New Year’s Revolutions

The festive season is very much business as usual for me. I simply ease off and work in strategic blocks, rather than assume standby. This method alleviates burn out on the one hand, yet ensures creative juices flow seamlessly into January.

Christmas was spent in the midlands, a region gripped by a sudden easterly front, bringing freezing overnight temperatures. The significance being I was attending Coventry Road Club’s annual Boxing Day Cyclo Cross meet on Kenilworth common.

Bitten by some mild, energy sapping seasonal bug, I managed ninety minutes behind the lens before arctic blasts and loathsome lurgi persuaded me back to base via the city’s infamous ring road. Short, localised snow flurries followed that evening but disruption was minimal.

Said weather front tailed me south the following night, prompting fitment of those spiked Schwalbe winter tyres to the Univega’s hoops. Prudent since the mercury staggered towards zero and most local lanes were sheet ice. Nonetheless, we cantered along at 17-20mph while drivers of automatic SUVs and smaller cars struggled with traction.

Two hardy but courteous riders on pared- to- the- essentials road bikes warned of dicey bends looming ahead. Naturally, I eased off, not wanting to tempt fate, though the gravelly patter inspired confidence. Took the same route next morning and loved every minute.

Minor limitations aside, that Tenn kit performed particularly well in these contexts, which is remarkable given their modest asking price. Keep your eyes peeled for a full report on “Sevendaycyclist” www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk .

I haven’t upgraded the tubby one’s headset yet, primarily because £17 worth of dedicated crown removal tool has; you guessed it, failed to materialise in the postal malaise. Temptation was to improvise using an engineer’s mallet and flat bladed screwdriver but I’ll hold fire for now.

Along with snow and a family bereavement on Boxing Day, came the news that City link had gone into receivership. The logistics industry has been fiercely competitive for some time and the role of multi drop driver set to become extinct courtesy of technological change.

However, while there is no room for sentiment in business (meeting deadlines and targets are imperative for survival); even those with scant empathy can appreciate the dismay and resentment expressed by employees and sub-contractors. Some of whom have reportedly not been paid, or expect to receive remuneration for the past six weeks’ service.

Pragmatically, the world is tough and people adapt-as several “upmarket” tabloids would doubtless attest. Fine and dandy in abstract but experience suggests successfully extrapolating oneself from the wreckage without everything imploding is no mean feat.

Talking of technology, Ged Holmyard at Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative www.edinburghbicycle.com  popped their Revolution Velocity 20 function cycle computer out to me. OK, so wireless units are pretty much ten a penny these days and we’d be forgiven for thinking contemporary examples do everything bar triggering the kettle five minutes from home/work.

However, minor overlap aside, temperature recorder, thermometer, calorie count and fat burned indicator are talking points. Well, they caught my attention-time will reveal whether they’re genuinely useful, or gimmick. There’s nothing convoluted about calibration and formative fettling suggests it’s among the most intuitive I’ve used to date.  

Right; now to thrash out some frame angles while these brushes marinate in my makeshift parts washer…

The Great Escape

I’ve no doubt that cinematic institution will feature over the festive telly season (if it hasn't already) but in this instance I’m referring to 125psi roaring from my Ilpompino’s front tyre with frightening haste while piloting it through a series of twisty, freezing, mulch strewn back roads at 23mph…Remaining composed, I drew to a halt and concluded shouldering said fixer that final mile home was best, especially since it’s 29mm rear was just succumbing to similar fate.

Both sported Kevlar belts (1 and 2.5mm thick, respectively) and were defeated by two shards of indicator lens burrowing vindictively inside. Some will argue this stab vest staple is now looking decidedly long in the tooth, superseded in technical terms by Aramid. However, in my experience puncture resistance is by degrees-roll over that nine-inch nail with your name etched into its head and belt composition becomes pretty academic.

Wafer thin butyl certainly didn’t help, although fortuitously their pinpricks were easily repaired from the comfort of one’s kitchen. Rule of thumb suggests a new tube, the injured parties kept as spares. Therefore, I introduced a 35mm Kenda thorn-resistant “builders hose” to the 29mm rear and a common or garden 25mm CST up front. Nonetheless, continuing the thrifty theme, I’ve ordered industrial sized replenishments of patches and solution.

Lo and behold, Moore Large (www.todayscyclist.co.uk) has generously sent me these 32mm Kenda Bitumen reflective. 85psi and 60tpi iron-cap casings indicate rugged, rather than racy persona, though hopefully this will put paid to dead-of night deflation paranoia and see us cruising through spring and a fair while beyond. However, credible comment requires a good few hundred miles in varying conditions, so I’ll reserve judgement until January’s swansong.

Christmas usually presents copious remit for serious fettling and I’ve decided to resurrect some deep-section Miche hoops. Originally shelved on account of recurrent pinch flatting, there’s no indication of structural damage, thus I’m convinced that employing Effetto Mariposa rim tape (primarily intended to convert standard hp wire ons to tubeless service) will resolve this (as it has on my Univega’s spare Weinnman/NX30 front hoop).

Said holidays are equally conducive to reflection and moreover trying something different. It’d been a while since I’d seen some grass roots cyclo cross racing and Coventry Road Club’s 60^{th annual} meet at Kenilworth common proved too good an opportunity to pass up. Ironically, the common is a nature reserve but CRC secured special dispensation, part of which requires riders compete on UCI legal 700c ‘cross mounts. http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/getObject.asp?MenuId=&ObjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=NTI0MDY&LangId=1

Such stipulations don’t apply to the under 10/12s who are welcome on mountain and even balance bikes. However, anyone inclined to sample the grinding climbs and swooping technical descents beforehand risk having their entries voided. While enjoying phenomenal continental popularity, it is oft forgotten that ‘cross had a similar post war following here, riders attending on old pared to the essentials touring bikes with hand-me-down components.

Fast forward several decades and a more glamorous, dare we say, continental image, the inclusive, accessible spirit remains phenomenally strong. First up came the seemingly irrepressible under 10’s whose competitive vigor was tempered with a refreshing sense of discipline and genuine sportsmanship.

Despite relaxed rulings and the odd smattering of fancy dress, most thundered past on junior ‘cross builds. Occasional, slow speed tumble with terra firma aside, mishaps were thankfully conspicuous by their absence. This theme remained consistent throughout the under 12’s event, entrants negotiated the senior laps with commendable panache, although by this stage in the morning's proceedings, damp, nagging chill had permeated my exposed fingers, inducing unwelcome camera shake.

Mick Ives provided commentary for the main event, which progressed at a frenetic pace, meticulous organisation/intelligent marshaling optimising rider and spectator safety. However, one rider sustained sufficiently serious injury to require air ambulance rescue, illustrating that even these standards of event management cannot entirely eradicate risk.  

Hmm, I’m getting a sudden desire to organise an altogether different category of ‘cross racing, requiring entrants present on rigid mountain bikes with dropped bars…Fancy collaborating? Drop me a line: roadpathtoenlightenment@gmail.com