Daybreak Escapes & Other Deviations from The Script

 No matter how well you look after things, components, accessories and clothing eventually wears out. No sooner had I said so, the Cat-Eye Quick Computer’s head unit battery expired! Over to a well-known auction site for a pack of replacement cells. The Tubby tourer’s Minoura camera mount came out in protest jettisoning the cork base, while I was hustling along a backroad at 5am. Since the pandemic, I’ve erred towards early morning escapes since it’s cool and roads are relatively deserted.  

I won’t buy a replacement (assuming they’re available). A quick scrabble around the spares’ tins unearthed a rubber washer, of comparable dimensions., which will do the job for the time being. I may find something more refined. I saw a Joby unit offered at a considerable discount, but unlike their Gorilla pods, this looked decidedly low rent, particularly alongside the Minoura.  

Technically, summer runs until the close of October. However, circumstances have led me to revisit the Juice Lubes Ceramic Juice, arguably giving it a fairer crack of the whip. I'd run it several weeks during a rather damp winter and performance was still very reasonable, given its blended for dry to damp conditions. Talking of which, its closer to a wet in terms of consistency but seems stable in temperatures between +25 and –2.  

Three-minute curing times are another definite plus, making it a more practical choice for roadside reapplication-touring and indeed commuting-on those mornings where you’ve hit snooze and are playing catch up. Based upon the 225 miles per application during a wet and dreary December, I’m leaning towards 400 through a primarily arid August.  

There are drier ceramic blends, there’s also some evidence of it congealing around the jockey wheels and side plates but much less than some traditional wax types and it will be interesting to see whether this falls away or lingers with use. 

Thankfully, there have been some periodic, heavy downpours, which have given me the opportunity to assess the water-resistance of the FLR Rexston shoes, which I am really warming too, for general riding, not just gravel flavoured outings. 

Talking of which, Steve has been suitably impressed by these Showers Pass Gravel Shorts https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/showers-pass-gravel-shorts 

Gravel shorts take various forms. From evolutions from the messenger/mtb long hybrid type, designed to be worn atop regular Lycra, to those, such as these Polaris Challenge Nexus Ride Shorts https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/polaris-challenge-nexus-ride-shorts . 

A rear zippered pocket and an elasticated one on the thigh are the obvious deviations from traditional road-biased Lycra. However, these and other models I’ve been testing recently also seem to be made from a heavier weave. Yes, a no-brainer in some respects, given the increased likelihood of a spill.  

 

 

Save for an undignified incident, racing at the old Eastway Cycle Circuit, I’ve never torn a pair of shorts off road but there’s a lot to be said for a heavier yarn in these and indeed, touring contexts. “Gravel” models are also intended for touring and other forms of endurance riding too, if the former seemed like marketing hype. 

Need some ride inspiration? Why not have a look at Steve’s three counties day escape  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/a-day-cycling-in-three-counties  > Thinking of investing in an E-Bike? here’s Richard’s test of the Kalkhoff Entice 3B https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/kalkhoff-entice-3b-e-bike  

 

I digress, back to the Juice Lubes Ceramic Chain Juice...    

Friction is refreshingly low, and this is very apparent when snatching away at the lights, or when the transmission is otherwise underload-dropping three gears on a sharp climb, for example.   

It can also be used on cables and cleat mechanisms, which is handy by the roadside, although otherwise, I’m always inclined toward maintenance sprays such as their JL69https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-jl when it comes to keeping cables and mechanisms slick. Elsewhere, See Sense have sent me their Multi Tube and Sun God, their   Velans sunglasses-modelled by Miriam.  

 

Back on The Chain Gang

Receding weather fronts have permitted enthused riding/equipment testing, timely then that I should receive a helmet camera. I’ve always been taken by the breed from a documentary perspective but never had chance to play with one beyond the confines of a trade show counter. Size and weight have become increasingly immaterial- this little Easy Shot Clip HD is smaller than a micro multi-tool and comes complete with its own waterproof housing reminiscent of a diving bell. Riders using helmet cams have found themselves increasingly vilified by motoring groups and subject to more physical forms of attack/abuse from some vehicle operatives, so discrete dimensions will hopefully keep such confrontation to an absolute minimum. By the same token, small sensor sizes cannot capture the same degree of detail as larger models- an eight- megapixel camera phone will not produce the same quality images as a comparably endowed compact camera. More comprehensive testing in varying conditions and context will give a fairer reflection of its true capabilities and limitations…


Having run the otherwise fabulous Squirt chain wax for around 2,400 miles, the tell-tale metal on metal symphony chimed time so after giving the cassette a thorough comb-through to remove any residual sludge, I applied some of this Muc Off C3 ceramic lube. Ceramic blends have become extremely fashionable thanks to baron nitride and similar ingredients that are associated with longevity/corrosion resistance. Muc-off are very coy about the true composition, advising it’s a trade secret (think Coca-Cola) but it does seem slightly different to other leading brands’ and only requires a single, rather than two-stage application in the first instance.

That said, the instructions still recommend a four hour curing period so for most of us, this means applying the night before-a technique that comes as second nature coming from dry formulas but then wet lubes are ready to go straight from the spout. That aside, for it to impress, I need to return at least 220 winter miles from each application-a consistent average using another leading brew and for now I’m going to leave you guessing as to its identity. It seems equally fashionable-or lazy marketing on the manufacturers’ part to recommend their use on control cables but in my experience this works for a very short period, whereupon the brew solidifies, demanding solvent/water displacer bypass surgery.

There’s another school of thought suggesting that all bicycle lubes are over-priced-at least relative to those developed for motorcycle chains. Liked the idea of the Scott-oiler, especially in a cyclo cross/mtb context, although never got round to trying one but experimented with the O-ring chain lubes- Rock oil in particular. While the anti-fling properties were arguably way in excess of those required for a bicycle transmission turning at 100rpm, the consistency a little gloopy and prone to decorating the chainstays, a little went a very long way on fixed and cross country mountain bikes subjected to the ravages of winter. Other experimentation (of the legal and morally righteous kind) involved semi/synthetic two-stroke oils- Husqvarna chain saw type proving surprisingly useful (albeit relatively expensive) without attracting too much dirt or washing away in the first big puddle.

Sticking with old school for a minute, this post war tandem frameset (c.1952) arrived at the spray-shop in need of some serious TLC. A double diamond design, its once proud gold livery and decals have been somewhat consumed under a blizzard of corrosion. It’s worth remembering that in the inter/early post war years, the tandem was very much a utilitarian vehicle and everyday examples were made from heavier, plan gauge tubing which was not only cheaper but better equipped to shrug off dents and similar accidental damage. This goes a long way to explaining why this example has survived half a century or so. I’ve often toyed with a sleek utility build employing an eight-speed (Sachs Pentasport or Shimano Alfine) hub transmission hung on a bespoke, fillet brazed Columbus tubeset with every conceivable braze on- dynamo, disc mounts, bottles, cable guides etc, etc finished in battleship/dove grey (devoid of decals, save perhaps for my name). This was initially conceived twelve years or so back when drop bars were also unfashionable-at least to the light fingered but presented all manner of problems when it came to mounting the shift mechanism. Since frame and fork alone were nudging £700, experimental bodges were out of the question.

At the other end of the spectrum we have lightweight hybrids (Sometimes called North American Commuters) based around 6061 aluminium frames and occasionally carbon forks. Sensible clearances allow 700x35/38c tyres with breathing space while carriers, mudguards etc all slot neatly aboard their dedicated mounts. Hub transmissions and linear pull (sometimes disc) brakes ensure everything stops, goes and handles in reasonable proportion. However, while this level of trouser friendly enclosure makes for a long and happy union, I'd be inclined toward kevlar belted rubber, thorn-resistant tubes and a stout lock...