Whoops, I did it again

 

Last time I said I didn't mind if I didn't repeat my 100k-in-a-day commute, but I did.

As it happens, yesterday was a beautiful day, and even though I was lugging at least 15kg in my panniers and had done 80Km the day before, it put a real smile on my face. What's more, there was even a (light) westerly to ease my way home. That trip by car or public transport would have been a real drag.

It is funny how relative distance is. This time, now I knew where I was going, seemed much quicker than last. Also the half of the journey that I am most familiar with seems to go a lot quicker than the westerly half, even though it contains the cross town ride. The halfway point is out by Shepherds Bush/Hammersmith, when I hit there it feels like I'm almost home. Whereas, plugging along the Uxbridge Road, the A4 or whatever seems to carry on forever.

I've Got a Bell and I'm Gonna Use It

 

But will it make any difference? My bell, as you can see, is industrial strength and can be heard. In fact, I can produce a veritable symphony of sound from it, from a subdued "ting ting" through a police-y siren type of ring to a full blown tram noise. I always try to select the appropriate noise, for example a quiet, alerting sound on a shared use path, but it rarely does any good.

This last week commute has sen the full gamut. The I'm-walking-towards-you-on-a-bike-path-and-I-can-see-and-hear-you-but-I-will-do-nothing (by Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon). Through the we-are-walking-across-the-bike-path-but-we-are-foreigners-and-so-when-we-eventually-realise-one-of-us-will-jump-forward-one-back-one-will-stand-stock-still (Hyde Park) to the I'm-cycling-on-a-bike-path-that-I-know-has-a-blind-bend-and-I-can-hear-your-bell-but-I-won't-ring-mine-becasue-that-would-spoil-the-surprise (Hayes Bypass). There were more, but all just variations on a theme.

I have to say that it just amuses me these days and I take it all in my stride, but with it all why do we bother?

Today I Try to Educate a brace of Numbnuts

The first was going through the City. There’s one point where one side of the road is taken over by long term building works for an office block, forcing two way traffic onto the other side. Not very wide, and traffic had ground to a halt as a site vehicle, a pallet truck made its way along. I was stopped behind a bus and it was moving towards me, signalling to turn right to enter the works area.. The next car had stopped to let the lifter through. Numbnut 1 decides (too strong a word, I don’t think he decided anything) to carry on cycling even though the lifter was already turning in. He did notice when he had a rather close call, and he mouthed off abuse at the driver “you f-ing pr-ck”. So as traffic started to move, I cycled with him and told him, the lifter had been signalling, it was on obvious building site and hazard and in fact, he was the prick. As he had his iPod plugged into his brains, I don’t suppose he heard me as I stopped at a red light and watched him sail through two, blithely oblivious.

Numbnut 2 was later on the ride, by Acton. I’d been riding a lively pace with a messenger on single speed from Notting Hill, and we were stopped at traffic lights and road works. There was a dumper truck, in the middle of the road, angled about 45 degrees to the left and signalling left. I turned to my momentary companion and said “I think we’ll let him go first” and we both laughed. Then, Numbnut 2 sails up, from the outside, close down the side of the truck (ie, in the trucks blind spot) and proceeds to cycle round the nearside corner of the truck on the red light. Had the light changed 2 seconds earlier, he would have been roadkill. So when the truck had gone and I was passing him I just said “You really are a dork” Didn’t have time for any more, as I was still riding lively. I don’t suppose he really knew what I was talking about.

Just how DO some cyclists survive?

Half Baked Spuds

 

Well, there was some play in the pedals so I thought that I'd have a go at them. So the first one I took to bits and - seeing all those VERY little bearings suddenly wished I hadn't. The second, I flushed, repacked and tightened without disassembling. They are both adjusted without play now, it will be interesting to see (1) if they last any time now or (2) if one lasts longer than the other.

My 100-K Day

 

Not often I end up riding 100K for work, this was a first for me. I confess to being not overly worried if it doesn't happen again. (And I forgot to switch the GPS on to track between the two west London sites, it was guiding me at the time)

Truvativ Giggle XP

 

It turns out that the BB bearing and crankset on both my Marin Point Reyes commuter and the LeMond (=Trek) road bike are both Truvativ GXP, which I'm sure means they were having a laugh as they designed it.

Looking around the Internet, I'm not the only one to feel they leave something to be desired in the durability stakes. Plus, becasue one side bearing is smaller than the other, you can't easily swap them out for something else.

The Marin bearings were shot through wear, only about 8,000 miles. My LBS comment was "that's good" - I don't think so, not for a maintained bike. The LeMond (probably only 2,000 miles) are clicking and have been for the last 300 miles, an early symptom of failure IMO. The only bright spot is that in taking the crank off I noticed the bung protecting the frame had risen out, so was able to correct it.

The Sweet Smell of .....

 

I had wanted to say "success" but I'm not quite there yet.

As you may be aware, I have a running battle with bikes and London, London normally wins, wear is right on the far edge of what you have a right to expect. The one before last chain snapped in use, as I neglected it for too long and had to replace the cassette, too. So, the last chain I lavished care on, using expensive "ceramic" lube, cleaning it and generally cosseting it. And if anything, it has lasted less time. So, I have bought some Chain-L No. 5 (could there be a better name?), having heard good things about it. It arrived very quickly and well wrapped, whipping open the package I got that wonderful lubricant whiff that anyone who has worked on pre-war engines will know and love, I'm told it's sulphur.

I replaced the Shimano chain with a SRAM (for the "power link"), followed the instructions for the lube and it has all gone together well, and early indications are positive. Unfortunately, I must have left the old chain on too long (it went from 0.75% to 1% in about 100 miles) and the wear on the cassette means that it's jumping like crazy in 6-8, the gears I use most. So, another cassette.

While I was at it, I discovered that the BB is shot, too. That's a sealed unit - the SRAM Truvativ GXP, I'm not sure that I really like that, it's lasted only two years. However changing it involves changing the cranks, too by the look of it. Oh yes, and anyone is welcome to pass an opinion on the state of my carbon fork (especially Steve ;-) )