I knew THAT idea was becoming the ONLY idea...The urge to switch Ursula's bar, stem, and brake levers. However, I
wanted to avoid being midway through the transplant only to be thwarted by a
spacer, or control cable- I strongly suspected the Jagwire Road Elite Sealed
Cable Jagwire
Road Elite Sealed Brake Kit | cycling-not-racing outers would be a little
short at key points. Happy to take my time but crucially get things bang on
first time and as with so many things, forward planning is key. I was also
trying to trace some Shimano M505 pedals. These had long been succeeded, some
might say eclipsed by the legendary 520 but I was curious as to where mine had
vanished to.
Presented a good time to strip
and re-grease the legendary original 1990 Spuds and I knew precisely where
these were. Balmy weather had seen me spend several weeks racking up a
few hundred miles aboard the Holdsworth, enjoying its minimalist, spirited
charms. Clearly, it didn't appreciate the Garmin light mount, which I
discovered ejected to an inaccessible part of the garage. This prompted a
switch from the ultra-compact Magicshine Allty 400 to Ravemen LR1000 Ravemen LR 1000 Curved
Lens Front Light | cycling-not-racing, which is a similarly compact light
with a lot more useable power and thanks to the clever optics, much brighter
than numbers alone would suggest.
Same goes for its 500-lumen sibling RAVEMEN LR500S FRONT LIGHT | cycling-not-racing. However, the 1000lumens ensures I can navigate the darker lanes, should I find myself out longer than intended on a summer evening. Staying with lights, Gaciron got in touch and sent me their recently launched Xiaoman 1000 Multifunctional All-in-One Professional Outdoor Front light.
Aside from being a bike light,
it's designed for other outdoor activities, including night fishing and hiking. Thanks
to the diffusers, it could double as a reading lamp-it may also prove useful in
photographic applications- we'll see. The Xiaoman 1000 will also double as a
power bank and features a 5000mAh battery.
The highest 1000 lumen mode is
claimed to have an illumination range of 200 metres and 2 hours runtime. I was
pleased by the sensible staircasing downwards- 600, 300, 100 lumens catering
for most riding contexts-great news for urban riders who like to let their hair
down along the backroads, or ride through a variety of environments.
There's also a 300-lumen day
flash reckoned good for 35 hours between charges and a "Breathe" mode
alternating between 50 and 100lumens. Characteristics that lend it nicely to
dynamo companionship. IPX6 for weatherproofing and aluminium construction
bodes well for durability. There are three colour options-I've gone for black,
but white or pink are the alternatives.
It can be mounted atop, or beneath the bars for a sleek, uncluttered effect, courtesy of the symmetrical optics, which is increasingly standard but welcome, nonetheless. I was very slightly disappointed to note the remote is only offered as an aftermarket option- I'd rather see this thrown in with the package, even if it meant upping the price by a couple of quid.
Gaciron aren't alone in this omission but it's a
niggle of mine. I’m not endeared to the OEM mount design, which is very similar to that
employed by Cat-Eye and prone to slippage. I’m looking into a suitable out-front
extension mount. The sort that attaches via the stem face, theoretically eliminating
the slippage, especially when paired with this Coospo Real Road CS600 GPS Bike
Computer Coospo
CS600 GPS | cycling-not-racing
Having popped the
Holdsworth back on its hook, having racked up some proper miles and fully
reacquainted myself with Cinelli’s Classic Cork Wrap, Muffin and I have settled
to some serious miles with the Genetic H-Grip Handlebar Tape, which is proving
grippy and supportive. The 18-tooth sprocket has given some welcome additional
torque on the climbs-especially when traffic’s slower, or I’m stuck behind a
tractor.
It has also led to contemplating a slightly lower ratio for the Holdsworth, but we are talking the
contemplative phase, and I do like the taller ratio when belting along.
Presently, we’re turning a 79.1-inch gear, switching to a 17tooth would mean
74.5. I’ll give it further thought and may take this route, should I ned to
switch a tyre. The Freedom Thick Slick is a very durable slick with great
puncture-repelling qualities, but I’ve noted some very subtle deterioration of
the sidewall.
One that’s not setting my Lycra
ablaze but will be monitored carefully. A blowout might be amusing for
onlookers, but I’ve no intention of being the object of someone else’s
ridicule. I’d also toyed with upgrading the bottom bracket for a Genetic
Karyotype and indeed, taking that route with Muffin next time (although
arguably the Karyotype’s minor weight savings don’t justify the additional cost
on a trainer, or working bike). I’ll either go for another UN300, or Genetic
Cromozone.
Some folks have commented that the Stronglight track 2000 crankset is “made of cheese” citing stripped threads, specifically. I’ve not had any issues, although it’s worth saying I’m religious when it comes to re/greasing threaded components. That said, should I ever need to retire it, I’d go for another Genetic Tibia GENETIC TIBIA TRACK CRANKS & RING | cycling-not-racing- in silver and possibly 165mm (they’re available in 165, 170 and 175mm).
