The Plating debate

 After an unpleasant, slightly de-humanising appointment, I decided to console myself with a trip to Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating, since I was in the area. Chris was about to undertake some metallisation, but we chatted a couple of minutes before he suited up and I spotted this Dave Russell...  

Red with electroplated rear triangle and forks. Nothing particularly unusual there...Then I spotted the rear facing dropouts, derailleur hanger and the Reynolds 753 sticker adorning the seat tube...Now, there’s a lot of debate around electroplating and thin wall tube sets. I’ve seen countless Columbus tubed framesets dripping in chrome.  

Plenty of Reynolds frames from the 70’s, 80s and 90s sporting electroplated forks, chainstays and rear triangles for that matter.  Some builders even dressed 531c in the shiny stuff. Tony Oliver in his book “Touring Bikes” was particularly forthright in his disapproval and forbid chrome on his frames.  

Now, the book is around thirty-five years old- I bought a copy in 1990 “Chrome is forbidden by Reynolds on their 753 as it causes hydrogen embrittlement, a technical term for ‘it will eventually break”. Others suggest hydrogen embrittlement, like everything else in life is a matter of luck and everything will eventually break.  

I’ve seen frames disintegrate when they’ve emerged from a dunking in the methyl chloride tank. For me personally, I can appreciate the aesthetic of chrome but would opt for chrome effect powder coating, or with a new frame, stainless steel tubes in the desired areas.  

Continuing the retro theme, I happened upon this Marin Bear Valley that was earning its keep as a flat bar commuter cum tourer, while navigating a town centre. Looking at the spec and quill stem, I’m guessing mid 90s and superficially, seems in good order.  I was aways very taken with the industrial beauty of the Zolatone 2000, especially with the fluro contrasts.   

Durability was the main draw for me at the time- it reminded me of rendered brickwork and seemed to resist abrasion/impact damage incredibly well. I had wondered if the Zolotone might be a good move for Ursula. Acquiring the paint was possible, courtesy of the internet but finding a finisher who is both familiar and competent with the paint is another matter. I had approached a couple of local finishers and took their silence as either a mark of disinterest, inexperience or a combination of both.   

I was still chewing over whether I should opt for powder coating, a wet spray enamel, or 2K acrylic. Choice of colour was also under review. Dove (or similar) grey was still top of the list, but orange or indeed, another red were beginning to challenge its hegemony.  A zebra finish…. Well, if it weren’t for the additional prep and expense, perhaps…Talking Cycology Men’s Summit Lightweight Summer | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) .   I was similarly taken with the spatter effects of this era. Kona’s were allegedly designed, so riders could touch up and ultimately, create their own custom paint effects.    

Given the weather had become decidedly balmy, I prepped the Holdsworth and enjoyed some pared to the essentials tarmac fun and to mix things up a bit. I’d only regret it come October, if I didn’t. Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lube Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Chain Lub | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) doesn’t require reapplying and the detergents employed ensure it pretty much self-cleanses. Knowing this, I also switched Denise’s KMC from the Blub to Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather.  

Another hybrid design with grot shedding properties like a wax but with an oil component for lubrication and corrosion inhibition. Aside from being relatively clean and very low maintenance, though market for dry to damp conditions, its ideally suited to thew drier stuff. It's also best suited to derailleur transmissions, the Link Lube All Weather Premium is a better fit for fixed and single-speed chains and of course, geared bikes in harder service/more changeable contexts. Think audax, reliability trials, winter training and similar endurance contexts. 

This Ergon AllRoad SR Core Comp Men’s Saddle also arrived. Interestingly, it was the medium/large version, which I presumed would be a little too broad for comfort. Many of the features are shared with its baseline (but very well-made) Comp sibling. It employs the same BASF Infinergy (Thermoplastic polyurethane- E TPU, if you prefer) which, if you examine closely, is visible around the exterior. This comprises of tiny foam particles which work to filter out and displace vibrations before they start jarring the rider.  

The scooped channel is deep, but this time without the base model’s curious cutout. The base is also nylon composite and the rails 7mm hollow Cro-moly, which explains the relative (320g) heft. However, finish and detailing seem typically, dare I say Teutonic.  The pro employs carbon rails and a carbon composite base, which obviously brings the weight down and might be the way forward, if you were counting grams.  

Ergon also offers a leaf sprung design seat post, which promises to offer road bike feel with “superior suspension on rough surfaces. There are two versions, with and without layback.  On that note, I’ll close with my review of the SR All Road Ergon SR All Road Men’s Saddle | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Mixing it Up

2014 continues with determined pragmatism, seeing professional restructuring of my various CVs, a much greater grasp of self- promotion and striving for new commissions/ventures plugging the gap left by a publication’s virtual implosion. Said approach has already reaped rewards but needs further, intensive nurturing, especially since I’m keen to explore other creative avenues, running them in parallel to cycling specific journalism.

Competence, integrity and professionalism are three (of many) values dear to yours truly, hence disappointment when others cannot reciprocate. For example, I care whether something works, how closely it achieves its objective/design brief and experience suggests most manufacturers appreciate constructive, critical evaluation.

While not an “engineer” in the classically accepted sense, hailing from a manufacturing past means I take a keen interest in metallurgy/fabrication, pure and applied. Late night surfing induced impulsive purchase of titanium tubing from a supplier in South East Asia. However, said wonder metal will require minor machining. Lee Cooper and Justin Burls were obvious, extremely helpful first ports of call, though unable to undertake such on this occasion.

Laughably, a few local “machine shops” were either completely ignorant to customer service and/or anything beyond mild steel! Heading out for a chat with Trevor Lodge at Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating proved the most fruitful enquiry and allowed me to document the resurrection of this tarnished 531 frameset. There’s no denying decorative chromium plating’s aesthetic allure but in my book, acid baths and similarly harsh processes have no place on thin walled bicycle tubing. Thankfully blasting confirmed only superficial corrosion, hence it’s rebirth this chrome-effect powder with acrylic lacquer topcoat.

Staying on an industrial thread, much has been made of the likelihood of large scale manufacturing returning to these shores. Arguably as standards of living/costs increase in the Far East, outsourcing becomes less attractive. However, while call-centres and similar service based sectors are easily repatriated, I am less convinced this applies so readily to manufacturing’s sharp end. My own research suggests there remains a wealth of highly skilled technical grade craftspeople whose have transferred seamlessly between industries and with minor retraining.

Others saw opportunities within teaching or pursued their trades solo as self-employed entities. On the flip side, I remain sceptical that semi/unskilled assembly line roles will return in significant number. Senior managers at Ford’s now defunct Dagenham body plant remarked some twenty years ago that (contrary to endearing misconception) the average local school leaver would have “A cat’s chance in hell” of being considered for the most menial jobs. Similarly, Peugeot’s Ryton plant was the most productive within Europe but transferring production to Slovakia in 2006 appears to have been instigated by simple cost- of- labour economics...  

Back in the saddle and with January fading into February, flooded, silty roads have been licking chains bone dry in a matter of rides, demanding reintroduction of more sophisticated, “little goes a long way, anti-fling but not too syrupy” wet formulas – in this instance Muc-Off’s imaginatively but appropriately christened “wet lube” which leaves the spout as a washed out blue before assuming a clear, tacky consistency. Grit and similarly foreign bodies put in occasional appearances but there's no hint of it becoming a tenacious, transmission chewing mess. Older motor oils are another cost-conscious option, though modern semi/synthetics designed to  regenerate while orbiting an engine's oil pump make poor transition to chain duties.    

These biblical conditions also explain why my tubby tourer is presently assuming primary test-rig service and sporting Keo pattern Wellgo RO96B pedals (Another catchy name ;)).These wallet friendly powder coated aluminium bodied units turn on CNC machined Cro-moly axles with B denoting needle roller, as distinct from ball bearings and a £3 cost implication over their RO96 siblings.  

On paper my Ilpompino is a more obvious host, especially far from the madding crowd, though I still prefer the outright convenience of dual sided systems on fixed gear builds. Speaking of said steed, some oversized Midge flew under my radar; this time in very fetching anodised titanium but Murphy’s Law dictates the Sheffield marque’s all out of 17degree, 80mm stems. Ever resourceful, I’ve put word out while exploring comparable, budget conscious alternatives online.   

Once again, the Univega sports Schwalbe Winter for improved traction, simultaneously prompting fitment of Axiom’s Journey DLX disc compatible front pannier rack. Perhaps not a completely novel concept, the latter is nicer to fit and shares the same hollow 10.2mm T6 6061 aluminium rod as its rear counterpart. We’ve not come close to bluff calling territory load-wise (reckoned to be thirty kilo- close to that boasted by Bob Yak homages!) but things seem decidedly favourable thus far.