Big Grins

 A week on from the Maxxis Re-Fuse TR arrival, the brand’s Ikon (26x2.0) were being handed to me by a very amiable courier. The following day I whipped them aboard Ursula’s Shimano Alfine/ XT wheelset, complete with fresh butyl. They’re slightly reminiscent of Kenda Small Block Eight, which I had run in 700c and 26 versions and similarly straightforward to fit.  

Interestingly, the Ikon have a maximum payload of 90 kilos, so best suited to lighter riders. Ours is the baseline model with a 60tpi casing and isn’t tubeless compatible (ready, if you prefer) and doesn’t feature a puncture-repelling bet, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in terms of rolling and puncture resistance.  As a precaution, I’ve gone for some Schrader valve tubes, so I could get some sealant sloshing around them.

    

With a maximum, tame by road standards 65psi, I was also surprised by the number of strokes needed to deliver the full 65- that's with the SKS track pump.

Beyond 50 and my biceps were beginning to course with lactic acid, and we were close to locking out at 63psi. Now, arguably you wouldn’t go to the maximum, but I like to see how a tyre behaves at the cited maximum, before tapering down to find the sweet spot for different contexts.   

Anyhow, I’ve put them to one side for a moment while I concentrate on racking up miles on the fixed with the Maxxis Re Fuse. I’m finding the latter very dependable-in every sense thus far. Not the most compliant ride but by no means harsh and what I’ve come to expect from 60tpi single compound casings.  

May has seen an improvement weather-wise, namely drier (although still very cool in the morning)- single digits mean I’m sticking to the three-quarter lengths and long-sleeve jerseys and indeed full finger gloves when it’s sliding down to 5 or 6.  Baggier fitting mitts also allow liner-type gloves and this combo can be a great middle point for changeable conditions-long rides, in particular.  

Anyhow, the more Spring-like weather has meant the Teenage Dream has come out from seasonal hibernation, giving me chance to get some miles in with the CST Cito. For the uninitiated, the Cito are a dual compound 170tpi model available in 23, 25, and 28mm sections. Formative outings have really brought the best from the build, which may be quaint by contemporary standards but still brings huge grins.  

I ran Vee Tire Co Rain Runners for a good while and was impressed by their low rolling resistance, compliance, and wet weather grip. However, the Cito are a notch better in my book and very competitively priced. The ride quality doesn’t match that of a mid-range tubular but isn’t that far behind either and without the maturing, gluing and sewing that came with them. 

  

125psi is their maximum and even at these lofty pressures they’ve never felt harsh, or skittish and have held their line impeccably. CST hasn’t cited a minimum pressure and at present, they haven’t released a tubeless compatible/ready version but I’m reckoning the sweet spot for me and my 70kilo frame is between 105 and 110psi.

Not that we’d want to invite these things but puncture resistances courtesy of their EPS lining, which also features in their Czar CST Czar Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) cousins and indeed, the Pika CST Pika Gravel Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). This is a flexible Poly fibre strip running beneath the casing’s centre strip. This doesn’t run bead to bead, which may have implications for puncture resistance.  

However, the Cito are intended as a fair-weather training/competition tyre, 5mm thick Aramid belts and similar technology is uber dependable, but tyres featuring these tend to be on the weighty side- think 700g or so apiece, not the sort of heft you’d want on a pared to the essential's plaything, race, or TT bike.   

Talking of which, for those of you wondering why I hadn’t whipped the Cito aboard the Holdsworth, it’s primarily because the Holdsworth has bigger clearances- could go up to 28 up front and 32mm plus at the rear, while its 25mm tops, with the Teenage Dream. Every so often, I contemplate upgrading the latter's frameset, probably bespoke, but definitely steel and fillet brazed.  

However, I’ve let these thoughts drift since I can’t justify it on grounds of cost and space. Practicalities aside, I’m also very fond of the frameset and then there’s the memories tied up within it. Bikes are like friends. Some come and go, and others stay a lifetime.  

 

Something for The Weekend Sir... Welcome Surprises & Dynamo Delights

No sign of these sunlit uplands and the unicorns promised, are little more than donkeys with dildos strapped to their foreheads... 

The weather here is more aligned with early April than late May, so for time being, the Teenage Dream remains safely tucked away, cosseted from the elements. While rooting around the garage a week or so back, I was delighted to resurrect these Gore Tex over mitts (yes, heavy, sporadic showers remain the narrative). I’ve switched from Zefal Extra Dry Premium Quality Chain Wax.ZEFAL EXTRA DRY CHAIN WAX | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for SKS Lube Your Chain TESTED: SKS LUBE YOUR CHAIN (sevendaycyclist.com) (Another waxy type formula) since the weather errs on the wet. 

When it comes to traditional waxes, the absence of an oily component (one that leaves a filmy protectant layer on the chain) means superficial taint following exposure to wetter rides/roads. This coincided with a generic deep clean, inspection and other light maintenance.  

 A welder’s grandson, I take a keen interest in welding, so after fifteen miles of headwind, decided to stop and scrutinise this gate. A little workmanlike by my grandfather’s standards but neat enough, ditto the “red lead” finish. 

After some explorative/diagnostic efforts, I have been unable to coax the Apeman A80APEMAN A80 ACTION CAMERA | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) back to life. 

The sudden and unexpected demise (I hadn’t exposed it to wet, wintry weather, or anything else that might induce catastrophic failure). I’ve concluded fault lies with the power switch since the battery and charge life indicator are communicating good health. A pity since I’ve found this model intuitive to use and image quality adequate for my needs.  

I’ve missed being able to capture hares and deer leaping across my path these past few weeks. I am optimistic for this Campark unit, which promises a higher overall spec and a “waterproof” body.  

Now, waterproof is a tricky term on many levels. Watches for example are not permitted to be described as waterproof, only water-resistant. This is because there is always the potential, given the right circumstances for water to infiltrate. The Apeman and Geonaute cameras had never been exposed to damp, let alone wet weather, without wearing their protective housings.  

Budget action cameras offer a lot of bang for very modest buck these days but the mounts/accessories tend to be a weak spot. More cheap than cheerful. The Geonaute’s weather-proof housing needed sanding around the lugs to fit a Go-Pro mount, whereas the Apeman’s case was compatible but fractured at the lugs. The Campark uses similar housing and accessories, although time will tell how durable they are. Housings are good ideas in any case since they protect the lens, screen, and other components from nasty, abrasive grit.  

Now to the dynamo lamps. Kery Staite has sent me a replacement for the Bikepacker Pro V2 that unexpectedly developed a gremlin. He’s also sent me the K-Lite Ultra Road LD (Low drag). The latter is “only” 750 lumens, which is a little over half that of the Bike Packer Pro V2K LITE BIKEPACKER PRO V2 FRONT LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and the Bike Packer UltraK LITE BIKEPACKER ULTRA DYNAMO LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), so has me eager to assess performance along the unlit lanes and backroads, given I’ve been spoilt by the 1300lumen siblings. 

 

I’m also curious as to how it ranks against the Exposure Revo Dynamo, which pumped out 800lumens and adorned Ursula’s bars for several years and many thousand winter miles. Initial impressions are favourable and the drag is palpably lower than its more powerful Bike Packer cousins. In some respects, Ursula isn’t the most obvious host but as my daily driver, I’m going to notice any subtle tweaks/changes.    

These also arrived with nice new composite mounts, moving the lamps proud of the bars. I’ve mounted the Bike Packer Pro beneath the fixed’s Soma Condor 2 Shallow Drop barsSOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) for a neater aesthetic, and to avoid potentially dazzling anyone. Not that this has been an issue to date, although I have needed to tilt the Ultra siblings very slightly.  Right, I’m off to brew some more wax-based corrosion inhibitor-seems we’ve run out.