Logistical Redemption & Festive Threesomes

Hmm, perhaps someone in the logistics industry was reading my last post-those Tenn gloves and overshoes have just arrived-along with this Stronglight Aheadset.

Made from neatly machined 7075 aluminium, it boasts annular (as distinct from ball, or needle roller) bearings. Arguably, the latter are equally suited to touring, tandem, trike and similarly high stress applications thanks to broad surface areas.

Will be interesting to see what (if any) difference these make, especially at the lower race. I have previously employed the French marques’ justly popular and similarly priced threaded A9 model with more traditional touring builds.

Trouble free for many thousands of miles; I’m hoping this unit will follow in its footsteps. Lip seals promise similar defence against moisture/ingress but other factors; including correctly reamed and faced head tubes, sympathetic installation using stiff greases is equally significant.  Fitting’s earmarked for that quietly industrious, contemplative corridor between Christmas and New Year.

According to folklore, things run in threes. Freehub was first, headset second and this week, its otherwise dependable Dia Compe rear stoppers got the sulks and couldn’t be cajoled back to civility.

Regular readers will recall my predisposition toward front braking, reasoning that 80% of our weight moves forward. However, legalities aside; I’m firmly of the mindset that if something’s fitted, it must be functional and preferably finely honed.

Often a judicious blast of PTFE based spray while repeatedly pumping the lever cures matters. No joy…Closer inspection confirmed the frame’s pivot points were clean and completely free of corrosion. In fact, they still sported a protective layer of ceramic grease, comparably spotless springs too. Yet the left wouldn’t return for love, money or kind words… 

While having a thorough clean, sweep and tidy of the garage (as stipulated by one’s maternal figurehead during her most recent weapon’s inspection), I happened upon these wide arm units that once adorned the Ilpompino’s seat stay bosses.

Mechanical efficiency is greatly superior to low profile designs, although more extreme versions can present compatibility issues on smaller frames, especially when large panniers and generous feet enter the equation.  

Fresh cable, a lick of lube and ten minutes light fettling later they were pride of place. Reliable service resumed with discernibly superior modulation and feel-huzzah!

Talking of braking, I’ve always been a fan of the much maligned U brake. Sure, its low slung location had dire consequences for mountain bikers venturing beyond arid, dusty trails but I was impressed with their power and believed it had much wider horizons.

Decathlon would appear of similar opinion judging by their Alur 700. An unusual move since discs have stolen the show on road biased builds these past few seasons. However, this configuration was chosen to improve clearances, thus entertaining 28mm tyre sections, which can deliver a more compliant, sure-footed passage over wet, greasy winter roads. 

Suspect said stopper will require more frequent cleaning/inspection given its likely to be blasted with that slimy, sludgy and sometimes salty cocktail, mind.

Right, well my extra powerful 1700watt vacuum cleaner has just this minute expired-the fourth thing in a row (!) Best pack bags, head off to the midlands, watch some grass roots ‘cross racing and spend Christmas with very special people.

Getting The Message But Not The Parcels...

Tuesday 2^nd saw me meeting the CEO of a small scale bike brand outside Bermondsey tube station. Never one to waste a few minutes, armed with trusty workhorse Sony Alpha SLR, I snapped these working fixers/single speeds shackled obediently to nearby stands.

Moments later my host arrived and whisked me off to a classically authentic and highly hospitable Italian café’ restaurant several streets away. Six hours hence, our meeting drew to a mutually favourable conclusion and I re-joined the sea of equally purposeful commuters, weaving through platforms and cramming themselves sardine fashion into a slowing procession of tube carriages.

Dark by 1500hrs, tis the season for day glow overshoes and potent dynamos. Those genuinely unique and capable Shower’s Pass covers fit in a flash and are one of the few readily compatible with broader street-styled shoes (although you’ll need to cut their sole to accommodate recessed cleats).

While belting along the back roads aboard the Univega, its rear wheel began an ominous “self-destruct” symphony some ten miles from home, announcing its oft maligned M475 freehub needed emergency strip and rebuild surgery.

Aside from regular cassette replacements, sporadic skewer greasing and generic polishing; mine has been fending for itself these past 5,000miles. New bearings, Teflon based grease and freehub body hence; we’re sorted for another year or so.

Despite my best efforts, one of the front hoop’s stainless spokes has succumbed badly to the salt monster’s slimy, caustic tongue, thus necessitates replacement sometime in the New Year-before it “twangs” unexpectedly.

I fully intend to upgrade the tubby tourer’s cheap but relatively cheerful Aheadset in favour of something better sealed and with higher quality cartridge/needle roller bearings.

These distribute loads much better than standard balls, thus wear slower and run buttery smooth. Sadly, Woodman’s Saturn (Fitted to Holdsworth and Teenage Dream) is no longer in production. A Tange needle roller and Stronglight annular unit, both giving change from £25 have caught my eye.

Decathlon opened its latest store in Harlow last week and I was lucky enough to get a press invite. More famous for its cycle museum and college of Journalism, I hadn’t been to the town for over twenty years, although the retail park was easily found.

Smaller than some, there was still plenty to see. I am particularly taken with their (in house) Btwin clothing range-especially their mid/upper end 500 and 700 series. Hopefully, I’ll have some samples and their junior series for testing early in 2015.

Christmas is one of the busiest periods for logistics companies with ever greater demands being met by a reserve army of seasonal labour. However, two, maybe three consignments of relatively valuable test kit have mysteriously “vanished” in the past six weeks.

One carrier had the cheek to record these as delivered (and signed for!) suggesting they’re helping themselves and/or running a lucrative side line-might  have a gander on the auction sites later..

Having served as a seasonal dobbin at various points, I have witnessed boxes containing flat screen plasma TVs, lightweight bicycle frames and other fragile items launched shot-putter fashion across warehouses and slammed into wire mesh cages.

A wonder we receive anything, let alone in serviceable condition. Interestingly and in keeping with other un/semi-skilled production/assembly line contexts, you’ll meet the nicest and nastiest ends of humanity.

I’ve noticed close parallels with the sentiments expressed by men working the line at Ford’s Halewood plant in Huw Beynon’s 1970s study “Working for Ford”.  “They’re all working here but they’re just really hanging around, waiting for something to turn up…” Hmm, haven’t seen a set of Tenn Gloves, Overshoes too by any chance folks?

Never mind, issue 2 of Seven Day Cyclist has just hit the digital stands http://www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1038&category=Sport&subcatid=234&subcategory=Cycling&title=Seven+Day+Cyclist&titleid=2582&issueid=92567#close

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