Studio & Beyond

I’ve been back in the studio doing fine art nude photoshoots with some fantastic models. Further collaborations are being arranged for January. My Minolta film SLR and this partially stripped Ural motorcycle is all I can publish right now.

 

 

 

I take consent and professionalism deadly seriously and will not release anything, unless the model(s) involved are willing for me to do so. Thanks to Brian, who runs the cottage studio http://www.thecottagestudio.co.uk/  for the use of space and lighting equipment. 

 

Proved an ideal opportunity to see what my A6000 would do in a studio setting. Behaved impeccably from start to finish. Traditionally, I’ve run SLRs in the studio and kept CSC systems for street and location shots but the (minor) gamble paid off. Just as well, given my Alpha SLR got the sulks and refused to play nicely with the remote trigger.

I’ve appreciated the cold, harsher weathers, which is ideal for testing lubes, cables, tyres and of course, clothing. Nasty Lube http://nastylube.com/about/  over in Canada, have sent Seven Day Cyclist www.Sevendaycyclist.com their winter lube.

Simple to apply-sparingly, mind. Too much and you’ll get the spatter effect along your chainstay and rear wheel. That aside, there’s no hanging about waiting for it to cure. Simply, drizzle a little into the links of a freshly cleaned chain, wipe away any excess and scoot-off.

Great for commuting and winter generally, since a wintry spell can strip lubricant bare in a matter of rides. So far, it seems cleaner, dare I say less syrupy than some justly popular favourites. Minus figures in the UK are often over exaggerated but it’s dipped to minus 2 and felt decidedly raw, when wind chill’s introduced. 

We’re looking to get some narrow section spiked tyres in but for the time being, the Schwalbe Marathon GT https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt-tyres   and the Univega’s GT365 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt365-tyre  are hugging slimy roads reassuringly well.       

Spiked, sometimes referred to as “snow” tyres all work to the same basic science. The tread ploughs the white, powdery stuff away, leaving the tungsten carbide spikes to bite into the ice beneath, providing traction.

Progressive acceleration and braking remains imperative but a steady tempo means 17mph is a realistic, dare I say, respectable average speed. Cables are another relatively inexpensive upgrade.

Obviously, testing tends to influence replacement frequency but I’d be inclined to replace standard brake and gear cables twice yearly, seasonally if you’re racing. Rather like stiff greases, sealed systems are a good investment for bikes in hard service.

These typically comprise of a factory lubricated, premium grade stainless steel inner wire, a Teflon coated liner and a heavy duty Kevlar outer. The latter can chomp through paintwork with alarming haste, especially if a layer of grit is allowed to form between them.

Most kits these days use rubberised cuffs to prevent abrasion but carefully cut sections of “helicopter” tape pretty much eliminates this problem. Layered electrical tape will also do, although check more frequently to ensure the outers aren’t making inroads.

While not a sealed system in this sense, I’ve been very impressed with these Jagwire pro road https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/jagwire-pro-road-brake-kit. Simple to fit, compressionless housings, EZ (easy) tunnelling and high quality, PTFE impregnated stainless steel inners deliver impressive modulation, feel and ultimately, stopping prowess!  Right, time I was heading north for another adventure.

 

Striptease

A colder, though dry streak has seen me pluck the Holdsworth from hibernation for some fun along the backroads. The arrival of this Stem Captain clock, also proved an ideal opportunity to strip and re-grease the Woodman Saturn headset’s lower race and needle roller bearings.

The Stem captain is a range of mounts, from clocks and old school compasses to Garmin GPS.

These turn the “dead space” into something more useful. It’s a concept that has grown on me, not to the point where I’d consider it a must-have across the fleet but being able to glance down, rather than grapple with a sleeve, or scroll through a bar mounted computer.

Working on the basis, you’re running the classic star fangled nut configuration and your Aheadset is properly pre-loaded…It’s literally a question of whipping out the 5mm Allen screw and replacing the top cap with the Stem captain and snugging it down as usual.

Next, seat the clock into place with the clear silicone grommet. This holds it snug.  

Things aren’t radically different when it comes to expandable wedge types, common to the Woodman and obviously, carbon steerers.

However, performing said swap at 10am on a cold Saturday morning, on “The soviet -block” (a section of 70’s concrete designated for bike washing and messy fettling) I managed to get the lowest, threaded assembly lodged in the fork’s alloy steerer. 

I attribute this lamentable scenario to the shock of hearing my neighbour, offering their heating engineer de-caffeinated “coffee”.

Think silent scream of revulsion. Said scenario was all the more surreal on account of him hollering from the chimney stack and I “dressed” In Marvel superhero lounge pants and duvet type, hooded cardigan.

Fork and threaded section retrieved, using a scrap mudguard stay (a spare spoke might’ve been a few seconds quicker), I reassembled the bung in its correct order and retouched the forks’ alloy ends with some quick drying gloss black hobby enamel.

Ideally, any retouching should coincide with a few days curing but since the brand in question dries quickly, I risked it for the proverbial biscuit. I’ll build it up in thin coats while it’s tucked away for winter.

Finish line ceramic applied to the lower race, I reinstated the front end, refitting the front brake and double checking the Aheadset was free of unwanted play. Some fresh finishing strips-colour coordinated electrical tape, completed the tune-up and satisfied with the hour’s efforts I headed indoors for sustenance.

Frames are pretty durable. Said frame has been repaired-new bottom bracket shell, minor pitting and small dents addressed. Even carbon composites can be fully rebuilt following some jaw-droppingly serious crashes https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/a-visit-to-carbon-fibre-bike-repair .

This steel frame intrigued me for several reasons. I was initially struck by the smooth fillet brazing and something told me it was one of those frames that had been passed through several club riders. Looking closer, I was surprised to discover fractured “ear” around the seat collar, yet extensive and recent brazing is very apparent at the Bottom bracket shell, down tube bottle bosses and mech hanger.

From the photo, Lee Cooper www http://leecoopercycles.webs.com/ reckoned the work was repairable and around the £30 mark, although worth blasting first to assess the frame’s overall structural integrity.

Elsewhere, those Rock N’ Roll goodies have again, been intercepted. No fault of the supplier, rather seasonal pilfering, within the postal system which, sadly, isn’t that uncommon this close to Christmas.

Most communications workers and delivery drivers are honest people, who work incredibly hard. This also applies to seasonal operatives-I’ve been one, so know. 

Unfortunately, during periods of high demand, there will always be a small, feckless minority, who will steal, or just take them back to the sorting office/depot, because they cannot be arsed to complete their round. 

Right, ending on a positive note. I’m off to sort some reflectors and other lighting ready for next week’s model shoot down in sunny Sussex.

 

 

Shifting Energies

Went to the mind, body spirit and well-being festival at Birmingham’s NEC on November 4th. I’d never been before, so had nothing to gauge it by but the atmosphere was inclusive, welcoming and, as you’d hope, positive.

Equipped with an open, enquiring mind, some products/services smacked of very expensive “snake oil” but that is the case with any large event, regardless of topic/interest. The majority of stall holders/practitioners appeared knowledgeable, qualified and genuine.

On the subject of products and potions, Rock N’ Roll’s UK distributor kindly sent Seven Day Cyclist www.Sevendaycyclist.com some samples for testing. One of the reasons, mild and relatively dry weather aside, why I’ve stuck with dry/emulsion preps, rather than opting for something wet.

Unfortunately, seasonal pilfering seems to have begun early. Despite being in the office, project managing a refit, the (presumably) casual postie claimed I had rejected the consignment…Hmmm.

Elsewhere and as the days draw shorter, well prepped bikes and lighting becomes increasingly important https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/winter-wonderland-one  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/in-the-blink-of-an-eye .Thanks to the ubiquity of COB (Chips on board) technology, where LEDs and placed directly atop printed circuit boards, even relatively small capacity lights are becoming increasingly intense.

I’m also warming to the trend for steady/pulsing settings on blinkies, which combine a fairly modest steady setting-20-lumens, or thereabouts, with a more extrovert flashing cycle-typically 50/70lumens. Paired with a “proper” front light, these seem to hold the attention of other traffic, say when entering the flow of traffic.

I’m putting a Bush & Muller IQ Eyro 39 Lux front light through its paces for another, very popular title.

It looks just like a traditional dynamo light, to the point, I was looking for the connectors! However, it’s powered by an integral lithium ion cell, which has two, steady modes.

The highest is 30lux, the lowest 10. Interestingly, the lens and reflector are engineered in such a way as to project a generally pure, “carpet” of light at close range, which was much better than I was expecting in the navigational sense.

Unlit backroads still call for a fair bit more than 30lux, 80 is nearer the mark, especially if 18 to 23mph is to be a realistic tempo on the flatter sections, let alone faster descents.

Along the lanes, the Eyro feels underpowered, rather than impotent-12-15mph is pretty much tops, 23mph seems realistic through suburban and better lit, semi-rural contexts.

Bush & Muller reckon its’ good for 5hours plus, from a full mains charge- potentially a week’s commuting or so, for some. Though pretty disciplined when it comes to charging, I like auto-kick downs, where lights automatically default to the lowest setting, when the batteries’ reserves dip below a certain point. 

This ensures there’s always something to limp home on, even if we’re talking glimmer territory. Talking of which, even on the lowest 10 lux setting, output seems comparable with an old Lumotec lamp and Nexus dynohub combo that guided me through South London’s shadier districts for several years.

Generally speaking, 800-1200 lumens is my benchmark for unlit lanes. Leaving aside the auction site retina burners, these tend to produce a very pure, assertive arc that makes larger vehicles, SUVs in particular, pause for thought, rather than ploughing ahead.

The Eyro though pure and with reasonable peripheral bleed is comparatively tame. This has seen a few drivers take a more aggressive stance, muscling through and creating tighter gaps, not to mention potentially more danger.

A moot point with more powerful commuter systems, even those packing a modest 650lumens, or so. Observation, though possibly confirmation bias suggests a tendency for those drivers, without other licences to substitute skill with greater aggression.

By the same token, I used to buy into the belief that Black Cab drivers were better drivers. Many years’ experience in the capital and other cities has led me to conclude, they are simply better regulated and undeniably, superior navigators.

Back to lighting, thankfully, most high power systems staircase downwards to 150-200lumens.

More than enough, most of the time for well-lit city and suburban contexts and conserves juice too (although I have been known to crank it up to 300/400 when it’s particularly gloomy, or I’m competing with seasonal, neon malaise). Daylight modes aside, thundering through the town with 1000lumens is not only unnecessary but aggressive and alienates other road users.

The same goes for high output rear blinkies 50-60lumens is brilliant for murky nights and/or unlit backwaters but taking other factors, such as lens and size into account 15/20lumens (maybe 30 in  constant mode) is pretty much optimum, especially in slower moving/rush hour traffic. Dip as you would expect another for you…Talking of which, my reserves are dwindling now, so off to tend kettle and investigate the fridge.          

Misty for Me

Continued teething troubles with the Trelock LS906 bike –I pro suggest the OEM wiring isn’t helping. Sure, it will reach the hub and lamp but that supplied is designed for hub to fork crown drilling.

Dropping by some Coventry bike shops drew a blank, so I’ve acquired a decent length of Bush & Muller, which I’m hoping will sort it once and for all. Either way, this proved the ideal opportunity to see how the SP hub performs with my Exposure revo mk1, since I already had a revo wiring kit waiting in the wings.

The Revo is beautifully made, delivers a really pure, useable arc of light from 5mph and a maximum output of 800lumens. Hands-down the best dynamo lamp I’ve used to date. Good enough for moderate trail action too, although think rough stuff touring, not race-pace cross country mtb antics. If that’s your bag, something like the Sigma Buster 2000 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/sigma-buster-2000-light  might be a better bet.

Some have criticised Shutter Precision hubs on the basis that servicing and bearing replacement are factory only affairs. However, Ison Distribution, their UK importer can take care of this. Lloyd Townsend also reminded me that factory returns are pretty standard for any modern “Ship in a bottle” dynohub system.

The SP family come with a two-year warrantee, which would cover such eventualities. Nonetheless, the hub shell is joined together in the centre. Accessing the internals demands specialist tooling.

Aside from the clocks going back and another birthday, autumn has gained on us somewhat. Temperatures have tumbled top their seasonal average and the lanes carpeted in a greasy top layer. No such thing as the wrong weather, so long as you’ve got the right kit. Bib tights, gloves, jerseys, jackets and overshoes solve comfort conundrums.

Decent tyres, such as the 35mm Scwalbe Marathon GT provide excellent cornering prowess, puncture protection and grip but iced bovine and equine dung can still induce the odd, unpleasant loss of traction. Something I was reminded of while hustling along at 23mph on Monday morning.

A minor shimmy followed and I turned back to see and indeed document! I’ve also had a very rude reminder regards pad replacement. 30mph along a local 1in7, I applied the fixed’s front stopper.

Lovely smooth action, those Jagwire pro road are really impressive but we’re not scrubbing off any speed… “F**king Aiiiiiiidaaaaaaaa!” Having made it round the final bend in one piece and begun the ascent, I made a mental note to strip, inspect and ultimately, replace the Spyre calliper’s pads. Swap complete and 10minutes enthused testing hence, I can confirm that grabbing a handful has the potential for lifting the rear wheel.  

Whisper it but I’ve also been donning a bit of day glow. The green BBB flexribbon is also surprisingly extrovert in overcast conditions, yet without screaming “winter-bike”. As might be expected, especially given the seemingly perpetual fettling, the dimpled texture is starting to cultivate a slightly grimy patina. Will be interesting to see how well it responds to washing and what the sudsy stuff/elbow grease ratio will be.  

Some riders have an almost pathological dislike of fluorescent kit and at the other extreme, others, including the UK government, are advocating compulsion.

Day-glow and day flash light settings have their merits, within reason. However, a lot of motorcycles and cars, are hard-wired to run side-lights. For a time, this made motorcyclists in particular, more conspicuous. However, as these become ubiquitous, other traffic becomes accustomed and the same myopia returns.

I was hit from behind while sat at the lights, on a borrowed Kawasaki GT750…

The shaft driven tourer was deep red, as were the lights. Dressed like an extra from Mad Max, this and a white helmet did not stop a woman plough her vehicle into me. Thrust into the flow of traffic, I groped desperately for the kill-switch. By now fuel was oozing from a ruptured tank and my leg was trapped beneath…Apparently, the woman, in her 20s claimed she did not see me…

My hunch that parliament is coming under pressure from technology companies who are developing automated “driverless” vehicles. I suspect their sensors are only able to register riders wearing hi-viz…

Farfetched? Well no, not really. Many courier/logistics companies will only hire self-employed drivers, this relieves them of a wider duty of care/responsibility for driver conduct.

This leads me to this week’s title, “Play misty for me”. Aside from the misty, murky mornings, I am being pursued by someone who has developed an extremely unwelcome and slightly unsettling infatuation, which is anything but reciprocal.

I have taken various approaches, subtle and direct, yet ultimately compassionate. I have even insisted she see this as an opportunity to develop herself and address some underlying issues, which have underpinned a set of behaviours for many years.

Other people cannot fix us, the desire to change, possibly heal has to come from within. If contact, electronic, or postal persists, I will resort to a more formal method of restraint. Now on a lighter note, I’ll leave you with some curious frames and some appalling arc.