Cranksets & Calculations

The Deore Crankset arrived and with a 32tooth front ring and 12-28 cassette, gives a range between 29.4 and 69.44 inches. A little low at the upper end for tarmac terrorism and catching riders, but plenty of torque for trailer towing and gravel stuff.  

Ideally, I’d be looking towards something in the high 70s. Will stick with it for now, unless a suitable, closer spaced option presents. 11-25 would give 33.0-74.9, which is arguably a better option. I took this opportunity to replace the chain and deep clean the drivetrain, since the existing KMC had done 1,000 plus. Besides there’s no sense in prematurely wearing cassette and new ring. I also noted that, despite the nickel finish and being fed wet lubes, it had become quite stiff and showed the ominous orange taint.   

Wintry conditions largely gone and while waiting for the new crankset, I whipped the Univega’s wheels out, given the frameset a more thorough waxing of its intimate areas and switched to the Schwalbe Billy Bonkers.

  

This also presented the ideal opportunity to give banish the congealed gloop, clinging to the cassette and Sun Race derailleur’s jockey wheels, using this Squirt Bike Cleaner Concentrate. Thankfully, the oily residue had done a good job of preserving the finish, so no call for the M16 Ride & shine M16 RIDE & SHINE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

I’ve been getting the miles in on the fixed. Switching the Schwalbe Marathon Plus for the 42mm Continental Contact was a sensible move and I ordered replacement ceramic pads for its TRP Spyre stopper, so they’re in stock, when replacement’s next due.  

The Zefal Z11 bag is proving a very useful addition. Minimal sway (which is unusual for the bigger models, especially those tethering to the post via a single strap). The larger breed also doubles as a decent mudguard, protecting saddles and buttocks from cold, wet, slimy stuff.  

On the theme of transmissions, I’d returned from a ride, intending to simply tweak the chain tension, when I discovered some issues with the Fix-G HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting side of the hub. Horsef*ckers! No matter, I switched back to the Aerorage wheel, until I’ve time to assess things properly.  

Oh well, might as well, give the transmission a good blitz, then feed it Squirt Low-Temperature Wax Chain Lube. Talking of the concentrate, this can be applied neat, as a degreaser, or diluted to make a bike wash.  

I’ve decanted neat into a chain cleaner receptacle, a 30/70 concentrate/water mix as a winter weight/early season bike wash. Like many concentrates, it can be applied to (a) the drivetrain via brush/chain bath, left for a few minutes, then agitated and rinsed. Or (b) poured over parts and left marinating for a few hours/overnight. This version pours easily in cold weather-noticeably so, compared with its otherwise impressive standard counterpart. SQUIRT LONG LASTING DRY CHAIN LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Wax formulas aren’t the obvious choice for cold, wintry conditions. Indeed, I would reserve most for spring/summer. However, this low-temperature blend stoked my curiosity. Similarly, while wet lubes are the obvious default for wet/wintry conditions, they can also attract a fair bit of gunk.  

Purging this regularly (as you should) can be a tedious chore. Ignore it and there’s a very real risk of it grinding through expensive rings, cassettes, derailleur jockey wheels (and even cages). Waxy types require longer curing times but will simply scab off when leaden with contaminants. 

No need to scrub, or clean, just apply another layer and leave to cure.   

As the photos illustrate, I’ve gone this route with Ursula’s new chain, since I was there.  Also switched back to the Ravemen CLO6 Sensored Rear Light.RAVEMEN CL06 SENSORED REAR LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Fancied a formative “shakedown” blast to see how the new drivetrain components behaved and its CLO5 counterpart needed a charge.  

 

Misty for Me

Continued teething troubles with the Trelock LS906 bike –I pro suggest the OEM wiring isn’t helping. Sure, it will reach the hub and lamp but that supplied is designed for hub to fork crown drilling.

Dropping by some Coventry bike shops drew a blank, so I’ve acquired a decent length of Bush & Muller, which I’m hoping will sort it once and for all. Either way, this proved the ideal opportunity to see how the SP hub performs with my Exposure revo mk1, since I already had a revo wiring kit waiting in the wings.

The Revo is beautifully made, delivers a really pure, useable arc of light from 5mph and a maximum output of 800lumens. Hands-down the best dynamo lamp I’ve used to date. Good enough for moderate trail action too, although think rough stuff touring, not race-pace cross country mtb antics. If that’s your bag, something like the Sigma Buster 2000 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/sigma-buster-2000-light  might be a better bet.

Some have criticised Shutter Precision hubs on the basis that servicing and bearing replacement are factory only affairs. However, Ison Distribution, their UK importer can take care of this. Lloyd Townsend also reminded me that factory returns are pretty standard for any modern “Ship in a bottle” dynohub system.

The SP family come with a two-year warrantee, which would cover such eventualities. Nonetheless, the hub shell is joined together in the centre. Accessing the internals demands specialist tooling.

Aside from the clocks going back and another birthday, autumn has gained on us somewhat. Temperatures have tumbled top their seasonal average and the lanes carpeted in a greasy top layer. No such thing as the wrong weather, so long as you’ve got the right kit. Bib tights, gloves, jerseys, jackets and overshoes solve comfort conundrums.

Decent tyres, such as the 35mm Scwalbe Marathon GT provide excellent cornering prowess, puncture protection and grip but iced bovine and equine dung can still induce the odd, unpleasant loss of traction. Something I was reminded of while hustling along at 23mph on Monday morning.

A minor shimmy followed and I turned back to see and indeed document! I’ve also had a very rude reminder regards pad replacement. 30mph along a local 1in7, I applied the fixed’s front stopper.

Lovely smooth action, those Jagwire pro road are really impressive but we’re not scrubbing off any speed… “F**king Aiiiiiiidaaaaaaaa!” Having made it round the final bend in one piece and begun the ascent, I made a mental note to strip, inspect and ultimately, replace the Spyre calliper’s pads. Swap complete and 10minutes enthused testing hence, I can confirm that grabbing a handful has the potential for lifting the rear wheel.  

Whisper it but I’ve also been donning a bit of day glow. The green BBB flexribbon is also surprisingly extrovert in overcast conditions, yet without screaming “winter-bike”. As might be expected, especially given the seemingly perpetual fettling, the dimpled texture is starting to cultivate a slightly grimy patina. Will be interesting to see how well it responds to washing and what the sudsy stuff/elbow grease ratio will be.  

Some riders have an almost pathological dislike of fluorescent kit and at the other extreme, others, including the UK government, are advocating compulsion.

Day-glow and day flash light settings have their merits, within reason. However, a lot of motorcycles and cars, are hard-wired to run side-lights. For a time, this made motorcyclists in particular, more conspicuous. However, as these become ubiquitous, other traffic becomes accustomed and the same myopia returns.

I was hit from behind while sat at the lights, on a borrowed Kawasaki GT750…

The shaft driven tourer was deep red, as were the lights. Dressed like an extra from Mad Max, this and a white helmet did not stop a woman plough her vehicle into me. Thrust into the flow of traffic, I groped desperately for the kill-switch. By now fuel was oozing from a ruptured tank and my leg was trapped beneath…Apparently, the woman, in her 20s claimed she did not see me…

My hunch that parliament is coming under pressure from technology companies who are developing automated “driverless” vehicles. I suspect their sensors are only able to register riders wearing hi-viz…

Farfetched? Well no, not really. Many courier/logistics companies will only hire self-employed drivers, this relieves them of a wider duty of care/responsibility for driver conduct.

This leads me to this week’s title, “Play misty for me”. Aside from the misty, murky mornings, I am being pursued by someone who has developed an extremely unwelcome and slightly unsettling infatuation, which is anything but reciprocal.

I have taken various approaches, subtle and direct, yet ultimately compassionate. I have even insisted she see this as an opportunity to develop herself and address some underlying issues, which have underpinned a set of behaviours for many years.

Other people cannot fix us, the desire to change, possibly heal has to come from within. If contact, electronic, or postal persists, I will resort to a more formal method of restraint. Now on a lighter note, I’ll leave you with some curious frames and some appalling arc.