Critical Thinking & The Sentimental Season

 

Why aren't you at work??? Well, I am at work thank you very much. I work 70hours per week, just a very different schedule to some. Cycling journalism and product testing are not my only professions, but ones I am particularly passionate about. I wrote my first magazine feature for a national cycling title, aged 14, back in 1988- a test of a Muddy Fox Courier Mountain bike.  

I am highly experienced in several riding genres, but don’t profess to be expert, let alone an oracle. Those that genuinely are, carry themselves with a matter-of-fact humility. There is always something new to learn, concepts to understand, even if not necessarily embraced. I am similarly passionate about photography-models, street and industrial, specifically. Models & Portraiture - Stenning Photographic Model & Portraiture Photography Continuous development and lifelong learning are imperative, otherwise stagnation and regression set in. 

Back to 1989 and I bought my first track pump to counter frequent punctures, tyre wear and loss of wheel truth courtesy of under inflated tyres. Workshop pumps are one of those investments that will repay their investment countless times, even the budget models. The track pump in question was an orange Silca, capable of delivering 200psi- not that I’d ever needed that-120psi was pretty much my ceiling and it was best suited to road biased rubber.  

Sure, I’d raise a pancake flat 26x1.95 to 50psi and faster than mini/hand pumps of that era. However, best for high pressure, rather than high volume. Mine came with me to London and was eventually gifted to my favourite bike dealer when I bought an upgraded replacement in the autumn of 1998.  

I wanted to give it a loving home, albeit as a second/workshop spare. Having learned of my fondness, some might say nostalgia, their UK importer sent me this beautiful, contemporary Silca Terra- £139 at full rrp and a thing of beauty, from the hand lathed ash (wood) handle with hose-guide, and 76mm (3 inch) gauge.  

Unlike my original Silca, the barrel and handle are made from aluminium. There’s a reversable Presta/Schrader valve chuck with a bleed button in case you’ve got a bit carried away. Once upon a time, track pump gauges were notorious for having passing affinity with reality, now (particularly with digital gauges) things are within 1psi or so. I’ll be cross referencing that with my standalone digital gauges. Silca claim the Terra’s analogue unit is precise to within.5 psi at the lower end of the 30-120psi range. This covers most bases with contemporary bikes and tyres. I’ve raised a 26x2.3 tyre from zero to 60psi in 64 strokes.

However, some folks needing higher pressure, will need to look elsewhere. Saddleback also sent me this Feedback Sports Reflex Fixed Torque Bit Driver. It’s designed to be brought along for mid ride rescue, not workshop duties, no bad thing-horses for courses- I wouldn’t want to be lugging a workshop torque wrench in my bike luggage. It is based around the standard ¼" driver, meaning bits are easily acquired, or brought along, meaning you’ve got a custom toolkit for the road.    

Stock, we’ve got 4,5, 6mm and Torx T25 bits, 1 steel 5Nm torque extension. The driver body is a hybrid nylon/steel and the whole kit comes with a limited lifetime warrantee. I’m told the torque is accurate to within +/- 4% for up to 3,000 cycles.  

I was surprised that it took this long for Ursula’s rear mech cable to stretch and shifting go decidedly “off”. Just a matter of slackening the cable, pulling through and snugging down, although I always ensure I’ve a few spares handy before tackling these jobs just in case the inner wire in question decided it was going to implode. This is particularly significant at Christmas, where it’s bound to happen when you’re out of spares and the bike shop’s shut...  

Oh, and that’s the reason you get everything prepped and adjusted before heading out on a tour, reliability ride, or similar endurance event. While checking the fixed’s rack hardware, I found the otherwise superb Genetic chain tugs were impeding the fasteners. Not wanting to stress the fasteners or damage the eyelets I switched to a very discrete set bought as curiosities on Ali Express a year or so back. Solved the issue and hopefully they’ll do a decent enough job of holding chain tension.  

I’d been sent this Beam Corkey Premium Review Mirror a few weeks back and had my curiosity spiked when I saw a homage on one of the auction sites, or rather, the site bots brought it to my attention (along with 1500 inflatable pleasure dolls). “The W’EST Biking” version is breathtakingly similar, albeit noticeably heavier, refuting suggestions of “badge engineering”. I’ll close here with Steve’s review of the Ravemen FR300https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ravemen-fr300-daytime-running-light 

Baggage, Racks & Resurrections

 

Yes, I’ve plenty of the former apparently. Comes with age and experience but that’s not what I’m on about here, so don’t turn away just yet... Storms and general biblical rains have seen me switch Ursula back to the Carradice Carradry SQR Bag CARRADICE CARRADRY SQR BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) while the arrival of this Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX Disc rack saw the Carradice Super C Rack Bag resurrected from several years’ hibernation. I nearly sold it during the pandemic and so glad I didn’t.   

For the uninitiated, the Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX rack is made from hollow tubular 6061 T6 aluminium alloy, finished in a very fetching black powder coat. Ursula sported a Super Tourist DX for a few years-I was very endeared to it and some of the brands’ integrated MTX luggage. Integrated systems are a double-edged sword and on balance, I err towards luggage with a more universal, transferable fit. 

Talking of which, Uni stands for universal fitting, not just for bikes with disc mounts. According to Topeak, it’s built to entertain mtbs with 24–29-inch wheels and 700c builds. Oodles of clearance for big tyres- a boon if you’re switching between bikes of different genre.  

The beefy 10mm tubing also makes a reliable host to rear lights (assuming you’re not using two panniers) when the aero post insert is employed. This version now adorns the fixed gear winter/trainer’s braze-ons, for several reasons. Not least since I’ve been wanting to keep the Exotic carbon seat post, ruling out the SQR luggage I’m so fond of. 

There’s not much difference weight wise, the Carradry weighs 1390g, whereas the Topeak and Super C 1590g. At 915g for the Topeak is heavier than some tubular steel favourites and some aluminium alloy designs boasting similar, 26 kilo payloads. However, lateral stiffness is excellent. I’d much sooner a few extra grams and a laden bike that tracked and handled in good proportion, than one that felt like a runaway blancmange.

  

6061 racks should not be overloaded, or bikes lain down on their luggage. The former might sound obvious, but the latter also places increased stress on them. Wrapping electrical, or duct tape around the sections where luggage touches is another sensible precaution. I’ve only had two breakages in 38 years, and I’m pleased to report I was able to lash them up and ride home on both occasions. A well-known US brand replaced theirs under warranty-no quibble, no fuss.       

Though not a unique frameset by any means, my fixed gear winter has some quirks- most notably the mono stay rear triangle. I wondered if the Topeak’s disc-specific design would impede access to the track nuts-say when adjusting chain tension, or wheel removal.  

Not when using an open-ended 15mm but the cheap and usually cheerful box type are non-starters. I also needed to drop the rear, curvaceous Mud Hugger Gravel Hugger Mudguards MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) by a few millimetres, allowing me to bolt the rack and arms in situ. 

 

Topeak have gone for 5mm, rather than 4mm Allen heads but stayed with 8mm bolts- remember a standalone ring spanner, or a multi-tool, such as their Alien in case you need to nip things snug by the roadside. As would be expected, the nuts fasteners employ a thin, rubbery insert, minimising the likelihood of them vibrating loose and being ejected into a verge.  

Anyhow, I’m loving the increased carrying capacity- means I can bring changes of gloves, spare glasses, lightweight shell jackets/gilets and shoe covers for changeable conditions. I also like to postcards and similar stuff mid-ride.  

A time management thing-they’re already en route and off my list, before the business day has begun.  I’ve also resurrected this Showers Pass Men’s Elements Jacket. SHOWERS PASS MEN'S ELEMENTS JACKET | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is aimed at mountain bike audiences, but in my view, well suited to general riding.  

A little heavier than the Oxford Venture (399g compared with 249g) the Elements is a 2.5-layer hard shell laminate model boasts waterproof and breathability ratings of 15,000 apiece and has plenty of internal pockets. Mine is the Titanium version, which is a neutral grey by day but comes alive under street and vehicle headlights. There’s also a “Night Ride” which I’d describe as a similarly fetching green/grey.   

Talking of which editors have been kind and I’ve just received some Altura All Roads Waterproof Gloves. Essentially these are closer to a waterproof sock, than a traditional cycling glove, which along with their subtle colours extends horizons to other, more generic outdoor activities.   

There's a tactile outer made from a Polyester/Polyamide mix (49 and 44% respectively) coupled with 4% Elastodiene 2% Elastane and 1% metal fibre. Internally 75% acrylic, 18% Polyester, 3% Polyamide, 2% Elastodiene, and yes, 1% metal fibre. Palms have the all-important silicone grippers and tech-friendly digits, while retro-reflective finger and thumb tips stop things being too stealthy. Waterproofing is an impressive 22,000mm, breathability 4,500 g/m2/24hrs.   

Reminiscent of the Q365 Anfibio Winter Rain Cycling Gloves I reviewed last year, and there’s little separating them price-wise. Formative impressions are favourable, but it’ll be interesting to see how they really compare several hundred miles down the line. Steve's been really impressed by these Chiba Bioxcell Winter Warm Line Gloves Chiba Bioxcell Winter Warm-Line Gloves | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

Talking of which, here’s my review of the Schwalbe Smart Sam Performance Line Folding Tyre Schwalbe Smart Sam Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

I’d planned to resurrect the Weldite Extreme Wet Lube but couldn’t find it, so have opted for the SKS Lube Your Chain TESTED: SKS LUBE YOUR CHAIN (sevendaycyclist.com) instead- super durable in some very challenging conditions.