Rise of The Machines & Slippery Stuff

 

After many hours, the fleet is fettled, and as I’d hoped. Aside from Ursula’s rebuild, I’ve switched racks around, changed brake pads, machine washed bar tape (yes, you can do that with natural silicones). Torrential rains and harvests have seen roads resembling a scene from Paris-Roubaix. I’ve been tackling these on the fixed gear winter/trainer and relieved to report the WTB Evolution and Schwalbe One365 have held their line convincingly through the slippery stuff.  

However, I’ve been quick to brush (and sometimes wash) their casings down afterward, to dislodge any thorns or similar sharps that get bonded to the gloop, causing flats. The Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lube Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lub | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) continues to impress with its staying prowess and cleanliness.  Conditions where the simplicity of a single speed/fixed setup is arguably most convenient. I reward it with a good, sudsy bucket clean every few outings, which it duly deserves.  

Clean bikes tend to be more reliable, and problems easily spotted before they strike. Talking of which, while going this route with Denise, I spotted a cut in the rear WTB Evo tyre casing, so plugged that with some super glue. No need for a boot but I really didn’t want a sneaky sharp sneaking inside and causing mischief.   

I’ve increasingly thought of myself as a machine, and while I was hossing down the lanes, it occurred this may serve me well. Assuming the present Labour government isn’t robust enough, it’s a matter of time before large swathes of the UK public are convinced to vote to withdraw from the ECtHR (European Court of Human Rights) courtesy of a charlatan fuelled referendum.  

Those crying for the culling of “Nanny State” were and remain the largest beneficiaries. Concessions such as universal health care and other social cohesion weren’t gifted by benevolent politicians. They were fought for by highly organised and skilled campaigners over many years. People with vision and drive to improve the lives for the betterment of all.  

Staying with humans a minute, good bike shops are worth their weight in gold. Use them (or lose them) and moreover, treat them well.  The odd packet of biscuits also curries favour, although I’m a believer in letting good people know they’re valued and appreciated.  

I’d decided Ursula needed a TRP Spyre rear stopper. Had issues setting up the otherwise intuitive calliper, which boiled down to a not-so-accurate pattern mount. A quick email to mine confirmed they had a suitable mount-less than £7. I could discuss options; ensure it was correct before leaving their workshop. Saving me wasted time, headaches and frustration.  

Within 5 minutes, I had the calliper correctly aligned and impeccably behaved.  I pruned the inner wire, added a drop of superglue to rule out fraying. Next came the derailleur cables, since I’d left them overnight and taken up the slack.  Grand finale’... I aligned the bars, tightened the stem’s pinch bolts to 6nm, rocked the bike back and forth with the front brake on to ensure everything was slop-free and then reapplied the freshly laundered Acros bar tape.   

I added some more helicopter tape-this time along the down tube, since I would be tethering the Ravemen XR6000Ravemen XR6000 Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) battery to it and left this a day or so before heading out for a shakedown ride. I’d replenished the tube stash, multi tool, tyre levers, spare links and similar little spares that could come in very handy down the line.  

Though I’ve got the Topeak Gravel Two-Stage Mini Pump Topeak Gravel 2 Stage Mini Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) riding shotgun on the bottle bosses, I’m very sold on the portable compressor types, which take the struggle out of getting going again following a flat. This is particularly true on colder days.  I didn’t take Ursula far- a 5-mile round trip as I needed a break from the keyboard and wanted to check everything was settled. Afterall, braking and shifting can be perfect on the stand but imperfect in the saddle.    

Predictably, I needed to snug the bar con shifters down a little-they were slipping slightly, meaning some chain rub and phantom shifts at the rear. I also needed to push a chain pin further in, since this was slightly proud and catching the front mech every few revolutions. The left brake lever also needed minor realignment-easily rectified, although the deeply recessed 5mm Allen bolts common to the Tektro family of levers requires a suitably lofty ball ended Allen key.   That sorted, I’ve been extending playtimes and reconnecting with my beloved two-wheeled companion.   

 

You Never Know What’s around the Corner.

 

Belting along a wet, greasy backroad, just past sunrise I was suddenly serenaded by an awful loss of traction and disconcerting chatter- the fixed’s chain had derailed. I’m not sure who was more horrified- me, or the feline preening itself as I entered the bend. Pulling over to the left I discovered it had mysteriously jammed between the chain tugs. A moment of panic quickly subsided, and I reached inside the Topeak MTX Trunk Dry BagTopeak MTX Trunk Dry Bag | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)for my Pedros Trixie and Pedros’ multi tool, so I could slacken the tug and the track nut.  

I was relieved to find these and doing so released the chain without incident. I hooked it back on the sprocket and front ring checked alignment and snugged the track nut down, ditto the chain tug. Tension sorted, I continued, relieved I wouldn’t be doing a ten-mile walk of shame. I’d just pulled in at home and discovered the front WTB Exposure rapidly losing pressure.  

Well, if it was going to happen, now would be most convenient. One thing led to another. Popped the fixed gear winter/trainer on the work stand, whipped out the wheel and traced the flat to a hedge clipping buried in the tyre’s shoulder. I nearly missed it, having swept my hand around the Exposure’s casing, found nothing and instated a new tube. Thankfully, I was able to free it with this set of needle-nose pliers. Tyre remounted and 70psi inside, I found myself busy with sudsy bucket and Green Oil Massive brush, giving my faithful friend a good clean.  

While cleaning the Spyre SLC calliper, I noticed the semi-metallic pads were OK but showing signs of wear. With more taxing conditions coming, sintered seemed the way forward. Always prudent to have consumables set by, since stuff often wears out at the least convenient moments. I also found another two 10speed chains while having a rummage for a suitable tube (not wanting to deplete the on-bike supply). The Ravemen LR1000 continues to impress me with its output and features- the ability to extend run times, refuel tech and indeed, the battery via another battery or power bank. The Wired remote doesn’t come with the package, I got curious and tried that belonging to the LR500 but being a few years old, the port end was micro-USB, while the LR1000 is the contemporary USB C.  

 I’ve also received this Zefal Supervision R150, which as the name suggests is a rear light producing 150lumens.  IPX6 for weatherproofing bodes well for wet winters and 5 modes (3 steady, two flashing) continue the practical narrative. I’m pleased to note a 15-lumen steady, which is punchy but not overpowering for town duties. The flashing are 150 and 50 lumens, which is great for daylight running and dark nights but overkill for other contexts, which may be a turn off for some. Weirder is the fact it isn’t supplied with a USB C charge cable. Given these things are ubiquitous and dirt cheap (unless that’s the logic for its omission) I’m astonished as to why one hasn’t been tossed in as standard. There are some other interesting quirks. The switch requires a sustained three-second press before the light will power up/down, a second longer than typical these days, which initially convinced me I must have a duff unit that wasn’t charging properly .      

Bike cleaned, re-lubed and put away, it was time to do a quick stint with Ursula. Fitting the headset and forks, specifically. Everything came together nicely, the new Stronglight unit given a liberal bed of Juice Lubes Bearing Juice.   

Inspecting the long serving One23 stem led me to pensioning it off- there was some weakness around the lips. It had done ten years or so and owed nothing. Took a while to track down a suitable substitute, but this ZOOM has proven to be perfect-a quick game of musical spacers and all sorted.  I also ordered some fresh stainless steel bottle boss screws from another supplier.  

I’m all for re-using good stuff but rebuilds are an opportunity to inspect, evaluate and replace things, as necessary. Unless they’re dog eared, I tend to put unwanted fasteners into the spares pot and carry a couple in a sealed packet on the bike, just in case I should lose something-a mudguard, or light mount for example. These and the cages were fitted during the same session and using the Oxford Mint Assembly Grease.