Spring Has Sprung-Seize It!!

Issue 6 of Seven Day Cyclist (www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk http://www.pocketmags.com/searchresults.aspx?search=Seven+Day+Cyclist) has just hit the digital newsstands. We’ve a thorough test of the Genesis Croix de fer 2.0, a Hope hydraulic brake service, an interview with Martyn Brunt Sustrans’ NCN manager, tours, products and lots more besides.

Chill Easter weekends are something of an institution on these shores but a blaze of spring-like conditions have swept in behind, prompting resurrection of my Geonaute G-Eye action camera. Image quality and ease of use are definite plus points given the modest outlay but let down by a protective polycarbonate housing, incompatible with Go-Pro patterns, which has made handlebar mounting trickier than necessary.

A threaded base would’ve enabled direct fitment to this Minoura (easily the best mount I’ve come across); or surprisingly effective bodge bin specials made for pennies from old blinky brackets, assorted screws, nuts and washers.  Maybe, I’ll find another casing on ebay; or the patience to file the existing unit’s lug so it will mate nicely with Go-pro pattern brackets. Reportage will be fair weather for the time being.

The National Society for The Protection of Cruelty to Cleats (NSPCC) would’ve been pressing charges if they’d caught sight of these dog earned patterns. 

Months of neglect, salty coastal roads and constant di/engagement, it was small wonder they’d lasted this long.Suspiciously easy exit suggested I was pushing my luck-especially on the fixers and the arrival of these Stiletto white XLC proved the decider. 

Murphy’s Law dictated that every last trace of grease had been whittled from the screws, locking them in a passionate tryst with their hosts (the universe’s way of telling me not to be so self-righteous!) Mercifully a blast of penetrant spray and Torx driver secured their release without resort to drilling.

Packet fresh WP98A spun home (fasteners fed a generous dollop of ceramic grease!) and feet engaged with that familiar “Clack” we were off on these “Stiletto” white XLC pedals.

Closer inspection suggests they’re rebadged and painted Wellgo WP801; albeit without the magnesium options. No bad thing since these Ritchey Logic homages were delightfully faithful-I ran a red pair for several years on “The bird shit special”- my much loved 1X8spd cross inspired MTB workhorse.

They even became my go-to set when testing bikes-until someone pilfered them. Over the years, I’ve run worthy patterns giving change from £17 but the XLC’s casting and bearing quality seems decidedly superior. Cro-moly axles feel a wee bit stiffer under explosive acceleration and sustained honking too.

Powder coating is an obvious choice for pedals when properly applied-it’s cheap, rugged and generally very attractive. White can be a very tricky customer since there’s so little pigment. 

Inexperienced sprayer will apply too much powder in an attempt to counteract this, resulting in an orange-peel effect. No trace of that here. Obviously, the cleats are digging in at localised points but there’s no suggestion it might flake or peel further along the line.

Muc-Off have also sent me their latest “Hydrodynamic” lube, which is reckoned to be the ultimate all conditions lube particularly to suited to cross and road duties. Theoretically, it has the stamina of a wet lube but with superior cleanliness and friction.

Exact composition is Coca Cola secret but apparently petrochemical free, so won’t hurt aquatic life or otherwise pollute the environment. In keeping with others of this new breed of super lube, recipient chains need to be surgically clean before a drop is spilt.

From the spout it emerges with a blue taint and has a four hour curing period (I find overnight is ideal) whereupon it assumes a clean but glossy state-similar to those fortified with PTFE but much cleaner. 

Hydrodynamic has clung to my Ilpompino’s stainless steel chain very convincingly-often lubes can migrate to the slippery metal’s outer plates. Eighty miles in and I’m certainly warming to its potential but at this end of the market, I’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t return at least 500 variable weather miles per re/application.

With the longer evenings, it’s easy to overlook lights and then get caught out by a deviation/puncture or good company. I’ve noted several riders- experienced enough to know better, succumb to dusk’s unexpected curtain recently. 

Always pack a set of blinkies just in case-they’re potent, dirt cheap and could save your life. Right, there ends my public service announcement-I’m off to put an assortment of bike washes through their paces-see how the cope with various genres of gunk.

  

Mixing it Up

2014 continues with determined pragmatism, seeing professional restructuring of my various CVs, a much greater grasp of self- promotion and striving for new commissions/ventures plugging the gap left by a publication’s virtual implosion. Said approach has already reaped rewards but needs further, intensive nurturing, especially since I’m keen to explore other creative avenues, running them in parallel to cycling specific journalism.

Competence, integrity and professionalism are three (of many) values dear to yours truly, hence disappointment when others cannot reciprocate. For example, I care whether something works, how closely it achieves its objective/design brief and experience suggests most manufacturers appreciate constructive, critical evaluation.

While not an “engineer” in the classically accepted sense, hailing from a manufacturing past means I take a keen interest in metallurgy/fabrication, pure and applied. Late night surfing induced impulsive purchase of titanium tubing from a supplier in South East Asia. However, said wonder metal will require minor machining. Lee Cooper and Justin Burls were obvious, extremely helpful first ports of call, though unable to undertake such on this occasion.

Laughably, a few local “machine shops” were either completely ignorant to customer service and/or anything beyond mild steel! Heading out for a chat with Trevor Lodge at Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating proved the most fruitful enquiry and allowed me to document the resurrection of this tarnished 531 frameset. There’s no denying decorative chromium plating’s aesthetic allure but in my book, acid baths and similarly harsh processes have no place on thin walled bicycle tubing. Thankfully blasting confirmed only superficial corrosion, hence it’s rebirth this chrome-effect powder with acrylic lacquer topcoat.

Staying on an industrial thread, much has been made of the likelihood of large scale manufacturing returning to these shores. Arguably as standards of living/costs increase in the Far East, outsourcing becomes less attractive. However, while call-centres and similar service based sectors are easily repatriated, I am less convinced this applies so readily to manufacturing’s sharp end. My own research suggests there remains a wealth of highly skilled technical grade craftspeople whose have transferred seamlessly between industries and with minor retraining.

Others saw opportunities within teaching or pursued their trades solo as self-employed entities. On the flip side, I remain sceptical that semi/unskilled assembly line roles will return in significant number. Senior managers at Ford’s now defunct Dagenham body plant remarked some twenty years ago that (contrary to endearing misconception) the average local school leaver would have “A cat’s chance in hell” of being considered for the most menial jobs. Similarly, Peugeot’s Ryton plant was the most productive within Europe but transferring production to Slovakia in 2006 appears to have been instigated by simple cost- of- labour economics...  

Back in the saddle and with January fading into February, flooded, silty roads have been licking chains bone dry in a matter of rides, demanding reintroduction of more sophisticated, “little goes a long way, anti-fling but not too syrupy” wet formulas – in this instance Muc-Off’s imaginatively but appropriately christened “wet lube” which leaves the spout as a washed out blue before assuming a clear, tacky consistency. Grit and similarly foreign bodies put in occasional appearances but there's no hint of it becoming a tenacious, transmission chewing mess. Older motor oils are another cost-conscious option, though modern semi/synthetics designed to  regenerate while orbiting an engine's oil pump make poor transition to chain duties.    

These biblical conditions also explain why my tubby tourer is presently assuming primary test-rig service and sporting Keo pattern Wellgo RO96B pedals (Another catchy name ;)).These wallet friendly powder coated aluminium bodied units turn on CNC machined Cro-moly axles with B denoting needle roller, as distinct from ball bearings and a £3 cost implication over their RO96 siblings.  

On paper my Ilpompino is a more obvious host, especially far from the madding crowd, though I still prefer the outright convenience of dual sided systems on fixed gear builds. Speaking of said steed, some oversized Midge flew under my radar; this time in very fetching anodised titanium but Murphy’s Law dictates the Sheffield marque’s all out of 17degree, 80mm stems. Ever resourceful, I’ve put word out while exploring comparable, budget conscious alternatives online.   

Once again, the Univega sports Schwalbe Winter for improved traction, simultaneously prompting fitment of Axiom’s Journey DLX disc compatible front pannier rack. Perhaps not a completely novel concept, the latter is nicer to fit and shares the same hollow 10.2mm T6 6061 aluminium rod as its rear counterpart. We’ve not come close to bluff calling territory load-wise (reckoned to be thirty kilo- close to that boasted by Bob Yak homages!) but things seem decidedly favourable thus far.