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.
