Creaky Cradle

 

Phantom creaks, squeaks, and rattles crop up every now and then and the root cause is not always obvious. Sometimes it’s just some threads begging for a lick of grease, other times it’s a fastener that’s loosened just enough to permit some minute play- seat post cradle, handlebar stem, old school square taper crank bolt. Titanium to titanium can also prove a slightly creaky combo, so I tend to employ some Finish Line Ti-prep where bars meet stem and saddle rails meet cradle. 

 

Then of course, there’s mudguard (fender) and rack mounts. Adding a bit of Thread lock to proceedings holds them tight and gives you a sporting chance of keeping them, should they unexpectedly vibrate loose. Aside from racking up some miles on the Teenage Dream, while the sun shone, I’d been pondering a strange and unsettling creak from the fixed gear winter/trainer. Initially, I’d thought this was the Halo Fix G lockring letting me know it had slackened-nope.  

Chain tension was also about right. VW ran a commercial back in the 1980s where a driver is being driven to distraction by a phantom squeak, which a roadside mechanic diagnosis is the wife’s earring. With this in mind, I was beginning to think it was something similar- small spare parts jingling in the Kinekt Waterproof Saddlebag KINEKT WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  All drew a blank. I got out of the saddle- silence. I’ve not had difficulties with the Cane Creek Thudbuster ST G3 TESTED: CANE CREEK THUDBUSTER ST SEATPOST (sevendaycyclist.com) in the past.  

Everything seemed snug. Unlikely perhaps (but not unheard of) I reasoned it might be an issue with the saddle rails. Either way, I concluded, after a two-hour blast on the teenage dream, the best approach would be swapping saddle and post for now and diagnose at leisure. I went for this Genetic Syngenic TEST & REVIEW: GENETIC SYNGENIC SEATPOST (sevendaycyclist.com)  

It's an inline model, aimed primarily at racers, placing me directly over the bottom bracket, which is my preferred stance. As for the perch, it’s a Selle San Marco Concor Super Corsa. This one’s a revised version but otherwise faithful to the original, launched in 1978 BS (Before Sibling). 265mm (about 10.43 in) long and 140mm (about 5.51 in) wide, so a good fit for yours truly. Either way, no creaks, or squeaks. I just needed to raise things by a few millimetres, since it felt slightly off during our first outing. Not significant enough for me to hoist it mid-ride, but not quite right, just the same. 

No sooner had I addressed this, the Teenage Dream piped up. However, this creak was traced to a cleat not fully engaged with the mechanism. Easily cured with a quick shot of GT85 to the single-sided A530 (Tiagra to you and me).  I’d toyed with switching to the Wellgo RC713, which has nicely sealed bearings and small surface areas.

The latter are great for aggressive cornering, whether you’re riding a criterium, or fixed (although  I still prefer double-sided designs on a fixed, meaning I can clip in from any angle and scoot off) while the Cro-moly axles might lack the exotica of titanium but represent excellent value for money and excellent power transfer...Maybe next time I’m tweaking something... Meantime, here's my review of the Funkier F70 Pro MTB M250 Shoe FLR F70 Pro MTB M250 Shoe | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

I also discovered, while troubleshooting why the bike’s computer wouldn’t register readout (LR44 sensor battery) that I hadn’t tightened the front quick release adequately (which I initially believed was down to sloppy bearings). One of those occasions where the fork ends “lawyers’ lips” were worth their weight in gold.  

Upon returning from my ride, a quick once-over. I performed a quick tweak of the bike’s front Miche dual pivot stopper and found a tiny amount of play in the Woodman Saturn Aheadset, so dialed that out, giving the stem bolts a light lick of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since the bolt’s threads felt slightly arthritic.  Sorted.

  

Rounding up contact points for now, I’m still impressed by the KranX Stretta Primo-High Grip Anti-Shock Handlebar Tape KRANX STRETTA PRIMO ANTI SHOCK BAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) adorning the Teenage Dream’s Salsa Bell Lap bars. Its grippy, durable, and at 2.3mm thick, offers decent defence against low-level vibration (although may feel a little direct, coming from natural silicones, such as the Acros Silicone wrap Handlebar Tape Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar Tape | Seven Day Cyclist. Those wanting something a bit thicker, for gravel, or touring might prefer something like this Ergon BT Gravel Bar Tape Ergon BT Gravel Bar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Curiosity...

Left to my own devices, I became curious regarding the new Deore crankset’s suitability and wanted to check chain length, before introducing front mech, bar end shifter and cables.

 

Off came the 1x10 deore (switched to the Dawes Edge frameset for safe keeping GRAVEL ON A DUSTBOWL BUDGET: HARVESTING COMPONENTS (sevendaycyclist.com)). Plenty of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) graced the Shimano XT Shimano Deore XT PD-M8100 Pedals | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) pedal threads.  

The Juice Lubes Bearing Juice was still clinging to the Hollowtech II axle. Pleasing, given its primarily designed for bearings SIMPLE SERVICE: CUP 'N' CONE HUBS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). . With the new, 2x10 Deore , I opted in favour of the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). Everything back together and buttery smooth, 110 link chains seemed correct- no hint of straining at the lowest gears.  

Confirmed beyond reasonable doubt on the following morning’s twenty-mile test run. Nonetheless, I had plenty on, so the front mech and shifter could be fitted at my leisure. Sometimes things need to be works in progress, rather than rushed.  

Quitting while ahead some might say. Besides, the Crane Cousins sacrificed a front mech and shifter to save precious grams on their Special Products Raleigh Bikes for their epic tour...Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Richard Crane, Nicholas Crane - Google Books Ok, let’s not get too carried away...Who was I kidding???  

Saturday morning, I returned from a 430am ride and decided I’d get busy in the methodical, offer stuff up and check sense. I managed to retain the “child at Christmas” sense of urgency until 7am. Yup, that I’ll just do some preliminaries went out the window too. In for a penny... 

 

Chain split, the biggest challenge was the front mech.  

The Deore was proving a non-starter with the MPart Mount, so I decided to save time, cut my losses and reach for the STX. My hunch that the 24-year-old mech would save the day proved so. I also needed to remove the serrated panel from the rear Blumels Shiny Mudguards SKS BLUEMELS SHINY MUDGUARDS | cycling, but not ususally racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to allow unhindered cage travel. 

Cable outers cut, everything connected, I needed to adjust the travel but despite being designed for a 3x7, it slipped back and forth very snappily-without any cage manipulation. Although being a triple, I was meticulous, borderline neurotic when adjusting the limit screws.  

Having ensured it wouldn’t drop off either side, I reintroduced the Souma Leather Handlebar Tape Souma Leather Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), checked everything shifted reliably and popped the old girl away.

4.40am on Sunday morning, the acid test. Better quality inner wires tend not to require intervention but either way, I leave inner wires eight hours (or overnight) and then pull through once, if needed. I’d toyed with leaving things another day or so and switching to the fixed meantime but 440am came around and a shakedown ride called.  

No nasty surprises, the old STX shifted impeccably in both directions with no hint of cage rub, or similar teething troubles. That said; the Merida cage gracing the seat tube bottle boss chose this opportunity to expire- without warning. The tool caddy was ejected onto the front rings, causing a moment’s anxiety.  

In the darkness, I thought the worst-broken derailleur cage, popped chain... I had spare links and replacement magic links in the tool caddy in any case. I packed the cage into Ursula’s Axiom Ocean Wave City+ Seat Pack AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and rode home. I’d considered this Zefal Pulse Z2 Zefal Pulse Z2 Bottle Cage | cycling, not usually racing (sevendaycyclist.com) before settling on the winged carbon fibre Boardman.  

While I understand and appreciate magic links, I’m not completely at ease with them. I much prefer a pin of some description and that’s on a derailleur transmission, let alone single speed, or fixed setup.  

A 2x10 transmission has given me a range between 26.9 and 84.3 inches some added power on the road with greater torque offroad, or when a trailer’s trundling behind.  

Staying with chains, the Muc-Off Wet lube seems to be holding its own, despite rains of biblical proportions. The sort that creates deep, lingering puddles, which can conceal a multitude of nasties-potholes are extremely fertile right now.  

John Moss has been developing a mount for the TRP HYRD calliper. Although I’m not in a rush for it (am planning to fit to coincide with cable and/or pad replacement), I'm getting quite excited...