Meandering

With deadlines under control, I took a few days' break to follow other avenues, both written and photographic, to stimulate and inspire. Riding is obviously, a way of life, so I’ve been testing products, just varying routes and distances more readily since time permits. I was horrified to learn of an acquaintances’ accident.

I say accident but as a definition, we’re talking about an event, or incident that couldn’t reasonably be expected. This could be more accurately described as driver negligence. He was struck by a young woman, driving a Renault Clio, who clearly wasn’t looking for him and his beloved Dawes Galaxy.  

According to police, Geoff was lucky to be alive, and I am relieved to hear he is recovering well. However, while this is the crucial element, his beloved Dawes Galaxy’s frameset was beyond economic repair. Damage to the head tube and other misalignment that could result in complete failure and ultimately prove fatal.  

On the one hand, bent metal can always be repaired, or in this instance, replaced. However, it serves to illustrate the fierce bond that we form with our machines. He’s using this recovery time to consider his options but is drawn to the Ridgeback range of tourers. I’m similarly drawn to their range of innovative and less traditional mile munchers.

His insurance will bill hers and hopefully, he’ll have a new machine and renewed mojo very shortly. Geoff’s account was terrifying and frankly, left me feeling cold. As for the driver, well she’s compelled to participate in a driving awareness course.  

Giving my four-Paneth and allowing for those knee-jerk, emotive flashes, education/correction must be the more positive outcome. Hopefully, this will be resolved in Geoff’s favour very soon.  

Yet another illustration of how life can change in an instant, so I’ve never understood why people behave so badly. Drama for me, belongs in stories and films. I have a pronounced aversion to those people who create and moreover, thrive on drama, or indeed otherwise negatively affect my energies, or sense of well-being.  

I have switched the fixed gear winter trainer’s Shutter Precision SL9 HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) and Ursula’s Shimano Alfine hub dynamo Shimano Alfine UR700 Hub Dynamo | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) rotors for these Swiss Stop. Weighing 138g apiece, I’m keen to see how well they’ll last, compared with the Shimano, Avid and TRP models I’ve used long-term in the past, not to mention their supposedly superior stopping prowess.  

I needed to snug the System Ex Security Skewer SYSTEM EX SECURITY SKEWERS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) tighter and tweak the TRP SPYRE SLC caliper very slightly. I was experiencing some minor but extremely annoying rotor rub when climbing out of the saddle. That's the purpose of shakedown rides, afterall. No such issue with Ursula, which I think is attributable to the steel fork blades/ends, although, as with the fixed gear winter trainer, I still needed to slacken and realign the caliper.  

I’ve also switched to the Motoverde PTFE chain lube, since the Z1 was looking a little thirsty after several hundred miles on a single helping of The Bike Medicine Purple Extreme | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) . This induced a wheel switch and presented opportunity to snug the Halo Fix-G hub’s lock-ring down again. This seems necessary, evert every 300 miles or so, at present.   

The Shutter Precision PD8 hub and Halo White Line hoop HALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) have been passed to Mick Madgett for lacing and building, since time allowed. We’ve been sent a few books recently, which is nice. I’ve always been a big fan of Sam Tracey’s book “Bicycle! A Repair & Maintenance Manifesto”. PM Press sent us the second edition and Steve was similarly endeared BICYCLE! | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Misty for Me

Continued teething troubles with the Trelock LS906 bike –I pro suggest the OEM wiring isn’t helping. Sure, it will reach the hub and lamp but that supplied is designed for hub to fork crown drilling.

Dropping by some Coventry bike shops drew a blank, so I’ve acquired a decent length of Bush & Muller, which I’m hoping will sort it once and for all. Either way, this proved the ideal opportunity to see how the SP hub performs with my Exposure revo mk1, since I already had a revo wiring kit waiting in the wings.

The Revo is beautifully made, delivers a really pure, useable arc of light from 5mph and a maximum output of 800lumens. Hands-down the best dynamo lamp I’ve used to date. Good enough for moderate trail action too, although think rough stuff touring, not race-pace cross country mtb antics. If that’s your bag, something like the Sigma Buster 2000 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/sigma-buster-2000-light  might be a better bet.

Some have criticised Shutter Precision hubs on the basis that servicing and bearing replacement are factory only affairs. However, Ison Distribution, their UK importer can take care of this. Lloyd Townsend also reminded me that factory returns are pretty standard for any modern “Ship in a bottle” dynohub system.

The SP family come with a two-year warrantee, which would cover such eventualities. Nonetheless, the hub shell is joined together in the centre. Accessing the internals demands specialist tooling.

Aside from the clocks going back and another birthday, autumn has gained on us somewhat. Temperatures have tumbled top their seasonal average and the lanes carpeted in a greasy top layer. No such thing as the wrong weather, so long as you’ve got the right kit. Bib tights, gloves, jerseys, jackets and overshoes solve comfort conundrums.

Decent tyres, such as the 35mm Scwalbe Marathon GT provide excellent cornering prowess, puncture protection and grip but iced bovine and equine dung can still induce the odd, unpleasant loss of traction. Something I was reminded of while hustling along at 23mph on Monday morning.

A minor shimmy followed and I turned back to see and indeed document! I’ve also had a very rude reminder regards pad replacement. 30mph along a local 1in7, I applied the fixed’s front stopper.

Lovely smooth action, those Jagwire pro road are really impressive but we’re not scrubbing off any speed… “F**king Aiiiiiiidaaaaaaaa!” Having made it round the final bend in one piece and begun the ascent, I made a mental note to strip, inspect and ultimately, replace the Spyre calliper’s pads. Swap complete and 10minutes enthused testing hence, I can confirm that grabbing a handful has the potential for lifting the rear wheel.  

Whisper it but I’ve also been donning a bit of day glow. The green BBB flexribbon is also surprisingly extrovert in overcast conditions, yet without screaming “winter-bike”. As might be expected, especially given the seemingly perpetual fettling, the dimpled texture is starting to cultivate a slightly grimy patina. Will be interesting to see how well it responds to washing and what the sudsy stuff/elbow grease ratio will be.  

Some riders have an almost pathological dislike of fluorescent kit and at the other extreme, others, including the UK government, are advocating compulsion.

Day-glow and day flash light settings have their merits, within reason. However, a lot of motorcycles and cars, are hard-wired to run side-lights. For a time, this made motorcyclists in particular, more conspicuous. However, as these become ubiquitous, other traffic becomes accustomed and the same myopia returns.

I was hit from behind while sat at the lights, on a borrowed Kawasaki GT750…

The shaft driven tourer was deep red, as were the lights. Dressed like an extra from Mad Max, this and a white helmet did not stop a woman plough her vehicle into me. Thrust into the flow of traffic, I groped desperately for the kill-switch. By now fuel was oozing from a ruptured tank and my leg was trapped beneath…Apparently, the woman, in her 20s claimed she did not see me…

My hunch that parliament is coming under pressure from technology companies who are developing automated “driverless” vehicles. I suspect their sensors are only able to register riders wearing hi-viz…

Farfetched? Well no, not really. Many courier/logistics companies will only hire self-employed drivers, this relieves them of a wider duty of care/responsibility for driver conduct.

This leads me to this week’s title, “Play misty for me”. Aside from the misty, murky mornings, I am being pursued by someone who has developed an extremely unwelcome and slightly unsettling infatuation, which is anything but reciprocal.

I have taken various approaches, subtle and direct, yet ultimately compassionate. I have even insisted she see this as an opportunity to develop herself and address some underlying issues, which have underpinned a set of behaviours for many years.

Other people cannot fix us, the desire to change, possibly heal has to come from within. If contact, electronic, or postal persists, I will resort to a more formal method of restraint. Now on a lighter note, I’ll leave you with some curious frames and some appalling arc.