Showing posts with label old London pubs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old London pubs. Show all posts

Thursday 27 February 2014

Time Travelling







Having headed to London’s High Holborn this week for a meeting with fellow collaborators, I arrived to find our rendezvous closed and my bladder on the brink of explosion. With no public conveniences in sight, lateral thought had me scanning for back alleys and similar points of discrete, dignified urination. An abundance of CCTV persuaded me otherwise and to seek the guidance of a policeman on horseback, who it transpired was Dutch and unfamiliar with this particular locale’…

Taking a few shots of parked fixers in attempt to distract myself from this most pressing matter, an oasis appeared in the guise of a green site toilet stationed but two metres from a derelict office block. Keeping a watchful eye for site foremen and others who might thwart said mission, I hopped the barrier and tried its door. Words cannot do justice to the euphoric relief that followed and I returned to find the Princess Louise open and my colleagues there to welcome me.

Unlike many older London pubs, this one is an immaculately preserved homage to the late 1960s, right down to the toilets’ glazed tiles, stained glass doors and sparkling porcelain facilities. Two hours hence, business concluded and action plans established, we arranged to reconvene with progress updates in two weeks before heading in our respective directions. Temptation was to make the very most of my travel card and document derelict/abandoned buildings but I’d only my compact camera to hand and forging ahead with our venture was time better spent.

Continuing the urban theme, Foffa’s minimalist hub geared build has been inducing plenty of cheer. Seven evenly spaced ratios (245% efficiency) easily trump old fashioned ten speed derailleur set-ups delivering sufficient clout in moderate conditions whether hammering full pelt into rural descents or navigating stop-start town centre traffic with a trailer en-tow. Admittedly, its loftier Alfine cousin boasts 307% efficiency and roller clutches, thus my choice for longer excursions and more challenging terrain.


That said; less glamorous components remain better bets for daily drivers that can spend several hours shackled to street furniture. Talking of which, thus far, the wet spray enamel is holding up very nicely, though were it my machine, I’d be inclined toward mummifying its top tube under offcuts of old butyl to prevent accidental damage. Going to see what the next three weeks, three hundred miles service reveal before forming any absolute conclusions though.
     

Elsewhere, those Keo pattern Wellgo R096B remain likeable contact points. On the one hand this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the Taiwanese giant makes pedals for a wealth of other marques but build quality seems a notch or so higher than some famous names’ entry level offerings.

Despite prolific dis/engagement in slow moving rush hour traffic, the R096’s painted aluminium bodies remain unblemished, save for some trace swirling. Contrary to popular misconception, when properly applied, powder coating doesn’t flake or peel but aluminium alloy can be chemically stripped and left bare to coincide with annual servicing unlike magnesium exotica, which much prefers paint. 

B in this instance denotes sealed needle roller, as distinct from ball bearings. Lore suggests these can be left to their own devices, though ours benefitted from being striped and repacked with White lightning’s “Crystal” grease. Some infer bearing life is rather shorter than several premium brands-not my experience having run various models on and sans asphalt for a decade or so but then powerfully built 90 kilo riders and/or those unable to resist jet washing should bear this in mind.

Cleat life seems on par with other Keo patterns and red (9.5 degree float) come supplied, although seasoned types with stronger joints may want to skip straight to grey. Either way, consumables are cheap, plentiful and easily acquired. Composite bodied Look models can be found floating around in cyberspace at ludicrously tempting price. I’ve used them to good effect in these contexts but nasty tumbles can spell their end.