Tuesday 19 March 2019
Rings & Ratios
Friday 13 December 2013
Coming Together
Saturday 27 August 2011
Tales of The Unexpected
However, the charge cables are hopelessly short, especially for those of us refuelling at towers, (as opposed to laptop/notebook) but otherwise I'm genuinely smitten.
Some equally fetching computers from Raleigh's RSP brand have fallen into my eager mitts recently, the most notable being this wireless computer/HRM combo complete with crystal clear display and pretty much every function aside from cadence and tea making. Accuracy seems bang on, buttons are user friendly in gloved hands. My one minor gripe concerns the Heath Robinson handlebar mount. Arguably very secure in situ, installation proved fiddly in the first instance and a few spare cable ties would've been welcome too. Mother Nature's effortless transition toward autumn sees me washing Gore Tex and similar technical apparel in preparation for the cooler, changeable yet deeply enticing sepia season. Riders seeking to beat the early morning chill without resorting to winter weights training gloves should look no further than these BBB Race shield. Polyamide/Polyurethane mixes are hardly exotic but wash well and keep windchill firmly at bay. Extensive reflectives make all the difference when signalling while the rubberised palm and digits ensure excellent all weather control. Dexterity is sufficient to allow roadside adjustments, pannier rummaging and even unhindered photography.
So then to our fetching Klein road frameset. I had hoped to bring you a full photo love-story makeover but alas, the edited highlights will have to suffice. Given a thorough vapour blasting, the owner elected an equally enticing blue, complete with sparkle lacquer topcoat. Since the star fangled nut remained lodged in the steerer, it was feared the intense curing temperatures would cause havoc, thus calling for two-pac. However, closer inspection revealed it was metal and so a false alarm. Aluminium isn't the easiest of materials to re/paint since the non ferrous tubes can generate imperfections in the final curing stage but this jewel-like effect is genuinely flawless.
Another customer opted for "Kawasaki" green with sparkle topcoat, both finishes illustrating the quantum leaps in powder coating since the early days of basic primary colours.
Monday 15 August 2011
Riot & Revolution
Gone are the days when budget shoes meant patent leather uppers that roasted feet within an inch of their lives and parted company with the sole at the first enthusiastic yank on the upstroke. Memories of mid-ride rest stops, being ushered through to the beer garden with our bikes by landladies only too happy to fetch washing up bowels of cold, refreshing water in which to soak our feet once we'd ordered a hearty meal and promised not to interact with families and similarly respectable patrons... Time RXT might retain the faux hides but sport plentiful mesh for consistent, cooling airflow while acres of Scotchlite detailing are perfect for extended summer playtimes or soldiering on through a dry December's gloom. Thermoformed footbeds are marketing speak for insoles that mould to the rider's feet but in fairness do so in a matter of rides and while hardly exotic, reinforced nylon soles promote excellent power transfer without painful hot spots and seem genuinely hospitable to most standard Look/SPDR pattern road cleats. Mesh is a double edged sword though and overshoes are a must in anything heavier than a passing shower. Twenty minutes and they're saturated, demanding eight hours at room temperature to resume an arid and wearable state.Continuing this theme of misty-eyed nostalgia come these rather fetching handlebar and stem from Genetic. Beautifully finished and modestly priced, they're supplied here in the UK by ison distribution and perfect for older road and touring bikes. Common to most contemporary quill types length is limited to either 80 or 100mm but meets the needs of most riders sitting either side of average. Standard (26.0) clamp diameters make sense but riders unable to part with their favourite 25.4s can use one of Nitto's high quality shims. Will Meister has some (http://www.hubjub.co.uk/)
So to something home grown-but definitely not herbal. This here's a titanium brake bolt designed so older framesets can enjoy the pleasures of dual pivot braking without the pain of drilling fork crowns and seat stay bridges. Made in Bristol from 6A14V (an alloy of titanium, aluminium and vanadium) it measures 73mm long and is cut to Shimano RX100, R450 &R650 patterns but also entertains some Tektro and Miche. Fitting is simply a matter of removing the OEM bolt and slotting the aftermarket model in place, remembering liberal licks of Ti paste to prevent galvanic corrosion-especially on daily drivers. Contrary to claims from clubroom oracles, excessive "whip" has been a moot point and I've not so much as lain tools to it in three weeks and 280 miles.
Elsewhere, the otherwise dependable Veloset computer seemed unduly affected by electrical interference.Replacing both head and sensor batteries restored reliable and consistent readings. The eagle eyed will note the return of my once grey Look pedals from 1991. This was in the interests of putting those Time RXT through their paces and rewarded with higher cadences, more efficient power transfer not to mention red faces as we hurtled past some dyed in the wool types despite hauling several kilos of kit in the mighty Knog Dry Dog pannier. However, just as soon as some Keo pattern cleats arrive, I'll opt for these Magnesium bodied Genetic, shaving a few grams and improving ground clearance into the bargain. Much as I like the cleanliness of wax type lubes, I'm running perilously low on White Lightning's Clean Ride but remain convinced there's a few similar types languishing somewhere in the garage. What they lose to wet types in staying power, self cleansing types won't turn to a cannibalistic grinding paste when things turn gloopy.