Restraining Orders

I’ve continued to reorganise and ahem, rationalise the garage before sanctions were imposed. Most things have been simply relocated to easily accessible and clearly labeled storage boxes. However, an out-of-control heap of perished and part worn tyres, were consigned to the tip. Clear outs can be cathartic and I feel better for this reasoned and yet ruthless culling. I also found a few tubes, which had succumbed to the puncture fairy but still perfectly salvageable. Yes, there were a couple of fully loaded patch kits.

Two for the fixed, two for my Univega. The latter’s sealant fed Kenda thorn resistant tuber had also self-healed, having been fed a bit more air and rotated a few times. The science behind self-sealing tubes is pretty straightforward. The sealant remains dormant until the tube’s punctured, whereupon it’s forced the affected area, by escaping air and rotational forces.  

Holes up to 3mm diameter are pretty much their limit and you will be left with a very sticky mess, should a blowout strike. Famous last words, the Tannus Tyre Armour seems to be holding out and performing rather well. That said; our 32mm section was a little on the precise-side. This meant I had to switch to a slightly narrower, 700x28-32, rather than a 32-35. Technique is another consideration, when mounting and its crucial to avoid pinching.  

The easiest way, is to have one tyre bead aboard the rim (as you would, when fitting a tube). Install the Tannus Armour within the tyre, seat the tube, slightly inflated, into the armour and then mount the tye. Given the increased girth, this bit’s a little trickier but nothing a decent lever, such as my Cyclo Workshop model, or this more portable Crank Brothers   Speedier Tyre Lever won’t iron out.   

Sometimes some chemical assistance will help ease a stubborn bead home. I’ve found a quick, localised blast of Muc-Off Silicon Shine https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/muc-off-silicone-shine-polish, or indeed, Juice Lubes Frame Juice Frame Polish very effective. Washing up liquid can also prove a useful, inexpensive lubricant, although  minimise exposure with plated, polished and painted surfaces.  

Staying with Workshop, I’ve been enjoying these Facom multi-tools.  

A bit big for bike mounted luggage perhaps and a little too short for some stubborn workshop applications. Nonetheless they’ve tackled most jobs pretty easily-including recessed brake/brifter mounts. The Univega’s Microshift Centos is on the right-hand side, hidden by the lever hood.  

More convenient that the fixed’s Cane Creek V brake levers, which are deeply recessed. Access requires a very willowy 5mm key and negotiating the inner brake wire https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/cane-creek-v-brake-drop-bar-levers . That said; there’s sufficient oomph for shifting arthritic quill stem and seat post binder bolts. The Torx version is particularly useful for vulnerable, or slightly chewed fastenerss- cleat bolts being cases in point.  

After a few hundred miles, I’ve performed another saddle swap. The Selle San Marco remains pride of place on my fixed gear winter/trainer. I was surprised to discover the covering is in fact, calf hide, not a micro matrix. I don’t object to genuine hides per se. However, I would’ve preferred cowhide, since the animal would’ve had a longer and (hopefully) happy life.  

I have in fact switched the Pro Stealth for the Pro Turnix, which had until very recently, had graced my fixed gear winter/trainer. Music to my derriere. Not that the Stealth was a poor choice, rather just that fraction too firm, for me.  Harmony restored!  

The weight penalty is proportionately quite steep but in real terms, only 71g and still a bit lighter than the Concor. I’d subverted a wet crotch, courtesy of the Carradice SQR luggage on my fixed but my Univega’s full-length guards make this a non-issue.   

Save fort strong winds, this corner of the southeast has been largely unaffected by Storm Ciara, which is something of a relief. Many communities have experienced serious flooding and disruption. Nonetheless, I’ve been particularly alert to potentially weak branches and similar hazards when navigating tree-lined lanes. Nonetheless, heavy rains mean there’s plenty of standing water.

Some folks want the convenience of clip-on guards. Steve rates this Zefal Swan Road Rear Mudguard https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/zefal-swan-road-rear-mudguard  He also popped over to Bicycles By Design to play with some e-bikes https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ebike-day-with-bicycles-by-design 

Sore Points Fixed With Subtle Tweaks

I made the schoolboy error of whipping the Pro Stealth Saddle in situ, making cursory visual inspection and checked alignment with a straight edge (rather than a spirit level). Subsequently, I paid the price, 20 miles into our maiden voyage, my sit bones were screaming. 

However, being a seasoned tester of traditional leather saddles, I persevered. Fifteen miles into our second outing, my inner thigh was feeling decidedly raw. I concluded, mid ride that the saddle height was fractionally too low, with the Stealth. 

This, (coupled with the padding density) in turn was placing additional pressure, causing this discomfort.   Relieved to be home, time for a more detailed analysis. I produced a 5mm Allen key and raised the seat post by a few millimetres, then took a spirit level to things. Not far out but sufficient…Loosening the cradle bolt, tilting the saddle fractionally downwards, snugging the cradle bolt tight (while keeping a sharp eye on the level) cured this.

My Univega was sporting a fair amount of slimy, salty road filth and the Juice Lubes Ceramic Juice was looking a bit filmy. This prompted a quick cold-water rinse, followed by a sudsy bucket and drivetrain cleansing 

 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-dirt-juice-chain-cleane

White Lightning Extreme Wet was the most obvious, default replacement. No curing time, plenty of staying prowess-should last through February. Delivering a few squirts of Juice Lubes JL69 Bike Maintenance Spray https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-jl to cables and pivot points concluded said fettling episode…

Then I spotted some nasty looking sharps that had penetrated its rear Schwalbe Marathon Mondial Double Defence Tyres https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-mondial-tyres. Deflated the tyre, extracted the flints using nail tweezers, then filled the holes with superglue.

Oddly enough, some Tannus Tyre Liners had arrived for testing (although these were 700x32, so went to the Schwalbe Road Cruiser https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/scwalbe-road-cruiser-tyres Fortuitous too, since the Schwalbe had also succumbed to a flint induced flat.

Liner protectors work like another layer within the tyre, preventing thorns and similar sharps puncturing the tube. I recall Tuffy Tape from the late 80s. Some swore by it, others at it.

Those taking a more moderate (dare I say, rational) stance suggested they could work well but recommended checking their alignment periodically. This was to prevent them inducing precisely the flats they were intended to eliminate. 

These Tannus are less convenient to install than heavy duty butyl. They cite an additional 40 seconds. Maybe with assembly line familiarity but I took another 2/3 minutes first time round. Still, at 200g apiece, are considerably lighter than the Kenda Thornproof tubes (which have been my defaults during winter’s worst for nigh on a decade).

Retailing at £29.99, the Tannus are pretty much the going rate for liner technology. That said; money would be better spent on upgrading tyres, if you’re running unreliable budget rubber, or a higher end set are past their prime.  Tannus also reckon it’s possible to limp home on an otherwise flat tyre, without damaging the rim.

Taking this a stage further, this theoretically allows tyres to be run at really low pressures, say for additional grip on the trails, or a really icy road. Personally, in the latter context, I would’ve reached for the Schwalbe Marathon winter https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-winter-spiked-tyre, or comparable spiked tyre.

Back to saddles, I was still feeling a little raw, so switched exclusively to my fixed gear winter trainer and the Selle San Marco Concor SuperCorsa for a few days. Now, as I’ve said before, in some respects, it’s an old saddle but serves to illustrate that classic designs are still very relevant.

Yes, 320g might be a touch portly for some (those with bikes on Calorie controlled diets, in particular) but what’s a few grams if you can sit in comfort all day?  Arguably, black would’ve been a better fit with my working fixed’s colour scheme. I reckon the tan’s a nice contrast.

The Genetic D-Riser 4 Bars continue to impress me. For gravel/cyclo cross I’d stick with their D-Riser 16 siblings https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/genetic-d-riser-bars, which still perform very well on asphalt. 

However, I have been surprised to find the D-Riser 4 feel that bit sharper on relatively smooth roads-sweeping around S bend descents that kind of thing.

I haven’t noticed any real difference, when ascending and as with its sibling the 20degree rise is subtle but welcome, especially through congested traffic, or relaxing on a long day ride.   I'll do a few hundred miles more with these contact points, before reaching any firm conclusions.

Tests of Time

Nostalgia is very comforting and there were some genuinely great products and concepts back in the late 80s. Many I recall from the cycling press, read during my otherwise instantly forgettable, and decidedly dubious school career. Some have stood the test of time and remain very relevant, others consigned to history.

Anything dirt based with drop bars obviously grabs my attention. Specialized’s Rock Combo (sadly short-lived) and Muddy Fox’s Trailblazer being two prime examples. Seems I'm not the only fan, either! https://bikesboardsandphotos.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/specialized-rockcombo/ 

I’m not convinced U brakes were an inherently bad idea. They certainly offered considerable stopping prowess.

However, chain stay mounting was more conducive to dry, dusty California. Not the damp, leafy climes more commonly experienced in the UK and Canada. Little wonder why Kona mountain bikes were such a hit in the UK. Compact geometry framesets with sensible clearances. Designs that look current and still perform beautifully today.   

Some saddles fall into the classic narrative. Aside from traditional leather saddles, which has remained a quiet institution among tourists, there’s the Selle Italia Turbo, the Rolls etc. The catalyst for this sudden rush of retrospective was induced by the arrival of Selle San Marco Concor Super Corsa saddle. Tipping the scales at 320g, it’s not the lightest but hardly outlandish, so now sits pride of place on my fixed gear winter/trainer.

I had a Concor on my first fixed-a conversion based around a 501 tubed Raleigh frameset. 

When that frameset died in July ’92, I bought a comparable frameset from a small scale, midlands-based builder. Ported most of the stuff over and headed to London’s East End. University and idealism followed. Come ’94, I’d worn it smooth, the rails a little wobbly where they slotted in the base.

Flogged it to a cash strapped land surveying student for as little as I paid for it (Having bought a luminous yellow Turbo gel from a shop’s bargain bin). Not a bad buy and it matched the frameset’s lurid enamel. Shortly afterward, I’d primarily switched to cross country mountain bike racing and a flyte.

Had a couple of the minimalist, ti railed wonders and got along with them surprisingly well. Back then, saving every last gram, as economically as possible, was the primary focus. Though I keep a keen eye on my machine’s girth, it’s not at comfort’s expense.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this PRO Stream Off Road Saddle weighs a positively feathery 207g. Surprising, since the rails are stainless steel (Inox) Yes, there’s a bit of carbon involved, and on some levels, a less obvious choice for my Univega. However, I’ve been running the BBB Echelon with good results. Besides, being a mixed terrain, four seasons’ build its perfect for assessing the design’s capabilities and potential limitations. 

Classics aside much technology has improved considerably. Clothing is one area, where materials have become more sophisticated on the one hand but crucially budget and mid-point clothing staples arguably represents better value than ever before. I’ve been quite impressed by these middleweight Prendas Ciclismo Winter Cycling Socks https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/prendas-ciclismo-coolmax-winter-cyc   

Lighting and other, electrical tech are another, prime example. These days it’s difficult to find a poor light, thanks to competition. I’ve been particularly impressed by this Moon Meteor.

Not the most powerful designs (400 lumens steady, 500day flash) but extremely compact and a great companion to my high-power dynamo units. 

A good choice for pared-to-the essentials best/winter bikes.  Intelligent and tuneable designs are another clear trend. Knog Cobber Mid rear Light https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/knog-cobber-mid-rear-light  being one example. At the time of writing, these are at the upper end of the market. However, like most tech, it’s only a matter of time before this technology trickles down. 

Others, such as this See Sense Icon2 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/see-sense-icon-2-rear-light offer these options but are also capable of monitoring road surfaces and a wealth of other information. This can be shared, via their app and theoretically, has the power to shape town planning and improve safety. However, you don’t have to use all these features to appreciate its intelligent design.  

At the other end of the market, this Oxford Ultratorch R75 pumps out an impressive 75 lumens (tops) and so far, decent run times, from a full charge.

There are four modes in total. Three flashing (high, medium and low) modes and my default, flashing.  COB (Chips on Board) technology intensifies output, since you can pop more diodes within the same space. In this instance 24. 

These are fuelled by a lithium polymer cell and the unit meets IP65 for weatherproofing. To date, ours has been swamped with dodgy standing water, silt, spray and similar unmentionables with no issues. Talking of subverting wet stuff, I’ll close with my review of the Raw Prismatic reflective Mud flaps https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/raw-prismatic   

More Filthy Fun & Tumbling Temperatures

The recent wet, stormy narrative meant I was washing the fixed every three/four rides. 

No great hardship. The powder coated frame and components are treated to a premium quality wax. In this instance, Naked Bikes Pro Wax Special edition https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/naked-bikes-pro-wax-special-edition and thankfully, gritting lorries are conspicuous by their absence.  

Perfect conditions for evaluating a wet lube. I'm staying with White Lightning Wet Ride . It's a blend of synthetic oils and water repelling polymers. 

No curing time either and in theory you can just top-up, as required. In practice, you'll need to clean the residual (and it's ingrained gritty contaminant first). 

Packing a Crankalicious K- wipe https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/crankalicious-kwipe-chain-cleaner  (or a decorator's solvent wipe) is another good tip, should you need to clean and replenish on a big ride/tour. Same goes fort some middleweights, such as Juice Lubes Viking All Condition High Performance Chain Oil https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/juice-lubes-all-condition-chain-lub and Weldtite TF2 Performance All weather Lubricant

https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-performance-all-weathe 

Otherwise, by this point, I'd also be inclined to cleanse the cassette. Again, a brush dipped in turpentine is very effective. When time's at a premium, aerosol based solvent degreasers come into their own.

During winter, when washing bikes, start by rinsing bikes with cold water first. This will dismiss road salts/similarly caustic stuff. Then take the warm, sudsy bucket route. Hot water will simply awaken the salt monster's malicious side. Then reach for your bike wash, or warm, sudsy elixir. 

Car wash n' wax formulas are very convenient and time efficient. My default, assuming I'm not testing bike washes. The surfactant lifts the grime, then imparts a thin, protective wax barrier. 

As with most things, quality varies, depending on price. However, several litres lasts several months (and that's factoring frequent car washing into the mix). 

Quite effective on sullied bar wrap too. I had been tempted to pop the ACROS Silicone Wrap Handlebar Tape https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/acros-silicone-wrap-handlebar-tape in the wash, following last week's switch to the D-Riser 4. The former (not the bars!) is designed to do tours de Zanussi/Mele/Hotpoint/Indesit/Samsung (* Other brands are available*). 

However, this Oxford Products Tyre Scrub https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/oxford-products-tyre-scrub proved the most convenient method. Its also one of my favourite acquisitions and costs a measly £3.99 . Oxford has also sent me their Cliqr Out Front Handlebar Mount. Phones might be the obvious choice but its reckoned to manage compact action cameras. So, we'll see how it behaves with this Apeman A80   https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/apeman

Prevention is always more convenient (and usually cheaper) than cure. 

Little and often inspection and maintenance keeps problems to a minimum and stops most before they strike. While switching bars, to my horror, I discovered the brake's inner wire a few strands from oblivion. A few inner wires-brake and gear are bread n' butter staples. 

This coincided with a more generic sort out/rationalisation of the garage. I unearthed another two Co2 inflators and the straps for the Fibre Flare USB light. The latter is just the right length to sit on my Univega's seat stays-without fouling feet, or rear brake. Well, it pleased me. 

The fibre flare might lack the outright punch of many modern blinkies. That said; the surface area compensates and in my view, they're particularly suited to tagalongs and trailers. 

A quick lick of Vaseline/silicone grease keeps the switch and contacts corrosion free. 

On the subject of switching, after many happy weeks testing, I've reverted to the XLC SPD pattern pedals. Now, I like dual sided flat/cleat designs, some more than others. Despite the platform's size, there's been no clearance woes with the Look. Nor have I been floundering away from the lights. 

However, for me cross country mtb types win by a nose, when all's said n' done. An editor once suggested I had a fetish for "lookie-likies" (patterns). Yes, was my polite and truthful response.  To clarify, I'm curious to see how patterns perform, relative to the real McCoy. 

Similarly, they are typically cheaper, which is also welcome on winter/working bikes. Wellgo Ritchey patterns are one of my all-time favourite homages. Staying with feet, I've also switched to waterproof socks and synthetic shoes for a while. Primarily since these Oxford Ox Socks arrived for testing and in the latter context, I fancied giving my mighty Quoc Pham a break. I'm no fan of overshoes. 

Not that they aren't an effective way of protecting expensive footwear from the ravages of winter and feet from nasty chill, I just can't abide the faff of trying to tug them on/off. 

My traditional objection to impervious socks is breath ability. While they will keep mother nature firmly at bay, immersed up to the cuff-line. TPU linings tend to leave feet feeling "boiled in the bag" i.e. clammy and uncomfortably moist. 

Worn for prolonged periods, especially in milder weather and/or with synthetic shoes, I've succumbed to athletes' foot and similar nasties. 

Now, the Oxsocks are also supposedly impervious, with a laminated membrane. However, thus far no sign of the clamminess/discomfort. Something that I attribute to the use of merino blend, rather than purely synthetic yarns. 

Despite sensationalist forecasts, the sort implying the country will grind to a pronounced and snowbound halt. In practice, its only turning icy. Not icy enough that I'm inclined to switch to the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/after-the-gritters-went-home but exercising more caution. 

Fixed is particularly useful in these contexts. The ability to regulate speed by holding off against the cranks gives much better feedback. Situations where engaging a brake lever runs the very real risk of a spill.