Creaky Cradle

 

Phantom creaks, squeaks, and rattles crop up every now and then and the root cause is not always obvious. Sometimes it’s just some threads begging for a lick of grease, other times it’s a fastener that’s loosened just enough to permit some minute play- seat post cradle, handlebar stem, old school square taper crank bolt. Titanium to titanium can also prove a slightly creaky combo, so I tend to employ some Finish Line Ti-prep where bars meet stem and saddle rails meet cradle. 

 

Then of course, there’s mudguard (fender) and rack mounts. Adding a bit of Thread lock to proceedings holds them tight and gives you a sporting chance of keeping them, should they unexpectedly vibrate loose. Aside from racking up some miles on the Teenage Dream, while the sun shone, I’d been pondering a strange and unsettling creak from the fixed gear winter/trainer. Initially, I’d thought this was the Halo Fix G lockring letting me know it had slackened-nope.  

Chain tension was also about right. VW ran a commercial back in the 1980s where a driver is being driven to distraction by a phantom squeak, which a roadside mechanic diagnosis is the wife’s earring. With this in mind, I was beginning to think it was something similar- small spare parts jingling in the Kinekt Waterproof Saddlebag KINEKT WATERPROOF SADDLE BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  All drew a blank. I got out of the saddle- silence. I’ve not had difficulties with the Cane Creek Thudbuster ST G3 TESTED: CANE CREEK THUDBUSTER ST SEATPOST (sevendaycyclist.com) in the past.  

Everything seemed snug. Unlikely perhaps (but not unheard of) I reasoned it might be an issue with the saddle rails. Either way, I concluded, after a two-hour blast on the teenage dream, the best approach would be swapping saddle and post for now and diagnose at leisure. I went for this Genetic Syngenic TEST & REVIEW: GENETIC SYNGENIC SEATPOST (sevendaycyclist.com)  

It's an inline model, aimed primarily at racers, placing me directly over the bottom bracket, which is my preferred stance. As for the perch, it’s a Selle San Marco Concor Super Corsa. This one’s a revised version but otherwise faithful to the original, launched in 1978 BS (Before Sibling). 265mm (about 10.43 in) long and 140mm (about 5.51 in) wide, so a good fit for yours truly. Either way, no creaks, or squeaks. I just needed to raise things by a few millimetres, since it felt slightly off during our first outing. Not significant enough for me to hoist it mid-ride, but not quite right, just the same. 

No sooner had I addressed this, the Teenage Dream piped up. However, this creak was traced to a cleat not fully engaged with the mechanism. Easily cured with a quick shot of GT85 to the single-sided A530 (Tiagra to you and me).  I’d toyed with switching to the Wellgo RC713, which has nicely sealed bearings and small surface areas.

The latter are great for aggressive cornering, whether you’re riding a criterium, or fixed (although  I still prefer double-sided designs on a fixed, meaning I can clip in from any angle and scoot off) while the Cro-moly axles might lack the exotica of titanium but represent excellent value for money and excellent power transfer...Maybe next time I’m tweaking something... Meantime, here's my review of the Funkier F70 Pro MTB M250 Shoe FLR F70 Pro MTB M250 Shoe | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

I also discovered, while troubleshooting why the bike’s computer wouldn’t register readout (LR44 sensor battery) that I hadn’t tightened the front quick release adequately (which I initially believed was down to sloppy bearings). One of those occasions where the fork ends “lawyers’ lips” were worth their weight in gold.  

Upon returning from my ride, a quick once-over. I performed a quick tweak of the bike’s front Miche dual pivot stopper and found a tiny amount of play in the Woodman Saturn Aheadset, so dialed that out, giving the stem bolts a light lick of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) since the bolt’s threads felt slightly arthritic.  Sorted.

  

Rounding up contact points for now, I’m still impressed by the KranX Stretta Primo-High Grip Anti-Shock Handlebar Tape KRANX STRETTA PRIMO ANTI SHOCK BAR TAPE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) adorning the Teenage Dream’s Salsa Bell Lap bars. Its grippy, durable, and at 2.3mm thick, offers decent defence against low-level vibration (although may feel a little direct, coming from natural silicones, such as the Acros Silicone wrap Handlebar Tape Acros Silicone Wrap Handlebar Tape | Seven Day Cyclist. Those wanting something a bit thicker, for gravel, or touring might prefer something like this Ergon BT Gravel Bar Tape Ergon BT Gravel Bar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) 

Race Against Time

 

 

No, I haven’t taken up time trialling (although I’m aware I’ve threatened to do so at several points during the last fifteen years). Maybe it’s a midlife thing but I'm increasingly feeling that time is slipping through my fingers and a relentless need to press on with things. In many respects this is positive, making the most of each day but it can also be exhausting-mentally. 

 

Dry, balmy conditions have meant plenty of extended playtimes on the Teenage Dream and I'm continually impressed by how well the CST Cito accelerate and handle. For me at least, 100-105psi seem their sweet spot and even the familiar tang of melting asphalt and stray, loose chippings haven’t held them back. If the balmy weather continues, I may pluck the Holdsworth from hibernation, give it a quick waxing using the Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax and rack up some early morning summer miles Motoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).  

Similar story with the Maxxis Re Fuse, which have also continued to impress with their handling and relative compliance when run at 63-65psi. Dependability is also very favourable. I was expecting positive things, given their casings are an upgrade on the Silk Sheild system employed in the Maxxis Overdrive Excel, which is good, albeit with some limitations. The acid test of course, is how they hold up with a few thousand miles and a filthy, wet and dark winter under their casings.  

On the subject of tyres and pressures specifically, my long serving and much loved SKS Airchecker that I’ve had for 12 years or so, fell into a suitably deep, sudsy bucket while I was cleaning the fixed.  Liberal blasts of Motorex Joker 440 Motorex Joker 440 | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) were delivered through the battery compartment, before leaving it drying in strong sunlight with the battery compartment open).  

 

Nope, dead. I had entered a state of mourning, unable to consign it to the bin. Then, curiosity urged me to give it a final try. I reinstated the battery, and it sprung back to life!  

Fabulous build quality, design and ergonomics...Bar/PSI modes, orange backlight, dual (Presta/Schrader) head, bleed valve... A bit pricey for hauling along in a pannier, or more often, Carradice SQR Tour luggage CARRADICE CARRADRY SQR BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) (I kept this wallet-friendly and very cheerful analogue Revolution model for these duties).  

The Revolution also features a dual head valve and a pressure release valve for those times when you’ve been a little enthused or distracted. Smart heads are super convenient, but their only downside is the design’s fragility, as they use a sprung mechanism. Though rare, (especially if you’re using them periodically- a couple of times a week) I’ve had them blow into smithereens at the least convenient moment, inducing some equally colourful language.

   

Against this backdrop, I’ve been sent these two Topeak gauges for testing. The Shuttle Gauge G2, which is a compact analogue model designed to be compatible with Presta, Schrader and Dunlop valves. It’s also designed to work with air shocks, so a good bet for carrying on the bike. I’ve also been sent the brands’ Smart Gauge D2X digital. Measuring 1.8x4.2x1.9cm and reckoned good for 260psi, there are quite a few similarities with the SKS, including the backlight and bleed valve but some refinements too-It’ll measure PSI, BAR and kg/cm2, for example.  

  

I’m appreciating the lighter mornings too, which are enabling longer outings and changes in route(s). The fixed’s chain is still sporting a decent helping of Motoverde Chain Lube with PTFE so no need to change and the Momum MIC Dry Oil Lube Momum Mic Dry Oil Lube | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)  seems a great seasonal fit for the Teenage Dream’s Sachs.  

It penetrates deep into the chain’s inner sanctum, requires 30 minutes curing time and is super clean. Given dawn is very prompt, I’m just running two potent blinkies on the Teenage Dream, while fixed and Ursula are sharing the See Sense Beam+ and suitably potent rear blinkies with daylight running modes for presence. Daylight running modes though not wildly so, still divide opinion.  

I’ll admit when they became “a thing” I was slightly concerned other road users would become “blind” to the few hundred flashing/pulsing lumens, rather like drivers tended to notice motorcyclists initially when machines started defaulting to this function, but progressively stopped noticing.  

There is some evidence to suggest these have a positive influence upon motor/cyclist safety but for cyclists at least, these need to be both bright enough and emit at the right tempo.   Lumens are not the only measure. Reflectors and lenses are arguably more significant since light must be projected efficiently and without causing nuisance.  

For example, I’m finding the Magicshine SeeMee150’s 45-lumen flash (more a pulsing in my book but nothing to get hung up over.) surprisingly effective. The Teenage Dream runs this Moon Nebula, which is a few years old but still in rude health and very capable. The 100-lumen daylight running mode certainly cuts it. However, the 20-lumen flash is also surprisingly effective, even around dawn.   

One of the features I love about the See Sense Beam+ See Sense Beam+ Front Light | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) is the flashing mode’s intelligent setting, meaning it regulates output to suit conditions and the sensored technology is one of the most responsive and exacting I’ve found. It's also laughably frugal in terms of run times.