Monday, 6 May 2024

Taken By Surprise FGG












Serendipitous post ride inspection revealed some minor structural issues with Ursula- nothing a good frame builder couldn’t repair economically. A few phone calls later and Winston Vaz Varohna Frameworks - Varonha Frameworks provisionally agreed to do the work. Having seen a photograph of the affected area, he agreed to undertake repair and we also discussed modernisation and alteration. Afterall, we’d be talking new paint... 

I’ve decided to have a disc mount added and perhaps a few little tweaks to the cable run but we’ll see what Winston feels best, nearer the timeI’ve stripped the frame down to headset and bottom bracket and will remove these just before I’m ready to send to him 

Meantime, I’ve woken the Dawes Edge from its slumber and into service...   

While I was bolting everything together, I’d reached a point where I couldn’t wire up the rear mech for want of an inner cable, so I then stopped and found myself fitting wheels. Last time I offered a set of Ursula’s they appeared to fit but I hadn’t fitted the cantilevers. This time, with the Shimano CX cantilevers in situ, it became plain that I was misguided. 700c all the way...  

 

Not a major issue but meant I needed a rear, 700c wheel. I found one from a respected dealer- three cross to an XT hub. I’m a firm believer in recycling good kit and not spending money unnecessarily, provided things are fit for the intended purpose. Cosmetics are one thing- the odd, minor scratch in some anodising isn’t going to cause me distress but a hub about to blow its guts is not a sound investment.  

 

Rubber wise, I had a root around and went for a 38mm (about 1.5 in) Specialized Crossroads and a 37 mm (about 1.5 in) Continental Contact Plus, which seemed a suitable and dependable pairing. I’ve a bigger, 42mm section somewhere and will probably take this route at the rear, 37 up front in due course 

 

I gave a relatively low mileage 12-25 cassette a liberal blast of degreaser and seriously good scrub to purge the existing waxy petrochemical gunge. From grotty to respectable in five minutes and I’m including warm water rinsingI fitted the chain but couldn’t fully connect the magic links securely but thankfully, the sleeping hub held everything nicely together, meantime. Since I was tackling chains, I replaced my fixed gear winter/trainer’s as it was now essentially bin fodder. Out of interest, does anyone use the magic links on a fixed? My concern is they’d brake under the increased load...   

 

Before I change tack, here’s my review of the Muc-Off Bicycle Chain Brush Muc-Off Bicycle Chain Brush | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

 

Then of course, there’s the bike cleaner concentrate binge. I tend to buy concentrates, leaving them stock for degreasing duties and making a couple of custom strengths for cleaning bikes. Typically, the bog standard 100ml/900ml water for lightly soiled bikes and a 200ml/800ml water mix for winter’s grot and to a lesser extent, mountain biking/similarly boggy stuff.  

 

Now, the thing to remember is that you stray from the manufacturer's guidelines/directions at your own risk. These strengths, at least with well-known brands haven’t left streaks, dulled finishes, or dried out composite/rubber components, such as seals when rinsed properly but I’ve seen (and used) what are essentially patio cleaners re-branded as bike washes/degreasers.  

 

They’re cheap and fine on cassettes and really soiled rings and similar but I’ve not left anything anodised, or painted marinating too long. Even in dilute, bike wash forms, I’ve never left lingering and they’re quite prone to streaking.   

 

Talking of cassettes, I’m considering going over to a 12-28 with Ursula and renewing the Tiagra mech for a medium cage counterpart, or possibly even a longer cage Microshift model, although that’s a bit OTT for my needs and a longer arm runs the risk of getting caught on something.  

 

Takes me back to the late 80s when people were whizzing around on the lowest gears possible, the cage and jockey wheels hovering millimetres away from the tarmac. At the other extreme, during 1990 and 1991 there was a short-lived trend for sticking short cage road mechs on mountain bikes. Sure, shifts were snappier, but they weren’t designed with trail duties in mind, breakages being similarly common. 

 

Continuing the gravel/off road theme, Extra UK Extra UK have sent me this Ergon All Road Men’s saddle. It has a slightly flat profile and bucks the short nose trend. Beneath the waterproof, faux leather cover we have “orthopaedic comfort foam”, which conjures up images of high-end mattresses but is designed to provide optimal support without feeling like a loaf of bread. The base is a nylon composite, and this is neatly tethered to hollow Cro-Moly rails.  

 

Hardly exotic perhaps and explains why it tips the scales at 350g. Cro-moly rails require a decent coat of paint, which seems the case here. Superficially well executed and noticeable, only in the most positive sense but proof's in the long haul sitting.  

 

Being a gender specific design there’s a male specific channel. I’ve been quite fortunate with some unisex, date I say neutral patterns, the Ritchey WCS Cabrillo being a prime example. More curious was the cut out...Might this be to protect me from reverb when unleashing an epic fartFor the time being, it’ll serve on my fixed gear winter/trainer and in time, a couple of hundred miles, I’ll port it over to the Dawes.   

 

A couple of changeable months and many miles hence, I’ve reached my conclusions about the Blub Ceramic Lube Blub Ceramic Chain Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and while I’m still testing its wax counterpart, there are some definite similarities between the two, which I believe may be attributable to the ceramic particles. Both assume a wet consistency when the temperatures drop below the early teens.  

 

In this context, both also transfer quite readily to hands and other surfaces, although mud, grit and grime appear to lodge within the outer layer and doesn’t evolve into the drivetrain chomping grinding paste some wet formulas do.

 

Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Rough Ride









 

The freelance world can be a rough one and I’ve taken on other roles, from previous careers as a financial anchor for many years. However, these have become progressively less palatable, to the point I’m fostering a genuine sense of resentment toward themRole aside, I’ve had little or no connection to those I work alongside and am managed by either. 


This tells me I need to change something and strive for better, to leave the high pressure, skilled but poorly rewarded work behind. However, as others in this position will attest, you must change, not simply walk away.  

 

For previous generations and many years, there was a linear pattern. You could be assured of a comfortable life, even working a menial job. People didn’t need to adapt, or necessarily develop. Decent quality housing stock, solid public services, schools, and other societal fabrics meant a safety net, social mobility and some might even say cohesion. I would argue this, married to economic decline and neo-liberalist economics are prime culprits.  

 

Some might also argue the pre-existing social contact, also taken for granted, is broken.  

 

I was also slightly perturbed by Kona’s rapid disappearance from the Sea Otter Classic Show in California. Unclear what’s going on there but I for one, would be deeply saddened if the name were to disappear, or possibly worse, become a bargain basement brand, as happened to several British marques over the decades. I have since learned that the parent company has announced redundancies, and the brand is being sold on. 

 

As for those British marques, I still have a fondness for the Barry Hoban range of road bikes, British Eagle, Carlton (although they were part of Raleigh by this point). Talking of Raleigh, I still have a fondness for their special products division and some fabulous tourers- The Randonneur and slightly lowlier Royale in particular.  

A friend had the latter a 21.5-inch 531St tubed model back in 1989. It featured a bio pace crankset, four-point carrier, 700x28c Michelin tyres and Weinman Cantilevers – I rode it a few times as a teenager and found it fun and responsive.  

 

Back to Kona (which he also had within his stable). These were groundbreaking machines in the late 80s and early 90s. Geometry still feels current, and the design perfectly suited to the British climate and conditions. Joe Murray’s influence made the Lava dome and Cinder Cone magnets for my teenage imagination and empty wallet. These had a splatter effect paint finish, which was supposedly designed so you could touch up any chips discretely, and have unique, custom paint. Marin’s Bear Valley was another, as was their decidedly out- of- my budget Team Titanium....Hmm.... Again, I love retro, providing there’s scope for modernisation and I’m paying fair, not fancy prices 


In the UK at least, it's not unusual for temperatures to dip around Easter, leading to April. However, I was somewhat surprised to find it sliding from 18 degrees to 3 degrees, prompting a switch back from the Espresso and Cycology jerseys to the Castelli Entrata Castelli Entrata Thermal Bib Knickers | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Bib Knickers and occasionally, the Madison bib tights and jersey cum jacket with Cycology Summit Jersey as a base-layer (a role it performs very well).  

 

The Cycology Baja Cap being slightly thicker and with a greater cotton content also retained some welcome warmth, although I stayed temperate wearing the Madison Roam Gloves Madison Roam Gloves | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). Talking of Cycology, here’s my review of the Cycology 8 Day Handlebar Tape Cycology 8 days Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). 

 

Ursula’s front Continental Cross King had succumbed to the first flat, although I was relieved to find it the following morning, not mid ride. Time was short, so I plucked the fixed gear winter/trainer from its hanger and headed out for a faster-paced road blast.  

 

Ursula’s flat boiled down to a tiny hole near the tube’s seam and easily repairable, though I couldn’t find anything lodged within the tyre casing. I fitted another Cross King to the Alfine wheel and replaced the tube in the Ryde/SP wheel, switching the over for the time being until I found opportunity to wash and clean the tyre thoroughly. I couldn’t find any holes or cuts I the casing, so nothing to plug with superglue.  

 

The following day, my postman delivered this Cyc Plus AS2 Pro max mini, compressor- type inflator. This will deliver 120psi in around 7.5 seconds, which makes it a more practical option for road bikes and there’s an integral digital gauge, so you don’t ram this into a 26x2.0 maxing out at 65.  

 

Setting the pressure before you get going also means it will automatically shut off upon reaching that pressure. They claim it will inflate 7 29x2.2 mtb tyres from a single, full charge, which is also impressive. Measuring 54x32x81mm It may be a little big for jersey pockets but fine for bar bags and similar luggage. Will be interesting to see how it compares with the Fumpa pump FUMPA PUMP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)