Sliding into September

 

After some long, steady miles and pre soggy season prep, I began contemplating stem lengths and wheel switches. Switching Denise to the WTB drops was a good decision. However, I’ve concluded I needed a shorter extension, since my proportionally short torso means I’m feeling a little stretched.

Cue a quick wander round the web and this 25mm long CNC machined unit from the Far East (of all places!) True, it lacks the exotica or refinement of some, but I was keen to ensure I’d got the correct length and could upgrade later down the line, should need arise. May also upgrade the quill adaptor-had to deal with some reticence when slackening, which ultimately led to discovering the expander wedge shedding its threads. I’ve replaced with one from the spares box and acquired this higher-end replacement and will substitute in due course.  While price typically reflects quality, it’s important to ensure a couple of things.

Firstly, don’t default to the Aheadset method, leave a millimetre or two of the top proud. Secondly, once you’ve everything aligned, ensure you’ve got some grease on the wedge and bolt before torquing it down to around 16nm. The wedge should be well and truly lodged in place- no wibble when rocking the bars as you might when turning sharply, say on as fast descent.  

 There are folks who really dislike quill converters full stop and there are a few options. Have a skilled frame builder add a threadless steerer to the existing fork crown- as Lee Cooper did here Oldie But Goodie: Fork Repair & Revision | cycling-not-racing. Alternatively, Inn Cycle offer a threadless conversion headset. Never seen one in the flesh, so can’t comment but they do look well engineered. Custom quill stems are another option.    

Mick Madgett built the Halo TK hub into the Ryde Taurus rim, which led me to switching Muffin’s Mavic Fix-G. HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting and giving it a good clean.  The sprocket had become quite scuzzy given a few weeks in very hot conditions, turning the Weldtite TF2 All Weather Lube runnier and stickier, so it attracted more dirt. 

It will be interesting to see how the newest PTFE- free version fares in this and other respects. Both variants penetrate the chain’s inner sanctum very effectively and I’ve found the original very effective on fixed gear and single speed chains. Switching Muffin’s rear wheel has me wondering if the chainline was very slightly off with the Fix-G hub and I might need to revise the spacer widths to correct this.

Weldtite has also sent me the latest incarnation of a drip wax they’ve been working on for two years. Claimed to return 300km (186miles) in all conditions, not just balmy summer days, I’ve fed some to Denise’s KMC and Muffin’s Izumi and will see how it fares in the coming, increasingly autumnal weeks.

Generally speaking, I default to middle and heavier weight oils, rather than waxes, or more exotic blends when it comes to fixed and single speed chains. However, fair weather conditions and curiosity are why I’ve gone the wax route. Weldtite suggest you can double up for higher miles per application, so I’ve taken this route, without being overly generous.  

Curing times are influenced by temperatures and other factors, including humidity.  

Deep cleaning recipient drivetrains is essential when it comes to waxes and indeed, lubes of different genres. Applied in temperatures around 20 degrees and given a 45 second shake to mix everything thoroughly, it emerges from the spout very predictably, as middleweight creamy emulsion. Not one I’d risk applying indoors, mind. Curing times are in hours- bargain on four in these temperatures, leave it overnight if you can.

 When cured, it assumes a clear glazed state.  Formative impressions suggest low friction and crisp shifts. The bigger question will be how it sheds contaminant-does it attract less grime, is it one of those that flakes away when contaminant gets trapped in the outer layer, flaking off at a certain point to leave a thinner lubricant layer behind… I’ve reached my conclusions regarding the Silca Nastro Piloti Bar Tape Silca Nastro Piloti Bar Tape | cycling-not-racing, which has (and continues to impress with its rugged, grippy natue-impressive in the wet and offering excellent connections with the bars.

Staying with wet stuff, I’d decided it was time to enjoy some forest and bridlepath fun aboard Ursula- I also wanted to see how the Continental Cross Kings and FLR MXT Vibram Trail Shoes coped with bogy mud. Spoiler alert, feet had more traction than tyres. Having ridden a few miles along some mixed, unmade roads and green lanes and generally enjoying ourselves, I couldn’t resist some very goopy bridlepath.

Whoosh…Big grin was quickly substituted by surprise as we hurled in slow motion towards a hedge. Mercifully, the resilient and relatively soft foliage caught our imminent slide, and I slowly came to soft earth, protecting Ursula into the bargain.  Knobblies had definitely become slicks, and as I suspected, the FLR’s Vibram soles will attract soft gloop. However, as I’d hoped, they do shed it surprisingly well- no issues with clipping in and out.  Having returned, I wasted no time in giving Ursla a justly deserved sudsy bucket wash, drivetrain purge, polish and switch to this Weldtite Wax. 

Released

 I acquired a tapered carbon fork. Well, one with carbon blades and an alloy steerer specifically. It belonged to a 2016 Raleigh Strada hybrid e-bike, so had the overbuild I was looking for on a cross/gravel type concept. Probing questions confirmed the owner had switched to a suspension model and wasn’t passing on something crash-damaged.  

There were the usual, superficial marks I’d expect to find on a used fork. Easily re-touched with some high build marine primer and the right colour coat. However, I couldn’t shift the crown race and I’m guessing the original owner couldn’t either in retrospect. I’d tried with my crown race remover and after three attempts decided I ran greater risk of damage.  

Cue an email to Mick Madgett at Madgetts Cycles about (madgettscycles.com) to solicit his advice.

He commented this was increasingly common on “integrated” designs where the sealed bearing race fits directly atop. This doesn’t apply to the forks in question but nonetheless he was happy to perform an exorcism. Done for the princely sum of £5. I do most work myself but sometimes it’s about knowing when to pack up and ask for help-better to outsource something rather than damage stuff or do a bad job.   

Crown race removed, I applied some high-build primer to some minor chips and left curing. Research suggests it’s “Red lilac”. A matt lilac by my reckoning but we'll see...  

Less apocalyptic conditions presented an opportunity to throw a leg over the fixed gear winter/trainer for some faster-tempo road fun. Interesting that the fixed and Ursula have, to a lesser extent, switched identities.  

The fixed reverting to a more traditional road-biased trainer, Ursula a Monster Crosser. None the worse for it, either.  That said; I’ve not reverted to traditional chrome plastics. Elegant and effective they undeniably are, they also make roadside wheel removal trickier, especially when light’s fading and temperature’s tanking. 

  

This shouldn’t be interpreted as me rebuffing the concept of single speed cyclo crossers. Simple, lightweight, and easy to maintain-especially in boggy conditions where you’ll be shouldering/otherwise carrying the bike. Hmm, yes, I’m thinking 4130 double butted Cro-moly frame, carbon fork, clearance for 700x43 tyres (and mud) 120mm spacing, flip/flop (fixed/freewheel) hub, cantilever brakes, beefy track chain. Halo hubs have always impressed me, particularly their TK units. I’ve one still going very strong, with only a recent rebuild (new bearings and axle) in fourteen years.  

Old school grassroots racing- enough components of the correct quality to make everything go, stop and handle in good proportion. However, nothing unnecessarily exotic...  

Anyhow, I’ve been enjoying the fixed’s friskier persona, the comfort of soft-shell jackets and winter weight gloves. The Altura All Roads have been my defaults, although I’m also quite taken with these Bodylite Gear Reflective Winter Gloves.  

Comparisons with the Pro-Viz Reflect 360 PROVIZ REFLECT 360 CYCLING GLOVES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) are perhaps inevitable. They are quite similar, although the Pro-Viz employ hook and loop cuffs, which offer a more tailored fit. Both (and this applies to commuter biased gloves in the broad strokes sense) are a little shallow in the cuffs, which doesn’t provide the best overlapping seal with jerseys and jackets.  

Moans aside, they’re proving warm and waterproof- provided you don’t dunk them to the cuff line, offer excellent grip wet, or dry and damping is also impressive-even off road.  

Following my episodes with erratic CO2 cannisters- not brand specific, by any means, I am contemplating resurrecting and carrying this Fumpa Pump FUMPA PUMP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) mini compressor system on longer, colder rides. Contexts where I just want to get going again, with minimal fuss, or delay-especially with larger volume tyres. 

Rain and standing water finally consumed the Muc Off –50 chain lube- indicated by a gritty, slightly arthritic sound as I powered the last couple of miles home.

I’ve stripped the remnants and applied the SKS Lube Your Chain as it’s durable and the bottle was almost depleted. I’m continuing to be impressed by the stability and convenience of the Topeak Flashstand eUp. Great for those little jobs where a more traditional work stand is inconvenient. Being designed for the greater heft of e-bikes, its very steady-pulling cables through, binding bar tape etc won’t cause any worrisome wobbling. The Maxxis Re Fuse finally succumbed to a flat. It was one of the wettest rides, roads a carpet of mulch, leaves and muddy silt and I suspect a flint of something had burrowed inside the casing (although curiously, I couldn’t trace it). Mercifully, it had the good grace to hit once I’d got home-especially since it bit the rear- not surprising, given that’s where there’s most weight. A small nick in the tube and away from the seam, so another easy fix.

I saw this as an opportunity to switch to the CST Xpedium 6, which are a very durable, belt n’ braces model with an aramid belt running bead to bead. Sizing might be a deal breaker for some- 35 or 42mm being the only options. Clearance in the fixed gear winter/trainer’s rear triangle isn’t in fag paper territory but the limits of what I’m comfortable with. I added another spare tube to the rack bag, as a precaution. I also dug out the Schwalbe Ice Spiker since the red top press is predicting heavy snowfall sooner, rather than later.   Right, I'll close here with a Black Friday deal from my friends at CST tyres https://shop.cst-tyres.co.uk/

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Pre Festive Fettling

 

Replaced the bottom bracket and chain, yet the transmission was still a little noisy, especially when climbing. I’ve been running 110mm bottom bracket axles on my fixed gear builds for some years, problem-free.

I wondered whether the ring and sprocket were worn but both seemed in good health. That only left the chain line. For the uninitiated, the Halo Fix G track hub has two sides. HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting 

One a traditional screw-on, the other a splined HG type (but while a Shimano HG sprocket will fit, it will damage the splines). This side is designed for Halo’s dedicated sprockets and spacers for an adjustable, precise chain line.  

Having diagnosed chain line, it suddenly occurred to me that the titanium sprocket fitted to my “spare” Halo Aero Rage rear wheel, which had a collar, broadly equivalent to that of the Fix G systems spacers.  

Wheel switched and a Schwalbe Marathon GT tyre TESTED : SCHWALBE MARATHON GT TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) levered aboard the Aerorage hoop and in the rear triangle. Chain tensioned, track nuts snugged tight and all seemed well on the stand. Hunch confirmed the following morning- silence even under load, which meant I could relax and concentrate on turning a decent cadence. Problem solved. I ordered a new Halo sprocket and lockring, so I can switch back to the Fix-G hoop at my convenience.

 

Acquiring parts, given the pandemic and Brexit uncertainty, has been less seamless than other times. Use what you already have-assuming its fit for purpose...Having spent several hours organising the garage, I concluded this orgy of discipline by stripping and reg-greasing my fixed gear winter/trainer’s headset.  

There was still a reasonable amount of Park grease doing its thing, but I was on a roll and now was the time. I opted for some Corrosion Block, which had been in my CK toolbox for over a decade. Took this opportunity to switch the Axiom Grand Fondo for this Kenekt waterproof wedge pack.   

I used a liberal helping of Green Oil Eco-grease TWELVE MONTH TEST: GREEN OIL ECO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com) (which is surprisingly stoical) when installing the UN300. Arguably the Park would’ve been a more obvious choice on the durability front.  

 I couldn’t find mine at the time, and there’s plenty of home-brewed frame preserve sloshing around the tubes. This liquifies in warmer weather, thus greatly reducing the likelihood of seizure. Lithium pastes are very long-lived. However, there’s the risk of galvanic corrosion striking between the steel frameset and alloy cup.  

Traditionally, I’ve taken a dim view of waterless cleaners (although arguably furniture polishes are precisely that) but given the present conditions, I’m appreciating their convenience. On a freshly (or heavily) soiled bike, you’re still better served by a sudsy bucket wash and rinse down.  

However, for light to moderately soiled machines, where the grot has dried on, they’re super-convenient. Blow it over, avoiding contact with braking surfaces and contact points, leave 30 seconds, and then buff with a clean, lint-free cloth. Done. I’ve since rescued the Univega from my temporary address (before that area slipped into COVID tier 4).  

The pandemic has once again increased in its intensity and presence, with a subsequent surge in cases (which scientific evidence suggested would result, given the relaxing of rules-at least here in the UK). The ineffectual tier system employed on these shores, coupled with an element of public mistrust in the present administration, has compounded matters. Another lockdown, in the New Year seems inevitable. 

 

Good to have the old girl back.  

Big section tyres and mudguards are another obvious draw during the depths of a very wet December. Treated it to a liberal helping of waterless cleaner, to remove some of the ingrained chain lube and greasy road spatter from the rear triangle and fork blades, since I had to remove the wheels, so it would fit in an elderly, but solid Micra. I’ll leave you with my review of the Kinekt 2.1 Suspension Seat post KINEKT 2.1 SUSPENSION SEAT POST | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and these FLR Defender MTB Dry Boot FLR DEFENDER MTB DRY BOOT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and hope Christmas delivers whatever we need from it.