Revisions & Regaining Trust

 

I’d found myself a little tentative, following the blowout and subsequent long walk home with Denise. Rationally, I’d switched the tube, replaced the rim tape- both fresh, so no reason I’d succumb to a mechanical. I’d also given the cassette and chain a good clean, stripping the Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather for its dry counterpart. The chain was worn to .5, so still had some life, maybe three hundred miles, depending on conditions.

Against this backdrop, I’d decided the best tactic was to pop out on a shorter evening loop-8 miles, taking in some gravel and rougher roads, ruling out any tyre, or tube issues and also getting a better idea of how the big wide, swoopy WTB bars would improve control in these contexts.

I’m still very fond of the original Soma Condor TEST: SOMA CONDOR HANDLEBAR and would recommend them to those seeking a shallow reach drop, whether it be a cyclo cross, touring, or drop bar mountain bike. However, the WTB Mountain Road Drop definitely have an edge on the control front off road. I’d forgotten how good they were and so glad I kept them. On-One’s Midge were another surprisingly good budget buxom bar and these were also available in 25.4 and 31.8, catering for old school mountain bike stems and obviously, more contemporary models.

The larger diameter was less whippy, giving a more direct feel on the road but without feeling harsh off road. Aside from the control factor, flared drops open the chest cavity further, improving climbing prowess on longer ascents, which is something I’ve traditionally enjoyed on the fixed gear winter trainer.

However, I’ve settled to subtle riser drops, these Genetic D-Riser 4 GENETIC DRISER 4 HANDLEBARS | cycling-not-racing have struck the best balance for road duties, their D-Riser 16 GENETIC D RISER 16 BARS | cycling-not-racing arguably win by a nose if gravel, cyclo cross and possibly trailer tugging duties are your primary duties.

The other advantage the Genetic offer over the likeable Soma is uniform diameter across the top section, meaning accessories are easier to fit.  More subtle designs such as the Genetic also have an advantage when riding into headwinds, given the narrower surface area.      

Five miles under the tyres, turning right along a section of disused airfield I began to relax, engaging with the evening sun and letting rip. Though I hadn’t intended to change the bars, this proved an inspired choice and sensibly undertaken when the bike was already awaiting minor work. I’ll switch the Leatt Endurance 6.0 over to Denise and the M540 back to Muffin.

The Leatt 6.0 have proven very impressive on the fixed. The Cro-moly axles and 6061 bodies provide a very rigid, supportive platform, which was particularly apparent when climbing out of the saddle or otherwise accelerating hard. Obviously, Muffin’s relatively lofty bottom bracket and 165mm cranks help, but there’s generous clearance, so no fear of grounding a pedal during enthused cornering. The black anodised finish is also wearing well with the regular clippings in and out. Bearings are not only incredibly well sealed but employ needle and ball bearings.  It will be interesting to see how they fare off road.    

Staying with off road rubber a moment, here’s my review of the CST Patrol CST Patrol Folding EPS Tyres | cycling-not-racing

I’d had Muffin’s Giant Continuum 9 Wireless Computer head unit go rogue. Changing the CR2032 cell seemed the most obvious solution-the sensor cells can go with little warning, regardless of whether premium or generic cells are used. I always apply a thin lick of Vaseline or silicone grease to the contacts, optimising connectivity, while sealing the elements out.

However, the head unit would not calibrate correctly, so I decided to salvage what I could- CR2032 cell, fork sensor and silicone casing, since Ursula and Denise still run them. I’ve had a year’s service out of it, and some might say my £9 worth. I spotted some NOS Blackburn computers and went for a pair, just in case another of the Continuum should fail unexpectedly.    I’ll close here with this review of the Velo Tool Mini Adjustable Torque Wrench Velo Tool Mini Adjustable Torque Wrench | cycling-not-racing

    

 

Just Changing A Cable

 

Needing a break from the screen, I decided my fixed gear winter/trainer needed a quick polish. Noted the brake inner wire had begun fraying, so decided I’d switch that, since it was a simple job and no time like the present right? New cable fitted; I couldn’t get the Spyre SLC calliper to behave properly. I stripped and cleaned, and things were certainly improved but not as they should be. Most annoying was the binding right pad, which despite considerable gentle coaxing and patience wouldn’t behave.

Time is a finite resource, so I swapped over to an older Spyre unit I had prepped during Ursula’s rebuild. By contrast, this behaved impeccably first time, so I pulled the inner wire through a little further. Said overhaul also led me to switch the Deda Loop bar tape for the T-One Mr Fantastic Handlebar Tape T-ONE MR FANTASTIC HANDLEBAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing , since the Deda had weathered somewhat.

The T-One Mr Fantastic Handlebar tape is still going strong a few years and three bar switches since. It’s easier to clean, compared with the embossed and similarly sturdy Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar Tape Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar Tape | Seven Day Cyclist too, although that was another contender.  

The bar bags were switched since I needed to remove the Oxford to perform the cable replacement. Satisfied all was well, I tackled the aesthetic and polished the frameset and carbon bottle cages, the latter had lost their lustre slightly, but this was easily recovered using some BBB Bioready wash bike shampoo and its biowax stablemate.

These are very effective for rapid cleaning of lightly soiled bikes, or those times when you’ve replaced a component and got oily fingerprints on an otherwise clean machine. Durability isn’t on par with those containing Carnauba wax, such as this Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing  but bargain on a few weeks in primarily dry to fair weather conditions.

Grand finale’, I gave the Muc Off AirMach Electric Mini Inflator Pro a quick test. The 32mm Pirelli Angel DTPirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre | cycling-not-racing and Schwalbe One365 were completely deflated and raised to 80 and 105psi respectively. The pump delivered the goods, but by that point, the battery was down to 30% -in theory still enough to raise another flaccid tyre, though reinforces my point about always carrying a traditional pump, just in case…I’ve also managed to raise a 26x2.3 from 0-55psi and this Maxxis RavagerMaxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing (700x40) from 0-55psi with 30% battery charge remaining.

I'd made something a faux pas, believing I had 3/8" bits compatible with the Park Tw torque wrench. Further investigation contradicted this, but Madison's press officer graciously supplied a batch covering the most common jobs home mechanics are likely to undertake. Ironically, while hunting for the non-existent 3/8" bits, I found an 8mm dual end wrench-I'd been looking for that while tweaking the barrel adjuster on Denise's front stopper. I carry a crude but surprisingly effective "giveaway" spanner. Does the job without rounding off but not the most pleasant to use. I was looking (lusting after?) Specialized's Rock Combo one evening, needing a reminder of the original specification and suddenly got the idea of switching Denise's cantilevers to the Dia Compe 984D.

However, I rapidly dismissed this as change for change's sake, not least as I'd got the front Shimano CX50 honed and recently bought some fresh pads. Though it can occasionally prove a little temperamental, the rear Suntour SE is reliable and was dirt cheap- hence I'd bought a second NOS (New Old Stock). I’ve also reached my conclusions regarding the Pirelli Cinturato Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tyre | cycling-not-racing. There are some minor shortcomings but they seem particularly suited to my riding environments.  

The Stronglight A9 headset was still behaving impeccably and had been given a liberal helping of Juice Bearing Juice. I'd made a boot from scrap butyl tube for the lower race. However, would be worth getting in some spares £2.99 or thereabouts. I should point out this version employs ball, not cartridge bearings.  

Always better to replace the bearings before brinelling and pitting strikes, although keeping them well-greased and properly adjusted is key to keeping the elements out and general longevity. During this phase, I also noted some minor slop in Ursula’s FSA, so eliminated that and nipped the stem bolts snug using the Oxford Torque 2-24nm Torque wrench.   

Spring=Tweaks & Trails

 

Sometimes it's not the nice new shiny kit that brings the most joy, nor a personal best, or an epic ride. Sometimes, it's getting a wayward, recalcitrant component to behave. Ideally from the comfort of home-an outpouring of relief usually follows the latter scenario.  

 

Recent little victories include getting Ursula's Microshift bar end shifters to play properly with the old girl's STX and Tiagra mechs, upgrading Denise's Hollowtech II preload to an aluminium alloy 10mm Allen key, meaning I can largely forget about the little plastic tool bit that invariably gets lost behind the workbench, or similarly inaccessible area of your workspace.  

 

Last but not least, there's the wired Remote for the Magicshine Ray2600, which means I can whip the power up and down more readily on the fly-great for exploring the lanes in the dead of night. 

 

After an unexpected cold snap prompting me to default to Ursula and the spikes, things thawed a little and I revisited the idea of Denise and gravel tyres. I’d stuck with the Continental Pure Contact, which have proven themselves incredibly dependable in all contexts, meaning I could just hoss along, confident I’d return from a ride without flatting-particularly welcome when pressed for time. Extra UK have sent me some Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M (700x40c).  

 

These are a tubeless ready mixed terrain gravel tyre designed for mixed conditions, wet, or dry-hence their appeal. The Cinturato Gravel M employ the Speed GRIP compound, which promises mechanical resistance, chemical grip, and similarly important, impressive puncture resistance. This is a nylon belt that runs bead to bead, rather than just the centre strip, so I’m hoping they deliver, not least since hedge cutting season has returned with a vengeance.  

 

They were surprisingly easy to sweep aboard the Ryde rims-read thumbs, no tyre levers, pressure ranges closely mirror those of the WTB Nano WTB Nano TCS Tyre | cycling-not-racing, as does the tread pattern. They’re 14g heavier at 513g, but still a very respectable, dare I say reassuring.   

 

Given a marked shift to milder conditions, I also took it as my cue to switch Ursula back from the Schwalbe Ice Spiker to the Continental Cross Kings. Doing so also revealed a little slop in the Hollowtech II bearings, which may have also contributed to temperamental shifting- out came the Oxford Torque R10, which tackles most jobs nicely, including those with higher torque fasteners-no issues removing the crank pinch bolts. A judicious turn of the M20 preload and these were nipped snug, then fully home with a torque wrench...Time to hit the lanes and trails   

 

Wouldn’t you know it, the front mech was misbehaving again. I released a smidge of tension from the STX’s pinch bolt Ursula’s front mech, then released the Microshift bar end lever’s tension fractionally- bingo up and down without missing a beat. Nothing serious, but these units seem more highly strung than their Centos 4700 counterparts. I also raised the saddle by a few millimetres, which seemed optimal.  Talking of tools here’s Steve’s review of the Oxford Torque Slimline 12 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/oxford-torque-slimline-12-co2-multitool 

  

The milder conditions have allowed ¾ lengths It’s not been sufficiently mild for short sleeve jerseys and arm warmers, but layering is the key to enjoying early season and autumn.  

 

The ability to whip a layer on, or off to counter a sudden change in weather is good at any point- micro jackets will protect against unexpected showers and sudden, chill winds. Lighting is also very necessary since while nights and mornings are getting longer and arriving earlier, it's easy to get caught out. Six months or so hence, I’m suitably impressed by Shimano’s most recent incarnation of their Nexus Dynohub.  Shimano Nexus DH-UR700-3D Dynamo Hub | cycling-not-racing 

  

Though less mucky than midwinter, the early season still calls for regular bike cleaning. Oxford Products have sent me this huge cleaning buckets, which makes cleaning a big fleet (and indeed, other vehicles) a more time-efficient task.  

 

The bucket has a grit grate to stop gritty, muck stuff being redistributed around the bike (or another vehicle), there’s also a wash mitt and microfibre cloth. I’ve already given the KA and Micra a good wash n’ waxing to purge the witches brew of slurry and road salt and the 20-litre bucket makes the job much quicker-no need to run indoors to fill mid-way through.