Bolts & More Boing

 For some reason, Ursula’s Cycles Berthoud Soulor Leather Saddle CYCLES BERTHOUD SOULOR LEATHER SADDLE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) is disagreeing with me- shouldn't given the miles we’ve been doing over the past two years. However, I've never got along with Brooks iconic B17 either. Might be a short/pad incompatibility. Either way, I decided I’d switch in favour of this old-school Sell San Marco Concor Super Corsa Saddle. The Super Corsa was originally introduced in 1978 and arguably a more obvious choice for a retro road build. I’ve contemplated fitting it to the Teenage Dream 1991 ROAD BIKE REVAMP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) on a few occasions but I’m strongly wedded to its Selle SMP Strike Plus.  

The Concor is surprisingly narrow too. 265 long and140mm (about 5.51 in) at the widest point, so we’ll see how we fare in the next few hundred miles. The hide’s colour is also a good fit with the Souma Leather bar tape. This also presented an ideal opportunity to re-grease the Kinekt 2.1KINEKT 2.1 SUSPENSION SEAT POST | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) cradle hardware.  Since we're talking contact points, here's my review of the Funkier Apiza Gents Elite Bib Shorts Funkier Apiza Gents Elite Bib Shorts | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Given the heatwave, it was time to get some more miles in on the Holdsworth. The stem bolts I’d turned to as contingencies (having switched to the Star Fangled Nut and re-greased the Saturn Aheadset a few weeks back) were also extracted and replaced. The heads were completely chewed-I'd only snugged them to 5nm with a torque wrench and decent quality tool bit, which says something about their quality.  

Replacements seem fine, but then, they’re the same as fitted to the fixed gear winter/trainer’s Redshift Sports Suspension Stem.  Several pre-dawn rides confirm everything is bang on and I’m making the most of the dry spell, it’ll be autumn and then winter, soon enough.  

 

Maybe the heat was addling my thought processes, but I’d even toyed with the idea of switching the Holdsworth’s Torus Titanium Stem TORUS TITANIUM STEM (sevendaycyclist.com), for the Kinekt Suspension stem KINEKT SUSPENSION STEM | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), but it's out of kilter with the bike’s build and purpose It also adds 150g or so to the build. Not massive and easily countered by switching to lighter inner tubes, possibly a lighter seat post. Arguably, other than experimenting, or possibly proving a point, there’s little to be gained and its time better spent elsewhere.  

After some deliberation, I switched the Kinekt to my fixed gear winter/trainer. Now, I have a soft spot for the Kinekt, having run it through December 2020. It’s very plush and refined, although I would still prefer a stiffer elastomer than those supplied. A moot point when in the cruising stance but aggressive, out of the saddle efforts-say when ascending (which is more common on the fixed), and I found it was a little too active.  

I’ll freely admit to being a fan of the old Girvin Flex stem. I had one of my (long gone) 1990 Kona Lava Dome (“Lotti” in case you wondered). Critics suggested the elastomer system was too whippy, but it curried favour with me. By the same token, suspension stems are considerably lighter and less mechanically complex than suspension forks.  

I’ve run hardtail XC mountain bikes for many years and was similarly fond of the Rock Shox Indy SL with air cartridges. These were a relatively expensive and unintended upgrade, having foolishly followed the “guidance” of someone claiming Castrol Red Rubber Grease was superior to Judy Butter and similar elastomer-specific products.  

Sure, it was cheaper but ruined the elastomers. I was racing at the time, so suspension forks were well worth the investment and added weight (especially since I was also riding plain gauge 7005 aluminium alloy frames between autumn 96 and autumn 99). Ok, so I’ve gone a little further along the suspension trajectory and memory lane than initially intended...    

 

Back on track, there are rumoured to be stems employing air shock technology, reckoned to be around the 300g mark but I haven’t seen any production models, at least on these shores. Anyhow, if anyone has an innovative design, they’d like reviewed, feel free to contact me directly. No sooner had I typed this last paragraph, a postal worker arrived, brandishing some lubes and degreasers from Green Oil. A welcome and unexpected surprise.  

 

How Did We Get Here?

 The world is in a very fluid state at present, not least here in the UK. My default move, when it comes to processing anything complex and with consequences usually involves some time in the saddle. Having fitted those new chain tugs and tweaked the S1’s tension, I went for a tyre and tube swap up front. I’m back to the Bontrager AW3 Hardcase Lite (700x32) and the Tubolite X-Tubo City/ Tour.  

The latter is a wider section TPU tube that they reckon is puncture proof. Hmm, one of those terms begging for contradiction. While the context is different, watchmakers, since the 1960s, progressively replaced “waterproof” with “water resistant” since it is arguably the case that in this instance, a watch is only water resistant, but not impervious to water, in all conditions.  Catch a nail with your name on it, that bombproof tyre could go boom.  

Anyhow, back to the tubes. To assess their claims, I’ve switched the Vittoria Rubino Pro Control Graphene Vittoria Rubino Pro Control Graphene 2.0 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) for the Bontrager, which is showing some minor nicks and cuts in the casing. Minor wear I would usually plug with a drop of superglue, but in this instance, leaving them open and technically vulnerable stands a reasonable chance of calling Tubolite’s bluff. I’m running a 25mm Eclipse TPU at the rear and both tubes afford a quicker, more compliant ride with the two loosely comparable tyres.  

Whacking one in a heavy-duty commuter/touring model, such as this Vee Tire Co Zilent 2 TESTED: VEE TIRE CO ZILENT MARK 2 TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) isn’t going to reap any tangible weight-saving benefit. Talking of which, the Tubolite X-Tubo City/Tour is designed to work with tyre sections between 30 and 50mm- I’ve also whacked one in a 42mm Maxxis Roamer TESTED : MAXXIS ROAMER TYRES (sevendaycyclist.com) with no issues.

 

In my experience, the TPU genre of tubes are easier to fit and harder to pinch than traditional butyl. Less call for tyre levers-I've only ever required one, to hook the last section home. I like the improved ride quality and in comparable climates and contexts, I’ve kept a higher average speed-18.1 mph, rather than 17.6. hardly meteoric, but palpable. The Momo MIC Dry lube is also clinging on, despite some more changeable conditions and the odd off-road excursion.  

The Souma Leather Leather Handlebar tape, much as I predicted continues to impress with its refinement and grip. This has simply improved with 400miles and though I’ve liked and been impressed by other brands, I’m thinking the Souma will stay, on both bikes, long term. Talking of which, when I started this blog, back in 2008, we’d just entered another major economic crash, instigated by various things but the sub-prime mortgage market and bad debts being major factors.  

I never thought the UK would decline, almost beyond recognition. Affordable housing, rented, or mortgaged has long been at a premium and had quite profound effect upon communities. However, an increasing number of the population, even those on moderate incomes struggling to feed itself and cover the basics.  

Reading between the lines, might I say lies, I can see a privatised, insurance-based healthcare system and private, for-profit prisons becoming a near future reality, in the UK. I also suspect the present government is intending a system of conscription. Those receiving Universal Credit and without employment will be forced to work for their benefit, not pressed into work and paid a wage/salary. Then of course, defence spending has been greatly reduced, so others may be drafted...

Political scandals are nothing new, but standards in public life have virtually evaporated, without barely a murmur. The UK was once a respected, some might say positive presence on the world stage. Now, the country is becoming increasingly insular and isolated.    

I’d been thinking chains once more and decided, upon reflection and some general inspection, it was time to pension-off the KMC S1- it'd been in situ, for ten months and a good few thousand, so certainly didn’t owe me anything. Besides, these chains are inexpensive, rings, sprockets and similar less so these days.  

I fitted another S1 and acquired a Z510HX for next time. Checked the 16tooth Halo Fix G HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting sprocket was snugged tight, gave the frameset a good clean and wax, then fed the Souma leather bar tape and saddle. Prevention is always better, and cheaper too. Lube-wise, I’ve gone for the Momum Mic Wax Momum MIC Wax Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since I’m rather fond of it.