Braking For Cake : Stopping & Shortages

 

A couple of weeks spent solely on my fixed gear winter trainer has given me reason to reflect upon the specification. Small upgrades can often result in big gains. Having refitted the Mavic/Halo Fix G Track hub HALO FIX G TRACK HUB | Seven Day Cyclist Tourin Tests Commuting (which feels buttery smooth once more, courtesy of new cartridge bearings and liberal helpings of fresh grease), I’ve decided it’s time to upgrade the otherwise dependable TRP Spyre caliper, in favour of its SLC sibling. Both have been on the market since 2013/14. Proven technology, rather than talking points but I don’t want the additional complexity of hydraulics, or hybrid systems.  

Some would argue the latter are lower maintenance and no trickier to set up, maintain, and service. However, for the time being, familiarity wins. Covid induced shortages globally have hit the cycle industry quite hard, but the UK’s present increased insular, nationalistic stance means shortages across all sectors are here to stay.  

There’s a current romanticism about 1978/9’s winter of discontent doing the rounds, and the allegedly character-building wonders austerity offers. People with food and fuel insecurity are nothing to celebrate in my book.  

Anyhow, I digress... Even though I found an SLC caliper at a sensible price, having lain my virtual money down, I received a reply, telling me I must wait a few weeks for its arrival. Good thing it’s a planned upgrade, not urgent replacement. The faster one can stop, the faster one can ride... 

Though the Mud hugger Gravel hugger guard’s aesthetic will horrify some, I like their industrial lines, and crucially they work, keeping a surprising and very welcome amount of wet, greasy stuff off rider and bike. No rattling, or to date any sign of paint abrasion either. However, I’ve been quick to apply “helicopter” tape at any point resting against painted, or lacquered surfaces. 

During this pre-winter inspection, I also swapped the otherwise likeable Craft Cadence Bar Bag for the compact See Sense Handlebar Bag SEE SENSE HANDLEBAR BAG | cycling,-but-not-usually-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since I fancied something more compact. Bigger capacities have a lot in their favour but some impact upon steering... The See Sense reclaims some bar space and forced me to do an inventory of tubes, CO2 cartridges and other little spares that can spell the difference between roadside rescue and the long walk home. Yes, that is still very much at the forefront of my mind.  

Touch-up paint is useful stuff to have waiting in the wings. High build phosphate primer well and truly cured, I’ve acquired oil-based hobby enamel and some brushes, so I can make good Ursula’s frame end. I added light blue, grey, white, and black to the order so there’s some in stock for the fixed gear winter/trainer, should need arise.  

 

The tubby tourer’s indexing is nigh on there, but not quite.  A quick tweak of the limit screws and tensioning proved the cure. 

I am also considering fitting an inline adjuster to the outer, where it exits the Velo Orange Rubbery Handlebar Tape VELO ORANGE RUBBERY BAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). In principle, this shouldn’t be necessary but in practice it may allow some very slight tweaking on the fly. Afterall, mountain bike shifters have them. Another advantage of bar cons, is the option of switching to friction mode, should indexing go way off track.    

 

Rough With the Rough

Implosions often seem to strike when we least expect them and always at the least convenient moments. Our story begins at 5.25am. Ursula and I had just exited a dark junction, turning left, I gently accelerated when there was this sickening implosion. My heart sank, thinking it was the chain that had failed.  

Coasting to a halt, I switched on the Brightside topside helmet light BRIGHTSIDE TOPSIDE HELMET LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to discover the Sun Race Driven mech had basically self-combusted. In the dark, and my shocked state, it looked like this suicidal mech had also claimed Ursula’s Ritchey frame end. Either way, we had to get home, which basically translated as a six-mile run, wheeling Ursula by the bars. Made it back, in the pouring rain and saturated roads, within 30 minutes.  

Gently hanging her up, I was relieved to note frame end and wheel were unscathed- save for some minor paint damage. The derailleur’s threaded part, still lodged like a bee’s sting induced some head-scratching until I decided to drill it out. Well, large enough to insert a Torx driver and turning it counterclockwise.  

At least that was the plan.  

All was going well until I discovered my cordless drill’s Ni-CD battery was dead, Thankfully, I was able to source an inexpensive replacement (the drill in question is over 20 years old). This delayed things by a few days, so meantime, I gave the frame ends two light coats of high build phosphate primer, while I awaited a replacement battery and rear mech. 

 

In practice, this was a painstaking task, with some very anxious moments, but ultimately successful. Thankfully, I was able to drill out and essentially obliterate the riveted part, insert a corkscrew to provide suitable purchase and turn...  

 

I’ve gone for a short cage (28 tooth maximum) Shimano Tiagra. I spotted one at the right price and wasted no time in adding it to virtual cart. Not least since supply issues remain prevalent, which has also done nasty things to prices. Some folks are a bit sniffy about Tiagra. Now, it’s one step beneath 105, which was widely regarded as big S’s workhorse road groupset but in common with the STX & STX RC mountain bike groups, performance to price ratios are very favourable. Decent shifts, inexpensive in the event of a spill, and of course, winter.    

If that wasn’t enough, closer inspection of my beloved, mile-munching ford KA revealed some minor sill rot. Most of the section was solid but sanding back some bubbling revealed a collection of tiny holes. Thankfully, MPA Classics worked his magic- patched, welded, and primed for £40. I’ve since added two thin coats of phosphate-rich high-build primer for some additional peace of mind. A light coating was also added to Ursula’s frame ends, while I awaited the replacement drill battery.  

This delay meant a switch to my fixed gear winter/trainer and the torrential rains were perfect conditions for evaluating the Mudhugger Gravel Guards. Coverage and protection are surprisingly good, due in part to their length and profile. Waterlogged roads, driving rain, and gusty winds meant maintaining momentum was my primary focus but, having returned, I was pleasantly surprised by how dry my legs, back, and buttocks were. No gritty raccoon stripe either.    

 

There’s been some minor spatter atop the guards and around the frame’s wishbone, but we are talking minor, which was even more remarkable, given the monsoon conditions.  The mounting kit also seems very reliable and crucially, chatter-free. Still got a couple of hundred miles before I arrive at a more rounded conclusion. Times are very strange here in the UK, on a wider level. Supply chain issues are making goods, even basic staples harder, or at least slower to acquire.  

A lack of skilled people within several sectors of the economy is also compounded by those who have long been redundant and irrelevant to contemporary employers. Left behind, we might say. This has been a slow, incremental process spanning decades.  for example,25 years ago, Ford would not consider a Dagenham school leaver for the most basic job on the track.  

A stark contrast to the entrenched belief that school/academic attainment wasn’t crucial, since there’d always be a job on the line, at the body plant.  Car plants paid well for semi-skilled, assembly line work. As Honda were winding up their Swindon factory, I heard machine operators (not skilled machinists) had been earning £20ph and now struggling to comprehend that they should expect £9 on the open market. However, when big, or main employers go, it’s the ripples-the loss felt by the wider, local economies that is the most brutal and enduring.  

 

Fast Tangos & Old Faithfuls

 I wanted to get a few last rides in on the Holdsworth and Teenage Dream. Having played around with spacers, I found myself giving the bike a thorough washing and hard paste waxing. This led to me switching its tired looking Guee Silicone bar wrap for the T-One Mr Fantastic Handlebar Tape T-ONE MR FANTASTIC HANDLEBAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) Given my 5am riding schedule, I had rummage around the lighting box and found this Cat-Eye Volt 1700.  

The full 1700 is arguably overkill, even for these backroads (although nice to have, especially when things turn misty) and I would’ve preferred a 1100lumen setting to staircase down to. However, it goes from 1700 to 500lumen, which is too steep a drop for navigating.  

Up the rear, I’ve gone for this Moon Shield Rear Light, which is another very potent model and one that I’m genuinely very fond of. During the cleaning phase, I stripped the existing wax lube and though tempted to go the Muc Off Ludicrous AF route, opted for a light helping of Peaty’s Link Lube Premium All-Weather PEATY'S LINK LUBE PREMIUM ALL WEATHER | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

After some deliberation, rather than switch the Cat-Eye between bikes, I decided to partner the Ravemen CR600 to its LR500S RAVEMEN LR500S FRONT LIGHT | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) cousin, generating 1100 lumens all told. 

The latter’s beam quality is far mightier than the 500lumens might imply, too.  To my surprise, Ursula’s shifting had gone off the boil again, particularly midway across the cassette. Despite close, methodical scrutiny and the root cause elusive but pruning the chain by two links and replacing the shift cable proved the cure.  

Disappointing given I’d only had eight weeks from that inner cable. I ordered a few replacements since these are staples and though there’s never a good time for failure, it usually strikes at the least opportune moment.  

Keeping them clean and lightly lubed with GT85GT85 ALL PURPOSE LUBRICANT (sevendaycyclist.com), or similar maintenance spray certainly helps-particularly through winter but the gritty, grotty weather will still shorten their life. Heavy duty PTFE sprays have their merits but if you must go this route, apply once. Repeated applications will slowly result in a PTFE “fatberg”.   

Inner wires are cheap to replace, so change a daily driver’s seasonally and buy stainless where you can. 

It’s now palpably colder and darker in the mornings- its struggling to double figures, so I’ve switched to the ¾ length bibs and long sleeve jerseys. Middleweight fare for now, and I’m still defaulting to the cheap but very cheerful Passport Crochet Back Cycling MittsTEST & REVIEW: PASSPORT CROCHET BACK CYCLING MITTS (sevendaycyclist.com) That said; stronger winds and falling leaves are nudging me to dig out lightweight full-finger gloves, such as these Specialized, or the Oxford North Shore Gloves OXFORD NORTH SHORE GLOVES | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

Not to mention a thicker, water-resistant cap, I’m still a fan of Prendas Ciclismo  Lisboa Waterproof Cycling Cap PRENDAS CICLISMO LISBOA WATERPROOF CAP | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  

While rooting through some light boxes, trying to locate a high-power compact light for the Teenage Dream, I unearthed this now discontinued Xeccon Mars 60 COB Rear Light TESTED: XECCON MARS 60 COB REAR LIGHT (sevendaycyclist.com) A light that might be a little quirky but one I’m still very endeared to .

Nite Rider Solas 30 Rear Light is another rear light falling into this category and mine’s still going strong over five years later.    Talking of which, we’re big fans of E-bikes. To clarify, they may not be my passion, let alone my area of expertise but there’s a lot to like. Contemporary machines making cycling accessible to new audiences.  

Electric-assist cargo bikes are increasingly a viable alternative to small vans, especially in congested town and city centres. Commuting on an e-bike can be more practical than a traditional bicycle, dressed in formal office, or more casual threads, running utility and bike-as-car errands.  

E-assist also ensures older, or more vulnerable riders can enjoy longer distance rides, with a little assistance, as and if required. Steve and his family has enjoyed their time with this model FREEDOM BY DESIGN | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)