I'll Just...

 

January is a tricky month in every respect. The festivities forgotten, replaced by an unsettling silence. Some folks await the fiscal hangover, others plunge themselves into projects and traditionally, it’s a time of year when I disappear to the garage, fuelled by those nights where an idea can evolve into the ONLY idea.

I was recovering from a sudden, unwelcome seasonal lurgi and feeling infinitely better, (save for an infected tooth, spotted by my dentist during a routine checkup) decided I’d switch Denise to gravel rubber and complete testing of the Zefal Shield G50.Zefal Shield G50 Mudguards | cycling-not-racing Wheels fitted, tyres inflated to the desired pressure, I then discovered the rear Kore cantilevers were dragging. Hmm, just a case of changing the inner wire and a quick tweak of the balance screws.  

No joy. After some deliberation, I concluded the Tektro RL520 must be pulling too much cable, so after a quick rummage of the spares boxes, I recovered a silver RL340 designed for cantilever and side pulls and made the switch. Closer, but definitely not right.  By this point, we were coming close to midnight- I’d planned to have everything sorted and safely tucked up in bed long beforehand. Firmly in the zone, I discovered a missing balance screw, so decided to strip them from the bosses and switch to another set. This also presented an opportunity to regrease the cantilever posts with Zefal Pro II Zefal Pro II Grease | cycling-not-racing.

Refitted, snugged tight, some minor tweaking of the balance screws- sorted. Ok, so a few localised squirts of MO94 were needed, since I’d forgotten to flush the outers through in my diagnostic phase. The RL340 and 520 levers have slightly different profiles, apparent when looking down at the hoods but close enough aesthetically. Moreover, I had a fully functional rear stopper.

 Once-overs completed, bars redressed in the Ergon Orthocell Ergon Orthocell Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing it was 1245. Still, I’d diagnosed and cured the fault, so off my list and out of my head. A test ride the following morning confirmed all was well. Quit while ahead. Weeks and many miles hence, the Zefal Shield G50 continue to impress with their rattle-free construction and impressive protection- on and sans asphalt.

Definitely the best clip-on guards I’ve ever used and by some margin. I’m still mightily impressed by Mudhugger’s Gravel Hugger, but these are a more permanent design- none the worse for it, but slightly different. The Gravel Hugger are also incompatible with rim brakes. Fine for contemporary gravel, or bike packing framesets and the coverage is also impressive.

However, incompatible with bikes running cantilevers, or linear pulls. Talking of which, I’ve upgraded Muffin’s brake cable with a Jagwire CGX 5mm outer and stainless inner. Not on par, with their top flight Jagwire Road Elite Jagwire Road Elite Sealed Brake Kit | cycling-not-racing, but a tangible improvement. The Fibrax and bog-standard stainless inner fitted during the initial build has served well enough in the “use what you got” sense. Now it was due replacement, hence the opportunity to upgrade. A few months down the line, I wasn’t surprised to discover the MPart Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar Tape M Part Primo Anti Slip Silicone Gel Bar | cycling-not-racing had weathered. In fairness, it was re-useable and the adhesive backing still up to the job, but the finishing strips were really stubborn to remove. Should get another few months regular use before retirement. Switching to the Spa Aire Titanium has also brought a new level of bliss. I’d broken it in years ago but forgotten how comfortable it is, especially on a bike with similar positioning and geometry as Muffin.

Mercifully, save for testing, worn consumables and the odd tweak, I more or less have the fleet optimised. Major revamps and overhauls are off the table.  Invariably, when I’ve fallen down one of these rabbit holes, some other expenditure has presented, whether it be cars, dental treatment, or similar priority.

I should point out that while brutally diminished by successive administrations, we do still have the burning embers of universal healthcare, but there is still a fiscal contribution to be made. Universal healthcare makes sound economic sense. The healthier your nation, the more productive. There is an argument in favour of contribution and I can see this, but only so long as it's proportionate and based upon the ability to pay.

There is a large swathe of the UK’s population who enjoyed increasing prosperity across the board-even those in lower-skilled, dare we say “dead end” work. High quality affordable housing, good schools and other public services. Housing was about community, not assets, educational attainment and life chances were more closely associated with the communities, parents and peers surrounding you.

Nonetheless, upward social mobility was very much a lived experience. Something that progressively waned through the 1980s onward, as industries and communities died. Those that could, left and pursued new lives, those that didn’t were left behind, largely ignored. Easy prey for the populists who offer slogans, emotional dynamite but no solutions to inherently complex and ingrained problems. 

Sitting On It

 

I’ve always liked a bargain but there’s a significant difference between bargain and false economy. Often, it’s a very subtle differential in price too. I’ve reasoned that if I’m typically returning 1300miles from a ten-speed chain, especially during winter, then there’s some sense in economising here. I default to KMC these days, but my search engine flagged up a 116 link Clarks for £8.99.  

All that glitters is not gold, or indeed nickel plated. I opted for two slightly cheaper KMC, keeping them in stock until Ursula and Denise’s existing chains reach .7 on the chain checker. Chains, cables, brake pads and the odd cassette are parts I like to keep in stock, since they usually fail at the least convenient point and in the case of chains, can wear remarkably quickly.  

While Ursula’s front RL340 proved an effective job of commanding the TRP Spyre, upgrading it to a 520 was the right move. I’ve re-discovered the 340 pairing, and will put these aside for Denise, should need arise, now I’ve decided the non-aero route was but a 5-minute wonder. I’d also toyed with popping some new hoods on an old set of Campagnolo Athena (which if I recall were reversible) but boils down to change for changes sake, essentially and not the best use of my time.   

I’ve replaced Ursula’s front pads with these DiscoBrakes Sintered Brake Pads | cycling-not-racing since I was doing a deep clean. That said; I was pleasantly surprised to discover once I’d removed the sludgy grime, a decent amount of pad material remained on the substituted pair. I’ve popped them away in my disc pads packet and will re-use another time.      

Left unchecked a worn chain will chomp through more expensive drivetrain components-cassettes, rings and derailleurs. This is particularly costly on a touring lorry with old school triple setup. Keeping a touring triple on song year-round can be something of a chore, so changing the chain just before it’s spent saves time, money and hassle. Rim wear is also rapid, if your bike(s) run rim brakes and don’t keep an eye on pad health. Regularly cleaning them of grit and other embedded muck will extend the life of both, with relatively little effort and save a lot of money long term.    

Talking of tourers, Raleigh’s Sojourn was an interesting model which I spent quite a bit of time testing back in 2012.  

However, despite handsome looks and some definite charms, with the stock wheelset it was less responsive and engaging than I’d come to expect, even from a traditional tourer, which is designed to handle predictably while hauling the kitchen sink. The sojourn sprung back from the vaults of my bike testing consciousness when someone posted their much modified and recently re-finished (powder coated) example.  

Despite some definite charm, I would upgrade the wheelset- probably to Ryde Sputnik, XT rear, Nexus, or Alfine Shimano Alfine UR700 Hub Dynamo | cycling-not-racing dynohub up front. Rubber-wise, and assuming we’re going the full mudguard (fender) route) I’d go for something like the Pirelli Angel DT Urban c. 37mm Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre | cycling-not-racing. I’d possibly ditch the metal guards for chrome plastics, too. Though functional enough, I was never really taken with Avid BB5, or other single piston mechanical callipers, finding them tricky to adjust and prone to rub.  

They’d be substituted for TRP Spyre and decent quality sealed cables, such as these Jagwire Road Elite Sealed Brake Kit Jagwire Road Elite Sealed Brake Kit | cycling-not-racing   Staying with the stock theme, I’d also switch the Sora brifters for Tektro RL520 and bar cons of some description. Alternatively, something like Kona Dew Drop might be a better starting point. Much of it for me comes down to the right price.    

I’ve done enough time sat on the WTB Rocket saddle, which has proven very agreeable to my derriere, despite being narrower than my bike fit ideal WTB Rocket Saddle | cycling-not-racing. It’s offered ample support, the subtle pressure relieving channel has done its thing competently, without fuss, or fanfare.  Contact points generally, and saddles specifically are very personal things and not an exact science.  

With a favourite go-to technical shell coming to the end of its useful life, the arrival of this Madison Stellar Ultra Reflective Men’s Waterproof Jacket was also timely. Aside from the bold yellow and retina tickling retro-reflective detailing, waterproofing and breathability are 10,000 apiece and there’s a big waterproof breast pocket and at £79.99 it's competitively priced so will be interesting to see how it performs in the coming weeks.    

 

Master Blasters & Brake Upgrades

I’ve been curious about some ultra-powerful lights for a while now. A deviation from my dynamo devotion, perhaps, but I’ve also been feeling those unmade roads and dirt trails calling Ursula and I as we whizz past. Magicshine offer models with 8,000 and 12000 lumens but I was more intrigued by Ravemen’s interpretation of the “turn night into day” narrative.  

Their UK importer (Bob Elliot & Co Bob Elliot Co Ltd - Suppliers of high quality bicycle supplies to registered traders (bob-elliot.co.uk) sent me the Ravemen XR6000, which delivers a maximum of 6,000 lumens and reckoned good for 1.2 hours. Crucially, there are trail and road settings too, so you’re not going to be dazzling everyone and there’s a wireless remote to make responsible use effortless.   

Aside from the headlining 6,000 lumens, the next prod down is 3,000 lumens (2 hours) and low, 1500 lumens, reckoned to return 4 hours from a full charge of the 8000mAh/7.2 v battery. There are similarly versatile road settings too, projecting a localised flood for broad sweeps and a long-range spot for picking out the detail. The road is a more moderate 1500lumens, 1000lumens and 500 lumens with official run times of 3.5, 5.5 and 10.5 hours, respectively. There's also a rapid flash, for emergencies. 

Build quality is extremely high, not that I’d expect anything less from Ravemen and it's reflected in the £389.99 asking price. The head unit meets IPX8 for weatherproofing (in common with the PR family) and (along with the mount) is made from aluminium alloy with a Mill Type III hard anodised finish.This also serves as a highly effective heat sink, meaning diodes and circuitry stand a sporting chance of leading long and happy lives.  

Naturally, there’s also a thermal cut-out for added protection. 9 diodes in total are projected through an anti-glare lens that produces a T-shaped beam, much like those common in automotive applications.  

The high-low system works in much the same way, so you can quickly dip, to avoid dazzling. The 18-watt battery requires 4.5 hours for a full mains charge and is encased in a “high-quality plastic” which meets IPX6 for weatherproofing. Another similarity with its PR cousins is the easy-to-read OLED display, so you can easily see how much juice/ride time’s left.  

You can also plug in a power bank and other goodies, such as a phone, should you need to refuel them mid-ride. The complete system weights 661g which is a mere 24g portlier than the Sigma Buster HL2000 SIGMA SPORT BUSTER HL 2000 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Elsewhere, I’ve concluded the RL520 levers are a better fit with discs than the otherwise likeable RL340. The latter still offer reasonable performance but the RL520 are designed specifically with V brakes and cable-operated discs in mind. In truth, I’ve gone for black and kept the RL340 behind since it’s designed for cantilevers, and I don’t fancy locking the rear wheel every time I grab the rear brake with any conviction.  

Regularly alternating between the Fixed and Ursula (both running TRP Spyre SLC callipers, identical discs and cables) confirmed the fixed’s RL520 supplies palpably more power. Dia Compe’s 287V Aero V Brake levers pull a claimed 20mm of cable and though highly effective, erred on the fierce side.  

Either way, I took that opportunity to introduce it with a new cable. The 520’s hood profile is slimmer than the RL340, but you’d have to inspect very closely, and the levers aren’t going to present an issue aesthetically, or operationally. A bitterly chill 20-mile test run confirmed this was the right move- oodles more progressive bite, no judder or squeal either.

I say bitterly chill but winter weight soft shell jacket with wind and waterproof membrane locked the wind out and Madison Freewheel Men’s Thermal Bib Tights with Pad Madison Freewheel Thermal Bib Tights | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) are still going strong. I’ve not reached for the Belgian cap just yet but that’ll appear, along with the Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro this week Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Talking of change, this grey EVE handlebar tape arrived, and I decided it was best adorning the fixed’s Genetic D-Riser 4 bars. GENETIC DRISER 4 HANDLEBARS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). But before I disappear to the workshop, here’s Steve’s review of The Castelli Commute Reflex Jacket Castelli Commute Reflex Jacket | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)