Bottom Bracket Bites The Dust

 

Once again, Ursula's front mech began misbehaving. The first time, I returned and discovered some slop in the Hollowtech II crankset. Hmm, curious, but nothing a quick tweak of the bearing tension wouldn't fix, right? 

The following outing and yep, the play hard returned, signalling the ti bottom bracket's cartridge bearings were spent. I'd bought a couple of XT units in preparation for this, or similar expiry.  No time like the present.

Being well greased, the crankset and bottom bracket released very easily. I gave Ursula's bottom bracket shell a careful cleaning, introduced some Oxford Mint Assembly Grease Oxford Mint Assembly Grease | cycling-not-racing, applied a light coating to the XT bottom bracket and then sped it home.  Talking of grease, Steve’s been long term testing this Blub Lithium GreaseBlub Lithium Grease | cycling-not-racing

I went the deep clean route with the rings and spider a ride or two later but was more concerned with getting everything home and ruling out anything else. I reached for the Peaty’s Speed GreasePEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing and applied this to the Deore cranksets axle, reducing the friction, while keeping corrosion and similar hassles at bay. A quick nudge of the 10mm preload cap, confirmed my diagnosis was correct, the titanium unit’s ceramic bearings were indeed shot.

Double checked, I wound the pinch bolts home to 14nm, spun the cranks-all sorted. Another little job off the list, although in retrospect, I might've been better served going for the XT following Ursula's frame refurb and modification.  Some greasy finger marks adorning the right chainstay and bottom bracket shell were effortlessly dismissed with the BBB Bio Ready wash and a retired sock.

During this phase, I was also convinced I had another, a third Hollowtech II bottom bracket hiding away in the spares boxes. With a little time on my hands, I took this opportunity to root around, emerging victorious. It features the usual fit n’ forget bearings, aluminium cups and a composite component. This saves 20g or so over the titanium Van Nicholas, although I’m confident the bearings won’t last nearly so long.  Nice to have another handy, though-even if only as a stop-gap.

A few weeks and many mixed terrain miles down the line, the CST Patrol continue to impress with their all-rounder prowess, proving suitably swift on pockmarked asphalt, unmade roads and dirt trails. Impossible to comment on their mud churning prowess given it's been refreshingly dry of late. The EPS belt seems similarly effective at keeping flints and other sharps from causing mischief. However, rains and boggy conditions may tell a different story.  

Staying with tyres and inflation, I’m extremely fond of mini-inflators, which while not quite magic bullets, save time and effort when recovering from wounded butyl. I’ve tested a fair few in recent months and to date, my favourite is the CYC PLUS AS2 Pro Max E PumpCycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing . The relatively large battery will inflate up to 4 tyres between charges, which is great for longer rides, especially bigger volume gravel and mountain bike rubber. It also features a digital pressure gauge, taking the guesswork out of things, so there’s only operator error to blame if you’ve whacked in too much pressure.

More compact models fit better in jersey pockets. I’m fond of Muc Off’s Air Mach Electric Mini Inflator Muc-Off Air Mach Electric Mini Inflator | cycling-not-racing  it charges from zero to 100 in 25 minutes and capable of 100psi. However, and this goes for other designs with 7.5v 300mAh batteries, I’d advocate carrying a decent pump as a backup, should you succumb to a further, or multiple flats during a ride.

Against this backdrop, I’d spotted their PRO version, which in my view is a great improvement and could give the competition a good run for your hard earned. £100 buys a model capable of 120psi and will inflate up to 4 tyres between charges, which only take a few minutes longer than the standard model. This is also quite impressive, given Muc-Off has opted for a 7.4v 450mAh, which improves power output but without unduly increasing bulk.  

The Pro also incorporates a digital gauge and auto cutout when the desired pressure is reached, which is super convenient and a very welcome upgrade. Other improvements include a screw on extension hose for TPU valves since these can melt (it’s also recommended when tackling Schrader), a ball needle for footballs, beach balls and similar items we may pick up on a family, or group ride.

The instructions give guide times for various tyre sizes when fully charged. 26inch isn’t included but there are sufficient comparators for me to cross reference claims during testing.   

This Velo21 mini adjustable torque driver wrench. Unlike the preset types I’ve been testing recently, its adjustable between 4, 5 and 6nm, which should cater for contact points- a seat post adjustment, loose stem face, Aheadset bearings, cable pinch bolts, 6 bolt disc rotors, disc callipers to name but a few. Formative impressions are favourable, as is the price, so we'll see what the next few weeks and regular fettling reveal...  

 

Orange Clockwork

 The continued dry, balmy weather has meant there’s no excuse for not getting some serious miles in aboard the Holdsworth and give Denise a rest. I’ve even switched from full -finger “liner type” gloves to mitts and short-sleeve jerseys.  

I’ve also switched the 137mm wide SR Marnie GT for the titanium-railed 185x142mm Madison Flux Switch to see how the latter performs on a road build. Now, the Holdsworth doesn’t have a particularly long saddle to bar drop, especially compared to a semi-compact geometry frameset but the saddle is geared more toward a traditional road, rather than cross or gravel bike.  

Contexts where a shorter nose is best, given you’re more likely to dis/mount quickly. 200 miles down the line, I’m inclined to say the 137mm SR Marnie GT is the best width for the Holdsworth, although 142 or (or indeed, 143mm) is damn good- the Specialized Toupe’ had served for many years, after all. Miss the Toupe’ but nothing lasts forever and I’m developing a soft spot for the ti railed Flux. The unisex Perineum friendly channel is a case in point, relieving pressure unexpectedly well, despite being very shallow. 

WTB Chain lube is doing its thing, cleansing any grime from the chain and staying put. Reckon it’ll go way beyond the claimed 400-mile per application mark, given the present, arid conditions and I’ll probably stick with it, given the clean, durable characteristics.  

Though I was fond of the budget carbon Acor unit, the thin bladed period typical (I’m led to believe it’s not the original and don’t care) fork adds a bit more zip to proceedings and yes, I still like the contrasting blue.   

Talking of blue, I’m sticking with the Peaty’s Link Lube Dry with Denise- the hybrid quasi wax and oil blend is well suited to these conditions, sifting the contaminant, while the oil part keeps potential taint at bay. Though less tenacious than some blends, including the brands Link Lube Premium counterpart, I’m generally preferring it to waxes for general riding.  

I also took this opportunity to check Denise’s chain health .25, which is middling, given the generally stable conditions but there’s a reasonable amount of life left before I’ll consign it to the bin and replace with another.  

Some say to expect 1500-3,000 miles and I’d loosely agree. However, if you’re doing a lot of mixed terrain, mountain biking or winter road riding, expect a drop. Despite careful maintenance, though a vile, slimy winter I’ve scraped 800miles from a chain.        

I was in the area, so dropped by Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating and saw the Dave Russel frameset had been treated to a RAL6027 atop chrome effect powder coat, replacing the electroplate which looked pin sharp. Blasting revealed the frameset was only chromed at the seat and chainstays suggesting the red was its original livery (some are chromed completely with acid etc primers and enamel atop.)

Personally, decals aren’t my thing-they simply advertise a bike, or frameset is worth nicking in my view. It wouldn’t do to be all the same and though I prefer an air of mystery, the RAL6027 and chrome effect looks really, sharp. The green could well be Ursula’s next livery… Steve’s reached his conclusions with the AS2 inflator Cycplus AS2 Pro Tiny E-Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

They’d also restored this Orange Clockwork frameset (complete with rigid Cro-moly fork).  This looks to be a late 90s model, maybe as late as ‘98, a couple of years younger than Ursula. Its owner is apparently going to ride it across America. Aside from the obvious rush of retro delight (I was really taken by the Orange Clockwork in the early 90s), I also contemplated the shade of orange as an option for Ursula... 

Continuing the summer theme, I err towards full finger designs, even during late spring and summer. Simply on the grounds of greater protection when meandering beyond asphalt. Beyond 20 degrees or so, save for the Madison Roamer and Specialized (model), which are thin but rugged, I’m donning mitts. Aero mitts are second-skin snug, a little harder to pull on off/ but great for blasting along-say on the Holdsworth and Teenage Dream.  

Traditional leather palmed models are lovely from a retro perspective, and I’ve only just had to retire these PassportTEST & REVIEW: PASSPORT CROCHET BACK CYCLING MITTS (sevendaycyclist.com) after six years faithful service. Aside from their classic theme, their looser fit also enabled me to run liner gloves beneath for some additional warmth/comfort during late summer/early autumn, where the temperatures start to drop a little and often without notice.  

I’ll prefer not to reflect too deeply on that latter bit, since it’ll mean the darker months are approaching and I won’t’ve got all I wanted from the summer. I still enjoy the changing seasons and still associate the darker months with positive things-going to university, meeting a woman who would become the human love of my life and the simple things like being able to draw the curtains and protect myself from the world.  

 

Limited daylight, though perfect for testing lighting can present other challenges, and frustrations mind.  Right, I’ll end here with Steve’s review of the Cycplus AS2 inflator Cycplus AS2 Pro Tiny E-Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)