Fifteen Years On...

I acquired the Holdsworth frame and period fork 15 years ago. With the help, skill and kindness of a few people, the 50's frameset underwent the first of two restorations. Road Path to Enlightenment: Primed, Painted and Restored to its Former Glory 

Road Path to Enlightenment: Blink n' You'll Miss It 

Road Path frames were versatile but with minimal compromise.  

Designed to be raced on the track, yet with geometry and clearances that allowed everyday practicalities-full length mudguards, wider tyres and geometry for predictable, yet engaging road handling.  

There was a trend for running track bikes on the road, fuelled in part by the messenger circuit, but stock, a machine designed for track is challenging on metalled roads, given the geometry, fork rake etc.

  

This did give rise to some very practical "off the peg" builds during the 2000s, including Kona's Paddy Wagon, Specialized's Langster and Surly's Steam Roller. I've a soft spot for all three, having ridden all three for a few hundred miles apiece. Of these, the Kona was most compatible with my riding style and indeed, the UK climate. The Holdsworth also signalled a new chapter in my life, the end of a loveless marriage and some might say, reclamation of self.  

There was no need to reinvent myself, I knew exactly who I was, had just been silenced and sidelined for years.  

There's more to bikes than a collection of tubes dressed in components to make them go, stop and handle well. There are miles, memories and other sentimental stuff making them unique and cherished. 

Coinciding with the fifteenth anniversary (of acquisition), I'd dropped by Maldon Shotblasting & Powder Coating, since I was in the area. Aside from a Ferrari shell awaiting blasting, and a beautifully refinished Trek gravel frameset, there was this unidentified lugged road frame hiding away in a corner.  

It had been given a protective red oxide primer coat by the owner and judging by details such as the brake bridge, cable guides and lug work, is a mid-range training frame from the 70s, possibly early 80s. Curiously, braze-ons-bottle bosses, gear levers and top tube cable guides are conspicuous by their absence.  

It was due to be blasted and refinished in a classic chrome effect/blue powder coat, which in my view is infinitely nicer than electroplating (a process tantamount to vandalism in my book and indeed, Tony Oliver's).  

The rains came- well, put more accurately, when a divine entity was washing his tandem trike, he graciously offered to wash his neighbour's tandem triplet. Roads turned to shallow rivers have taxed the otherwise refreshingly stoical Momum Mic WaxMomum MIC Wax Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) so I've switched to Muc-Off -50c chain lube MUC-OFF -50C CHAIN LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since its thin, yet reasonably stout and attracts less dirt than a more traditional wet blend.  

One thing led to another (doesn't it always) and I found myself switching Ursula's Selle San Marco Concorde for the slightly wider (145mm) BBB Echelon, which is lighter and has a pressure-relieving cutout.  

I've also swapped the Magicshine Ray 2600 for the Ravemen PR2000, which needed some shim experimentation before I'd achieved the desired, limpet-like tenure to the Velo Orange Handlebar Accessory Mount VELO ORANGE HANDLEBAR ACCESSORY MOUNT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).  

I was also curious to see whether the PR2000 wireless switch would command its smaller stablemate. I'd had mine a few seasons, so wasn't expecting so but nothing ventured and all that...Ultimately it didn’t but worth a shot. Talking of the Ravemen, here’s Steve’s review of the Ravemen PR1400 Ravemen PR1400 Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Back in the late 80s and early 90s September temperatures were in the low teens, much cooler in the mornings, now we are seeing them reach the mid to high 20s in this region of the UK, which concerns me and is a topic all to itself. There have been a few mornings when the mercury’s dropped to 6 or 7 and I’ve been reaching for gilets and three-quarter lengths. Oxford Venture Windproof Gillet OXFORD VENTURE WINDPROOF GILET | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) is my default.  

Features include impressive retro-reflective panelling, four sensibly proportioned pockets (three at the rear and a zippered breast). The fluro version is my preference for murkier, overcast mornings but thanks to the retro-reflective panelling, the stealthy black counterpart is still very conspicuous.  

The only downside is that it’s not one you could tow around in a jersey pocket, should the temperature rise significantly. The Madison Freewheel Men’s Thermal Bib Tights with Pad Madison Freewheel Thermal Bib Tights | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) have also made a reappearance on the pre-dawn outings, supplying some welcome warmth to the knees and protection to the legs when indulging in some off-road exploration, without being overly warm. I'll leave you with my review of the Ravemen TR200 USB Rechargeable Sensored Rear Light Ravemen TR200 Rear Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

 

Big Grins

 A week on from the Maxxis Re-Fuse TR arrival, the brand’s Ikon (26x2.0) were being handed to me by a very amiable courier. The following day I whipped them aboard Ursula’s Shimano Alfine/ XT wheelset, complete with fresh butyl. They’re slightly reminiscent of Kenda Small Block Eight, which I had run in 700c and 26 versions and similarly straightforward to fit.  

Interestingly, the Ikon have a maximum payload of 90 kilos, so best suited to lighter riders. Ours is the baseline model with a 60tpi casing and isn’t tubeless compatible (ready, if you prefer) and doesn’t feature a puncture-repelling bet, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in terms of rolling and puncture resistance.  As a precaution, I’ve gone for some Schrader valve tubes, so I could get some sealant sloshing around them.

    

With a maximum, tame by road standards 65psi, I was also surprised by the number of strokes needed to deliver the full 65- that's with the SKS track pump.

Beyond 50 and my biceps were beginning to course with lactic acid, and we were close to locking out at 63psi. Now, arguably you wouldn’t go to the maximum, but I like to see how a tyre behaves at the cited maximum, before tapering down to find the sweet spot for different contexts.   

Anyhow, I’ve put them to one side for a moment while I concentrate on racking up miles on the fixed with the Maxxis Re Fuse. I’m finding the latter very dependable-in every sense thus far. Not the most compliant ride but by no means harsh and what I’ve come to expect from 60tpi single compound casings.  

May has seen an improvement weather-wise, namely drier (although still very cool in the morning)- single digits mean I’m sticking to the three-quarter lengths and long-sleeve jerseys and indeed full finger gloves when it’s sliding down to 5 or 6.  Baggier fitting mitts also allow liner-type gloves and this combo can be a great middle point for changeable conditions-long rides, in particular.  

Anyhow, the more Spring-like weather has meant the Teenage Dream has come out from seasonal hibernation, giving me chance to get some miles in with the CST Cito. For the uninitiated, the Cito are a dual compound 170tpi model available in 23, 25, and 28mm sections. Formative outings have really brought the best from the build, which may be quaint by contemporary standards but still brings huge grins.  

I ran Vee Tire Co Rain Runners for a good while and was impressed by their low rolling resistance, compliance, and wet weather grip. However, the Cito are a notch better in my book and very competitively priced. The ride quality doesn’t match that of a mid-range tubular but isn’t that far behind either and without the maturing, gluing and sewing that came with them. 

  

125psi is their maximum and even at these lofty pressures they’ve never felt harsh, or skittish and have held their line impeccably. CST hasn’t cited a minimum pressure and at present, they haven’t released a tubeless compatible/ready version but I’m reckoning the sweet spot for me and my 70kilo frame is between 105 and 110psi.

Not that we’d want to invite these things but puncture resistances courtesy of their EPS lining, which also features in their Czar CST Czar Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) cousins and indeed, the Pika CST Pika Gravel Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). This is a flexible Poly fibre strip running beneath the casing’s centre strip. This doesn’t run bead to bead, which may have implications for puncture resistance.  

However, the Cito are intended as a fair-weather training/competition tyre, 5mm thick Aramid belts and similar technology is uber dependable, but tyres featuring these tend to be on the weighty side- think 700g or so apiece, not the sort of heft you’d want on a pared to the essential's plaything, race, or TT bike.   

Talking of which, for those of you wondering why I hadn’t whipped the Cito aboard the Holdsworth, it’s primarily because the Holdsworth has bigger clearances- could go up to 28 up front and 32mm plus at the rear, while its 25mm tops, with the Teenage Dream. Every so often, I contemplate upgrading the latter's frameset, probably bespoke, but definitely steel and fillet brazed.  

However, I’ve let these thoughts drift since I can’t justify it on grounds of cost and space. Practicalities aside, I’m also very fond of the frameset and then there’s the memories tied up within it. Bikes are like friends. Some come and go, and others stay a lifetime.