Tight Fits

¾ lengths, tights and fluro training jackets have been the order of this week thanks to falling temperatures, cobalt skies and regular cloudburst. These GT are old favourites, staples, entering their fourteenth year of service. Had a sibling pair, though these were written off during a  tangle with terra-firma  back in December 2001.

After some further deliberation and experimentation, I’ve acquired a remote trigger for the Geonaute, thus overcoming the push button lottery when seeking to capture short action sequences.

This is a genuine part-I’ve had mixed results pairing pattern triggers and still cameras, so wasn’t prepared to risk buying twice and wasting money.  A receptive range of five metres gives plenty of scope.

Handlebar was the most obvious choice but since I regularly alternate between fixer and tubby tourer (let alone test mounts), tethering via crocodile clip to nelson/breast pockets of my various technical jackets seemed a better solution.

This avoids potential interference with wireless computers and makes best use of said action cam’s user friendly features. Therefore, £12 well spent, bringing the running total to £162. Question is; can I resist further, organic upgrading-bolt on playback screens, spare Li-on cells and similar goodies? 

Frankly, it’s a matter of reining myself in and maximising its existing potential.

While primarily purchased with a positive ride-capturing mind-set, it would appear road users of all denominations are increasingly acquiring action cams to demonstrate poor/dangerous road craft and mitigate themselves from any wrong-doing.

Anecdotally, the past few outings suggest drivers are more aware of the helmet mounting, thus overtake and generally behave more graciously, though there remains a hardcore of “punishment passers” and not just cars/commercial vehicles.

Curiously enough, some lone riders sporting club colours have literally overtaken within a hairs’ breadth of my elbow, despite turning a steady 18-20mph and clear, wide roads. Thankfully, they’re very much the exception and usually strike when I’m aboard the Univega…

Frankly, policing other people’s behaviour, or discussing the finer points of road etiquette aren’t my fortes, thus I simply respond with a polite, cheery greeting and hustle along at 80-90rpm.  

By contrast, I’m drawn to other people’s lighting systems-blinkies in particular have a really hypnotic effect along unlit roads characterised by dense, overhanging forestry.  

Driving home at dusk the other evening, I slowed behind a rider winching himself along the intensifying incline. Dropping the KA into second and easing past with a ten foot gap, I admired the 29er but was most captivated by the pulsing of his high power lamp.

Indicating and gradually easing back to the left, glancing in the rear view mirror confirmed they were using either a Magic Shine MJ808-E, or One23 Extreme Bright 1000-my fixer’s default see-by winter lamp.

Despite a slightly low-rent lens and reflector, its’ surprising just how spellbinding this sort of output is and how effectively the aluminium headlamp diffuses glare. Some uber systems can be painfully uncomfortable for the rider, let alone other road users or small mammals.

Nonetheless, I’ve resurrected its 2000lumen sibling, which also offers phenomenal bang for very modest buck. However, my sample was let down by a slightly whippy bracket that chattered annoyingly over washboard tarmac. Introducing some silicone putty to proceedings has cured this particular ill.

Talking of lights, while my latest temp gig keeps the lights on and cupboards relatively full, it’s not “feeding my soul” and fuelling some underlying frustrations. Therefore, the solution lies in a creative role capable of nurturing existing soils. 

Staffer’s jobs, let alone anything contract or part time have become rare as hen’s teeth. Time for some serious miles to stimulate lateral thought and those all important reactive sparks...

Michael's Marvelous Frame Medicine

“Your mother who neglected you owes a million dollars tax and your father’s still perfecting ways of making ceiling wax”; I crooned while stirring a cauldron of highly flammable, magnolia broth. Aside from an impromptu deep clean of one’s domicile, last weeks’ somewhat comical bath tub capers prompted me to revisit my corrosion busting elixir first perfected some two decades back during the penultimate year of my degree.

Monty python-esque detonation of my improvised distillery (induced by a passer-by carelessly discarding their cigarette end) and subsequent mirth were to be avoided at all costs, so raw materials were decanted safely away from unidentifiable flying embers/similar sources of ignition. Ninety minutes hence, my 5 litre tub was sealed shut and left resting in a cool, dry, secure location.   

This latest, sprayable formula is characterised by higher solvent content, hastening circulation, coverage and therefore, protection of thin walled tubing. Doubting Thomas’s will scoff, asserting they’ve ridden their ferrous friends across the seven seas without faintest freckling but just as smoking tobacco doesn’t induce terminal cancer by default, prevention is much better, nay cheaper than cure-especially in coastal regions.

Talking of coastal, Harwich based frame builder, Justin Burls has been in touch, enticing me to come and play with his new mini velo. Until recently these have been something of a Japanese phenomenon but are slowly finding favour in densely populated cities on account of their size and subsequent manoeuvrability in slow moving, sardine-esque traffic.

Small (20 inch) wheels continue the compact, whippet-fast theme, enabling swift getaways, while theoretically ensuring said steeds store unobtrusively in the most bijous abodes. However, these are fixed, as distinct from folding framesets with otherwise classic road geometry.  

Justin has opted for Reynolds’ venerable 525, a justly popular tubeset loosely on par with 531 but capable of withstanding modern TIG welded construction methods. Conversely, it boasts a lugged n’ brazed seat tube, slightly reminiscent of Raleigh’s bonded Dynatec series. Elsewhere, we’ve a very contemporary 11/8^th head tube, full carbon fork and Sram Rival groupset keeping things competitive. Proof of the concept’s virtue lies in credible mileage, hence I’ll reserve judgement while remaining suitably intrigued until such opportunity presents.

Disc brakes, both hydraulic and mechanical have been standard issue in mountain bike circles for fifteen years, though mass produced, compatible racks have often seemed comparatively poor relations payload-wise. However, their increased prevalence within utility and expedition/touring markets is forcing manufacturers to respond ingeniously. 

Axiom continues to impress me with innovative, user friendly design and their Journey MK3, with colossal 50kilo payload is probably the easiest I’ve installed to date. Much of this stems from nicely engineered, interchangeable adjustable feet that accommodate most frame configurations, including those with sportier chainstays and/or sans eyelets, which often translates into heel clearance hassles with larger, expedition type panniers. 

Most tour ready models employ two-tier design, improving centre of gravity while calming neighbourly disputes with rack bags. Ours was the T6 6061 aluminium version dressed in tasteful satin black epoxy powder coat but there’s a Cro-moly sibling boasting identical, elephant ferrying capacity. Figures of this magnitude are based upon belt n’ braces four (as distinct from three) point mounting, so I’d be inclined toward a low slung mono-wheel trailer in this latter context, should one’s burden exceed twenty-five.

Given the right variables, fatigue will eventually claim any rack, although aluminium alloys succumb faster than steel. Therefore, minimise, or better still; avoid laying bikes down on their luggage and while warrantees are cold comfort should breakage strike, overloading, abuse or indeed modification risks voiding them…Having said this, something of a perpetual fettler, I have no qualms about adapting products once their warrantee period elapses, so long as such is safe and delivers genuine improvement.

Another endearing misconception is that of the developing world artisan- roadside sorcerers capable of seemingly effortless frame/carrier reunification.While theoretically easier to fix distressed Cro-moly, the sort of temperatures involved in automotive/agricultural contexts is ruinous to wafer thin walled 4130, inducing spontaneous collapse of brazed/silver soldered examples. Thus, sweeping statements about steel being repairable virtually anywhere teeter on urban myth.

Thorough product evaluation shouldn’t be confused with wanton vandalism; rather I (and many others) am concerned with how something performs according to design brief, intended purpose and of course, price. Occasionally products do fail but just as twenty minutes turbo trainer slavery cannot determine bib short/insert quality, taking a belt sander to the crotch in attempt to assess abrasion resistance in the event of a nasty spill is equally spurious.