Rise of The Machines & Slippery Stuff

 

After many hours, the fleet is fettled, and as I’d hoped. Aside from Ursula’s rebuild, I’ve switched racks around, changed brake pads, machine washed bar tape (yes, you can do that with natural silicones). Torrential rains and harvests have seen roads resembling a scene from Paris-Roubaix. I’ve been tackling these on the fixed gear winter/trainer and relieved to report the WTB Evolution and Schwalbe One365 have held their line convincingly through the slippery stuff.  

However, I’ve been quick to brush (and sometimes wash) their casings down afterward, to dislodge any thorns or similar sharps that get bonded to the gloop, causing flats. The Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lube Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lub | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) continues to impress with its staying prowess and cleanliness.  Conditions where the simplicity of a single speed/fixed setup is arguably most convenient. I reward it with a good, sudsy bucket clean every few outings, which it duly deserves.  

Clean bikes tend to be more reliable, and problems easily spotted before they strike. Talking of which, while going this route with Denise, I spotted a cut in the rear WTB Evo tyre casing, so plugged that with some super glue. No need for a boot but I really didn’t want a sneaky sharp sneaking inside and causing mischief.   

I’ve increasingly thought of myself as a machine, and while I was hossing down the lanes, it occurred this may serve me well. Assuming the present Labour government isn’t robust enough, it’s a matter of time before large swathes of the UK public are convinced to vote to withdraw from the ECtHR (European Court of Human Rights) courtesy of a charlatan fuelled referendum.  

Those crying for the culling of “Nanny State” were and remain the largest beneficiaries. Concessions such as universal health care and other social cohesion weren’t gifted by benevolent politicians. They were fought for by highly organised and skilled campaigners over many years. People with vision and drive to improve the lives for the betterment of all.  

Staying with humans a minute, good bike shops are worth their weight in gold. Use them (or lose them) and moreover, treat them well.  The odd packet of biscuits also curries favour, although I’m a believer in letting good people know they’re valued and appreciated.  

I’d decided Ursula needed a TRP Spyre rear stopper. Had issues setting up the otherwise intuitive calliper, which boiled down to a not-so-accurate pattern mount. A quick email to mine confirmed they had a suitable mount-less than £7. I could discuss options; ensure it was correct before leaving their workshop. Saving me wasted time, headaches and frustration.  

Within 5 minutes, I had the calliper correctly aligned and impeccably behaved.  I pruned the inner wire, added a drop of superglue to rule out fraying. Next came the derailleur cables, since I’d left them overnight and taken up the slack.  Grand finale’... I aligned the bars, tightened the stem’s pinch bolts to 6nm, rocked the bike back and forth with the front brake on to ensure everything was slop-free and then reapplied the freshly laundered Acros bar tape.   

I added some more helicopter tape-this time along the down tube, since I would be tethering the Ravemen XR6000Ravemen XR6000 Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) battery to it and left this a day or so before heading out for a shakedown ride. I’d replenished the tube stash, multi tool, tyre levers, spare links and similar little spares that could come in very handy down the line.  

Though I’ve got the Topeak Gravel Two-Stage Mini Pump Topeak Gravel 2 Stage Mini Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) riding shotgun on the bottle bosses, I’m very sold on the portable compressor types, which take the struggle out of getting going again following a flat. This is particularly true on colder days.  I didn’t take Ursula far- a 5-mile round trip as I needed a break from the keyboard and wanted to check everything was settled. Afterall, braking and shifting can be perfect on the stand but imperfect in the saddle.    

Predictably, I needed to snug the bar con shifters down a little-they were slipping slightly, meaning some chain rub and phantom shifts at the rear. I also needed to push a chain pin further in, since this was slightly proud and catching the front mech every few revolutions. The left brake lever also needed minor realignment-easily rectified, although the deeply recessed 5mm Allen bolts common to the Tektro family of levers requires a suitably lofty ball ended Allen key.   That sorted, I’ve been extending playtimes and reconnecting with my beloved two-wheeled companion.   

 

Women have interests, Men have obsessions

 

A common remark and anecdotally, quite accurate. There are varying degrees of this, but I will confess to having an obsessive streak, although in day-to-day life, am very adept at keeping these in check. The ability to obsessively tweak, refine and adjust stuff (with episodic euphoria and despair) can prove all encompassing.   

The wait for a new headset brought with it time to reflect and some switching round of the fleet. I’ve decided to take the fixed gear winter/trainer a more minimalist route, switching the Topeak Super Tourist DX over to Ursula and porting the Kinekt Waterproof Saddlebag KINEKT WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) back over. This has meant the front end is now heavier than the rear, primarily down to the Shutter Precision PD8 HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) dyno hub front wheel.  

A week of torrential showers led to some very muddy lanes and hedge clippings flushed from the verges, spelled punctures. Mercifully, these were pedestrian and only made themselves known several hours post ride when I was home. Tiny holes, so easily patched and no obvious damage to the tyres. I have switched Denise’s front from the WTB Nano WTB Nano TCS Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to the Maxxis Ravager TR Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which are slightly friskier and more resistant to thorns and hedge clippings.  The perpetually wet conditions are brilliant for evaluating waterproof kit, including these Shimano MW7 booties, which have stiffer soles and Boa fasteners for a precise fit.  

As I’ve said before, water will creep in via the cleat drillings, but this is easily subverted with waterproof socks. Will also be interesting to see how well the Oxford Mint Bicycle Assembly grease copes with the darker, colder and wetter conditions. Yes, I assembled the cleat hardware with it.     

With the Topeak Super Tourist DX switched, the Ravemen TR100 now clings limpet like from the fixed’s mono stay. 

Headset issues resolved courtesy of this FSA and another spacer, I bolted the front end back together, applying lashings of the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice. The lower race bearings are cartridge, the upper balls, but if you’re going the hybrid route, this is the way things should go. While both upper and lower races feature seals, I’m a believer in liberal amounts of grease to keep things buttery smooth and pitting free.  

 

 

I’ve also gone belt n’ braces, fitting a butyl tube boot to the lower race to lock winter right royally out.  Front end reinstated and behaving perfectly, I turned my attentions to the drivetrain, wiring up the STX front mech, fitting a chain. I left the front mech cable stretching for twenty minutes, on the big ring and then pulled it through before turning my attentions to the rear.  

 

To my horror, nothing would sync. Closer inspection revealed I’d been seduced by the lure of a bargain shifter, only to discover it’s an MTB version. Inconvenient, but I’m to blame and it’s hardly the world’s end. I had a quick wander round the web, bought another, double checking it was the road version. Not such a bargain, but still favourable and moreover, the right model.   

  

The pull ratio for road and mtb are different, hence the issue. Trying to get it to mesh would be an exercise in futility and wasted time. I’d also noted the inner wire had also frayed annoyingly, but not altogether surprising, since it was a workshop basic, rather than premium quality unit. Sometimes we get bargains but in keeping with life generally, we get what we pay for. Often, there’s not a massive jump in price between staple and mid-range.  The left-hand side was fine, given front mechs aren’t indexed.  

 

Some more enforced leave but crucially progress is being made and the headset issue, sorted. Just a question of wiring in the new bar con, dialling the rear mech in, wrapping the bars and maybe tweaking the rear brake. During this episode, I managed to break the pin of a rather nice chain tool- weird since everything was correctly aligned, and I wasn’t applying undue force…My first attempt to wash the bar wrap didn’t remove as much of the oily patina as I’d first hoped, so I gave that a degreaser pre-wash, agitated that with my Oxford Tyre scrub and then tossed it in the machine at 30 degrees, along with some equally funky riding kit.  So near, yet so far…