New Cassette Then...

  

Look through any forum on the internet, raise the topic with any group of riders and you will get a bewildering array of opinion when it comes to drivetrain life. Much will depend upon how meticulous your maintenance is, riding context and to some extent, rider weight/riding style. Mountain biking/gravel, rough stuff touring and winter are going to chew through chains and cassettes at a much faster rate than those belonging to best bikes brought out on sunny days.  

Rule of thumb and with generally good maintenance (Clean chains, lightly lubed and replaced at.75 wear) I get through three chains to every cassette.  

Shifting had suddenly gone off-phantom stuff, so hustling along the backroads at 5am, I reasoned cable stretch the most obvious culprit, so I tweaked the barrel adjuster. Seemed better for a while but still phantom shifting under load. Chain was well within acceptable tolerances, but closer inspection of the cassette suggested this was the culprit. In fairness, it’s been chugging along since May 2019, so didn’t owe me anything.  

A rummage through the transmission box revealed two new chains but only a part worn 9spd cassette, which was of no use, so consigned to the bin, along with its 10speed counterpart. It makes good sense to buy chains, cassettes and other consumables in multiples-two of each, so there’s no dramas when the bike shop’s shut.  

Particularly when they’re cheap...While the global supply shortage seems to have eased slightly, getting hold of things, especially at the right price is still proving trickier than before. I went for another Tiagra since these seem to strike the best balance between performance and economy. I’ve never liked Shimano chains, so KMC, SRAM etc are my defaults. 12-28 is pretty much ideal, given the build’s brief.   

On the plus side, the replacement arrived within 24hours, which was totally unexpected. These Muc-Off mechanics gloves had arrived just an hour before. On went the cassette! I also discovered the Univega’s front Continental Contact Speed reflex was pancake flat, courtesy of an easily spotted flint embedded in the shoulder.  

Not a nasty cut, but one that needed filling with superglue, nonetheless. At present they are wearing at the expected rate and across the centre strip Tube switched; job done. An ideal opportunity to polish the frameset, check and clean the brake pads, clean the rim side walls with a medium stiff brush etc.    

The chain was still in very good health, so I’ve stuck with it for time being. Judging by the analogue gauge, at present rate, I should get another five hundred miles, (3 weeks or so) from it, then I’ll consign it to the bin and so the cycle will continue.  

I’d got past the 500miles on a single application of the Muc-Off –50 chain lube, which does transfer quite easily to hands but less readily than many wet lubes I’ve used in the past. No worse than Weldtite TF2 Performance All Weather Lube https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-performance-all-weathe , which is a comparator in terms of viscosity and operating range (also reckoned very good in freezing temperatures). I’ve also grown fond of the Ravemen TR50 Rechargeable Rear Light https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ravemen-tr50-rear-light      

The ongoing pandemic and localised lockdowns has made travel and touring a more considered affair. Cicerone’s guide to riding Hadrian's cycleway could provide useful inspiration https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/cycling-hadrian-s-cycleway  

 

Change of Tempo

Conditions have become markedly more autumnal, which in some respects has proven very welcome. Temperatures have slid to the high teens-low twenties, so at 5am, its closer to 12-14 degrees and the wetter roads mean chain lubes are easier to evaluate. 300 miles in, The Muc-Off –50-degree chain lube shows no sign of relenting. There's some residual, sludgy gunk growing around the derailleur cage and jockey wheels but nothing out of the ordinary and less than I’ve come to expect from middleweight wet lubes.  

It’s made from a high viscosity synthetic, known as Polyalphaolefin. One that flows well at low temperatures, maintains its properties and low volatility. Characteristics that explain its popularity within the aircraft industry.  In the present conditions, I’m expecting at least 600miles from a single application. Aside from winter and commuting duties, it should excel in cyclocross, gravel, and mountain bike contexts.  

Fixed gear winter trainer’s new KMC is still sporting the factory lube but the tension was a fractionally too high, so I adjusted it at the close of our first outing. Not the most obvious choice perhaps, but the Lezyne Classic pedal spanner is perfect for tackling track nuts. Over a foot long, there’s more than enough leverage for stubborn pedals and is incredibly pleasant to use and far too nice to lend.  

The business end is made from CNC machined nickel-plated steel, features a bottle opener and the pedal/nut slots are offset, so no faffing trying to whip ‘em on the pedal flats. This bolts into a super tactile wooden handle, which sits perfectly in the palm. I've had mine for years (primarily as I don’t lend it!) but the electroplated finish is also top-notch.   

Staying with the fixed, the 32mm Kender Kwick Journey KS Plus continue to impress me with their blend of relative speed, compliance, and reliability. The 5mm puncture repellent belt seems equally dependable-no flats to date. When it comes to working, or winter bikes, reliability is worth those extra grams-the last thing I want to be doing is tackling a flat on a cold and rainy night, when I could be home nursing coffee and the bike safely tucked away in the garage.  

Talking of flats, Steve has been putting the Muc-Off Puncture Plug Repair kit through its paces https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/muc-off-puncture-plug-repair-kit  Talking of which, the wind steadily intensified over the course of Tuesday-nothing too wild, but I had pause for thought on Wednesday morning, when this tree came down. 

Had I been thirty seconds quicker...At the time, the felled tree was just something to navigate, the introspections, and what-ifs came after. Ironically enough, I had switched from the Smith Signal (my default for several thousand miles) to this airier and slightly lighter Cratoni.  

The Cratoni is several years old and a budget road model but has some nice features, including a bug net. Attaching a rear light is equally straightforward. Talking of which, Steve’s been impressed by the Ravemen TR300 rear Light https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ravemen-tr300-bicycle-rear-light .  

Pumping out a maximum of 300 lumens, it employs three super bright CREE LEDs and a sturdy aluminium casing doubles as a heatsink, theoretically giving the diodes, battery, circuitry, and switch a sporting chance of a long and happy life. 

The mounting kit also seems an improvement on its less potent siblings. 300lumens is arguably overkill for most conditions but as a daylight running mode, especially on a trailer, it’s hard to fault its presence. On that note, I’m off to finalise my reviews of the TR30 and TR50.