Torque & Spring Tuning

 

I like torque wrenches and if not essential in the life and death sense, they’re increasingly necessary when working on modern bikes. An overly stressed component can snap at best leaving you out of pocket or resulting in a potentially nasty accident. This wallet friendly MPart Torque wrench has been my faithful workshop companion for several years now and highly intuitive to use. It caters for most of the fleet’s needs.  

However, there are some parts that require a little extra. Back story done, Oxford sent me their Torque wrench with a range between 2 and 22nm. Obviously, this won’t entertain cassette lockrings and square taper crank bolts, which need closer to 50nm, but otherwise, this range caters for everything from a bottle cage, mudguard mount, or derailleur jockey wheel to old school quill stems.  

Made from hardened chrome vanadium steel, setting the torque is simple, just a little counter-intuitive, coming from the M-Part and induced speedy referral to the (thankfully included) instructions but essentially boils down to turning the base/handle clockwise until it aligns with your desired torque. In common with the MPart, the wrench itself is ratcheted, which is super convenient from the perspectives of speed and efficiency, especially in tighter spaces.   Ursula’s front mech turned temperamental again, a quick turn of the adjustment screw and a gentle pinch of the front mech’s nose cured this, the chain skipping from big to small rings without missing a beat once more.  

Spring is synonymous with seasonal fettling and usually involves a good washing and hard paste waxing of some sort. Having done so, I decided it prudent to put some dead butyl to good use, dressing Denise and Ursula’s top tubes to avoid dings (should the bar end shifters catch in a tumble with terra firma, or the bars swing back with force).  

This also presented an opportunity to dress Ursula and fixed gear winter trainer’s Topeak racks to prevent further abrasion from pannier hardware. I also tweaked Ursula’s rear TRP Spyre, gave both bikes a good clean using this BBB Bio Ready Wash Bike Shampoo, finishing off with the brand’s Bio Gloss Bike Wax Polish (since they’re also on my test bench).  The ready wash, as its name suggests requires no water and isn’t designed for lightly soiled bikes. Spray on and buff to a shine with a microfibre cloth. Great from the convenience standpoint.  How it compares to something like this Motoverde Waterless Wash & WaxMotoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing remains to be seen (although it’s worth saying the Motoverde is also a good bit dearer)   

I’ve switched the fabulous Lomo ZephyrLomo Zephyr Waterproof Panniers | cycling-not-racing for this Altura Thunderstorm City Pannier. It’s another roll top design, meeting IPX6 for water resistance but a little smaller (20 litres) and claimed to have a ten-kilo maximum payload. It employs Rixen Kaul fitting hardware for limpet-like tenure to most diameters of rack tubing-easily tweaked with a few turns of a Philips screwdriver.  

I also like the closure system, which lacks the outright speed, dare I say convenience of a quick release buckle, but is more readily repairable, should it fail. A small thing, but I also like the light loop and the subtle retro reflective flecks. Oh, if black’s not er, your bag it also comes in a more stereotypically “commuter”  fluro yellow. 

Internally, it also employs sleeves to safely arrest and segregate 13-inch laptops and similar tech, or indeed, other items, such as a U lock. There’s a stiffener at the wall (where it rests against the rack) but unlike the Lomo, no scuff protection around the base- not unusual and an observation, rather than criticism. I’ve had a few off-road excursions with it and even moderately laden, no rattles and the mounting hardware has held 10mm tubing like the proverbial limpet.   

It has also been a good time to check butyl stocks, and I’m pleased to report several have been successfully patched, so could rejoin their respective panniers. A decent quality patch kit and patches are another of those unsung heroes of the toolkit. I pension tubes off after three patches but am firmly of the persuasion that I want the best chance of the patch and ultimately repair time effective. Right, off to play with the CST Patrol again...         

All Terrain

 

 

Tyres switched to trail specific, I’ve been getting some decent mileage on Ursula, exploring some fresh bridleways and unmade roads, far from the maddening crowd. A great opportunity to drop a few gears and assess the Lomo Zephyr Waterproof pannier’s mounting hardware...is it more, or less secure compared with Rixen Kaul Klick Fix along lumpy, bumpy sections...  

It’s a design seemingly identical to that employed by Brae. They seem very compatible with 10mm rack tubing, but I was interested to note they’ve been marginally more secure on the Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX Disc, compared with its standard sibling. Topeak Uni SuperTourist 2.0 NonDisc Rack | cycling-not-racing       

Lomo don’t cite a weight limit, but I’ve added this beefy Masterlock, bringing the present cargo to 5 kilos. Raising the saddle height by a few millimetres was another inspired move. The Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather continued to prove compatible with its Link Lube Dry stablemate, although it’s important to note I’d applied the All Weather once only trace amounts of Link Lube Dry clung to the links, rollers and cassette.  

Then of course, I found one of the KMC chain’s side plates beginning to splay, which was communicated via an intermittent clicking which initially suggested my right foot wasn’t fully engaged with the Shimano XT Shimano Deore XT PD-M8100 Pedals | cycling-not-racing cleat mechanism, thankfully, this struck at the close of, rather than mid-ride.  

I’m forming the conclusion that it's best to buy budget to mid-range chains pre-cut.  Again, an easy fix, pop the old link out and slip in another- a five-minute job, ten taking into account checking the other links for any potential damage, or obvious weakness.   

I’m still toying with purchasing a set of chain link pliers, which make cutting and joining chains that bit faster but only at the right price. Funnily enough, I’ve found the chain breaker on this Pedro's multi tool unusually accurate and ultimately pleasant to use.   

I decided to thoroughly degrease the drivetrain before applying some Motorex Chain Wax to the chain, since I fancied something lighter and cleaner. It's closer to a dry lube than a traditional wax but still requires several hours to cure-overnight is my default, though the visual clue is when it becomes a clear glaze.  

Temperatures were too low for the Blub Wax Lube Blub Wax Lube | cycling-not-racing  to cure effectively and as I’ve said before, it will require reapplication if the bike’s been resting up longer than 48 hours or so.  

My love for Shimano’s MW7Shimano MW7 (MW702) Gore Tex MTB Shoes | cycling-not-racing booties is well versed but generally drier conditions have seen me return to gravel shoes, specifically these Shimano RX6 Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing  . These have a similarly stiff sole, which is great for efficiency but without impairing walking, or running prowess.  Hedge clipping season signalled another flat-Ursula's rear Continental Cross King succumbing a mile or so from home.

That annoying, demoralising hiss and wet “futting” as I whizzed through the wet, muddied lane...No biggie- spare tube, check tyre casing, replace tube and reinflate. I always carry a pump of some kind but have been increasingly smitten with mini compressors. My favourite to date being this CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E. Pump CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing which lives in Denise’s  luggage along with the Muc-Off Air Mach Carbon Pump Muc Off Airmach Carbon Pump | cycling-not-racing 

However, a decent hand pump is a lifeline, should the battery tank, or maybe you’ve had a couple of flats during a ride and before opportunity to recharge the mini compressor, or you’re out of CO2 cartridges. I’ve reached the conclusion that a frame fit model, such as this Topeak  Road Master Blaster Topeak Road Master Blaster Frame Pump | cycling-not-racing, or Zefal HPX (which is rumoured to be discontinued). Both will comfortably manage 100psi.  I’ve resurrected this Specialized Air Tool Switch, which at 25cm is compact enough to slip into a rack top bag, away from spatter and other destructive, wet gritty stuff.  

The Cross Kings do seem a little vulnerable to sharps, so I am contemplating a more resilient option at the rear- a look through my tyre stash will doubtless turn up something suitable-use what you got, after all. On the flip side, this new phase of hedge cutting provides ideal opportunity to evaluate the Pirelli Cinturato's puncture resistance...