Inflated Egos & Lowered Expectations

 

If there’s someone you know who loves you but is taking it all for granted, they may lose you someday... Bread’s “Everything I Own” (Covered by Boy George and others) reworked -a song resonated very strongly with me for a good 35 years. The years have taught resilience and self-reliance. Sometimes very brutally. A few have come to my rescue in ways I cannot begin to repay-at least not like-for-like but otherwise, I have a fiercely independent, survival streak. One that serves me very well, thank you.  

Given last week’s “ordeal” I was rather touched to discover Extra UK Extra UK had sent me this Topeak Road Master Blaster model, a traditional frame fit reckoned capable of an eye-watering, bicep-busting 160psi. It also mounts nicely along the top tube, sheltered from the silt, water and generic ruinous nastiness.  

They also sent me the Topeak Nanomaster Duo Fixer CO2 cartridge kit, which will hopefully help with the rapid get up n’ go following those hopefully infrequent flats. Most reading this will undoubtedly be quick to point out Co2 escapes butyl faster, so there’s a good chance the tyre will be pancake flat come the next day. Don’t panic, whip out the track pump (or bike-mounted inflator, if you’re mid-tour/bike packing escape.) and inflate to taste.   

Talking tyres, I’m looking forward to exploring some of the more technical forest trails, bridlepaths and unmade roads with the Maxxis Ikon, when they arrive. Not to mention seeing how well the Mud Hugger Evo and budget rear guard perform in these contexts.  

Both have met my expectations thus far and the former’s low-slung aesthetic belies decent mud clearance and I’m not expecting any clogging hassles. The wallet-friendly rear hasn’t turned to blancmange either but then, given its price, I had lower expectations.  Closer inspection revealed the Axiom Oceanwave City+ Seat Bag AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) had been aligned slightly downward, rather than being level, so took this opportunity to correct. An easy job, thanks to the Rixen Kaul  

I’m also keen to try the 700x32c Maxxis Re-Fuse-on my fixed gear winter/trainer. Allegedly they “refuse to puncture”. Specification promises good wear and puncture resistance.  

The 60tpi single compound casings employ the brands’ silk-shield technology (used in the Overdrive Excel) runs bead to bead and is boosted by an aramid layer.  

Will be interesting to see how they compare alongside old favourites such as the Kenda  Kwick Journey KS Plus Tyres KENDA KWICK JOURNEY TYRES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).  the Kenda is cheaper and “only” feature a 5mm (about 0.2 in) puncture repelling belt along the centre strip, but I only succumbed once in several thousand miles. 

1200 miles down the line, I’ve hit my third puncture with the Maxxis Overdrive Excel Maxxis Overdrive Excel Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) in fairness, the two were on the same occasions and caused by very sharp flints that had pierced front and rear casings. I pulled these free and superglued the cuts. Replaced the tubes with fresh and repaired the wounded, consigning them to spares.  

When it comes to winter, working and competition bikes, reliability is paramount- Sunny days playthings and other “best” bikes are a little more nuanced perhaps. Talking of which, I’m hoping the weather and infrastructure are going to improve, so I can get some miles in with the Teenage Dream and the recently mounted CST Cito. It’s still rather soggy, changeable at best.  

I’d crossed the 480-mile mark with the Zefal, before replenishment called (which is around 200 miles more than the Muc-off Wet lube in comparable contexts). Now it shouldn’t be inferred that the Muc-Off is a poor lube-it's not, rather it serves to illustrate the difference between a most conditions, year-round “every person” wet formula and a hell n’ high water blend.  

This coincided with the two flats, and I took this opportunity to give Ursula a good clean and strip the residual Zefal in favour of the Motoverde  PTFE Chain Lube Motoverde PTFE Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  However, headed off-road, I’d shy away from river crossings and waterways, since PTFE and similar forever chemicals are very harmful to aquatic life and the ecosystem generally. Talking of bike cleaning, here’s my review of the Finish Line Easy Pro Five Brush Set Finish Line Easy Pro Five Brush Set | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Bob Elliot & Co have sent me these FLR F70 PRO MTB 250 and appropriate, given the mtb theme Safety Labs E-Bahn 2.0 'MIPS' Urban Inmold Helmet in Black. It will be interesting to see how this compares to the Lazer Chameleon Lazer Chameleon Helmet | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Roadside Recoveries

 A wet, greasy outing on the fixed gear winter/trainer and my serendipity was rudely pierced by a wet hiss- the front CST Pika had succumbed. I drew alongside a farmhouse which had a decent fence, meaning I could rest the bike upright and tackle the flat. I’d taken delivery of a fresh batch of tubes recently and popped a fresh spare in the Kinekt Waterproof Saddlebag KINEKT WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), so though annoying-one of those things and easily fixed. The rain intensified, which didn’t do much for my mood but off came the wheel, out came the fresh tube, tyre lever and pump was to hand... 

Well, riding shotgun on its bottle mount bracket. I uncoupled it, plugged it on the fresh tube’s Presta valve. The first stroke suggested it had become waterlogged at the valve. I pulled it away and tried again- like the piston had been immersed in treacle. Now, I keep a mini pump stashed away in the wedge pack for such emergencies-pedestrian perhaps, but infinitely preferable to the long walk home.  

Where art thou??? I rummaged. A few seconds later, I’d found it. To no avail though as the new tube would not inflate-flaccid despite three attempts and 3 minutes. I slipped the pump, tubes etc. back into the wedge pack, reinstated the front wheel and ran the 6 miles home. 

 

I switched the tube and rummaging unearthed another decent pump and bracket. It also presented the opportunity to re-grease the fasteners with some Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease Topeak Road, PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and I ended up switching the composite Tacx cage for this winged carbon Burls.  

I’d checked the Lezyne HP Drive- a high-pressure model with threaded head and integral analogue gauge beforehand and slipped another micro pump into the wedge pack for emergencies (although I’ve rekindled my attraction to Co2 cartridges for rapid roadside rescue).   

The HP drive is reckoned capable of 125psi, although in my experience 95 is more realistic. Easily up to the job of delivering 70psi- the Pika’s maximum and typical of several commu-touring favourites. The new forks mean 700x33mm (about 1.3 in) is the comfortable maximum and I’d be interested to see how well Maxxis Re-Fuse fare in the real world- they're reckoned to be “The perfect cycle training tyre” and extremely puncture resistant.   

Inflating the wounded tube revealed a tiny hole, so not a valve issue and suggesting it was a flint that had worked into the tyre. Easily patched and left curing overnight, could be added to the good spares pile, or returned to the wedge pack.  

Back to Ursula and someone waved a set of mtb guards designed for 29- inch wheels under my nose for a price that would’ve been stupid to pass up... The rear offers 80mm (about 3.15 in) of coverage at the widest point, which should cater for 2.2 inches without oodles of spatter caking the top, or indeed the rear triangle.  

No issues with compatibility-cantilever brakes, or indeed an SQR bag and the post clamp seems secure. These can wander/slide annoyingly-even some high-end models.  In keeping with my experience of budget models, the plastics are of decent quality, but the fitting kit is where pennies are saved. I had to switch some Allen key fasteners and find a suitable shim for the 25.4 Kinekt 2.1 Aluminium Seat post KINEKT 2.1 SUSPENSION SEAT POST | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). Thankfully I had both, so no issues.  

I had toyed with the idea of cutting down an old 26inch full-length chrome plastic to the seat stay bridge (or a few cm proud), mounting here and at the dropout eyelets. However, I didn’t have a suitable scrapper to make good and doing so would also restrict tyre choice.  

I’ve also been confounded by the Sigma BC9.16 SIGMA BC9.16 ATS WIRELESS CYCLE COMPUTER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) sensor’s refusal to communicate with the head unit.

Ultimately, I cleaned everything, including the contacts. I also sprayed some Muc-Off HCB1 on them, to rule out corrosion later down the line- the rubber O-ring seal had deformed (as they do, over time), changed the sensor battery. 

 

I repositioned it, and the magnet higher up, reducing the gap between them. Still nothing. Last thing on the list- the head unit battery... I reasoned that while the display was relatively strong, it might be depleted, and transmission affected-Bingo. Sometimes it’s the little victories. Had this intervention failed, I would’ve switched back to the Cat eye Quick- a remarkably simple model and that’s part of its’ charm.  

My first cycle computer was a wired Cat-Eye Vectra back in Christmas 1988 and I’ve had a particular fondness for the brand since.  Ending on a fond note, here’s my review of the Lazer Chameleon Helmet Lazer Chameleon Helmet | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)