Not on creative fronts and I’m
still out getting the miles in with the same vigour, but the lack of daylight
tends to dent my desire to spring out of bed first thing. It’s also an
incredibly expensive time of year, not simply Christmas, rather things seem to
fail unexpectedly during the darker months and can be expenditure many haven’t
budgeted for, leaving us blind sighted and financially embarrassed.
Seasonal expiry included the Grant combi
boiler- a leak was quickly obvious when I noted low pressure and attempted to
open the pressure loop valves to re-pressurise the system. Seems something of
an Achillies heel with the Grant Vortex Outdoor Combi systems.
Still, it was nice to have
heating and hot water reinstated following a couple of chill nights. The first
house I lived in, having moved to London when I was 18 had no heating (and was
generally in a very dilapidated state) and I recall the winter of 1992 being
bitterly cold, although it did almost result in me feeling impervious to that
kind of cold. On many occasions, it was colder inside than out, which was a
fine motivator for getting out of one's pit and out on training rides.
I've switched back to the Shimano
MW702 booties, just to reference comparisons between them and the Algor. The
MW702 are a slimmer, the uppers more malleable and the soles slightly stiffer,,
soi quicker to don and give slightly better feedback and connection with the
bike, making higher cadences easier to maintain.
There have been goodies to boost
the mood. Lomo have sent me their winter mountain bike gloves- at a penny shy
of £15 a lovely wallet friendly staple, dare I say, stocking filler. These are
wind and water resistant, boast textured leather palms for grip, gusseting
between thumb and forefingers, minimising wear when riding on the hoods.
Yes, they’re also intended for
gravel and there’s no reason why they won’t transition to winter training and
commuting. Middleweight design, they seem relatively dexterous and elasticated
cuffs continue this narrative, and ultra practical black is offset by some
reflective detailing. In common with
several other winter models, they’re intended for 5 degrees or so. Liner gloves
are viable should temperatures dip lower, but you’d be better served with a
deep winter model, if you’re regularly out in sub-zero temperatures. However,
for the most part, this kind of glove caters nicely for late autumn, through to
march. Let’s see what the real-world riding reveals. On and off road.
SKS have also sent me this rack
top bag- I’m fond of this genre, they’re not suited for everything- I’d never
put sensitive electricals, such as cameras in them, even with a foam bed, given
the ruinous, low-level vibration that travels up through the rack. That aside,
I’ve found them perfect for day riding with scope for tubes, tools, packable
jackets, such as this Madison Madison Road
Race Jacket | cycling-not-racing, gloves, arm warmers, snacks etc.
These Topeak MTX Trunk Dry Bag Topeak MTX
Trunk Dry Bag | cycling-not-racing and Carradice have been firm favourites.
The latter’s cotton duck requires a little more care and periodic reproofing to
lock the elements out. However, this one’s done thirteen years and save for
some lived-in patina and light wear, going very strong.
These are the pure titanium
models, rather than the lower end, bonded versions described by the press as
chemical titanium and notoriously tricky to repair and refinish, since the glue
will melt when exposed to the kind of heat employed in curing ovens- hence they
need to be finished in 2K, or similar paints that will air cure.
The original Turbo saddle is
another draw for me, but there’s no way I’d consider paying retro prices for
one. I had a couple, including a gel version- fluro that I bought c. 1993 for
the princely sum of £10. Suited my wallet, winter bike’s fluro livery and my
derriere beautifully.
However, this goes back to my
point about the midwinter and the need for seasonal comfort/distraction. I’ve
switched Ursula’s WTB Rocket WTB Rocket Saddle |
cycling-not-racing saddle to the
Ergon All Road Core Comp Ergon
SR All Road Core Comp Saddle Men | cycling-not-racing , which has proven something
of an inspired choice, offering a bit more support than the generally very
likeable WTB.
Atari relaunched its classic,
some would say iconic games console, complete with cartridges a couple of years
back. I was tempted at the time, put money by for one, but ultimately decided
against it, on the basis of it being a five-minute wonder that would ultimately
sit gathering dust in a corner. Distractions are nice, but we must tackle
things at their root, or we’ll never advance.
