Up Front

No sooner had I switched Ursula to the Schwalbe Marathon Mondial, I acquired another sharp, which infiltrated the casing and nicked the tube. Another very slow flat and I was suspicious about the barely discernible spitting that seemed to strike when I was speeding through lanes, seemingly paved with acres of slippery bovine dung.  

Tube patched, I switched to the spare and decided I’d leave the rear Marathon Mondial and run the Schwalbe Marathon GT365 up front. TESTED: SCHWALBE MARATHON GT 365 TYRES WINTER UPDATE (sevendaycyclist.com) At 1048g apiece, they are very portly but the aesthetic blends with the Mondial and will resist pretty much hell and high water. Given as the gearings’ right, overcoming the increased rolling resistance hasn’t been overly taxing. 

As their name implies, the GT365 are a heavy-duty tyre, prioritising reliability, in every sense. Whether you are commuting through winter’s worst, need something for the child/trailer tug (where a puncture can turn a chill outing from stimulating to distressing- for all parties, but protégés in particular)  

For the record, I’m yet to flat with the 365, so I expect to sit back and enjoy the lanes, while I await the arrival of the new rear-wheel and contemplate which rubber route, I will take next. I will also replenish tube stocks, since it’s always good to have a few in reserve.  

I generally pension tubes, past the third patch but may keep one, as an emergency spare, should I, or indeed another rider find themselves in crisis. There is a fine line between the principles of self-reliance and being tone-deaf. Having the emotional intelligence to realise the best prepared machines and riders can run into difficulties is equally important. 

For the time being, I’ve done away with the Topeak Midloader frame Bag TOPEAK MIDLOADER FRAME BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and redistributed its contents between the Zefal R5 ZEFAL ADVENTURE R5 WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and See Sense Handlebar Bag SEE SENSE HANDLEBAR BAG | cycling,-but-not-usually-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

One thing led to another and I turned my attentions to my fixed gear winter trainer. Justin Burls had kindly sent me a Ti track sprocket, which prompted me to attempt removing the existing 16tooth Cro-Moly unit from the traditional, threaded side of the Halo Fix-G Track hub HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting . Thankfully, though it had weathered a little over the past year or so, I’d greased the threads liberally.  

 

A liberal blast of GT85, a gentle tap of the Pedros Vice whip using an engineer’s mallet and-bing! the sprocket released. Sometimes, a liberal blast of solvent rich sprays, including disc brake cleaners DIRT WASH DISC BRAKE CLEANER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) can make passable penetrants, shifting moderately stuck components.   

A moderate helping of Park grease to both hub and sprocket threads to avoid almost certain galvanic seizure later down the line, then I spun it home. Huzzah!  I also fitted a Bontrager AW 3 hard Case Lite Reflective Road tyre, since opportunity presented.  

I’m increasingly warming to the AW3 Hard-Case Lite and its quick, supple ride characteristics, which have made my fixed gear winter/trainer even more fun to ride. That being said; I am wondering if it’s Hard Case sibling with an aramid sub layer and bead to bead anti-cut casing, is a better bet for year-round/winter duties where punctures can be a miserable experience. 

Sadly, Control Tech no longer produce their Silicone High Performance Handlebar tape.  

Though tricky to wrap, the combination of superb grip, damping and durability means it’ll be adorning the Univega for some time to come. Talking of silicone, several weeks later and I’ve reached my conclusions regarding the T-One Mr Fantastic Handlebar tape, which comes in other colours, if orange isn’t your flavour T-ONE MR FANTASTIC HANDLEBAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

 

All Terrain Escapes

Forty miles in and I’m beginning to bond with those Schwalbe Marathon GT 365. Although a hefty pairing, they complete the Univega’s all-terrain persona, which has also swept me back to the early 80s spirit of UK mountain biking-go anywhere machines that were light, fun and enabled the rider to leave everything behind.

Escapism is a positive thing and not to be confused with sticking one’s head in the proverbial sand. It’s a chance to reflect, figure things through and return with a cohesive, pragmatic strategy. Does wonders for episodes of writer’s block, or those occasions when paragraphs simply merge into a tangled, congealed mass on the screen.

Full-length mudguards naturally limit the machine’s true off road potential. That said; in its present guise and with those tyres; loose surfaces, unmade roads, forest trails and yes, disused railway lines are easily passable at a decent tempo.

The line in question doesn’t go any distance now, thanks to extensive housebuilding, it’s essentially been reduced to a short strip of woodland. Undeterred, I tried the lane in parallel, mindful of getting over-enthused, taking a wrong turn and hammering through someone’s back garden!

I’d been that particular route some years before while rejoicing in a stretch of super smooth forest on my’ cross bike around midnight. All of a sudden, my 1000 lumen headlight picked up two large plastic receptacles and our presence triggered a security light.

Hmmm, wheelie bins… Prod right brifter down two cogs, turn and sprint back was my MO then. Back to those Schwalbe, well, run at 65psi, they held their own with plenty of feedback and no hint of skittishness across the loose, gravelly surface. 

Back on metalled road, more effort was required to overcome the additional rolling resistance but unlike an MTB knobbly, cornering is vastly superior. Two inches wide, they literally smooth over bumpy, battle-scarred rods like a steamroller-the tarmac laying type, not Surly’s iconic plain-gauge fixed frameset.     

Staying with Seven Day Cyclist and the tubby tourer a moment, this storm sure flexible repair adhesive has successfully salvaged its wedge pack’s torn LED tab. https://stormsure.com/  

Composite and plastic materials can be tricky customers but when applied on a warm spring day and left the full 12hours, the repair seems pretty dependable-at least I’ve been happy enough to slip this Moon shield in situ.

Rediscovering my stash of rubber solution permitted a butyl mending binge. These days we can pick up a bunch of tubes for a fiver, almost disposable but where possible, I repair, or recycle them.

Talking of storms, a few showery rides saw enough grime adorning my winter/trainer’s tubes to warrant testing some bike wash and giving the bike a quick once-over. Bike wash did its job in a competent way and closer inspection revealed the rear crud guard’s 5mm fastener needed nipping tight.

In the zone, I decided it was the ideal opportunity to inspect/re-grease strip the seat post and repack the headset bearings. Out came the fix it sticks https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/fix-it-sticks-t-way-wrench .

I was pleasantly surprised by the thin but stoical layer of green oil eco-grease https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/green-oil-eco-grease  still coating both components, although the lower race was definitely due a liberal top-up.

Having wiped the races and double checked for any signs of corrosion, I cleaned both with a rag dipped in solvent before flooding top and bottom races.  The yellow goo’s flow rate is broadly comparable with petrochemicals, although it’s particularly good when temperatures creep into the high teens.

Super smooth again, though I’ll probably strip and replenish every 9, rather than 12months-6 if you’re a rough stuff tourist or mountain biker who can’t resist river-riding.