Back To The Old School

I’ve managed to acquire sufficient chains and control cables for personal consumption and am delighted with Ursula’s Kinekt2.1 upgrade. This final switch has realised my 80’s vision of a drop-bar all-terrain bike. An engaging, lightweight go anywhere, four season’s machine.  

One I sketched, while completely disconnected from the school curriculum and for the most part, my classmates. Sketched without a clue as to how it might be realised, I might add. Daydreams alternated between building a bespoke frameset of my own, to buying something high-end.  

While I would never snub a genuine opportunity to build a frame (as distinct from attending a frame building course) I have decided paying a frame builder, such as Lee Cooper Home - LEE COOPER CYCLE FRAMES (webs.com) to execute my vision, or buying off the peg framesets are more cost-effective, time-efficient options for me.   

Now, I’d be the first to point out that the cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Building a frameset on a residential frame building course would be incredibly satisfying. However, my money is better invested in a suitable welder and tackling less specialist metalworking projects. Some for my own enjoyment and home economics, other for more immediate, fiscal gain.  

  

Ursula’s frameset is 24 years old, in my possession for 22 of them (bought new old stock). I’ve switched the Zefal Adventure R5 Waterproof Saddlebag ZEFAL ADVENTURE R5 WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for this Carradice SQR Tour, which is twenty years old. Its waterproof cotton-duck fabric has cultivated a faded patina, but for me, this just adds to its character and testament to its build quality.   

Portly compared with bike packing luggage and can be a handful, laden to the gills but lighter and nimbler than an expedition rack and pannier configuration. Besides, I’ve the trailer for those occasions when I want to haul heavy/awkward loads.  

Unexpectedly, shifting had become unreliable. Cable was the most obvious culprit, since the chain had only recently been replaced, cassette was good. Ditto rear mech and hanger... Inner and outer cable replaced but no matter how much mechanically sensitive tweaking of the rear mech, the brifter remained out of step and a little sloppy.  

Dejected, I packed up for the day and after some reflection, decided on some Tektro RL340 drop levers and a Microshift ten-speed bar-end shifter. This combo might lack the outright refinement, dare I say convenience of Sti/Brifters. However, I ran a similar configuration (Shimano Ultegra) on the original build and there are several distinct advantages, especially on a machine of this kind.  

Aside from reduced vulnerability, in the event of a spill (worst case scenario, they are also cheaper to replace). Shimano Ultegra and the Microshift bar end shifters can be switched to friction, should need arise. Setting up the Microshift was more time-consuming, than the Ultegra.  

However, it all came together nicely, once I decided to take the gear cable in a more ‘cross traditional direction.  Part of the challenge and satisfaction of working on bikes (and machines generally) is working things through and getting them right. 

This also spelled the end for the discontinued (and in my view, fabulous), Control Tech bar tape and prompted a switch to the Soma Condor2 Shallow Drop Bars SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com), since I was in the mood for switching things around. For the time being, I’ve dressed them in the orange Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar TapeLONG-TERM TEST: ACROS SILICONE BAR WRAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which is a more flattering contrast than I’d anticipated.  

The Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly GreasePEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) although will revisit in the depths of winter to see how well it performs, long term and in more challenging conditions.  This enforced leave, coupled with the good weather meant I’ve been getting the miles in on the Teenage Dream and enjoying every moment.  

However, the BBB guards had finally succumbed to fatigue at the mounting points, resulting in some periodic but irritating binding. I’ve stripped them, which has obviously solved the problem while resulting in a cleaner aesthetic.    

 

 

Unwinding the mind- A retrospective

 Cycling has been a central part of my life since May 1986 and I’ve racked up a few hundred thousand miles in that time. In the early days, it was a sense of escape. Escape from bullies, alienation from school and its curriculum, cultivating self-knowledge, character etc. Indeed, cycling (motorcycling too) is a metaphor for life and its challenges.     

In my early teens, imagination was fired by the glamour of racing, exploring far-flung lands on lightweight steel-framed mountain bikes. Hero worship mixed with a lust for exotic components, machines, exhilaration and adventure. Pencil thin framesets finished in Rosso red and electroplate, polished Italian groupsets... 

At the other extreme, lightweight, go-anywhere machines with Cro-moly framesets, 26-inch wheels, knobbly tyres and Japanese groupsets. These were marketed as “All Terrain Bikes” here in the UK and during this phase, some appeared with drop bars, which is what really fired my imagination.  

Something that has come full circle, with older mountain bikes being fed drops and repurposed as “Gravel bikes”. Aside from the Muddy Fox Trailblazer that ignited this passion, back in March 1987, Specialized’s Rock Combo (crudely a drop bar Rock Hopper for purposes of quick reference).  

Geometry isn’t that far off contemporary gravel bikes for that matter...Now, it might’ve sent my Lycra ablaze, but it was quickly pulled from production. However, 22 years of development hence, Ursula is incredibly close to bespoke. True, full-length chrome plastic guards limit the off-road potential but fine for dirt roads and incredibly practical for more generic, four seasons’ riding.  Tooling + access to components+ imagination are the ingredients to such a build.  

Again, arguably the same applies to other branches of life. Lateral thought and perseverance also belong there. Thinking in terms of Panaracer Gravel King 26x2.1, once the Schwalbe Marathon GT365TESTED: SCHWALBE MARATHON GT 365 TYRES WINTER UPDATE (sevendaycyclist.com) and Marathon Mondial TEST & REVIEW: SCHWALBE MARATHON MONDIAL TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) reach a pensionable state.  

Both, although particularly the 365, have loads of miles left in them, which is a good thing, given supply lines are unpredictable. Until recently, this had been attributable to the pandemic but superseded by Brexit and the loss of frictionless trade. This phenomenon is also leading to food shortages and insecurity.  

The latter refers to people, (specifically those who are more vulnerable, socio-economically) going without due to rising costs. I can see a return to sectarian conflict/civil war in Northern Ireland but I’m less convinced there will be much public outcry, let alone civil unrest in response to food insecurity.   

Long, steady miles lend themselves to this kind of soul searching/introspection and I've frequently found creative solutions to all manner of issues/circumstances/situations. “Come back to it” as one elderly carpenter once said, seeing teenage me struggling with a feature. This shouldn’t be confused with, or permit procrastination and deferment but is great advice when employed correctly.  

Going back to tyres a moment, returning from one ride, Michelin World Tour popped into my head as a possible alternative for Ursula. Old as the hills, I bought a set from a motor/cycle dealership in Norfolk, mid-tour in 1989. They were to replace a worn set of 27x1/4 Nutrak, which were becoming increasingly puncture prone as a direct consequence. However, no 26 (mtb) option, rules them out.  

Vittoria Evolution, which seem to be a development of the Vittoria Randonneur TrailVITTORIA RANDONNEUR TRAIL TYRES LONG TERM TEST (sevendaycyclist.com) that served Ursula and I very well for several years. The Randonneur still exist but are very much a road, rather than mixed terrain tyre. 26 inch is going the way of 27x1/1/4 25 years back. There’s still plenty of reasonable and indeed, decent quality rubber available but choice isn’t as plentiful now 29 and 650b are the new industry standards.  

Back to 700c now and Extra UK have kindly sent me these Pirelli Cinturato Reinforced smarTUBE. These are aimed at gravel and endurance audiences and are made from TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane). Theoretically the holy grail of tubes, they promise superior puncture resistance, low weight and compact size. 82g on the scales, it’ll be interesting to see how they perform, not only in terms of puncture resistance but pressure retention. In my experience, Latex was exceptionally light and puncture resistant, but required inflating every other day.