Ruggedly Dependable

 

Yes, that statement could be applied to me in some respects, but I’m talking winter components. After some deliberation, I decided to switch Muffin’s Continental Pure Contact for the Contact Plus. No particular reason, save for the fact I was going to be cleaning the chain and applying the Muc Off C3 All Weather, so thought I’d switch rubber since opportunity presented.  Planet X advised that there was clearance for 43mm, so I’ve reached for the bigger, 40mm Continental Contact Plus TESTED: CONTINENTAL CONTACT PLUS TYRES  .

These are a wire bead model, adding some significant grams over the folding Pure Contact but they roll surprisingly well for a big tyre and are seriously dependable when it comes to cuts and ultimately, punctures. Flats happen and will claim even the most dependable pneumatic rubber at some points, but I’d sooner not be tending one on a cold, dark, wet night.

Interestingly, the Contact Plus are much easier to mount and remove and seem to offer a bit more room at the rear triangle- when both are inflated to 70psi. Anyhow, that’s all academic, the Contact Plus are staying, at least for winter.  

The Muc Off C3 All Weather seems a little slicker than its base counterpart Muc-Off All Weather Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing and indeed, Weldtite All Weather Lube Weldtite All Weather Lube | cycling-not-racing , although that’s less surprising, given the price differential. Mot much between them on the cleanliness front, if a diet of muddy, greasy lanes is any gauge.

The Weldite is drizzle on, wipe and go, whereas the Muc-Off require four hours to cure. I’ve tended to leave it overnight but as you’d hope, have also tested the four-hour claims.  Seems so in temperatures between 11 and 14 degrees, although tanking temperatures may sing a different tune.  

 Storm Claudia gave ample opportunity to assess its staying prowess, not to mention that of the Sidi Algor. Thus far, both are holding out against the waterlogged lanes and driving rains, which is very welcome. However, I’ll need some sustained cold to assess the latter properly-afterall, Algor literally translates as “cold”.  An unintentional ejection of the Gaciron Cetus Gaciron Cetus 1700 Underneath Bike Light | cycling-not-racing front light, into a deep puddle suggests weather sealing is very good. True, it’s not full-on submersion but still impressive and there’s been no lasting effect, or damage.

Wetter periods are also leading me to conclude the Ergon bar tape is understated on the grip front and reassuringly easy to get along with-no slipping, no white-knuckle rides and, unlike some, surprisingly straightforward to keep clean.

A quick shot of bikewash, lathered up with a medium stiff brush will shift mucky, ingrained spatter with nominal effort. Plenty of mixed terrain riding suggests the 3mm Orthrocell padding is very effective over longer distances but without looking unduly bulky. Less important on a gravel bike perhaps, but great if you were looking to dress a more traditional road specific winter/trainer, or tourer.  Until recently, temperatures have been mild enough for mitts. This is significant because it enabled me to assess the texture and purchase against bare skin. The woven surface texture is slightly reminiscent of cotton tapes, although without the sogginess when it’s raining dogs.  

     

Having tweaked Denise’s rear mech tension slightly, curing a modest but annoying shifting glitch midway along the cassette, I returned from a particularly wet ride, to discover a tiny but annoying amount of play in Denise's one- inch Stronglight A9 headset. 

 

An easy fix, although less convenient when you can't locate those large wrenches. I found my BBB Headfix but then recalled I only had a single 32mm and needed two. Couldn't locate my cherished Campagnolo but thankfully was able to remove slop and get everything bang on with a single wrench-seems as if the cable hanger worked as a useful buffer, preventing the bearing race moving while I snugged the locknut down. 

 

One of those periodic, rather than regular tweaks but reminded me how convenient the Aheadset systems are by comparison.  Two Allen keys-4mm for the pinch bolts and a 5/6mm for adjusting the pre-load. An easy job mid ride, or indeed tour-assuming bearings and races are otherwise in good health.

Servicing using stout grease and protecting the lower race from water and ingress. Obviously, mudguards (fenders) make a huge difference, but this isn't always practical.  A boot made from scrap butyl inner tube is another additional defence, extending their life and to some extent, service intervals. Especially on gravel and mountain bikes seeing hard service. 

After a very ambient start, November has awoken and with wet roads and temperatures dipping below zero, I decided to dust down some 35mm Schwalbe Winter Spikes- I really didn’t want a repeat of last January, claiming a jersey, tights and Denise’s Tektro RL520 brake lever. Not to mention some pride... The Marathons can be stubborn to fit, and these are no exception, claiming a composite Park tyre lever and causing a pinch flat.

 Minimum pressure is cited as 35psi, max 85, so I’ve gone for 65-70, offering a bit more grip but without unduly compromising rolling resistance.  Minus 2 on our first outing and the bike handled as if it were on rails, the spikes biting into the ice beneath and providing that beautiful traction. However, caution and sense are still called for- the elements can catch us out and other road users may slide, or experience difficulties. Something I was reminded of when a large Honda overtook, slid and then mis-shifted.  No harm done to either party but a reminder none of us can afford to be complacent.  

  

 

When Things Go Smoothly...

 I’ve seen a bit of bar con bashing online recently. In common with others who are vocal in their destain for things, much of the comments come from ignorance, so are arguably irrelevant. Some suggesting cables run THROUGH the handlebars. Sure, they’ve fallen from mainstream gaze and lack the light, snappiness of Brifters but they’re also lighter and ultra-dependable. Great for back of beyond touring, beasts of burden, and indeed, daily drivers like Ursula.  

Microshift still makes them (and continues the dependable theme with their Sword and Advent group sets). Hot on the heels of the Spyre SLC, Ursula’s rear Shimano CX50 cantilever pads had gathered some glaze and needed a quick scrub. It also presented the opportunity to strip and lightly grease the posts. The straddle wire was also beginning to look tired, so was also replaced. Consumables are eaten quickly through winter, especially if you do bigger mileages.  

I’d spotted a rear Tiagra mech, pads etc being sold as bankrupt stock and at very enticing prices. Sad, since it’s never good to see, or hear of businesses going to the wall. In the late 80s, it was common for people without business acumen, financial literacy, or experience to open enterprises and often fail catastrophically. However, it's become increasingly prevalent for established and successful traders in post-Brexit Britain.     

Little and often maintenance becomes second nature, extends the life of components, and usually stops trouble before it starts. I’d applied a light helping of Muc-Off HCB1 to Ursula’s chain stay bridge area and the BBB Echelon saddle rails, which were showing some localised corrosion.  

Again, nothing to get excited about at this stage and HCB1 will mothball, stopping surface grot in its tracks. Yes, generic maintenance sprays will certainly help on this front, but need more frequent reapplication and are readily washed away. They’re meant for light lubrication of cables, and pivot points, flushing wet, corrosive stuff out, priming chains removing muck, and grime, loosening sticky/lightly corroded parts.     

Back to the Holdsworth 

Having removed the Woodman Jupiter’s lower cup cum race with a few deft taps of my trusty crown race tool. (It also needed a little chemical assistance, courtesy of some Muc-Off MO 94). I set it carefully on the Holdsworth’s crown and decided there was sufficient Park PPL100 TESTED: PARK TOOL POLYLUBE 1000 LUBRICANT FOR BICYCLES (sevendaycyclist.com) grease dressing its needle roller bearings, so just transplanted.    

 

The Jupiter’s design means it's extremely well-sealed from the elements, so an obvious choice for MTB and XC duties. Ironic perhaps that the Holdsworth and Teenage Dream are fair-weather playthings, but the Woodman’s design and refinement (coupled with the fact decent-quality headsets were becoming harder to source) swung it for me. Forks in, it was simply a matter of stacking up the spacers, refitting the cockpit, connecting the front brake, adjusting pad height, and the usual tweaks.  

 

I like the slight contrast between frame and fork, accentuated by the Knog NERD computer’s blue silicone casing. Had the fork been any darker, it would’ve looked a little too obvious (although could be toned down with a comparable, darker shade of blue bar tape). Anyhow, mission complete.  

 

Elsewhere, the switch to MKS NJS chain tugs subverts the need to detach the Topeak DX rack when accessing track nuts- adjusting the chain tension or removing the wheel-problem sorted.  

 

I decided now was the time to see how well the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) was holding up on Ursula’s Hollowtech II axle, given the flooding and generally adverse conditions of recent months. It also presented an ideal opportunity to give the rings a good scrub. As the photos suggest, a reasonable amount of Peaty’s remained and was still doing its friction-busting, corrosion-stopping thing.  

 

However, I’d come this far and opted to strip and introduce this Wolf Tooth WT-G Grease. It’s a synthetic blend designed primarily for moving parts- hubs, headsets etc but apparently fine for contact points and threaded parts. Its reckoned stable between minus 50 and 180 degrees and promises low friction, longevity and high resistance to water, oxidisation and corrosion.  

 

The crank’s pinch bolts were completely devoid of grease, so were a little reticent to release. Nothing a shot of MO94 couldn’t sort, so I was sure to add a generous lick of the Wolf Tooth grease to them before refitting and torquing down to the recommended 12-14nm. Buttery smooth once more. The headset’s bottom race came next, and I stripped the rear Shimano CX50 brake, greased the canti posts and replaced the straddle wire.   

 

Talking of which, it's much easier to apply than some higher viscosity formulas – Juice Lubes Bearing Juice being a case in point, although the latter is really stubborn and being so thick makes a great host for loose balls. No escapees in the hub shell. However, the Wolf Tooth is supposedly designed for contact points and similar duties too, so I’ll be checking that out in the coming weeks and possibly months.  

 

Having switched the Holdsworth’s Miche Primato calliper for the long-reach Tiagra, I decided now was the time to upgrade the Teenage Dream’s lower end Miche Performance. Plenty of life in the pads, so I gave the callipers a quick clean and polish and bolted everything together. I’m sure I have the rear Primato somewhere in the spares stash. I’ll upgrade the Teenage Dream’s rear Performance unit when I unearth it. I'll close here with Steve's review of the Castelli Entrata Tights https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/castellientratatightsnopad