Bottom Brackets Are Like Busses...

The Easter bunny bounded into Stenningrad with some deliciously tempting (read rapidly devoured) chocolate eggs, self-extracting crank bolts and a squidgy carton of Muc-off concentrate. For some time, I’ve been reflecting that standard bike wash formulas are a touch insipid, though there’s a fine line between gobbling grime and damaging delicate lacquered, painted/plated surfaces.

250ml diluted with tap/rainwater translates as 1 litre of stock iconic pink cleanser, adding a further 50ml packs a mightier punch, leaving plenty for subsequent refills plus neat gel for tackling congealed gunk typically harboured by rings and cassettes.

The ability to brew bespoke certainly wins brownie points from me but whether Nano tech actually leaves surfaces with a protective, invisible shield remains to be seen. Either way, I’ve reduced marinating times by thirty per cent and rinse thoroughly to avoid any risk of streaking, dulling or indeed, tarnish. Having tamed some pressing deadlines, I turned my attentions to a morning’s reflection, which culminated in a burning desire to upgrade the Ilpompino’s OEM Truvativ GXP external cup bottom bracket system.

Much to my surprise, both have soldiered stoically, not to mention smoothly through sunshine and slush for many thousand miles but my inner fettler told me I had a couple of high end units with super durable ceramic bearings, holidaying somewhere within my low-rise arrangement of Perspex storage boxes…

Nimble focused fingers found two- a superlight composite and an infinitely more enticing titanium model. Now, I’ve never had cause to touch a GXP unit bar occasional tightening of the left 8mm securing bolt, though received wisdom suggests these require some form of conversion kit to play nicely with anyone else’s assembly…

Could be incredibly straightforward or hassle laden, so I may investigate other, uber stiff external cup alternatives, or even the humble sealed square taper…Whatever route I assume, rest assured, it’ll involve lashings of high quality synthetic grease during installation. Interestingly enough, the latest generation of On-One’s Ilpompino is now a frameset only package, offered in a rather fetching grey… 

Another whoop coincided with the resurrection of these second skin close, Specialized BG pro mitts ready for those long spring evening saunters. Joshua insisted he must have my lowlier BG sport for his own use-well, refusal would've been churlish!

While extremely positive, my present collaboration is requiring considerable focus, an intensity mirroring that of my penultimate months as an A level student and undergraduate. Thankfully this time round, breaking tasks down to their component parts and tackling accordingly ensures pressure remains a positive, driving rather than destructive, angst laden force.

Talking of which, Zyro www.zyro.co.uk sent me the aluminium alloy version of their Tortec Epic carrier saving a few quid and 200g on its inox stable mate, while still enjoying a five year warrantee (against defects/workmanship, not abuse!) and thirty kilo maximum payload.

This by the way, is pretty close to that of low-slung mono-wheel touring trailers while retaining manoeuvrability in tight spaces/congested traffic. Urban myth suggests that steels can be “blasted together with heat by roadside Yodas. Such sweeping statements are usually touted by those with little; or no comprehension of metallurgy.

Experience suggests that fatigue induced failures are very infrequent but refraining from leaning one’s steed down on its luggage is one simple practice that will give aluminium alloy models the best possible chance of retiring at a good age. Effective repairs of any carrier is highly dependent upon the metals alloyed, thus “stainless” is a much trickier customer than mild steel.

To date, I’ve only ever had one rack “pop” and while welding of heat treated non-ferrous stuff is a non-starter, often broken joints can be pinned back together with an assortment of nuts n’ bolts until such time you can reach civilisation and acquire  suitable replacement.                  

Bearing Up

It was only a matter of time before the Univega’s UN52 finally succumbed to slop. Mercifully its swansong commenced at the close of a fifty mile saunter, some sixty metres from Stenningrad.

Largely superseded by external cup designs, 8,000 miles plus isn’t outlandish from these venerable square tapers so long as jet-washing and similarly destructive habits are avoided. 

However, as component designs evolve, or indeed fall from vogue; supplies of older mid-range stuff often dwindle, leaving the market polarised between bargain basement and top drawer.     

Within two minutes of powering up the laptop and entering “68x113 square taper” into Google’s search bar, we’d scored a brand new, unboxed UN55 for the princely sum of £12.50 including postage! I’d been fishing for an XT grade UN72 but these have become rarer than hens’ teeth and I didn’t fancy playing the ebay lottery.

Without taking a grinder to their shells, aluminium alloy cups and hollow axles separate the 50s, saving a few grams without sacrificing strength; though avoid lithium based greases when speeding them inside ferrous frames, or risk the joy of seizures many miles hence.

Less than 48 hours after adding to cart, transplant surgery proved very straightforward given the existing unit was introduced with lashings of stout ceramic prep, complimented by copious quantities of home brewed corrosion inhibitor. Curiously enough, the UN55 has also reduced the Q-factor slightly but this is pretty academic on a tubby tourer. Now for some self-extracting M8 crank bolts methinks…   

   

Patterns Emerging

Having collectively agreed title, design and other relevant stuff with my fellow collaborators, I’ve been able to buckle down to some concerted content, retaining that all important sense of momentum. Just as well really since the temp market is dead as the proverbial right now. (Don’t be fooled by the sudden rush of emails in one’s inbox offering assorted positions, these are so recruitment consultants can meet their weekly KPI (Key Performance Indicator) targets).

Mercifully there’s plenty of inspiration around and the weather’s becoming more spring-like so I might even take the Holdsworth on a quick saunter, if only to confirm that heavy duty rim tape has solved the pestiferous puncture plague. Other excitement includes these BTwin automatic touring pedals, which are essentially SPDR homages and dead ringers for Wellgo RC713, right down to their sealed cartridge bearings and Cro-moly axles.

Now, touring wasn’t the first word that sprung to mind given their small platforms, though crucially recessed Shimano pattern cleats enable one to saunter through stately homes, café’s and other social settings with decorum. Cleat longevity and relative ubiquity are similar boons, though single sided designs are always less convenient than their duplicitous siblings when riding fixed on the public highway-I’m prepared to accept this latter lament says more about my track-standing skills, or lack thereof!

“Road rage” is a construct with which most of us are familiar; though I am inclined to suggest giving this phenomenon a label almost legitimises such and absolves their perpetrators of all responsibility. Studies have shown that a small minority of drivers actively target motor/cycle enthusiasts riding mid to high end machines dressed in technical/performance attire. Having been on the receiving end of such behaviours in both contexts, I can testify as to their intimidating effect but have been to escape unscathed or while astride a 750cc Kawasaki, turn the tables on my aggressor.

Contemptuous as I might be towards pop/pseudo socio-psychology (or indeed any other form of faux intellectualism) I once employed an anecdotally useful index for predicting driver behaviour-based upon age of and model of vehicle, insurance group operator/occupant age, gender etc. For example a kindly grandmother piloting a 3 series BMW is an entirely different proposition to the same vehicle presided by two young males. 

However, said instant reference seems no longer valid and aggression all too often appears a substitute for skill/competence. Other than keeping my own standards of road etiquette high am undecided about the best route of tackling such casual contempt.

On the one hand, high quality helmet camera footage posted to you tube is commendable and constructive means of highlighting such inexcusable displays whether they arise through wilful intent or elephantine ignorance. Part of me questions whether such accentuates or fuels naked aggression in a select few. I also ponder whether these behaviours can be attributed in some manner to the economy-people feeling disempowered in various contexts, taking frustration  to the highways, this might go some way to explaining the incidence of uncomfortably close/otherwise confrontational encounters recently.

This same antagonistic hypothesis has been muted in the context of riders using high power see-with systems, although frankly, it’s something of a red herring so long as helmet fare are saved for trail action and bar mounted beams  angled away from driver eye-line.

Having switched back to those friskier Panaracer Ribmo slicks, I was astounded to discover the otherwise fantastic Exposure dynamo lamp refusing to engage-nothing serious, traced to minor corrosion of the copper wire-easily corrected but a reminder that even the best quality equipment, subjected to lashings of dodgy water will eventually succumb to Mother Nature’s malicious side.

This also prompted me to acquire some spare cabling and research a possible rear counterpart given there’s a second port sat idle…Speculative enquiry points squarely in favour of a rack mounted Bush & Muller unit with a neat, snag-evading cable run...  

   

Tool Tales & Unlit Trails

Since maintenance is part of riding, by definition good quality tooling makes routine jobs more pleasurable, whether adjusting the fixer’s chain tension, tweaking headset bearings or performing full-on post winter strip n’ rebuilds. However, savvy purchasing ensures maximum bang for reasonable buck. 

A decent folding workstand, wire snips, pliers, T-handle Allen keys, floor pump, tyre levers, engineers’ mallet, ring spanners, torque wrench, chain breaker and component specific equipment covers most eventualities.

Chemical assistance including biodegradable bike wash, generic maintenance and penetrant release sprays (for exorcising really stubborn/corroded parts) coupled with composite friendly greases and season specific chain lubes keep most fleets happy all year round. 

Caustic soda crystals are cheap as chips, great for cleaning blocked sinks and present the final solution when evicting sitting tenant seatposts lodged firmly in steel frames.However, it’s nasty stuff, so use outside wearing goggles, rubber gloves and cover all exposed areas of skin. 

Semi-pro headset presses and drop out realignment tooling is similarly handy, saving a trip to the bike shop when performing straightforward installations or following nasty trysts with terra firma. Entrepreneurial types could rapidly recoup their investment by charging friendly associates for such services.   

That said; much as I love watching learned sorcerers working their magic with thin walled ferrous metals, oxyacetylene kits and frame jigs aren’t prudent purchases, no matter what our egos say. Even if “re-shoring” (Where jobs return to their host nation as rising wages/living standards in poorer countries makes them less appealing) evolves from buzzword into a full-blown phenomenon, being able to blast tubing together does not maketh a small-scale frame builder.  

Genuine craftspeople will, to some extent always be in demand but while many romanticise such, few seem prepared to bear the costs. I know of a few coachbuilders charging a very modest £35per hour for their services, which is extremely reasonable when overheads are factored into the equation. However, consumers wooed by classic cars often struggle to comprehend the time involved and therefore, cost implications in reconstructing panels and similarly extensive repair.

Meanwhile, back at the tool board, even those with two-wheeled harems will seldom replace sealed cartridge bottom brackets, cassettes or indeed fixed sprockets more than several times in a given year. Therefore, there’s a strong argument favouring budget tools such as these from Lifeline. Both are fashioned from heat treated steel, offer sensible leverage and are neatly finished in a hardy satin black powder coat with serrated, medium density rubberised sleeves for comfort and control.

Now, I don’t write advertorials-thinly veiled marketing copy masquerading as critically evaluative/informative journalism (do terms such as “prosumer” ring any bells?), hence will confirm they lack the outright precision of premium grade, CNC machined examples but are accurate within acceptable tolerances and perform their respective tasks with suitable aplomb.

Generous integral handles certainly improve matters since slight mismatches are often amplified when deployed using large adjustable wrenches. Precautionary blasts of penetrant spray prior to extraction also assist and speed home very smoothly with sensible helpings of synthetic/marine greases.

Lithium preps are cheap, stout and offer decent lubricant properties. Alas, while a great choice for traditional bearings, its super hostile to rubberised components and encourages galvanic fusion between different metals. Fixed sprockets on daily drivers/winter trainers are a case in point; wrung torturously tight by beefy drivetrains and rider effort, subjected to a cocktail of slimy, salt strewn water little wonder they develop an incredibly stubborn union.

I’m prone to substituting grease for wet lubes when assembling stuff, bottle/stem/carrier fasteners being particular favourites, although this improvisation proved truly impotent-flushed away in the course of a relatively bog standard British winter. Changing ratios for balmier conditions proved a major operation several months later, thus and without exception, my sprockets are generously basted in marine/polymer grease during installation.

While the evenings are definitely getting lighter, there’s still a need for lighting and I’ve been seriously impressed by Silva trail speed elite, which might sound tame at 660lumens but is anything but. This is largely down to the marque’s system of “intelligent light”, which is a clever, simultaneous deployment of flood and spot beams in all but the lowest settings, casting a phenomenal arc without losing the detail.

Run times are pretty much on par with many 1000lumen systems, though quality of light is arguably superior, proving that optics is often more significant than numbers alone. On that note, I’m off with my trusty workhorse SLR to commence a portraiture project, so will leave you with some very fetching “Gios” blue two pac and purple powder coat effects.

Time Travelling

Having headed to London’s High Holborn this week for a meeting with fellow collaborators, I arrived to find our rendezvous closed and my bladder on the brink of explosion. With no public conveniences in sight, lateral thought had me scanning for back alleys and similar points of discrete, dignified urination. An abundance of CCTV persuaded me otherwise and to seek the guidance of a policeman on horseback, who it transpired was Dutch and unfamiliar with this particular locale’…

Taking a few shots of parked fixers in attempt to distract myself from this most pressing matter, an oasis appeared in the guise of a green site toilet stationed but two metres from a derelict office block. Keeping a watchful eye for site foremen and others who might thwart said mission, I hopped the barrier and tried its door. Words cannot do justice to the euphoric relief that followed and I returned to find the Princess Louise open and my colleagues there to welcome me.

Unlike many older London pubs, this one is an immaculately preserved homage to the late 1960s, right down to the toilets’ glazed tiles, stained glass doors and sparkling porcelain facilities. Two hours hence, business concluded and action plans established, we arranged to reconvene with progress updates in two weeks before heading in our respective directions. Temptation was to make the very most of my travel card and document derelict/abandoned buildings but I’d only my compact camera to hand and forging ahead with our venture was time better spent.

Continuing the urban theme, Foffa’s minimalist hub geared build has been inducing plenty of cheer. Seven evenly spaced ratios (245% efficiency) easily trump old fashioned ten speed derailleur set-ups delivering sufficient clout in moderate conditions whether hammering full pelt into rural descents or navigating stop-start town centre traffic with a trailer en-tow. Admittedly, its loftier Alfine cousin boasts 307% efficiency and roller clutches, thus my choice for longer excursions and more challenging terrain.

That said; less glamorous components remain better bets for daily drivers that can spend several hours shackled to street furniture. Talking of which, thus far, the wet spray enamel is holding up very nicely, though were it my machine, I’d be inclined toward mummifying its top tube under offcuts of old butyl to prevent accidental damage. Going to see what the next three weeks, three hundred miles service reveal before forming any absolute conclusions though.

     

Elsewhere, those Keo pattern Wellgo R096B remain likeable contact points. On the one hand this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the Taiwanese giant makes pedals for a wealth of other marques but build quality seems a notch or so higher than some famous names’ entry level offerings.

Despite prolific dis/engagement in slow moving rush hour traffic, the R096’s painted aluminium bodies remain unblemished, save for some trace swirling. Contrary to popular misconception, when properly applied, powder coating doesn’t flake or peel but aluminium alloy can be chemically stripped and left bare to coincide with annual servicing unlike magnesium exotica, which much prefers paint. 

B in this instance denotes sealed needle roller, as distinct from ball bearings. Lore suggests these can be left to their own devices, though ours benefitted from being striped and repacked with White lightning’s “Crystal” grease. Some infer bearing life is rather shorter than several premium brands-not my experience having run various models on and sans asphalt for a decade or so but then powerfully built 90 kilo riders and/or those unable to resist jet washing should bear this in mind.

Cleat life seems on par with other Keo patterns and red (9.5 degree float) come supplied, although seasoned types with stronger joints may want to skip straight to grey. Either way, consumables are cheap, plentiful and easily acquired. Composite bodied Look models can be found floating around in cyberspace at ludicrously tempting price. I’ve used them to good effect in these contexts but nasty tumbles can spell their end.

     

Cockpit Viagra

Having decided on the oversized route and acquired those 31.8 Midge; serendipity took charge and presented a compatible 17degree matt black On-One stem. Admittedly, its 90 rather than 80mm but this discrepancy was easily addressed by shuffling the saddle forward, improving comfort on longer runs without denting acceleration or seated climbing prowess. Accessing said steeds’ unbranded ti post bolts proved nigh on impossible using standard pocket tools. Salvation arrived in the guise of this Z shaped giveaway unit, so beloved of flat pack furniture, which has since become a wedge pack staple on account of its prowess in awkward spaces.

Reclaiming that Spa Cycles leather handlebar wrap was another concern given the adhesive backing hadn’t aged particularly gracefully. However, even tension and a lick of electrical tape proved similarly successful. Net effect, £35 and one hour’s reprieve from business planning well spent. Wrap and lighting systems repatriated, rain of biblical proportions couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for a fifteen mile blast. Swinging a leg over the Ilpompino’s semi sloping top tube, it took but a matter of minutes to fully appreciate the benefits of a stiffer cockpit.

While far from blancmange like, the front end now tracks beautifully, especially performing those last minute swerves around gaping potholes, opening car doors, rabid dogs, errant pedestrians and similar hazards. This rigidity enables rider effort to be poured into maintaining momentum-perfect for cantering gazelle fashion along those deceptively steep climbs when turning taller gears, powering away from the lights or demon descending. Fatigue inducing low-level vibration’s a moot point, tempered perfectly by those sensibly raked composite ITM blades.    

Thanks to their shallow drop and prodigious width, Midge lend themselves handsomely to geared ‘cross builds and mountain bike conversions too, the smaller diameter allowing effortless transplant of pre-existing thumb shifters/sti controls. Tempted? Well, Tektro produces a comprehensive, wallet friendly range of shapely aero levers catering for cantilever, linear pull and cable operated discs. Oh and unless intended recipients sport an old school quill unit; you’ll also need a loftier 25/30 degree stem.

Winter prompts more frequent post ride fettling, if only to flush away that corrosive cocktail of accumulated salt/grit with cold water. Timely then, that Green Oil’s third generation eco-sponge should land on my test bench. I’ve always been a big fan of the Brixton based brand’s range of blisteringly effective, yet genuinely planet friendly lubricant/cleaning goodies. Previous incarnations also hailed from the Philippines but their original texture proved abrasive, wounding thinner lacquers and leaving unsightly swirls in thinner/flamboyant enamels. Taking heed, Green oil has encased the matted Luffa “sponge” within a recycled cotton pillow  

Not only does this version promise to cleanse filthy steeds, they reckon it’s great for waxing/buffing duties too. Well, since proof of said product lies in the polishing, I’ll put ours through its paces on a wealth of different surfaces and provide more informed feedback several weeks hence. 

Continuing the new arrivals theme, I’ve just taken delivery of this Nexus geared flat bar Foffa Urban. More commonly associated with the fixed gear scene; it’s an interesting kettle of fish with a host of contradictions. Sneaking past 13kilos and commanding the lion’s share of £500, it’s based around an entry level Cro-moly frameset, which should resist accidental denting better than thin wall exotica. Welds are a little workmanlike in places perhaps but uniform and extremely unlikely to fail. Closer inspection reveals a properly reamed seat tube and clean bottle screws, which is heartening.

That said; internal cable guides might look minimalist, yet serve as a conduit to corrosion and there are several peculiarities reminiscent of small scale British marques twenty five years back-seatstays sporting carrier mounts but ends bereft of eyelets anyone? Then again, a 7 speed Nexus hub gives sufficient scope for commutes exceeding city limits, while keeping maintenance minimal, plain Jane components ensure it stops, goes and handles in good proportion without luring the light fingered…Let’s see what the next 500miles have in store…

    

Mixing it Up

2014 continues with determined pragmatism, seeing professional restructuring of my various CVs, a much greater grasp of self- promotion and striving for new commissions/ventures plugging the gap left by a publication’s virtual implosion. Said approach has already reaped rewards but needs further, intensive nurturing, especially since I’m keen to explore other creative avenues, running them in parallel to cycling specific journalism.

Competence, integrity and professionalism are three (of many) values dear to yours truly, hence disappointment when others cannot reciprocate. For example, I care whether something works, how closely it achieves its objective/design brief and experience suggests most manufacturers appreciate constructive, critical evaluation.

While not an “engineer” in the classically accepted sense, hailing from a manufacturing past means I take a keen interest in metallurgy/fabrication, pure and applied. Late night surfing induced impulsive purchase of titanium tubing from a supplier in South East Asia. However, said wonder metal will require minor machining. Lee Cooper and Justin Burls were obvious, extremely helpful first ports of call, though unable to undertake such on this occasion.

Laughably, a few local “machine shops” were either completely ignorant to customer service and/or anything beyond mild steel! Heading out for a chat with Trevor Lodge at Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating proved the most fruitful enquiry and allowed me to document the resurrection of this tarnished 531 frameset. There’s no denying decorative chromium plating’s aesthetic allure but in my book, acid baths and similarly harsh processes have no place on thin walled bicycle tubing. Thankfully blasting confirmed only superficial corrosion, hence it’s rebirth this chrome-effect powder with acrylic lacquer topcoat.

Staying on an industrial thread, much has been made of the likelihood of large scale manufacturing returning to these shores. Arguably as standards of living/costs increase in the Far East, outsourcing becomes less attractive. However, while call-centres and similar service based sectors are easily repatriated, I am less convinced this applies so readily to manufacturing’s sharp end. My own research suggests there remains a wealth of highly skilled technical grade craftspeople whose have transferred seamlessly between industries and with minor retraining.

Others saw opportunities within teaching or pursued their trades solo as self-employed entities. On the flip side, I remain sceptical that semi/unskilled assembly line roles will return in significant number. Senior managers at Ford’s now defunct Dagenham body plant remarked some twenty years ago that (contrary to endearing misconception) the average local school leaver would have “A cat’s chance in hell” of being considered for the most menial jobs. Similarly, Peugeot’s Ryton plant was the most productive within Europe but transferring production to Slovakia in 2006 appears to have been instigated by simple cost- of- labour economics...  

Back in the saddle and with January fading into February, flooded, silty roads have been licking chains bone dry in a matter of rides, demanding reintroduction of more sophisticated, “little goes a long way, anti-fling but not too syrupy” wet formulas – in this instance Muc-Off’s imaginatively but appropriately christened “wet lube” which leaves the spout as a washed out blue before assuming a clear, tacky consistency. Grit and similarly foreign bodies put in occasional appearances but there's no hint of it becoming a tenacious, transmission chewing mess. Older motor oils are another cost-conscious option, though modern semi/synthetics designed to  regenerate while orbiting an engine's oil pump make poor transition to chain duties.    

These biblical conditions also explain why my tubby tourer is presently assuming primary test-rig service and sporting Keo pattern Wellgo RO96B pedals (Another catchy name ;)).These wallet friendly powder coated aluminium bodied units turn on CNC machined Cro-moly axles with B denoting needle roller, as distinct from ball bearings and a £3 cost implication over their RO96 siblings.  

On paper my Ilpompino is a more obvious host, especially far from the madding crowd, though I still prefer the outright convenience of dual sided systems on fixed gear builds. Speaking of said steed, some oversized Midge flew under my radar; this time in very fetching anodised titanium but Murphy’s Law dictates the Sheffield marque’s all out of 17degree, 80mm stems. Ever resourceful, I’ve put word out while exploring comparable, budget conscious alternatives online.   

Once again, the Univega sports Schwalbe Winter for improved traction, simultaneously prompting fitment of Axiom’s Journey DLX disc compatible front pannier rack. Perhaps not a completely novel concept, the latter is nicer to fit and shares the same hollow 10.2mm T6 6061 aluminium rod as its rear counterpart. We’ve not come close to bluff calling territory load-wise (reckoned to be thirty kilo- close to that boasted by Bob Yak homages!) but things seem decidedly favourable thus far.