Showing posts with label cable operated brakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cable operated brakes. Show all posts

Sunday 14 October 2018

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