Last week began with, what I
suspected, was a dental abscess. This was confirmed by my dentist, He also
confirmed my other hunch.
That the only means of saving, what remained of the
crowned tooth, was root canal surgery. Elsewhere, with the nights drawing in,
it was time for a quick pre-winter check of the fleet.
Testing of the Vee Tire Co
Zilent MK2 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/vee-tire-co-zilent-mark-2-tyres
, I reinstated the Soma Shikoro https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/s
and pulled my working fixed’s brake
cable through. Pad wear was making itself known. Though there looks to be a few
month’s life in them, replacements were ordered. TRP Spyre are by far, the best
cable operated disc brake I’ve used to date.
Hydraulic systems are
delightful and most modern types automatically adjust to compensate for pad
wear. An obvious choice for ‘cross racing and endurance events. Despite their considerable charms (not to
mention, refinement) I love the simplicity of a cable-operated model. Ooooh,
then again…TRP Hylex looks perfect for my antics and the bike’s design brief…
Reminds self of dental bills, expiring
car components, camera bodies. Lectures self on the difference between want and
need. Been an expensive month, with one thing and another.
Despite disc braking’s
understandable dominance, there’s a lot to be said in favour of the humble
cantilever, especially in a ‘cross context. The Genetic CX https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/genetic-cx-cantilever-brakes
, have proved particularly cheerful. However, wide arm designs and smaller
semi/compact geometry framesets can be a tricky combination. True, smaller
riders tend to have proportionally sized feet, so heel clearance is less
crucial. That said; they can also foul
four-point racks and panniers.
Staying with these themes, I
was also surprised to discover, during my pre-winter inspection, that its
bottle cage had mysteriously fractured. Closer scrutiny suggested the composite
monocoque had succumbed to a strange fatigue, I was literally able to bend the
winged sections backwards.
This kind of fatigue is
something I’d associate with several years’ exposure to harsh UV light. A
complete mystery. Aside from very warm summer rides; said bike is always stored
in a cool, dry space within the house.
Net effect, I have substituted
it for this VEL SE (Side Entry) model https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/vel-se
. These are also designed to optimise space within smaller main triangles, thus
permitting two full sized bottles. Its Tacx radar counterpart, on the down tube
is also technically a side entry model. In the sense bottles can be inserted
and released at an angle. However, its much closer to a conventional cage. A
solid and reliable option, it lacks the space saving efficiency, of the Vel, or
indeed Lezyne Flow.
Cleats are another component all
too easily overlooked. After a good year’s faithful service, my genuine Shimano
were showing their age. Release was becoming a little too easy. These ISSI
popped out at me, while I was rummaging in the kitchen drawer for some AAA
batteries. In the zone, following Sunday’s post blast check, one set released effortlessly.
False sense of security
flowing through my every fibre, I tackled the other shoe. Once again; the first
relented, given a firm twist of the 4mm tool bit. However, the second fastener
was clearly made from cheese.
Impacted detritus clearly
didn’t help but it was so soft, deforming with unsettling ease. A blast of
penetrant spray and a bigger Torx bit, provided enough bite, and clean
extraction. Nonetheless, my cordless drill was placed on charge…
While there is no
doubting the quality of Shimano, I have always found patterns reliable and
generally long-lived. By the same token, were I doing a big tour, especially
beyond these shores, I’d stick with big S, simply on grounds of spares
availability
