Missile Primed

 An overcast, though refreshingly  dry Easter Sunday prompted me to rouse the Holdsworth from its hibernation. A quick polish, air in its Maxxis Re-fuse tyres, a quick drop of PTFE lube into the chain, cleat mechanism and cable; we were ready for a quick 15 mile blast. I’d forgotten just how much fun it is to ride.

Despite being 62 years old, the plain gauge lugged n’ brazed 531 frame gives a beautifully responsive zing, although the composite forks add further refinement for fewer grams.

Aside from a few dips in speed-in keeping with traffic conditions, I surprised myself by keeping the tempo between 22 and 25mph along the flat sections, quicker when descending.  Hmm, perhaps this yearning for TTs can translate into something tangible… 

Might seem a strange move by some people’ reckoning but I decided, early on Holiday Monday morning to substitute its cheery composite Tifosi in favour of the Crank Brothers Cobalt3, which was resurrected from my spares drawer a few weeks back. The bluish-grey finish coordinates surprisingly well with the existing setup. It actually has several advantages over the Tifosi for this kind of build.

Despite being 400mm long and 7075 series aluminium, it’s actually 5g lighter and being an inline, rather than layback design brings me closer over the cranks for increased power.  I may ultimately veer toward something TI given its enviable blend of strength, low weight and corrosion resistance but just now, the Cobalt is more than earning its keep.

I was tempted to forgo grease given there’s ample of my home brewed corrosion inhibitor sloshing around the frame tubes. In the interests of ensuring a worry free, weather repelling union, I went for some green Park grease.

This was applied along its length and the threaded cradle bolt, since these can often get overlooked and form a very stubborn union over time.

I’m also contemplating the return to some form of aerobar. A compact model that is unobtrusive, yet still allows me to hunker low. I’m thinking in terms of a pattern like the Cinelli adorning the Teenage Dream.

This may necessitate a shorter stem, say 8cm, given I’m disproportionately short in the torso. When it comes to builds of this kind, I like an uncluttered. A Knog NERD computer and compact light with sufficient navigational bite to tackle semi-rural roads, should I lose track of time. 

I can hear some of you shouting “what about the tom-tom bandit!!!!”Fear not, it’s a temporary fixture in case I capture some warp speed footage worthy of note. Returning to the subject of lighting, mountain biking and years spent belting along unlit backwaters cultivated a default towards high-power systems-800 lumens upwards in new money.

However (and although this is changing) even in the lower settings, these systems aren’t the most useable for suburban and similar contexts, where 220 lumens or so is ample. Daylight modes as I’ve said before are becoming increasingly popular and increasingly effective-500lumens produces quite a visual punch, even on bright days. These also consume relatively little handlebar space and the lack of battery pack preserves the sleek aesthetic.

This Raveman CR500 arrived recently and is a nice, if slightly quirky option filling tis design brief quite handsomely. It doesn’t have the daylight option but has seven modes.

These are pretty much in keeping with others in this class- top is 500 lumens, enough for semi-rural riding and just about good enough for navigating unlit roads at 17/18mph.

The plug in remote control allows easy selection mid ride and though less convenient than a wireless unit, makes dipping down/up to suit conditions easier, since hands can remain on the bars. 

Both the CNC machined aluminium shell and the resin bracket are better than I’ve come to expect too. The former is reckoned to withstand IPX 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzpoCv_OmXk and supposedly survives accidental drops onto a hard surface from a metre high. The lens is more unusual. Some systems, even those around the 300lumen mark can be intense, almost dazzling at close quarters.

Raveman has employed a cut-off beam, which casts a very broad arc of light, while the other picks out the detail. Coming from those with a really pure white arc, the visible split took a little acclimatising to but could never be described as distracting-in the sense of halos and similar imperfections.  



I’m warming to it anyhow. Shows how far lighting technology has come in the last decade or so; especially when I think back to the hefty 10W single lamp lead-acid systems.     

Elsewhere, Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com  has been sent some lovely goodies from Brian Davis, a US based innovator who designed the weatherneck balaclava system. https://theweatherneck.com/.     

 

Easter Beatings & Blessings

 

In recent weeks, I could go ten miles on (controlled) rage alone. Perhaps it’s time I revisited time-trialling, channel these emotions competitively and with tangible result... That was my original intention for the Holdsworth, once I’d deviated from the fully dressed road path brief, afterall.  

Hydration is important full stop, even on short distance events and though rider mounted bladder systems enjoyed a small following outside of mtb circles, the humble bottle still dominates.

Hosts may have become sleeker, single piece composites (carbon or otherwise) titanium and stainless steel gentrifying the bosses, where 6061 aluminium once ruled. However, I’m wondering if the humble cage will be phased out, not all together but in favour of something sleeker.

Over the last twenty years or so, semi-compact geometry frames have made life so much easier for smaller riders, overcoming the need to go bespoke in some instances. That said and this goes for smaller mtb framesets too; getting two cages to harmoniously co-exist along seat and down tubes can prove challenging.

Adjustable systems, such as Topeak Shuttle engineer some useful, faff-free leeway into the equation and this week, the Univega’s has been joined by the fidlock bottle-twist system that arrived in a box of test goodies.

The bottle-twist is an integrated system of bottle and mount. The latter attaches to the frame’s bosses in the conventional way but this and the bottle mate via two suitably potent magnets-the pull took me by surprise during the fitting stage-no danger of losing screws to the flower bed, ditto multi-tools.

Being a 41cm frame, the Univega hasn’t been a particularly tricky customer on the bottle front but this affords a little extra wriggle room. From an aesthetic perspective, this also compliments said machine’s black and cream theme.  Far too early to say whether I’m about to become a devotee but the fidlock is certainly growing on me. 

These Altura Peloton 2 pro gel mitts were also among the stash, timely since I was hankering after something a little more sophisticated than the otherwise cheap but cheery Ozzo.

In stark contrast to the retro crochet and faux leather palm, these are a very snug fitting Lycra backed design boasting fast wicking, breathable backs, 3D design and those strategically positioned gel inserts.

So far, I’ve only clocked up 40miles. By my reckoning, 400 is the point where you can say something conclusive but I’m certainly warming to their snug fit and low profile padding. By snug, I mean very. I’ve fairly long fingers and can usually get away with medium but in this instance, struck lucky with large.

Easter is notoriously unsettled-I’ve known it to snow at certain points through the holidays and I’m not harking back to my childhood and time spent in Utah, where the mountains were topped with a thick carpeting of snow and cars sported snow-chains until mid-April, sometimes beyond.

I’m alternating between tights and 3/4lengths, sometimes a gilet, others a jersey, neck-warmer, long sleeve base layer and micro-shell jacket peeking out from a jersey pocket.

Swapping between lenses can be a pain, so I’ve tended to stick with reactive lenses, which lack the outright defence from intense sunlight but cope pretty well in changing conditions. That said; skies can be pretty dull, grey and overcast and in this context, I’ll go the amber route-sharper focus and bolstered mood.

I’d talked in terms of stripping my cross inspired fixer’s KMC chain of Weldite TF2 in favour of something lighter, then backtracked, then decided I’d use up some of the nearly empty bottles of lube-stock rotation principle. Perfect candidate being this Finish line ceramic wax, so, on it went. These take a while to cure and will need a second coat to complete the bond

That said; though the UK has a reputation for damp, I managed to go a whole summer-June to October on a single helping of wet lube. Admittedly, this was on a road bike and I’d opt for something more condition-specific on a mountain or cross derivative that ventured beyond tarmac.

The dry spell also presented an ideal opportunity to apply liberal helpings of my home brewed corrosion busting preserve to the KA’s underside and chassis components.

Though messy, it’s very effective and extremely cheap-less than £10 all told. Ingredients essentially boil down to 10w/40 and semi synthetic motor oil, offcuts of candlewax and turpentine. This punnet load has lasted almost four years, treated five framesets and been applied twice yearly to my MK1 KAs and periodically to an older Nissan Micra.  

So what else is new? Well, Seven Day Cyclist www.sevendaycyclist.com has lots of goodies coming our way from various sources, domestic and international. Meantime, I’ll leave you with our take on the “Bespoked” handmade bike show in Bristol https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/bespoked-bespeaking

 

 

 

Lucky Dip

Spring-like conditions continue the narrative of cool starts giving way temperatures in the mid-teens, bright sunshine and birdsong. 3/4lengths have been substituted for shorts, micro jackets for gilets and gloves for mitts.  

We’re waiting on some spring/summer clothing at Seven Day Cyclist but like most riders, let alone kit test junkie journos, we’ve usually built up a decent stockpile of goodies to draw upon.

I’ve resurrected these Ozzo, which are the classic knitted back and synthetic, faux leather palm. These have been serving on a shit-rota for the best part of a decade and rather like a well-loved teddy bear, the thin pile foam is starting to peek through the lining in places.

The embodiment of cheap but cheerful, they’ve proven more comfortable, even over longer mixed terrain rides than many, more sophisticated models. Gel pads designed to defend the vulnerable ulnar nerve region are not an exact science and can, in my experience, sometimes induce precisely the numbness, tingling and discomfort they were intended to alleviate.

Elsewhere, after two years’ riding shotgun on my MKII Ilpompino’s downtube, exposed to the harshest, wettest conditions, my Specialized mini pump breathed its last. Another quick rifle through the spares drawer unearthed several credible replacements.

Salvaging the Specialized’s ultra-dependable snap-shut bracket, I instated this The Lezyne Micro floor drive HVG mini floor hand pump with gauge (affectionately referred to by yours truly as the “detonator”) and compatible composite caddy.

It’s best thought of as a track pump that has been put through a matter-shrinking device. There’s a high pressure sibling that I’ve also used to good effect but this one will still deliver real world realistic pressures into medium section touring and narrower, street inspired mtb rubber.  

The Beast of Bodmin; my elderly farm cat clearly approves of this revision and the Vee Tire Rolldiac too, which have proven very competent all-rounders. These are 30mm, which seem optimal for this genre of machine but there are more traditional 23 and 25mm options. Personally, talking 25mm sections, I’d go for their rain runner, which for me at least, has the edge when it comes to speed, puncture resistance and outright grip in the wettest weather.  

Back to the pump; screw on valve connectors are another welcome touch, preventing the heart-sinking hiss as willowy valve stems are sheared clean off under vigorous effort. At 216, there’s a weight penalty over more minimalist designs and if that’s your criteria, a mini/micro pump and CO2/inflator are better choices, assuming you puncture infrequently.

Though adequate, the resin bracket could be more substantial, hence I’ve reinforced it with a stretchy Velcro backed offcut that was also doing something close to nothing. Judging by a formative thrash along local roads, this has cured any incremental creep, leading to the base chattering against the frame tubes like a demonic wood-pecker.

Remember to whip it off when parking in the street too, since the mirror polished anodized finish is extremely seductive. On a cold, wet night in the back of beyond, fresh tube and fully loaded CO2 inflator are my first resorts but a decent pump should always be on hand to save the day.

Continuing this salvage theme, having concluded the titanium post surgery a success; I happened upon this Crank Brothers Cobalt 3 rolling about in the same drawer-sans cradle. A quick email to extra bikes, their UK importer https://www.extrauk.co.uk/product/cats/crankbrothers/all/  was met with a very helpful response and ultimately, a new clamp.  The Cobalt 3 is a lightweight model, designed to some extent as a lightweight alternative to composites; hence the wall thickness is wafer thin around the minimum insert mark.

Yes, I was a little alarmed at just how thin but it becomes gradually wider then onward, so all things being equal, most riders shouldn’t have too many worries. Hell, I’m so confident, yes, you ca see where this is headed…I’m going to look into getting it reduced by .2mm, from 27.2 to 7.0 and have it serve the teenage dream.     

Talking of tooling, we’ve reached our conclusions re Blackburn’s switch and wayside models, which are very different but equally competent models. One for those who like to travel light while adding some bespoke bits n’ bobs to the mix, the other a one does most pocket workshop.      https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-switch-multi-tool                   https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blackburn-wayside-multi-tool

Conversion FGG

Early spring is probably the most unpredictable seasons for riding, or at least dressing. Winter’s slimy cauldron is pretty straightforward. Mudguards, stouter tyres and chain lubes to keep bikes happy. ¾ lengths/tights, overshoes, hats, gloves and base, mid layers/arm extensions and micro jacket cater for most conditions. 

Spring can hurl hail, sleet and snow with one hand, blazing sunshine the next-all in the space of an hour; or less. The past week or so has seen foggy starts and temperatures struggling to exceed 6 degrees.

Cygolite hot rod 50 and Giant Numen + link TL in daylight modes, dynamo and BTwin V100 320 convertible (White or red diodes in flashing or constant modes) have been on duty night, or day. The rationale’ for running blinkies during daylight is about remaining conspicuous and one that I personally subscribe to but don’t necessarily advocate.

Admittedly, someone would have a hard time arguing they were unable to spot the Cygolite dash pro 450 usb or Bontrager 350RT units in daylight flash modes (500 and 350lumens respectively). However, other road users run the risk of “Blinkey blindness” once the practice of running lights during the day becomes the accepted norm.     

300 miles in and the Ti post hasn’t castrated me, or shown any obvious signs of failure/fatigue. Nonetheless, I’m still highly attuned to any unnerving sounds!  

Bib shorts, tights, long sleeve base-layer short-sleeve training jersey and gillet/micro jacket grace my body. Medium density full-finger gloves and Lusso moisture transfer neck warmer takes care of my extremities.

Blessed with a generous thatch, even in really cold conditions, I find hats keep me a little too toasty. Something like this Lusso multi-functional neck warmer is generally ideal, since rather like the iconic buff, I can convert and wear it a number of ways.

Made from a 85% polyester 15% Lycra mix, it lacks the outright comfort of a merino garment but is very competitively priced and easy to live with. The black base and zig-zag patterning coordinates handsomely with the entirety of my riding wardrobe, civvies too.

I’ve always been slightly prone to chest infections since childhood. Though I can usually dispatch a cold within a matter of days, throw a chest infection into the mix and the subsequent chain smokers rattle can linger for weeks. Therefore, I’ve tended to wear it cravat fashion, clinging around my neck.

Just like the iconic Buff and other sleeve types, there’s sufficient length for covering the cheeks and nose-bandit style. In this guise, it also provides some welcome protection against dust and other physical particles but obviously, no defence against those emitted by diesel vehicles in congested traffic. 

Merino aside, my one minor gripe with the tube type designs is their relatively slow wicking once truly saturated-I’m talking post torrential rain, not concerted rider effort. I’ve not encountered this particular scenario just yet but will be interesting to see how the Lusso shapes up in a storm.

Balaclavas also have a niche following on these shores. When the mercury slips several degrees below zero, I’ve found some polyester models fine but +7 degrees upward, clamminess really sets in. This “Weatherneck system” arrived the other week. It’s essentially a convertible balaclava cum neck-gaiter and facemask. So far, it’s shaping up to be three surprisingly good garments in one. https://theweatherneck.com/

The amusingly monikered mullet cap offers excellent defence against chill (albeit slightly too warm for yours truly) and fits very well. The perforated Balaclava component is similarly generous and attaches/adjusts via moderately powerful magnets, which is a lot more convenient than Velcro, especially while cruising along. Turned chilly? Simply whip it round and let the magnets do their thing.

The base can be tucked into a jersey for seamless protection and unlike some monocoque designs, hasn’t impaired breathing, or turned overly clammy under sustained effort.

Back in the 70s and 80’s Balaclavas were associated with bank robbers and best removed before entering public buildings. 

These days, it seems combining this with a remote trigger for SLR cameras leads to “community spirited” neighbours believing you are part of a terror cell...

Finally on this conversion themed entry, we have the MKS EZY system. This permits tool-free, quick release removal of certain MKS pedals. The main idea being you can remove one, or both to deter theft when locking up in the street, when transporting a bike, or just optimising storage space. Just like their urban platform pedals, it’s extremely refined and beautifully engineered. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/mks-urban-platform-pedals .

Step in, or dual sided systems have been my default for almost 25 years, although there’s a lot to be said in favour of half-clip designs for bike-as-car commuting/utility riding in smart/street shoes, or even less pronounced steel toe safety footwear.

Ending on a completely different note, these three turkeys have been blocking the back road, almost religiously, every Tuesday morning. They’re quite vocal in their contempt, engage in seemingly heated debate among themselves and refuse to move, even for large articulated trucks!