Tyres & Tweaks

 

I’d been contemplating tyres for the fixed gear winter/trainer, ahead of the darker months. Something Schwalbe but not too stodgy was my first thought, especially since 32mm is pretty much tops with guards-I could shoehorn 35mm at the rear with the Mudhugger Gravel Hugger guards MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).  

 

A chance discussion with Saddleback, WTB’s UK distributor got in touch, inviting me to test WTB’s Exposure. They initially suggested the touriste cum all road typical 36mm but, given the clearances, we went for the 30mm. They’re also marketed as being for gravel bikes serving as tarmac tools, which on paper seems another good audience. 120tpi, dual compound casings bode well for supple ride quality and a decent turn of speed.  

 

Their SG2 puncture repelling tech runs bead to bead, designed to protect against nicks and more serious cuts which also bodes very well for general winter riding. Will be interesting to see how they compare to the 32mm Maxxis Refuse MAXXIS REFUSE TR FOLDING TYRE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), after all, they’re also close comparators weight-wise.  

 

Even though the Halo White Line HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) aren’t duly deep, or wide, I’d been warned the Exposure would put up a fight and I went for a 700x23-28c tube to minimise the likelihood of pinch flats. To my astonishment, I was able to mount them speedily and using only my thumbs, although had the mighty Crank Brothers Speedier Lever ready, in anticipation. 

 

 Will be interesting to see how the Evolution stand up to winter, compared with the 60tpi, 700ish g genre I lean toward from November to March (or thereabouts). Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) have been the most durable of this genre, relatively swift too.  

 

Vittoria Adventure Tech are another surprise. 820g for a 700x38 is hefty (although still lighter than Schwalbe’s iconic Marathon Plus) and the 3mm puncture repelling belt only covers the centre strip. Nonetheless, they can be run at 85psi and feel surprisingly swift despite coarse 33tpi (Threads per inch) casings. CST Xpedium CST Xpedium Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) remain a firm favourite of mine if you’ve bigger clearances and to a lesser extent, a tighter budget.    

 

Staying with the themes of fixed and stubborn stuff, I’ve concluded the only option for splitting beefy track chains is this Cyclus Chain Rivet Pliers. Cobra had dropped theirs. The Cyclus are a fair bit dearer than the Cobra and though a worthwhile investment, it’s always prudent to watch the pennies. Besides, I’m replacing chains every two thousand miles, not daily.  

 

No sooner had these words been uttered, Saddleback invited me to test this Feedback Sports Chain Tool 3.0, which they say is the last shop grade chain tool I’ll ever need. Delighted to put these claims to the test. It does look and feel extremely well-engineered. Designed to chomp chains from 1 to 13 speeds. Bodies and pins eventually fail, in my experience, so I was pleased to see Feedback Sports offer inexpensive replacements.  

 

While dry and bright weather is a stable feature, I’ve been getting out on the Holdsworth, resulting in some minor tweaking of the saddle height and alignment of the down tube bottle cage, which was offending my sensibilities.  

 

Boiled down to a few millimetres in both cases and easily sorted with a 5 and 4mm Allen key. If only everything in life were that easily rectified... Well, good thing it’s not, otherwise we wouldn’t develop the resilience, coping mechanisms, creativity and general ability to overcome challenges and obstacles. 

 

I’d finally managed to organise the boxing and posting of Ursula. I’d a large box but needed to cut it down and essentially, engineer a new one, using copious amounts of duct tape. I was relieved to discover the box would just fit inside Meg, the mighty K11 Micra, rear seat down. Sent it 48 hours, insured to the hilt and the post office clerk was genuine and incredibly helpful.   

 

Closer inspection revealed more peeling paint around the bottom bracket shell and chainstay bridge. Now, my love and religious application of Waxoyl is widely known and there was plenty sloshing around the old girl’s inner sanctum. However, watching Paul Brodie’s channel Romax Rescue // Paul Brodie's Shop (youtube.com) 

 

I began wondering whether water had snuck in through the chainstay bridge, resulting in some undetected corrosion. Then again, as a club elder said to me as a thirteen-year-old we can convince ourselves of anything. I’ll leave that to Winston Vaz to assess. Main thing, the old girl’s makeover is underway.  

Back To The Old School

 I am switching back to the “school chair” fork that was upfront for several years, rather than risk something Chinese. Just a matter of switching the crown race over from the Project 2. Meantime, I’ll keep the existing setup, test the Shimano Alfine dyno hub and Capgo cable.  

Upgrading the Tektro 710 in favour of the Shimano CX50 was another inspired choice. That’s not to say the Tektro 710 isn’t a decent stopper- it is. However, the CX50 is superior and simpler to adjust. New chain was also timely- though shifting wasn’t “Off” it’s a notch crisper now. I’ve also discovered a couple of mid-range 10 speed KMC chains that I’d squirreled away, while on the hunt for something else, naturally.     

Subtly raising the fixed’s saddle height was another good move. Up front I’ve switched to this Vittoria Adventure Tech Tyre, which features a 3mm thick puncture repelling belt, which runs along the centre-strip, rather akin to the Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) . The Kenda had been on the Halo Evura/SP SL9 HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) for so many miles, the wire bead required unusual effort to shift, even with a long-handled Hutchinson tyre lever and two Ritchey models, designed to stow away in the bar ends.  

Puzzling but thankfully it relented and without incident. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 38mm Vittoria was more compliant but had a subversive streak, peeling away once I’d got it 70% home. Cursory inspection reveals a maximum pressure of 85psi (80 for the 32mm (about 1.26 in) Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus).

However, while both employ puncture repelling centre strips, the Kenda’s is 5mm (about 0.2 in) thick and has gone at least ten months and several thousand miles without a single flat. It will be interesting to see how the Vittoria’s compares.  

It also features a Graphene compound for enhanced life and is E-Bike R75 compliant, which basically means it's designed to perform on the fastest models. Surprising since it gives change from £30.   

Thirteen years down the line, I’ve also decided it was high time the “spare” Halo Aero Track rear wheel got some TLC.  

For some reason, the axle’s threads had begun shedding and if I’m going to open the hub, I may as well go for new cartridge bearings, a liberal helping of grease, topped off with a quick tension and true of the hoop. These deep-section rims are not welded, rather joined by pressure and feature a powder-coated finish.  

The latter looks to have been applied directly, rather than atop a primer, hence the odd chip here and there but still in great shape, all told. Light cosmetics aside, I’m of the opinion a second/spare wheel still needs to be bang on, since you’ll be depending on it, while the best, or main is on the jig.   

Not to be outdone, the cassette style lockring belonging my fixed gear winter/trainer’s main Halo fixed G Track Hub HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting came loose, resulting in some uncharacteristic chain noise. (I was on the return leg and only a few miles from home.) I’m a big fan of the Fix-G and its design and the lockring is very reliable.  

However, check it every 250 miles or so, or before a long ride-unless you’re prepared to carry a cassette type tool along. No problem with the SQR Tour, given its cavernous capacity but a bit OTT possibly. Anyhow, I snugged mine back down, reinstated the wheel and got on with my life.  

Ursula’s front Schwalbe Land Cruiser had succumbed to its first flat. A very thin, sharp hedge clipping swept up by the recent rains. The head was very difficult to spot and indeed, drag out. I had to resort to needle nose pliers. On long rides, or those in the arse end of nowhere, there’s a good case for carrying a small set of pliers, or a little multi-tool such as this True Utility, which I’ve had for some years and am firmly attached to.