Call Up & Clipless Dilemmas

 Dawn is calling sooner and by 545, it's surprisingly bright. So much so, that I’ve often thought I’ve been running late...Pre-dawn rides are where I enjoy the silence, sensation of speed. Yes, much of my ride time is spent evaluating products, but I'm a three-dimensional entity, a multi-faceted human. I am forming the belief that World War 3 looms perilously close, and much will depend upon whether NATO countries employ a no-fly zone.  

Then of course, there are reports of troops going AWOL, supposedly to form a resistance. My feeling is that if Russian forces cannot take control of Ukraine, they will bomb it into submission, or indeed, out of existence. They will then advance into neighboring countries (Hungary and Poland are my guess), destroying their infrastructure. For the first time in 37 years, I feel nuclear war is a very tangible and frightening possibility.

  

I often reflect upon what my grandparents would make of this.  

Pragmatic people of principle, they believed and strove for a peaceful world, one free of destruction and divisions. One of hope and opportunity. My grandfather was a highly skilled welder who worked on the first Magnox nuclear reactors and when he realised the potential abuses of nuclear energy, refused to work on Dounreay. Story goes the firm respected his principles, and in return he agreed to train and mentor welding apprentices. 

Digressing again, I know. Back in the saddle, having formed my conclusions regarding the Alfine hub dynamo, I’ve spent the past few weeks racking up miles on my fixed gear winter/trainer. Sure-footed, yet with sufficient sparkle to induce a big grin, I’ve been enjoying the 700x38mm Vittoria Adventure Tech’s compliant and yet surprisingly quick qualities. Staying with Vittoria, I mourn the discontinuation of their Randonneur Trail VITTORIA RANDONNEUR TRAIL TYRES LONG TERM TEST (sevendaycyclist.com) which served me and Ursula handsomely for several seasons. Yes, there was an element of compromise, and at 900g apiece, quite portly. Crucially they were swift, solid and great for green lane and bridle path deviations. 

I’ve decided to switch the pedals, from the otherwise very likable Wellgo MO94B WELLGO MO94B SPD PEDALS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to these ISSi II Tripple.  

The latter’s cosmetics have aged less gracefully than a polished, or anodised finish would. However, they’ve done plenty of miles in the last six years. My reason for switching boils down to a hunch around cleats and misalignment, causing tenderness in my right knee. 

This is not an issue with Ursula, I’m using the same cleats and shoes on both, and I don’t turn tall gears with any regularity. Saddle alignment and height have also been checked, ruling that out. These HT Leopard 878 TESTED HT LEOPARD 878 CLIPLESS PEDALS (sevendaycyclist.com) were another good bet, but the cleats are different, so ruled out on the grounds of uniformity. As an aside, they’re also 70g heavier than the ISSI.  

Single-sided designs, though perfectly serviceable aren’t my first choice, especially on the fixed. Though a small thing, dual-sided models mean I can just click in and power away. Time ATAC are another favourite of mine- lots of mud-shedding prowess and knee-friendly float-Holdsworth and Teenage Dream sport these. However, though generally durable, Time’s brass cleats wear faster, being a softer metal and unlike SPDs, patterns aren’t plentiful, thus more expensive.  

While playing “lucky dip” in my transmission box, I also took the opportunity to switch the fork crown race over (having treated the school chair fork’s cantilever posts and small chips to some high build marine primer and black topcoat) Said rummaging also unearthed my Gerber Cool Tool. Well, not the original that my father gifted me for Christmas 1992, but a later version he bought for his drum braked, hub geared Pashley sit-up n’ beg roadster.  

Mine was “lifted” by someone, while I was living in London and had a red silicone pouch. Some thirty years on, some of the tooling is a little dated perhaps, but the adjustable cone/headset and track nut end is a seriously useful, ditto the chain tool. Combined with something like the Soma Woodie SOMA WOODIE MULTI TOOL | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and save for spoke keys and tyre levers, you’ve most bases covered-even on a group ride, with an eclectic group of machines. 

Back To The Old School

 I am switching back to the “school chair” fork that was upfront for several years, rather than risk something Chinese. Just a matter of switching the crown race over from the Project 2. Meantime, I’ll keep the existing setup, test the Shimano Alfine dyno hub and Capgo cable.  

Upgrading the Tektro 710 in favour of the Shimano CX50 was another inspired choice. That’s not to say the Tektro 710 isn’t a decent stopper- it is. However, the CX50 is superior and simpler to adjust. New chain was also timely- though shifting wasn’t “Off” it’s a notch crisper now. I’ve also discovered a couple of mid-range 10 speed KMC chains that I’d squirreled away, while on the hunt for something else, naturally.     

Subtly raising the fixed’s saddle height was another good move. Up front I’ve switched to this Vittoria Adventure Tech Tyre, which features a 3mm thick puncture repelling belt, which runs along the centre-strip, rather akin to the Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) . The Kenda had been on the Halo Evura/SP SL9 HALO EVURA & SHUTTER PRECISION SL9 DYNOHUB BUILD (sevendaycyclist.com) for so many miles, the wire bead required unusual effort to shift, even with a long-handled Hutchinson tyre lever and two Ritchey models, designed to stow away in the bar ends.  

Puzzling but thankfully it relented and without incident. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 38mm Vittoria was more compliant but had a subversive streak, peeling away once I’d got it 70% home. Cursory inspection reveals a maximum pressure of 85psi (80 for the 32mm (about 1.26 in) Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus).

However, while both employ puncture repelling centre strips, the Kenda’s is 5mm (about 0.2 in) thick and has gone at least ten months and several thousand miles without a single flat. It will be interesting to see how the Vittoria’s compares.  

It also features a Graphene compound for enhanced life and is E-Bike R75 compliant, which basically means it's designed to perform on the fastest models. Surprising since it gives change from £30.   

Thirteen years down the line, I’ve also decided it was high time the “spare” Halo Aero Track rear wheel got some TLC.  

For some reason, the axle’s threads had begun shedding and if I’m going to open the hub, I may as well go for new cartridge bearings, a liberal helping of grease, topped off with a quick tension and true of the hoop. These deep-section rims are not welded, rather joined by pressure and feature a powder-coated finish.  

The latter looks to have been applied directly, rather than atop a primer, hence the odd chip here and there but still in great shape, all told. Light cosmetics aside, I’m of the opinion a second/spare wheel still needs to be bang on, since you’ll be depending on it, while the best, or main is on the jig.   

Not to be outdone, the cassette style lockring belonging my fixed gear winter/trainer’s main Halo fixed G Track Hub HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting came loose, resulting in some uncharacteristic chain noise. (I was on the return leg and only a few miles from home.) I’m a big fan of the Fix-G and its design and the lockring is very reliable.  

However, check it every 250 miles or so, or before a long ride-unless you’re prepared to carry a cassette type tool along. No problem with the SQR Tour, given its cavernous capacity but a bit OTT possibly. Anyhow, I snugged mine back down, reinstated the wheel and got on with my life.  

Ursula’s front Schwalbe Land Cruiser had succumbed to its first flat. A very thin, sharp hedge clipping swept up by the recent rains. The head was very difficult to spot and indeed, drag out. I had to resort to needle nose pliers. On long rides, or those in the arse end of nowhere, there’s a good case for carrying a small set of pliers, or a little multi-tool such as this True Utility, which I’ve had for some years and am firmly attached to.