Perched Pragmatically

Had an email chat with Ryton on Dunsmore based Lee Cooper regarding a few projects and decided to solicit his advice concerning the Holdsworth’s damaged bottom bracket shell. Its cause remains a mystery but will involve cutting out the original and replacing it with something of equivalent, period sensitive quality. Then of course, “Ninja blue” will need fresh livery. On various occasions I’ve explored the notion of something more radical- bottle bosses, my name emblazoned along the down tube in tasteful italics etc but this is unnecessary and structurally invasive indulgence-not that I could be accused of being a purist given its overtly contemporary flavour. The obvious plan of action is to leave the torchmanship to Lee and the paint to Maldon Shot blasting & Powder Coating.

Speaking of which, Graham and the boys managed to slip the tune up stand and carrier through last week, giving them a much cheerier red rebirth. If you want something done, give it to busy folk. Embracing this mantra on an a pragmatic level has seen me take the cash flow demon by the horns and doing some seasonal shift work in local factories. This isn’t the most obvious source of inspiration and I’d be the first to admit coming home feeling pretty exhausted physically but having left my brain very much in neutral, find creativity positively flows for a couple of hours hence. Breaks between the days have also seen a spike in focus/productivity words and pictures-wise.  So long as I’ve reached the first, preferably second draft stage during the week, weekends can prove incredibly fertile ground creatively-principally because my mind is relaxed

Serendipity is another of my buzzwords and this came in the form of a cycle event. I’d decided to leave the motorway and do a quick sweep by the supermarket when a procession of riders, some clearly seasoned others distinctly green whizzed, or in some cases wheezed past. These became less bunched with time and I swapped shopping bags for CSC camera with 50-180mm lens, clicking away from a safe distance so as not to attract unwelcome attraction. Further investigation suggested it was in aid of little haven’s children’s hospice-a worthwhile cause if ever there was one.

So many organisations need support in some way or other, although I always fear public spiritedness is being exploited to the advantage of local and moreover central government who may cut existing funding or otherwise shirk their obligations. 

Leather has rocketed back into vogue in recent years and the economics of supply and demand are beginning to swing in the consumer’s favour as more brands enter the market. Harrogate touring maestros Spa cycles have done precisely this, launching their own range of saddles and luggage. The Aire (pictured) is a narrow, racing design made from untreated Australian cowhide that measures 148mm at its widest point, thus music to my sit bones. Untreated finishes aren’t simply an exercise in cost cutting either, although will require more frequent feeding to keep it supple and the elements firmly at bay-most notably during the bedding in period, which is around the 600 mile (800 km) mark.

Obviously, this can be accelerated with judicious application of neats foot oil to the underside, coupled with weekly treatments of proofide to the top (dropping to one every month/six weeks having completed the quoted milestone so as not to encourage premature wear). Mirror polished electroplated Cro-moly rails add to the timeless feel and dare I say the overall 590g girth. Then again at £45, complete with tensioning spanner to keep the hide in best fettle, its unbelievably good value for money.  Now, in amongst this excitement I’ve bathroom and central heating boiler refits to project manage along with road testing this rather fetching Audax bike so you’ll have to excuse me …

  

Meandering through the monsoon: Helmet cams, Secret compounds & portable detonators…

Rain has remained a consistent metaphor for my somewhat downbeat mood these past few weeks but maybe it’s just a question of skies being darkest before dawn. A publisher popped up from behind the proverbial parapet keen for the book project to take off, subject to contact. Heartening though this is, congratulatory backslapping does not a book write. Sat under the shade of Uncle Benny’s Veranda, guzzling diesel strength coffee, we happened upon a light bulb cash-flow solving moment. I have a long held fascination for pattern parts, specifically electronics and am seriously looking into importing some for commercial purposes…speaking of electricals, I’ve been mightily impressed by the original Go-Pro Hero HD helmet cam.

Arguably superseded by its MKII sibling, build and image quality remain top notch, especially in 1280x960 mode thanks to a wide-angle f2.8 lens. Documentary filmmaking prowess aside, its had a very positive effect upon driver etiquette. All but the most ignorant/unlicensed/uninsured (and therefore untouchable) overtook and approached with greater courtesy. That said, it’s widely acknowledged that in tense inner city neighbourhoods, violent conflict can be sparked simply by a motor/cyclist making greater progress through stationary traffic, let alone potentially criminal driver behaviours being recorded. Generally user-friendly, it requires several trial runs for intuitive function and consequently, I lost some potentially hilarious footage on those initial outings. Similarly, it’s a little hefty worn atop a lightweight road lid longer than ninety minutes, so I’m eager to get hold of the recently launched handlebar mount.

Our celebrity culture isn’t a new phenomenon, people see a camera and either call the authorities, or loose all inhibitions. Two teenagers approaching me couldn’t have drawn more attention to themselves if they’d sported colossal white beards and red tunics. Even those who wouldn’t so much as manage a grunt couldn’t resist a breezy holler and one chap even indulged in a bit of ad-hoc business promotion (didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d got the weather and therefore, soundproof backing in situ!).

Extensive praying to the god of blowouts brought some lovely goodies. These Panaracer Ribmo arrived for the Univega courtesy of their UK importer (www.zyro.co.uk). Three hundred miles or so through flooded roads has left a very positive impression, although their profiles are closer to 1.6 rather than 1.75 inches as denoted on their sidewalls. This hasn’t negatively affected performance, especially cantering across metalled road but called for tyre levers when persuading their folding versions aboard common or garden cross country mtb rims. In the wake of this latest wave of terrorist paranoia, perhaps this beautifully executed Lezyne micro floor drive pump could be mistaken for a plastics explosives detonator when cadging a lift on the bottle bosses and perhaps best stowed away in the panniers. Subversive humour aside, its mightily efficient to a genuine 120psi, which is sufficient for all bar top-flight tubulars. However, care must be taken to avoid accidentally triggering the bleed valve when disconnecting the hose.

A fresh set of fetching Fibrax gear cables have brought renewed vigour to the tubby tourer’s shifting and I’ve resuscitated its cheap but oh so cheerful blinky whose switch had succumbed to the recent Bollywood monsoon conditions. Dismantled and left to dry at room temperature, I administered a slathering of Vaseline to the internals and repaired a hairline crack where seal and lens meet using Effetto Mariposa Carbo Grip. Essentially, it’s a sophisticated silicone resin assembly spray, designed for the modern, composite age but works a treat on a wealth of other materials/contexts including tri-bars, handlebar grips, bottle/carrier and fender mounts 

Elsewhere, The Teenage Dream was roused from hibernation with a set of these Fibrax Xtreme weather pads and I took this opportunity for a quick tyre swap in favour of those 25mm Freedom thick slicks-pretty much filling clearances to capacity while the pads stopping prowess saw me sit up and take notice. Perfect for winter trainers, I’d like to put their cantilever versions to the test on a laden tourer-just by way of comparison and mountain bikers will be interested to hear they’re also available in a V brake compatible format. Clever self-cleansing channelling uses rainfall to prevent muck/grit accumulating and scouring sidewalls-great news for less vigilant riders but those with swanky composite hoops will need to look elsewhere. Loquacious probing couldn’t reveal anything of their exact composition-apparently it’s a trade secret and native to Wales….