Reflections at 62mph

 

Well, first things first. The unintended upgrade to “New” Sun Race NRX mech coupled with brand new chain and of course, a new block has made meteoric improvements to shifting. Light, crisp, dependable and silent. 

I should also point out that I have a mechanically sensitive riding and shifting style. I’d returned 30,000 miles from the 9speed Microshift, prior to the Centos.  The Centos was always crisp and aside from taking my eye off the gauge during the early season, chains have been replaced at .75, or just before.  

Rule of thumb (two replacements, hence) suggests 1250miles is pretty much all I can expect from a 10spd chain, almost regardless of the riding conditions and chosen lubes. Dry/Wax types attract less contaminant and theoretically, reducing wear. I’m sticking with the True Tension All Conditions blend for the time-being and while conditions are decidedly fair-weather.  

Interplanetary (hub) gears, rather like hub dynamos have come along leaps and bounds in the past twenty years.  

Shimano Alfine (11speed) would be an obvious transition, once I’d worn the existing setup out, although I have a quiet resistance when it comes to enclosed systems and there’s also a weight penalty. Serendipity may shift this stance.   

I’ll buy another chain in shortly, given I’m racking up the miles even more intensely since lockdown. So much so, I’ve done over 2,500 miles with the Continental Contact Speed Reflex tyres. Their speed is well, impressive and brings an extra element of sparkle to my Univega’s persona- on tarmac.  

Seems I managed 62mph along a local 1in7, which certainly focused the mind, especially given the potentially life-changing ramifications, had a blowout struck... Despite their considerable charms, the sidewalls seem relatively vulnerable to flints, glass and similar sharps. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/continental-contact-speed-reflex-ty  

There’s a small but growing community of riders repurposing older mountain bikes as gravel bikes-fitting them with drop bars and brifters. For the time, though they’ve lost their dominance, good quality 26inch tyres remain plentiful.  No prizes for guessing it’s a movement I am closely aligned with.  

Afterall, it's what I envisaged an “All-Terrain Bike” was, while mentally detaching myself from the school curriculum, still attending “in body”. It shouldn’t be inferred that I was ambivalent about my education. I just couldn’t relate to the school curriculum (and indeed, what is termed the “hidden curriculum”) but adopted an instrumental approach to get the grades and move on.  

Since we’re on the subject, if you’re curious about bike packing luggage (especially compatibility with smaller framesets/mtb conversions) we’ve put together a beginner’s guide https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/a-beginners-guide-to-bikepacking-ba   

As the days get progressively cooler and darker, I’ve been doing some seasonal bike prep-cleaning, waxing not only protects but is the ideal opportunity to inspect component and consumable health. 

Soft brushes, such as this Zefal ZB Wash https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/zefal-zb-wash-brush are what’s needed for broad surface work-frame and wheels being the obvious candidates (although I find stiffer models, such as Green Oil Bicycle Brush https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/green-oil-bicycle-brush  are better bets for dirty rims and knobby/deeper touring tread patterns).  

That said, I still have a soft spot for this Oxford Tyre Scrub https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/oxford-products-tyre-scrub  (which also works well on bar wrap) Chains and tyre casings aside, cables, pads, disc rotor condition are areas to check and replace, as required. Prevention is always cheaper and more convenient than cure. I’m also drifting towards more autumnal attire-back to ¾ lengths, base mid and this 7mesh Cypress Hybrid jacket https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/7mesh-cypress-hybrid . 

I’ve also whipped out the Buff Cap https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/buff-pack-bike-cap  and am putting some Dexshell Ultra flex gloves through their paces. These are supposedly winding, waterproof and breathable.  

They’re marketed as an outdoor glove, not cycling-specific but formative impressions (three rides and one hundred miles) suggest they offer decent amounts of support, grip and dexterity. It’s the damping that presents a question mark. Miles are the only proof. 

Black also stirs mixed emotions-great for multi-use, especially walking and general street duties but I have felt my signals were perhaps a little too stealthily at certain points.    

I had reason to be in Colchester recently. Rare these days, given I don’t have much business there. While the borough has expanded exponentially in the last decade or so, the infrastructure cannot cope and town centre looks and feels decidedly jaded. I was, however, pleased to find Colchester Cycle Stores still trading. Spent a lot of time and money there during my teens.   

Rise of the Machines

For some years, I have felt like a humanoid. I can be relied upon to perform very complicated tasks and processes with the ability to adapt to fast-changing situations, environments. Different to the “Robot Welders” anonymous, hydraulic arms work tirelessly spot-welding car bodies on assembly lines (while their human counterparts become robots for 9hrs 37minutes of ten-hour shifts).  

I read people very well and possess sufficient social skills to avert unwelcome introspection but often, I’m going through the motions and feel distinctly alienated. I’m probably my most open during photoshoots and some years back, motor/cycle touring.  

Weaving through the lanes, I often wonder if we are going to reach a stage where that cyborgs will become a prominent group-an organic/mechanical hybrid.  

The technology has existed for some time and it’s not unreasonable to think, given the increasing uses of prosthetic technology, that people could be “rebuilt” following accidents.  

I can also envisage a time where we have fully synthetic humanoids employed to undertake dangerous, labour intensive or potentially monotonous jobs-rather akin to the replicants in Ridley Scott’s original (1982) Blade Runner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_9rhPDLHWk . A film that explores these issues and other constructs, including the narrative of intimate relationships forming between the replicant and human. 

Since we’re on this winding road, I was clearing out the loft and found some genuinely useful stuff, hidden treasures you might say and others that transported me back to childhood and a path towards a very technical, well-paid but dangerous career. At various points in my life, although most notably that crossroads between A level and higher education. Diver. As a child, what might be termed “The romance of the sea” applied There were various routes in. 

 

Commercial was the most exciting but arguably the most dangerous and requiring other sources of income, since there can be several months without commercial work. The Bends (decompression sickness) getting trapped within wreckage and explosions being three very real threats. Joining the police and taking that route was another, less glamorous and arguably more secure, though less exciting route. However, becoming a Police officer held little, save for instrumental, appeal.  

Hence, I took the academic route and pursued other interests/qualifications in parallel. So, the purpose of this indulgent meander? There is often much more to people than meets the eye. Cycling and other things are major passions of mine, ones which shape my perspectives and relationship with the wider world. However, they do not define me. So, these treasures... 

I was delighted to unearth this Cro-moly Soma Crane Stem. It's designed to offer a sympathetically classic look to steel framesets using Aheadsets. The length is closer to that of the quill stem and negates the need for piles of spacers. I’ve always been indifferent to spacers per se and regard them as “coming with the territory” but the ability to forgo most of them certainly appeals.   

I was contemplating retiring the Univega’s KMC chain this week, when it made the decision for me. While I was accelerating along the high street a sudden snap and tinkling followed by a pronounced lack of drive. Having coated to a safe spot, I inspected the damage and coasted home.  

Upon returning, I discovered the chain’s implosion had taken a chunk from the Microshift Centos rear mech. Into the drivetrain box we go, new chain and this Sun Race NRX 10speed rear mech from 2009. The joys of New Old Stock. This is also a notch or so higher than the Microshift Centos, featuring sealed jockey wheels.  

I’ve begun finding some minor limitations with the Continental Contact Speed Reflex. 2000 miles in, the supple, grippy and ultimately fast compound seem more susceptible to sharps. These seem to be striking around the shoulder, rather than centre strip and I’m slowly coming to the idea of running tubes with sealant-I.e. filling standard butyl with aftermarket sealant kit. 

 

The Muc-Off Puncture sealant seems to work very well but I also have some SKS sealant doing something close to nothing. Some consensus suggests the Continental are good for 3500 (rear) and 5,000 up front so we’ll see. Be interesting to see how a similar model, such as Schwalbe’s long-running Kojak fares in comparison. In the meantime, here’s an overview of tyres for commuting and everyday riding  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/rubber-fetish-talking-tyres  While not as “invulnerable” on paper, as Schwalbe Marathon GT https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt-tyres  and Marathon Plus https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-tyres 

The Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus tyres continue to bowl along without missing a beat and roll much faster than their specification would suggest, so shaping up as an excellent everyday tyre, for general riding.  

The darker months call for durability but without sacrificing to much zing-the sort that makes bikes and riders feel alive.  I’ve switched to Muc-Off E-Bike Wet Weather Ceramic Lube on the fixed, so I can see how that really holds up, long term, now autumn and cooler, damper conditions are creeping ever closer. Here’s my interim review of the Muc-Off –50 degree chain lube https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/muc-off-50