More Muck & Punctures Than Paris Roubaix

 

The past week or so has been so wet that local roads are closer to what I’d expect at cyclo cross meets. Lanes carpeted in bovine and pig dung, developers have added their fair share of greasy slippery gloop, which has put the spice in slide on 4am blasts.  

These often hold thorny hedge clippings. Two pierced Ursula’s rear Vittoria Evolution Road Bike Tyre Vittoria Evolution Road Bike Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), inducing a slow flat and meant I was once again, running the final two miles home. Sure, I had a spare tube and other kit but being tight on time, running seemed the best bet. Also confirmed the Shimano RX6 soles have sufficient give for running-It felt like I was tackling a moderately mucky cyclo cross course, not metalled road. 

I’ve left the Ryde Andra 40/ Shutter Precision wheel SHUTTER PRECISION SD8 HUB DYNAMO | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) with Mick Madgett for some judicious tweaking and switched to the Ryde Andra/Alfine Shimano Alfine UR700 Hub Dynamo | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) I’ve also gone for the Landcruiser Plus at the rear, standard Land Cruiser up front. Ursula was filthy. Undersides of the guards were caked with slimy stuff, ditto the chain, so since I was replacing tyres, tubes etc, I whipped the rear wheel out for a deep purge.  

Cassette and chain got similar treatment; the latter treated to some more Weldtite Ceramic WELDTITE CERAMIC LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) A quick shot of PTFE infused maintenance spray to the brake and gear cables to drive any stiction inducing moisture...Some quick tweaks to the rear pads and air to the tyres we were clean and ready once more.  

That was of course, until we succumbed to yet another, rear flat. I switched to the basic, clean Land Cruiser at the rear and ditched the wafer-thin ITS tube for one of two middle weights holidaying in Ursula’s Axiom Ocean wave City+ AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) then ordered a stock of three, just in case.  

I’d had to consign two spares, including a Schwalbe to the bin-patched three times-a fourth would be silly. A decent tube with three patches, I will carry as an emergency spare but not my go-to.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the ITS repairable-a tiny pinprick well away from the seam.  

However, very much “a get you home” for the wedge pack, not a default. Patch quality is also pivotal to a realistic repair. Rema Tip Top are pretty much the best there are. Weldtite and Cure C Cure have also proven themselves over the years. 1800 odd miles along, Ursula’s KMC chain still has a decent amount of life left. However, I’m down to my last, so added another to stock, while I could acquire once at the right price. 

Predominantly pitch-black, sometimes misty conditions mean I’ve dug out the Sigma Sport Buster HL 2000 SIGMA SPORT BUSTER HL 2000 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and popped that atop the Kask helmet. I’ve a better sweep of the lanes and whisper it, stand a sporting chance of spotting holes and tending mechanicals. See Sense See.Sense BEAM & BEAM+ (seesense.cc) have sent me their Beam+ Front light. 1500lumens but with a downloadable app, so the light can detect and choose to intensify, or indeed, reduce output at key points.  

For example, pumping out more light when at roundabouts/entering the flow of traffic, dipping when you’re grinding along a climb.  This genuinely seems to work and moreover, reliably, bringing a big smile to my otherwise stern face. 

The app also includes ride stats, crash alerts (advising of an accident) and theft.  Otherwise, there are four modes. Three steady (High-1500 lumens, Med 450lumens, low-250) and an adaptive flash, reckoned good for 30 hours.  I’m presently running it “stock” while I develop familiarity and will explore the app, dare I say the light’s true potential in the coming weeks. Right, snow’s forecast, signalling a switch to spikes... 

 

Stoppage... AKA Urgent Refurbs

Some lovely rotors and pads arrived from Disco Brakes DiscoBrakes.Com :: Shop :: DiscoBrakes Shop . I wasted no time in removing the long serving and dependable TRP rotor and popping the 160mm Vibe in situ. Cursory inspection suggested my fixed gear winter/trainer’s TRP SLC callipers' organic pads were still passable, so SP PD8 HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) wheel back in situ. Much to my dismay the next morning, stopping prowess had all but vanished...  

Returning home, closer examination revealed muck and accumulated grime were giving a false impression of ample pad material. These had been in situ for 10 months and judging by their condition, should’ve been replaced after 6, maybe 7. The generally accepted rule is replace once the pad has 1.5mm (about 0.03 in) material left. A quick word about pad material, while I’m here. Organic pads (sometimes referred to as resin pads) have a lot in their favour.  

Commonly made from a blend of Kevlar, Rubber, and Silica with a resin bonding, they are quiet, offer sharper braking, and bed in easily. The compound offers excellent insulation against heat build-up, too, although on the flip side, are more predisposed to fade. A minor, if not moot point on a lightweight bike and rider. However, a definite consideration on a touring tandem, or recumbent for example. They also wear relatively quickly in harsh, or mucky conditions, so might not be the best options for winter riding, especially off-road.  

Now, I had a couple of organic Spyre SLC pads in stock, but Disco Brakes were gracious enough to send me some sintered and semi-metallic pads for testing.  Sintered, sometimes referred to as metallic pads are made from bonded metal particles.  In theory, these will last longer than their organic counterparts, especially in wet, muddy, and gritty contexts. They are less prone to fade, so will work better on those long descents.  

However, compared with organic types they need to “warm up” before reaching optimal “bite”, take longer to bed in, and can be noisier. Now, though not relevant on a cable-operated setup, such as mine, the metal components will transfer greater heat to hydraulic fluids, than an organic variant.  

Then again, they’re much less prone to glazing over and last longer. I’ve gone the semi-sintered route. On paper, these should be the best of both worlds, hence my decision. As the name might imply, these are a mix of organic and metal, so take less time to reach performance, shouldn’t fade on long descents, and last better than organic pads in grotty contexts. I’ve never had any problems with pad glaze, but this can be an issue with organic and semi-metallic models, so we’ll see.  

I stripped and cleaned the calipers since these were coated in oily contaminant and the inner cable was fraying. Having stripped back the Souma leather bar tape Souma Leather Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), to get better access to the outer cable and thus route the inner wire through more effectively, I noticed a lot of slop in the Cane Creek SC5 V Brake Lever CANE CREEK V BRAKE DROP BAR LEVERS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), and its internal resin cable tunneling was also showing signs of wear.

I’d come this far... I exchanged the Cane Creek SC5 for this silver Tektro RL520, which is also designed with V and cable-operated discs in mind. (I’d originally earmarked it for Ursula’s disc brake upgrade but discovered the RL340 would work just fine.)  

Next came a fresh stainless steel inner wire (the last in my stock, prompting a further order).

Cables, pads, and chains are all things likely to fail at the least convenient moment, so well worth having a couple in hand. Overhaul complete and braking is better than ever. It also prompted a more thorough Inspection of Ursula’s SLC caliper and pads.  

No such issues but a reminder for more regular investigation and pad replacement. I’ve fitted the other six-bolt Disco Brakes Rotor to the SD8 HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) wheel though since it was superior to the serviceable auction site special. Chain and other drivetrain components were also in very rude health, which is a welcome surprise. I’m up to 1600miles on the KMC and on this trajectory, reckon I’ll get to 2,200 before replacements’ prudent. Mick Madgett finished re-building my SL9 HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) wheel too, so looking set for the winter, now.