Freeing the Soul, Sorting the Brake

 

Some lovely kit arrived in the form of this BBB Karma MIPS helmet and Altura Airstream Jersey and bib shorts. The Karma is a nicely executed, particularly airy design using MIPS (Multi Directional Impact Protection System). This is the air node version that’s integral to the padding and supposedly the lightest iteration.

Twenty-five vents are impressive, but the raised crossbeams theoretically encourage air through the scalp. In practice, this would appear so in practice. I was pleased to note the polycarbonate shell extends around the rim, protecting the EPS liner from everyday carelessness. Though arguably a road design, I’ve found its made excellent transition to gravel duties and the shape is very accommodating of high-power lights, such as this Sigma Buster HL2000 SIGMA SPORT BUSTER HL 2000 | cycling-not-racing

A rogue red deer cantering from a hedge, into my path seemed keen to test the lid’s credentials but thankfully, my reaction times and bike handling skills kept everything in check. Altura’s Airstream are budget garments but definitely very cheerful. Both have been revised (for the better) since the set I tested back in 2021.

Pockets are deep, supportive and they’ve added a fourth, zippered model with a long, user-friendly tag. However, the left-handed will doubtless point out it doesn’t favour everyone.  Having exhausted the 50ml bottle of Muc-Off Dark Energy Chain Wax Muc-Off Dark Energy Chain Wax | cycling-not-racing , I’ve been taking to the trails and unmade byways to see how the Continental Terra Trail perform on hardpack and loose surfaces.

Speed, compliance and grip are impressive in these contexts and while the Genetic Digest are a touch broad for some gaps, this is tempered by their leverage and shallow drop. These provide excellent control when hunkered down and hossing along the singletrack. A good bet for trailer tugging and similar duties- yep, they’re staying. I dialled things that bit sharper by raising the stem a few millimetres. Some adjustments are genuinely intuitive and tend to strike mid, or post ride.

Denise’s rear stopper decided to turn erratic and mischievous. Not that I use a rear brake often, but if something’s fitted, then it needs to perform well. Having stopped to commune with this little Shetland during one forest trail frolic, I decided it was time to strip and clean the arms and replace inner and outer cables.

A simple job, but sometimes I’m my own worst enemy…Spares boxes open, I was contemplating all sorts- switching the cantilevers for some Tekro…Or some Dia Compe…Or Some Avid…Investigating this and other options saw time evaporate-precisely the opposite of what I’d intended.

After some faff and deliberation, I stripped and cleaned the brakes, bosses, applied some Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing , replaced the cables. Stripped out, both had seen better days and an obvious impairment to smooth braking.  Another bog-standard but very serviceable Clarks stainless inner, but Jagwire’s CGX SL outer. This features a high carbon coil steel, providing the strength required for braking, the carbon component limiting compression. This coupled with the lubricated liner ensures excellent modulation and feel, even commanded by Tektro’s cheerful RL340 lever.

I still treat outers and inners to a blast of maintenance spray, since opportunity presents. A precautionary drop of super glue on the freshly snipped inner seals the deal. My experience of bog standard cablesets, regardless of brand is they are serviceable enough and a very inexpensive way of restoring shifting and braking prowess- so long as they're replaced seasonally-especially on working bikes.

However, spending just a little more can reap better rewards in terms of weather resistance and performance. Pre-lubricated liners also keep things slick and largely eliminate the need for periodic flushing through with GT85 GT85 ALL PURPOSE LUBRICANT, Muc-Off MO94 Muc-Off MO94 Multi Use Spray | cycling-not-racing.

Inner wires seem less prone to stretch, cut nicely and tend not to fray so readily. That said don't skimp on decent quality cutters. I'm also quick to add that precautionary blob of superglue to the ends.  Less elegant than solder, or a crimp perhaps but effective.

You needn't spend a fortune either. Transfil Flying Snakes are c. £25, very durable and supposedly 30% lighter thanks to the Kevlar/composite outers. Forget cable cuffs, or helicopter tape at your paintwork's peril and installation requires more patience compared with other brands I've used. 

 I’m pleased to report the Ergon Orthocell Handlebar tape  Ergon Orthocell Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing  was still receptive to being re-wound and shows little signs of wear. Elsewhere, I’d been having a few issues with a Garmin pattern mount and the Gaciron Xiaoman 1000 light, so took a gamble on an auction site stem mount…

Despite some initial scepticism and tiny screws for the Garmin and GoPro patterns, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily it came together and crucially, how securely it holds the Gaciron Xiaoman and Coospo CS600 Coospo CS600 GPS | cycling-not-racing. Suffice to say, I’ve bought a second.

  

Diversions Still Waters & Simplicity

 

There's much to be thankful for but sometimes it feels as if I'm living on borrowed time. I had hoped to be more secure, dare I say, recession-proof by this point in my life but then life can often divert us. Factors such as intelligence and education are significant in determining our future, but are two very different things.

Then of course, there are those who just inherit wealth and can live off the security this provides. I’m often amused (and privately infuriated) by those who inherit a successful business and purport to be self- made. A  narrative often reinforced by their family and immediate circle. Often overlooked in all of this is the ability to adapt. Those who cannot (or will not) are at a pronounced disadvantage.    

The pandemic arguably reconfigured the construct of certainty-the importance of making the most of everyday and in every way possible.  There are balances of probability but no guarantees.  Nostalgia is a dangerous distraction, although I can readily appreciate the sense of comfort it may bring.

Occasionally high-end NOS components pop up at very tempting prices. Some are still very relevant- I saw a pair of Suntour XCD single speed hubs-120mm spacing, so (almost) perfect for a single-speed winter/trainer based around a track/road path frameset. Cup and cone simplicity but with beefy seals to keep the elements out.  As an engineer once aid to me, there's a fine line between beneficial and overly complex enclosure. 

I've always been drawn to hub gearing but deterred by accessibility and being honest wheel removal following a flat is more involved. Not what I want on a cold January morning ten miles from home, but others would rightly point out is a matter of familiarity.

Could it be an irrational fear of something different... I spotted this Halo TK track hub going for a proverbial song- 32 holes and white, which explains the favourable asking price. I can live with white. I also spotted a 32-hole Ryde Taurus rim going for considerably less than the otherwise excellent Sputnik. It’s intended for gravel and similarly heavy-duty duties, so perfect for the rigors of winter.

Sealed cartridge bearings, freewheel one side, fixed the other-what's not to like. This kind of spec also lends itself to single speed cyclo cross, which has always appealed to me- mud, simplicity and ease of cleaning are definite draws. Then again, I'm always saying these things, only for the completed vision to evolve into something more complex, some might say cluttered. Denise wasn't intended to sport a four-point rack or secondary lighting, but these have proved immensely practical additions. 

I've switched Muffin to the Shimano PD ED500 Shimano PD ED 500 Pedals | cycling-not-racing since I fancied a change and wanted to further test my theory that shoes such as the FLR MTX and Shimano GTX are best suited to broader bodies, which provide some additional support and offset some flex that's required of a shoe also designed to be walked in. Pedal body width is also mitigated by 165mm cranks and a lofty bottom bracket. 

I'd been tempted to go the dual sided Exustar route, but aside from the additional heft, I was only going to be using the SPD side. I my experience, dual sided-whether SPD, or TIME ATAC is always the most convenient marriage- step in and scoot off. No faffing and flailing trying to locate the cleated side.

That said, if you did want to go the single sided route, patterns such as Shimano's now discontinued A520, or the current ES600 (Ultegra grade) have a tapered profile, providing greater support to touring and bikepacking shoes. One thing led to another, and I found myself stripping the M540 and XT Shimano Deore XT PD-M8100 Pedals | cycling-not-racing pedals, filling the former with Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing, the latter with some Zefal lithium grease- the latter was green and visually reminiscent of Shimano’s factory stuff.  

With the mercury hitting the high 20s, I decided it was time to give Denise a sudsy bucket clean and switch to some Blub Wax chain lube before heading out for some dusty byway blasting- I was keen to see how securely the Wolf tooth cages would hold 750ml bottles off road.

Not that I was expecting any ejection-there wasn’t (although stainless cages can still prove quite springy, depending on the diameter). The Wolf Tooth are relatively slender, so will fit nicely with older road bikes with pencil-thin tube sets and are a good aesthetic fit on Denise. Since I was there, I removed Denise’s USE seat post and blasted some waxy corrosion inhibitor inside the seat tube, then applied some of the Zefal to the post, binder bolt, not forgetting the quill adaptor.  I’d also noted that the stem and wedge bolts were somewhat stubborn, so treated the threaded sections more generously. Aside from a good connection, this would also test for galvanic corrosion, which was a traditional issue with lithium, greases and metals of different parentage.  

 I’d also found two razor sharp hedge clippings buried deep in the front Maxxis Rambler- new tube, old one patched and a noter to replenish my 700c stock.      

I will switch the cages over to Muffin, since Wolf Tooth claim they’re designed to accommodate frames where space is at a premium, whether this be a compact main triangle, or one consumed by bike packing luggage. Though not tricky, I'm finding removal of those bigger, trade bottles less convenient on the seat tube with the existing composite models, due in part to the Topeak frame fit pump nestling beneath the top tube.  

Something I'd expect, given the price, but bottle entry and release with the Wolf Tooth is super dependable-even when hossing along. I've also been pleasantly surprised by how well the Silca bar tape has coped off road. Leach like purchase was expected, and I like the direct connection with the bars, but no jarring, or fatigue thus far.    

As for the Blub, this doesn't cure to the usual paraffin type consistency, rather assumes a wetter state-something I'd forgotten and came as a surprise when I glanced down at the drivetrain. Some waxes just run very clean, others scab off when the weight of contaminant reaches a critical mass. I decided to clean some accumulated gunk from the jockey wheels after a few off road excursions, which was strangely satisfying.

Miles per application is surprisingly good from this and its ceramic cousin, but both need to be reapplied if bikes have been standing for 48 hours. Not an issue for a daily driver, but potentially impractical on a best, or race bike that may only come out at weekends. 

Muffin Racks up The Miles

 

Having tweaked the chain tension and tightened the ring bolts to 10nm, I was feeling more confident with Muffin and keen to gently rack up some miles to bed everything in properly and possibly reflect on further modifications/upgrades. Frankly, I’d built with everything I’d intended, rather than older parts and compromises.  Consumables such as chains, sprockets and bar tapes will be replaced but nothing major.

After some deliberation, I found myself pruning the chain by two links, sliding the frame forward in the dropouts and getting the chain play to 1/2inch, which is the textbook suggested ideal. I also found myself replacing the inner brake wire, then dialling in the TRP Spyre, which improved stopping somewhat. Presented the ideal opportunity to play with the Park torque wrench some more.  Simple tweaks can often make huge differences. I also run a little scrap butyl where the frame fit pump rests against the top tube’s underside, protecting it from unwanted rub and ultimately, paint damage.

Though the V2 was always fun and predictable, Muffin’s bigger clearances, improved lateral stiffness and general modernisations make for a very well-balanced machine with a magic carpet ride-especially with the Continental. These clearances also mean I can run 35mm Schwalbe Marathon Winter (spikes) during the darker months. Features that better suits my riding style. That said, I remain fond of the V2 and its geared, first generation Kaffenback (Think Café’ & back) cousin (which would also take 32mm tyres including mudguards). Think winter/trainer cum working bike, although some folks report theirs were reliable lightweight tourers- I can well believe it.

Talking of small jobs, shoe cleats are often neglected, and these Shimano had served me very well but were showing obvious signs of deterioration. Mercifully, the bolts, though slightly arthritic came away with a quick shot of Muc-Off MO94 Muc-Off MO94 Multi Use Spray | cycling-not-racing. I had thought one wasn’t going to budge, calling for the drill bity but thankfully this also shifted with a T25 Torx. I instated the new Leatt cleats with a liberal helping of Oxford Toque Assembly Grease Oxford Mint Assembly Grease | cycling-not-racing and torqued them to 4nm using the Velo Tool Torque Wrench.

 I’d also been keen to test the effectiveness of some degreasers on waterproof grease. Ironically, Ursula’s Shimano XT seemed slightly reticent to budge. A quick shot of MO94 helped with this reticence. Some Park Tool PL1000TESTED: PARK TOOL POLYLUBE 1000 LUBRICANT FOR BICYCLES still remained on the threads, which is impressive, since it had been a year or so since I removed them. I treated them to a modest helping of degreaser, reinstating them with a liberal lick of Oxford Torque Assembly Grease. 

Ursula and I have also been enjoying further exploratory meanders far from the maddening crowd. The CST Patrol is running behind, the Continental Cross King Black Chil up front. There’s a method to this, primarily since the CST Patrol are slightly narrower, thus giving greater clearance at the rear triangle. The Patrol are also 80g heavier than the Cross Kings and I’m wondering if this has any connection to the EPS (Extreme Puncture Safety) belt, which is 4 on CST’s scale. It also allows me to compare rolling resistance and similar performance characteristics.

 I’m genuinely impressed by both at the moment and in similar contexts, although there’s a substantial price differential between them. The Patrol (at least in 26inch guise) aren’t tubeless ready, which may be a consideration, nay dealbreaker for some. I can appreciate some very palpable advantages of tubeless setups but on balance, still prefer tubes, whether the humble butyl, or TPU.   

 Either way, both tyres are providing a dependable, compliant ride over some very badly surfaced gravel roads and farm tracks. Longer excursions also confirm I’ve got Ursula’s saddle height absolutely right.      

      

 

 

Shakedowns but no breakdowns...

 

Forty miles in, Ursula and I were bonding very nicely. Then, to my surprise (and good fortune, since this struck 2.5 miles from home) I glanced down to discover the left-hand crank was creeping off. No 10mm Allen key on the multi-tool meant nursing us back, minimising contact with the left side. Having returned, I whipped out 10mm, 5mm Allen keys and of course, trusty torque wrench. I can only imagine things stretched during the formative outings. Pre-load faffed and ultimately everything rejoined and behaving to type, I pondered some more pre-winter prep.  

The recent wet roads had me thinking I should add a protective butyl boot to Denise’s lower headset race. I decided rounding up the tools and taking a decision from there was the best route. Before I knew it, I’d plunged in head-first and met a few surprises. The quill converter had become mysteriously stuck. Nothing a quick tap with a rubber mallet didn’t solve (although I still needed to tap the expander wedge free- a long flat screwdriver and controlled nudge from the mallet fixed this).   

Everything else came apart easily and ample Juice Lubes Bearing Grease clung to the bearings and races. Fork out, I slid the butyl over the head tube and rolled it up. Another quick lick of grease to the lower balls, I reinstated fork and mysteriously had the headset adjustment bang on first time.  

Reassembling the quill adaptor, I added some of the Oxford Assembly Grease to hopefully subvert and further episodes of stubbornness (adaptors are prone to seizing). Same went for the hardware. While the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice is a synthetic, putty type formulation, I applied a quick shot of Muc Off Silicone Spray to the underside of the tube, to help it glide over the headset.  

 

Allowing for the fact I geustimated, rather than measured the length of tube, the coverage is precisely as I wanted it and should, with the added helping of grease, lock the elements out. Lizard Skins and others used to produce neoprene covers, but unless removed every wet ride, could cause moisture to get inside.  

 

Old inner tubes are plentiful and could even be scrounged from your friendly local bike shop. It’s tempting to strip the crankset come next chain replacement and treat the axle to some Peaty’s Speed Grease (for the last word in low friction) but the Wolf Tooth is a premium blend and seems highly effective thus far. Will be interesting to see how it fares against winter’s witches’ brew.  

 

Staying with pleasant surprises, I was sent another set of the WTB Nano, not the TCS tubeless ready versions this time. Their UK importer tells me these are the 120tpi versions employing their SG2 puncture repelling belt that runs bead to bead, so will be interesting to see how they cope in this regard during the darker months.  Aside from gravel and indeed “more adventurous touring” they’re also aimed at cyclo cross audiences and, given their “most conditions” persona, it’s not difficult to see how the genres ahem, cross-over. I’ve found them surprisingly good in gloopy UK mud, but again we’ll see how this translates through a mulchy mucky British winter.  40mm wide, they’re going to be a little portly for more traditional ‘cross bikes, which can typically swallow 32-35mm, 38 if we’re talking a slick commuting/touring tyre for off season’s road duties. 

  

Despite the rise in popularity these past twenty years, cross meets still have a very eclectic flavour. Sure, there are packet fresh disc equipped carbon fibre bling machines but plenty of traditional cross bikes, repurposed tourers and indeed, mountain bikes looping the circuits. Single-speed transmissions keep things rugged and reliable, provided you’re prepared to stick with something around 63 inches…  

 

There are a few folks who also brave it on a fixed. I can see the appeal, but as I say, very much a niche thing. On-One’s Mulo might be a prime candidate. There’s clearance for 43mm tyres without tickling the chainstays and you could either run it with a disc up front or go the old school cantilever route.  

 

The latter are again, still very popular. Lightweight, simple and still relatively effective, set up correctly, with decent quality pads and cables.  Standard cables with PTFE linings and stainless-steel inner wires are good staples, although the jump between these and more elite, sometimes sealed systems, such as the Jagwire Road Elite is very palpable.  

 

Aside from the fit n’ forget weather sealing, the inner wires are extremely high quality, thus virtually zero stretch and very tolerant of fine tuning. I’ve set ours up and removed them from Ursula’s callipers with no signs of compression, let alone fraying. Braking is very progressive, stiction free, but again, I’d expect so at this end of the market and again, I’ll see what impact if any, winter has upon their stopping prowess.  

 

Transfil Flying Snakes were another solid (and much cheaper) choice on the sealed front, but fitting was more involved and cable rub could be an issue if you hadn’t used the little protectors or applied some helicopter tape to the head tube and other areas where the outers sit, or brush against the frame. Right, I’ll leave it here with my review of the  Magicshine See Me 50 Mag Light Magicshine SeeMee50 MAG Light | cycling-not-racing