A Break In The Chain?

Neither shy of, nor purposefully courting controversy rumour of the hipster crowd’s desertion of the fixed fraternity in favour of another fad pleases me. The Times newspaper suggests the beautiful people are headed in the direction of a new retro revival-1950’s French style delivery bikes. Bon! This hopefully means the fixed faithful can continue enjoying the one cog as part of a wider cycling diet without approval or direction from the self appointed gurus of chic.

This might spell an end to the fashion for stripping every braze-on clean from a frameset in the name of aesthetics. I’ll confess to a pleasant indifference to conversions having cut my teeth on one some twenty years back.

Conversions make great, low maintenance winter trainers while providing a new lease of life for older but otherwise worthy bikes. Fashion can be fun but all too often it’s at cost to practicality and many fixer framesets were track inspired with no provision for rack or fender mounts. Track bikes by definition are intended for the Velodrome and have some very distinct limitations for road duties- you only need to stand on the corner of a busy London street watching the messenger wannabes wind-milling about on ridiculously tall gears sans brakes.

Conversely, we owe the hipster a degree of gratitude; afterall, they’ve been influential in driving the boom and much improved supply of frame and components. Take hubs for example, not long ago choice was limited to Maillard double fixed for budget builds or Campagnolo or Dura Ace at the opposite end. By contrast there’s now a wealth of wallet friendly, weather sealed units just right for daily road duties and the same applies to cranks and sprockets, which, frankly is just what the doctor ordered.


Clothing has become more exciting and arguably more practical-especially round town. However, while supply and demand are reasonably well matched in these contexts, this fixed fetish has pushed the price of older steel frames through the roof. Admittedly many of the gallery bikes are found unwanted and unloved, rotting in a neighbours yard, by the roadside or indeed in skips/dumpsters. I was very, very fortunate to have been gifted the Holdsworth given its relative rarity and the asking prices for very tatty examples.

Such trends are by no means exclusive to cycling and I draw parallels with the cyclical popularity of Lambretta scooters and old type one and two VW cars. Time was when basically well kempt 1500 Beetles could be had for £1,200. Now, thanks largely to the hipster/pseudo surfer crowd you’d be luck to find a wreck for £1800.

Long lived fixed as a popular, enjoyable and relatively inexpensive niche. Good riddance to messenger wannabes and anyone else for whom fashion is their only culture

Bother That Bung!!

Things had got off to a flying start, I’d unearthed the high lustre Nitto stem with lazer etching, a bevy of compatible pursuit type bars, a little used EAI track sprocket and of course, the dynohub front wheel complete with front tyre to replace the elderly Araya that met it’s maker the week previously.

In the quiet of Saturday afternoon, I set the Holdsworth in the workstand and had a quick check, offered the spacers and stem atop the steerer-everything aligned perfectly- just a question of getting the bung in place and save for bar tape and brake calliper, the front end was complete.

The Woodman bung does away with the star fangled nut in favour of a re-useable expanding wedge, working on exactly the same principles as SFNs and the old fashioned expanders found on quill stems. Inexplicably, mine had been assembled incorrectly so a quick bit of tailored surfing confirmed the correct layout. Returning to the garage, I applied a slither of non lithium based grease to the expander wedge and threaded sections before inserting, popping spacers and bars and stem in position but alas, this was not to prove a euphoric climax…Mysteriously, the cone shaped locking nuts and metal sleeve managed to come adrift, lodging themselves firmly into the steerer tube. I had hoped to turn the fork upside-down, pass a small drift through the fork crown and tap it free-unfortunately; I had screwdrivers of correct diameter but insufficient length so the race is on to find a suitable implement and I’m now wondering if a SFN might prove the better option and in this respect, Cro-moly steerers are a godsend.
Deflated but calm, I turned my attention to the Univega. Setting in the stand, I reasoned if I was using the Nexus dynohub wheel, I might as well turn the increased resistance to good use-namely producing my own illumination. The Basta lamp gifted me a few weeks previously thoughtfully incorporates an integral switch (fortunate as I couldn’t find the Shimano unit) and so it was simply a case of trimming the wiring to correct length and plugging into the hub.
Having treated the contacts to a quick lick of Vaseline, I invited my six year old to spin the wheel. His eyes lit up as the headlamp bust into life and I explained the principles behind dynamos. He seemed very excited at the prospect of generating our own light without worrying about charge levels in Ni-Cad and Lead acid bottle batteries. I’ll be mounting a white LED as a contingency but it’ll be nice to remove some handlebar furniture!

Bringing It All Together

Progress has been somewhat disappointing over the past week or so, thanks largely to the wrong diameter stem. However, it’s served as a useful template for cutting the steerer. Some advocate ruthlessness but I didn’t want to be committed to an uncompromisingly low position, choosing in favour of some additional length and employing spacers to close the gap. Interestingly, I have learned the original, threaded fork was paired with a Campagnolo mirage headset-useful to know but I’ve also discovered the shallow steerer placed additional strain upon the headset cups, resulting in their untimely ruin.

I now have a choice of Nitto Bull horns, or longer pursuit style bars. One is reliant on me finding the illusive silver anodised, lazer etched Nitto stem or going the pursuit bar route and buying a new stem-deviating from the use what-you-got script a little but needs must when the devil rides. Either configuration will shave a further few grams, continues the minimalist theme while still providing the ideal platform for Tri Bars or Spinacchi extensions should the lure of ten mile TTs come calling. Sticking with the broad WTB drops would be the beginnings of a slippery slope likely to result in a build mimicking my Ilpompino.

Once this cockpit dilemma’s sorted, it’s a question of rounding up the remaining components and acquiring a suitable short reach dual pivot calliper. I don’t want to be laying out a bundle here so the smart money’s on a Tektro. Not being a nostalgia stalwart, a Specialized Toupe’ gel with titanium rails provides a superbly comfortable perch and is considerably lighter than the Brooks B17 I’d initially earmarked. From there it’s just a question of bolting the Stronglight cranks onto their tapers, threading in some shop brand SPDs, wiring up the front brake, slipping on some bar tape and waiting for the wheels to arrive. I am the sort of rider that goes for years without a puncture and then plagued by a succession on one single outing. A jaunt to the seaside aboad the Univega last Saturday being a prime example. The first I put down to fluke and a shard of glass penetrating the tyre’s Kevlar belt but unfortunately a further round of deflation instigated more intimate examination.

To my horror, I discovered the otherwise healthy looking Araya rim was splitting at the join. Knowing I had a perfectly good wheel, complete with dynohub languishing in storage and faced with two burst tubes, I rode a very choppy fifteen miles home on the flat tyre. Still, 12000 miles is pretty good going from an inexpensive rim and it soldiered on when I needed it most. This also presents the ideal opportunity for me to utilise the Basta lamp that landed in my lap a few weeks back…

Leading From The Front

Equipped with carbon fork and super-smooth needle roller bearing Aheadset with aluminium cups that wouldn’t look out of place on an XC mountain bike, it was a quick forty- minute drive to Justin Burls’ workshop. The warm spring day encouraged further unexpected belching of Waxoyl from the Holdsworth’s bottom bracket shell but mercifully I had lined the Ka’s footwell with cardboard-thus defending the interior from the muddy brown discharge. After ten minutes marvelling at the size and refinement of the headset, Justin worked his magic with the headset press, installing the cups and fork crown with consummate ease. Forgetting to bring the Aheadstem means I will need to pop the bike into the work stand and cut the steerer to the desired length myself. Still, this a comparatively straightforward task and I will err on the side of caution, cutting less rather than more and filling the gap with spacers.

The new fork means I can take advantage of a modern shallow reach dual pivot brake calliper and 700C wheels. Mercifully the Woodman doesn’t employ the irksome star fangled nut but an interesting bung-type assembly. If I’m not totally happy with this, I will opt for a headlock bolt- ideal for carbon steerers, heavier and/or more aggressive riders.

Being as it was still early afternoon, we took the opportunity to go for a blast in the spring sunshine- I aboard his Russian TI fixer and he aboard “Old Faithful”. After some brief pre-ride preparation- the inflation of tyres and in his case, the taming of a rogue mudguard (fender) bolt, leading him to reflect upon a rebuild after 20,000 winter miles. Five minutes later, we were blasting through the outskirts of Harwich and into the long and winding rural landscape.

Following as close on Justin’s wheel as my legs and a 67-inch gear would allow, we cantered up the climbs and dived into the descents, the bright, tranquil landscape deceptively still as we battled into an unrelenting headwind. Two thirds of the loop completed, he stopped to tend to a missing mudguard eye bolt whilst I contemplated a loose stem cap. Justin jokingly remarking that old faithful might well explode before we returned to the safety of the workshop!

Mercifully neither men nor machines expired and after resuming civilian dress, it was quick cup of tea and a look at his wife’s new bike. Mila can’t ride a solo so Justin built this delightful frameset out of Columbus tubing he’d had lying around. The fork, also fillet brazed by him is slightly shorter than standard suspension corrected designs. Crank arms need shortening by 20mm to 155mm but he has this all in hand.

The Great Fibre Provider

The past few weeks have been frustratingly slow, although there’ve been some positive developments on the Holdsworth build. The fabled carbon fibre front end has finally emerged. Carbon blades with lawyers lips bonded to a Cro-moly steerer might not be the most exotic combination but the rake should have a positive effect on handling whilst providing a harmonious marriage between classic and contemporary.

Component choice is now much less prescriptive, sure a Cinelli or Nitto quill stem oozes old school charm but an Aheadstem was my weapon of choice and going threadless means I can ditch the quill adaptor, gain a stiffer cockpit and shed a few grams into the bargain. An alloy, CNC machined Woodman with needle roller bearings takes care of steering and Justin Burls has kindly offered his services seeing as my tools are on loan.

Bike builds, like racing are often metaphors for life- not everything can be done by the book and I secretly enjoy offending the dogmatism of the purists, the neurosis of the weight weenies and the hipster's clique ridden, pseudo intellectual chic. Sure, it’s nice to have a faithful period build, some weight savings will undoubtedly make you go faster and Lime Green Velocity’s may get you laid but neither I, nor my bikes are so conveniently categorised.

Elsewhere, the teenage dream, my classic road frame is getting a makeover. Receding enamel of the “lick and a promise” school of frame finishing forced my hand. Sharon loves the retro British Racing Green livery so it’s been entrusted in the care of Trevor and sons at Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating for a blast clean and 6010-powder finish.FAG sealed units seemed like a great idea twenty years back but this is being replaced by a much stiffer ISIS configuration. Sans tool, I resorted to knocking the taper through using a two- pound mallet before judicious cup removal with a hammer and drift. However, being plastic eliminated potential damage to frame threads.

Forking Hell!

"Credit crunch" is by far the most overused expression of the moment but with the sudden evaporation of my temp job (Pivotal for cash flow) sinking its incisors into my Lycra and money stretching as far as size eight knicker elastic, we certainly live in interesting times. Adapt and survive is a prudent philosophy and more of us will return to barter-skills as opposed to money being traded-I’ll undertake your photographic requirements if you refinish my frame/ car panel/wall or whatever the arrangement may be. This doesn’t help with liquidity but ensures a sense of collective resourcefulness and the notion of things getting done. Justin (Burls) has come to the rescue once more. The Holdsworth build has entered a tricky phase and one undoubtedly abhorrent to the purists. We’ve discovered the fork steerer is cut much lower than initially thought, too shallow even to accommodate the Levin, leaving three options. (a) Resort to a Shimano headset (b) Replace the steerer (c) Throw away the rule book and plump in favour of a carbon front end and Ahead configuration. I chose the latter. Before everyone throws their arms skyward in despair, I am retaining the originals but deviating from the script given an inexpensive carbon pair have come to my attention. This isn’t a credit card build; neither will I permit bodging, rather, lateral thinking will result in a complementary blend of modern and classic. Undeniably beautiful and ornate, the existing fork isn’t original so doesn't equate to an “authentic” frameset in the purest sense. A modern fork with more generous rake will improve handling-especially over longer courses, reduce weight, provide greater cock-pit rigidity and entertain a short reach dual pivot brake calliper. There’s always the option of returning to the period unit should a suitable headset come into my possession and/or the carbon model lose its flavour.

On a lighter note, Justin installed the bottom bracket with his trademark precision, noting an impossibly small imperfection along the top-tube! He’s kindly invited me to pop back with the new front end at a mutually convenient time.

Elsewhere, liquidating some unwanted stock released some capital allowing completion to budget without dipping into very shallow reserves. There’s a ninety day wait for the wheelset but this allows me plenty of time to think and plan. Other than a test of my patience, it serves to illustrate shoestring builds needn’t be synonymous with cutting corners or bad workmanship. The reflex action of sliding a credit card across your friendly bike dealer’s counter undoubtedly provides a warm glow for all concerned but from my perspective, low budget, highly imaginative projects cultivate resourcefulness and other peripheral skills.

Another cliche’ is the throw away society. The number of people paying lip service to this whilst generating waste in shocking quantities never ceases to astound me. In a world full of quick fixes, skilled repair is regarded unfashionable and inconvenient, recycling as eccentric or stooped in pseudo hippy overtones. However, it’s amazing what serviceable and moreover, sharp looking things can be fabricated from scrap. Old frames, especially low-mid range plain gauge Cro-moly mtbs are plentiful, languishing in skips, abandoned on street corners or in back yards and make great foundations for versatile second or “working” bikes. Even damaged examples can be cut up and re-born, as neat cargo trailers-all that’s needed is a weekend and some basic skill with a MIG welder.

Heavier, plain gauge frames are ideal for this, having greater tolerance to MIG than thin wall tubesets (e.g. Tange Prestige, Reynolds 531 etc). MIG, unlike other forms of welding is a semi-skilled process developed during the Second World War to address a shortage of skilled labour and a need for fast production techniques within munitions factories. Given it’s versatility and ease of use, it quickly found favour with the automotive industry and good hobby units cost a very modest £140 (Gas bottles are about £15 and factor in £15 for a serviceable dark shield). Crudely, with about ten minutes instruction an absolute beginner can produce some serviceable, if agricultural looking welds- if you can draw a straight line using a board marker you can quickly master the basics of MIG. Before long you’ll be whipping together bike storage, trailers and all manner of useful stuff from scrap and finished in powder coat, they’ll look new.

Accommodating the Holdsworth has necessitated the donation of my late father’s hub geared and braked Pashley to David Hunt, our local agent for Recycle. Recycle are a charity shipping unwanted bikes to Africa. Here in the west, it is easy to overlook the inseparable link between transport and development. It can be very difficult for a children in more remote villages to access education. Providing them with a suitable bike doesn’t eradicate inequality but provides one fewer obstacle and empowerment at a wider level. In Namibia, old roadsters stripped of mudguards and ancillaries ensure AIDS workers and ambulances can reach remote villages.

Bikes like Dad’s Pashley, lower end Mtbs etc are sold to finance containers and other shipping costs. David, a former motor mechanic stumbled across Recycle quite accidentally, couldn’t resist greater involvement and so became an agent. These days his garage is bulging and it has become an informal community resource, entertaining a procession of villagers during my relatively short visit. His generosity and warmth of spirit extended to a very nice looking headlamp that will plug straight in to my hub dynamos. He even supplies stands, panniers and other spares for the local post-office fleet which would otherwise take months to arrive.

Knee jerk cynicism encourages overly simplistic reasoning of the sort suggesting corruption within the sub-continent will see much "disappear" or otherwise fail to reach their intended recipients. We cannot ignore these darker realities but there is nothing to suggest this has been problematic for the charity. Schemes such as Recycle aren't going to miraculously change the world overnight, no more than the election of president Obama (Albeit both symbolic and significant cultural shifts in their own right) However, changes result from small but continuous evolutions. I can’t pretend it was easy passing Dad’s bike to David but it would've met with his approval and in some small way, my Father's generosity of spirit lives on.

Raiders of The Lost Seat Bolt

A series of events have conspired against faster progress of the Holdsworth build- most notably the relative difficulty in obtaining one inch threaded headsets. There’s a misconception, an urban myth banded about on club runs that one inch components are in plentiful supply. On the contrary, try looking for a good quality threaded fork or headset and you’ll discover they’re as rare as rocking horse droppings. I had settled for a chrome or aluminium Tange Levin but along with the other black components, serendipity has secured two! A black Levin and an alloy Acor unit running on an interesting ball/needle bearing hybrid. Two decades outsourcing to Taiwan coinciding with the dominance of mtb design, is forcing the traditional binder bolt to the point of extinction. Mercifully, Lloyd at Ison distribution (http://www.ison-distribution.com/) has come to my rescue, supplying a couple of 19mm Campagnolo copies.

The recent inclement weather sweeping the UK has presented me with some welcome additional research/surfing time and I was hunting for a suitable square taper bottom bracket (68X110). The simplest solution was to plump for Shimano’s venerable UN52/3/4 fit and forget staple- I’ve had several of them churn merrily up to 10,000 miles without flinching and £24 was well within budget. However, I have a leaning toward the esoteric and spotted an Acor unit- seemingly identical in composition but ten pounds cheaper- a saving which will be channelled into handlebar wrap and some decent brake cable. There’s no doubt from a mechanical perspective, ISIS systems are stiffer and a better bet for powerful riders weighing closer to 90 kilos but my 181 cm 70 kilo frame finds taper units perfectly adequate.

The sudden flurry of snow which has literally gripped the nation (Readers from Utah will now fall from their snow-blowers in hysterics) hasn’t unleashed a great deal of pioneering spirit-aside from my trip around the motorway in “blizzard” conditions. Make no mistake, despite only being a few inches, the UK infrastructure isn’t geared up to tackle this, meaning widespread chaos- the only place I didn’t see a uniform covering of snow was atop the Magnox reactor some four miles across the water. I’d toyed with shoding the Univega with Nokian studded snow rubber but haven’t put theory into practice as yet and I’ve bought in a five litre drum of Waxoyl rather than brewing my own to internally safeguard the Holdsworth and Ka chassis-silly really given the ingredients are readily (not to mention cheaply) available….
What you’ll need:

2.5 Quarts Turpentine
12 Oz Bees/Candle wax
1 Quart Light Machine oil
A liberal application of common sense

Boil, Boil, Toil & Trouble

Before any of the congregation write threatening litigation, Here comes the disclaimer. First and foremost this is a potentially explosive mixture- keep away from naked flame and sources of ignition. If you have even the smallest doubt in your mind, go the commercially available route- when I last looked, brewing your own corrosion inhibitor wasn’t covered by most household insurance policies. Ensure plenty of ventilation before you start. Store the mix, clearly labelled and safely out of the reach of children and pets.


Grate the candle/beeswax into the turpentine and stir laboriously with an old wooden spoon until fully dissolved- this can take some time. Performing this task in a warm room accelerates the process but be very careful. When fully dissolved, apply the machine oil to thin the consistency to the point where it can be sprayed. For best results buy a cheap pesticides spray kit from a garden centre and pour the contents inside (CLEARLY MARKING THE CONTAINER). Apply liberally inside the bottom bracket or seat-tube, placing a layering of newspaper beneath to collect any over-spill/leakage. Ensure even coverage by rotating the frameset or bike and allow to stand overnight in a warm corner of the house. Later applications will demand softening by standing the mix in hot water for twenty minutes. Remember to cleanse the pump spray nozzle with thinners/white spirit before storing.