Courting Controversy

 

My bars, although particularly Ursula’s Soma Condor II Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) court quite a lot of online attention. I had someone get unexpectedly excited about my choice of brake levers, convinced that I am running a dual cable “tandem” model.  

Amusing, since they’re cheap but decidedly cheerful Tektro RL340. There are several benefits to a two-in-one system, such as Dia Compe BRS 400. Tandems, trikes and other specialist builds aside, they can greatly improve the comfort and control for people with reduced hand strength/degenerative conditions.  

Others have failed to grasp that I am running a bar end, not Brifter, and critical about cable emerging from the bar tape. I have taken the more traditional, direct route, so the cable appears from the drops, rather than tops. A more efficient cable run rewards with snappier shifting. Now, I can appreciate the draw of a clean aesthetic, hence I run “aero”, rather than traditional brake levers (where cables exit the tops in a wide arc).  

Makes rummaging in handlebar bags much easier. However, the non-aero type produces a more efficient cable run and make roadside replacements that bit easier. Some models, including Campagnolo Athena (c.1990/91) were reversible, depending upon taste, you could run them aero, or traditional. Indeed, these were the Teenage Dream’s original stoppers-commanding Athena single pivot side pulls., in case curiosity got the better of you.  

Ursula and I spotted some interesting clearings and designated bridleways too. It would’ve been rude not to explore, before returning home to strip the Momum MIC Dry Chain Lube and start testing the Green Oil Dry Chain Wax.  

I’ll end with this fabulous video documenting someone’s home brewed single wheel bike trailer. (599) DIY Bike Bicycle Trailer Build - Part 1 Video Tutorial | Welding and Fabrication - YouTube 

Building bike trailers (I couldn’t afford a Bob Yak/similar back in the late 90s) was the catalyst for me learning to weld. Looking back on it, I would’ve gone the scrap frame route- an old Peugeot Carbolite 103, since these are relatively light, yet very tolerant of being MIG welded. I opted for very thin Columbus, which was much trickier to work with. Sometimes it's not the mistakes we make, but rather what we learn from them.    

 

Cometh The New Year, Cometh The Man-Flu

Quite a bit has drizzled my way these past few days, from this T-shirt gifted me by Richard at Urban Hunter, some Sugru silicone putty and Guy Andrews' " The Custom Road Bike". Alas, with notable exception, riding has been somewhat limited to the virtual kind thanks to the sudden and deeply debilitating onset of sabre-tooth man-flu. Us don't work, don't eat contract types tend to be fairly stoical so I'm pleased to report nominal impact upon features/copy/photography. After a few months' break, Joshua has resurrected his passion for cycling, taking the trail by storm while demonstrating maturity and confidence beyond his years on public roads. Children outgrow their wardrobes with alarming regularity so these Altura Cruiser Winter tights have replaced his season-too-short Polaris. Made from a rugged fleece-lined polyester; these winter versions incorporate a water-repellent (shower proof) coating for comfort and practicality while a looser cut transcends road, mtb and touring genres nicely. Sensibly positioned Scotchlite detailing provides welcome nocturnal visibility-especially at higher cadences and young protege's find stirrups easier to negotiate than zippered ankles.
Early impressions of this Sugru silicone putty seem favourable, effecting good repair/modification of light brackets and similar lightweight resin accessories. Conceived by Jane, it's basically soft touch rubber reckoned to mould and set permanently with/to aluminium, steel, ceramics, glass, wood and some fabrics/plastics...Not simply "Make do and mend" making a fashionable return in these times of austerity but a creative tool powerful enough to improve existing products.
With this in mind, I've been creating some DIY "cable cuffs" to prevent unsightly and damaging abrasion where outers make contact with the frameset. Claimed operating temperatures between minus 60 and plus 180 degrees suggest a wealth of applications around the workshop. Run around the seat-collar it could provide as weather-tight seal for bikes run in all weathers without mudguards (fenders) thus preventing water, salt and ingress channelling inside the seat-tube.

Peeling open the packaging reveals twelve complimentary/contrasting colour sachets containing the goo. Make sure your desired surface is free of the usual contaminant (dirt, dust, grease etc) before moulding the soft putty around the surface(s) and allowing twenty four hours curing at room temperature. Other possibilities include the semi permanent fitment of cable guides and other low-stress applications. However, don't be telling me tall tales of reuniting broken frame tubes by the roadside...For that you'll need a welder and a wealth of skill.

Transferable skills and plenty of 'em are the way to successfully weather economic nose-dives. MIG (Metal inert Gas, or more accurately Gas Metal Arc Welding seeing as oxygen isn't an inert substance) wouldn't be my tool of choice for constructing lightweight bicycle frames as the temperature is less controllable than oxyacetylene, inviting premature fatigue or simply blowing gaping holes in thin tubing. That said, I've seen some very fetching framesets built this way using off-cuts and leftover paint. Crudely, MIG is a semi automatic process-if you can draw a straight line using a marker pen, then you're capable of producing passable welds with a bit of practice and basic tuition.

The real skill lies in metal preparation- clean, well-mitred joins, dexterity and a decent quality weld unit. The difference between cheap and expensive models is ease of use- on the lowest settings, I have been able to fashion prototype touring trailer chassis from basic grade Columbus tubes with a 140amp semi pro model. Seasoned coach builders and similarly skilled metal workers might achieve the same results using a more rudimentary 110amp unit but it's a lot harder and frankly, we always reach for the tools nicest to use.

Devised for use in WWII munitions factories, the process quickly won favour within manufacturing and later, auto-repair shops thanks to it's ease and speed of use-especially on relatively thin car panels. It's possible to build all manner of nice things from scrap steels-work/storage stands, racks, chairs etc. Many motorcycle frames are constructed this way too...

Ten years on from my early prototypes, I am looking at returning to trailer design on a hobby/cottage industry basis. This time from electrician's conjugate which is of comparable weight to basic Cro-moly, yet so much easier to weld. As a rough and ready reckoner, conjugate is like comparing Peugeot's in-house Carbolite 103 with Reynolds 531- the former was marginally lighter, easier to mass produce but lacked the outright responsiveness and strength to weight ratio. Touring/utility trailers need good handling characteristics and while 4130 of the same weight is less likely to fail, basic hi-tensile steels can be repaired in the back of beyond by pretty much any roadside garage...