Not my genre of music but the
spectacle and company were fantastic. The fanbase seemed a really supportive
and positive collective- this was incredibly palpable at every point, within
the train carriages, the stadium and the immense crowds snaking through the
streets of North London afterwards. Potentially a mugger’s paradise, the sea of
bodies flowed without incident, although we were exhausted after the two-hour
journey back to our Goodge St hotel.
The sustained heatwave hasn’t negatively
impacted my riding pattern, rather I’ve taken more time to explore the lanes
and byways. Being mindful to cover my neck, apply a high factor sunscreen to
exposed skin and carrying two full trade bottles. Soda water is my mid-ride
tipple of choice, although plain tap water comes a close second. I don’t miss
sugary, caffeine-laden drinks, but I’ve always missed the carbonated fizz.
Some years ago, I encountered a recovering
alcoholic who told me he was able to quit gin but not the tonic water.
Two hundred and fifty miles later
and I’m forming the opinion that Juice Lubes Slick Juice is loosely comparable
to Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED
GREASE | cycling-not-racing on the friction front. I’ve also applied some
to Ursula’s Kinekt post, since I was doing some seasonal checks, topping up
internal frame preserves etc, while the weather was particularly conducive.
This is particularly apparent on the Hollowtech II axles and anecdotally, contributing to a higher average speed when measured over a particular circuit. I’ve been defaulting to these Sidi Aertis Sidi Aertis MTB Shoes | cycling-not-racing, which are a sporty cross country mountain bike shoe but one that makes ready transition to gravel, audax and general road duties. Contexts where safe, dependable walking is desirable.
The soles have marginally more
give, compared with the Shimano SHRX600 Shimano
SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing , which is welcome off the bike but doesn’t
impair efficiency when I’ve been tackling extended, or sharp climbs on the
fixed. As gravel and backpacking has evolved, manufacturers have responded by
introducing models with more and less compliant soles to suit different tastes.
Stiffer, dare we say sportier soles
are fabulous for pedalling efficiency, but can induce fatigue on long rides. Models, such as Leatt Pro Clip Endurance Shoes
Leatt Pro
Clip Endurance Shoes | cycling-not-racing are aimed at those wanting “dependable
performance and all-day comfort but without the race focus stiffness”. I’ve
found they meet this mission statement handsomely and also have scope for
touring. The wider profiles are also very accommodating of waterproof socks,
which is significant, especially given the extensive mesh panelling. This also extends
their horizons to winter. Compared with
the Shimano and Sidi discussed; the sole has a little more give, which is
apparent during out of-the-saddle efforts on the fixed and I’ve noted a little
extra cleat clatter off the bike.
Genre blurring is nothing new.
Mountain bike drivetrains became the norm on road going touring bikes and
higher-end hybrids back in the late 80s, especially as triples became
increasingly expected on new builds. I’ve never been shy of mixing and matching
to suit gearing and indeed taste. For example, Denise sports a 2x10 Deore
crankset, Tiagra rear mech and an old Deore LX front mech commanded by bar end
shifters.
I’ve had a Shimano 600 road front
mech commanding a touring triple and it could struggle bringing the chain over
to the big ring. Back in the days of square tapers, I originally paired a
Stronglight 100 Touring triple to Ursula, although even with relatively long
axles, the cranks ran a hairs’ breadth from the chainstays-literally. Hence, I
ultimately opted for an Alivio, when one came along at the right price back in
November 2009.
There’s much less scope for adjustment with a
contemporary external bottom bracket configuration, meaning a gravel specific
crank is likely to present Q factor, chain line and chainstay whacking issues.
Again, these things are nuanced.
Experimentation is one thing; fool's missions are quite another.
If you’d one laying around, or
gifted you, it might be worth exploring. However, it could also turn into a
time sapping saga. For me, I’d reach for a 68mm Deore bottom bracket and
crankset. I initially fitted a Tiagra bottom bracket when Denise was built as
a 1x10, but switched for Deore when that mysteriously got the grumbles and an
XT is the planned successor. Right, I’ve just bolted some pattern cleats to these Leatt Trail
shoes and will head off on Ursula to explore…
