Tyres & Tweaks

 

I’d been contemplating tyres for the fixed gear winter/trainer, ahead of the darker months. Something Schwalbe but not too stodgy was my first thought, especially since 32mm is pretty much tops with guards-I could shoehorn 35mm at the rear with the Mudhugger Gravel Hugger guards MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).  

 

A chance discussion with Saddleback, WTB’s UK distributor got in touch, inviting me to test WTB’s Exposure. They initially suggested the touriste cum all road typical 36mm but, given the clearances, we went for the 30mm. They’re also marketed as being for gravel bikes serving as tarmac tools, which on paper seems another good audience. 120tpi, dual compound casings bode well for supple ride quality and a decent turn of speed.  

 

Their SG2 puncture repelling tech runs bead to bead, designed to protect against nicks and more serious cuts which also bodes very well for general winter riding. Will be interesting to see how they compare to the 32mm Maxxis Refuse MAXXIS REFUSE TR FOLDING TYRE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), after all, they’re also close comparators weight-wise.  

 

Even though the Halo White Line HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) aren’t duly deep, or wide, I’d been warned the Exposure would put up a fight and I went for a 700x23-28c tube to minimise the likelihood of pinch flats. To my astonishment, I was able to mount them speedily and using only my thumbs, although had the mighty Crank Brothers Speedier Lever ready, in anticipation. 

 

 Will be interesting to see how the Evolution stand up to winter, compared with the 60tpi, 700ish g genre I lean toward from November to March (or thereabouts). Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) have been the most durable of this genre, relatively swift too.  

 

Vittoria Adventure Tech are another surprise. 820g for a 700x38 is hefty (although still lighter than Schwalbe’s iconic Marathon Plus) and the 3mm puncture repelling belt only covers the centre strip. Nonetheless, they can be run at 85psi and feel surprisingly swift despite coarse 33tpi (Threads per inch) casings. CST Xpedium CST Xpedium Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) remain a firm favourite of mine if you’ve bigger clearances and to a lesser extent, a tighter budget.    

 

Staying with the themes of fixed and stubborn stuff, I’ve concluded the only option for splitting beefy track chains is this Cyclus Chain Rivet Pliers. Cobra had dropped theirs. The Cyclus are a fair bit dearer than the Cobra and though a worthwhile investment, it’s always prudent to watch the pennies. Besides, I’m replacing chains every two thousand miles, not daily.  

 

No sooner had these words been uttered, Saddleback invited me to test this Feedback Sports Chain Tool 3.0, which they say is the last shop grade chain tool I’ll ever need. Delighted to put these claims to the test. It does look and feel extremely well-engineered. Designed to chomp chains from 1 to 13 speeds. Bodies and pins eventually fail, in my experience, so I was pleased to see Feedback Sports offer inexpensive replacements.  

 

While dry and bright weather is a stable feature, I’ve been getting out on the Holdsworth, resulting in some minor tweaking of the saddle height and alignment of the down tube bottle cage, which was offending my sensibilities.  

 

Boiled down to a few millimetres in both cases and easily sorted with a 5 and 4mm Allen key. If only everything in life were that easily rectified... Well, good thing it’s not, otherwise we wouldn’t develop the resilience, coping mechanisms, creativity and general ability to overcome challenges and obstacles. 

 

I’d finally managed to organise the boxing and posting of Ursula. I’d a large box but needed to cut it down and essentially, engineer a new one, using copious amounts of duct tape. I was relieved to discover the box would just fit inside Meg, the mighty K11 Micra, rear seat down. Sent it 48 hours, insured to the hilt and the post office clerk was genuine and incredibly helpful.   

 

Closer inspection revealed more peeling paint around the bottom bracket shell and chainstay bridge. Now, my love and religious application of Waxoyl is widely known and there was plenty sloshing around the old girl’s inner sanctum. However, watching Paul Brodie’s channel Romax Rescue // Paul Brodie's Shop (youtube.com) 

 

I began wondering whether water had snuck in through the chainstay bridge, resulting in some undetected corrosion. Then again, as a club elder said to me as a thirteen-year-old we can convince ourselves of anything. I’ll leave that to Winston Vaz to assess. Main thing, the old girl’s makeover is underway.  

Leading from The Front

Easter prompted some reflection- it always has with me, at least as an adult. I decided it was time to go for another Continental Cross king- a 26x2.0 (rather than 2.3) up front since it seems suited to my style of mixed terrain exploration. Extra UK have also sent me this Topeak   Tubular Bar Bag Slim 1.5 litre.  

As the numbers suggest, it’s a compact model, which is my preference and indeed, the best route, given both the fixed gear winter/trainer and Ursula have quite a lot going on at the bars. Talking of which, someone had waved a set of Redshift Sports Top Shelf Bar Handlebars under my nose. Very tempting, but the rise isn’t comparable with Ursula’s Soma Condor 2 SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) which seem absolutely bang on, so interesting though they are, no reason to change a great fit.  

Back to the Topeak Tubular Bar Bag Slim, it’s a single compartment model made from a water repellent and supposedly stain resident 600denier polyester. Tipping the scales at 125g, it tethers to the bars via two anti-slip straps and interestingly, an elastic cord.  A maximum 1.5 kilo payload caters for my needs- tube, lightweight packable jacket, gloves, food and other things I might need easy access to.  

A padded single compartment is accessed via a waterproof zipper and sensibly proportioned tag. If Ursula is anything to by, it’s an excellent choice for small compact geometry bikes, too.  It will be interesting to see how it compares with the Cycology See Me Pink Handlebar Bag Cycology See Me Pink Handlebar Bag | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and of course, the See Sense SEE SENSE HANDLEBAR BAG | cycling,-but-not-usually-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Bigger bar bags are great for day trips and touring-especially if you like taking an SLR or CSC camera along to capture the scenery, landmarks and anything else that catches your eye. I take a superzoom compact camera along for my rides-image quality is reasonable and should catastrophe strike, its considerably cheaper to replace, compared with an SLR, CSC, or rangefinder model. Horses for courses.  

After a few further weeks with the Blub Ceramic and I’ve switched Ursula’s KMC to Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather (a) It had arrived for testing (b) I was curious to see how much of an all-weather potion it really is. An everyday lube, or something slightly different. What I can tell you is that it’s a blend of oils and waxes, so essentially a hybrid. This to me suggests it should lubricate the chain, while shedding contaminant, reducing cleaning times and maintenance.  

These components also separate, which for me at least, is visually appealing.  You do need to give it a shake to mix everything. That aside, it’s simply a matter of getting chains and other drivetrain components surgically clean, drying them thoroughly and applying a little to each link (turning the cranks backward).  

The flow rate is more predictable than some, courtesy of the lube’s viscosity and the spout design, although you’ll still want a rag (or old sock) hovering beneath to catch and where appropriate, redistribute the lube. No hanging around waiting for it to cure either, which is very welcome. I’ve fed the fixed’s KMC  Peaty’s Premium as a comparator.  

I’ve a strong suspicion the premium will brave the elements longer, but that’s not necessarily a given. Despite some very mucky rural backroads and detours, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how clean the Peaty’s Link Lube Premium has remained. It's smooth and silent but unlike a wet ceramic, there’s relatively little contaminant clinging on to the fixed’s chain. 

Talking of lubes, Steve’s been impressed by the Blub Chain Lube BLUB Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and the wolf Tooth WT-G Precision Bike Grease has held out well against the elements Wolf Tooth WT-G Precision Bike Grease | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Now, slippery roads aside, I have mixed sympathy when it comes to farmers, at least in the UK. On the one hand, I am quietly resentful at those who voted for Brexit and now bemoan a pronounced loss in trade, being undercut by imported foods, loss of subsidies etc. 

On the other, it’s a very hard profession and a way of life which is central to a nation’s food security. The public has also become increasingly divorced, dare I say ignorant around food. “I don’t buy my food from a farm; I buy it from a supermarket” being an all-too-common comment.   

Farming (and clergy) used to have one of the highest suicide rates in the UK and could be attributed to the pressures, isolation, and uncertainty of whether crops and other produce would flourish and of course, fetch the right price. The highest suicide rates are now among construction workers. Some cite the long hours, working away from home and support networks and a culture of machismo.  

These may be significant factors, it may also reflect the fact many men work in construction, so consequently, the figures are skewed by this.  i.e. a greater number, by default incidence. I hypothesise that it's a combination of all these factors, with some having greater influence than others. However, without collecting and interpreting the data qualitatively and quantitively, it's impossible to make credible comment... I'll end on a cheerier note and Steve's review of these Fablecycle Tomahawk Cargo Commuter Cargo Shorts Fablecycle Tomahawk Cargo Commuter Cycle | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)