in the cycling book and some serendipitous conversation with a distributor offering further inroads into the other book. Time waits for no man (sic) no favours has he.

Facts & Figures

A break in the weather has allowed intensive testing of those Vaude Birch three quarter length pants and in the main I’m mightily impressed not least by their cut, style and practicality. The fabric is also impregnated with a (factor 50) sunscreen designed to protect rider and garment from the undesirable side- effects of UV rays but removable OEM inserts were a distinct disappointment, showing a marked tendency for bunching up uncomfortably within a matter of miles-not what I’d expect at this end of the market. Mercifully, substituting them for stand-alone eight panel designs has allowed me to churn along in serene comfort for several consecutive hours. Our metallic versions looked razor sharp with the Bontrager jacket but they’re also available in “Shadow” or black and in a women specific design as appropriate.
Inspecting the Univega’s heavy duty Gusset GS 8 chain using the Freedom Sports (KMC) digital gauge gave a reading of 0.65, indicating late middle age and like- for- like replacement before 0.80 signals pension day or worse still, cassette and chain-ring cannibalism. Despite constant exposure to the elements, there’s been no hint of corrosion in the last three thousand miles (twelve hundred above average), which I attribute to greater girth and a staple diet of self-cleansing, wax type lubes.

Ison distribution, Gusset’s UK importer advises they are awaiting a fresh consignment so a chance conversation with another distributor has seen this nickel plated Sun Race flutter through my letterbox. I’ve been seriously impressed by the emergent marques’ higher end road and mountain bike drivetrains which are easily a match for 105/LX only with smaller price-tags so it’ll be interesting to see how the chain performs over the coming six months.
At face value, there’s little distinguishing the Sun Race from a glut of similar nickel-plated eight-speed designs-aside from the side-plates. 200kg per foot is pretty much on par with Shimano’s venerable PC68 and our 116 ink sample proved tailor made for the Univega’s gear ratios-straight from the packet. This made a nice change and in the interests of quitting while ahead, I employed the magic link. I’ve traditionally shyed away from these in the interests of outright durability but this particular design seems reassuringly hardy. Nonetheless, being a road model serving an a’la Carte groupset, I’ve cut a fresh set of precautionary spare links from a partially cannibalised Sachs languishing in my toolbox…

I’ve also a tendency to run new chains dressed only in the protective factory lube for a week or so before introducing something more colloquial. However, given the cassette was already clogging with the soft residue of previously applied wax, a powerful degreaser and comb through seemed the best medicine. Some folk swear by steam cleaning chains, cassettes and even rings over a hot stove. This particular lesson in home economics involves bringing a six-inch pan of water to the boil before introducing chain and a dishwasher tablet. Simmer on a medium heat for twenty minutes before performing several clean water rinses. Allow to boil completely dry, cool at room temperature before refitting and garnishing with your preferred tipple.
That said; frugality can be stretched beyond the point of practicality. Yes, cheap washing powder and redundant toothbrushes remove corrosion/tarnish from polished and plated surfaces with consummate ease but other homely remedies are firmly tongue in cheek. Several years ago, I was doing some income recovery/credit control for a classic motorcycle/salvage yard when a man in his late sixties drew up, remarking that his BSA was suffering from an unexplained misfire. Remaining straight faced, I quipped “Flush it through with cold black tea Sir”. After a brief, convivial exchange, he was gone and I attended to a pile of outstanding invoices. Two weeks later he returned, extolling the virtues of said cold tea flush! My jaw dropped and recoiled cartoon fashion-I never for one moment thought he’d be so literal in his interpretation.

The F in freelance all too frequently stands for frustration. Watched phones never ring and email replies never materialise-or so it seems but I returned from a ride to discover an interested small-scale publisher had been in contact. Naturally, once the excitement had stabilised, I sounded a warm but cautious welcome since the devil lives in the finer details and self-congratulatory/complacent attitudes are woefully misplaced. That’s all for now folks, I’m off to interview Gary Rothera and Joshua’s just commandeered my hounds tooth winter cap!

Out Of The Darkness And Into The Studio?...

We’ve now officially entered winter here in the UK (Canadian, Scandinavian and Eastern European audiences may now snigger freely). Up until recently it’s been unseasonably mild, the narrow winding lanes characterised by a glistening, greasy film of water channelled from the fields interwoven with layers of equine and bovine dung. Sticky under tread during the milder weather, this becomes a veritable skidpan when the mercury dips below zero-even 28mm section commuting rubber starts dancing the Samba. This largely explains why I’ve hardly moved from the Univega in several weeks- that and the fact I’ve been busily testing some dual-purpose on/off road kit.

The most exciting being Magicshine’s MJ816E- a retina ruinous front light capable of a whopping eighteen hundred lumens at full power, yet returning a consistent 105minutes from each three and a half hour mains fuel-up. Even allowing for the technological trickle-down, £135 for a system this powerful is remarkable. More surprising are the diminutive dimensions of both head unit and seat-post mounted battery (although if you were feeling flush and yearned for eight-hour playtimes, there’s always the option of a 17.4Ah bottle type). In real terms, there’s sufficient presence in flood setting for navigating rural backwaters at around 30mph, warning of ruts, holes and of course, excrement from around three hundred and fifty yards. Not impressed? Well, oncoming 4x4s dipped their beams from about four hundred yards and with all guns blazing; forest trails were easily tackled at 23mph.

Toggling between modes is child’s play courtesy of the clever handlebar mounted switch featuring an integral colour coordinated indicator, which automatically kicks down to conserve battery life- meaning you’ll always stand a sporting chance of getting home safely. However, careful positioning of the lamp is essential to prevent dazzling and potentially more serious injury to rabbits and other small mammals. The same rule follows through the suburbs and round town, dropping to the sidelights gives plenty of presence to at least 350 yards without being lost among the festive illuminations or causing undue distress to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. Bonita (Sales@magicshineuk.co.uk) kindly supplied our sample but those of you living in a different corner of our globe might like to wander round to http://www.magicshine.com/ for a dealer closer to home. Winter also brings wet, smelly feet. Not everyone likes overshoes or indeed the bootie type road/mtb footwear. To address this particular affliction and therefore, potential social isolation, Stuffits have dropped their shoe-dryers on my doorstep. Basically,these foot-shaped inserts sit in the shoes overnight whereby the aromatic red cedar filling and dual wicking fabric outer suck the moisture out. This extends to the half a pint of sweat (probably more under strenuous riding) emanated by our tootsies, thus keeping odour at bay. Available in a choice of pink, red or black and in men and women specific sizes, early impressions seem favourable, supping away most of the moisture assumed in ninety minutes’ soggy riding in seven hours but I’ll add some more provocative elements to the mix before drawing final conclusions. If you can’t wait until then they’ll command a very reasonable £24.95.

Slipping into a seasonal lull isn’t an option for me and a lot of fellow freelancers seem sympathetic to this philosophy. Continued momentum and avoidance of creative paralysis induced by too much introspection is crucial. This might involve features planning and similarly familiar territory or something more grandiose. My late father wrote several books and without leaving myself open to overtly simplistic “A” level Freudian theory, I’d like to follow in his size nines. Potential collaborators have been only too keen to rally enthusiasm but to date haven’t delivered anything tangible so it may be a question of blazing the trail myself.
The other avenue I’m (cautiously) keen to pursue in an artistic/semi commercial context is fine art/model photography…Traditionally this has proved a minefield thanks to the falling prices of high quality camera equipment attracting the unfavourable “Guy With Camera” who has no other objective than to letch at women for his own personal and deeply sordid gratification. Stories concerning this particularly unsavoury genre of male are legend-the most poignant example being of a model looking to expand her fashion portfolio. Having answered an advert, she arrived at the address (A dingy back street flat) to discover she was expected to assume a wealth of “Glamour” poses (Despite expressing in no uncertain terms she was only prepared to do fully clothed catalogue assignments). When she refused to pose on all fours wearing nothing but a G-string, GWC showed his true, vile colours but thankfully she managed to make good her escape-unharmed.
Unfortunately, semi/professionals with proper credentials, location and a female chaperone to avoid compromised integrity are all too often tarred with this ruinously mucky brush. Running said risk, I would be interested in working with aspiring models on an images-for-portfolio basis in a UK studio setting. Models will need to verify they’re at least twenty-one years old (driving licence, passport or similar photo ID), bring a chaperone of their own and be prepared to sign a model release/consent form before shooting commences. Want to know more? Feel free to drop me an email: Roadpathtoenlightenment@gmail.com