Wagons Roll!

Life's as much about working smart as it is hard and old adages in reference to busy folk getting things done seem very colloquial at present. Falling leaves of radiant colours signal the end of trade shows and the steady procession of fresh samples wind their way to my door.

Had a wonderful email from Gary Rothera advising his order book has gone into orbit and thanking me for interviewing him for a UK title. Consequently, he’s sending me some fresh lines to play with and should temping maintain consistent cadence, I’ll pop along to Lee Cooper with the Holdsworth and have him perform replacement bottom bracket shell surgery as a Christmas pressie to myself. Obviously, “Ninja Blue” will need new livery but I’ll leave that in the capable hands of Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating. 

Every so often, I get fanciful ideas about upgrading the Univega’s front end in favour of a carbon fork, disc braked configuration but monies are better invested elsewhere-last year it was replenishing tiring camera bodies/lenses and this season a laptop’s looking likely.

On the consumerables front, a sudden spike in tube munching amongst the fleet (Valve stem failure, rather than belted tyre casings not doing their stuff) has necessitated buying in of fresh stock and I might go the bulk purchase bargain route should opportunity present itself. Afterall, is there such a thing as too many when it comes to the humble butyl inner tube?

Speaking of which, replacing its ailing UN52 signalled time for a good wash and hard paste car waxing to purge grime and spray that, despite full length, portly mudguards never fails to accumulate around the fork blades, seat and chainstays. Cursory inspection also revealed a dragging cantilever arm and fraying cable. But both demons were swiftly defeated with a quick squirt of water displacer, tweaking of cable tension and of course, some superglue.     

Dwindling daylight has revealed the limitations of the more powerful commuter plus 200lumen lamps with integral rechargeable li-on cells. Sure, they’ll keep pace with the suburbs and are perfectly adequate in the “being seen” sense but don’t cajole oncoming drivers into dipping their main beams.  Ergo the Magicshine and its previous, quirkier incarnation will become regular features, even if they sit on the lower 450 lumen setting, delivering Audax friendly six hour run times from a single charge.

Hold the front page! I've just landed this Exposure Revo dynamo headlamp. Designed as an integrated system with the UK marque's range of hubs and rear plug in lamps, it belts out a phenomenal eight hundred lumens with nominal effort.

Ours has behaved impeccably with an Ultegra dynohub, delivering the sort of crisp, flicker free illumination perfect for navigating unlit rural backwaters at thirty and less challenging singletrack to around twenty. Oncoming SUVs dip their headlamps at around three hundred and fifty metres and some drivers even stop!

Stand light technology means the lamp remains lit for up to ten minutes when stationary coming back on stream with a quick nudge of the front wheel. Suffice to say I'm completely smitten! 

Coupling this with my previous commentary on the importance of effective rider-specific illumination has me researching suitable options for the trailer.

Just when I was about to launch into rocking horse/hens’ teeth analogies, along comes Fibre Flare with their range, which looks to offer the perfect blend of surface area, output and rubberised mounting hardware.

They’re offering two mini front models designed to bolster peripheral prowess and I’m visualising three originals lain horizontally at the rear and shotgun on the side rails with two miniature white models positioned vertically at the front, thus completing the flight path runway/grotto effect handsomely.

UK law only prescribes a single, rear light but in my view, it’s insufficient and inviting a SMIDSY moment when leaving junctions. Most drivers will not be factoring in a coupling, especially those piloting lowered Saxo with thumping base and big can announcing their distinct lack of virility …

  

Nothing came of approaching that local publisher with my series of short children’s fiction but undeterred, preliminary discussions with another small scale company looks a little more promising, albeit tempered with a level spoonful of realism. Afterall, feedback of all kinds, not just the pretty stuff is how we progress, develop and improve-if we really want to.     

Facts & Figures

A break in the weather has allowed intensive testing of those Vaude Birch three quarter length pants and in the main I’m mightily impressed not least by their cut, style and practicality. The fabric is also impregnated with a (factor 50) sunscreen designed to protect rider and garment from the undesirable side- effects of UV rays but removable OEM inserts were a distinct disappointment, showing a marked tendency for bunching up uncomfortably within a matter of miles-not what I’d expect at this end of the market. Mercifully, substituting them for stand-alone eight panel designs has allowed me to churn along in serene comfort for several consecutive hours. Our metallic versions looked razor sharp with the Bontrager jacket but they’re also available in “Shadow” or black and in a women specific design as appropriate.
Inspecting the Univega’s heavy duty Gusset GS 8 chain using the Freedom Sports (KMC) digital gauge gave a reading of 0.65, indicating late middle age and like- for- like replacement before 0.80 signals pension day or worse still, cassette and chain-ring cannibalism. Despite constant exposure to the elements, there’s been no hint of corrosion in the last three thousand miles (twelve hundred above average), which I attribute to greater girth and a staple diet of self-cleansing, wax type lubes.

Ison distribution, Gusset’s UK importer advises they are awaiting a fresh consignment so a chance conversation with another distributor has seen this nickel plated Sun Race flutter through my letterbox. I’ve been seriously impressed by the emergent marques’ higher end road and mountain bike drivetrains which are easily a match for 105/LX only with smaller price-tags so it’ll be interesting to see how the chain performs over the coming six months.
At face value, there’s little distinguishing the Sun Race from a glut of similar nickel-plated eight-speed designs-aside from the side-plates. 200kg per foot is pretty much on par with Shimano’s venerable PC68 and our 116 ink sample proved tailor made for the Univega’s gear ratios-straight from the packet. This made a nice change and in the interests of quitting while ahead, I employed the magic link. I’ve traditionally shyed away from these in the interests of outright durability but this particular design seems reassuringly hardy. Nonetheless, being a road model serving an a’la Carte groupset, I’ve cut a fresh set of precautionary spare links from a partially cannibalised Sachs languishing in my toolbox…

I’ve also a tendency to run new chains dressed only in the protective factory lube for a week or so before introducing something more colloquial. However, given the cassette was already clogging with the soft residue of previously applied wax, a powerful degreaser and comb through seemed the best medicine. Some folk swear by steam cleaning chains, cassettes and even rings over a hot stove. This particular lesson in home economics involves bringing a six-inch pan of water to the boil before introducing chain and a dishwasher tablet. Simmer on a medium heat for twenty minutes before performing several clean water rinses. Allow to boil completely dry, cool at room temperature before refitting and garnishing with your preferred tipple.
That said; frugality can be stretched beyond the point of practicality. Yes, cheap washing powder and redundant toothbrushes remove corrosion/tarnish from polished and plated surfaces with consummate ease but other homely remedies are firmly tongue in cheek. Several years ago, I was doing some income recovery/credit control for a classic motorcycle/salvage yard when a man in his late sixties drew up, remarking that his BSA was suffering from an unexplained misfire. Remaining straight faced, I quipped “Flush it through with cold black tea Sir”. After a brief, convivial exchange, he was gone and I attended to a pile of outstanding invoices. Two weeks later he returned, extolling the virtues of said cold tea flush! My jaw dropped and recoiled cartoon fashion-I never for one moment thought he’d be so literal in his interpretation.

The F in freelance all too frequently stands for frustration. Watched phones never ring and email replies never materialise-or so it seems but I returned from a ride to discover an interested small-scale publisher had been in contact. Naturally, once the excitement had stabilised, I sounded a warm but cautious welcome since the devil lives in the finer details and self-congratulatory/complacent attitudes are woefully misplaced. That’s all for now folks, I’m off to interview Gary Rothera and Joshua’s just commandeered my hounds tooth winter cap!

Here comes the rain again.

Falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like a new emotion
The wind, sleet and snow showers too by the look of things, which is ironic given I had been bowling along in bright fifteen-degree sunshine and some seriously swish and summery Vaude ¾ lengths arrived in last weeks’ post. The German marque is justly revered for its waterproof luggage and technical jackets but these are arguably the most civilian messenger style trews I've seen to date. Sure, Showers Pass, Protective, Polaris and Endura are hot on their heels but to the untrained eye there’s nothing overtly “technical” to give the game away when you’ve dropped in on the accountant or commercial client. I’m itching to give them a good run, probably wearing that olive green Bontrager commuting jacket for ultimate civilian effect. Alas, with temperatures firmly in single figures, I’ll stick with the winter wardrobe and seek solace in the chic warmth of this Rothera Hounds tooth cap. Handmade in Philadelphia, Mr Rothera clearly knows his way around a sewing machine judging by the immaculate stitching and flat seams-it works better than most winter types worn beneath a helmet without compromising sensory awareness. My late father was well-versed in the art of sewing having spent the first twelve years of his working life as a serviceman, so it's heartening to see the re-emergence of these and similarly traditional skills.

Speaking of pater, he regularly mused that writing a book is about disciplining oneself to spend hours chained to a desk (and comfortable chair!) composing chapters even when you really didn’t want to. Fundamental to any creative process is the ability to plough through inspirational ruts but having settled to write one book and researching another, I’m rapidly gaining an appreciation of the stamina required. Self-motivation and freelance are inextricably linked but nonetheless; a publisher’s commission and associated deadlines would certainly bolster this momentum and dare I say, a sense of progression. Far from running away, measured in-the-saddle escape is where creative solutions germinate and combining this with some banking, I happened upon this youthful looking Raleigh Dynatec. Closer inspection suggests it’s a budget model- pressed into service as a town hack judging by the plastic pedals, missing rear mudguard and seat tube bottle screws. Something of a design classic, without the corresponding price tag, their bonded construction was a big departure from the lugged and brazed steels of the era. Paint finishes were justly revered for durability, thus making them excellent second cum training bikes. One note of caution though, the glued joints cannot withstand the heat generated in curing ovens so, makeovers will need to be of an air-drying two-pac variety. Personally I’d opt for a 5/6 or 700 model for sprightly training and its more lowly 300 sibling as a winter commu-trainer/daily driver.

At one time there appeared to be a glut of cheap but cheerful, unbranded Chinese fixer frames cropping up on London street corners. On a technical level, they weren’t particularly special-we’re talking lower end Cro-moly or 7005 series aluminium but they had an air of mystery nonetheless. Spotted a couple of flat bar builds in these parts, one olive green with tan leather grips and saddle and this satin black model. Flimsy locks, poorly used seem all the rage too. Assuming a passing thief found themselves sans croppers, they’d still come away from this Specialized with a decent set of wheels. No, I’m not being smug; I just hate the idea of rightful owners making life easy for tea-leaves.
Followers will know I suffer discomfort in my left shoulder resultant from slight physiological misalignment and the inevitable spills associated with twenty-six years on two wheels. Having experienced the exquisite hot-stones and traditional therapies, I happened upon a teaching salon charging £10 for an hour’s holistic head and full body massage. Needless to say, while the settings lack the outright luxury of high street/Spa venues, cleanliness is extremely high and newly qualified therapists seemed both competent and professional.

Ah, what’s this? Justin Burls has just invited me to a sneak peek at some lovely fillet brazed prototype framesets…Watch this space…