Autumnal Promise

 

Not had the cool, bright ambience I’m particularly fond of, rather the rush and rumble of sugar beet being funnelled into trucks and lanes carpeted in a mixture of leaves and acorns, bringing a new dimension to riding. Acorns can prove surprisingly good at testing a tyres traction, especially when the rains strike. No issues with the Maxxis Ravager Maxxis Ravager TR Tyres | cycling-not-racing, Rambler Maxxis Rambler Tubeless Ready Tyres | cycling-not-racing, Vittoria and Continental Pure Contact-plenty of feedback and compliant casings certainly help. The Weldtite All Weather is doing its thing impeccably too. It’s a lower viscosity formula, so a little trickier than some to get a really controlled, sparing coating on the chain. Doing so rewards with much less grit, grot and ultimately need for weekly wipes of the side plates.  Fitting the Zefal Crank Armor presented an ideal opportunity to check chain health-just shy of .5, so a reasonable amount of life remaining. .7 is pension point for 10speed chains, although sometimes, say following a more involved strip, or deep clean and there’s a replacement to hand, I may switch at .6.

There’s no such thing as the wrong weather, rather the wrong clothing- a phrase credited to Alfred Wainright, back in 1973 but it certainly resonates with me, both throughout my riding “career”. Basically, the notion we can enjoy any kind of weather, with the right kit. Admittedly, while I accept punctures and other mid ride mechanicals are “part of the ride”, not to mention product testing but they’re not my favourite experience when it’s raining dogs in the wee small hours. While DWR coatings found on jerseys are great for an unexpected showers and will typically buys 30 minutes to either reach home or don a technical jacket.

The Castelli Do Di Ci to my surprise, forgoes the DWR component in favour of rapid wicking (which it seems to do very effectively) although surprisingly enough, I’ve remained dry in the showery contexts described above. On longer, or potentially changeable outings, I default to Madison Road Race Super Light Men’s Waterproof Softshell Jacket Madison Road Race Jacket | cycling-not-racing since its packable and offers a decent level of protection. Unlike, the classic “condom” jacket, which are great if you want to sweat some weight off, the Madison breathes very effectively and packs nicely into a bigger wedge pack, assuming if like me, you prefer it didn’t consume a jersey pocket.    

Continuing the right kit narrative, packable garments have their place and can be a serious godsend. However, more persistently wet, wintry weather calls for a more traditional technical jacket. A sudden onset of “stormy” weather saw me reaching for this Showers Pass Elements Jacket SHOWERS PASS MEN'S ELEMENTS JACKET | cycling-not-racing which boasts excellent 15000mm waterproofing and breathability, not to mention some very clever retro-reflective technology. The only thing I’ve really missed is a breast pocket for easy access to my compact camera. It also proved an ideal opportunity to don the Sidi Algor, which have held up very well against deep standing water and similarly wet and occasionally gritty stuff. I’ve gone for waterproof socks in the first instance but will also get soe miles in wearing traditional merino blend socks to see how the boot’s water repelling properties hold off the elements.    

 

I was delighted to receive this Altura Night Vision Storm Jacket. The Night vision could arguably be described as something of an iconic model for commuting and general riding. I’ve used previous versions long term and found them very practical and surprisingly durable. Waterproofing and Breathability are 10,000mm apiece, which is my yardstick, for this kind of garment-one that will wick fairly effectively when turning a decent tempo.

That said, I prefer those with a breathability rating closer to 15,000mm for longer, more intensive riding. Weight is another consideration, this Altura tips the scales at just under 500g, which again is typical of this genre of garment but a higher end model, such as this Gore are around the 300g mark, which is quite considerable. Similarly, while models such as the Altura are packable, we’re talking 126-20 litre pannier, or Bike Packing Seat pack such as this PASSPORT CYCLES BIKEPACKING SEAT PACK | cycling-not-racing  or the Lomo 13 Litre Bikepacking Seat Pack  Lomo 13 Litre Bikepacking Seat Pack | cycling-not-racing not rack bag, let alone jersey pocket.

Fine on a tour, but not necessarily ideal on a training run, or day ride. Oh, and if you’ve gone this route (or at the other extreme, returned from a hell and high-water mission) hang the jacket out to dry properly.  Polyester blends are pretty easy to wash too-pop in the machine at 30 degrees, minimal detergent, line dry (or indoors) naturally away from sources of heat.   

 

Baggage, Racks & Resurrections

 

Yes, I’ve plenty of the former apparently. Comes with age and experience but that’s not what I’m on about here, so don’t turn away just yet... Storms and general biblical rains have seen me switch Ursula back to the Carradice Carradry SQR Bag CARRADICE CARRADRY SQR BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) while the arrival of this Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX Disc rack saw the Carradice Super C Rack Bag resurrected from several years’ hibernation. I nearly sold it during the pandemic and so glad I didn’t.   

For the uninitiated, the Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX rack is made from hollow tubular 6061 T6 aluminium alloy, finished in a very fetching black powder coat. Ursula sported a Super Tourist DX for a few years-I was very endeared to it and some of the brands’ integrated MTX luggage. Integrated systems are a double-edged sword and on balance, I err towards luggage with a more universal, transferable fit. 

Talking of which, Uni stands for universal fitting, not just for bikes with disc mounts. According to Topeak, it’s built to entertain mtbs with 24–29-inch wheels and 700c builds. Oodles of clearance for big tyres- a boon if you’re switching between bikes of different genre.  

The beefy 10mm tubing also makes a reliable host to rear lights (assuming you’re not using two panniers) when the aero post insert is employed. This version now adorns the fixed gear winter/trainer’s braze-ons, for several reasons. Not least since I’ve been wanting to keep the Exotic carbon seat post, ruling out the SQR luggage I’m so fond of. 

There’s not much difference weight wise, the Carradry weighs 1390g, whereas the Topeak and Super C 1590g. At 915g for the Topeak is heavier than some tubular steel favourites and some aluminium alloy designs boasting similar, 26 kilo payloads. However, lateral stiffness is excellent. I’d much sooner a few extra grams and a laden bike that tracked and handled in good proportion, than one that felt like a runaway blancmange.

  

6061 racks should not be overloaded, or bikes lain down on their luggage. The former might sound obvious, but the latter also places increased stress on them. Wrapping electrical, or duct tape around the sections where luggage touches is another sensible precaution. I’ve only had two breakages in 38 years, and I’m pleased to report I was able to lash them up and ride home on both occasions. A well-known US brand replaced theirs under warranty-no quibble, no fuss.       

Though not a unique frameset by any means, my fixed gear winter has some quirks- most notably the mono stay rear triangle. I wondered if the Topeak’s disc-specific design would impede access to the track nuts-say when adjusting chain tension, or wheel removal.  

Not when using an open-ended 15mm but the cheap and usually cheerful box type are non-starters. I also needed to drop the rear, curvaceous Mud Hugger Gravel Hugger Mudguards MUD HUGGER GRAVEL HUGGER MUDGURADS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) by a few millimetres, allowing me to bolt the rack and arms in situ. 

 

Topeak have gone for 5mm, rather than 4mm Allen heads but stayed with 8mm bolts- remember a standalone ring spanner, or a multi-tool, such as their Alien in case you need to nip things snug by the roadside. As would be expected, the nuts fasteners employ a thin, rubbery insert, minimising the likelihood of them vibrating loose and being ejected into a verge.  

Anyhow, I’m loving the increased carrying capacity- means I can bring changes of gloves, spare glasses, lightweight shell jackets/gilets and shoe covers for changeable conditions. I also like to postcards and similar stuff mid-ride.  

A time management thing-they’re already en route and off my list, before the business day has begun.  I’ve also resurrected this Showers Pass Men’s Elements Jacket. SHOWERS PASS MEN'S ELEMENTS JACKET | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) which is aimed at mountain bike audiences, but in my view, well suited to general riding.  

A little heavier than the Oxford Venture (399g compared with 249g) the Elements is a 2.5-layer hard shell laminate model boasts waterproof and breathability ratings of 15,000 apiece and has plenty of internal pockets. Mine is the Titanium version, which is a neutral grey by day but comes alive under street and vehicle headlights. There’s also a “Night Ride” which I’d describe as a similarly fetching green/grey.   

Talking of which editors have been kind and I’ve just received some Altura All Roads Waterproof Gloves. Essentially these are closer to a waterproof sock, than a traditional cycling glove, which along with their subtle colours extends horizons to other, more generic outdoor activities.   

There's a tactile outer made from a Polyester/Polyamide mix (49 and 44% respectively) coupled with 4% Elastodiene 2% Elastane and 1% metal fibre. Internally 75% acrylic, 18% Polyester, 3% Polyamide, 2% Elastodiene, and yes, 1% metal fibre. Palms have the all-important silicone grippers and tech-friendly digits, while retro-reflective finger and thumb tips stop things being too stealthy. Waterproofing is an impressive 22,000mm, breathability 4,500 g/m2/24hrs.   

Reminiscent of the Q365 Anfibio Winter Rain Cycling Gloves I reviewed last year, and there’s little separating them price-wise. Formative impressions are favourable, but it’ll be interesting to see how they really compare several hundred miles down the line. Steve's been really impressed by these Chiba Bioxcell Winter Warm Line Gloves Chiba Bioxcell Winter Warm-Line Gloves | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

Talking of which, here’s my review of the Schwalbe Smart Sam Performance Line Folding Tyre Schwalbe Smart Sam Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

I’d planned to resurrect the Weldite Extreme Wet Lube but couldn’t find it, so have opted for the SKS Lube Your Chain TESTED: SKS LUBE YOUR CHAIN (sevendaycyclist.com) instead- super durable in some very challenging conditions.