Timing, Resilience, Repairs & Riding

 

Opportunity presented, so I finally managed to prep and box Ursula ready for sending to Winston Vaz for repair, modernisation and refinishing. Watching the tracking service left me feeling distinctly nervous, given nothing seemed to be happening. However, it was insured and at this stage, beyond my control. Winston advised it had arrived safely on the Friday morning, which was a very welcome relief.   

There has been a lot of change in 2024, and I alternate between academic fascination and a pronounced sense of alarm. The political climate and a pronounced lurch to the right is seeing the more extreme, popularism taking its lead from the Nazi playbook in 1930s Germany. At its simplest, the way to defeat popularism is by improving people’s quality of life so those who would sow division, misinformation, and hate for their own ends have little platform.  

I was heartened to see communities coming together, fighting back against those who had come to cause destruction and distress. Those claiming to know their country and “fighting” for a mythical England that never existed were ignorant enough to bring their brand of hatred and destruction to Liverpool. An area with a long and rich history of diversity and resistance. Bring trouble and the discord will be very palpable.  

I fear the far right, dare I say, fascists within the UK will turn their hatred towards settled migrant communities. Those who have come from Africa, the Carribean, the Indian subcontinent lived peacefully, worked incredibly hard and made hugely positive contributions, for several generations.   

I’m described as a quiet soul many commenting that they wouldn’t play poker with me. True on both counts. Nonetheless, people have always fascinated me. Someone recently looked me in the eye and asked, “Are you tough?”  I paused for a moment and replied, “resilient”  

There has been a narrative doing the rounds for some time about the need for men to “open up”.  Great, so long as men aren’t misguided enough to try it. I my experience, those that do are shunned and/or mocked. I have a small but permanent disconnect from the civilian world, an innocence permanently lost. There are other, darker episodes from my early adulthood, worked through and largely consigned to the vaults of history. Most people are completely unaware and will remain so. 

I will nod along to the confiding narrative, while staying sensibly silent, hop on a bike and purge my internal demons on the roads or trails. Fittingly, I spotted a new byway to explore on Denise, while on a road closed deviation aboard the Holdworth. The following day, on the return loop of an outing aboard Denise, curiosity got the better of me.  

The concrete section ran for around half a mile (0.8km) and reminiscent of an airfield, this gave way to green lane, where Denise’s Maxxis Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and WTB pairing were in their element, providing a great balance of speed, traction and compliance. To the left was clearly signposted as private land but ahead, the trail seemed to continue for two miles or so.  

Deadlines and similar meant these would need to be explore another day so I headed back along the dry, dusty track and ultimately whizzed back home along the lanes, vowing to return.   

The following day, I did and discovered one fork led to an active airfield and took the other route, which was green lane leading to a busy A road. There were other paths but as before, playtime was nearing an end. Homeward bound. Having returned, I took the opportunity check chain health .5, which probably means another month’s riding before I pension off.  

I also decided to give some of Ursula’s drivetrain, specifically the aheadset, bottom bracket and forks a deep clean using the NZero Degreaser. It’s proving a highly effective formula that will gobble relatively stubborn petrochemical products, including greases and my home brewed, “Hillbilly Waxoyl”.  

Slower than some perhaps and I left the Tiagra rear mech marinating overnight-since now was the time, but I’d sooner that over caustic formulas that will chomp seals, scar composites and generally ruin expensive components. I’ve  

Since Ursula’s refurbishment includes a rear disc brake upgrade, I also took this opportunity to switch the left Tektro RL340 lever for an RL520 and to find the TRP HY-RD calliper, mounts etc. I’m not planning to change much, since components are replaced regularly and most here, relatively new. I also discovered a Clarks CMD22 calliper. This is a dual-piston cable operated model, like TRP SPYRE. Hmm... 

I may substitute the Stronglight Aheadset for an FSA I have in stock, and I’ll go for a new 10speed bar con, but otherwise, save for the upgrades, and a better rear mudguard, it’ll be a question of new consumables- cables, chain, possibly some new bar tape and a saddle swap. 

Talking of which, Cycology has sent me their 8 Days Cycling gloves, which are what most of us would consider a mitt with the 8-day pattern, which matches both Ursula and the Holdsworth’s bar wrap.  Padding is foam, relatively thick but without being bulbus like some gels can. By contrast, the “Life behind bars” full-finger mtb gloves, which have a single layer synthetic leather palm but no official padding.  

This is apparently for optimal feel and control, so will be interesting to see how well they protect against vibration and similar discomfort, especially on longer rides. That said; some padding can induce precisely the discomfort they supposedly alleviate. As ever, miles will tell- one way or another. Meantime, here’s my review of the CycPlus AS2 PRO MAX E Pump CycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

 

Flashes of Inspiration

One thing led to another as it always does. I’d returned from a wet, early Saturday morning saunter on Denise and found myself compelled to clean the teal temptress- It had been a wet, mucky week’s riding…Out with the stand, buckets, and brushes. Before I knew it, the rear wheel was out, Continental Contact Plus substituted for the Maxxis Ravager.  

 

I decided then was the time to tackle the USE SX seat post strip and re-grease. Cable tie around the post, I slackened the collar bolt and shuffled it free. Access to the elastomers and related bouncy bits was via a tension dial in the base and a 5mm Alen key.   

 

I’d already brought the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) along in readiness and within easy reach. Slackening the cap, I wasn’t surprised to find it ejected from the post base and across the concrete. Mercifully, it didn’t go the whole hog and vanish into some inaccessible point. I shied away from stripping the unit completely (quitting while ahead being the mantra here). 

  

Casual inspection suggested that while it had been a while since the post was serviced, everything was in surprisingly decent shape. I directed a generous squeeze of Peaty’s Speed Grease into the elastomer and reaffixed the tension cap, adjusting carefully.   

 

Saddle resting on my recycling bin lid, I pressed down on the post, assessing the amount of travel. A few compressions later confirmed a much smoother action, so I added some more Wolf Tooth Grease to the post and slid it back into the seat tube.  

 

Correctly aligned and checked, I snugged the collar bolt to 5nm and refitted my characterfully faded SQR tour.  Grimy patina gone from the bar tape, bike gleaming, a light coating of Muc-Off Miracle Shine Wax to finish.   

 

The petulant beep from my clothes drier signalled the end of this impromptu fettling session before I could get too engrossed and the balance tip negatively. 630am the following morning, Denise and I were out along the lanes.  

 

Greasing the post’s internals rewarded with plush, refined and progressive damping, while the Ravager, despite running at a gravel typical 30-60psi were still relatively swift at their recommended maximum, while offering a compliant ride through the green lanes.

I stuck with the Specialized Crossroads up front, as a control for the first week before switching to the Ravager. By this point, I was satisfied everything had bedded in nicely, so whipped the rear Ryde/XT wheel down to Mick at Madgetts Cycles, so he could work his magic.  

Wheel out, I suddenly had an inexplicable urge to find the other, pink cum purple skewer. One that had graced the Teenage Dream’s hubs from 1994 to 2009. Purely for aesthetics. Might save a few grams into the bargain but it’s the early 90s aesthetic to compliment the otherwise neutral colour scheme.   

 

They’ve a nice closure action, too.  Maybe it was me yearning for a supposedly simpler time- time spent chewing the tech at Bob’s Discount (Bike dealers) on Ilford Lane. Misguided if I was. These were equally challenging times, pressures of study, a perceived lack of direction beyond that, faux friends, toxic romantic relationships into the bargain.  

 

Obviously, there were some strong positives but let’s not get misty-eyed about these things. It's merely that I was struck by and still like framesets and some components/designs from that era. A lot of things have also improved greatly since then-holistically.

I like disc brakes, but cantilevers still have their place. They’re simple, lightweight, powerful. Same goes for Dual pivot calliper brakes and while both have lost favour in recent times, I don’t believe the rim brake will disappear.    

 

More importantly, once the wheel’s true, I can get the rear CX50 and pads toed-in nicely. I’d tweaked the saddle height, raising the post a few millimetres. It was more or less bang on before but again, it's what those formative rides and weeks are about-fine tuning.  

 

Doing so has also provided some added clearance between tyre and Carradice SQR Tour. Thankfully, the weather’s been nice enough that I’ve been able to get some miles in on the Holdsworth too. I’ll end here with my review of the Cycology Baja Cap Cycology Baja Cycling Cap | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)