Wouldn't You Know It

 

Having replenished the grease and attached the Ritchey WCS perch, I decided the USE Sumo post should sit pride of place in the fixed gear winter/trainer. Everything slid together effortlessly, thanks to the precision USE shim. I ported the Klick fix mount over the WCS rails, checked everything was at the correct height, correctly aligned and torqued before reattaching the Axiom City Plus. Talking of fitting and switching contact points, here’s my review of the Oxford Mint Assembly Grease Oxford Mint Assembly Grease | cycling-not-racing 

 

I needed to drop Denise's post by a few millimetres, since my leg was extended too far and quick dab downs were also less predictable. Timely too since I met a boisterous young Alsatian called “Cooper” off the lead and whose owners seemed casually disinterested. I was immediately reminded of Richard Ballantine’s remarks about dogs and other creatures of the field and air being a menace to the cyclist... 

 

Cooper eventually trotted off with the couple. I’d dismounted at this point, resting Denise against the tree by her bars, so no danger of being knocked off by a hound high on life. I’d been bitten by an Alsatian on two separate occasions during my adult life, so though not fearful, I’m very mindful. My silence was also a quiet contempt for the owners and their elected indifference.   

 

I stood reflecting on the 120tpi WTB Nano’s performance, relative to their 60tpi stablemates, my decision to drop the saddle height before heading out and my continued appreciation of the Gorewear C5 GORE-TEX Thermo Gloves. I’ve also switched over to Tubolite TPU tubes and decided I wanted greater cornering prowess, so switched the Shimano PD ED500 pedals Shimano PD ED 500 Pedals | cycling-not-racing for the Wellgo MO94B WELLGO MO94B SPD PEDALS | cycling-not-racing  which also represents a181g weight saving.  

 

Back in the saddle, I scooted off and hustled along the newly muddied lane and found myself concluding the Ergon SR All Road Core Comp Ergon SR All Road Core Comp Saddle Men | cycling-not-racing is genuinely more comfortable than the more basic (but still excellent) All Road Ergon SR All Road Men’s Saddle | cycling-not-racing  Other dogs and their owners were far more gracious, dare I say emotionally intelligent and received a suitably cordial greeting as we passed.  

 

Another thing I had been conscious of is some swaying of the Topeak Backloader. I’ve bund some old inner tube around the post with the hope of minimising any bob, or sway, while simultaneously protecting the USE SX posts’ anodised finish. Post mounted luggage of this kind is designed for bulky but crucially light loads and riders with any experience will mount heavier items low. I’ve followed this narrative, as you’d hope. I’ve stashed several tubes, Muc-Off Pump, small multi tool and CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing inflator which is well within the acceptable and indeed, maximum payload. Now, I’m quick to confirm this is minor sway, not samba dancing. Despite substantial Velcro closures, uber litre designs are prone to sway, due in part to length and their lofty position- the main reason I err away from them.  

 

Dynamos rule the roost when it comes to my four seasons’ bikes, but I always carry a compact rechargeable light as backing singer/backup. I was suitably impressed with Ravemen LR 1000Ravemen LR 1000 Curved Lens Front Light | cycling-not-racing and was curious about the brands K series. Enter the most powerful 1800lumen unit here. There are some obvious similarities with the LR1600, most obviously, the sensored technology. In this instance, its two tiered and incorporates AI (Artificial intelligence). The daytime running mode will select the intensity it feels appropriate, while the AI learns the lighting conditions on your routes and tailors things between 100 and 180-lumens accordingly.  

 

Obviously, the wireless remote means you’re not beholden and can override to taste. Then of course, there are the features we’ve come to expect from Ravemen. IPX7 for weatherproofing, solid CNC machined casing and the ability to charge phones and similar gizmos from the port and you can also plug in a power bank, should reserves dwindle. In common with some of the smaller LR family, I’m not completely taken with the mount.  

 

By no means poor, it's quick to whip on/off, which is convenient for commuting and other contexts where bikes can be unattended for periods of time. However, on balance I prefer the more substantial versions employing Allen keys common to the PR series and LR1600 Ravemen LR1600 Front Light | cycling-not-racing.          

       

What of the 120tpi Nano, then...Well, I’ve noticed their improved compliance over their otherwise likeable 60tpi counterparts, switching to a TPU tube up front has also brought some tangible benefits on the compliance front, especially at the higher end of their 50psi pressure range. The Nano aren’t intended for gloopy mud synonymous with a British, or indeed, Belgian winter cross meet but seem to behave in excellent proportion across moderate, greasy mud.  I'll close for now with my review of The MagicshineSeeMee100AD Radar Detection Tail Light Magicshine SeeMee 100 Tail Light | cycling-not-racing    

Jealousy within the fleet

 

No sooner had I believed the fleet was sorted, Denise got jealous and rejected her bottom bracket. I discovered this while replacing her chain, which was reading close to .7 on the chain wear indicator. Two chains had just arrived, so no sense putting off the inevitable. After a fit of pique, I found an (unused) mountain bike bottom bracket within the transmission box, gave the non-drive side a liberal helping of Muc-Off Bio Grease TESTED : MUC-OFF BIO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com), the drive side, Oxford Mint Assembly Grease. This was just to see how the two would compare, in a like for like context. 

Since I had the cranks off, I stripped the axle and reached for the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is palpably lower than most on the friction front and is surprisingly durable into the bargain. Even though the existing KMC wasn’t completely spent, the replacement translated in much snappier shifts, too.  

Hopefully, that’s the last of the drivetrain consumables for a while, though. Depending on how rough winter plays, I’ll get 3-4 months from chains and at some point, I'll get another (XT grade) bottom bracket or two in, should something get the grumbles. Stuff usually goes pop at the least convenient moment, so keeping staples is good practice.  

Ursula succumbed to the first post-rebuild flat- couldn't find anything inside the Continental’s tyre casing, having washed and scrubbed them as part of a more intense generic bike clean. The tube had a hole around the seam, so I switched to a fresh one and pondered whether I should patch or retire.  

I seldom consign these to landfill since they make great chainstay protectors, headset boots etc. Denise’s lower race boot is proving highly effective at keeping the slime at bay. After some deliberation, I ultimately decided to go the former route with Ursula and placed some along the downtube, where the Ravemen XR6000 Ravemen XR6000 Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) battery rests.   

Talking of batteries, I wasn’t getting any readout from the Giant computer, which basically boiled down to an exhausted CR2032 sensor battery. I’ve also tackled some alignment issues with the front Mudhugger guard and have decided to go the original rear Mudhugger route.  

These are shorter than the MK2 and I didn’t feel the need for Velcro, since I’m unlikely to be removing them- just a question of liberally applying helicopter tape and some old tube atop that to rule out any paint damage, then pulling the cable ties very snug.  

Another definite plus about the mud hugger and their gravel hugger cousins is both feel secure and rigid aboard the bike. The fixed gear winter/trainer’s hasn’t been touched, save for a replacement tie and yes, I also clean beneath the guards to prevent potentially abrasive and/or corrosive stuff building up. I took my time when fitting both, fitting things loosely, getting alignment spot on before pulling the cable ties snug. Talking of ties, the OEM are 3.6mm (about 0.14 in) thick-I’d lost a couple, so employed some slightly thinner examples as a meantime measure.   

 

Otherwise, it's aesthetically much sleeker than the generally serviceable, if slightly whippy post mounted unit it replaces. Staying with mucky stuff, I’ve been getting plenty of miles aboard Denise and the 120tpi versions of the WTB Nano WTB Nano TCS Tyre | cycling-not-racing.  

 

Though not wildly different to their 60tpi siblings, ride quality feels more compliant, and they feel slightly friskier, too. Too early to say whether the SC2 puncture repelling belt is superior and indeed, that of the Maxxis Ravager Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing but there’s plenty of gloop around and winter’s cranking closer, so we’ll see. 

  

The Madison DTE Men’s Isoler Thermal Long Sleeve Jacket continues to impress. Well, it’s a middleweight jersey by another name with a thin pile fleece lining to keep the chill out and a DWR waterproof coating. In common with similar garments, the latter should be thought of as resisting misty, light showery stuff and extending the time before you need to don a micro jacket/gilet, not battling rains of biblical proportions. The fit’s great, ditto the pocket layout and design.   

 

While the Topeak Gravel Two-Stage Mini Pump Topeak Gravel 2 Stage Mini Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) is a reliable staple, I’m leaning toward mini compressors for roadside rescues and CO2 inflators as a third, contingency option. Muc-Off has just sent me their Airmach electric mini-inflator. Its more compact than the CYCPLUS AS2 Pro Max Epump CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) or indeed, the Fumpa FUMPA PUMP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)    which has its pros, obviously on the space front but I’ll reserve judgement for now, see how it performs in the real world.  

Lighting continues to arrive, and I’ve just received this Ravemen K1800. As the name suggests, it’s another master blaster pumping out 1800 lumens. Probably the most notable feature is the AI technology, which allows the light to adjust output according to your riding style and environments. Theoretically, this will leave me free to enjoy the ride and get the best balance of performance and economy.