Curiosity...

Left to my own devices, I became curious regarding the new Deore crankset’s suitability and wanted to check chain length, before introducing front mech, bar end shifter and cables.

 

Off came the 1x10 deore (switched to the Dawes Edge frameset for safe keeping GRAVEL ON A DUSTBOWL BUDGET: HARVESTING COMPONENTS (sevendaycyclist.com)). Plenty of Peaty’s Bicycle Assembly Grease PEATY'S BICYCLE ASSEMBLY GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) graced the Shimano XT Shimano Deore XT PD-M8100 Pedals | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) pedal threads.  

The Juice Lubes Bearing Juice was still clinging to the Hollowtech II axle. Pleasing, given its primarily designed for bearings SIMPLE SERVICE: CUP 'N' CONE HUBS | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). . With the new, 2x10 Deore , I opted in favour of the Peaty’s Speed Grease PEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com). Everything back together and buttery smooth, 110 link chains seemed correct- no hint of straining at the lowest gears.  

Confirmed beyond reasonable doubt on the following morning’s twenty-mile test run. Nonetheless, I had plenty on, so the front mech and shifter could be fitted at my leisure. Sometimes things need to be works in progress, rather than rushed.  

Quitting while ahead some might say. Besides, the Crane Cousins sacrificed a front mech and shifter to save precious grams on their Special Products Raleigh Bikes for their epic tour...Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Richard Crane, Nicholas Crane - Google Books Ok, let’s not get too carried away...Who was I kidding???  

Saturday morning, I returned from a 430am ride and decided I’d get busy in the methodical, offer stuff up and check sense. I managed to retain the “child at Christmas” sense of urgency until 7am. Yup, that I’ll just do some preliminaries went out the window too. In for a penny... 

 

Chain split, the biggest challenge was the front mech.  

The Deore was proving a non-starter with the MPart Mount, so I decided to save time, cut my losses and reach for the STX. My hunch that the 24-year-old mech would save the day proved so. I also needed to remove the serrated panel from the rear Blumels Shiny Mudguards SKS BLUEMELS SHINY MUDGUARDS | cycling, but not ususally racing (sevendaycyclist.com) to allow unhindered cage travel. 

Cable outers cut, everything connected, I needed to adjust the travel but despite being designed for a 3x7, it slipped back and forth very snappily-without any cage manipulation. Although being a triple, I was meticulous, borderline neurotic when adjusting the limit screws.  

Having ensured it wouldn’t drop off either side, I reintroduced the Souma Leather Handlebar Tape Souma Leather Handlebar Tape | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com), checked everything shifted reliably and popped the old girl away.

4.40am on Sunday morning, the acid test. Better quality inner wires tend not to require intervention but either way, I leave inner wires eight hours (or overnight) and then pull through once, if needed. I’d toyed with leaving things another day or so and switching to the fixed meantime but 440am came around and a shakedown ride called.  

No nasty surprises, the old STX shifted impeccably in both directions with no hint of cage rub, or similar teething troubles. That said; the Merida cage gracing the seat tube bottle boss chose this opportunity to expire- without warning. The tool caddy was ejected onto the front rings, causing a moment’s anxiety.  

In the darkness, I thought the worst-broken derailleur cage, popped chain... I had spare links and replacement magic links in the tool caddy in any case. I packed the cage into Ursula’s Axiom Ocean Wave City+ Seat Pack AXIOM OCEANWAVE CITY+ SEAT BAG | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and rode home. I’d considered this Zefal Pulse Z2 Zefal Pulse Z2 Bottle Cage | cycling, not usually racing (sevendaycyclist.com) before settling on the winged carbon fibre Boardman.  

While I understand and appreciate magic links, I’m not completely at ease with them. I much prefer a pin of some description and that’s on a derailleur transmission, let alone single speed, or fixed setup.  

A 2x10 transmission has given me a range between 26.9 and 84.3 inches some added power on the road with greater torque offroad, or when a trailer’s trundling behind.  

Staying with chains, the Muc-Off Wet lube seems to be holding its own, despite rains of biblical proportions. The sort that creates deep, lingering puddles, which can conceal a multitude of nasties-potholes are extremely fertile right now.  

John Moss has been developing a mount for the TRP HYRD calliper. Although I’m not in a rush for it (am planning to fit to coincide with cable and/or pad replacement), I'm getting quite excited...

 

DIY Mount & Deore

 Large-scale manufacturing is very much a thing of the past here in the UK. There is a sense in which the nation still yearns for this, possibly as an antidote to a palpable sense of managed decline.  

There also seems a romanticised idea of the post-war period, and a yearning for its return. Hmm...petrol rationing, communal outdoor toilets, no, or extremely limited access to contraception, abortion and widespread austerity...Be careful what you wish for... One of those things I often reflect on, through the dark lanes in the wee small hours. 

I’ve always been very drawn to highly skilled people-their intelligence, humility and eagerness to learn is very infectious. Now, the relevance of this backstory? Finding a suitable mount allowing the TRP HYRD to fit a fork’s IS mount. John Moss and I were discussing our respective projects- he's been upping the gearing range on his beloved Mango.  

He seemed confident and moreover, offered to make a mount from stainless steel. I had an appointment in the midlands that week, so popped the TRP HYRD calliper, red mount, and severed Kinesis fork (as templates) into a box and 18-year-old but much-loved Specialized messenger bag. 

Upon my arrival, he ushered me and my stash to the garage and then, to the workshop. I had my trusty compact camera in pocket, so took various shots in alternate positions for John to refer to. Nonetheless, John remained convinced he could machine something bespoke, from stainless steel. 

 

He’d trace around the red mount and possibly mill some slots for a precision fit.  Now, this wasn’t urgent- the TRP SPYRE SLC were in good health and highly functional and I didn’t want John feeling under pressure or distracted from his own projects. However, I don’t like things that aren’t ready to go, as and when I want/need them.  

Life and sometimes ideas can be cyclical. Six years since I went the 1x9 route with Ursula After The Gritters Went Home | Seven Day Cyclist and two since I switched to a Hollow Tech II crankset, I found myself contemplating a double. Serendipity had someone waving a new 36/26 175mm crankset and braze-on derailleur under my nose for a ridiculously keen price. Decision made... 

I’d a new left hand Microshift bar con, inner and outer cables, chain(s) and indeed, an STX front mech. However, this was from the original build, and I didn’t want to get side-lined by something that wasn’t going to plug and play. Make no mistake, a lot of components will adjust nicely...  

Being a 7 speed MTB mech, the pull wouldn’t be an issue, and the travel easily restricted but I thought it best to get a compatible contemporary model and keep the STX on the subs bench. 

I also had a Microshift and Sun Race front mechs (double), but these were braze- on, requiring a suitable aftermarket clamp and, being road models, were bottom pull, thus requiring an adaptor. I’d be into £30 on those alone.  

Now, I could always whip the 28.6mm STX band on clamp over to the Deore but I didn’t want to start cannibalizing stuff. I was tempted by a BBB Shift fix, but these weren’t available in 28.6.

Thankfully, M Part does. M part is Madison Cycles' in-house range and, in my experience, nicely executed. It may also mean removing the serrated section of the rear mudguard (its deliberately engineered for this purpose). I’d run bar con shifters on Ursula’s original build (Deore XT) so knew the left-hand Microshift would be fully compatible.

  

I also took that opportunity to prune an outer housing to length, making the switch cum upgrade that bit quicker. I put some helicopter tape around the seat tube, where the front mech mount would sit against the paintwork. A bit OTT perhaps but rules out marking paint, when adjusting the mech’s height/positioning.       

 

As a side note, I’ve always liked Deore and STX/RC groups. Good performance-to-price ratios. Finish is generally decent, too. Smart enough for pretty builds but rugged-great for daily drivers and working bikes. What’s the best bike? Is a question so commonly put to shop staff. The best bike is that or those that meet your riding needs. The same applies to components- horses for courses, essentially.  

Good planning and preparation are key-I've even found these KMC magic link pliers, which I’d had for a decade, or so but believed lost during the last move. I’d secreted them inside a Lezyne pannier of similar heritage. Even with the stock 11-25 cassette, I’d have a range between 26.8 and 84.3 inches. With an 11-28, I’d be looking at a bottom gear of 23.9. However, I have a quiet (possibly unfounded) concern this would put the Tiagra mech under potential strain.  

Might be a red herring but I didn’t want it imploding like the Sun Race and Micro shift did-at the least convenient moments. Not that there’s a fun time for a component’s expiry. In terms of chain length, some sites suggest I will have no issues with chains of 100 links, but this seems a little short to me. I’ll go with the existing 110 and place a little less stress on the system.  

I’ve decided to wait until the unseasonably wintry March and potentially awkward start to April pass- no sense giving the new components unnecessary exposure to the elements. It also means I could switch to the fixed gear winter trainer, should I need to “pause” with Ursula’s upgrade. That said; I’ve switched the spikes in favour of the Maxxis Maxxis Overdrive Excel Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and reached my CST Xpedium CST Xpedium Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) conclusions.   

Why not a triple? Well, simply put, this would be excessive/unnecessary and a chore to keep harmonious year-round. A 26-inch (or 23.9) gear is more than sufficient torque for most gradients and contexts the old girl and I are likely to meet. 84 inches is tall enough for bombing without blowing knees, or spinning myself into another dimension-although some might suggest that might be desirable, given the UK’s present trajectory.   

 

I’m holding on to the single ring deore but I’ve decided it’s time to move the 170mm, Shimano Zee, since it’s a downhill crank and surplus to my requirements. Right, time for a change of lube...