Gravitating Toward Fixed Gear Gravel...

 

No great surprise really given my love of ‘cross inspired bikes and escaping metalled roads on them. Yes, I’m leaning toward an endurance event, similar to the dirty reiver https://www.dirtyreiver.co.uk/ . I pondered this, while exploring some long forgotten lanes-the sort just wide enough for a very small car and zero wriggle room.

Shod with those 30mm Vee rubber, ‘cross inspired fixed and I took the centre-strip-an impacted mound of mud, silt and grit in our stride, albeit at a more cautious 15mph-in case a John Deere, or similar behemoth be winding uphill.

At 105psi or so, they’re really quite capable on softer surfaces, though more of a tyre that give a taste of gravel, rather than something I’d deliberately set out to tackle a big event with. Neither, for that matter, is a fixed gear of 79 inches but it was perfectly manageable in these contexts.

Hmm, I feel another reconfiguration coming on. Received wisdom says a gear of 63 inches is optimal for trail biased fixed gear fun but I’m erring on the taller end of 60. We are talking a 700c build and I don’t want to be spinning myself into another dimension, or whipping the wheel around when I come to long stretches of metalled road.

The MK2 Ilpompino’s frame and Kinesis cross fork permits tyres up to 32 and 42mm respectively, without clearance hassles but ideally, a gravel build’s rear triangle will entertain 38mm with room to spare but we’ll see.

Talking of frames, Seven Day Cyclist has a feature on refinishing aluminium alloy, complete with a step by step renovation of a Specialized https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/aluminium-frame-refurbishment   

Back in 2008 I toyed with going the two speed Sturmey Archer route. Frankly, though it has some obvious appeal, especially in the scenarios outlined here, in practice the system was short-lived first time round. It also adds unnecessary cost and complication to proceedings.

Some, scrappy, note pad doodling points towards a 19tooth sprocket. I’d like a decent CNC machined unit. Cheaper elliptical types with bevelled teeth hail from the days when racers would retire an old road frameset from competitive duties and convert it to fixed for winter training.

These sprockets compensate for chain-line imperfections and certainly have their place but below par for a purpose build. Ideally, I’d have another EAI Gold Medal premium (CNC machined unit with straight cut teeth).

A truly beautiful piece of precision engineering but to my knowledge, 18 teeth is tops. More likely that I will opt for a cheaper but extremely cheerful Halo, which is also CNC machined, offered in the magical 19. Think that’s a done deal, for now at least…

Generally speaking, living in a house completely devoid of heat during the winter of 1992, coupled with 30 winters on two wheels has left me with a high tolerance for cold.

That said; I’ve been taken aback by how chilly April and May have been-psychologically, I’m anticipating 15-18 degrees and on many morning’s its barely crept to 7 degrees, less when wind chill is factored in.

For the most part, I’ve been comfortable enough wearing mitts, as has Steve https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/santini-micro-mesh-gel-mitt  but on Wednesday, I resurrected these full-finger Endura Strike from my gloves drawer.

Revisiting them 8 years in, I’m still impressed by the standards of warmth and wicking. Even in relatively mild temperatures they wick much better than padding density and overall design might suggest. I’ve added Respro retroreflective stickers to accentuate hand signals on dark nights and unlit roads.

Elsewhere, I was called in to cover an event the Indian Community Centre in Coventry on Saturday. I’d also like to take this opportunity to introduce some creative wrapping and card making services from Dolly Blue-Blue.

Like what you see? Don’t be shy, get in touch and I’ll pass your enquiry over.

 

 

 

Polished Performer

A semi-sheared side plate put a temporary stop to last week’s back road blasting on the Holdsworth. Unusually for me, spare links were conspicuous by their absence. Thankfully said weakness was spotted at the end of Tuesdays’ outing, not ten miles from base. A generous helping pruned from the Ilpompino’s inox unit were later found in its wedge pack.



 

Rather like spare tubes and patch kits without a pump or CO2 inflator, links aren’t a fat lot of use without a suitable chain tool. Those found on some multi tools will do an excellent job of splicing and re-joining beefy track types. However, keep this infrequent. to avoid fatigue. Even if the pin doesn’t pop, the spreader slots can eventually crumble.

 

That said; I’ve been stunned to discover some pricey models marketed as “Workshop” used relatively soft aluminium drive pins, which inevitably expired within a month’s moderate use.  
 

A new KMC was sourced at a very favourable price. I’ve pruned a few links for spares but otherwise leaving it complete for a rainy day. I’ve also decided to whip the wheel round and use the 16tooth alloy 3/32 sprocket, delivering a marginally lower gear.  


 

Staying with chains a moment, here’s the mid-term (3 month) review of the Weldtite TF2 extreme wet, which had served my ‘cross inspired fixer’s chain from January onwards https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-extreme-wet-chain-lubr . 

 

Weather is still quite changeable, erring on the wintry and for the meantime; I’m sticking with some middleweight formulas. Here’s a quick guide to lubes and the science behind them https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blank-ao363
 

Before I’d discovered the fractured side plate, an audible click when under load pointed to the right hand Time ATAC XC4. Not the most obvious pedal choice for a road build, let alone TT bike. 


 

However, I much prefer dual sided models for quick getaways. These are resin bodied, which save a few grams. Plentiful float is good news for knees and there’s plenty of ground clearance too.
 

The only downside for me is their use of brass cleats, which, being a softer metal wear faster and are pricier to replace compared with SPD. Admittedly, price is partly due to a lack of patterns. SPD can be found pretty much anywhere and I’m yet to find some that aren’t universally interchangeable. 


Elsewhere the postman brought me some kit from Brian Davis I’ve been rather impressed by his concepts. First up, we have the fix-it sticks T way wrench http://fixitsticks.com/for-bikes , which is simplest described as the big brother in the range, designed specifically for workshop duties. The fixed T handle is made from high quality nickel plated, heat treated chrome vanadium steel.

Supplied with 7 contemporary bits 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Torx, it’s also fully compatible with any standard ¼ bit, which is a refreshing change. These are held securely within the ends using neodymium magnets and there’s a handy pouch to keep everything in. No excuse for losing anything, unless the cat decides to sweep them from the workbench and to the least accessible point!

 

While my initial rummage through the spares drawer for off cuts of track chain might’ve seemed in vain, the arrival of some titanium polishes and the Univega’s recent post upgrade has stirred an unexpected revival.

The Ilpompino’s otherwise excellent perch has been substituted for this Brooks Colt pattern with titanium rails. A lick of nourishing food to the Australian cowhide and it coordinates beautifully with the equally pleasing Bobbin wrap https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/bobbin-leather-bar-tape.

 

This sits atop the super refined Thudbuster St for now…I’ve given the Ti bottle cage a quick polish, replaced the high volume Lezyne micro floor drive for its high pressure sibling. Right, that’s me done for now. Wonder how that clump of dried earth got lodged in its right hand issi pedal….

Missile Primed

 An overcast, though refreshingly  dry Easter Sunday prompted me to rouse the Holdsworth from its hibernation. A quick polish, air in its Maxxis Re-fuse tyres, a quick drop of PTFE lube into the chain, cleat mechanism and cable; we were ready for a quick 15 mile blast. I’d forgotten just how much fun it is to ride.

Despite being 62 years old, the plain gauge lugged n’ brazed 531 frame gives a beautifully responsive zing, although the composite forks add further refinement for fewer grams.

Aside from a few dips in speed-in keeping with traffic conditions, I surprised myself by keeping the tempo between 22 and 25mph along the flat sections, quicker when descending.  Hmm, perhaps this yearning for TTs can translate into something tangible… 

Might seem a strange move by some people’ reckoning but I decided, early on Holiday Monday morning to substitute its cheery composite Tifosi in favour of the Crank Brothers Cobalt3, which was resurrected from my spares drawer a few weeks back. The bluish-grey finish coordinates surprisingly well with the existing setup. It actually has several advantages over the Tifosi for this kind of build.

Despite being 400mm long and 7075 series aluminium, it’s actually 5g lighter and being an inline, rather than layback design brings me closer over the cranks for increased power.  I may ultimately veer toward something TI given its enviable blend of strength, low weight and corrosion resistance but just now, the Cobalt is more than earning its keep.

I was tempted to forgo grease given there’s ample of my home brewed corrosion inhibitor sloshing around the frame tubes. In the interests of ensuring a worry free, weather repelling union, I went for some green Park grease.

This was applied along its length and the threaded cradle bolt, since these can often get overlooked and form a very stubborn union over time.

I’m also contemplating the return to some form of aerobar. A compact model that is unobtrusive, yet still allows me to hunker low. I’m thinking in terms of a pattern like the Cinelli adorning the Teenage Dream.

This may necessitate a shorter stem, say 8cm, given I’m disproportionately short in the torso. When it comes to builds of this kind, I like an uncluttered. A Knog NERD computer and compact light with sufficient navigational bite to tackle semi-rural roads, should I lose track of time. 

I can hear some of you shouting “what about the tom-tom bandit!!!!”Fear not, it’s a temporary fixture in case I capture some warp speed footage worthy of note. Returning to the subject of lighting, mountain biking and years spent belting along unlit backwaters cultivated a default towards high-power systems-800 lumens upwards in new money.

However (and although this is changing) even in the lower settings, these systems aren’t the most useable for suburban and similar contexts, where 220 lumens or so is ample. Daylight modes as I’ve said before are becoming increasingly popular and increasingly effective-500lumens produces quite a visual punch, even on bright days. These also consume relatively little handlebar space and the lack of battery pack preserves the sleek aesthetic.

This Raveman CR500 arrived recently and is a nice, if slightly quirky option filling tis design brief quite handsomely. It doesn’t have the daylight option but has seven modes.

These are pretty much in keeping with others in this class- top is 500 lumens, enough for semi-rural riding and just about good enough for navigating unlit roads at 17/18mph.

The plug in remote control allows easy selection mid ride and though less convenient than a wireless unit, makes dipping down/up to suit conditions easier, since hands can remain on the bars. 

Both the CNC machined aluminium shell and the resin bracket are better than I’ve come to expect too. The former is reckoned to withstand IPX 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzpoCv_OmXk and supposedly survives accidental drops onto a hard surface from a metre high. The lens is more unusual. Some systems, even those around the 300lumen mark can be intense, almost dazzling at close quarters.

Raveman has employed a cut-off beam, which casts a very broad arc of light, while the other picks out the detail. Coming from those with a really pure white arc, the visible split took a little acclimatising to but could never be described as distracting-in the sense of halos and similar imperfections.  



I’m warming to it anyhow. Shows how far lighting technology has come in the last decade or so; especially when I think back to the hefty 10W single lamp lead-acid systems.     

Elsewhere, Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com  has been sent some lovely goodies from Brian Davis, a US based innovator who designed the weatherneck balaclava system. https://theweatherneck.com/.     

 

Easter Beatings & Blessings

 

In recent weeks, I could go ten miles on (controlled) rage alone. Perhaps it’s time I revisited time-trialling, channel these emotions competitively and with tangible result... That was my original intention for the Holdsworth, once I’d deviated from the fully dressed road path brief, afterall.  

Hydration is important full stop, even on short distance events and though rider mounted bladder systems enjoyed a small following outside of mtb circles, the humble bottle still dominates.

Hosts may have become sleeker, single piece composites (carbon or otherwise) titanium and stainless steel gentrifying the bosses, where 6061 aluminium once ruled. However, I’m wondering if the humble cage will be phased out, not all together but in favour of something sleeker.

Over the last twenty years or so, semi-compact geometry frames have made life so much easier for smaller riders, overcoming the need to go bespoke in some instances. That said and this goes for smaller mtb framesets too; getting two cages to harmoniously co-exist along seat and down tubes can prove challenging.

Adjustable systems, such as Topeak Shuttle engineer some useful, faff-free leeway into the equation and this week, the Univega’s has been joined by the fidlock bottle-twist system that arrived in a box of test goodies.

The bottle-twist is an integrated system of bottle and mount. The latter attaches to the frame’s bosses in the conventional way but this and the bottle mate via two suitably potent magnets-the pull took me by surprise during the fitting stage-no danger of losing screws to the flower bed, ditto multi-tools.

Being a 41cm frame, the Univega hasn’t been a particularly tricky customer on the bottle front but this affords a little extra wriggle room. From an aesthetic perspective, this also compliments said machine’s black and cream theme.  Far too early to say whether I’m about to become a devotee but the fidlock is certainly growing on me. 

These Altura Peloton 2 pro gel mitts were also among the stash, timely since I was hankering after something a little more sophisticated than the otherwise cheap but cheery Ozzo.

In stark contrast to the retro crochet and faux leather palm, these are a very snug fitting Lycra backed design boasting fast wicking, breathable backs, 3D design and those strategically positioned gel inserts.

So far, I’ve only clocked up 40miles. By my reckoning, 400 is the point where you can say something conclusive but I’m certainly warming to their snug fit and low profile padding. By snug, I mean very. I’ve fairly long fingers and can usually get away with medium but in this instance, struck lucky with large.

Easter is notoriously unsettled-I’ve known it to snow at certain points through the holidays and I’m not harking back to my childhood and time spent in Utah, where the mountains were topped with a thick carpeting of snow and cars sported snow-chains until mid-April, sometimes beyond.

I’m alternating between tights and 3/4lengths, sometimes a gilet, others a jersey, neck-warmer, long sleeve base layer and micro-shell jacket peeking out from a jersey pocket.

Swapping between lenses can be a pain, so I’ve tended to stick with reactive lenses, which lack the outright defence from intense sunlight but cope pretty well in changing conditions. That said; skies can be pretty dull, grey and overcast and in this context, I’ll go the amber route-sharper focus and bolstered mood.

I’d talked in terms of stripping my cross inspired fixer’s KMC chain of Weldite TF2 in favour of something lighter, then backtracked, then decided I’d use up some of the nearly empty bottles of lube-stock rotation principle. Perfect candidate being this Finish line ceramic wax, so, on it went. These take a while to cure and will need a second coat to complete the bond

That said; though the UK has a reputation for damp, I managed to go a whole summer-June to October on a single helping of wet lube. Admittedly, this was on a road bike and I’d opt for something more condition-specific on a mountain or cross derivative that ventured beyond tarmac.

The dry spell also presented an ideal opportunity to apply liberal helpings of my home brewed corrosion busting preserve to the KA’s underside and chassis components.

Though messy, it’s very effective and extremely cheap-less than £10 all told. Ingredients essentially boil down to 10w/40 and semi synthetic motor oil, offcuts of candlewax and turpentine. This punnet load has lasted almost four years, treated five framesets and been applied twice yearly to my MK1 KAs and periodically to an older Nissan Micra.  

So what else is new? Well, Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com has lots of goodies coming our way from various sources, domestic and international. Meantime, I’ll leave you with our take on the “Bespoked” handmade bike show in Bristol https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/bespoked-bespeaking

 

 

 

Lucky Dip

Spring-like conditions continue the narrative of cool starts giving way temperatures in the mid-teens, bright sunshine and birdsong. 3/4lengths have been substituted for shorts, micro jackets for gilets and gloves for mitts.  

We’re waiting on some spring/summer clothing at Seven Day Cyclist but like most riders, let alone kit test junkie journos, we’ve usually built up a decent stockpile of goodies to draw upon.

I’ve resurrected these Ozzo, which are the classic knitted back and synthetic, faux leather palm. These have been serving on a shit-rota for the best part of a decade and rather like a well-loved teddy bear, the thin pile foam is starting to peek through the lining in places.

The embodiment of cheap but cheerful, they’ve proven more comfortable, even over longer mixed terrain rides than many, more sophisticated models. Gel pads designed to defend the vulnerable ulnar nerve region are not an exact science and can, in my experience, sometimes induce precisely the numbness, tingling and discomfort they were intended to alleviate.

Elsewhere, after two years’ riding shotgun on my MKII Ilpompino’s downtube, exposed to the harshest, wettest conditions, my Specialized mini pump breathed its last. Another quick rifle through the spares drawer unearthed several credible replacements.

Salvaging the Specialized’s ultra-dependable snap-shut bracket, I instated this The Lezyne Micro floor drive HVG mini floor hand pump with gauge (affectionately referred to by yours truly as the “detonator”) and compatible composite caddy.

It’s best thought of as a track pump that has been put through a matter-shrinking device. There’s a high pressure sibling that I’ve also used to good effect but this one will still deliver real world realistic pressures into medium section touring and narrower, street inspired mtb rubber.  

The Beast of Bodmin; my elderly farm cat clearly approves of this revision and the Vee Tire Rolldiac too, which have proven very competent all-rounders. These are 30mm, which seem optimal for this genre of machine but there are more traditional 23 and 25mm options. Personally, talking 25mm sections, I’d go for their rain runner, which for me at least, has the edge when it comes to speed, puncture resistance and outright grip in the wettest weather.  

Back to the pump; screw on valve connectors are another welcome touch, preventing the heart-sinking hiss as willowy valve stems are sheared clean off under vigorous effort. At 216, there’s a weight penalty over more minimalist designs and if that’s your criteria, a mini/micro pump and CO2/inflator are better choices, assuming you puncture infrequently.

Though adequate, the resin bracket could be more substantial, hence I’ve reinforced it with a stretchy Velcro backed offcut that was also doing something close to nothing. Judging by a formative thrash along local roads, this has cured any incremental creep, leading to the base chattering against the frame tubes like a demonic wood-pecker.

Remember to whip it off when parking in the street too, since the mirror polished anodized finish is extremely seductive. On a cold, wet night in the back of beyond, fresh tube and fully loaded CO2 inflator are my first resorts but a decent pump should always be on hand to save the day.

Continuing this salvage theme, having concluded the titanium post surgery a success; I happened upon this Crank Brothers Cobalt 3 rolling about in the same drawer-sans cradle. A quick email to extra bikes, their UK importer https://www.extrauk.co.uk/product/cats/crankbrothers/all/  was met with a very helpful response and ultimately, a new clamp.  The Cobalt 3 is a lightweight model, designed to some extent as a lightweight alternative to composites; hence the wall thickness is wafer thin around the minimum insert mark.

Yes, I was a little alarmed at just how thin but it becomes gradually wider then onward, so all things being equal, most riders shouldn’t have too many worries. Hell, I’m so confident, yes, you ca see where this is headed…I’m going to look into getting it reduced by .2mm, from 27.2 to 7.0 and have it serve the teenage dream.     

Talking of tooling, we’ve reached our conclusions re Blackburn’s switch and wayside models, which are very different but equally competent models. One for those who like to travel light while adding some bespoke bits n’ bobs to the mix, the other a one does most pocket workshop.      https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-switch-multi-tool                   https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-wayside-multi-tool