Bring on the gloop

  

While Mick Madgett was working his wizardry on the Ryde Andura/XT hoop, I discovered I’d added to much tension to the fixed gear winter trainer’s chain. Since the sun had its hat on, I headed out for a couple of sunny rides on the Holdsworth. Afterall, that’s what it's for. 

The Schwalbe One 365 gives a very quick, supple ride quality, in contrast to the Freedom Thick Slick’s coarser but ultimately durable casing- which stays on the rear for precisely this reason. I like the slightly odd couple pairing, so they stay. The Blub Wax lube is also staying, just to see how well it behaves in drier contexts. Like most waxes, it's self-cleansing, so but anecdotally, there’s less friction. However, in common with its ceramic stablemate, if the bike’s not been ridden for two days, you’ll need to replenish.  

Not so the Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Lube. Three hundred miles hence, I’m still on the first application and it’s proving extremely clean, even in the wet. The links looked a little parched but touching them confirmed a tangible, filmy layer remains.  This suggests their claims of 400 miles per application is more than salesmanship.  I’m told it’s a synthetic blend made in partnership with SCC Tech. One that binds to the chain, while the detergents cleanse the dirt as you ride.  

Back to the fixed Gear winter trainer, I’m starting to discover some vulnerabilities in the Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) puncture repelling belt- the third flat (thankfully a slow puncture) at the rear. This struck following six miles of gritty backroad- a flint had worked inside the rear tyre’s shoulder (the puncture repelling strip only covers the centre strip).  

Saddleback sent me these 700x40c WTB Nano. They’ve been around a few years and found a lot of favour among gravel audiences and seem to follow a similar mtb tread in gravel sizing narrative.  

On paper at least, they should be an interesting and very relevant comparator. Of course, with the return of said wheel (which took Mick ten minutes to tame) came the tyre conundrum...Being as I already had the tyre off, it I thought it rude not to slip the WTB in situ. Effortless just using my thumbs.  

Much as the Maxxis, I introduced 50psi, fitted the wheel and then decided I’d switch the misbehaving CX50 in favour of the Suntour SE. The latter fight back a bit (though less than I was expecting) and they’ll need some fine tuning.  

For the uninitiated, these are a late 80s design which employ an internal mechanism that moves when the pads strike the rim, applying more braking force. For these reasons, these should not be run up front (unless massive “stoppies” and being launched over the bars, cartoon style is your thing.)   I’ve had a few tentative outings in monsoon conditions and can confirm they’ve enough power to lock the rear wheel, deployed in anger. 

For the time being, they’re behaving well enough, so I’ll quit while ahead and leave them be. I’d bought another pair, NOS for £10. I wouldn’t pay retro prices for them but couldn’t resist, given their performance. Staying with brakes, I had to tweak the front barrel adjuster and couldn’t find a suitable 8mm open wrench. Ironically, this pressed steel “giveaway” spanner saved the day.  

During this phase, I also switched the saddle. 300 miles hence, the five-year old Pro  Turnix Gel Saddle was proving less supportive to my sit bones than I’d expected. I’ve opted for the Ritchey WCS Cabrillo, which at 260mm long and 146mm. Shorter and a little broader.  

Formative impressions are positive, so I’ll er, sit tight and probably switch for the Ergon SR All Road for comparative purposes.  100 miles hence, I’m warming to both the Maxxis and WTB, which at this point are proving remarkably similar. A little slower across tarmac but compliant, predictable and very swift through mud, dirt and loose stuff. They’re also proving reassuringly good at shifting gloop, thus not becoming slicks at the first hint of a boggy section.  

Flashes of Inspiration

One thing led to another as it always does. I’d returned from a wet, early Saturday morning saunter on Denise and found myself compelled to clean the teal temptress- It had been a wet, mucky week’s riding…Out with the stand, buckets, and brushes. Before I knew it, the rear wheel was out, Continental Contact Plus substituted for the Maxxis Ravager.  

 

I decided then was the time to tackle the USE SX seat post strip and re-grease. Cable tie around the post, I slackened the collar bolt and shuffled it free. Access to the elastomers and related bouncy bits was via a tension dial in the base and a 5mm Alen key.   

 

I’d already brought the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) along in readiness and within easy reach. Slackening the cap, I wasn’t surprised to find it ejected from the post base and across the concrete. Mercifully, it didn’t go the whole hog and vanish into some inaccessible point. I shied away from stripping the unit completely (quitting while ahead being the mantra here). 

  

Casual inspection suggested that while it had been a while since the post was serviced, everything was in surprisingly decent shape. I directed a generous squeeze of Peaty’s Speed Grease into the elastomer and reaffixed the tension cap, adjusting carefully.   

 

Saddle resting on my recycling bin lid, I pressed down on the post, assessing the amount of travel. A few compressions later confirmed a much smoother action, so I added some more Wolf Tooth Grease to the post and slid it back into the seat tube.  

 

Correctly aligned and checked, I snugged the collar bolt to 5nm and refitted my characterfully faded SQR tour.  Grimy patina gone from the bar tape, bike gleaming, a light coating of Muc-Off Miracle Shine Wax to finish.   

 

The petulant beep from my clothes drier signalled the end of this impromptu fettling session before I could get too engrossed and the balance tip negatively. 630am the following morning, Denise and I were out along the lanes.  

 

Greasing the post’s internals rewarded with plush, refined and progressive damping, while the Ravager, despite running at a gravel typical 30-60psi were still relatively swift at their recommended maximum, while offering a compliant ride through the green lanes.

I stuck with the Specialized Crossroads up front, as a control for the first week before switching to the Ravager. By this point, I was satisfied everything had bedded in nicely, so whipped the rear Ryde/XT wheel down to Mick at Madgetts Cycles, so he could work his magic.  

Wheel out, I suddenly had an inexplicable urge to find the other, pink cum purple skewer. One that had graced the Teenage Dream’s hubs from 1994 to 2009. Purely for aesthetics. Might save a few grams into the bargain but it’s the early 90s aesthetic to compliment the otherwise neutral colour scheme.   

 

They’ve a nice closure action, too.  Maybe it was me yearning for a supposedly simpler time- time spent chewing the tech at Bob’s Discount (Bike dealers) on Ilford Lane. Misguided if I was. These were equally challenging times, pressures of study, a perceived lack of direction beyond that, faux friends, toxic romantic relationships into the bargain.  

 

Obviously, there were some strong positives but let’s not get misty-eyed about these things. It's merely that I was struck by and still like framesets and some components/designs from that era. A lot of things have also improved greatly since then-holistically.

I like disc brakes, but cantilevers still have their place. They’re simple, lightweight, powerful. Same goes for Dual pivot calliper brakes and while both have lost favour in recent times, I don’t believe the rim brake will disappear.    

 

More importantly, once the wheel’s true, I can get the rear CX50 and pads toed-in nicely. I’d tweaked the saddle height, raising the post a few millimetres. It was more or less bang on before but again, it's what those formative rides and weeks are about-fine tuning.  

 

Doing so has also provided some added clearance between tyre and Carradice SQR Tour. Thankfully, the weather’s been nice enough that I’ve been able to get some miles in on the Holdsworth too. I’ll end here with my review of the Cycology Baja Cap Cycology Baja Cycling Cap | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)