Bearings & Bright Lights...

 No sooner had I tweaked Ursula’s Hollowtech II bottom bracket bearings, the rear XT hub came out in sympathy. I’d been bombing along the backroads and trails, getting some decent miles on the Maxxis Ikon...Came home, rested the bike down and felt some slop. Gripping the rear wheel between thumb and forefinger confirmed this.  

Time was at a premium, so (before I started catastrophising and tearing everything down, replacing freehub bodies etc), the obvious thing to do was switch over to the Ryde Halo Spin Doctor combo, and then inspect the XT at a more convenient moment.  

Wheel swap and cursory inspections complete, now was the time to tweak the fixed gear winter/trainer’s chain tension-the “oh well, might as well, since I’m here” mindset.  Later inspection with a relatively calm mind confirmed it was just a matter of whipping out the 15mm cone and 17mm spanners and dialling everything snug.  

Oodles of grease clinging to the balls and races, locking the elements out. In my experience, Juice Lubes Bearing Juice is particularly good for hubs as they’re always turning. I’ve found it temperature sensitive, so in common with Green Oil Eco Grease can congeal a little when the temperature’s tanking, meaning headset bearings can feel like they’ve too much preload. At the other extreme, it assumes a lower viscosity and buttery smooth when temperatures hit the mid-twenties. An observation, rather than a criticism.  

Anyhow, the slop was easily corrected by loosening the locknut and snugging the cone tighter. Bearings were only replaced in April, races were good, and I double-checked the freehub, since I was about it. No obvious signs of wear there, either. I revisited things the next morning, tightened the cone fractionally, holding it in place while winding the locknut tight. Back went the cassette and lockring.  

A final neurotic turn and tug of the bearings, job done.  Anyhow, since I’d switched to the Halo Spin Dr, which is a lovely hub, I’ll leave the Ryde/Spin Doctor wheel in situ. Schwalbe are sending me their Smart Sam tyres for testing. It’ll be interesting to see how they compare with the Maxxis Ikon.  

The Smart Sam are another cross-country tyre that’s been around a while and reckoned a competent all-rounder with decent rolling resistance on tarmac too, courtesy of the centre strip. Once upon a time, dual-purpose tyres were the worst of both worlds, ponderous on the road and toothless I the dirt. There’s obviously an element of compromise to be expected but they, like the Ikon, sound close to my particular mixed terrain niche.  

Talking temperatures and seasons, the nights are just beginning to draw, dare I say, sneak in a bit now and my attention is turning to new season lighting. I’m very impressed by Ravemen and their TR200 Rear Light. It’s a six-mode, sensored model producing a maximum of 200lumens. Braking functions have been a thing for a good few years now and predictably, have come a long way. Now, “braking” is a debated term.  

Accelerometer is probably closer to the mark as the internal sensor triggers the light when it identifies a drop in pace, or vibration. Earlier designs (c. 2017) were too sensitive and so triggered readily, which had a palpably negative effect upon battery life. This was particularly clear on sharp ascents, or when grinding along with a laden trailer en tow. I’ve noted tangible improvements in the past two years.  

I’ve a soft spot for Ravemen CLO6 Sensored Rear Light RAVEMEN CL06 SENSORED REAR LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) , BBB Signal Brake Rear Light, Magicshine See Mee 2000 Version2. Then of course,  Ravemen TR500 USB Rechargeable Rear Light (500lumens) Ravemen TR500 Rear Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is in my view, particularly useful for trailers/tagalongs, tandems and other specialist builds.  

Back to the TR200, it has three steady and three flashing modes.  40, 20 and 5 lumens and a 200-day flash, flanked by 100-lumen rapid and slow flashing modes. Interestingly, the “braking” function is 100, not the 200lumens and is triggered for two seconds when it senses a loss of tempo.  

Run times on paper, seem favourable and there’s an auto kick down to the 5lumen steady, which is a welcome touch. The 260-degree lens with central convex and 4 LEDs bode well for presence and IPX6 should keep the elements at bay. Time and miles will tell... 

 

Balls Greased & Thighs Chafed

One thing led to another, and with the fresh spare wheel built for Ursula, it was time for a tear down of the Rigida Sputnik/Shimano XT M756 hub. It has served for nigh on two years without a break. I ordered another set of balls and did a double check of the manual to familiarise myself with any potential differences (between it and the lowlier Deore).   

Same modus operandi 15mm cone spanner, 17mm locknut. I had toyed with the idea of packing the fresh bearings with Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is more durable than a low friction formula might imply.  

Cassette slipped off easily since I’d applied a liberal amount of Park Tool Poly lube 1000 grease TESTED: PARK TOOL POLYLUBE 1000 LUBRICANT FOR BICYCLES (sevendaycyclist.com) to the lockring. Opinions vary regarding greasing the freehub splines. Slathering them in thick grease is not the way forward.  

Some suggest copper grease, but this can also become a horrible mess, given a few months-especially during winter. Summer bikes can forgo this altogether. I opt for a few localised spots of grease, which should rule out creaking and keeps the elements at bay, without attracting too much crap. 

Talking of which, I was surprised to find that while the factory grease had turned to a fluid state, there was still a decent amount protecting the hub and bearings. Components stripped, degreased and examined, all were in good shape, so I decided to re-grease and reassemble, leaving the new balls for another time. 

It was minus 2 and the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice seems tricky to apply when the mercury’s tanking. I was tempted to reach for some Muc Off Bio Grease TESTED : MUC-OFF BIO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com). However, I stuck with Juice Lubes Bearing Juice, since it’s intended specifically for bearings. Given the temperature, I brushed it into the races, carefully repatriated the bearings and then added a further layer of grease atop.

Axle back, cones snug, washer and locknut added, I gave things a quick, cursory spin. Buttery smooth-yay! 

I’d intended to swap wheels in any case, given the weather was turning bandit again. More ice, snow and similarly wintry stuff. The new Halo/Ryde and Shimano Alfine/Ryde Andra40 Shimano Alfine UR700 Hub Dynamo | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) wheels were shod with spikes in preparation.

Forecast was –5 on some days, so an opportunity to give the fixed gear winter trainer a good clean and switch to Ursula.  It was the ideal opportunity to get busy with some of the Weldtite Deluxe Bike Care Kit.  I had also succumbed to some painful chafing on my right thigh, which I initially drew a blank with. Thought it must’ve been a seam but while working around the bike, discovered a blood stain on the zipper of the Kinekt bag, suggesting my inner thigh had been brushing it.  

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the soft brush, which is relatively slender and for these reasons, nimbler than those with big surface areas. The Bike Wash also seems surprisingly efficient on heavily solid, ingrained muck. Spray on, leave a minute and then rinse with lukewarm water. This on the downtube literally slithered away with the first tickling from the bristle plot. I also took the opportunity to apply their Rapid Ceramic Shield, since it was part of the kit and I’d been sent some to test. It works like a wipe-on lacquer to seal out the elements.  

Simply spray into a damp micro fibre cloth, work into the frameset and components (avoiding the saddle, brakes and bar tape), then buff with a fresh cloth. Claimed safe on matt, satin, gloss, and natural/raw finishes.  

Once cured, theoretically wet, oils, sap, and similar stuff can’t adhere, keeping the bike cleaner longer. I’m hoping it delivers, given the forecast. Will be interesting to see how it compares with others, in terms of economy and staying prowess. I applied ours to the damp frame and then worked into the bike using the cloth, just to see if doing so made any difference.   

Weather forecasts were bang on and true to form, plenty of ice and an air temperature of minus 4. Thermal base layer, mid, and an old faithful wind and waterproof technical jacket. “Belgian” cap beneath a Bell Sweep lid, liner gloves, and some Altura Night Vision old faithfuls atop.  For the legs, thermal tights, Merino socks, and the Shimano RX600 Gravel Shoes Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).

Temperate, especially when turning a decent cadence, but there’s always the possibility of a roadside mechanical, which can prove uncomfortable, especially if it means gloves must come off. Talking of which, I also err towards a backup AAA-fuelled light, just in case the freezing temperatures have a negative effect on rechargeable Lithium Ion/Polymer cells.  

As I’ve said before, I’m not sold on magic links, and it was the first outing with Ursula’s new KMC chain. Rationally, there’s no reason to think it would give any issues, but humans are not rational. Thankfully, this was all academic and I was able to cruise along in comfort and enjoy the silence- interrupted oddly enough by the lovely whirr of the Halo Spin Doctor hub and the appearance of a solitary gritting lorry 2 miles from home.