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.
