Swapping n' Stripping

 

150 miles hence and my bruised inner right thigh reminded me why I substituted it. This time round, I’ve reached for Selle Royal Respiro, which is something of an “old faithful”. Should it prove a little narrow, I’ll reach for the BBB Echelon, which is another all-rounder but slightly broader-145mm at the widest point. Madison have sent me their M Part Primo anti-slip silicone gel bar tape.

 Available in four colours- red, black, blue and white, it employs a silicone underlay for damping and a Polyurethane exterior for tactile purchase. It’s a little heavier than some at 128g (complete and uncut)  I’ve dressed Mufin’s bars since it contrasts nicely and I’m very satisfied  with the Wolf Tooth Supple Lite Wolf Tooth Supple Lite Bar Tape | cycling-not-racing adorning Ursula’s Soma Condor 2 SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS |   which  offers a good blend of connection, damping and grip without undue bulk.

It’s also in very good shape, so stays-for now at least. Arguably, no need to go beyond 2.5mm, even off road since the big 2.3inch tyres also provide plush, refined comfort. Before I forget, here’s Steve’s review of the Continental  Contact Speed Continental Contact Speed Tyres | cycling-not-racing      

The M Part Primo is surprisingly easy to fit and thoughtfully employs a tacky silicone backing strip, rather than the traditional adhesives, meaning its tolerant of correction. No cheater strips either which suits me, since I’ve found myself defaulting to the “figure of eight” technique around the brake levers. Plenty of tape left, despite generous overlap on these 44cm wide Genetic D-Riser 4 GENETIC DRISER 4 HANDLEBARS | cycling-not-racing

Elsewhere, I've been harvesting some smaller fasteners, specifically bottle cage mounting hardware, not least as it's good to have some decent staples in stock-a chainring bolt can go rogue and create mischief at the least expected (read convenient) moment. Particularly on the fixed. Several years down the line, I’m still seriously impressed by these Genetic Tibia GENETIC TIBIA TRACK CRANKS & RING | cycling-not-racing

Obviously, it’s important to get the correct bolt and collar length, not to mention applying a light coating of assembly grease. This will give you a sporting chance of removing them when ring replacement’s due.  

 Aluminium alloy fasteners might sabe a few grams while looking pretty into the bargain but where components are under load, I reach for Cro-moly every time and twice on Sundays. I’ve wasted no time in fitting them to Dobbin and torquing down to 12nm. Another little job off the list.  

 On the subject of small parts, I'm keeping an eye out for a replacement skewer for my TWBents Bob Yak homage trailer.

I'm confident I've stashed the original unit safely away in one of my storage boxes, following Ursula's renovation last year. Spares of this kind make sense. However, some folks have been hawking them for £74 apiece, which is laughable, not to mention uneconomic. I always preferred that coupling system to that employed on the original Bob Yak. I was fond of mine but there were some things that merited improvement/felt a little fragile.   

  A few hundred miles down the line and I'm reaching the conclusion that the FLR MXT Vibram Trail Shoes are best suited to pedals with a broader, or at least, tapered angular profile.

This includes these Wellgo, which offer greater support (and consequently efficiency) than the mighty dual side cross country M540 and XTs. They do strike an excellent balance between stiffness and walking for longer periods-think touring and bike packing rather than gravel racing, or competitive. They’re a notch or so better on the riding and walking fronts than the otherwise likeable Shimano MT701 GTX SPD  Shimano MT701 GTX SPD Shoes | cycling-not-racing

Staying with pedals a moment, here’s a quick guide to keeping them cleaned, greased and happy Simple Pedal Overhaul | cycling-not-racing I’ve acquired some lever rubbers-primarily since the WTB bars wide flare tends to see the lever ends grazed against brickwork, which sets me on edge for several reasons. Might also provide some additional grip when riding in the wet.  

On the chain lube front, I'm continuing to default to the TF2 Performance All Weather Lubricant TF2 PERFORMANCE ALL WEATHER LUBRICANT | cycling-not-racing . This is a lighter middleweight that returns decent mileage in changeable conditions but without attracting too much grot, especially along fire roads and forest trails.   I've since discovered that Weldtite have revised the formula, removing the PTFE component, which has me intrigued...

Whipped out the chain checker and Denise's KMC is still in reasonable health 3 months down the line. I’m confident I’ll get a further six weeks, or 600 mixed terrain miles before its retired. That said, I bought another batch of staples, since chain wear can be very sneaky.  A bit like the front mech, which has dropped the chain a couple of times recently-nothing turning the adjustment screw 1/8^th of a turn didn’t fix, but annoying and inconvenient at the time.

 

Return Of the Bar Cam?

 

Glancing down at Ursula’s riser-drops while hossing along a particularly muddied byway, I decided there was plenty of available real estate and it might be time for the bar cam to return... Once its rear wheels had been sorted by Mick Madgett, obviously. I’d had another six mile walk of shame, courtesy of a blow-out and pothole tag team. I decided to prune the expired Ikon Maxxis Ikon Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) down and it could live on as a belt, rather than becoming landfill. Mick had finished building the new XT wheel and tweaking the Rigida Sputnik/XT the following Friday.  

Not to be out-done, the fixed gear winter/trainer’s rear Pirelli Angel DT Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) succumbed to a hedge clipping-close inspection of the tread suggested it had struck just proud of the centre strip and 5mm puncture repelling breaker strip- a hedge clipping the culprit, although it was only a tiny pin prick in the tube.  

Comes with the season and of course, wet, greasy roads make a sharp’s progress that bit easier. Winter and early season riding is hard on even the best maintained bikes. Aside from taxing tyres, it’ll chew through chains and other drivetrain components, mechanisms can gum up, contact points can seize.  

Periodic re-greasing of the latter, regular washes and inspections go a long way to prevent mischief, not to mention long walks home. Then of course, wheels get more punishment courtesy of poor infrastructure. Again, vigilance certainly helps. However, due to chronic lack of investment, the UK’s roads have been falling into serious disrepair. Local authority budgets squeezed to oblivion by central government is compounding matters.         

Ironically, the temperatures rose, and roads dried out sufficiently for the Holdsworth to appear briefly from seasonal hibernation. My first opportunity to evaluate the repaired steel fork and its impact on the bike’s handling. Spoiler alert, it was worth the switch- handling is still very engaging, just a little less twitchy and whisper it, more comfortable over longer distances.  

The CamparkV40 had been doing something close to nothing for a good while, too. Action cameras have improved over the years, but the small sensors mean footage in low light is so-so and, in my experience the V40 is no exception. However, I was attracted to its solid build quality and highly weather resistant body.  

No call for a separate, audio distorting polycarbonate case-a definite plus. Google had been floating several other options at me. Go Pro 12 was an obvious choice, DJI Osmo Action 4 another but there’s no justification for shelling out if existing kit is otherwise solid. (I already had an ancient but very worthy Geonaute G-Eye 2 doing not a lot- it has outlived the Apeman A80).  

 

With the Leatt Endurance 2.0 enjoying a well-earned wash, I’ve resurrected an impressive Gore Torrent Men’s Jacket. It’s a lightweight three-layer model made from polyamide. Water resistance is superior to the Leatt (although I’d expect so, given it was £229 back in 2021) and the medium tips the scales at 190g.  

 

Fit is decidedly snug, but sizing is perfectly accurate. I should also point out, it’s a road rather than gravel, or trail garment and, it's also less packable, which may also be significant in the latter riding contexts.  

 

The 7Mesh Cypress Hybrid 7mesh Cypress Hybrid Cycling Jacket | Seven Day Cyclist is a more packable design, much closer to the Leatt in this respect and indeed, at £131.25, pricing. The 7Mesh is made from Gore Tex Infinium, the body being 50d polyester, the back body is 78% polyester and 22% elastane. Really close fit eliminates flutter and similar distractions, while the dual zippered side vents allow more tuneable airflow, while simultaneously improving access to jersey pockets. 

  

Talking of jerseys, I’m a major fan of long- sleeve summer models, especially since they offer greater protection against sun and to a lesser extent, wind burn (which can be an issue when riding in and around coastal regions). They’re also useful for when the temperature’s a little changeable-late summer evenings, early autumn and of course, spring.  

 

Cycology has sent me their Summit Lightweight Long Sleeve Summer Jersey and Baja Blue Classic Cycling Cap. The Summit follows the Polyester/Elastane narrative, and the yarn offers SPF50 protection, which is very welcome (although I’m still inclined to apply a high-factor sunscreen during the height of summer).  

 

Three large rear pockets and a fourth zippered design are hardly front-page news but again, very welcome, and sensibly proportioned. A full-length hidden zipper gives a seamless look, while affording excellent, tuneable airflow and temperature regulation.   

 

The Baja Blue Classic Cycling Cap follows the brand’s tradition of lively artwork and is made from a polyester/cotton mix. (65/35%). More cotton than I’ve come to expect from the technical variants, so time will see whether this has any impact upon moisture management and odour control.  It does have a very generous peak, which can be flicked up, or down, depending on choice and riding contexts.  Enough chat, time to get some more miles in... 

Manic Mechanic

What works on the stand and what performs on the road can be two entirely different things. I was delighted with Ursula’s reconfiguration and though I loved the Soma Condor were a great fit, the Soma Condor 2SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) seem an inspired upgrade. A little on the tall side for my fixed gear winter trainer but bang on for the tubby tourer.  

Being a four seasons’ machine, the sudden transition to heavy rain prompted a 20-mile shakedown ride. Though counterintuitive, thanks to years of brifter use (yes, my index finger has been gravitating to the imaginary paddle on the Tektro levers) the Microshift bar con has performed faultlessly.  

Click shift, click shift, click. No slips, no hesitation. The front brake showed some hesitancy on the return but easily corrected with ten pumps of the right lever. Otherwise, I relaxed, enjoyed the ride and vowed to resist further cable fettling temptation. Well, save for replacing the rear brake’s straddle wire. While functional, it was fraying badly and very much on borrowed time.  

Problem-solving and working things through is all part of riding. 

Ok, by the roadside, you want to get going again, as soon as reasonably possible but developing familiarity and understanding the components leads to a much better riding experience and mechanical sensitivity. As I’ve said before, there is also a good case for outsourcing some work, where it's more cost-effective. I don’t build good wheels, so for me, leaving my wheels in the hands of a skilled wheel builder is money well spent. 

Despite the changeable conditions, the Peaty’s Link Lube Dry PEATYS LINK LUBE DRY CHAIN LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) has impressed me with its staying prowess, despite the changeable conditions. Plenty remains on the chain and is readily reclaimed from the cassette. I’m still on the second helping several hundred miles in.   

Closer inspection of the rear, Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Double Defense Tyre TEST & REVIEW: SCHWALBE MARATHON MONDIAL TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) suggested it was also nearing the end of its dependable life. Not bald as the proverbial porn star’s bits but their centre strip was beginning to show obvious signs of wear and I found several sharps burrowing into the casing. I had one in ruder health, so superglued some superficial cuts, then switched to that until I find a suitable replacement. 

Now, I’m a fan of connectivity but there are boundaries. I have no desire for a foreign power to launch a missile strike via a wi-fi enabled kettle in my kitchen. Professionally, I am interested in GPS and similar bar-mounted tech. Personally, I don’t want to share my ride routes, time, location etc. 

Any GPS function on a camera is also turned off, for these same said reasons.  

Ursula has been sporting this Cat Eye Quick for a couple of years- a very simple 7 function design, which is compact, intuitive and reliable. However, at £44.99, its relatively expensive, relative to functions. I found myself yearning for something more sophisticated, yet still offline.  

Since the weather is still ambient; I am continuing to enjoy spirited playtimes on the Teenage Dream. I’ve found the bigger Axiom wedge pack’s saddle loop Velcro was becoming slightly unreliable. Not to the point where it would come adrift and cause the bag to land on the tyre but this was a distinct possibility, so I switched to this smaller Axiom, which employs a quick release saddle rail clip and two Velcro post straps. Sorted-Huzzah!  

I was also struck by the ungodly, unmistakable funk of trench helmet. My long-serving do-most but mtb biased Bell, on this occasion. Now, I could go the same route as Steve and use a capable commercial product, such as this Oxford Mint Helmet SantizerOXFORD MINT HELMET SANITISER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) but, given as I was headed that way, plumped for a post-ride shower and shampoo, instead. The shampoo route is surprisingly effective but best done more frequently, to keep funk at bay.