Gearing Up (& Fresh Grease) for a New Season

 

Ursula’s drivetrain purged with the NZero Bike DegreaserNZero Bike Degreaser | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), new chain and other parts set aside, I’m awaiting a 100g (about 3.53 oz) tub of Oxford Mint Assembly grease ahead of the rebuild. Oxford describe it as “a high-performance red grease with pressure additives to provide excellent lubrication and dirt repellent properties”. The base is solvent refined mineral oil with a lithium complex thickener.   

In this instance, Oxford recommends it for low-speed applications, such as bicycle bearings and pivot points, which need low friction, while being highly resistant to the elements.  Synthetic blends are best for modern bikes where carbon and other composites are typical. Traditional lithium pastes are very stoical on old school cup and cone hubs, unsealed headsets etc.  

However, they will do very nasty things to rubberised components, including seals and encourage galvanic corrosion (where ferrous and non-ferrous components, such as aluminium alloy seat posts in steel frames get chemically welded to their hosts). If you’re only going to have one blend on the shelf, I’d go synthetic. Purpose specific blends are the way forward if you’re looking for the last word in performance.  

Assembly greases for contact points, bearing grease for hubs, headsets and pivot points. Ultra-low friction blends, such as Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) are particularly good for competition riding, or summer bikes. Contexts where you really want to blast along and get every last benefit from that top drawer groupset.  

The speed Grease has also proven surprisingly stoical, clinging on through winter, although I’d still be inclined to strip and replenish every six months or so. Ok, so the darker months aren’t here just yet, but preparing for them makings riding more fun and breakdowns infrequent. Thus far, the Shutter Precision SL9 hub still sems in good health but I’m contemplating taking another direction before it does.  

Experience suggests it’s the sealed bearings that get the grumbles given 20,000miles or so and I’m edging towards that. The most obvious, dare I say cost effective solution is to have the SL9HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) overhauled via Ison Distribution (their UK Importer) and have the silver anodised Shimano unit presently in hibernation, built into the existing Halo rim and have that as a dedicated front wheel for Denise...Waste not, want not, use what you got and er, rationalise the spares bin.    

Talking of which, I was eager to find a longer shim for Ursula’s Kinekt 2.1 seat postKINEKT 2.1 SUSPENSION SEAT POST | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), since a longer unit should offer greater support to the post and ultimately, prove kinder to the frame. A cursory rummage through my small parts bin confirmed I had a Cane Creek unit, so another thing off my mental list and though always a worthy investment, I didn’t want to spend money unnecessarily, since insignificant amounts can quickly add up.   

Days are slipping towards autumn, which as I’ve said many times, remains a favourite season but also a reminder of how precious time is.  

Once the preserve of aspiration and optimism (embarking on a university degree and moving to London’s East End, meeting a woman who would ultimately come with me through thick n’ thin, hell and high water-seemingly unlimited horizons) The last fifteen years, autumn has been a reminder of how much I need to achieve. Never put off tomorrow what can be done today.  

This in mind, I’ve switched to racking up the miles wearing the Madison Flux mitts. They’re a little on the snug side, so I’d recommend paying particular, not cursory attention to their sizing chart. That aside, they’re proving competent, comfortable options-on and indeed, off road.        

I’ve also been contemplating cables ahead of Ursula’s rebuild and decided that, given we’re creeping toward the darker, wetter months I’d go for a sealed system, at least for the brakes. Extra UK has sent me Jagwire’s Road Elite. In common with other “sealed” systems, it employs a continuous, factory lubricated liner.  

This runs from the lever to calliper offers much greater protection from grit, grime and other performance robbing contaminant. The inner wires are also polymer coated for. However, these 2.4mm liners may not be universally compatible with frames and/or components. We shall see...  I’ll leave you with my review of Ergon SR All Road Core Comp Saddle Ergon SR All Road Core Comp Saddle Men | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

Waxing Lyrical

 

Conditions had turned wetter and relatively humid, although I was surprised to find the Peaty’s Link Lube Dry clinging on through some wet roads and boggy trails. Steve’s been generally impressed by the Blub Dry Wax Blub Dry Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). The NZero Wax is also pleasing in terms of its cleanliness and rapid curing. 

I’d racked up over 600 miles aboard the Madison Flux Madison Flux Switch Saddle | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and while there are some considerations- it's a little long for quick dis/mounts, the sort commonly associated with cyclo cross racing and unisex is a term always begging for contradiction.  

Otherwise, I’ve been really impressed by the specification and performance, especially given the price point. Nice enough for the best bike but inexpensive (and practical enough) for a working/winter build. On a tighter budget or looking to upgrade an OEM perch? Its Cro-moly railed stablemate may represent even better value. I said this in my last post and stand by the statement. 

I’ve switched back to getting the miles in aboard Denise and the Ergon All Road Core Comp. I’ve been really surprised by how supportive and comfortable it’s proving despite being broader than I’m typically suited to. I’m still seeking a suitable set of chain rivet pliers – the pair I had in mind seem to be out of stock-I also want to buy some other, frame (alignment) tools since I’m there.  

Talking of tools, some cable stretch made itself known and at an unenviable moment- I was braking hard while negotiating a blind bend and an HGV approaching. The CX50 still did their thing but luckily, I was a mile from home. Having returned, I pulled the cable through and took up some minor slack using the barrel adjuster  

Giveaway spanners are truly disgusting from an engineering perspective but an absolute godsend in a jam. My 8mm open ended spanner had gone AWOL but thankfully, I had this rather weathered example tucked away in my pencil case type tool caddy. Think it was originally part of a Lezyne pannier- a nice feature, I like a lot of Lezyne’s designs, but not always their execution.  

 

Within a couple of minutes, I had lever travel exactly to my tastes and oodles of bite from the CX50 cantilevers- I remain impressed by the rear Suntour SE cantilevers- trickier to setup but plenty of feel and controllable bite. It's possible to lock a wheel but in my experience, provided you’ve not paired them with a V brake lever, such as the RL520, there’s ample warning before this happens. 

  

Unlike the Blub, the NZero can be used on cables i.e. where they enter the housings and of course-mechanisms- cleat, derailleur, and trailer hitches, which has some definite benefits, at least during the summer months, since in summer typical temperatures it’ll cure within 25minutes. Significantly faster than many waxes, which also makes it a realistic choice for longer group rides and indeed, touring, since you can just top up at a rest stop and scoot off once you’ve polished off a coffee, some cake and maybe had a yarn with some fellow riders.   

 

In keeping with waxes generally, it requires a surgically clean and dry drivetrain first time round.  The dry bit is less essential with hybrid blend containing an oil component. However, more traditional wax formulas, including paraffin-based types will lock any residual moisture in, resulting in trace, rusty freckling. It’ll disappear quite quickly during the first dry ride but ideally avoided.   

 

The brands’ Bike Degreaser formula is thus far, seemingly economical and effective- at least on chain lubes and indeed, heavily soiled regions of the bike, prior to a sudsy bucket wash. More on par with, rather than superior to some favourites, including the Fenwicks’ concentrate. Degreaser gels, such as Green Oil have an edge in this respect, since they cling to the host surfaces longer, having more time to brake lubricants down.  Steve was generally impressed by the Blub Bio Degreaser Blub Bio Degreaser | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  which is £1 dearer at £13.99 for a litre.