Flashbacks & Fancies

While mooching around Coventry’s Fargo Village, I was drawn to “The Bike Box”. Initially, by a Surly pacer and this Salsa. Being Sunday, I wasn’t entirely surprised to discover the shop closed. However, peering in through the window, I noticed this Holdsworthy Claud Butler.

An early 80s, 531^ST frameset built around period sensitive, yet broadly contemporary components. Colour aside, the frameset was almost identical, to a 1982 Super Dalesman, that seduced me, and my paper round savings, 29 years 1 month ago.

It cost me £250 at the time. £125 of which, I borrowed from my mother. A tourer that handled beautifully, laden or otherwise and one I remember, with great fondness.

Thankfully, Sharon came to collect me at this point. Being an empath, she humoured me, then whisked us away to a very pleasant Turkish café’. Elsewhere, the Holdsworth and I have been enjoying the clement conditions.

Perky and pared to the essentials, there’s been plenty of smiles per mile too. I was tempted (when Lee Cooper graciously performed the bottom bracket shell replacement and other, remedial work) to have a set of bottle bosses added. However, while its far from period, I want to keep the frame original-structurally, at least.

Hence, I’ve gone the strap on route. (You at the back, stop sniggering!!!) The slightly dumpy, though extremely practical SKS unit, has been joined by Topeak’s infinitely prettier Versa mount.

I’ve whipped this carbon composite Enigma bat-wing design. On an aesthetic note, I should probably swap the Elite Ciussi, for the Boardman cage clinging to my Univega’s downtube.

The Versa mount can be mounted in a variety of ways, to entertain small/compact geometry frames and even folders-head tubes, seat posts, or even fork legs are a few obvious alternatives. 1.2 kilos, is the maximum payload. One trick ponies in some respects. You certainly wouldn’t deploy them as a P-clip substitute for 4point carriers.

Continuing the swapping theme… I’ve swapped my fixed gear winter trainer’s Syncros matchbox cage for this bright green Vel race cage. A much closer match, pattern-wise, to the Deva.

At 34g, its made from a composite resin, which in turn is painted and lacquered for a glossy, durable sheen.  I’ve also exchanged said machine’s Brooks swift pattern perch, for this BBB Echelon.

The Echelon has a unique, dare I say characteristically Dutch flavour.  It supposedly straddles mtb and road genres, suggesting it’ll be a viable option for rough stuff and gravel too.

This is the 141, which is slightly misleading, since its actually145mm wide, 265mm long. 2mm broader than the toupe’, which may prove a more suitable option for my ‘cross biased fixed.    

Another cutaway design, it features a carbon reinforced shell, EVA foam padding and a durable, faux leather cover. Hollow Cro-moly rails with adjustment scales strike a good strength to weight ratio and make setup straightforward. Especially, if you’re swapping it between bikes.  

Having done 400 miles on the Vee Tire Co Zilent and crucially, reached some tangible conclusions, I’ve switched to The Soma Shikoro upfront. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/s  A supple, compliant ride to match and indeed, compare with their 33mm Supple Vitesse cousins.

Talking of Soma, here’s my review of the Condor bars https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/soma and the Lizard Skins DSP https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/lizard-skins-dsp

Elsewhere, Sinner have been in touch with me, regarding the refinishing of Mango bodies. According to Melvin, these are in fact made from Gelcoat. A composite but not actually carbon fibre as first thought. We are advised that a decent car body finisher should be more than capable of repainting to a high standard.

I’m inclined to say that many will regard the Mango as specialist equipment and politely decline, as tends to happen with motorcycle components. A project finisher, or someone working with motorcycle GRP (fairings etc) is likely to be a better bet. John is also looking to upgrade the gearing to a triple, for greater range.

He’s opting for 28/40/70. However, we have discovered the Sunstar battery assist’s spider, will only accommodate two rings. Therefore, I have contacted Sunstar, asking if they produce a compatible pattern, capable of accommodating a triple.

John is talking in terms of making a custom model from stainless steel; or modifying the existing setup. No surprise, given he’s a retired engineer but I’m thinking a stock model will be a more efficient use. of time and other resources. Talking of models, here’s some more from last week’s shot with Krystal J.

Carbon Fibre Repair

I headed down to Carbon Bike Repair in Leatherhead. A fascinating visit that dispelled many of the myths surrounding composites. Not least, their capacity for successful, permanent and moreover, cost-effective repair. You can read the full feature here https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/a-visit-to-carbon-fibre-bike-repair .

I was surprised to learn that 99% of damage is repairable on a good-as-new basis and yes, that includes dropouts. Obviously, economics are a determining factor.

Basic repair starts at £80, which is viable on a set of forks blades costing £300. Not so, a set commanding £100, let alone a £35 seat post with aluminium head.

This TT frameset was involved in a particularly gruesome collision with a car. One which ultimately claimed the rider’s arm and broke the frameset into 27 pieces. A bystander had painstakingly salvaged these, placing them in a bag.  

Ultimately, Rob’s team were able to piece it (including the fork!) back together. Rigorously and meticulously tested, it is structurally sound, the rider recovered and returned to racing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they bought a new frameset and gifted this one to CBR.

Their 2pack paintwork is of phenomenally high standard too. However, there wasn’t a safe opportunity for me to capture this being applied, on account of the paints’ cyanide components. Another reason why manufacturers/refinishers seldom offer little bottles of touch up paint these days.

Shortly afterward, I headed north to work on unrelated photographic assignments, which also coincided with Coventry’s motofest. Oh and a commercial quality TIG welder with AC/DC settings…

TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) is another welding technology that came about in the 1940s and a good alternative to oxyacetylene. It’s also credited with making aluminium and magnesium credible choices for structural works.

Much greater skill is required compared with MIG and the Arc’s intensity is also significantly higher; hence a grade 10 shield/setting and gloves are a must. However, the relatively slow, precise nature rewards with much cleaner, slag-free welds.

It can be used at any position and with the correct shielding gas, is highly suited to titanium and Cro-moly steels. Little wonder how it became so widely used in frame and component construction.

My involvement? All will be revealed another time…

Talking of TIG welded frames; having re-greased the Ilpompino’s headset and seat post, all was buttery smooth and serene. While hustling along the lanes this morning, my internal processes were shattered by a high-pitched “baaaaaaaaaaang!” This was swiftly accompanied by a shimmy; my senses screaming with alarm.

The rear tyre had rolled from the rim. Closer inspection revealed the tube wall had failed- caused by fatigue, rather than foreign object. Thankfully, fresh butyl and Lezyne Micro-floor pump https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/lezyne-micro-floor-pump spared my blushes.

The latter is capable of delivering a road credible 100psi fairly swiftly with only moderate, mere mortal effort. I limped home at 15mph with a wobbly rear hoop. That’ll be a trip to my friendly, local wheel builder tomorrow morning!

Tube Investments

Well, after some false starts caused by an online retailer breaking delicate components in their warehouse; John Moss has worked his magic, on my titanium seat post. 

Clarke lathe correctly calibrated, it took him 60 minutes to remove the excess metal. Residual blemishes were smoothed by hand using increasingly fine grades of emery paper.

In common with similarly skilled engineering trades, John’s background  means he is meticulous in his approach and seeks to continuously improve everything. A philosophy that I share but John’s skill and helpful disposition I greatly admire. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/love-resurrection-john-moss-s-tandem
 

He expressed quiet disappointment upon hearing of my intention to paint the exposed section. Having clapped eyes on the freshly polished post, I’ve decided to leave it raw.

Coventry was once the UK’s motor city, much like Detroit in the US. Car manufacturing, at least on a mass scale, has long since gone and the economic impact has been quite apparent.While the loss of the factories hit people of all socio-economic groups hard, engineering and technological skills remain in demand. 

Coachbuilders, tool makers, textile engineers and skilled machinists had transferable skills and were able to port themselves over to other, related industries. Any subsequent retraining was minimal and easily recouped either by themselves, or new employers.

I was taught to weld by a Dagenham coachbuilder named Terry and George, a giant tool maker who had worked for many years at the Ford motor company. Dagenham was also another motor town that has suffered greatly since the automotive giant relocated.

Their transition to teaching was arguably an obvious one. I was also interested to learn that the old divides and office politics (between traditional academic and technical) so prevalent in manufacturing; had also been ported over.  

Tuesday morning, having returned from a quick twenty mile blast, restoring my faith in those 30mm Vee tyres (which are starting to win my over in pretty much every context); I decided I may as well introduce the Univega to its new post.

This also presented another opportunity to put Blackburn Switch multi tool through its paces. Sent to Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com  from Zyrofisher http://www.zyrofisher.co.uk/  the switch is a very minimalist, though equally well conceived 8-function design with some very neat touches.

The wrench is doubled ended, meaning it can be deployed as a T or L shaped Allen key for torque, or alternatively, screwdriver fashion. Ball ends ensure easy access to bottle mounts and similar fasteners. Newbies and those seeking a single, comprehensive tool for several bikes are, in my opinion, better served by the brands’ 19 function wayside http://www.zyrofisher.co.uk/products/detail/BLTWAY19  

Nonetheless, the past fortnight has seen me warming to its charms and we’ll have both reviewed in the coming weeks. Tubby Tourer’s BBB skyscraper post removed, I decided to give the seat tube a top-up shot of waxy corrosion inhibitor.

Next, with the saddle in place, I introduced some PTFE based grease to the post and was delighted by how precisely the post slid into the frame. Teflon based grease! ? but titanium needs a very specific blend...

Yes, I subscribed to this for several years and it’s true that titanium can form a very permanent union with other metals. However, consulting engineers and Justin Burls http://www.burls.co.uk/ , who has built titanium framesets for many years, suggests any good quality synthetic grease is fine with titanium contact points/fasteners.

In keeping with other metals, inspect and replenish this at least annually. More regularly on mountain, cross, or road builds shunning mudguards, mind.         

Random Tandem

It’s been a roller coaster week. A full cable refit to Graham’s recently refinished mid 90’s Timberline concluded my test of those Super B TB-WC30 Pro Cable Cutters https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/super-b-tb-wc30-pro-cable-cutters. I was also rather excited by a freshly blasted racing tandem that prepped and plugged, ready for a zinc rich epoxy base coat.

Turns out it’s an early 1950’s Rory O’Brien. Part of the refurb involved removing braze-ons, including the bottle bosses, which struck me as a curious move-even if the machine was being used for short-distance TTs.  

While the forks follow the traditional lugged and brazed construction, the frame is beautifully fillet brazed. Some would say this was an obvious choice for a pared to the essentials race rocket for two, saving precious grams and making it harder to disguise poor workmanship.

Urban myth, on both counts; though not commonly practiced during this frame’s era, TIG welding still translates into a lighter build, saving approximately 340g on a typical tandem frameset.

Fillet brazing is a process where brass is built up in layers, forming a very strong, uniform bond.  A frame constructed this way stands a better chance of survival following a collision with a tree, or parked car.

Talking of cars, anything other than fusion welding will signal MOT failure but a decent coachbuilder could successfully join two old school Jaguars together without any fear of failure. Motorcycle frames were also fabricated using this method.  

Being more labour intensive, there’s a cost implication but less competent/experienced builders can still get away with sloppy work. Done properly, large, smooth even fillets are all you’ll see. Be wary of overbite (where the tube has been filed at the fillet). This creates a stress point, which can result in premature and potentially fatal frame failure.  

John Moss has been focusing upon getting the Mango’s Di2 and Alfine hub combo harmonious but a conversation about machine shops and this Chinese made titanium seat post ignited his curiosity. Staying wit the Di2, he’s been having problems getting the shifters to communicate as he’d hoped with the 11spd Alfine hub. John’s career as a highly skilled technician means he loves to diagnose, fault find and continuously improve equipment.

I explained I had a 27.2 Ti post doing something nothing close to nothing and was toying with the idea of having it machined down to 26.0. This could then replace the Univega’s otherwise likeable BBB skyscraper. After some calculations and precision measurements, he calculated with a carbide tip, he could shave 136mm from the bottom, thus it would slide securely into the tubby tourer’s seat tube. Modern social history, human geography and industrial decline are subjects that have always fascinated me. Most cities have their no-go districts, or at least those with ill-repute.

Hillfields in Coventry has an unenviable reputation for being the city’s red-light district. Levels of deprivation are high, just as some inner London Boroughs including Hackney (despite the latter’s superficial gentrification, some might say, socio-economic cleansing).

However, it’s renown for being the region’s red-light area, drugs and associated criminal activity being consequently rife. I had always presumed this had been a relatively recent phenomenon, a’la Dagenham intensifying when the car factories and similar business left.

Anecdotally John and several other reliable sources refute my hypothesis. I’ve heard tales from the 1950s of organised criminal activity, including protection rackets, money laundering and of course, drugs. During the 1950s a smartly dressed young man walked into a Café’ and was greeted with smiles and warm acknowledgement.

A few minutes later, a woman running said eatery heard a scream and discovered the young man’s throat had been slit-in road daylight. She called for an ambulance and applied pressure to the wound using a clean tea-towel until paramedics arrived. The man survived.     

Conversation with Graham at Maldon Shot blasting & Powder Coating suggested painting the exposed section satin black wouldn’t be an issue either. It was decided that because of the metal’s characteristics, attempting to blast the surface (giving the paint fighting chance of staying put) was a non-starter, so he’d use an acid etch primer instead...Stay tuned…

Polished Performance

Well, the wetter weather has arrived, meaning dirtier bikes and presenting an ideal opportunity to put this Pro Green MX triple pack through its paces. 

These are a little different to the classic bog standard, blow, scrub and rinse staples.  

Devised by a team with Moto Cross roots, I was expecting something a bit special from the Coventry based brand and generally speaking, I’ve been impressed. First up, we have their hi-performance cycle wash, which is a super rich, lathery, surface-friendly brew. Now, park bikes in your usual scrubbing spot, flick the trigger and apply top to toe from around thirty odd centimetres away.

Give ingrained gloop a quick tickle from your favourite soft brush, then leave marinating for five minutes, yes-five minutes before rinsing off with tepid water. I’d deliberately left the Univega’s middleweight PTFE infused chain prep cultivating gritty, lumpy contaminant to see how their drivetrain degreaser would shape up.

This one is also supposedly surface friendly, although clearly contains some mildly corrosive nasties given the warning labels. It can either be decanted into a clip-on chain bath, or brushed into the chain, cassette, rings and jockey wheels old school mechanic style.

Calling their bluff, I basted a light coating around the tubby tourer’s Shimano dynohub shell, rings, derailleurs and went in search of fresh water. This also needs five minutes to marinate. Time up, I sloshed water over the transmission parts. A tsunami of dull grey sludge pooled by my feet, leaving behind a gleaming chain, cassette and rings, which just needed a quick wipe-dry before being treated to some fresh lube. 

For the grand finale’ I treated paint and bright work to the brands’ After Shine 101. This is a blend of “emulsion silicones and waxes” designed to be applied in a fine mist and left air drying for thirty minutes-without any owner input.

Again, I was a little sceptical about the streak and sticky-free claims, especially since the pump-spray nozzle deposited splodges, rather than a fine mist, resulting in some unsightly runs.

These evaporated within a matter of minutes, almost before my eyes, imparting a really smooth, glossy coat. Not that the enamel was in poor shape but the after shine 101 masked some very minor imperfections and battle scars that come with eighteen years and 113,000 all weather miles.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be testing their prowess on different kinds of grot, more sophisticated lubricants and of course, seeing how effective the silicone infused film is at repelling spatter. 

In my experience, many silicone-based products produce a rich glossy shine but are ultimately sticky, attracting a grimy patina after only a few damp rides, so we’ll see...