Shot Bolt, Sinking Feelings & Reprieves

 

I go through phases of tweaking saddle height but before any of you have visions of me constantly fettling mid-ride, a ’la Mr Rottler (who was so renowned by his teammates for perpetually adjusting his, they named a spanner after him), mine usually coincides with a change of seat post, saddle etc.  

Getting those precious late summer miles in on the Holdsworth, I was conscious of my saddle being a little low, suspiciously so.  

Having concluded the ride, inspection revealed the Crank Brothers post was indeed creeping very slowly into the frame. I traced this to a fatigued seat bolt- an easy fix. Replace and snug down to the correct tolerances. Seat collars, at least, the modern types are around the 6nm mark (but do check, they can be lower). Sensible, given the popularity of carbon fibre posts.  

However, it would seem more traditional binder bolts and metal posts are 9-12nms. This lower default may also explain the steady downward creep. Either way, I replaced the electroplated Cro-moly binder bolt for another, added a lick of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and snugged that down to 10nms. Tweaked the headset bearings by a fraction of a turn, since opportunity presented. Two little jobs off the list.   

With this and roads carpeted in dung and agricultural mud, I’ve switched to racking up the miles aboard Ursula and those Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres. Farm tracks, unmade roads and bridlepath have been our 5am playgrounds. While primarily designed for dry, hardpack conditions, they’re proving less ponderous than might be expected, suggesting the raised centre strip does offer some tangible benefits on metalled roads. 560g apiece also helps in that respect.  

Schwalbe suggests they’re suitable for touring. In the broad strokes, mixed terrain sense, with the emphasis upon trails, I’d agree but models like Specialized Crossroads Armadillo and indeed, Maxxis Overdrive Excel Maxxis Overdrive Excel Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) are better choices for longer spells on the road and gentler off-piste meandering.  

I wasn’t surprised by the amount of dust clinging to the Smart Sam and Ursula’s frameset given the extended hot, dry spell, although, the falling leaves now serve as a reminder autumn is fast advancing. I’m sticking with waxy-type chain lubes for the moment, since they’re much cleaner and will flake off, taking contaminant with it.  

However, I noticed a very clean chain and faint metal-on-metal tinkling sooner than expected, so strongly suspect I’ll be switching to a middleweight blend next time. Weldtite TF2 Performance All Weather TF2 PERFORMANCE ALL WEATHER LUBRICANT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  is something of a default for me but (and while it may seem an odd choice, given the season, Muc Off-50 Chain lube MUC-OFF -50C CHAIN LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) makes a surprisingly good everyday blend-it's a little lighter than the Weldtite TF2 Performance All Weather, and doesn’t contain PTFE.

  

Talking of unusual choices, I’ve discovered carbon gripper paste has also proved highly effective at securing electric toothbrush heads...For context, I bought some replacement, genuine heads for mine and they’re what might be best described as a “pattern” fit. A sudden flash of inspiration saw me reaching for this Weldtite Gripper Paste and this gut feeling paid off.    

Elsewhere, there’s been plenty of mist, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the Infini Sword Infini Sword Super Bright Light Set | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) have performed in these contexts, the rear as my sole light.

The flashing modes are ultra frugal-Infini reckons 200 hours and I’ve come within a few minutes of this.  Brilliant for marathon night riding and as a dynamo companion. Peripheral prowess is better than a slimline profile would suggest, although when conditions have been in pea-soup territory, I’ve felt that bit safer with the Ravemen TR200.  

As the name suggests it delivers a maximum of 200 lumens and has a sensored 100-lumen “braking” function, which really brings the 40 and 20-lumen steady modes to life along the backroads. Alternatively, in the back of beyond, disengage the “braking” function, select one of two 100 lumen flashing settings and save some juice.  

Upside Down

Having replaced the fixed gear winter/trainer’s headset, upon returning from our shakedown ride, I was despondent to discover a load of slop. A carpenter once said to me (while I was struggling with a student magazine feature) “Come back to it”. Words that have always resonated with me and usually, the most effective use of time, too.

Returning to something at a later point, the problem(s) and solutions are often obvious. Against this backdrop, I’d gone to do the supermarket food and fuel run in the KA.  

Fridge and cupboards stocked, I hopped online and looked for an exploded diagram of the FSA Orbit MX. Lo and behold, as I suspected the inscription on the lower race bearing was “upside down” when “right way up”.  

Hmm...work stand erected, wheel out, stem off. Sliding the forks out confirmed I had indeed, put the lower race bearing the wrong way up. Refitted, with an additional lick of Bearing Juice for luck, I double-checked the upper bearing-correct. 

 

Locking headset spacers make refitting stem etc that bit easier, since among other things, it’ll prevent the fork steerer from slipping out. This time round, I employed a gash 700x32c butyl tube to tether everything, while I fitted a 2mm spacer and a Dia Tech locking spacer beneath the Vecnum FreeQENCE Suspension Stem Vecnum FreeQENCE Suspension Stem | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

 

I’ve acquired two Dia Tech locking spacers, one plain, the other with a cable hanger. I’d found them bankrupt stock. Ursula’s is the only part that remains of its original build. Redundant in some respects, given I’ve gone over to disc, the locking function is to me, a serious boon.      

Back to the fixed...

Preload and stem bolts loosely set, everything felt buttery smooth and free of unwanted play. Wheel reinstated, K-Lite dynamo K-LITE ULTRA LOW DRAG DYNAMO LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) switch cabling retethered to the fork leg with two cable ties...Out from the stand...Front brake on while rocking the bike back and forth revealed some residual play in the bearings. A slight turn of the preload cured that.  

Stem bolts set to 5mm, rocking test repeated, all felt fine, so I quit while ahead and before obsessional neurosis set in. Anything obvious had been eradicated. A quick cleaning of the frameset with Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) before everything was repatriated to the garage.   

I’ve switched Ursula from the Muc Off Dry Lube to Momum MIC Wax Momum MIC Wax Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), which, in common with its dryMomum Mic Dry Oil Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) sibling is quick curing, can be topped up (without needing to strip the residual) and returns a decent mileage per application. This also gave opportunity to tweak the rear mech’s cable tension, since there was some jumping when riding in the small ring and under load. Little n’ often checks and tweaks are what keeps us rolling and more serious issues/breakdowns minimal.  

 

A few formative rides on the fixed suggests the Dia Tech spacer has solved the problem. Much the same story for the Teenage Dream’s reconfigured transmission. My suspicions that a 42 ring was a better fit than a 39 with the 14-24 block and returning to Time ATAC pedals better knee health is panning out nicely.  

I’ll leave the spec alone now, although how many times have, I said that... Hmm, watch this space... The weather has turned decidedly soggy, meaning I’ve switched back to Ursula and the fixed gear winter/trainer but great for testing, too.  

Aside from being relieved, I’d gone the sealed bearing route with the latter’s new headset, it's proven a wonderful opportunity to get some serious miles in with the Muc Off Waterproof Socks. There are plenty of waterproof designs on the market. Most are genuinely competent, but these seem a better fit with sportier cycling shoes. 

  

I’ll close here with my review of the Madison Roam Men’s Cargo Bib Shorts Madison Roam Men's Cargo Bib Shorts | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and Steve’s test of the Chiba BioXCell Air Cycling Mitts Chiba BioXCell Air Cycling Mitts | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)