Shifting Energies

Went to the mind, body spirit and well-being festival at Birmingham’s NEC on November 4th. I’d never been before, so had nothing to gauge it by but the atmosphere was inclusive, welcoming and, as you’d hope, positive.

Equipped with an open, enquiring mind, some products/services smacked of very expensive “snake oil” but that is the case with any large event, regardless of topic/interest. The majority of stall holders/practitioners appeared knowledgeable, qualified and genuine.

On the subject of products and potions, Rock N’ Roll’s UK distributor kindly sent Seven Day Cyclist www.Sevendaycyclist.com some samples for testing. One of the reasons, mild and relatively dry weather aside, why I’ve stuck with dry/emulsion preps, rather than opting for something wet.

Unfortunately, seasonal pilfering seems to have begun early. Despite being in the office, project managing a refit, the (presumably) casual postie claimed I had rejected the consignment…Hmmm.

Elsewhere and as the days draw shorter, well prepped bikes and lighting becomes increasingly important https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/winter-wonderland-one  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/in-the-blink-of-an-eye .Thanks to the ubiquity of COB (Chips on board) technology, where LEDs and placed directly atop printed circuit boards, even relatively small capacity lights are becoming increasingly intense.

I’m also warming to the trend for steady/pulsing settings on blinkies, which combine a fairly modest steady setting-20-lumens, or thereabouts, with a more extrovert flashing cycle-typically 50/70lumens. Paired with a “proper” front light, these seem to hold the attention of other traffic, say when entering the flow of traffic.

I’m putting a Bush & Muller IQ Eyro 39 Lux front light through its paces for another, very popular title.

It looks just like a traditional dynamo light, to the point, I was looking for the connectors! However, it’s powered by an integral lithium ion cell, which has two, steady modes.

The highest is 30lux, the lowest 10. Interestingly, the lens and reflector are engineered in such a way as to project a generally pure, “carpet” of light at close range, which was much better than I was expecting in the navigational sense.

Unlit backroads still call for a fair bit more than 30lux, 80 is nearer the mark, especially if 18 to 23mph is to be a realistic tempo on the flatter sections, let alone faster descents.

Along the lanes, the Eyro feels underpowered, rather than impotent-12-15mph is pretty much tops, 23mph seems realistic through suburban and better lit, semi-rural contexts.

Bush & Muller reckon its’ good for 5hours plus, from a full mains charge- potentially a week’s commuting or so, for some. Though pretty disciplined when it comes to charging, I like auto-kick downs, where lights automatically default to the lowest setting, when the batteries’ reserves dip below a certain point. 

This ensures there’s always something to limp home on, even if we’re talking glimmer territory. Talking of which, even on the lowest 10 lux setting, output seems comparable with an old Lumotec lamp and Nexus dynohub combo that guided me through South London’s shadier districts for several years.

Generally speaking, 800-1200 lumens is my benchmark for unlit lanes. Leaving aside the auction site retina burners, these tend to produce a very pure, assertive arc that makes larger vehicles, SUVs in particular, pause for thought, rather than ploughing ahead.

The Eyro though pure and with reasonable peripheral bleed is comparatively tame. This has seen a few drivers take a more aggressive stance, muscling through and creating tighter gaps, not to mention potentially more danger.

A moot point with more powerful commuter systems, even those packing a modest 650lumens, or so. Observation, though possibly confirmation bias suggests a tendency for those drivers, without other licences to substitute skill with greater aggression.

By the same token, I used to buy into the belief that Black Cab drivers were better drivers. Many years’ experience in the capital and other cities has led me to conclude, they are simply better regulated and undeniably, superior navigators.

Back to lighting, thankfully, most high power systems staircase downwards to 150-200lumens.

More than enough, most of the time for well-lit city and suburban contexts and conserves juice too (although I have been known to crank it up to 300/400 when it’s particularly gloomy, or I’m competing with seasonal, neon malaise). Daylight modes aside, thundering through the town with 1000lumens is not only unnecessary but aggressive and alienates other road users.

The same goes for high output rear blinkies 50-60lumens is brilliant for murky nights and/or unlit backwaters but taking other factors, such as lens and size into account 15/20lumens (maybe 30 in  constant mode) is pretty much optimum, especially in slower moving/rush hour traffic. Dip as you would expect another for you…Talking of which, my reserves are dwindling now, so off to tend kettle and investigate the fridge.          

Misty for Me

Continued teething troubles with the Trelock LS906 bike –I pro suggest the OEM wiring isn’t helping. Sure, it will reach the hub and lamp but that supplied is designed for hub to fork crown drilling.

Dropping by some Coventry bike shops drew a blank, so I’ve acquired a decent length of Bush & Muller, which I’m hoping will sort it once and for all. Either way, this proved the ideal opportunity to see how the SP hub performs with my Exposure revo mk1, since I already had a revo wiring kit waiting in the wings.

The Revo is beautifully made, delivers a really pure, useable arc of light from 5mph and a maximum output of 800lumens. Hands-down the best dynamo lamp I’ve used to date. Good enough for moderate trail action too, although think rough stuff touring, not race-pace cross country mtb antics. If that’s your bag, something like the Sigma Buster 2000 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/sigma-buster-2000-light  might be a better bet.

Some have criticised Shutter Precision hubs on the basis that servicing and bearing replacement are factory only affairs. However, Ison Distribution, their UK importer can take care of this. Lloyd Townsend also reminded me that factory returns are pretty standard for any modern “Ship in a bottle” dynohub system.

The SP family come with a two-year warrantee, which would cover such eventualities. Nonetheless, the hub shell is joined together in the centre. Accessing the internals demands specialist tooling.

Aside from the clocks going back and another birthday, autumn has gained on us somewhat. Temperatures have tumbled top their seasonal average and the lanes carpeted in a greasy top layer. No such thing as the wrong weather, so long as you’ve got the right kit. Bib tights, gloves, jerseys, jackets and overshoes solve comfort conundrums.

Decent tyres, such as the 35mm Scwalbe Marathon GT provide excellent cornering prowess, puncture protection and grip but iced bovine and equine dung can still induce the odd, unpleasant loss of traction. Something I was reminded of while hustling along at 23mph on Monday morning.

A minor shimmy followed and I turned back to see and indeed document! I’ve also had a very rude reminder regards pad replacement. 30mph along a local 1in7, I applied the fixed’s front stopper.

Lovely smooth action, those Jagwire pro road are really impressive but we’re not scrubbing off any speed… “F**king Aiiiiiiidaaaaaaaa!” Having made it round the final bend in one piece and begun the ascent, I made a mental note to strip, inspect and ultimately, replace the Spyre calliper’s pads. Swap complete and 10minutes enthused testing hence, I can confirm that grabbing a handful has the potential for lifting the rear wheel.  

Whisper it but I’ve also been donning a bit of day glow. The green BBB flexribbon is also surprisingly extrovert in overcast conditions, yet without screaming “winter-bike”. As might be expected, especially given the seemingly perpetual fettling, the dimpled texture is starting to cultivate a slightly grimy patina. Will be interesting to see how well it responds to washing and what the sudsy stuff/elbow grease ratio will be.  

Some riders have an almost pathological dislike of fluorescent kit and at the other extreme, others, including the UK government, are advocating compulsion.

Day-glow and day flash light settings have their merits, within reason. However, a lot of motorcycles and cars, are hard-wired to run side-lights. For a time, this made motorcyclists in particular, more conspicuous. However, as these become ubiquitous, other traffic becomes accustomed and the same myopia returns.

I was hit from behind while sat at the lights, on a borrowed Kawasaki GT750…

The shaft driven tourer was deep red, as were the lights. Dressed like an extra from Mad Max, this and a white helmet did not stop a woman plough her vehicle into me. Thrust into the flow of traffic, I groped desperately for the kill-switch. By now fuel was oozing from a ruptured tank and my leg was trapped beneath…Apparently, the woman, in her 20s claimed she did not see me…

My hunch that parliament is coming under pressure from technology companies who are developing automated “driverless” vehicles. I suspect their sensors are only able to register riders wearing hi-viz…

Farfetched? Well no, not really. Many courier/logistics companies will only hire self-employed drivers, this relieves them of a wider duty of care/responsibility for driver conduct.

This leads me to this week’s title, “Play misty for me”. Aside from the misty, murky mornings, I am being pursued by someone who has developed an extremely unwelcome and slightly unsettling infatuation, which is anything but reciprocal.

I have taken various approaches, subtle and direct, yet ultimately compassionate. I have even insisted she see this as an opportunity to develop herself and address some underlying issues, which have underpinned a set of behaviours for many years.

Other people cannot fix us, the desire to change, possibly heal has to come from within. If contact, electronic, or postal persists, I will resort to a more formal method of restraint. Now on a lighter note, I’ll leave you with some curious frames and some appalling arc.   

 

Pit Stops & Component Swaps

Things come in threes. A pronounced lack of braking prowess was traced to a tainted disc-easy purged using a solvent wipe, then my fixed gear winter/trainer’s rear Schwalbe Marathon succumbed a phantom flat.

I decided, wheel out, that this was also time to replace the otherwise likeable KMC X1 with a budget relative-the B1. This is a 112 link nickel plated model, which seems relatively smooth and looks reasonably durable for now. Will look towards a heavy duty, half-link design next time round.

The less slippery plating will hopefully ensure lube will remain within the rollers, rather than migrating to the side plates.  Since the forecast is unseasonably mild, I’ve gone for some Squirt wax lube. Well, it’s closer to an emulsion, the sort that collects contaminant, then flakes off, leaving a filmy, low friction layer behind.

Talking of layers, I’ve reached a firm conclusion re the Crankalicious crisp frame  wax https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/crankalicious-crisp-frame-wax  

Since winter is hard on everything and consumables, can get gobbled at an alarming rate, I’ve acquired a set of Spyre pattern pads. Sods (Murphey’s if we’re being pedantic) law dictates that the OEM pads will suddenly wear to their minimum, just when I’ve none in!  I’ve also renewed the front Jagwire cable in favour of the Jagwire Pro-Road, since the existing set up, though very efficient was showing signs of fraying.

Serendipity had brought this BBB flex ribbon bar wrap to my doorstep. This is a gel impregnated polyurethane, designed to insulate against vibration, while providing excellent grip. The green was pot luck, chosen by windwave, their UK importer but coordinates surprisingly well with the Upso Stirling https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/upso-stirling-seat-pack , blue/grey livery and of course, the celeste cable.

The coming months will confirm how good the flex ribbon, especially compared with polymers and silicones https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/genetic-silicone-bar-wrap . The former, though very good in terms of comfort and grip, are trickier to care for. For example, scrubbing them with a medium stiff brush dipped in a sudsy bucket is a no-no. Assuming of course, you didn’t want to strip the clever coating.    

Reminds me, my MK1 KA’s discs are running a little thin but I’m assured by my friendly local garage that they’re good until the next service. Hub transmissions have always appealed on a similarly sleek, low maintenance basis. I’ve been particularly impressed with Shimano’s Alfine, or the iconic Rohloff.  

Talking of which, this Thorn Raven, Rohloff specific frameset arrived for makeover at Maldon shot blasting & powder coating the other week. This one is TIG welded in Taiwan and to a very high standard, whereas those built by Lee Cooper http://leecoopercycles.webs.com/  were impeccably fillet brazed.   

Staying with bespoke, I’ve done 200miles on John Moss’s wheel build and am really impressed both with the spec and his skill. The Halo white line rim, is a 24mm wide “general purpose model”; designed with gravel, touring and similar duties in mind.

The double wall, box section T10 heat treated, low profile aluminium alloy construction, stainless steel eyelets are the hallmarks of a strong, reliable wheel. Given the spec and brief, Jordan at Ison distribution www.ison-distribution.com  (who also import the Shutter precision hubs) recommended a three cross lace up, which resonates with John’s default, wheel building pattern.

The Shutter precision PD8 disc brake hub is available in a wealth of colours, although considerably smaller in size, compared with more traditional hub dynamos. Inside the compact shell, it’s a 6v 3w output. An ultra-reliable hollow cro-moly axle turns on sealed cartridge bearings.

Turning the hub by hand, there’s some obvious resistance but it’s still pretty unobtrusive and certainly less than I’ve noticed with Shimano’s Ultegra. This remains so, when wired up to a lamp and on the road. A skewer isn’t supplied but in this instance I’ve gone for the Ultegra’s since my Univega sports a Kryptonite locking model, to prevent opportunist pilfering.

Theft of expensive components has become an increasingly prolific problem. That’s not to say, thieves who haven’t been able to foil locks, or cut through street furniture, have come away empty handed but there is a trend for targeting bars stems, forks etc.

Not just in the seamier areas either, although slum neighbourhoods are a bad bet at any time of the day. One option is to have your name, or similar distinguishing marks etched into the component surface. Fine if you didn’t want to sell, or trade them on at a later stage.

Arguably, you wouldn’t put “desirable” higher end contact points on a working bike. Nonetheless, if it’s pretty and non-descript an opportunist with a set of Allen keys may well indulge.  Aftermarket fasteners with unique keys are arguably the most secure option but not so good, if you’re prone to losing stuff. If you are going this route, make sure surfaces don’t provide purchase for pliers and other, simple brute force removal techniques.   

Dynamism

 John finished my Halo white rim, Shutter precision PD8 wheel build on Sunday. Beautifully true and expertly tensioned, I returned to my southern base, eager to see how it would perform. Schwalbe rim tape in place, I whipped on their excellent Marathon GT https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt-tyres  and went for a quick twenty mile, backroad “bonding session”.

Initial impressions are silky smooth, with minimal resistance. With lights off, they reckon resistance is 1watt at 30km/h. Tipping the scales at1239g (403g for the hub), it’s comparable with a 32hole Mavic Open Pro, laced to Schmidt SON deluxe. Shimano’s venerable Ultegra unit is my benchmark comparator for high power and relatively low resistance.

I barely notice it, which is a far cry from the old but nonetheless, worthy Nexus units. Now, according to Shutter Precision, the 8 is their workhorse model and purportedly the most efficient available. Lights on and at 17km/h, apparently its 73% efficient, dropping to 50% at 30km/h. Not overly enticing on paper perhaps and I’d be inclined to switch off when lighting/charging gizmos is not required. At least, on longer runs.  

Trelock and several other big brands like what we’re doing at Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com Trelock have sent me their 80 lux LS906 bike-I pro dynamo lamp, complete with handlebar bracket. Looks perfect for the backroads. 100metres is reckoned the navigational field and visible to 1500metres.

Standlight technology is pretty much a given, when talking modern, good quality dynamo lighting. It also features an on/off switch and auto function. Build is, dare I say, typically Teutonic. However, the wiring instructions were a little vague. Diagrams imply feeding the exposed wires into the tiny white interfaces...

What you need to do is press these in, feed the exposed wires into the black holes either side. Now press the white parts again-this will lock the wires in situ.

The switch bracket is a hinged clamp affair. Unfortunately, this is very narrow. I had to unwind some bar wrap and place the switch on the narrowest section of bar. Even then, it called for a longer screw, which luckily I had in my tool chest. Minor misgivings aside, everything is behaving impeccably.    

Will be very interesting to see how it compares with Busch & Muller’ Lumotec LQ2 Luxus and of course, my Univega’s MK1 exposure revo. Since I’m here, a word about Lux and Lumens.

Obviously, factors such as diode, reflector and lens quality will have a big influence on real world performance. There is also an argument that lux is truth, lumens sales-speak, in the sense that horsepower sells cars, torque wins races. That said; by definition, any sweeping generalisation, is by definition, prone to glaring inaccuracy.

Lux is a measure of light, probably best thought of as light intensity within a specific area. Lumens is the total output of visible light, bigger numbers, brighter light. One Lux is equal to one lumen per square metre.

As light travels from its source, it gets dispersed, rates of dispersion depend upon factors, including the angle. Therefore, a light with 800 lumens but top notch lens, diode and reflector is going to be a whole heap better than a cheap 1500 lumen retina tickler.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this explains why 650lumen torch type lights (the sort designed for sub/urban training/commuting and giving change from £60) don’t deliver the same navigational prowess, as a 600lumen trail type commanding twice the cash.  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blank-ypcqd   

Numbers are also pretty significant when it comes to rider apparel. Ratings of 10,000 are pretty standard for “waterproofing and breathability” for commuter jackets, especially those of the sub £100 price point.

Less will leave you feeling decidedly feted and clammy. Contrary to popular misconception, you don’t actually want something 100% waterproof, otherwise, your own moisture cannot escape and aside from feeling “boiled in the bag”, there’s an increased chance of catching a chill.  

In scientific terms, these figures mean the garment will resist and expel moisture reasonably efficiently-90minutes persistent downpour, which is adequate for commuting at a moderate pace. However, for more spirited and/or longer distance riding, 15,000-20,000 makes life a whole lot more comfortable. 

I like pockets. Hip, nelson and a poacher at the rear cover most bases and are really useful for commuting and touring, although a Nelson and poacher are more typical of training models. Long tails protect the back from spray and chill, elasticated/wrap over Velcro cuffs prevent it blowing in, especially when hunkered low on the drops. Might be a lot of that in the coming days, if our weather forecast is anything to go by... 

Swerving the Pause

Dynohub wheel components safely in the hands of John Moss, I awoke at 6am on Monday morning…Decided then was the moment to replace my fixed gear winter/trainer’s Aheadset. Gathered headset, Czech made headset press, cyclo crown race setter and X tools’ removal tool. The former, though used infrequently, make replacement surgery a breeze.

Convenience aside, they also ensure delicate alloys and head tubes aren’t ruined. With care, it is possible to improvise using blocks of wood and a hammer…If money’s tight, I’d buy the press and crown race remover and employ a scrap length of 1/18^th down-tube to set the new one.  

Everything came apart effortlessly and the FSA Orbit XLII in place at 7.30bc (before coffee). Cartridge bearings are impregnated with grease at the factory. Nonetheless, greasing races is advised, to keep the elements, corrosion and ultimately, minimise wear.

I plumped for some Finish line ceramic around the lower bearing and Park PL1 around the upper. Forgot the butyl boot, mind but opted to quit while the going was indeed, good. Grease aside, the XL II is buttery smooth, confirmed by massive inner smile following the morning’s celebratory 20mile blast.

The following evening, I decided another helping of grease was in order. Clearly under the influence of Rocket fuel, one lead to another and said machine now sports a slightly more aggressive cockpit and Torus TI stem https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/torus-titanium-stem .  Titanium can form an extremely stubborn bond, so don’t forget good quality assembly paste to contact points. Or you might find them inseparable a few months down the line…  

The same applies to other metals of mixed parentage-aluminium posts in steel frames, not to mention bottom bracket threads, which perfectly positioned for lashings of dodgy water. A decent glob of high quality synthetic grease prevents grief and copious amounts of penetrant spray later on.

That done, I turned my attentions to the Univega. Full length guards can extend maintenance intervals quite considerably, especially when it comes to headsets; bottom brackets and seatposts. Sealed cable systems, so long as they’ve been installed correctly are very much fit n’ forget. Worth it, if you’re doing big miles in foul weather.

Somehow, I managed to snag one, where it routed into the rear derailleur. Replacing it with Jagwire pro shift has sorted shifting gremlins. As I’d hope, the stainless steel inner with pre-lubricated liner is super slick. Whether they’re truly fit n’ forget remains to be seen.

Though fun is a big part of winter riding, reliability is an equally significant buzzword. Wheels and tyres being cases in point. I’m sticking with the Kenda small block8 and Schwalbe Marathon 365 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/schwalbe-marathon-gt365-tyre  pairing. Spoke tension was a little on the slack side, some minor wobble needed ironing out too.

Nowhere near Samba dancing territory but a few minutes on the jig, saves a heap of hassle, not to mention money later on. The rear was an off the peg, machine built affair. These have become much more reliable but still tend to loose truth and tension faster, compared with hand built hoops.

A good wheel builder knows exactly how much to re-tension, whereas a machine can only work to programmed settings. Nothing a wheelsmith can’t sort later on and wouldn’t trouble me, on a lightly laden commuter, or training bike. The last thing I’d want on a heavily laden tourer, tandem, or similarly specialised build.

Sans wheels, time to give the frameset really thorough clean. This enables any damage to be spotted and remedial measures taken. Ritual (at least in my republic) dictates that the undersides of mudguards are also given a thorough scrub too. Minor stone chips around the “school chair fork” were treated to a drop of high build marine primer, left curing for 24 hours.

Finally I applied “helicopter tape” where cables brush against the frame tubes and gave the entire bike a liberal helping of Crankalicious crisp frame hybrid wax.

Pleasing to administer and seemingly offering a durable, glossy barrier, I’ll hold judgement until November’s close. This will give a much better indicator of its true performance, compared with a more traditional hard-paste car type.

For the earlier part and, depending on what comes in for testing I’ll be sticking with lighter, cleaner chain lubes. As a genre, they lack the tenacity of wet blends but are generally lower friction and attract less dirt.