Back To The Old School

I’ve managed to acquire sufficient chains and control cables for personal consumption and am delighted with Ursula’s Kinekt2.1 upgrade. This final switch has realised my 80’s vision of a drop-bar all-terrain bike. An engaging, lightweight go anywhere, four season’s machine.  

One I sketched, while completely disconnected from the school curriculum and for the most part, my classmates. Sketched without a clue as to how it might be realised, I might add. Daydreams alternated between building a bespoke frameset of my own, to buying something high-end.  

While I would never snub a genuine opportunity to build a frame (as distinct from attending a frame building course) I have decided paying a frame builder, such as Lee Cooper Home - LEE COOPER CYCLE FRAMES (webs.com) to execute my vision, or buying off the peg framesets are more cost-effective, time-efficient options for me.   

Now, I’d be the first to point out that the cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Building a frameset on a residential frame building course would be incredibly satisfying. However, my money is better invested in a suitable welder and tackling less specialist metalworking projects. Some for my own enjoyment and home economics, other for more immediate, fiscal gain.  

  

Ursula’s frameset is 24 years old, in my possession for 22 of them (bought new old stock). I’ve switched the Zefal Adventure R5 Waterproof Saddlebag ZEFAL ADVENTURE R5 WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for this Carradice SQR Tour, which is twenty years old. Its waterproof cotton-duck fabric has cultivated a faded patina, but for me, this just adds to its character and testament to its build quality.   

Portly compared with bike packing luggage and can be a handful, laden to the gills but lighter and nimbler than an expedition rack and pannier configuration. Besides, I’ve the trailer for those occasions when I want to haul heavy/awkward loads.  

Unexpectedly, shifting had become unreliable. Cable was the most obvious culprit, since the chain had only recently been replaced, cassette was good. Ditto rear mech and hanger... Inner and outer cable replaced but no matter how much mechanically sensitive tweaking of the rear mech, the brifter remained out of step and a little sloppy.  

Dejected, I packed up for the day and after some reflection, decided on some Tektro RL340 drop levers and a Microshift ten-speed bar-end shifter. This combo might lack the outright refinement, dare I say convenience of Sti/Brifters. However, I ran a similar configuration (Shimano Ultegra) on the original build and there are several distinct advantages, especially on a machine of this kind.  

Aside from reduced vulnerability, in the event of a spill (worst case scenario, they are also cheaper to replace). Shimano Ultegra and the Microshift bar end shifters can be switched to friction, should need arise. Setting up the Microshift was more time-consuming, than the Ultegra.  

However, it all came together nicely, once I decided to take the gear cable in a more ‘cross traditional direction.  Part of the challenge and satisfaction of working on bikes (and machines generally) is working things through and getting them right. 

This also spelled the end for the discontinued (and in my view, fabulous), Control Tech bar tape and prompted a switch to the Soma Condor2 Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com), since I was in the mood for switching things around. For the time being, I’ve dressed them in the orange Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar TapeLONG-TERM TEST: ACROS SILICONE BAR WRAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which is a more flattering contrast than I’d anticipated.  

The Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly GreasePEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) although will revisit in the depths of winter to see how well it performs, long term and in more challenging conditions.  This enforced leave, coupled with the good weather meant I’ve been getting the miles in on the Teenage Dream and enjoying every moment.  

However, the BBB guards had finally succumbed to fatigue at the mounting points, resulting in some periodic but irritating binding. I’ve stripped them, which has obviously solved the problem while resulting in a cleaner aesthetic.    

 

 

Subversive Streak

Well the present administration, despite being so openly critical of police states and similarly repressive regimes seems determined to snoop with free abandon on the email, skype, Internet, text and telephone activities of everyone in the UK. Some folk have retaliated by infiltrating government websites or being party to other civil disobedience. Tongue firmly in cheek, I have chosen to procure a transcript of Mr Gadaffi’s Little “Green Book”. Rather akin to the ancient Sanskrit texts and Antonio Gramschi’s prison notebooks, its authenticity is somewhat questionable but interesting nonetheless. By the same token, surveillance is hardly a modern phenomenon in this country-the authorities monitored many, many people (including my late father) through the late 1950s and beyond. Many cold war installations, thought to be dormant and abandoned were anything but… Further afield, Poland and neighbouring countries are dotted with mysterious ex military bases, which I’ve always yearned to photograph but for reason or other haven’t had the opportunity. Time to badger family in these regions more convincingly perhaps…

As for Muammar, he has little to say on the subject of riding fixed, let alone perfect chainline- a shame since some gut wrenching sounds emanating from the Ilpompino’s newly appointed Gusset implied a rogue or stiff link. Stopping at a convenient point by the roadside, I whipped out the Ice tools wrench, slackened the track nuts and drew the wheel further back along the frame ends, improving chain tension-restoring serene silence and rider confidence. Cantering up to 25mph, we rejoiced in the near empty lanes and chill, spring sunshine. Dyed in the wool traditionalists will justly remark that the S link and comparable half-link brethren are notably heavier than the Miche it replaces but phenomenal rigidity is immediately apparent whether accelerating hard on the climbs, stealing away from the lights or transmission braking. For the time being, it’s dressed only in the factory drizzle, not least as thee seem notably more resilient than the aftermarket potions we put our faith in.
Elsewhere it seems there are infidels in the postal service with items taking some considerable time to arrive. Any organisation of this magnitude is likely to attract a small rogue element and the majority of postal workers are as honest as the day is long. However, things are likely to worsen thanks to widespread use of email, fax and courier services and the apparent inevitability of privatisation. Raleigh have sent me a delightful book celebrating the marques 125-year history. Some have said the brand lost out to sexier marketing but their specialist division produced some iconic top-drawer mounts through the 70s, 80’s and 90s.

Ridden to victory by professional teams, frames carried other manufacturer's decals too. Raleigh also brought Univega to these shores for a short while, although I’ve always enjoyed importing unusual frames, components and clothing from overseas for personal consumption.

Talking of the tubby ruby red tourer, something wasn’t right as I twiddled along the climbs recently. With the crank at the bottom stroke, my legs appeared correctly extended. As the miles clicked by, my suspicions were aroused-the new seat collar’s binder bolt had stretched minutely, allowing the post to creep frustratingly inside the seat tube, marking the dun finish slightly-nothing serious and easily hidden but annoying nonetheless... Shame 400mm carbon posts don’t come in 26.0 diameter. Slackening said bolt and raising the post (with contrasting zip tie marker) by fourteen millimetres and nipping everything tight with the torque wrench solved that issue and prompted a wholesale checking of its other fasteners. Want has a set of eight- speed Microshift or Sun Race brifters in its sights but need suggests another thousand miles, or ten weeks will call for a replacement bottom bracket. Only the front mech, Ultegra bar cons and headset remain of the original build. Wondering how many Alpina 506 are still whizzing along the highways and byways and moreover, in what guises, I had a quick sprint around the web, confirming a high OEM spec (Deore LX/XT) back in the day, with a few pleasingly updated in cross country mtb dress but nothing more intriguing.

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.