Wild Horses

Several weeks and a few hundred mixed terrain miles later, I’ve reached some definite conclusions about the Revolution Cross 2 http://www.sevendaycyclist.com/revolution-cross-2.

It’s been a very welcome guest and we’re inviting other brands to send us their ‘genre blurring models to see how they compare in similar contexts. Raleigh has said they will be putting their £650 Maverick forward. http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Product/Default.aspx?pc=1&pt=14&pg=15774

Sharing the Claris drivetrain (albeit 2x8) and Tektro Spyre brakes, its’ based around a 6061 aluminium frame and carbon fork and reckoned to weigh 2 kilos less-looking forward to swinging my leg over the 56cm’s top tube. 

Back on my blue/grey ‘cross inspired fixer, it’s been reminding me of what I've been missing, especially on the climbs.

For now the Avid BB7 and Cane Creek lever combo are delivering decent modulation and feel, although I’m still very tempted by the Spyre...Elsewhere, I’ve swapped its Time pedals over to the Holdsworth in exchange for the blue Issi and replaced the Ilpompino’s KMC Z1X chain, like for like, which also succeeded in killing three long serving chain tools!

Over three years hell n’ high water service hence; my Shimano R82 sports touring/Audax shoes are beginning to look decidedly peaky in places, so I’ve resurrected these very impressive Quoc Pham. A contemporary take on the classic touring shoe, the upper is made from high quality cowhide with lace lock lace system and 3M reflective heel strip.

This takes a while to break in but aided by a periodic lick of hide food, moulds beautifully to the foot. The outer sole is moulded rubber and features a hardened mid section and an unusually aggressive, SPD sole for improved grip. Power transfer isn’t quite on par with super stiff race slippers perhaps but it’s still very good. Craftsmanship and more importantly, long distance riding comfort is superb.

       

I went clipless back in 1992 with some Look ARC and patent leather Diavolo shoes (£50 all in from a local bike shop) but testing aside, my preference lies with the recessed SPD/R types. Discovered during my mud biased mid 90s, their sheer convenience is hard to beat.

Fixed, I can click in without needing to coax the pedal body into position, wet slimy decking aside, there’s little chance of me going down like the proverbial sack of spuds when its a bit slippery, or gouging holes in expensive lino.    

With autumn just around the corner, we’re beginning our lighting group tests. There’s the odd master blaster involved but otherwise, rather like megapixels, its more about the quality of lens and diodes, rather than firepower per se.

Models with several settings ranging from 800 down to 100/flashing modes cater for pretty much everything you’d need for the darkest rural roads through to well-lit city centres.

In the past I’ve been curious and even indulged in the 1,000 plus models offered on auction sites but while bright, they’re just too aggressive and beam quality/useable light doesn’t match that of those boasting 600 or so. In top mode, they can simply dazzle other road users-potentially dangerous, not to mention, extremely aggravating.

That said; I’ve used some budget (sub £100 CE compliant) official imports to excellent effect and the lower, steady settings can return 3-4 hours before kicking into flashing/SOS to conserve juice. Battery packs have become increasingly compact, riding unobtrusively beneath the top tube, rather than consuming a bottle cage.    

For those who don’t want, or need this additional clutter, tuneable torch types can be ideal for middle distance commuting and training but consider run-times carefully, if you’re tackling long stretches of unlit road. Several offer 600-800 lumens but there’s usually a serious trade off where run times are concerned-expect an hour or so, tops. However, they can strike just the right balance for those who generally ride in sub/urban contexts but want to indulge in some back road scratching after work.

Those with 300-400 lumens and several settings are surprisingly useful too, my choice for late summer evenings, where time can slip away and dusk set in unexpectedly. Blinkies are arguably all that’s required for getting home with in these contexts but I still prefer a proper light up front, blinkies acting as backing singers-especially given the all too prevalent culture of victim blaming-litigious, or otherwise.   

There is an increasingly popular trend for combining products-Cycliq fly 6 LED with integral camera being an excellent example. Along with Moon’s surprisingly potent Gemini, Raleigh has sent us this Icon + unit, which tailors light automatically to suit conditions.

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Product/Default.aspx?pc=2&pt=117&pg=18570

It’s capable of producing 190 lumens and even features a movement sensor, triggering an alert to your smart phone, indicating that your bike is being moved and potentially vandalised/stolen. Useful additional security when supping coffee and sharing ideas at a cafe’ stop; on that note, I’m going to see if this stuff is a creative kick start or belongs behind the creosote...

The Joy of Workhorses

Stripping and thoroughly re-greasing the Univega’s M475 hub cured the grumbles and confirmed freehub and other components had many miles left in them. 

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative is sending Seven Day Cyclistwww.sevendaycyclist.com  the latest incarnation of their wallet friendly ‘Cross 2 for testinghttp://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-2-16?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2fcyclocross-bikes.

I have always been impressed by their range and was particularly taken by their Cross 0. http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-0-16?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2fcyclocross-bikes  

On paper at least, this seems very befitting to the 0. Working bikes certainly aren’t the ceiling of our horizons at SDC but we’re firmly of the opinion that decent workhorses are vital members of any enthusiasts’ fleet.

Well maintained but rugged,  you’re not afraid to face the salt monster’s caustic tongue, or leave them shacked to street furniture, yet said swinging a leg over their top tubes and powering off, induces those ear-to-ear grins.

Essentially, the 0 is a single speed ‘cross inspired package featuring their in house “Strongman” 7005 series aluminium frame with mudguard and carrier fixings for four seasons’ practicality.Hi-tensile steel forks add some additional girth and personally, for the sake of a few pennies, I’d prefer to see basic Cro-moly blades. 

“Cross inspired” geometry is a refreshingly honest phrase, which refers to generous clearances, rather than off-road pretentions per se. Taking of which, there's room for 35mm tyres for a compliant, magic carpet ride over pock marked asphalt.

Reducing things to a balance sheet decision, this member of their cross family would easily pay for itself within three months of short-middle distance commuting. Monies saved on train or bus fare could be ploughed back into the household coffers, or other two-wheeled projects...  

Given this backdrop, I didn’t need much persuading to take a closer look at its more refined sibling. Sharing the same non ferrous tubes, this one follows the adventure/gravel bike narrative. 

Tektro Spyre mechanical discs caused quite a stir when they first came out about three years back and for very good reason. In retrospect, I’m wishing I took that route, rather than the otherwise extremely agreeable Avid BB7 presently gracing my own ‘cross inspired fixer’s fork blade.

Twin pistons sound more complex but having played with them (albeit briefly) modulation and feel with lower-mid range levers and compression cables is reassuringly good. Lower profiles are another definite plus, improving heel clearance, while taking the faff from rack fitting. Shimano’s 8x3 Claris groupset also fits the design brief handsomely.

There’s enough range for bombing, cruising and winching, whether lugging a trailer’s worth of kit on a weekend tour, or just doing the weekly shop. Yes, there’s some scope for less challenging rides on the wild side too. 

Shifts are crisp but everything’s cheap enough to replace in the event of a nasty spill. Shunning full-length guards, clearance looks generous enough to accept a narrower (35mm) section spiked tyre for dependable bite through winter’s worst.

Anyhow, I’m really looking forward to swinging my leg over its 55cm top tube and seeing how the whole package behaves over the course of a few hundred, real world miles…Talking of the Ilpompino, nipping the Aheadset bearings quarter of a turn tighter ironed out some trace wibble that set in after 150 miles.

After rummaging in the bodge box for a spare spoke mount (think my malevolent farm cat scattered the old one irretrievably beneath the freezer/drier) I bought a “Blackburn” replacement for the princely sum of £2. Fuchsia Knog Nerd now pride of place and fully functional.

Found some time to review the Tom Tom bandit’s footage. By my reckoning, image quality is level pegging with Go-Pro’s 3; although the microphone is proving surprisingly susceptible to wind blast.

Think I’ll invest in the remote trigger upgrade when circumstance permits…KA decided to chomp through its rear brake shoes last week, with audible protest on the M1. Thankfully, no other component damage done and friendly local garage sorted it for £75 including VAT.  Hmm, hopefully that signals the end of this most recent spate of implosions...

Dollars, Discs & Distractions

 

I was contacted by someone via “Up work” inviting me to write for them this week.  Keeping an open mind, I responded asking for their exact specification-sign of the times perhaps but, these sites tend to foster a race-to-the-bottom mindset where remuneration’s concerned.

A few minutes later, I received a further email offering me $17 Canadian dollars for a 1,000 word feature including photographs! "Up yours" was a tempting retort but rather than dignify this with a response, I decided stripping and cleaning the Ilpompino’s disc setup was a more positive use of my energies.

Avid’s BB7 is a markedly easier system to adjust than their justly popular BB5 but mine had become misaligned, causing the inboard pad adjuster to brush the spokes. I hadn’t taken a spill, or incurred similar trauma but a thorough back to basics exorcism seemed the most remedy.

Removing the front wheel and inspecting the 160mm Shimano rotor confirmed it was perfectly true and snug aboard the hub. Next stage was to disconnect the cable and reseat the calliper. 5mm Allen and 25 torx keys at the ready, I slackened the mounting hardware; then wound the pad adjusters out, before driving then fully home against the disc rotor. Centring the calliper is simply a matter of pushing it against the fork mount and then tightening the mounting screws.

Strictly speaking, I should’ve reconnected the cable at this point but was following my own intuitive flow, centralising the pads and double checking everything by spinning the wheel. Cable reconnected, a very gentle whisper was corrected by a quick turn of the outboard pad. Spinning the wheel and engaging the Cane Creek lever ten times to verify (and/or placate my advancing neurosis); I repatriated tools and drizzled a little more lube on the chain. Unfortunately Writer’s block was still a sitting tenant, so my attentions turned to mowing lawns before they assumed jungle status and while October still permitted.

Down time paid off, since paragraphs and inspiration flowed consistently once I’d settled back at my middle aged desktop. Four days and 100miles hence verified everything’s behaving impeccably and while I’ve a thing for fierce brakes and solid lever action, allowing fractionally more cable slack has rewarded with more progressive stopping, though pulled in anger, there’s sufficient wallop to raise the rear several inches from the ground.

That Bobbin bar wrap continues to impress with its stylish, shock absorbing properties. Tenure bare handed, even in the wet is pretty impressive too; not that I ride without gloves with any regularity.

The G-Eye2 action is another pleasant surprise and a definite improvement on its predecessor. Whether it’s a poor man’s Go Pro, in much the same sense Triumph’s GT6 was to Jaguar’s E-Type remains to be seen, although it does illustrate how far budget tech has come along in recent years.

Recording quality is good and ideal for developing video reportage skills but the Go Pro will shoot professional grade footage, whereas the G-Eye 2 is firmly in enthusiast hobbyist territory. 

Despite daily rides of 20miles plus, sometimes the walls can start metaphorically closing in. Needing some inspirational escape, I headed out in the Micra with my trusty NEX5 and stopped off at Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating.

Alongside various classic Porsche shells and a 1966 GT40 race car, the methyl chloride tank was making short work of this MG BGT’s blue 2pac paint, revealing plenty of filler and the original orange livery beneath.

This scabby but otherwise sound Specialized Rockhopper built from a Ritchey Nitanium steel alloy tubeset was also awaiting blast and pale blue powder coat makeover and certainly held my attention. I’ve always been a big fan of Specialized’s iconic steel Stump jumper and rock hopper series since first clapping eyes on them back in 1986/7. 

The romance of adventure, exploring foreign lands on a lightweight go-anywhere bicycle was an obvious draw. Then of course, the thrill of speeding along deserted singletrack, flicking around tree roots-just me, the machine and my thoughts-often fuelled by magazine contraband and rudely interrupted by a teacher’s confiscation!

Detailing suggests this one’s of 1998 vintage and while the cable run places them right in gloop’s path, I like the clean aesthetic and would be inclined to build it into a pared to the essentials 1x10 drop bar adventure bike with old school, wide arm cantilevers, fast rolling knobblies, 12-30 cassette...

Back to the future and speaking of romance, I’m due at a wedding, so will pack camera equipment into the Ka and head off to Bedfordshire.

Trips

This Kinesis Tripster Ace arrived at my door last week, so I wasted no time in swinging a leg over the top tube and getting ninety miles in.

Our tester is the 60cm, which is a little on the generous side for yours truly-I’ve a 33 inch inseam, stand 1m81 and would be better served by a 57. ACE is an acronym, meaning “Adventure, Commute, and Explore”; though Upgrade bikes tell me at a penny shy of £800; it’s aimed at the cycle to work audience who want a versatile workhorse cum commuter with a little extra sparkle.  

Two hundred miles hence and I’m rapidly concluding this is a very fair reflection.

Features of note include a 6061 chassis with some obvious mountain bike DNA-just look at those curvy stays, industrial looking ends and beautifully executed TIG welds. Carbon forks follow this narrative, although this standard of detail comes as little surprise. Kinesis built their enviable reputation on high quality, competitively priced aftermarket frames/forks and have only recently entered the complete bike market.

Some people sneer at Sora but lower end groupsets are ideal choices for daily drivers- functional, yet cheap to replace when they finally turn sloppy and don’t scream “steal me” in the same way Tiagra or 105 would. New chains and cassettes are plentiful and can be found online for £15, ideal for keeping running costs low on a bike used in all weathers.  

Tektro Clara hydraulic discs are another lovely (moreover, inexpensive) surprise. Modulation, feel and stopping prowess is impressive-not in the same league as a high end hybrid system perhaps but fade is minimal-even when screaming downhill and towing a trailer’s worth of kit.  Light years ahead of mechanical types in every respect. Lower maintenance is a bonus too, no more adjusting pads and hoses seem reassuringly stout although some may be put off by the need to bleed the system every so often.

The overall package is very subtle though very seductive, so choose location carefully and follow the 10% (of bikes replacement value) rule locks-wise when parking in the street.  Anyhow, I’ll put 400miles on it and you can read my full report in an upcoming edition of "Seven Day Cyclist."

Talking of discs, I was rationalising the spares bin when I resurrected these Cane Creek V brake road levers, which also played very nicely with mechanical discs. Arguably my Ilpompino's existing R200 unit works more than adequately but being a perpetual fettler, I'm consumed by the urge to improve on this when a wet and windy Saturday afternoon presents.  Anything designed for Vs is an absolute no-no for cantilevers on account of the amount of cable pull-grab and handful and you’ll pitch yourself straight into A&;E...

Aside from the KA refusing to start, or idle-suggesting its ignition coil pack (a common mk1 

KA vulnerability) was expiring last Sunday night, Stenning photographic was busy in the midlands. 

This week I was commissioned to capture a 65^th birthday bash in Birmingham and am presently working with some models, seeking out suitable locations to shoot their starter port-folios in September. This will dictate choice of equipment- lenses, filters, lighting and backdrops. An exciting and moreover, very welcome new challenge for me-stay tuned.