Spring- Sunrise & Strip-downs

  

Yes, inspiration doesn't just strike in the saddle-the small house is another chamber of innovation, and Eureka moments. I discarded the hard-working but progressively deteriorating SKS Blumels Shiny Mudguards SKS BLUEMELS SHINY MUDGUARDS | cycling, but not ususally racing (sevendaycyclist.com), and gave the frameset a deep clean. A good polish and rear wheel switch followed, and I also took delivery of this Mud hugger guard.  

I’d tested their gravel hugger cousins MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and remain impressed with their build quality and coverage. Obviously, protection doesn’t rival that of full length, traditional chrome plastics but it does broaden Ursula’s off-road potential and indeed, tyre choice. I could, for example, run the Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro albe Ice Spiker Pro Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) comfortably at the rear.   

Now, look closely and I’ve had to trim the mounts since it was fouling the fork’s cantilever mounts. I initially mounted them with two cable ties each side- a 4.8mm and two slightly thinner OEM. I ultimately switched these for two 7.6mm example for improved, vise-like grip.  

 

The Mud hugger would also allow bigger section, trail-orientated rubber and exploit the machine’s true off-road potential. No rear guard? Mud Hugger are designed as disc-specific, so incompatible with Ursula’s rear triangle.  Traditionally I’ve not taken to clip-on MTB guards, save for the legendary Crud models.  Others have either had an unappealing aesthetic and/or tended to rotate and ultimately, warp and fail.  I have something planned on the tyre front but will leave you guessing for now.  

I was still testing the Weldtite Bike Cleaner Concentrate and was getting a funny feeling about the XT hub’s freehub, so this presented an obvious opportunity to remove and the cassette, strip and inspect the freehub and upgrade the bearings.  

Everything released nicely-not surprising, given I’d not long stripped and re-greased the bearings with Juice Lubes Bearing Grease. The freehub seemed fine-I just wiped with a clean rag and drizzled some Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) into the freehub bearings and threaded fastener.  

For the bearings, I went for something a little thicker, but lighter than the Juice Lubes Bearing Juice. Muc-Off Bio Grease TESTED : MUC-OFF BIO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com) was to hand and in my experience, is reassuringly durable.  

Little and often maintenance is the best way of staying on the road or trails and breakdowns/component failure and costs to a minimum. However, things are a little more nuanced than this. I (and many other riders) run two sets of wheels on their daily drivers/working bikes, meaning I can switch while I service and to a greater extent take more time, should components require replacement, or similar service staller strike.  

Similarly, there is a point where the convenience, economy and satisfaction of working on our machines (be they bicycles, motorcycles, cars, boats etc) can tip over into an all-consuming orgy of continuous improvement. Time, other duties all evaporate in the quest to metaphorically (and sometimes literally) “tune beyond perfection”. That’s fun and resonates very deeply with me. However, when it comes to everyday maintenance and overhaul, tasks are best confined to certain, disciplined timescales.   

Plan ahead, be organised, have the correct tools to hand and quit while you’re genuinely ahead. Maintenance courses can be a sensible investment if you’re a beginner, or just looking to improve. There’s always something to learn and skilled instructors to guide and inspire confidence.   

Conditions have felt a little more spring-like, not that I’ve brought out the ¾ lengths and lightweight, long-sleeve jerseys just yet. I have regrettably had to pension off the Altura Night Vision Waterproof Gloves, which had done around 35,000miles (about 56327.04 km) over the last 5 years.  

Again, with heavy heart, I also consigned a pair of the brands’ bib tights to the bin. The pad was past its prime and the Lycra was also showing signs of abrasion damage, so thanked and read their last rites. Talking of reading, here’s a guide to the river Rhone Cycle Route THE RIVER RHONE CYCLE ROUTE GUIDE REVIEW (sevendaycyclist.com)  

 

Battle of Wills

 While I’m testing the Alfine Dynamo, I’ve decided it was time to bolt a rotor to the SP SD8 SHUTTER PRECISION SD8 HUB DYNAMO | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) hub, creep a little closer to the front-end swap. Time, or rather uninterrupted opportunity are in short supply at present, so the smoother this process the better. Then of course, Ursula is very much a working bike and needs to be well, working. An unhurried, methodical approach is key, in my experience, to getting things set up properly and while digesting the manuals are crucial stages, lateral thought, and processes of elimination are similarly important. 

Enter triple-checking spacer/stack heights, and condition of components like rotors. Talking of which, I subsequently discovered the Shimano centre lock rotor I believed was nestling quietly in the spares bin, was in fact a figment of my imagination. Five minutes at the keyboard, crowned by a deft mouse click-sorted.  

Wrong time of night, wired, maybe? Whatever the catalyst, I found myself bidding on an allegedly brand-new Kinesis Maxlight fork. 7005 aluminium alloy, disc and cantilever mounts, uncut steerer... Thankfully someone else overtook me on this journey, since I discovered the vendor had a reputation for not honouring the auction price and more significantly, transpired this was a 1-inch steerer. All that glitters...  

Besides, sometimes we need to be forced to use what we have, and not get overly indulgent.  Especially since the UK is hitting the highest patch of inflation for 30 years and things are becoming increasingly lean, even for those who would never imagine they’d feel economic constraint.  

Storm Eunice hit the UK last week. Reckoned to be the most intense since the storms of 1987, it seems to have wreaked similar devastation in certain areas of the country. Conditions were close to eerily calm, that morning. Few cars, little wildlife as I weaved around the backroads and singletrack lanes.  

Wind speed intensified to around 60mph at 1500hrs in my region, with fallen trees, collapsed walls and similar damage prevalent. During this period, I was driving on the motorway and could feel the KA buffeted by gusty winds. These dropped by 1900hrs, although still accompanied by a banshee howl.  

I woke the next morning to winds around the 23mph mark, so Ursula and I headed out for a twenty-mile loop. Plenty of stray branches and dead wood but thankfully nothing obviously dangerous at that stage. I returned with the intention of giving the old girl a good clean. That she got.  

Undersides of her Bluemels mudguards SKS BLUEMELS SHINY MUDGUARDS | cycling, but not ususally racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  cassette n’ all. This, coupled with a need to test the Torque Covert 7’s chain tool brought forward chain replacement. Oh well, might as well. I went for another KMX X10, since it was close to hand. The .73 has a duller, grey finish than the ultra-reliable .93, which has me wondering if that’s the only difference. I’m no fan of the magic/ “missing link” genre and always join mine using the old school method and always carry a batch of spare links. Contradictory perhaps, given my remark 

 

I was surprised to find some minor knee discomfort recently, especially since I don’t turn big gears, or participate in impact activities. Having researched the matter in greater depth, I concluded it was an alignment issue. Switching from the FLR Defender booties to their Rexton Active cousins. I was relieved to discover this was down to cleat positioning, thus easily addressed. Might also explain the odd patina forming on the right side of this Cycles Berthoud Soulor CYCLES BERTHOUD SOULOR LEATHER SADDLE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Decided, since I hadn’t stretched the fixed gear winter/trainer’s wheels for a little while now was the time to get some miles in. Gave me an opportunity to bed the TRP SLC caliper in properly- wet roads with gritty stuff and a minor nudge of a 3mm Allen key sorted these.  

The good folks at Ison Distribution www.ison-distribution.com have returned my freshly refurbished SP PD8 dynohub. New bearings, grease and overhauled, ready for building back into the Halo White line rim HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) but that’s a job for another time, there are more pressing priorities just now.