Braking For Cake : Stopping & Shortages

 

A couple of weeks spent solely on my fixed gear winter trainer has given me reason to reflect upon the specification. Small upgrades can often result in big gains. Having refitted the Mavic/Halo Fix G Track hub HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting (which feels buttery smooth once more, courtesy of new cartridge bearings and liberal helpings of fresh grease), I’ve decided it’s time to upgrade the otherwise dependable TRP Spyre caliper, in favour of its SLC sibling. Both have been on the market since 2013/14. Proven technology, rather than talking points but I don’t want the additional complexity of hydraulics, or hybrid systems.  

Some would argue the latter are lower maintenance and no trickier to set up, maintain, and service. However, for the time being, familiarity wins. Covid induced shortages globally have hit the cycle industry quite hard, but the UK’s present increased insular, nationalistic stance means shortages across all sectors are here to stay.  

There’s a current romanticism about 1978/9’s winter of discontent doing the rounds, and the allegedly character-building wonders austerity offers. People with food and fuel insecurity are nothing to celebrate in my book.  

Anyhow, I digress... Even though I found an SLC caliper at a sensible price, having lain my virtual money down, I received a reply, telling me I must wait a few weeks for its arrival. Good thing it’s a planned upgrade, not urgent replacement. The faster one can stop, the faster one can ride... 

Though the Mud hugger Gravel hugger guard’s aesthetic will horrify some, I like their industrial lines, and crucially they work, keeping a surprising and very welcome amount of wet, greasy stuff off rider and bike. No rattling, or to date any sign of paint abrasion either. However, I’ve been quick to apply “helicopter” tape at any point resting against painted, or lacquered surfaces. 

During this pre-winter inspection, I also swapped the otherwise likeable Craft Cadence Bar Bag for the compact See Sense Handlebar Bag SEE SENSE HANDLEBAR BAG | cycling,-but-not-usually-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since I fancied something more compact. Bigger capacities have a lot in their favour but some impact upon steering... The See Sense reclaims some bar space and forced me to do an inventory of tubes, CO2 cartridges and other little spares that can spell the difference between roadside rescue and the long walk home. Yes, that is still very much at the forefront of my mind.  

Touch-up paint is useful stuff to have waiting in the wings. High build phosphate primer well and truly cured, I’ve acquired oil-based hobby enamel and some brushes, so I can make good Ursula’s frame end. I added light blue, grey, white, and black to the order so there’s some in stock for the fixed gear winter/trainer, should need arise.  

 

The tubby tourer’s indexing is nigh on there, but not quite.  A quick tweak of the limit screws and tensioning proved the cure. 

I am also considering fitting an inline adjuster to the outer, where it exits the Velo Orange Rubbery Handlebar Tape VELO ORANGE RUBBERY BAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). In principle, this shouldn’t be necessary but in practice it may allow some very slight tweaking on the fly. Afterall, mountain bike shifters have them. Another advantage of bar cons, is the option of switching to friction mode, should indexing go way off track.    

 

Back To The Old School

I’ve managed to acquire sufficient chains and control cables for personal consumption and am delighted with Ursula’s Kinekt2.1 upgrade. This final switch has realised my 80’s vision of a drop-bar all-terrain bike. An engaging, lightweight go anywhere, four season’s machine.  

One I sketched, while completely disconnected from the school curriculum and for the most part, my classmates. Sketched without a clue as to how it might be realised, I might add. Daydreams alternated between building a bespoke frameset of my own, to buying something high-end.  

While I would never snub a genuine opportunity to build a frame (as distinct from attending a frame building course) I have decided paying a frame builder, such as Lee Cooper Home - LEE COOPER CYCLE FRAMES (webs.com) to execute my vision, or buying off the peg framesets are more cost-effective, time-efficient options for me.   

Now, I’d be the first to point out that the cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Building a frameset on a residential frame building course would be incredibly satisfying. However, my money is better invested in a suitable welder and tackling less specialist metalworking projects. Some for my own enjoyment and home economics, other for more immediate, fiscal gain.  

  

Ursula’s frameset is 24 years old, in my possession for 22 of them (bought new old stock). I’ve switched the Zefal Adventure R5 Waterproof Saddlebag ZEFAL ADVENTURE R5 WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for this Carradice SQR Tour, which is twenty years old. Its waterproof cotton-duck fabric has cultivated a faded patina, but for me, this just adds to its character and testament to its build quality.   

Portly compared with bike packing luggage and can be a handful, laden to the gills but lighter and nimbler than an expedition rack and pannier configuration. Besides, I’ve the trailer for those occasions when I want to haul heavy/awkward loads.  

Unexpectedly, shifting had become unreliable. Cable was the most obvious culprit, since the chain had only recently been replaced, cassette was good. Ditto rear mech and hanger... Inner and outer cable replaced but no matter how much mechanically sensitive tweaking of the rear mech, the brifter remained out of step and a little sloppy.  

Dejected, I packed up for the day and after some reflection, decided on some Tektro RL340 drop levers and a Microshift ten-speed bar-end shifter. This combo might lack the outright refinement, dare I say convenience of Sti/Brifters. However, I ran a similar configuration (Shimano Ultegra) on the original build and there are several distinct advantages, especially on a machine of this kind.  

Aside from reduced vulnerability, in the event of a spill (worst case scenario, they are also cheaper to replace). Shimano Ultegra and the Microshift bar end shifters can be switched to friction, should need arise. Setting up the Microshift was more time-consuming, than the Ultegra.  

However, it all came together nicely, once I decided to take the gear cable in a more ‘cross traditional direction.  Part of the challenge and satisfaction of working on bikes (and machines generally) is working things through and getting them right. 

This also spelled the end for the discontinued (and in my view, fabulous), Control Tech bar tape and prompted a switch to the Soma Condor2 Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com), since I was in the mood for switching things around. For the time being, I’ve dressed them in the orange Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar TapeLONG-TERM TEST: ACROS SILICONE BAR WRAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which is a more flattering contrast than I’d anticipated.  

The Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly GreasePEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) although will revisit in the depths of winter to see how well it performs, long term and in more challenging conditions.  This enforced leave, coupled with the good weather meant I’ve been getting the miles in on the Teenage Dream and enjoying every moment.  

However, the BBB guards had finally succumbed to fatigue at the mounting points, resulting in some periodic but irritating binding. I’ve stripped them, which has obviously solved the problem while resulting in a cleaner aesthetic.