Showing posts with label fitting mudguards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitting mudguards. Show all posts

Saturday 4 October 2014

Toil n’ Trouble: Eight Inches from Disaster









Having reached the stage in our collaboration, where progress now remains in the hands of a third party, I’ve been immersing myself in testing new, seasonal kit and other distractions. 
Some folks consider full length mudguards (fenders) an affront to their street cred but aside from serving ‘cross or mountain bikes, there’s nothing cool about that filthy racoon stripe along your back (or the bike’s most intricate regions saturated with corrosive silt).
Axiom Road Runner LX reflex enjoy some genuinely innovative features that make installation to less conventional configurations refreshingly easy. Designed with ample coverage for 35-38mm tyres; these will suit the latest generation of civilian cross builds doubling as weekend tourers, trainers/club bikes during the off-season.
Assuming you didn’t want to take the zip-tie route, fitting to framesets with mtb inspired wishbone rear triangles, such as On-One’s earlier Ilpompino and Planet X's Kaffenback series demands drilling the chrome plastics, negating time-saving convenience of pre-fitted stays.
Doing so also voids the lifetime warrantee, although a moot point given their quality and since I also like mounting dynamo/battery lamps here too.   
Other modifications will include 3M reflective stickers given the lack of pin-striping that makes a surprising difference to nocturnal safety-especially combined with reflective tyre walls. However, this is all minor stuff-the guards themselves have lovely profiles and should retain their looks several years’ down the line.
Stainless steel hardware might be expected these days, though quality still varies. These seem similarly top-notch, responding positively to gentle manipulation and shouldn’t succumb to the salt monster’s first lick.   
Autumn and winter calls for different lubes and I’ve been sent plenty of lovely chain lotions in the past few weeks. All seem pretty impressive in terms of economy, drivetrain efficiency, cleanliness and longevity.
However, I’ve found myself particularly endeared to Carbon Pro’s composite friendly, biodegradable range based on highly sophisticated vegetable fats. Admittedly, there’s a price tag differential that some riders may find difficult to swallow, given the astounding value that some mineral oil/ PTFE blends offer.
Less of an issue for tarmac warriors perhaps but the latter aren’t particularly kind to waterways and aquatic life, which is a consideration sans asphalt. “Environmentally friendly” is no longer synonymous with below par performance and thus far, I’m gobsmacked by their cleanliness and staying power compared with petrochemical competition. 
Sustainable sources are an obvious choice for the eco-system but alternatives to fossil based fuels has the potential to diffuse (though not eliminate) the perpetual clamouring and conflicts arising from control/ownership of crude oil reserves.   
After some deliberation, I plumped for mounting the Geonaute atop, rather than to the side, which would leave it more vulnerable to crash damage, especially along slippery carpets of mulched leaves.
This delivers decent, shake-free footage when angled correctly, although makes selecting  functions on the fly a little tricky and explains why Go-Pro have taken the touch screen route on their Hero4 .
Ironically, the Geonaute’s li-on cell depleted just as an elderly woman cut the corner of a junction, on my side of the carriageway…
Everything unfolded in slow motion, I felt a powerless bystander as the silver “A” class Mercedes seemed unable to stop, or change course. Tyres rasped against the wet tarmac and collision averted by a matter of eight inches. Cocooned within shock, I allowed her to pass and was subjected to her indignant rant about “looking where I was going!!!”
Staying with cameras, I took the opportunity to acquire some more equipment during another visit to Britain’s former industrial heartlands. I’d been resisting temptation on the “want, not need” basis despite temping very close to several camera dealerships.
I’d been hunting a Sony Alpha (Minolta) mount wildlife lens for some time, though couldn’t justify the lion’s share of £1,000 for a showroom fresh example. In swept serendipity and this 400mm Tokina.
Contrary to popular misconception, lenses are generally very durable, lasting many years with basic care/sensible storage. Bodies manage eighteen months before collecting their pensions in commercial contexts.
Telephotos of this focal length aren’t an everyday item either, thus buying used makes better business sense. Fancy a favourably priced 55-200mm example for my NEX5 too, expanding its street and sports potential in situations where SLRs are just too intrusive/unwieldy. Then again, this very much hinges on other developments…