Switch n' Save

 

Prevention is always more effective, and usually cheaper than cure. Regular inspection can stop a lot of issues before they start, especially during winter, when conditions are harsher and daylight hours shorter.  the KMC chain is still going strong and foils the chain checker’s .75 marker, and we’re way past the 1500mile mark, which may also add credence to Bike Medicine’s Claims that the Purple Extreme | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) extends drivetrain life.   

Some minor mudguard chatter piped up, causing me to give Ursula more generic midweek onceover. Stays nipped snug, I discovered a small but deep gash in the rear Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Double Defense TEST & REVIEW: SCHWALBE MARATHON MONDIAL TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com). This prompted me to switch to the Schwalbe Marathon GT 365 TESTED: SCHWALBE MARATHON GT 365 TYRES WINTER UPDATE (sevendaycyclist.com).  

Hefty, as I’ve established on numerous occasions but ultra-dependable and offering decent traction when the mercury is stubbornly refusing to creep above freezing and that hard frost is audible. I acquired two more Schwalbe Land Cruisers. One for the Ryde/Alfine wheel (that Mick Madgett built with speed and enviable expertise this week) and a higher spec Land Cruiser Plus replacing the Marathon Mondial. I fancied a more substantial puncture repelling belt at the rear. Still 50g lighter than the Marathon 365, too.  

In terms of genre, the Land Cruiser remind me of Specialized Crossroads (26x1.9) which served me well between 1999 and 2001. Traditionally, the mention of mixed terrain, or dual-purpose tyres were synonymous with worst of both worlds. Sure, the Specialized and the Land Cruiser aren’t going to rival a 1.5 slick on the tarmac or a crossed country tyre through more demanding forest trails.

 

Nonetheless, some 600 miles down the line, they’re proving capable mixed terrain rubber that will swoosh along quite nicely on the tarmac, give a compliant ride along pockmarked lanes and still deliver along moderate trails. WTB All Terrainasaurus are another I have fond memories of. These are also available in 26x1.95 but I was running a narrower, 1.5 (have a feeling they came up smaller, nearer to 1.4). Dirt cheap, quick, and dependable for my commutes around South London... 

Since Ursula was in the stand, I got busy with the Motorex Grease Spray and The Torque Covert 7 Crank tool, whipping out bottle boss, carrier and mudguard screws. Being steel, these were all given a shot before I delivered a stream into Ursula’s inner sanctum and the Kona Project 2, while I was at it.  

Spray greases are super convenient and quite versatile, refreshing those parts thicker waxy preserves cannot reach so readily. In a pinch, 10w/40, or less sophisticated semi-synthetic motor oils are easily found/scrounged, can be delivered via a syringe and will do much the same job, in a steel frameset.  I've also delivered some into the less accessible regions of my KA, since the wings are welded, not bolted in situ. Removal, say if needing to repair a sill is a lot more involved. Getting some greasy stuff into the sills will at the very least, slow the advances of corrosion in areas where it can flourish unnoticed. 

Chainsaw oil is another cheap, readily available substitute, which doubles as a reasonable chain lube. Again, apply via syringe and be ultra-disciplined with the clean-up, or chains will become a matted, gritty transmission gobbling mess.

Bib shorts are a less obvious choice for the darker months, save of course, for slaving away on the indoor trainer. However, I often ride with bib shorts beneath lighter old school Lycra when temperatures are middling. Strangely enough, I’ve been comfortable with budget dhb bib shorts and 20-year-old GT tights (which I retain a strange, some would say irrational attachment to) when the mercury is struggling to climb into single figures.

I’ve been similarly impressed with the Gecko Ankle Length Waterproof Socks GECKO ANKLE LENGTH WATERPROOF SOCKS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which, being thinner than their Calf Length Classic All Action Waterproof Socks means they’re a better fit with closer fitting road and mountain bike shoes. No sign of this ice age, the red top tabloids have been screaming about for several months...Maybe it’s a cunning metaphor for something else...The cost-of-living crisis, which is forcing an increasing number to decide between heating their homes or feeding themselves and their children. Or perhaps the present diplomatic situation surrounding Ukraine...  

Front Loaded

 I was hoping to find the other Schwalbe 365 and whip that on the new dyno hub wheel but no sign of it in the rafters. I was in the throes of switching to a Schwalbe Marathon Mondial but discovered the casing was rather weathered, permitting flints and other sharps inside. 26-inch mountain bike wheels have now lost their dominance, meaning supply is less plentiful. I was still seeking something rugged, so got quite excited by Schwalbe Land Cruiser (26x2.0)  

Being an active line model, it’s a wire bead and puncture resistance isn’t on par with the Marathon range, but we’ll see. Better a slightly lower spec than top drawer rubber past its puncture repelling prime. The other options were   Continental Ride Tour (26x1.75), which on paper offers a similar tread pattern but superior puncture resistance. Then of course, there’s Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which also comes in a 26x1.95 and in my experience, super dependable. One of these might replace the rear Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Dual Defense TEST & REVIEW: SCHWALBE MARATHON MONDIAL TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Several months down the line, I’m seriously impressed with how well the Peaty’s Speed Grease has stood up to the wet, greasy, and sometimes freezing conditions. I’d still stick with its Assembly Grease counterpart, when it comes to contact points, bottom bracket and pedal threads, hubs, and headsets-at least on winter, or working bikes. 

Nonetheless, a few months and a few thousand miles down the line, there’s plenty clinging to the Deore crankset’s splines and it’s also proving a great option for cantilever posts and of course, hybrid sprung/elastomer seat posts, including the Kinekt 2.1KINEKT 2.1 SUSPENSION SEAT POST | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which I retain a very soft spot for.  

Other than Cane Creek Thud Buster ST 3.0 TESTED: CANE CREEK THUDBUSTER ST SEATPOST (sevendaycyclist.com), it’s one of the only serious performance options for an older mountain bike frameset. Back to the grease, it hasn’t been dissolved by sudsy bucket washes and citrus type cleaners and degreasers, which I’ve used to strip caked-on slurry from the bottom bracket shell, strip chains.  

Bearings are another component easily overlooked.   

I am particularly fond of headsets with needle roller, or annular/cartridge bearings. Thus far, with regular regreasing and full-length guards, Ursula’s Stronglight O’Light LX Aheadset is still in good health, over six years later. However, these parts can often fail at the least convenient times and lead times are longer courtesy of a pandemic and Brexit. Therefore, I’ve acquired its steel stablemate, which is slightly heavier but theoretically, even more durable. It was also offered at a price I couldn’t resist.  

Easier than registering for a COVID booster shot online, too, although perseverance paid off and I’ve been booked in. The implications for skilled clinicians and related professions already overworked before the pandemic now stretched beyond breaking point is chilling. An unresponsive, indifferent government (One seemingly unable to manage a drinking session in a brewery, let alone a national crisis) is simply exacerbating the situation.    

By contrast, the Purple Extreme is doing its thing and no less than I’d expect from a lube of its genre. 100 miles in, and it's staying put, much like a wet lube in characteristics.  

In common with some other favourites, including Finish Line Cross Country, Bike Medicine also recommends it for cleats, seat post and handlebar hardware, brake and derailleur pivots, spoke nipples when wheel building, and cable housings. Not sure it’d be my first choice for derailleurs or brakes for that matter- a touch too thick by my reckoning but we’ll see. A trace on recessed Allen heads/similar fasteners would be a good bet, though.      

It’s good practice to strip drivetrains surgically clean before introducing any new lube but Purple Extreme is one of those with a solvent content that will cause any residual lube and contaminant to rise to the surface, rather than floating away, or consuming them. Will be interesting to see whether the Purple Extreme will extend the chain’s life, longer than the 1100miles I get from a typical 10speed KMC.