Fastener Fatigue & Deeper Thoughts

 

I’ve been switching between the Thudbuster G4 and Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/redshift-shockstop-suspension-seatp and this has taken its toll on the Aeropost’s Klick Fix mount’s clips. Two have failed, one mid-ride but thankfully, the Altura Aeropost pack remained in alignment for the remaining 15miles. 

Luckily, I had a couple bouncing around the spares bin, but I’ve ordered some heavier duty versions, just in case.  I’ve gone for the slightly beefier SQR type, rather than a direct replacement, since the SQR are beefier, theoretically dispersing the load more effectively.   

I’ve also taken the precaution of binding some old inner tube around the post. This serves two purposes (a) means less torque applied to the clamp, reducing the likelihood of fatigue (b) in turn safeguards against slippage and further cosmetic scarring of the anodised finish.    

Back on my Univega and as predicted, I returned 400miles from the Weldtite TF2 Ultra Dry Chain Wax https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-ultra-dry-chain-wax by which point, I was on the cusp of that faint, metal on metal tinkling. I stripped the remnants using their Dirt Juice Boss Chain Cleaner https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-dirt-juice-chain-cleane and introduced some of their Chain Juice Wax.   

This has been around for a while and has the advantage of a relatively swift curing period. Technically, you can scoot off after 5minutes but in practice, I’ve found applying two coats, (leaving ten minutes or so, in between) and leaving this to cure for several hours (ideally overnight) reaps a more substantial coating.  

Wax lubes take various forms. Some, including Squirt Long Lasting Dry Chain Lube https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/squirt-long-lasting-dry-chain-lube  and Smoove universal Chain Lube are closest to an emulsion https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/smoove-universal-chain-lube-summer-   

Other formulas melt, then get spread across the cassette, reclaimed by the chain in due course. The latter will return a surprisingly good mileage to application ratio, but evolve into a matted mess, which isn’t particularly pleasant to engage with, especially following a puncture, or similar road/trailside mechanical.  

This incarnation of the Chain Juice Wax seems of the very clean variety. The sort that collects minimal contaminant in the first instance but encourages any residual stuff to scab and fall away.   

I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the versatility of this Merida Aero C bottle cage, which has also proved a competent host to some Thermos types, including this now-defunct (but very functional) Ibera thermos bottle that was designed around a dedicated resin cage. A surprisingly reliable system, per se but since I have no intention of slurping piping hot coffee at 20mph, this setup works just fine. 

The lockdown is essentially in name only now and I’m astounded by how quickly people have abolished any concept of social distancing, at least in private spaces. While mentally shedding the day’s stresses aboard my tubby tourer, I witnessed several social gatherings, including a 5year old’s birthday party.  

Now, I wouldn’t expect children to adhere to social distancing, especially in this setting. However, adults (clearly from different households) were flocked together, in pre-lockdown proximities. Not an isolated example either. However, the UK’s relaxation is politically/ideologically motivated.  

Balancing public health and economic activity was always going to be perilously difficult and with carefully monitored phased returns.  The present administration seems to be ignoring, or muting qualified scientific advice.  

I’ve pondered this during early morning lockdown rides and am quietly convinced they are pursuing “herd immunity” I.e. they want people to become infected (think chickenpox parties, on a grand scale), so in turn, people will supposedly become immune to it. Widely discredited as a dangerous gamble, some figures suggest up to 40% of the population could in fact, perish.   

Knowing The Drill

 After the frenzied pre-Christmas preparations, the corridor linking Christmas and New Year can be perfect for catching up with friends and small jobs. Aside from ignition tumbler woes striking my KA, my fixed gear winter/trainer's seat post binder bolt needed replacing. 

Since it was secure and I didn't need to adjust the post height, I left it a couple of months. All the same, I wanted to avoid the expensive, titanium post/Cro-moly frame galvanic union.  One last try, with Torx bits confirmed drilling-out was the only option. 

Cordless drill charged, and bits found... 

I also harvested a compatible replacement bolt and collar, in case the 14 year old On-One also decided to give up the ghost. Knew they'd come in handy... Bike in the workstand, It took a few minutes cautious drilling before the once 5mm Allen head disintegrated. Thankfully the threaded section also required little coaxing. 

Much as I suspected, the On-One collar had succumbed to fatigue, so that was substituted for an Atomic22. Though not unexpected, it was still a relief to discover the post was also very mobile. I eased that free, removed the remaining greasy film and introduced a liberal helping of ceramic prep. 

While harvesting bolts, I also discovered two packet fresh 26x1.75 inner tubes. Timely, since my Univega's supplies were dwindling and I'd patched a few to their limit recently. I took this opportunity to carve another section from a dead 26x2.0 and make a seat collar boot for my fixed. 

Post reinstated, fasteners greased and snugged tight, I slid the boot so it obscured the frame's collar slot. 

In some respects I could've cut it longer, overlapping the post for optimal protection. 

However, this would've been as pain, should I need to re-tighten the collar bolt mid-ride. I also replaced the VDO computer head unit's battery.Mercifully, it has a memory function, which saves time and minor hassle. 

Those Raw flaps have made a huge difference to the amount of spray thrown over the bike, shoes and other riders. I've swapped the Topeak Shuttle for the Zefal Pulse Z2 to see how it performs on a small, compact geometry frameset. Oh, another opportunity to re-grease some small, easily overlooked fasteners too. 

Little jobs off the list, I've dedicated time to reflection, testing, day riding and a few projects I want finished, before 2020.  The holidays should always involve doing something different. Otherwise, life can feel like the stripped thread. Turning monotonously, without achievement. 

Gave myself a New Year deadline, for finishing a short story (at least in draft form) and have some other irons in the fire. Sleep-walking into a new year (let alone decade) invariably leads to disappointment, and is likely to accentuate any hint of the mid-winter blues.

Root of the Problem

Last week began with, what I suspected, was a dental abscess. This was confirmed by my dentist, He also confirmed my other hunch. 

That the only means of saving, what remained of the crowned tooth, was root canal surgery. Elsewhere, with the nights drawing in, it was time for a quick pre-winter check of the fleet.

Testing of the Vee Tire Co Zilent MK2 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/vee-tire-co-zilent-mark-2-tyres , I reinstated the Soma Shikoro https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/s  and pulled my working fixed’s brake cable through. Pad wear was making itself known. Though there looks to be a few month’s life in them, replacements were ordered. TRP Spyre are by far, the best cable operated disc brake I’ve used to date.

Hydraulic systems are delightful and most modern types automatically adjust to compensate for pad wear. An obvious choice for ‘cross racing and endurance events.  Despite their considerable charms (not to mention, refinement) I love the simplicity of a cable-operated model. Ooooh, then again…TRP Hylex looks perfect for my antics and the bike’s design brief…

Reminds self of dental bills, expiring car components, camera bodies. Lectures self on the difference between want and need. Been an expensive month, with one thing and another.

Despite disc braking’s understandable dominance, there’s a lot to be said in favour of the humble cantilever, especially in a ‘cross context. The Genetic CX https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/genetic-cx-cantilever-brakes , have proved particularly cheerful. However, wide arm designs and smaller semi/compact geometry framesets can be a tricky combination. True, smaller riders tend to have proportionally sized feet, so heel clearance is less crucial.  That said; they can also foul four-point racks and panniers.

Staying with these themes, I was also surprised to discover, during my pre-winter inspection, that its bottle cage had mysteriously fractured. Closer scrutiny suggested the composite monocoque had succumbed to a strange fatigue, I was literally able to bend the winged sections backwards.

This kind of fatigue is something I’d associate with several years’ exposure to harsh UV light. A complete mystery. Aside from very warm summer rides; said bike is always stored in a cool, dry space within the house.

Net effect, I have substituted it for this VEL SE (Side Entry) model https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/vel-se . These are also designed to optimise space within smaller main triangles, thus permitting two full sized bottles. Its Tacx radar counterpart, on the down tube is also technically a side entry model. In the sense bottles can be inserted and released at an angle. However, its much closer to a conventional cage. A solid and reliable option, it lacks the space saving efficiency, of the Vel, or indeed Lezyne Flow.     

Cleats are another component all too easily overlooked. After a good year’s faithful service, my genuine Shimano were showing their age. Release was becoming a little too easy. These ISSI popped out at me, while I was rummaging in the kitchen drawer for some AAA batteries. In the zone, following Sunday’s post blast check, one set released effortlessly.

False sense of security flowing through my every fibre, I tackled the other shoe. Once again; the first relented, given a firm twist of the 4mm tool bit. However, the second fastener was clearly made from cheese.

Impacted detritus clearly didn’t help but it was so soft, deforming with unsettling ease. A blast of penetrant spray and a bigger Torx bit, provided enough bite, and clean extraction. Nonetheless, my cordless drill was placed on charge…

While there is no doubting the quality of Shimano, I have always found patterns reliable and generally long-lived. By the same token, were I doing a big tour, especially beyond these shores, I’d stick with big S, simply on grounds of spares availability

Titanium & Timewasters

I’d done a couple of model shoots in Dovercourt but hadn’t dropped in on Justin Burls http://burls.co.uk/  for almost three years. High time we had a catch up. Down in the workshop, he was busily building a customer’s mountain bike, based around one of his legendary, custom made titanium framesets. I can hear some of you screaming Wot no discs!!!????

Well, the machine in question is being built for an epic, wilderness tour of Africa. A raw and punishing environment, where outright reliability trumps sophistication/exotica.

One of the many reasons I toured with 4130 Cro-moly racks, or trailer.

Worst case scenario; should a breakage occur, chances are a roadside garage would be able to blast it back together with either an oxyacetylene kit, or MIG welder. Talking of which (Probably has its origins in my childhood and many afternoons in a workshop) I was keen to inspect Justin’s new workshop extension and TIG inverter.

TI aside, Justin traditionally fillet brazed his framesets. I was rather taken with his frame jig. More with its rusty patina, than the contrasting, space age titanium road frame held within it.

He was also preparing a pared to the essentials fixed frameset with a beefy wishbone rear triangle. No drillings for brakes, let alone mudguards, or similarly civilian stuff here!  Hanging on the wall, was his Dawes Galaxy tandem.

Arguably one of the best production models, rivalled by Claud Butler (Holdsworthy) Super Dalesman during the 80s I also liked Dawes Double-edge mountain bike tandem. Look closely at Justin’s and you’ll notice shortened Shimano cranks and a very sleek adaptor.

This was so his daughter, Alex could do stoker duties. However, she’d had a growth spurt, thus this expensive adaption was now redundant! At least, until his son, Tom gets tall enough…

Now, being able to ogle another rider’s workshop space is an honour and a privilege. Its also fascinating and serves to illustrate that one rider’s trash, is another’s treasure. Swap meets sound like the ideal means of exchanging unwanted kit but for the moment, online auction sites are my default. Keeps personality and emotions out of the equation.

Back to my fleet. I’ve swapped the Vel SE cage, from the Holdsworth and to my cross/gravel fixed. Reason being, the twisting forces associated with a side-entry design, coupled with a large trade bottle, has proved too much for the former’s band on mounts.

It’s caused them to rotate annoyingly over the course of a ride. No migration issues with traditional, top entry cages and 750/800ml bidons. Something to bear in mind…I’ve also hit the 300mile mark with the Finish Line Dry lube, so have introduced some Joe's Dry, which arrived for testing, last week.

Been a frustrating week, with models cancelling, or messing about, prompting me to update my cancellation policy. The model who cancelled, is usually super reliable and was presented with a situation she had no control over. She also contacted me first thing, that morning.

I am a compassionate person and know only too well that sickness doesn’t stick to a schedule.

I also know, first hand that the most reliable and well-maintained vehicles, or childcare can let us down. However, I have no time for those, who book shoots and then hedge their bets, or don’t show.

A Bedford based model did just this. On the one hand, inconvenience and wasted time have really irked me but on the other, clearly a lucky escape. I’ve wished her every future success and promptly blocked her, from future email, or portal communications.

Communication is key and its one of the reasons I engage in a fair bit of pre-shoot correspondence. Any photographer, who cannot bolt together, a coherent and articulate paragraph is worth swerving. The same goes for models who approach, wanting to work but with no idea of what they want to achieve.

If someone approaches me with the opening line “Hi, I like your work, would you like to shoot?”; I’ll typically reply, asking what attracted them to my work and me, specifically. If they do not reply, or cannot articulate in reasonable detail, it tells me all I need to know.    

Donkeys & Destructive felines

I dropped my son home, to discover his favourite toy-a talking Donkey (from the Shrek franchise) who he was inseparable for many years. Clearly still revered and sitting pride of place, in a swivel chair. For several years, I searched high and low for a replacement donkey, just in case…The worst happened…

As you can probably tell, he wasn’t the only one smitten with the 14inch cuddly character. At the time of purchase (back in 2004) several colleagues and I wanted one, for ourselves!

A quick browse of ebay…Next thing I knew, I’d indulged. We’ll blame it on sentiment and the relief that, following an X ray, my dental abscess required no further and moreover, painful treatment.      

Back in the saddle…

Thanks to sunny skies, the Holdsworth has been seeing a good couple of hundred miles over the past week, or so. I was surprised to discover its rear Vee Tire Co rain runner, had succumbed to a hedge clipping. The sort that burrows into the aramid casing, just deep enough to graze the tube, resulting in slow but steady, loss of pressure.  

Nothing a patch couldn’t cure. Though the rain runner (now known as Rolldiac) are a lightweight, grippy and generally dependable tyre, I’ve plucked this 25mm Freedom thick slick from my tyre rack.

These are made by WTB and according to their blurb “Designed to withstand the harshest urban elements”.

Urban labels aside, they’ve been perfect for winter training and in a bigger section, they’d also handle some lightweight/weekend touring (I’d used these 25mm on the “Teenage dream” and ‘cross biased fixed, for a good few months, with excellent results).

True, the casings feel relatively harsh, compared with the Rolldiac/Rainrunner, or indeed the Panaracer Pasela. Wire beads will turn a few people off Nonetheless, these are tempered by leach-like cornering prowess (wet, or dry) and outright reliability.

Even after a few years, dry storage, there’s no hint of deterioration, especially around the sidewalls. A crushed Kevlar belt and dura layer armoured sidewalls also appear to deliver, long term in the real world.

Even my malevolent farm cat hasn’t taken exception to, or at least been able to gnaw through them. Observation (and a large number of tube casualties) leads me to conclude he genuinely likes Schwalbe and Continental, yet has visceral contempt for pretty much every other brand! 

Luckily, I’d just taken delivery of a new batch of spare tubes. Much studier than the usual bundles, they were on sale and for very similar money. I’ve swapped my ‘cross inspired fixed’s Vittoria voyager hyper fort the Schwalbe Marathon GT https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt-tyres  

Black walls, either plain, or with retro-reflective piping has largely reigned supreme but recently, tan sidewalls are creeping back into vogue. Perhaps, this is partly influenced by the popularity of retro. Whether this is an influence of the retro-revivalist trend. Or just another example of things being cyclical remains to be seen.

The Vel SE cage arrived on Monday, so the Holdsworth was an obvious host. I seized the opportunity and swapped the Elite for the Enigma, thus ending contact and knuckle grazing issues with bigger (read standard 750ml) trade bottles.

I’ve had to nip the Topeak adaptor mount a few turns, to counter the seemingly greater lateral forces generated with a side entry design and 800ml Zefal bottle. Not a big deal but one of those things, I hadn’t anticipated and might not have occurred, if you’re coming from braze-on bosses.

Compared with the bright green SL sibling, the SE’s plain black looks a touch ordinary, dare I say, less refined, or shapely than the Lezyne flow. That said; thus far, the design offers decent tenure and is easily reversed to suit dominant hands. Much to my surprise, the SE is in fact, alloy bodied, with composite ends. However, this explains why it copes so well, with heavier loads, such as tool bottles and old school  bottle batteries.