Calculated Gambles & Headset Care

 

I’d been casually looking out for a second skewer/hitch for my long serving Revolution Cargo Trailer. It’s been out of production for a good while, so spares were a little elusive-at least at reasonable, cost-effective prices. I tried TW Bents, the Taiwanese manufacturer, but nothing.

Someone offered me a replacement for £60, which I gently declined. Indulging in some curiosity surfing unearthed this M-Wave unit. The trailer’s swing arm looked a dead ringer, so for £15 including postage, I figured it was worth a punt. I wanted the convenience of just porting the trailer between Ursula and Denise without faffing about with skewer switches.   

A bit of grease on the skewer and everything slotted in nicely and the hitch is a reliable fit with the trailer-a calculated gamble that paid off. No excuse for not putting the Lomo Dry Sack through its paces, although save for the odd isolated thunderstorm, it’s been decidedly arid in these parts. A great opportunity to drag some favourite jerseys from the summer wardrobe too. This rather fetching Castelli Espresso Castelli Espresso Jersey | cycling-not-racing being a prime example. Lightweight, fast wicking and snug with generous pockets too. Steve’s been suitably impressed by its successor, too Castelli Espresso2 Jersey | cycling-not-racing.

Ursula’s chain was also skipping under load, so I switched to a new cassette since the chain was within .25. I also took the opportunity to strip, inspect, and deliver some more Juice Lubes Bearing Juice to Muffin’s FSA headset bearings, since it had been 12 months. It hadn’t been completely consumed and was still doing its thing. However, a generous dollop from my fingers to the races and bearings turned steering satisfyingly slick. Lubricated and protected for another 9-12 months.

Stem reinstated, preload and pinch bolts treated to a lick Zefal Pro II Zefal Pro II Grease | cycling-not-racingI noticed the brake’s inner wire had frayed. New inner wire, TRP Spyre SLC calliper dialled in, I adjusted the front Mud Hugger Gravel Hugger MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing and concluded the day’s fettling by switching the silver bottle cages for these black Elite Cruissi, homages.   

The following day, I tackled Denise’s quill stem adaptor and Stronglight A9 ST headset. Similar story. Again the lower bearing boot is very effective at keeping grease in and the elements out.

This time round I was better prepared with the headset spanners- trusty 35-year-old Campagnolo and nickel-plated BBB resurrected while I was searching for my Shimano pattern cassette tool. Component specific greases have their place-especially when tackling sensitive components. Suspension and seals, or contexts where galvanic seizures can strike (aluminium alloy seat posts in steel frames, for example). 

When it comes to bearings, more damage can result from a lack of grease or not cleaning bearing races of ingrained dirt and grease before. Everything came apart with consummate ease and as before, there was a moderate layer of Juice Lubes Bearing Juice clinging to the races and bearings. I’d come that far, so cleaned dipped a rag in solvent and cleaned the cups, bearings and races.

Bearing Juice and Pro II Greases to hand, I decided to apply the former liberally to the bottom race. The flow rate is beautiful in temperatures around 23 degrees, making it very easy to apply. Given these qualities, it would’ve been the obvious choice for the upper set. However, I cleaned components with solvent, dried and then decided upon the Zefal.

The mix n’ match approach might seem odd. However, the upper bearing takes less of a battering from wet, gritty roads and general loading. Then of course, there’s the convenience factor. The Pro II was already attached to a grease gun, so quicker and easier to deliver. Cable hanger reinstated, I applied a bead around the lockring threads and snugged down.

Quill converter treated to a top-up, front end back together. Couldn’t resist the urge to strip and re-grease the front cantilever posts- then was the time. Front wheel reinstated, cantilever straddle wire reconnected, I popped Denise from the stand. Engaging the front brake back and forth revealed no slop.

Turning the bars back and forth rewarded with satisfying smoothness-bearing tension bang on. Headset spanners engaged, locknut snugged down, it was just a matter of wiping away any excess grease with clean rag. Ok, I gave localised areas of frame a quick squirt of silicone infused bike spray and buffed to a shine.

Intuitively, I raised the bars by another few millimetres, so theoretically that’s reach and height optimised. Bike fits have taken a lot of trial and error from component choices, lengths, alignment etc, but sometimes it boils down to long, steady miles and subtle adjustments.

Substituting the auction site Garmin stem mount screws for a shorter pairing means I can fit the Coospo CS600 Coospo CS600 GPS | cycling-not-racing atop and the Gaciron XAIOMAN 1000 front light beneath. It also presented ideal opportunity to whip out the torque wrench and check stem, rack and other fasteners. No issues, save for the stem face and pinch bolts, which needed nipping tight before slippage could sneak in.     I’ll close here with my long term review of the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice The Juice Lubes Bearing Juice Long Term | cycling-not-racing

Workshop Wins

 March arrived and I decided it was time to inspect the Teenage Dream, so it would be ready for the sunnier, drier roads. Old school freewheels like to be lubricated annually, so I drizzled some Weldtite TF2 All Weather Lube with Teflon into the mechanism while the wheel was spinning at a decent velocity.  

There was also the distinct possibility that it could be nearing the end of its life. With this in mind, I thought it best to get something in stock, just in case I needed to switch. Besides, the last thing I wanted was the Regina to blow its guts miles from home.  

Happened to a friend during my teens. Belting along a 1 in 7, there was a steady tinkling as 100 bearings made their bid for freedom, bouncing across the tarmac. Now, I can appreciate why some folks rebuild a treasured example-either out of sentiment, or to stretch themselves. Kudos to them, too. However, it’s not something I’m prepared to do, unless absolutely essential.  

IRD still make some very pretty screw-on freewheels but a little steep for my needs. If I were doing big mileages, maybe. However, the Teenage Dream is very much a sunny days’ plaything. Nostalgia comes at a price, and I wasn’t prepared to fork out retro money for another, used Regina BX.  

After some deliberation and research, I decided this inexpensive electroplated Sun Race was the way forward. I’d also heard good things from someone who’d ridden a couple of Eroica events with theirs.  

For the time being, I’ll see what magic the Weldtite TF2 All Weather can work, before switching to the 14-24 Sun Race. Now, this will be a little under-geared for some and in some respects, I’d agree. However, screw-on freewheels aren’t so readily available, so choice of ratios follows suit.  Slightly lower ratios won’t do my knees any harm and should also mean more time on the 53 ring.   

I’d expressed an interest in testing the CST Cito tyres. These are 170tpi folders and offered in 25, or 28mm (about 1.1 in) sections. Given the Teenage dream’s clearances, I went for the 25mm (about 0.98 in), which tip the scales at a feathery 252g apiece. They also feature the same EPS puncture-resistant technology as the Pika CST Pika Gravel Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).   

This is essentially an added layer of proprietary rubberised Poly fiber between the tread and the casing. A system, which is designed to offer the best balance between ride quality and puncture resistance. I’ve had one flat with the Pika, but that was using a TPU tube, and I couldn’t find anything embedded, suggesting it was a hedge clipping that had just grazed it.

  

I also switched from the Lezyne Road drive pump in favour of Ursula’s Lezyne, since this rather fetching Topeak Gravel2 had arrived for testing (and was arguably a better fit for the tubby tourer). An ideal opportunity to add a lick of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease, to the bottle mounting hardware.   

 

We weren’t done there. I’d been wanting to fit a Stronglight A9 headset to the Dawes Edge frameset.  

I was concerned about the fork falling and getting damaged, so coupling the two, then popping some plumbers lagging around the tubes made for safer storage. Thankfully, I still have traditional headset spanners- a Campagnolo and a pair of BBB. I’d had the Campagnolo for over thirty years and the wallet-friendly, yet accurately machined BBB were sent to me for review fourteen years back.   

Bit of an Easter Egg Hunt but similarly satisfying-found them in two boxes.  Nice when a plan comes together. Headset was treated to some of the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice I used to pack the XT and Deore hubs.  

I also treated the frame to some internal preserve and the paint to a liberal waxing using this Naked Bikes Pro Wax Special Edition NAKED BIKES PRO WAX SPECIAL EDITION | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and checked some of the frame threads, since I was in the mood. Now was the time, after all.  

Talking of threads, I decided it was time to exorcise the 16-tooth Ti track sprocket that had been wedded to the Halo fixed hub for a decade. Given the neglect and constant exposure to wet, wintry roads, I feared it was right royally stuck, or release would take the hub’s threads too. A liberal helping of penetrant spray was left for a minute to marinate.  

I introduced these Feedback Sports Cassette pliers and heaved anti-clockwise. I’d assumed the priest performing an exorcism stance. You know the one, verbally commanding the demons free. It was either going to relent, or I was going to expire... Movement came suddenly, yet predictably, inducing an elated cheer.  

I spun the sprocket free, cleaned the threads and applied a sensible amount of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) before spinning it back in situ. Snugged tight, the fixed’s spare wheel is now right and ready to go. Seems the temperatures are bombing again, so best I get Ursula’s spikes back on...Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and reflect on whether it’s time to for sintered pads DiscoBrakes Sintered Brake Pads | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)