Welcome Barriers

 

Winter, it is always said, brings harsher weather and less opportunity to fettle bikes, so preparing machines and rider for the elements makes the meaner seasons much easier on both.  Ceramic Coatings have been around in automotive circles for a good while and they’ve also been creeping into the cycling market over the past few years.

These promise long-lasting protection from UV light oxidisation, corrosion, swirls, scratches and similar nasties. However, they also require very thorough preparation, which can be time-consuming and harsh chemicals can still strip, or at least, impair their protectant qualities.  

Weldtite Rapid Ceramic Shield Weldtite Rapid Ceramic Shield | cycling-not-racing impressed me with its speed and convenience, requiring the minimum of prep-save for a good sudsy bucket clean to remove any pre-existing contaminant. It could then be applied via a damp cloth all over the bike. Some products aren’t designed for matt finishes, so check first.

Muc-Off has sent me their Ceramic, so It’ll be interesting to see how it compares with the Weldtite, Fenwicks and others I’ve tried in the recent past. It’s another formula designed to be sprayed, polished and done. Convenient and reportedly plays nicely with pre-existing ceramic coatings, so we’ll see… Chances are I’ll use the Weldtite Rapid Ceramic Shield as control and take things from there. Admittedly, testing will be in real-world, rather than laboratory conditions, which may make some claims trickier to evaluate.     

Having exhausted the All-Mountain Style Miami Glide Bicycle Chain Wax The All Mountain Style Miami Glide | cycling-not-racing , I’ve given Denise a deep clean, since I needed to strip the drivetrain before switching to Weldtite All Weather Weldtite All Weather Lube | cycling-not-racing. The KMC X10 was registering next to no wear, so we’ll see how many miles I can amass before it hits .75 and becomes bin fodder.  

Inspecting the brake pads revealed some very palpable wear. I had spares, so switched them, stripping and cleaning the bosses before adding a light coating of Juice Lubes Slick Juice Juice Lubes Slick Juice Low Friction Gre | cycling-not-racing and some thread lock to the mounting bolts. Cables were fine, ditto the Tektro levers, so didn’t merit a more involved tear down. I’ll switch to the Dia Compe when cables and bar tape need replacing.  

While searching for my headset spanners, I unearthed a little-used 11-25 cassette sporting some ingrained waxy grime. This was popped in a tub and left marinating in Juice Lubes Bike Cleaner Concentrate, while I fettled. Hollowtech bearings felt fine, some very minor play removed from the Stronglight headset, it was just a matter of giving the cables, pivot points and cleat mechanisms a quick squirt of Muc-Off MO94 Muc-Off MO94 Multi Use Spray | cycling-not-racing

Removing the Lomo Zephyr Lomo Zephyr Waterproof Panniers | cycling-not-racing prior to the wash and fettle revealed they were in rude health eighteen months mixed-terrain use later. The sprung release system has required the odd shot of maintenance spray but aside from being given a liberal blast of bike wash, worked into a lather when deep-cleaning the bikes, they've just done their thing incredibly well.

No obvious signs of wear, or deterioration anywhere. Nothing budget about their feel or build quality, which is particularly impressive given they're £34 apiece. Back to the chemical romance, just ahead of the muckier season, Leatt have been in touch keen for us to try their new GRITT range of bike care (I can assure you the feeling is mutual) which includes bike wash, degreasers, chain lube, ceramic coatings and tubeless sealant.

Elsewhere, I strongly suspect I may have purchased a couple of counterfeit KMC chains via a well-known auction site. They were very convincing- I couldn’t tell, initially. However, one fitted to Ursula, coinciding with the new freehub and cassette, snapped while out on a shakedown outing.

On the plus side, everything was behaving impeccably, which was a relief and confirmed it was the freehub, not a brake issue. Passers-by also slowed to check I was OK- something that really touched me, especially in the present climate. After some deliberation, unable to find a quick link, I did what we shouldn’t do with ten speed chains-shortening it by a couple of links. Sometimes we can’t do everything by the book. I rode the remaining 6 miles home, carefully but glad of riding and not walking.

 Upon my return, I replaced the chain for one I knew to be a genuine KMC, while also doing some light remedial tweaking of the rear mech to ensure everything was bang on. I ordered some spare quick links. Silver linings some might say but crucially, I was able to end the ride on a positive note.  Talking of which, here’s the link to Steve’s review of the Leatt MTB Hydradri 5.0 Pants Leatt MTB Hydradri 5.0 Pants | cycling-not-racing  and mine of the Magicshine Ray 3000 Endurance Bike Light with ANT+ Magicshine Ray 3000 ANT+ | cycling-not-racing

Summer & Shorts

 Unable to bring myself to dispose of the wounded Triban Men’s Road Cycling Bib Tights RC500 (I’ll basically run them into the ground, or the stage where they’re no longer socially acceptable) I’ve been alternating between them, the Funkier Ride Flow Men’s Three-Quarter Length Summer Bib Tights FUNKIER RIDE FLO MEN'S 3/4 BIB TIGHTS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and the Madison Freewheel Men's Thermal Bib Tights with Pad Madison Freewheel Thermal Bib Tights | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

Yes, it has been cool enough on some morning rides. Then along came these Altura Airsteam Bib Shorts. These are designed for rides up to the two-hour mark, which doesn’t necessarily restrict them to novice riders.  

Time triallists, cyclo crossers, and indeed, competitive cross country mountain bikers may also find them a good fit. The Altura’s 3D Plus Pad employs medium-density foam, while the outer layer is made from “Air Fabric” which is reckoned to be highly breathable, so we’ll see. Pads, regardless of price point are very personal things, so we’ll see.  

Bibs are the default and for good reason. They don’t compress the waist, and keep the back and vital organs temperate. They also hold the pad snugly and aligned. There’s also a better aesthetic on and sans bike. Once upon a time, roadside “pit stops” were trickier, although, in my recent experience, they tend to be cut lower at the front and the straps are also designed with generous give.

  

However, this is cold comfort for female riders and assuming you can’t find a decent public toilet, it could be tricky slipping the straps down beneath a jersey.  Similarly, though stretchy fabrics help considerably, some designs can prove restrictive for taller riders.  The additional heat retention can also prove a double-edged sword. Nice on cooler rides and thin mesh panels make a significant difference but choose base and top layers carefully on hotter days.    

Some male riders only shave their legs during summer when they’re on view. Others shave year-round. I’ve straddled both camps I.e., while I’ve been less disciplined during winter and early season.  

The reason for me being “smooth” is not aerodynamics, rather there’s an element of aesthetic tradition. I also privately subscribe to the idea it helps with massage and treating cuts and grazes on the trail or following a tarmac tumble (although I do my level best to avoid the latter).  

In terms of technique, when in werewolf mode, I tend to prune the worst with a clipper set, then lather up and remove the rest with a decent-quality razor and work in upward sweeps. Remember to rinse and clean out the razor at regular intervals and don’t rush. 

I’ve also been revisiting action cameras. Not looking at acquiring another, rather I’m sticking with the Campak unit since it’s a good performer, waterproof to IPX7 without recourse to the traditional casings and generally user-friendly. There are the usual downsides common to the genre- o so audio and low-light performance.  

Mounting kits are my biggest gripe regarding the Go Pro homages is mounting hardware. Those for the bars seem particularly low rent. Hence, I’ve always reached for the Minoura VC100. However, I’m looking for something sleeker, in the quest for tidier cockpits- at least when it comes to the fixed and Ursula.  

Several weeks and plenty of miles down the line, given Ursula needed a good bath, I decided it was time to switch to something lighter. In this instance the Muc Off Dry Lube.  I also took this opportunity to whip out the chain wear indicator and, yes .75-worn out. Thankfully, I still had two “in stock” so on went another KMC.  

 

I’m confident the Muc Off Dry won’t attract much dirt and grime but will be interesting to see how many miles per application it returns, especially if a couple of damp rides and long grass are thrown into the mix. Talking of washing and bike care, here’s my review of the Weldtite  Rapid Ceramic Shield Weldtite Rapid Ceramic Shield | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

I’ve finally switched to the Safety Labs E-Bahn 2.0 MIPS Urban In mould Helmet as my daily driver and have been pleasantly surprised by how airy and unobtrusive it's proving. Especially from a design aimed at urban riders and boasting a moderate 15 vents.  

Predictably, I’ve been shunning civvies for road and trail-biased togs but despite being more “Cromwell” than my tastes usually lean to, the fit’s really nice, the peak is proving more substance than style, and even at moderate speeds, the vents ram a decent amount of cooling air through.