Grease, Cadence and Crisis Aversion

 Speed grease hmm, I thought, glancing at Ursula’s Hollowtech II drivetrain. I needed to inspect the crankset splines and bottom bracket region anyhow, given the relatively harsh and snowy winter/early spring. I wasn’t surprised to find everything came adrift easily, given the spline and bottom bracket shell had been given a sensible helping of Muc-Off Eco-Grease TWELVE MONTH TEST: GREEN OIL ECO GREASE (sevendaycyclist.com) which was still evident but beginning to recede a little. Out came some Motorex Power Cleaner and an old sock. A few blasts and a quick wipe later, I was ready to introduce some Peaty’s Speed Grease.  

This is a low viscosity formula, so is easily applied to the host and covers nicely. Ten minutes later, everything was reassembled and correctly torqued. Anecdotally, the cranks spun buttery smooth, and resistance feels lower. However, quantifying that in any meaningful way, without laboratory testing facilities is going to be a little tricky.  Durability will also be interesting. Not that there’s any indication it will need frequent replenishment, but traditionally lighter lubes and greases tend to.  

Racers traditionally brewed their own but would think nothing of stripping and repacking the machine after every event, which isn’t desirable for most riding contexts, particularly training, touring and commuting. Time will tell but for now, ten minutes well spent. Interestingly, a serviceable quantity of Green Oil Eco grease clung to the pinch bolt threads, so I simply reinstated them.   

I also took this opportunity to strip and treat my fixed gear winter trainer’s Cane Creek Thudbuster ST G4 seatpost, Wellgo WELLGO MO94B SPD PEDALS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)pedal threads and smaller, oft neglected fasteners to a helping of the Peaty’s Assembly Grease.  Ditto Ursula’s since I was there, and daily drivers will say considerably more about its tenacity and any potential quirks.  

Very much in the zone, I gave said fixed a good wash, stripped the chain of Bat waxBAT CHAIN LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), in favour of the Weldtite Ceramic WELDTITE CERAMIC LUBE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), and a quick rummage unearthed the cadence sensor, which I fitted, along with a fresh CR2032 cell. Interestingly, the magnet mount was still attached to the crank arm, so I gently turned the cranks and couldn’t figure why the sensor light wasn’t flickering to denote function.  

Closer inspection revealed the magnet had slipped from the housing. I didn’t want to buy a dedicated replacement magnet, so I had a look on an auction site for something suitable. I found a pack of five with a 3M self-adhesive backing, so cleaned the holder with solvent to ensure good adhesion and popped one in place-success!  Whether it will stay put longer-term, remains to be seen.  

Mudguard and other little tweaks have solved any teething issues with the Teenage Deam, so I’m enjoying its spirited charms, on fair weather days. Less endearing was the sudden and unexpected demise of my Yak Homage’s inner tube. A ruptured seam, which illustrates the point that get a blowout and sealant WILL require a major clean-up operation, not to mention a new tube (which I was sadly lacking, on this occasion).  

Otherwise, easily sorted. I acquired two replacements, more was tempting, given the potential disruptions induced by pandemic & Brexit. The latter is coming in installments and according to industry experts, supermarkets are likely to witness supply disruption and ultimately, empty shelves. Price increases are also somewhat probable, if not inevitable. 

There are several variables inducing this-a pronounced lack of qualified HGV drivers, especially since, given a dark underbelly of xenophobia European drivers and people per se have no incentive to return, or indeed, bring goods into the UK. 

There is an uneducated assumption/suggestion that the military will just “step in. However, this is unrealistic. While the armed forces are experts when it comes to logistics and service personnel are highly adept at responding to the unexpected, a military HGV driving qualification is not directly interchangeable with civilian. Therefore, some further training will be required, and this takes time, especially during a pandemic...   

Stripped, Cleaned & Sorted

What began as a wheel swap (to confirm some hypothesis regarding optimal hub dynamo and K-Lite performance) turned into a full-blown strip, clean and cable replacement. While switching the Shutter Precision PD8 wheelHALO CLASSIC RIM & SHUTTER PRECISION DYNOHUB DISC WHEEL BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) for the SL9, I noted the stainless-steel inner wire was showing similar levels of deterioration as Ursula’s gear cable and was also bound together by a PTFE “fat berg”.  

Thankfully I had several stainless inners wires in stock, and I flushed the Tektro Spyre through with some Motorex Pow Cleaner (which is essentially a potent degreaser of the same genre as Weldtite Jet Blast Degreaser WELDTITE JET BLAST DEGREASER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and Muc Off High Power Quick Drying Degreaser Chain & Cassette MUC-OFF HIGH PRESSURE DEGREASER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) (links).  

Not a moment too soon, and time well spent. Subsequent blasts along the backroads confirmed my long-held suspicion that the K-lite Ultra Road LD (low drag) lamp and Shutter Precision SL9HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) were the ultimate pairing for a pared to the essentials’ road/Audax bike.  

The SL9 can result in less slow speed output, but this is a moot point with the K-Lite family per se, although a consideration with some more traditional dynamo lamp, such as this otherwise likeable 80lux TrelokHALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com)  I was slightly (although not completely) surprised to discover the VDO head unit battery was virtually spent, putting the computer into hibernation, after six weeks. Easily, and cheaply addressed but a reminder that in real terms, premium-grade cells represent much better value.  

However, in this instance I’ll use what I have and upgrade to premium cells when present stocks are exhausted. I dread to think how fast the addition of the cadence sensor would exhaust them-I'll exhume those from the spares box, when I order a new set of CR2032 cells. . Meanwhile, the Teenage Dream’s Decathlon/Knog frankenpute is behaving impeccably and a few hundred miles down the line, I’ve reached my conclusions re the Kranx bar tapeKRANX STRETTA PRIMO ANTI SHOCK BAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).   

Since the weather has reverted to that more commonly associated with early April- wet and 15 degrees, Fixed and Ursula have been receiving more frequent sudsy bucket washes and I've also decided to revisit Ursula’s trailer. Wheels tend to be something of an afterthought on trailers and this one is no exception. In fairness, though basic, the rim and hub and very serviceable, it’s the knobbly tyre that merits upgrading. I was very sceptical when it came to sizing.   

The arrival of these Peaty’s Greases presented the ideal opportunity for a strip and repack using their speed grease. The speed grease is designed for bearings/moving components, whereas the assembly grease is designed for metal seatposts, contact points, fasteners etc.  However, that’s not to say the latter couldn’t be employed in hubs. Bottom brackets and other moving parts, where durability is paramount.  

 Teenage Dream’s Thompson seatpost was treated to a fairly liberal helping, while I was about it. This had become a little arthritic, requiring a quick shot of release spray, so not a moment too soon.  

One thing usually leads to another and while rummaging for something completely unrelated, I happened upon these Topeak Versamount. Next came some Axiom Ti cages, so I introduced them, using some excess post grease to coat the screw threads.     

I digress, back to the trailer. The OEM unit is reckoned to be 16x1.75 (47-305 ERTO) but looked closer to 14x1.75. However, with nothing in 14inch to offer, I took a gamble and acquired this 16x1.75 Schwalbe, which thankfully, proved a winner.   

The other issue with the OEM type, is they tend to be anything but compliant.  

Wrestling them on/off the rim can induce a lend of primal grunting and agricultural language more commonly associated with a labour ward.  I may well upgrade the trailer’s carry sack, should something suitable present. The existing bag is made from a waterproof fabric, but the seams aren’t, thus water and ingress will work their way inside, relatively quickly.