Concentrates & Curmudgeonly Cats

This bottle of Crankalicious Pineapple express concentrate arrived while I was on a photoshoot with Marie https://www.facebook.com/mariemeggidoartist/. Bike washes are one of those products that polarise opinion and I personally prefer concentrate versions. Why? Well; they allow me to brew custom strengths and work out considerably cheaper, too.

Gentle for bike washing duties, neat for stripping lubes and greases with minimal effort. Again, there are several approaches to this. Chain baths are nice, in that they keep mess minimal and allow solvents/cleaners to be reclaimed, if appropriate.

My approach, is closer to that of old school team mechanics. I pour about 100ml of solution, into an old, cut down trade bottle and apply this directly to the chain, rings, cassette etc via “pound shop” paint brushes.

Drivetrain stripping tends to be the precursor to bike washing, removing the grotty stuff-so there’s no issues with cross contamination later. In the zone, a good, basic clean shouldn’t take more than 20minutes.

Maintenance should not be regarded a chore, rather part of riding. Some describe it as bonding, others in more rational terms. A means of inspecting everything, minimising the likelihood of problems occurring during a ride, let alone, racing.

Little and often saves a lot of time in the long run. If you’re someone who leaves servicing to your friendly local bike shop, they will appreciate working on a clean bike. This makes their job easier, which saves you time and ultimately money, in the longer term.

There’s been plenty of scope for testing washes these past few weeks. For these reasons, I’ve been extending maintenance periods to see how they tackle impacted grime, whether organic, or petrochemical.  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/sks-wash-your-bike

Similarly, when testing tyres (which we regularly do at SDC www.Sevendaycyclist.com and other titles, I freelance for). During these phases, I deliberately resist the urge to brush casings of glass, grit and similar objects to test puncture resistance.

Road tyres, at least those for general riding have become portlier.

Time was when we’d commute, or winter train on 700x25/28c. Now, thanks in part to the evolution of ‘cross and gravel type builds with generous clearances, 32mm upwards is increasingly the norm. I used to tour on 32mm and these days, prefer something around the 35mm mark for general riding.

All things being equal, they’re reasonably swift, ride quality is more compliant, taking the sting from washboard surfaces. Ultimately, less rider fatigue, especially at the end of a long ride.

Working bikes, however they earn their keep, need to be dependable. Unable to finish a race/big ride; or turning up late to work because of a mechanical is deeply undesirable.

Hence, reliability trumps weight saving in these instances. Season specific equipment, such as light aside, I enjoy night testing. I find the darkness useful, adding another perspective when evaluating performance.

Decent technical clothing enables me to forget about the weather and enjoy the ride, is that tyre superior/inferior to a competitor. Is this so, or is perhaps, visual prejudice skewing my perception?

Plunge yourself into darkness and see… https://www.facebook.com/Sevendaycyclistmagazine/videos/1868668746497381/  Ever noticed how climbs become less taxing in the dark?  Night will open a completely different riding experience, go-on, embrace it.

My slightly tyrannical, though much loved feline, can also object profoundly to some equipment…

He’s very taken with my waxed cotton messenger bags, commandeering them as his bed. However, he can launch savage assaults on test tyres and I’ve often discovered a phantom flat.

Often there’s a very rational explanation- I’d pinched a tube/rim tape moved when mounting, or indeed, a sharp lodged in the casing, following a very wet ride.

However, our furry friends can be very sensitive to very subtle changes and different odours. The latter may explain his recent hostilities towards these very likeable Panaracer T Serv PT, yet not the Vee Tire Co Zilent 700x42c.

Talking of punctures, the Soma Shikoro have finally succumbed to a sharp, which I only discovered while washing the bike down. This presented the ideal opportunity to swap over to the Vee Tire Co Baldy. Another 32mm section, and an interesting comparator for the Panaracer.

Another plus, it compelled me to root through the spare tube mountain, identifying those which can re-join the wedge pack and those for recycling. 

 

Lucky Dip

Spring-like conditions continue the narrative of cool starts giving way temperatures in the mid-teens, bright sunshine and birdsong. 3/4lengths have been substituted for shorts, micro jackets for gilets and gloves for mitts.  

We’re waiting on some spring/summer clothing at Seven Day Cyclist but like most riders, let alone kit test junkie journos, we’ve usually built up a decent stockpile of goodies to draw upon.

I’ve resurrected these Ozzo, which are the classic knitted back and synthetic, faux leather palm. These have been serving on a shit-rota for the best part of a decade and rather like a well-loved teddy bear, the thin pile foam is starting to peek through the lining in places.

The embodiment of cheap but cheerful, they’ve proven more comfortable, even over longer mixed terrain rides than many, more sophisticated models. Gel pads designed to defend the vulnerable ulnar nerve region are not an exact science and can, in my experience, sometimes induce precisely the numbness, tingling and discomfort they were intended to alleviate.

Elsewhere, after two years’ riding shotgun on my MKII Ilpompino’s downtube, exposed to the harshest, wettest conditions, my Specialized mini pump breathed its last. Another quick rifle through the spares drawer unearthed several credible replacements.

Salvaging the Specialized’s ultra-dependable snap-shut bracket, I instated this The Lezyne Micro floor drive HVG mini floor hand pump with gauge (affectionately referred to by yours truly as the “detonator”) and compatible composite caddy.

It’s best thought of as a track pump that has been put through a matter-shrinking device. There’s a high pressure sibling that I’ve also used to good effect but this one will still deliver real world realistic pressures into medium section touring and narrower, street inspired mtb rubber.  

The Beast of Bodmin; my elderly farm cat clearly approves of this revision and the Vee Tire Rolldiac too, which have proven very competent all-rounders. These are 30mm, which seem optimal for this genre of machine but there are more traditional 23 and 25mm options. Personally, talking 25mm sections, I’d go for their rain runner, which for me at least, has the edge when it comes to speed, puncture resistance and outright grip in the wettest weather.  

Back to the pump; screw on valve connectors are another welcome touch, preventing the heart-sinking hiss as willowy valve stems are sheared clean off under vigorous effort. At 216, there’s a weight penalty over more minimalist designs and if that’s your criteria, a mini/micro pump and CO2/inflator are better choices, assuming you puncture infrequently.

Though adequate, the resin bracket could be more substantial, hence I’ve reinforced it with a stretchy Velcro backed offcut that was also doing something close to nothing. Judging by a formative thrash along local roads, this has cured any incremental creep, leading to the base chattering against the frame tubes like a demonic wood-pecker.

Remember to whip it off when parking in the street too, since the mirror polished anodized finish is extremely seductive. On a cold, wet night in the back of beyond, fresh tube and fully loaded CO2 inflator are my first resorts but a decent pump should always be on hand to save the day.

Continuing this salvage theme, having concluded the titanium post surgery a success; I happened upon this Crank Brothers Cobalt 3 rolling about in the same drawer-sans cradle. A quick email to extra bikes, their UK importer https://www.extrauk.co.uk/product/cats/crankbrothers/all/  was met with a very helpful response and ultimately, a new clamp.  The Cobalt 3 is a lightweight model, designed to some extent as a lightweight alternative to composites; hence the wall thickness is wafer thin around the minimum insert mark.

Yes, I was a little alarmed at just how thin but it becomes gradually wider then onward, so all things being equal, most riders shouldn’t have too many worries. Hell, I’m so confident, yes, you ca see where this is headed…I’m going to look into getting it reduced by .2mm, from 27.2 to 7.0 and have it serve the teenage dream.     

Talking of tooling, we’ve reached our conclusions re Blackburn’s switch and wayside models, which are very different but equally competent models. One for those who like to travel light while adding some bespoke bits n’ bobs to the mix, the other a one does most pocket workshop.      https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-switch-multi-tool                   https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-wayside-multi-tool