Lubes & Links

 I’ve noticed an interesting dual persona to the Blub Ceramic Lube now that temperatures have crept a little higher and roads a little drier. 4 degrees or so and it requires eight hours or so to cure and assumes a state closer to a lighter middleweight wet lube. Muckier to touch but has stayed put for 280 generally wet, gooey miles before topping up was needed. Interestingly, Blub says it will also need topping up on bikes left standing (i.e. not ridden) longer than 48 hours. It took a week before this became plain during March, and with the temperatures wavering between 3 and 16 degrees.  

Same story with the fixed gear winter/trainer. 10-25 degrees is apparently where the lube’s qualities are best. Having replenished Ursula’s thirsty links, I only needed to wait five minutes before it turned from creamy to glazed. Much cleaner too.  Not necessarily ideal for weekend/ sunny days’ bikes but not necessarily a bad choice either-so long as you don’t mind reapplying a light coat each week. Talking of lubes, I’ve played with the Silca Secret Formula Chain Lube long enoughto form firm conclusion Silca Super Secret Chain Coating | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Steve's also been impressed by the Blub Chain Lube BLUB Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)Though unplanned, the Continental Cross King has proven a positive move. In common with the Maxxis, it’s relatively quick on tarmac and hardpack surfaces and sufficiently nimble along gravel roads, green lanes, and forest trails. I’m pondering going the Continental route up front too-again, with the puncture-repelling belt.       

As for the camera mount, well, that’s going to need some revision. The preset positioning is obscuring the Giant computer and I’ve also noted the camera platform, coupled with the use of resins isn’t adequately supporting the camera’s weight, resulting in shake and therefore blurred footage. I’m pondering whether I can revise this mount, or maybe salvage the Minoura. Perhaps a “permanent” bar bag, rear mudguard upgrade...Aside from consumables and testing, I’m not looking to change Ursula’s spec. The old girl is staying in Monster Cross guise.  

The recent blowout allowing, all the tubes have been easily patchable and have returned to the Axiom Ocean City Wave City+Seat Bag AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), a packet fresh WTB tube has also been parked in the bottle cage caddy. It’s been a bit of a journey, these past 25 years in life and indeed, component changes reflect this. Ursula: The Never-Ending Story | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Tag along tug, four seasons hell n’ high water, Ursula has been a friend, a confident and a reliable companion through some extremely turbulent times. While the days are quite chill suggesting winter hasn’t relinquished its grip just yet, there’s a brighter, sometimes drier narrative. It’s light by 630, enticing me to head out earlier and enjoy the peace.  

I’ve reached the conclusion that the most important components on a working bike are well sealed, hubs, headsets, bottom brackets, and sturdy paint.  

Opinions vary when it comes to colours. Skid mark brown certainly has a wealth of benefits, especially on the theft -repelling front. However, I’m drawn to more neutral livery- dove grey, cream, blues etc. I’ve occasionally toyed with the idea of a bold, vibrant purple next time round but “light” (Ral 7035) grey with a tough clear lacquer coat seems the most likely candidate, come the time the timeless cream starts looking, er, tired… (tyre photo Michael’s garage).     

Not to be left out, the fixed now features this rather lovely Ritchey WCS Carbrillo Saddle. Aimed at road and gravel audiences and measuring 260x146mm, it’s slightly shorter and broader than my “bike-fit” ideal but this wider, flatter shape has some other interesting features.  First up, there’s the patented “Vector Wing” technology, which I’m told features across all Ritchey saddles.  

This means the rails (stainless steel, in this instance) are isolated to help prevent hot spots by dissipating pressure more evenly, away from the sit bones for “all day” comfort. The cover is also noteworthy since it's seamless and attaches to the base without glue, staples, or stitches.  As for the padding, it's a light polyurethane foam.  As the name and 227g might suggest, there’s also some carbon involved. It features in the shell, which is a nylon/carbon fibre mix.  

Shorter nose saddles are designed for riders who want to assume a lower more aggressive stance, although at 260mm, the WSC is much closer to a traditional road saddle (and none the worse for it). Stubbier designs have been compatible with me in the short terms but in practice, I favour something slightly longer.  These things aren’t an exact science and as I’m always saying, contact points are the most personal, some might say, divisive points. 

Plan is to do three hundred miles on the fixed and then switch to Ursula, to test not only its comfort and performance on and off road, but to see if a more upright positioning, placing greater weight on the saddle has any impact. Then of course, there’s the flat profile. Does this have any impact when re/mounting along more technical, or potentially boggy sections of trail for example. 300 miles on each should give sufficient insight into its longer-term comfort, considerations, and potential limitations.  

Do those extra 3mm improve, or detract from comfort, does the sculpted design make any tangible difference? Racing and touring may seem worlds apart but the common link concerns equipment. Saddles being obvious examples, but it goes much wider and includes a change, or tweak to positioning. Never roll up to the start line, or into the wide blue yonder with equipment that’s fresh from the box- get at least a couple of hundred miles with it, while the stakes are low. New bike, groupset, wheels, panniers, shorts, shoes, shifters, the rule applies. I'll close here with my review of the Leatt Jacket MTB Endurance2.0 Leatt Jacket MTB Endurance 2.0 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

Summer's Slow Swansong

 Sunrise is progressively shy and I’m often out at 5am, which is perfect for testing lights. I’ve been gaining familiarity with the Sigma Blaze and Infinity rear lights. In terms of modes, these have a single, steady beam, reckoned visible to 500metres. The Blaze has an ambient light sensor, which will engage the light, to suit conditions-aside from the darker months, it will theoretically switch on when you’re riding through a tunnel/underpass.  

Now, StVZO (German lighting standards) dictate that lights cannot flash; hence these are steady only. The beam must also “cut off” at the top, which prevents approaching traffic from being dazzled- the same basic principle as dipped car lights. 

 

The Blaze features a “braking function” which engages all three diodes during the day, the lower two diodes at night. One press off the power button primes the ambient light mode, two presses gets you the night setting. Output is impressive, especially given the single, steady mode.  

In common with other lights with “braking” functions, this puts a big dent in the run times, especially when your route involves a few climbs and/or you’re hauling a trailer/tagalong.  I should also point out these are designed to be post, rather than frame-mounted but I’m keen to see if there’s any practical reason for not doing so.  

Lighting aside, while the days are sufficiently long, temperate and relatively dry, I’m trying to get some serious miles on the Teenage Dream, before it goes into seasonal hibernation, around mid-October. I’m using this time to prep my fixed gear winter/trainer and Ursula for the wetter, darker months when reliability is key.  

Both have been stripped and re-greased recently, so that’s one major bit of prep done. I also want to see how well the Peaty’s Speed GreasePEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  Then of course, I’ve recently overhauled Ursula’s drivetrain and cables, so aside from keeping an eye on the chain (which will almost inevitably wear faster, given the mix of stouter lubes, and wet, gritty lanes) tyres are the only other immediate consideration.  

Plan is to run the Marathon Mondial Double Defense Tyre until October, then switch to the Marathon GT365 TESTED: SCHWALBE MARATHON GT 365 TYRES WINTER UPDATE (sevendaycyclist.com).  Other possibilities include the 26x1.95 version of these Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) or their K935, at the right price. Talking of the Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus, I may switch the fixed’s Bontrager in their favour.   

There is a lot to be said for building a machine solely for winter. Traditionally, this has followed the old road frameset built up with hand-me-down components narrative. There’s a lot to be said for this recycling. Older components that aren’t snappy enough for racing are usually, still very serviceable. Stouter tyres, full, or “race blade” type guards, fresh cables and bar tape, lights and with some basic care, it’ll protect you and your best bike(s) expensive components from wet, gritty, dark and destructive stuff.  

The flipside of the best bike, really. It only gets used for that season, so while arguably it sees the harshest weather, it isn’t necessarily hardest used. A four season’s bike by contrast is usually so versatile, they become year-round go-tos. Hence why most of my general riding is spread between Ursula and my fixed gear “cyclo crosser with track ends”   

On a very personal note, if I was going for a strictly winter build, I’d probably go for a single speed cyclocross route.  

Track ends, clearance for 700x42c, (probably 35mm default, such as the Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus and buying more clearance should I want to run winter spikes when roads turn more spiteful than a tabloid headline) full-length mudguards, dyno hub powered front lighting.   

Charge Plug1 was a very fetching, sub £500 package and would’ve fitted this bill rather nicely. That said; though the semi-compact geometry frameset might’ve ticked all these boxes, the 6061 tubes and fork, might’ve been a little “direct”.  

Fixed and single speed drivetrains still need monitoring/inspection (I tend to get through a fixed chain in around 3,000miles) but much cheaper and simpler to keep happy, since there are fewer moving parts to wear out.  

However, as my beloved fixed gear winter/trainer proves, you’ll still need to keep an eye on cable and brake pad wear, even if you’re going the single stopper route. I also spotted some KMC chains going seriously cheap, so snapped them up and have only just needed to replenish the Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather- the original helping had gone way past the 500-mile marker. 

At the other end of a very different machine, I have received this Axiom Citypack 6+. It’s a quick-release system that mounts high up (beneath the saddle rails) but the similarities with the venerable SQR Tour pretty much end here.  

The outer fabric is made from recycled polyester with a waterproof polyurethane coating. More interesting and in keeping with Ursula’s compact geometry, it's intended to address limited wheel/frame clearance, or those who like rack top/trunk bags but don’t fancy being encumbered by a rack.