Rub a Dub Dub My Bike Needs (Another) Good Scrub...

I returned from another water-logged blast and concluded it was time to get busy with the M16 Podium stage system kit. I’d allowed my cross-inspired fixer to become right royally encrusted in a week’s worth of silty gunk.

Wheels out for a deep clean, this was the moment to swap the superb Schwalbe Marathon GT for some much lighter 30mm, 120tpi Vee rubber Rolldiac.Yes, I was very excited and judging by the barking frenzy, so were the neighbour’s miniature Schnauzers. Either that; or they were begging their master to toss them a Marlboro.  

First up,  frame, transmission and contact points received a quick, cold-water rinse over before  I engulfed the bike under a richly deserved helping of that visibly subdued Extreme bike cleaner This was left marinating a few minutes  while I rounded up buckets and brushes, singing that Prince Buster classic “Whine or grine”. 

Afterall, if you have your brush, you can avoid the rush… As per the Univega, impacted grot literally fell away come the first  hint of a saturated sponge. More intimate areas were coaxed clean using the Pedros’ large frame and wheel brush https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/pedros-pro-brush-kit

 

God had decided to take an extended break from washing his two-wheeled fleet on Wednesday afternoon, so I progressed to the Pro Finish #2. This is basically a base coat wax, which will also consume any residual grime-spent chain lube and similar spots missed during the first stage. 

With that buffed; for the grand finale’ I applied their helmet & bike guard, which being completely free of silicone, can apparently be delivered to discs and other braking surfaces.

Calling their bluff, I did just that. 

 Inflated to 125psi (The Rollidac are good for 145, if you must), I reinstated the wheels, adjusted chain tension and gave the links a cursory cat-lick to purge any gritty contaminant. Slightly congealed TF2 extreme clung to rollers, and may last through to April and beyond. By that point, I’ll top up, or strip in favour of something lighter.

 I wasn’t remotely surprised by the pregnant pause as I progressively engaged the Tektro lever while trundling along at 5mph. Lever fully home while riding another hundred metres restored the stoppers original prowess. Therefore, minimise contact and test your brakes a few times before joining the Queen’s highway.

A quick drop of Green Oil slip https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/green-oil-slip-eco-lubricant  to cleat mechanisms and the Thudbuster’s bushings concluded the morning’s fun. I popped said machine and tooling away and returned indoors. 

Talking of green oil, they’ve just launched a kickstarter campaign to get their PTFE free maintenance spray into production. PTFE and its branded derivatives is used in all manner of non-stick applications from industrial lubricants through to cookware. Great for moving parts but particularly toxic to aquatic life and not particularly kind to us either. 

As with exposure to other chemicals, there are supposedly parameters of safety. Delivering a quick, shot of PTFE fortified lube to cables, cleat/derailleur mechanisms, locks etc presents minimal risk to us. 

Similarly, the occasional engine oil and filter change won’t greatly increase a motorcycle or car enthusiast’s risk of contracting serious dermatological condition or cancer. Provided of course, examination gloves and other preventative measures are taken… 

Pro mechanics who regularly ingest PTFE products orally, or through the skin do. We’re really looking forward to getting our hands on the Eco Spray lube. 

So, back to those those curiously named Vee Rubber. These feature a very subtle, dimpled tread reminiscent of a cross tyre that’s been sanded almost pancake flat at 667g per pair, they’re lighter than a single Schwalbe, although still promise optimum grip and longevity. 

The supple casings boast a very thin Aramid belt, which will hopefully deflect the most common invaders, although I’m not expecting the Marathon GT’s almost bullet-proof dependability…I’ve had one epic “Gunshot” blow-out (during our maiden voyage), literally tore the tube wall clean open! Good thing I packed that little Zefal pump too, since my Co2 inflator saw fit to prematurely jettison. We’ll see what the next few hundred miles bring before forming any firm conclusions.      

Lastly a seat post update.  After some problems with an online retailer busting the MT3 live centre component during the pick n’ pack phase, we’ve had a Eureka moment with the ti post project.....More next week. In the meantime, if wet legs on tour, or sullied office smarts are spoiling your commute, these Pro-Viz might be a winner  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/proviz-nightrider-waterproof-trouse 

Blow Out Sale!!!

"Funny expression that one, especially when it’s used by bike retailers. Why would anyone want a blow-out?!!!!!" my mind raced, as pressure roared from the Univega’s Vittoria Street runner and we squirmed into the bend. Luckily I was able to tame the samba-dancing front end and drew to a dignified halt.

Flaccid tube removed from the comfort of a churchyard bench, the otherwise dependable semi-slicks’ centre strip was absolutely peppered with deeply embedded thorn cuttings. 

Exorcised with the steely determination of a teenager squeezing a puss leaden pimple, I made a note to pack tweezers, which would hopefully make any future purging a whole heap easier.

New tube in place and pressure restored with the surprisingly efficient Lezyne mini pump, I reinstated the wheel and whizzed the final mile or so home. I like the convenience of CO2 inflators, especially when its cold but always carry a decent pump as back up.

Damage sustained by the Street runner rendered it scrap, so I resurrected another Panaracer RIBMORE from the tyre rack. Spotting a sharp flint peaking out from one of the water-chanelling grooves, I purged, then plugged the hole with gel-type glue.

Tube stocks weren’t nearly so healthy, so I ordered another small batch of 26x1.75 via smartphone.

This also proved the perfect opportunity to install some Kryptonite Wheel Boltz. These are part of the security brands’ gravity range. Gravity in this instance, refers to the use of a pin mechanism, engineered only to release with the bike upside down.

Obviously, this makes tackling flats and similar roadside mechanicals, requiring wheel removal less convenient. Designed as secondary security, used in conjunction with a suitable lock, I'm curious why Kryptonite has taken the 5mm Allen, rather than Torx route. 

Both are common sights on better equipped multi-tools but turn out an opportunist tea leaf's pockets and chances are, you'll find a set of Allen keys. 

To date, Atomic 22 tribe is the only system I would risk forgoing a second lock with. Budget models were easily foiled using beefy pliers but might be fine for quick stop-offs at the bank/off licence. That said; ideally a decent security system should defeat potential crooks on looks alone. Otherwise, even if they can't foil your defences, frustration might lead them to destroy your bike out of sheer spite.

Hard core, organised criminals with vans will carry a full compliment of power tools and other brute force technology. These will generate quite a bit of noise, presenting a greater risk of them getting caught. Others  tend to have one tool for defeating a specific genre of lock. All things being equal, chances are they’ll walk on, when faced with both armored cable and U lock.

Talking of tooling, John Moss is just awaiting a final component for his lathe. Once that arrives, we're all systems go and the posts diameter can be reduced...  

Constant exposure to water logged back roads meant washing the Univega would've been pointless, so I deliberately allowed the fork legs, chainstays and rear triangle to get covered in acres of slimy crap. Fortunately, a big box of test goodies arriving on Thursday, included  M16 extreme bike clean and pro finish#2.

The former’s pale blue consistency looks like car screen wash but with a much nicer fragrance. Crucially, it shifted that accumulated grot with nominal effort. Speed freaks should note, the bike wash needs three minutes standing time, ten times longer than some popular pink brews.

This is still two minutes less than my present favourite, Pro Green MX formula https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/pro-green-mx-triple-pack . By the time I'd rounded up bucket, sponge and brushes, the witches brew of residual chain lube, impacted silty dirt and yes, waxy frame preserve pretty much slithered away on contact.

The inner chainstays still needed a soft brush tickling to tease some impacted stuff out but so far, I'm impressed. The pro finish counterpart is similarly easy to use, although unlike the Pro Green, it needs buffing with a bit of kitchen roll/ old, lint free sock/ microfiber cloth. No more demanding than beeswax furniture polishes, mind. All will be revealed in the coming weeks...