Leading from The Front

Easter prompted some reflection- it always has with me, at least as an adult. I decided it was time to go for another Continental Cross king- a 26x2.0 (rather than 2.3) up front since it seems suited to my style of mixed terrain exploration. Extra UK have also sent me this Topeak   Tubular Bar Bag Slim 1.5 litre.  

As the numbers suggest, it’s a compact model, which is my preference and indeed, the best route, given both the fixed gear winter/trainer and Ursula have quite a lot going on at the bars. Talking of which, someone had waved a set of Redshift Sports Top Shelf Bar Handlebars under my nose. Very tempting, but the rise isn’t comparable with Ursula’s Soma Condor 2 SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) which seem absolutely bang on, so interesting though they are, no reason to change a great fit.  

Back to the Topeak Tubular Bar Bag Slim, it’s a single compartment model made from a water repellent and supposedly stain resident 600denier polyester. Tipping the scales at 125g, it tethers to the bars via two anti-slip straps and interestingly, an elastic cord.  A maximum 1.5 kilo payload caters for my needs- tube, lightweight packable jacket, gloves, food and other things I might need easy access to.  

A padded single compartment is accessed via a waterproof zipper and sensibly proportioned tag. If Ursula is anything to by, it’s an excellent choice for small compact geometry bikes, too.  It will be interesting to see how it compares with the Cycology See Me Pink Handlebar Bag Cycology See Me Pink Handlebar Bag | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and of course, the See Sense SEE SENSE HANDLEBAR BAG | cycling,-but-not-usually-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Bigger bar bags are great for day trips and touring-especially if you like taking an SLR or CSC camera along to capture the scenery, landmarks and anything else that catches your eye. I take a superzoom compact camera along for my rides-image quality is reasonable and should catastrophe strike, its considerably cheaper to replace, compared with an SLR, CSC, or rangefinder model. Horses for courses.  

After a few further weeks with the Blub Ceramic and I’ve switched Ursula’s KMC to Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather (a) It had arrived for testing (b) I was curious to see how much of an all-weather potion it really is. An everyday lube, or something slightly different. What I can tell you is that it’s a blend of oils and waxes, so essentially a hybrid. This to me suggests it should lubricate the chain, while shedding contaminant, reducing cleaning times and maintenance.  

These components also separate, which for me at least, is visually appealing.  You do need to give it a shake to mix everything. That aside, it’s simply a matter of getting chains and other drivetrain components surgically clean, drying them thoroughly and applying a little to each link (turning the cranks backward).  

The flow rate is more predictable than some, courtesy of the lube’s viscosity and the spout design, although you’ll still want a rag (or old sock) hovering beneath to catch and where appropriate, redistribute the lube. No hanging around waiting for it to cure either, which is very welcome. I’ve fed the fixed’s KMC  Peaty’s Premium as a comparator.  

I’ve a strong suspicion the premium will brave the elements longer, but that’s not necessarily a given. Despite some very mucky rural backroads and detours, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how clean the Peaty’s Link Lube Premium has remained. It's smooth and silent but unlike a wet ceramic, there’s relatively little contaminant clinging on to the fixed’s chain. 

Talking of lubes, Steve’s been impressed by the Blub Chain Lube BLUB Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and the wolf Tooth WT-G Precision Bike Grease has held out well against the elements Wolf Tooth WT-G Precision Bike Grease | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Now, slippery roads aside, I have mixed sympathy when it comes to farmers, at least in the UK. On the one hand, I am quietly resentful at those who voted for Brexit and now bemoan a pronounced loss in trade, being undercut by imported foods, loss of subsidies etc. 

On the other, it’s a very hard profession and a way of life which is central to a nation’s food security. The public has also become increasingly divorced, dare I say ignorant around food. “I don’t buy my food from a farm; I buy it from a supermarket” being an all-too-common comment.   

Farming (and clergy) used to have one of the highest suicide rates in the UK and could be attributed to the pressures, isolation, and uncertainty of whether crops and other produce would flourish and of course, fetch the right price. The highest suicide rates are now among construction workers. Some cite the long hours, working away from home and support networks and a culture of machismo.  

These may be significant factors, it may also reflect the fact many men work in construction, so consequently, the figures are skewed by this.  i.e. a greater number, by default incidence. I hypothesise that it's a combination of all these factors, with some having greater influence than others. However, without collecting and interpreting the data qualitatively and quantitively, it's impossible to make credible comment... I'll end on a cheerier note and Steve's review of these Fablecycle Tomahawk Cargo Commuter Cargo Shorts Fablecycle Tomahawk Cargo Commuter Cycle | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

Before the Leaves Fall

 August is but a memory now, the mornings have been progressively cooler, and indeed, the sun struggles to wake before 5.30. Perfect opportunities for testing lights, base layers, and other, seasonally appropriate stuff but a reminder that the Holdsworth and Teenage Dream will soon be entering seasonal hibernation.  

Talking of which, for the time being, I’ve mounted the Hutchinson Challenger up front on the Holdsworth and Fixed Gear Winter/Trainer. Thinking behind this was to see how well they roll, handle, etc., and given 1,000 miles (about 1609.34 km) or so, I’d switch them to the rear. Mounting to both rims was very straightforward, requiring a single (admittedly long) composite lever.  

I’ve fitted ours to the Halo White Line Classic HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com), leaving the Halo White Line Evaura/ SL9 HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) shod with the Maxxis. I also opted to switch the Evaura/PD8 to a quick-release Tiagra skewer for added convenience.  

Aside from the obvious reasons, I’m keen to see whether they retain their reliability/puncture resistance as the miles rack up. I also took this opportunity to switch the gold anodised Halo Hex skewer for a Shimano Tiagra quick release, for added convenience. A quick bead of grease on the Cro-moly skewer and trough they went. I digress... Tyres. While switching tyres is arguably perfectly acceptable practice, it should only be front to rear, not the other way round.  

All things being equal, a rear tyre is under much greater loading, this will wear faster. Pop it up front after any mileage and you may pay an undignified and potentially painful price. For 67tpi casings, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the Challenger accelerate and their relative compliance.  

They’ve also corned very reliably following some episodic heavy rains-even at 100psi, which is quite a bit higher than the Maxxis Refuse, which run at a very modest 50-75psi. However, I wasn’t completely surprised to find the Challenger succumbed to a flint induced flat- it had lodged in some gloop and worked into the casing and put a pinprick in the tube. Just shy of the seam, so easy to patch.   

I’d also spotted some self-extracting crank bolts going for the proverbial song, so bought two sets. One for the fixed Gear winter/Trainer’s Genetic Tibia GENETIC TIBIA TRACK CRANKS & RING | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and the Teenage Dream’s new carbon cranks.  

Not that I’m whipping square taper cranks off that frequently these days, but the convenience is welcome. Rude not to at £2 apiece, too. These are a European marque, not a Chinese pattern. The latter are something of a lottery. Too much for my tastes-I’ve had some beautifully made bargains and absolute bin fodder.  My pin spanner also appears to have gone AWOL, so I’ve chosen to regrease and refit the existing crank bolts, while I hunt it down.   

On this occasion, I’m using up the Muc-Off Bio Grease TESTED : MUC-OFF BIO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com) which is a surprisingly stoical blend that performs well across the board. Headsets, hubs, and pedals are its best customers. No issues with metal contact points and fasteners, although Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) has the edge here.  Not so long ago I bought a couple of spare 28.6 collars, since these are the sort of thing that fail infrequently (especially if you’re setting stuff up with a torque wrench).  

However, should they fail, it's always at the least convenient time. Aside from doing the important job of holding your saddle up and post rock steady, they’re dead space. Some brands obviously recognised this and began offering models with integrated carrier mounts.  

Now aside from being a point to attach carrier arms, this could include saddle bag supports, lighting, and other nickknacks. I’ve decided to go this route with Ursula, being my four seasons’ beast of burden.  I also spotted some pre-cut 106 link 10 spd KMC chains at a similarly keen price, so snapped them up while the opportunity presented. 106 links...Well, I may have pruned Ursula’s just a fraction too precisely.