Fast Tangos & Old Faithfuls

 I wanted to get a few last rides in on the Holdsworth and Teenage Dream. Having played around with spacers, I found myself giving the bike a thorough washing and hard paste waxing. This led to me switching its tired looking Guee Silicone bar wrap for the T-One Mr Fantastic Handlebar Tape T-ONE MR FANTASTIC HANDLEBAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Given my 5am riding schedule, I had rummage around the lighting box and found this Cat-Eye Volt 1700.  

The full 1700 is arguably overkill, even for these backroads (although nice to have, especially when things turn misty) and I would’ve preferred a 1100lumen setting to staircase down to. However, it goes from 1700 to 500lumen, which is too steep a drop for navigating.  

Up the rear, I’ve gone for this Moon Shield Rear Light, which is another very potent model and one that I’m genuinely very fond of. During the cleaning phase, I stripped the existing wax lube and though tempted to go the Muc Off Ludicrous AF route, opted for a light helping of Peaty’s Link Lube Premium All-Weather PEATY'S LINK LUBE PREMIUM ALL WEATHER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

After some deliberation, rather than switch the Cat-Eye between bikes, I decided to partner the Ravemen CR600 to its LR500S RAVEMEN LR500S FRONT LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) cousin, generating 1100 lumens all told. 

The latter’s beam quality is far mightier than the 500lumens might imply, too.  To my surprise, Ursula’s shifting had gone off the boil again, particularly midway across the cassette. Despite close, methodical scrutiny and the root cause elusive but pruning the chain by two links and replacing the shift cable proved the cure.  

Disappointing given I’d only had eight weeks from that inner cable. I ordered a few replacements since these are staples and though there’s never a good time for failure, it usually strikes at the least opportune moment.  

Keeping them clean and lightly lubed with GT85GT85 ALL PURPOSE LUBRICANT (sevendaycyclist.com), or similar maintenance spray certainly helps-particularly through winter but the gritty, grotty weather will still shorten their life. Heavy duty PTFE sprays have their merits but if you must go this route, apply once. Repeated applications will slowly result in a PTFE “fatberg”.   

Inner wires are cheap to replace, so change a daily driver’s seasonally and buy stainless where you can. 

It’s now palpably colder and darker in the mornings- its struggling to double figures, so I’ve switched to the ¾ length bibs and long sleeve jerseys. Middleweight fare for now, and I’m still defaulting to the cheap but very cheerful Passport Crochet Back Cycling MittsTEST & REVIEW: PASSPORT CROCHET BACK CYCLING MITTS (sevendaycyclist.com) That said; stronger winds and falling leaves are nudging me to dig out lightweight full-finger gloves, such as these Specialized, or the Oxford North Shore Gloves OXFORD NORTH SHORE GLOVES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Not to mention a thicker, water-resistant cap, I’m still a fan of Prendas Ciclismo  Lisboa Waterproof Cycling Cap PRENDAS CICLISMO LISBOA WATERPROOF CAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

While rooting through some light boxes, trying to locate a high-power compact light for the Teenage Dream, I unearthed this now discontinued Xeccon Mars 60 COB Rear Light TESTED: XECCON MARS 60 COB REAR LIGHT (sevendaycyclist.com) A light that might be a little quirky but one I’m still very endeared to .

Nite Rider Solas 30 Rear Light is another rear light falling into this category and mine’s still going strong over five years later.    Talking of which, we’re big fans of E-bikes. To clarify, they may not be my passion, let alone my area of expertise but there’s a lot to like. Contemporary machines making cycling accessible to new audiences.  

Electric-assist cargo bikes are increasingly a viable alternative to small vans, especially in congested town and city centres. Commuting on an e-bike can be more practical than a traditional bicycle, dressed in formal office, or more casual threads, running utility and bike-as-car errands.  

E-assist also ensures older, or more vulnerable riders can enjoy longer distance rides, with a little assistance, as and if required. Steve and his family has enjoyed their time with this model FREEDOM BY DESIGN | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)   

  

Back To The Old School

I’ve managed to acquire sufficient chains and control cables for personal consumption and am delighted with Ursula’s Kinekt2.1 upgrade. This final switch has realised my 80’s vision of a drop-bar all-terrain bike. An engaging, lightweight go anywhere, four season’s machine.  

One I sketched, while completely disconnected from the school curriculum and for the most part, my classmates. Sketched without a clue as to how it might be realised, I might add. Daydreams alternated between building a bespoke frameset of my own, to buying something high-end.  

While I would never snub a genuine opportunity to build a frame (as distinct from attending a frame building course) I have decided paying a frame builder, such as Lee Cooper Home - LEE COOPER CYCLE FRAMES (webs.com) to execute my vision, or buying off the peg framesets are more cost-effective, time-efficient options for me.   

Now, I’d be the first to point out that the cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Building a frameset on a residential frame building course would be incredibly satisfying. However, my money is better invested in a suitable welder and tackling less specialist metalworking projects. Some for my own enjoyment and home economics, other for more immediate, fiscal gain.  

  

Ursula’s frameset is 24 years old, in my possession for 22 of them (bought new old stock). I’ve switched the Zefal Adventure R5 Waterproof Saddlebag ZEFAL ADVENTURE R5 WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for this Carradice SQR Tour, which is twenty years old. Its waterproof cotton-duck fabric has cultivated a faded patina, but for me, this just adds to its character and testament to its build quality.   

Portly compared with bike packing luggage and can be a handful, laden to the gills but lighter and nimbler than an expedition rack and pannier configuration. Besides, I’ve the trailer for those occasions when I want to haul heavy/awkward loads.  

Unexpectedly, shifting had become unreliable. Cable was the most obvious culprit, since the chain had only recently been replaced, cassette was good. Ditto rear mech and hanger... Inner and outer cable replaced but no matter how much mechanically sensitive tweaking of the rear mech, the brifter remained out of step and a little sloppy.  

Dejected, I packed up for the day and after some reflection, decided on some Tektro RL340 drop levers and a Microshift ten-speed bar-end shifter. This combo might lack the outright refinement, dare I say convenience of Sti/Brifters. However, I ran a similar configuration (Shimano Ultegra) on the original build and there are several distinct advantages, especially on a machine of this kind.  

Aside from reduced vulnerability, in the event of a spill (worst case scenario, they are also cheaper to replace). Shimano Ultegra and the Microshift bar end shifters can be switched to friction, should need arise. Setting up the Microshift was more time-consuming, than the Ultegra.  

However, it all came together nicely, once I decided to take the gear cable in a more ‘cross traditional direction.  Part of the challenge and satisfaction of working on bikes (and machines generally) is working things through and getting them right. 

This also spelled the end for the discontinued (and in my view, fabulous), Control Tech bar tape and prompted a switch to the Soma Condor2 Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com), since I was in the mood for switching things around. For the time being, I’ve dressed them in the orange Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar TapeLONG-TERM TEST: ACROS SILICONE BAR WRAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which is a more flattering contrast than I’d anticipated.  

The Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly GreasePEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) although will revisit in the depths of winter to see how well it performs, long term and in more challenging conditions.  This enforced leave, coupled with the good weather meant I’ve been getting the miles in on the Teenage Dream and enjoying every moment.  

However, the BBB guards had finally succumbed to fatigue at the mounting points, resulting in some periodic but irritating binding. I’ve stripped them, which has obviously solved the problem while resulting in a cleaner aesthetic.