Lord of the Rings

Cyclo cross’s renewed popularity over the past decade, has given rise to a more civilian sub genre with additional bottle mounts, carrier fittings mudguard/eyelets. Gearing has also been tweaked to cover most bases, including the occasional, muddy race.

My ‘cross bikes are of the more traditional flavour, although I’m very fond of the gravel/adventure bike concept such as Genesis Croix De Fer. This; coupled with some recent mixed terrain blasting and John Moss’s recent Mango revisions got me thinking about my tubby tourer’s gear range.

Having plumped for 11-32 Tiagra cassettes last time round, the 22 tooth inner ring is pretty much redundant. Even hauling a trailer full of kit along forest trails and unlit roads. 44 and 32 teeth provides ample bombing, cruising and winching prowess.

Given the mix of road and mtb drivetrain, persuading its STX mech to behave impeccably across the range; let alone year round has always been a chore. Pleased to report its much happier skipping between a 44 and 32. Super crisp shifting and I’ve saved a few precious grams.Removal proved very straightforward and cost nothing; aside from ten minutes and a   few turns of the front mech’s adjuster screw to restrict travel.  

Pruning triples comes in and out of fashion. The late 80’s mtb explosion saw many experienced riders removing the big ring on their protégé’s bikes to prevent knee damage, especially in grass roots competition.

This concept was later advocated by some sections of the British mtb press in 1990/91 and one I embraced. Off came my trail hack’s biggest bio-pace, the middle and granny rings rotated for improved pedaling efficiency.

Ironic, given Bio-pace and its procession of elliptical imitators supposedly dismissed the dreaded dead-spot. We all slowly reverted to round; bio-pace, bio-strong et al became the stuff of ridicule and bike shop bargain bins.

Fast forward a few years and the dispatch mob were charging through the capital on mtbs with skinny slicks, single rings and closely spaced cassettes...

Talking of which, the 90s weren’t all about dodgy concepts and race frames passed off as trainers. One of my small but significant favourites was Kona’s spatter effect colour schemes, which meant riders could unobtrusively retouch those inevitable chips and scratches accumulated on the trail. Any enamel paint (or nail varnish) would do and over time, became a unique, customised pattern-no more fretting about precise matches.

  

Said strip was performed almost exclusively using The Full Windsor’s Breaker multi tool and captured relatively late in the evening, on a Sony Cybershot WX350.

I acquired this long zoom point n’ shoot primarily for capturing impromptu stuff while out riding; aside from the slightly pedestrian write to card speeds (common to most compact and bridge models) overall image quality; especially in lower light is surprisingly good.

Most chain breakers are fairly effective for occasional tweaks-I used a Specialized EMT around the workshop for several years before the pin and spreader slots eventually crumbled. However, the breaker puts this function and sheer leverage first.

It’s made from high quality loss cast and heat-treated stainless steel. Loss cast refers to a very old fashioned, though extremely precise manufacturing process where molten metal is poured into a wax mould.

Seven inches long and complete with a retro-looking leather pouch, designed to be hung from the saddle rails, top tube, or stem. There’s breathing space in here for tube and some mini pumps for a clutter-free effect.

Plug in 3,4,5,6 and 8mm Allen keys, T25 torx, spoke wrench, bottle opener and an extension bar for improved leverage sit in a terrace made from recycled butyl. Last but by no means least; a Phillips for taming those temperamental mechs, cantilever balance screws and sloppy brackets.

Racers needing to make very slight, split second tweaks will prefer the quick draw, flip-out simplicity of folding tools. However, that additional torque is welcomed on day rides and rough stuff/touring where efficiency trumps convenience.

Fettling also proved an excellent opportunity degrease the LX rings, purge some oily frame preserve and add a colour coat to the Univega’s previously primed chainstay chip. Now, you’ll have to excuse me; sounds like the courier has brought us some free parable goodies from Cycle miles www.cyclemiles.co.uk for review in Seven Day Cyclist. (www.sevendaycyclist.com)

Laid Up with a Lurgi ?

Just crossed the three hundred mile marker on the Croix de fer 2.0 when Joshua’s viral infection decided I was its next host. While a less catastrophic assimilation than those depicted in John Carpenter’s seminal 1982 shocker “The Thing”; nonetheless I spent two days and a further three nights in a feverish and convincingly comatose state, moving only to expel gallons of phlegm into the dog’s previously empty water bowl…

Reverting to more appetising propositions, these past few weeks with the Genesis have awakened a strange and irrational yearning to equipping the Ilpompino with a disc-braked front end. 

By my own admission, such urges belong firmly buried in the “want” vault since we’re talking new fork, wheel build, calliper, cables and related disc components. Then of course, a single, well-honed cantilever is more than adequate for stopping a speeding fixer and 70odd kilo pilot.

We’ll blame it on the fever for a moment since these usually induce a strange, contemplative state of euphoria somewhere in their gestation. Is Northern Soul simply an excuse for wearing big trousers and recreational use of amphetamines? Why does the scriptwriting process for certain “flagship” TV soaps apparently employ so little hard research? Has mainstream politics lost its legitimacy?

Joking aside, those TRP HYRD fitted to the Croix de fer, were the real catalysts for this proposed upgrade. For the uninitiated, they’re a hybrid design employing an open hydraulic calliper-with all the obvious benefits yet commanded by a high quality cable, thus maintenance/repair are pretty straightforward and they’re fully compatible with standard road/brifters.

Costs for this sort of specification aren’t outlandish by any stretch of the imagination but too exotic for said fixie. A quick wander round the web suggests something Deore flavoured with corresponding front hub and a shop branded carbon composite fork/aluminium alloy steerer is a more cost effective and therefore, realistic proposition. Not a priority, rather one to seize should a suitable ensemble come under my radar and moreover, at the right price.

Maybe it’s just another illustration of the “Confirmation bias” in full flow-the notion that “When men wish to construct or support a theory, how they torture facts into their service! (Mackay, 1852/ 1932, p. 552)” However, further trials of driver-less vehicles add fuel to my particular belief that Public Service Vehicles (Buses, Trams etc) along with Heavy Goods Vehicles will become fully automated within ten years.

This has a wealth of implications and contrary to widely held opinion; technology and development is not neutral. It does not exist in a separate sphere but driven by the inventors’ (or corporations) own ideological leanings.

At the moment there are questions of their hazard perception programming/equipment. How will they recognise, or indeed distinguish between cyclists, motorcyclists, horse-riders, pedestrians, children/adults etc? 

When will these calculate is the optimal point/distance for overtaking? Human error is to blame for a great many accidents but at some level, computers are still potentially flawed in exactly the same fashion as they’re programmed and developed by humans.

Because the technology has come on stream, does this mean it will flourish by default? Does it actually toll the bell for commercial drivers as I first thought, or is it a proactive response to a dying trade, aging operatives not being superseded by young blood?

Computers are excellent at fast paced calculations and repetitive tasks but while they can operate within pre-set tolerances, they still cannot determine whether something is correct beyond this coded framework.

I can see the possibility of android operatives, housekeepers, companions and pets a’la Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, though feel humans will not be replaced, or made redundant in the flavour suggested by proponents of de-skilling theory. Public perceptions of photography fuelled by falling prices and point n’ shoot technology implies there is no longer any mastery required…  

Another thing that’s been with us since time in memorial and similarly variable in quality is the humble paint defending patch-kits. You know the sort; they stop cable outers chewing through your head, seat tube but were notorious for peeling come the first hint of a muddy trail, sudsy bucket or lick of solvent. 

Technology filtering through from other industries (“Helicopter tape” being the most obvious example) has forced manufacturers to develop vastly superior versions.

Zefal skin armour large shown here is a comprehensive ready cut set made from 250 microns thick polyurethane, which is supple and extremely stretchy at moderate temperatures. Good, unhurried preparation is pivotal but proved delightful to fit and hasn’t shown any obvious signs of cultivating that fuzzy, filmy outline to date.      

Elsewhere, issue 4 of Seven Day Cyclist hit the digital newsstands this week: 

http://www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1038&category=Sport&subcatid=234&subcategory=Cycling&title=Seven+Day+Cyclist&titleid=2582


I’ve also been up to the midlands following some leads for my book exploring the lives of ex car workers and capturing some shots of the Fosehill district since opportunity presented.             

Fettling, Focus & Filthy Fun

Having banished the banshee howl, thirty miles hence, it was replaced by pronounced mushiness. Maybe it harks back to the days of Campagnolo and Modolo with super strong springs but my preference is for levers with a really firm feel. Much as I expected, we’d succumbed to some minor cable stretch. Virtually unheard of with premium grade inner wires, otherwise faithful OEM/budget fare remains slightly prone.

Roadside repair aside, the best cure involves dialling them in to taste and pumping the lever(s) repeatedly inducing metal stretch and sloppy action. Pull the inner wire taught and nip the pinch bolt tight again. Ideally leave overnight and repeat-sorted.

Popular consensus suggests that “serious” riding only applies to competitive contexts. Hmm, long rides with friends; or indeed in complete solitude for their own sake, commuting to work, or utility aren’t??  I seem to recall this sneering, disparaging tone expressed toward mountain biking when it began capturing the British public’s imagination during the mid1980s…Horses for courses and different strokes for different folks spring to mind.

For a good decade or so, many large manufacturers have been offering great value, sensibly dressed commuter bikes. Sure 6061 or more workman-like Cro-moly framesets might not set pulses racing or tongues wagging. Nonetheless, they are extremely functional, engaging to ride and a much better bet for less glamorous duties than thin wall exotica with “steal-me” groupsets. The same principles apply to clothing/accessories.  

Many, including myself love and take their bikes; equipment and riding seriously but have little urge to participate in traditional genres of racing. In many regards Audax has become the default alternative but there’s a quiet yet increasingly popular movement towards a different kind of collectivism. Chance meander through a Colchester side street revealed Col Velo…

This is a partnership between Rob Hardwood and Will Morgan, who founded in October 2014. Their tag line suggests leaving one’s ego at the door, partaking in some coffee and joining like-minded folk for an organised, though informal jaunt.

A no-drop policy affirms this inclusive, ride-with, rather than compete-against ethos, which resonated with me, so I popped down for a chat last Monday night. 

Essentially, these are group outings catering for different abilities with pre-planned but varied routes through the more picturesque North Essex/Anglia regions. Leading out from Velo! Café’ tone is camaraderie, appreciating bikes, equipment and experiences with passion and open minds. www.colvelo.co.uk

Elsewhere, I’ve been rummaging through the spares box for inspiration, specifically looking to update the Univega’s likeably cutesy Knog NERD for something better endowed functions wise. Within in a few minutes it emerged in the guise of this fifteen-function and imaginatively monikered BBB BCP 13W. Five minutes, a trace of Vaseline on the battery contacts and fresh CR2032 and LR44 cells hence saw it burst into life.

Convenience is wireless’ main draw- simple to fit, nothing to snag during front end overhauls or just blasting along overgrown bridle path. However, assuming you calibrate wheel circumference manually and do sensor/magnet proximity by the book, wired versions remain most accurate and are unaffected by electrical currents/similar interference. 

Stem mounting is another boon, freeing up some much needed handlebar space, although the Univega’s extremely short extension means ours almost fouls the top-cap. Counting two wheel sizes and maintenance/lubrication reminders as functions is gilding the lily, borderline gimmick in the latter context.

Then again, there’s a lot to be said for a maintenance nudge given the impact neglected chains can have on 9/10/11spd groupsets. Pacer arrows and single button command are similarly welcomed.  

Genesis have sent me their Croix De Fer 2.0 to play with and I’ve wasted no time in getting it dirty, grinning all the way. Hopefully the next couple of weeks will present some more challenging test conditions.