Flatulent tyre Ahoy…More Leverage Please!!!

After several weeks, I’m still coughing like a chain smoking beagle. This hasn’t stopped me from getting the miles in and various sets of tyres on, mind. 

Issue 5 of Seven Day Cyclist has just hit the digital newsstands and includes an interview with Dani Foffa, CEO of Foffa bikes and grass roots tours of Ireland and Cheshire. http://www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1038&category=Sport&subcatid=234&subcategory=Cycling&title=Seven+Day+Cyclist&titleid=2582

The more miles I do on those Vittoria Voyager hyper and street runner tyres, the more endeared I become-sporty casings combine magic carpet ride with low rolling resistance and a surprising turn of speed. Despite a road centric cassette, the Univega now feels a little under-geared; or rather I’m running the big ring and catching traditional roadies unawares more often.

While quicker, lighter and supposedly better protected from malevolent sharps, they swept me back to the mid-late 90s spent belting along London’s commercial road on Nokian City Runners. I favoured 1.5 sections, which seemed an ideal compromise-sufficiently generous that they’d iron out minor imperfections and rider error, yet adequate for 20mph cruising and swift getaways when the lights changed. 

Road bikes were decidedly out of favour at this time, to the point where many of us were popping drops on our cross country workhorses. I liked the all-terrain concept but it also helped ensure otherwise nick-able bikes stayed under thieves’ radars.  

Triples were also completely unnecessary-even with a trailer, hence another trend for running a single 42/46/48 (Purple anyone?) ring and 7/8spd block, Ritchey copy VP pedals… Lightweight, low maintenance and fast; for inner-city tarmac terrorism at least.

Good times from a relatively dark and difficult era. Fast forward two decades and I was surprised at how stubborn the street runner’s final section was on two separate occasions, the most recent being serenaded by that familiar heart-sinking hiss along a lonely lane.

Now is the point where we regret not doing a full trunk bag inventory-thankfully I had a spare thorn resistant “builders hose” type tube, three tyre levers, including Crank Brothers speedier lever and this Revolution midi pump. Personally, I loathe mini pumps-fine for those who run Co2 cartridges as roadside staples and infinitely better than no pump for dire emergencies but otherwise impractical.

This Revolution resembles a track pump put through a matter shrinking device but will genuinely achieve moderate to high pressures extremely efficiently, so 75psi barely raised a flicker.  

Strangely enough I found myself equally frustrated by the realisation I’d forgotten my compact camera and the opportunity to document the events frame by frame! Having returned home it prompted a long overdue make do n’ mend tube re-commissioning- you know the drill; repair once, more than two patches-chuck, or reinvent as chainstay protectors.

Generally speaking, the speedier is a marked improvement over the old speed lever, which, for the uninitiated was a retractable ladder design that slid onto the quick release skewer, while the head either scooped the bead off or pushed it back on with a hooked claw and only moderate force. 

Alas, the composites were a little willowy and prone to fatigue-I snapped two in under ten swaps, which was disappointing. Obviously, these are roadside assistants, not workshop staples but I’ll reserve proper judgement until we’re at least eight or ten tyre swaps of various genres down the line.   

Talking of resurrection (well, we are hurtling towards Easter afterall), I substituted the Univega’s BBB Fuel tank cage for standard Boardman and Burls carbon models.

This wasn’t a weight saving exercise and those PET types are super convenient for touring but they do consume considerable amounts of main triangle, especially on a small, compact geometry mtb frameset.

I’ll be keeping it handy though since the Fuel Tank XL is definitely one of the most rugged and a fair bit cheaper too.

Right then; I’m going to see how this Carbon Pro heavy duty cleaner deals with two filthy workhorses and organise some newbie friendly step-in pedal systems for a group test. Hmm, time the KA’s sill received a sixth coat of high build grey primer too…   

Toil n’ Trouble: Eight Inches from Disaster

Having reached the stage in our collaboration, where progress now remains in the hands of a third party, I’ve been immersing myself in testing new, seasonal kit and other distractions. 

Some folks consider full length mudguards (fenders) an affront to their street cred but aside from serving ‘cross or mountain bikes, there’s nothing cool about that filthy racoon stripe along your back (or the bike’s most intricate regions saturated with corrosive silt).

Axiom Road Runner LX reflex enjoy some genuinely innovative features that make installation to less conventional configurations refreshingly easy. Designed with ample coverage for 35-38mm tyres; these will suit the latest generation of civilian cross builds doubling as weekend tourers, trainers/club bikes during the off-season.

Assuming you didn’t want to take the zip-tie route, fitting to framesets with mtb inspired wishbone rear triangles, such as On-One’s earlier Ilpompino and Planet X's Kaffenback series demands drilling the chrome plastics, negating time-saving convenience of pre-fitted stays.

Doing so also voids the lifetime warrantee, although a moot point given their quality and since I also like mounting dynamo/battery lamps here too.   

Other modifications will include 3M reflective stickers given the lack of pin-striping that makes a surprising difference to nocturnal safety-especially combined with reflective tyre walls. However, this is all minor stuff-the guards themselves have lovely profiles and should retain their looks several years’ down the line.

Stainless steel hardware might be expected these days, though quality still varies. These seem similarly top-notch, responding positively to gentle manipulation and shouldn’t succumb to the salt monster’s first lick.   

Autumn and winter calls for different lubes and I’ve been sent plenty of lovely chain lotions in the past few weeks. All seem pretty impressive in terms of economy, drivetrain efficiency, cleanliness and longevity.

However, I’ve found myself particularly endeared to Carbon Pro’s composite friendly, biodegradable range based on highly sophisticated vegetable fats. Admittedly, there’s a price tag differential that some riders may find difficult to swallow, given the astounding value that some mineral oil/ PTFE blends offer.

Less of an issue for tarmac warriors perhaps but the latter aren’t particularly kind to waterways and aquatic life, which is a consideration sans asphalt. “Environmentally friendly” is no longer synonymous with below par performance and thus far, I’m gobsmacked by their cleanliness and staying power compared with petrochemical competition. 

Sustainable sources are an obvious choice for the eco-system but alternatives to fossil based fuels has the potential to diffuse (though not eliminate) the perpetual clamouring and conflicts arising from control/ownership of crude oil reserves.   

After some deliberation, I plumped for mounting the Geonaute atop, rather than to the side, which would leave it more vulnerable to crash damage, especially along slippery carpets of mulched leaves.

This delivers decent, shake-free footage when angled correctly, although makes selecting  functions on the fly a little tricky and explains why Go-Pro have taken the touch screen route on their Hero4 .

Ironically, the Geonaute’s li-on cell depleted just as an elderly woman cut the corner of a junction, on my side of the carriageway…

Everything unfolded in slow motion, I felt a powerless bystander as the silver “A” class Mercedes seemed unable to stop, or change course. Tyres rasped against the wet tarmac and collision averted by a matter of eight inches. Cocooned within shock, I allowed her to pass and was subjected to her indignant rant about “looking where I was going!!!”

Staying with cameras, I took the opportunity to acquire some more equipment during another visit to Britain’s former industrial heartlands. I’d been resisting temptation on the “want, not need” basis despite temping very close to several camera dealerships.

I’d been hunting a Sony Alpha (Minolta) mount wildlife lens for some time, though couldn’t justify the lion’s share of £1,000 for a showroom fresh example. In swept serendipity and this 400mm Tokina.

Contrary to popular misconception, lenses are generally very durable, lasting many years with basic care/sensible storage. Bodies manage eighteen months before collecting their pensions in commercial contexts.

Telephotos of this focal length aren’t an everyday item either, thus buying used makes better business sense. Fancy a favourably priced 55-200mm example for my NEX5 too, expanding its street and sports potential in situations where SLRs are just too intrusive/unwieldy. Then again, this very much hinges on other developments…