Sore Points Fixed With Subtle Tweaks

I made the schoolboy error of whipping the Pro Stealth Saddle in situ, making cursory visual inspection and checked alignment with a straight edge (rather than a spirit level). Subsequently, I paid the price, 20 miles into our maiden voyage, my sit bones were screaming. 

However, being a seasoned tester of traditional leather saddles, I persevered. Fifteen miles into our second outing, my inner thigh was feeling decidedly raw. I concluded, mid ride that the saddle height was fractionally too low, with the Stealth. 

This, (coupled with the padding density) in turn was placing additional pressure, causing this discomfort.   Relieved to be home, time for a more detailed analysis. I produced a 5mm Allen key and raised the seat post by a few millimetres, then took a spirit level to things. Not far out but sufficient…Loosening the cradle bolt, tilting the saddle fractionally downwards, snugging the cradle bolt tight (while keeping a sharp eye on the level) cured this.

My Univega was sporting a fair amount of slimy, salty road filth and the Juice Lubes Ceramic Juice was looking a bit filmy. This prompted a quick cold-water rinse, followed by a sudsy bucket and drivetrain cleansing 

 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-dirt-juice-chain-cleane

White Lightning Extreme Wet was the most obvious, default replacement. No curing time, plenty of staying prowess-should last through February. Delivering a few squirts of Juice Lubes JL69 Bike Maintenance Spray https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-jl to cables and pivot points concluded said fettling episode…

Then I spotted some nasty looking sharps that had penetrated its rear Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Double Defence Tyres https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-mondial-tyres. Deflated the tyre, extracted the flints using nail tweezers, then filled the holes with superglue.

Oddly enough, some Tannus Tyre Liners had arrived for testing (although these were 700x32, so went to the Schwalbe Road Cruiser https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/scwalbe-road-cruiser-tyres Fortuitous too, since the Schwalbe had also succumbed to a flint induced flat.

Liner protectors work like another layer within the tyre, preventing thorns and similar sharps puncturing the tube. I recall Tuffy Tape from the late 80s. Some swore by it, others at it.

Those taking a more moderate (dare I say, rational) stance suggested they could work well but recommended checking their alignment periodically. This was to prevent them inducing precisely the flats they were intended to eliminate. 

These Tannus are less convenient to install than heavy duty butyl. They cite an additional 40 seconds. Maybe with assembly line familiarity but I took another 2/3 minutes first time round. Still, at 200g apiece, are considerably lighter than the Kenda Thornproof tubes (which have been my defaults during winter’s worst for nigh on a decade).

Retailing at £29.99, the Tannus are pretty much the going rate for liner technology. That said; money would be better spent on upgrading tyres, if you’re running unreliable budget rubber, or a higher end set are past their prime.  Tannus also reckon it’s possible to limp home on an otherwise flat tyre, without damaging the rim.

Taking this a stage further, this theoretically allows tyres to be run at really low pressures, say for additional grip on the trails, or a really icy road. Personally, in the latter context, I would’ve reached for the Schwalbe Marathon winter https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-winter-spiked-tyre, or comparable spiked tyre.

Back to saddles, I was still feeling a little raw, so switched exclusively to my fixed gear winter trainer and the Selle San Marco Concor SuperCorsa for a few days. Now, as I’ve said before, in some respects, it’s an old saddle but serves to illustrate that classic designs are still very relevant.

Yes, 320g might be a touch portly for some (those with bikes on Calorie controlled diets, in particular) but what’s a few grams if you can sit in comfort all day?  Arguably, black would’ve been a better fit with my working fixed’s colour scheme. I reckon the tan’s a nice contrast.

The Genetic D-Riser 4 Bars continue to impress me. For gravel/cyclo cross I’d stick with their D-Riser 16 siblings https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/genetic-d-riser-bars, which still perform very well on asphalt. 

However, I have been surprised to find the D-Riser 4 feel that bit sharper on relatively smooth roads-sweeping around S bend descents that kind of thing.

I haven’t noticed any real difference, when ascending and as with its sibling the 20degree rise is subtle but welcome, especially through congested traffic, or relaxing on a long day ride.   I'll do a few hundred miles more with these contact points, before reaching any firm conclusions.

Mudguard The Mighty

Having repacked my fixed gear winter trainer’s headset with fresh Park PPL-1 Grease, then adding a DIY boot to protect it from winter’s worst, I turned to my Univega’s Stronglight unit. Full length mudguards (fenders) extend service intervals but I’d recommend stripping, inspecting and re-greasing headsets annually. Especially on working bikes.

I’d re-greased the Univega’s bottom race, using Muc-Off Bio Grease https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/muc-off-bio-grease-long-term-test  when I’d switched to the bike’s freshly refinished, original forks. However, I hadn’t inspected the top race in a good while. Since it’s cream makeover, in fact. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/after-the-gritters-went-home .

I wasn’t surprised to find everything came apart effortlessly. However, the top race’s grease was fast reduced to a filmy gunk. Dismissed with a rag dipped in solvent, I replaced it with the Park PPL-1 and was reassembling everything, when realisation dawned- I’d forgotten the butyl boot! Big MTB sections (26x1.95 or wider) make ideal candidates.   

Fork out, another section of scrap Schwalbe was peeled into place, aided by some greasy overspill. Theoretically PPL-1 is safe on rubberised components, so shouldn’t eat it. 

Fasteners reinstated, fresh front brake cable nipped tight…I swung the Soma Condor bars back and forth, rejoicing in the steering’s buttery smoothness.

Then I noticed the mighty Tortec Reflector mudguard had succumbed to a fatal fracture. 

Thankfully this didn’t strike when I was riding along. Seriously solid chrome plastics. Ones that have survived ten years’ four seasons, hell n’ high water riding. Not a hint of tarnish on the stainless stays, and other hardware, for that matter.

Still, this provided an ideal opportunity to research my Univega’s pedigree a little further. Having found the frame number (and wished I’d noted it down properly, while the frame was at the blast stage of refinishing, back in 2017 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/after-the-gritters-went-home  I discovered it was built in 1997, not 1996-as long believed.  

My Univega is a joy to ride and has evolved into a (relatively) lightweight go anywhere machine. One that responds and handles in excellent proportion, on and off road. laden and otherwise. I’m also drawn to the slightly unusual/esoteric. I always liked Axiom stuff and Axiom Road Runner A2 MTB 26 seem a very good fit.

While I research and acquire a replacement set of guards, I’ve switched over to my fixed gear winter/trainer. An ideal opportunity to see how the Juice Lubes Ceramic Chain Juice performs on a fixed transmission, and in slightly drier, colder contexts.  

So far, it’s holding out rather well, with a nice blend of lubrication and staying prowess. 100 miles in, and I’m really warming to the 32mm Schwalbe Road Cruiser, which are providing a surprisingly swift, yet compliant and grippy ride. Not bad for £19.99  

Long, dark nights bring about a very different focus and helps me reflect. Not just on products being tested but other projects and ventures. There are some things, some experiences that I have found very difficult to process. Not the sort understood by the civilian world.

Those revelling in melodrama would refer to them as demons but I wouldn’t give them that sort of credence, that power. Exploration through fiction and third-party characterisation is the most constructive outlet. 

Not that it’s a philosophy I subscribe to, but observation suggests people are disinterested in the struggles of others. Unless of course, they follow a “rags to riches” narrative. Those looking for a good midwinter read for themselves, or a cycling friend might be interested in Emily Chappell’s book “Where There’s A Will”.. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/where-there-s-a-will