Shed Sitter

 

House sold and just post completion; I gave the fleet a thorough waxing and pre-storage once over. A quick squirt of maintenance spray on the cables, tyres inflated to optimum pressures, a quick drop of lube on the chains to keep them happy, while they are in secure storage. I am waiting to complete on a new property and while the COVID pandemic is raging,

Univega and I have sought solace in temporary, bedsit accommodation. Parred to the workshop essentials- a few tools, spare tubes, lubes, chain, cables, bike washes and degreasers. All do-able and enough to keep me and the old girl going through the increasingly dark, wetter, between houses thing. Crucially, we have a roof over our heads.

Having transported most essentials over previously, I loaded Ursula up, bike packing fashion (if you turn a blind eye to the Oxford Aqua Evo 12 litre backpack) and made the final, twelve-mile trip. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/topeak-midloader-frame-bag

https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/passport-cycles-bikepacking-seat-pa

https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/oxford-aqua-evo-12-litre-backpack

Not a soul and in the dark, some long climbs were much flatter. However, farmers had decided to resurface the roads in lumpy mud, which has turned decidedly slippery with the subsequent rains.

Thankfully, the 2.0-inch Continental Speed Reflex and Control Tech bar wrap smoothed things out and held their line. I could feel the slide strike, corrected this and the subsequent squirms. Not wanting to push my luck, I resorted to riding on the opposite side of the road, since nothing was coming and thankfully, nothing did.

Mud and torrential rain have also licked the lion’s share of Tru Tension wet lube from the Univega’s chain, leaving it decidedly parched. I'm still impressed with its balance of cleanliness and relative durability, so will top up and plod on for the time-being.

Bedsits are also a challenge when it comes to bike cleaning and if you find yourself in this situation, a big piece of lino to protect flooring, furniture polishes, waterless cleaners are an absolute godsend, meaning bikes can be kept relatively clean, without involving buckets of water, mess, lost deposits, or drawing unwanted attention.

Schwalbe were also kind enough to send me a 26x2.0 set of their long-serving Kojak slicks and some Air Plus tubes. These are much thicker than bog standard butyl, though not the proverbial builders’ hose so should retain pressure and resist puncture better.

I love a big slick tyre. 

67 EPI (Ends Per Inch) the Kojak are marketed as lightweight touring rubber and there’s certainly scope for this, especially since commuting lends itself to more comprehensive puncture repelling belt. Interestingly, Schwalbe cite their Race Guard as 4 on a scale of 7 (Continental Contact Speed Reflex are also 4out of 7 on their scale, so comparisons will be interesting). A more obvious difference is the Continental say their sidewalls are bottle dynamo compatible- a bit old school but welcome. The Schwalbe are not but employ retro-reflective detailing.  

Quick, compliant, and tenacious all-weather grip. However, there is usually some trade off in terms of durability/puncture resistance. I’d run the 700x35 section Kojak some years back and found they had tremendous charm, although mine seemed susceptible to cuts-thorns and shards of glass being the main offenders.  The most notable exception being the Freedom Thick Slicks, which I have run on the Holdsworth for some time.

Talking of Holdsworth, while mooching through Colchester, camera close to hand, I spotted this Holdsworthy made example. Aside from the lovely red livery, I was initially drawn to the classic leather saddle and Carradice luggage and a lovely blending of classic and modern components. I’m still putting the Pro-Viz Reflect 360 through their paces and they continue to meet my expectations of a commuter glove. Those seeking something closer fitting might find Chiba Second Skin Windproof and Waterproof Gloves a better bet  https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/chiba-second-skin-gloves    

 

Falling Leaves & Fail Safes

 

It’s now dark before 7 and the sun doesn’t rise until 7.16. A moot point in some respects, thanks to the superb K-Lite Bike packer Ultra dynamo light https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/k-lite-bikepacker-ultra-dynamo-ligh  and its Pro V2 sibling https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/k-lite   At the rear, I’m sticking with the Lezyne, this Ravemen TR30M https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ravemen-tr30m-rear-light and a long serving Moon Nebula. I also keep a rear helmet light, just in case one of the rear lights loses charge, or indeed fail.  

During the darker months, it’s a good idea to run a helmet-mounted light. Once thought the preserve of mountain bikers, a lower power (500 lumen with lower settings) can come into its, own should you need to tackle a flat/similar along a dark and lonely road. The ability to have light positioned where you need it while leaving both hands free, makes these tasks easier and quicker to solve.  

More powerful than necessary perhaps but this Blackburn Day Blazer 1100 presently adorning the Pro-Viz. Clue’s in the title. It's a five-mode model. 1100, 800 lumens, 400 lumens, and 200lumen pulsing/strobe settings. The highest mode will manage 90 minutes and for purposes discussed, overpowered.  

However, crucially, the 400 is close to 3 hours, so more than adequate for the duties discussed. I might want the 800, were I carrying the bike up a series of unlit steps, or a very dark stairwell-say in a block of flats. 142g isn’t overly apparent either.  On the subject of high-power rechargeable systems, Steve’s been very impressed with this Ravemen PR 1600 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/ravemen-pr1600-front-light  

Univega is still running the Continental Contact speed Reflex Tyres https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/continental-contact-speed-reflex-ty and for the time being, their blend of compliance, low rolling resistance and sure-footedness mean I’ve no incentive to switch. However, there is some suggestion of an early winter and temperatures plummeting to minus 10. Sensationalism on the part of the tabloid press in some respects but I may keep the Schwalbe Winter handy, just in case.   

I’m sticking with the Tru Tension Wet lube. It's quick to apply (curing times are a matter of minutes), low friction, and much cleaner than wet lubes tend to be-ceramic, or otherwise. It’s still holding its own, despite an enduring wet spell. The more challenging conditions and reduced daylight means hell n’ high water wet types can quickly evolve into a gritty, destructive mess.    

The Control Tech Silicone Bar Tape continues to delight with its shock absorbency and grippy texture. The Prov-Vis Reflect 360 gloves are also growing on me. Padding density is nice, dexterity is pretty good too. Retro-reflective prowess, (in common with the Chiba) is brilliant and glows a brilliant white, so there’s no mistaking my signals/intentions.  

Pro-Viz have also sent me their Vega and Procyon rear lights. The Vega is primarily designed for bike mounting, whereas the Procyon can be fitted to bike, helmet, rucksack/similar luggage to suit. Bear in mind that, to comply with the law, lighting must be mounted to the bike. That mounted to helmets, or luggage is considered secondary/tertiary but may just save your life, should a main light fail.   

 

Interplanetary Thoughts

 Well, these were bound to strike. Not a new dalliance of mine. Back in 1999/2000 I had toyed with the idea of a bike as car machine built around a high end (bespoke) steel frameset with drop bars, disc brakes and hub transmission. At the time, Sachs Pentasport was the transmission of choice and hydraulic stopology.  

Yes, I still like Hydraulics in terms of outright performance but prefer the convenience, dare I say, simplicity of cable-operated systems. So, do we blame the interplanetary stuff on broken mechs, Brexit/Pandemic/Sabretooth Man Flu, or an amalgamation of them all...All are contributory factors. If I do go this route, my beloved tubby tourer will be the recipient.  

However, as I was saying in my last entry, these things need to be carefully researched on the spend once, spend right basis. Experimentation (unless you had a free hand in these things and indeed, copious amounts of free-time) consumes time, money and space. Three resources which are very finite for me. Preliminary research says that 11spd Alfine is the way forward. John Moss runs Alfine with DI2 on his Mango Velomobile and believes this, the optimal pairing.  

Hmm, I’m erring toward the JTEK Alfine shifter, a bar end system, given it’s a simple, discrete option and relatively inexpensive, compared with Microshift’s undeniably neat SBN 110 brifter configuration. We shall see. For the time being, I will run the 1x10 blended Microshift Centos/Sun race NRX drivetrain and get my moneys worth from that, sell on unwanted stuff that is taking up room (rather than good stuff being stored) and plough the proceeds into the hub, wheel and shifter.  

Rohloff wasn’t really an option, given we’re then into eccentric bottom bracket shells and a new frameset would rather defeat the object-in every respect. For the meantime, the mix n’ match derailleur setup runs just fine. Despite some persistently wet rides, the Tru Tension All Weather Chain Lube https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/tru-tension-tungsten-all-weather-lu  clung on, until 600 miles, which is pretty good all round but important to stress that the first 400 were predominantly dry. I’ve since switched over to their wet (ceramic) and will go for Zefal Wet, should autumn follow a wet narrative.  

 

Mile after mile, I’ve happily defaulted to the Dex Shell Ultraflex gloves. However, black is a mixed blessing, especially since daylight is in noticeable recession. Enter these Chiba Pro Safety Reflector Gloves. These are a beautifully snug fit and supposedly windproof and water-resistant, boast extensive non-slip silicone detailing on the palms and fingers for purchase and touch screen compatibility.  

I was also pleased to note reinforced sections between thumb and forefinger, theoretically subverting premature Brifter/hood wear. This Control Tech Silicone High-Performance Handlebar Tape was another welcome compliment and also proved the ideal opportunity to replace my Univega’s front brake inner cable.  The Control Tech tape is a three-layer design. The top features a durable, tacky PU finish, the middle and base layers are gel. The former for damping, the latter so it can be un/wrapped repeatedly, so cable/bar changes don’t spell bin-fodder.  

It weighs 155g (uncut, including aluminium ends) is much thicker than many tapes I’ve used, including the Fizik Vento Microtex Tacky Bi Colour Tape https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/fizik-vento  it replaces and requires a very firm tension. It took me three attempts to achieve consistent, uniform overlap, especially on these Soma Condor drops https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/soma , where the diameter varies and there’s a chunkier (though not unattractive) aesthetic. 80 wet miles down the line, I’ve been delighted by its blend of grip and damping.  

Qualities, which compensate for the lack of padding in some full finger gloves, including these likeable Chiba. These are water-resistant, although when heavy/persistent rains hit, twenty minutes or so, before water penetrates the fabric, which could be a deal-breaker on longer commutes, especially during winter, where chill can make things miserable. 

 

Pro-Viz have sent me their Reflect 360 Waterproof gloves, which are supposedly impervious, feature padding and a nose wipe. I’ve been playing musical lids again, returning to the Pro-Viz Reflect 360 https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/proviz-360-reflect-cycling-helme  to coincide with the reduced hours of daylight and my preference for riding in the dark.  To close on a fettling note, here’s my review of the Muc Off Mechanics Gloves https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/muc-off-mechanics-gloves