thewashingmachinepost




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summer time, and the living is easy

gruesome weather

there is well founded conjecture that scotland is the world's principal repository for precipitation, evidence for which, should such evidence actually be required in the first place, was in plentiful supply on sunday morning. despite having lived in the hebrides for well over thirty years, i have yet to acquire the skill of weather forecasting, one often akin to second-sight in several elderly residents around these here parts. in fact, despite being well-versed in the art of riding in particularly windy conditions, i have yet to develop any ability to figure out in which direction those winds might blow.

the road leading from the central village of bridgend, leading to bruichladdich and onto port charlotte is a particularly exposed highway constructed in close proximity to loch indaal, sweeping in a gentle curve as it leads towards coffee and a double-egg roll. thus, if there is a headwind as you ride past the auction mart, it will be a resounding tailwind by the time foreland road-end has been reached. but it's this intrinsic curving that tends to throw the intrepid velocipedinist off the straight and narrow.

as i have related more often than i fear is polite, the sunday morning bike ride invariably follows an identical route, partly because we're probably in a very comfortable rut, and almost certainly because any waifs and strays joining the happy throng past the official start time will have a greater than evens chance of meeting the peloton at some point on the parcours. were we to choose arbitrary variations to proceedings, there's every danger that google's satellites would record individual parcels of cyclists failing to connect all across the islay countryside. and though the tradition is hardly set in stone, having once had need of arriving at debbie's within minutes either side of noon, it's a route that pretty much guarantees to do so with uncanny accuracy.

however, we are a non-technical lot in the atlantic, riding with gps units affixed to our handlebars, but paying scarce attention to the figures being displayed for our benefit. it will, however, hardly come as a surprise to learn that more often than not, those digits are obscured from view by a heavy coating of rainwater. were that not the case, the global positioning system would probably inform us as to the direction of travel, enabling a more accurate guesstimate of an oncoming wind. thus, as we perambulate the distintegrating road leading to cluanach and mulindry, convinced that the wind down uiskentuie strand will be a comforting tailwind, the digital output from our handlebars would either verify this supposition, or point out the serious error in our calculations.

unfortunately, by the time that stretch of road has been reached, there is ample time for inclemency to have rendered any such hopes and aspirations null and void.

despite saturday having been a cheerful, sunny yet cold day, no such prognostication was available for sunday. however, with the time of the grand départ set for around 09:45, heightened winds were expected around 10am accompanied by a quick burst of heavy rain. following those 50kph gusts of wind, we were informed/promised, that the winds would then gradually abate, accompanied by receding rain clouds. the fallacy of having believed all this had already set in by the time we reached saligo, on the disturbingly grey and gusty shores of the north atlantic. only a few kilometres further round the loch gorm road, we came upon a couple cycle touring their way around the island over the course of a few days.

both were aboard panniered mountain bikes, struggling manfully and womanfully into the teeth of that freezing headwind. having looked out our respective bedroom windows prior to departure, we had dressed well in breathable waterproof jackets and distinctly non-waterproof bibtights. but we were positively svelte in comparison to our briefly met companions, who had even stretched to wearing goretex overtrousers and hooded jackets, neither of which were assisting in their quest for forward motion. i well know why we were riding through such drastic weather on a sunday morning (we're idiots), but though i would scarcely query their tenacity and fortitude, i seriously questioned their timing.

having alerted them to the proximity of kilchoman distillery and the likelihood of a welcoming dram, or, alternatively, a quality cup of coffee and perchance a toastie at our own destination, since we failed to connect at any later point, we assumed they had taken the whisky option.

i'd dearly like there to be a moral to this story, but for the time being, one escapes me. other than to point out that, while it may be prudent to carry a spare pair of gloves to wear following the necessary coffee stop, it would really make a great deal more sense if they matched the weather conditions. having ridden near 50km wearing purportedly waterproof, thermal gloves, their replacements were neither, leading to a loss of feeling in both hands but a few hundred metres outisde the boundary of bruichladdich village. on reaching the short hill on the approach to bowmore, i'd to ride up in a wholly inappropriate gear because my hands were too cold to shift the levers.

quite why we refer to this period (even in late may) as british summer time, is one that will forever remain a mystery.

monday 24 may 2021

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endura custom kit pro sl long sleeve jersey

endura custom pro sl winter jersey

debbie claims not to be in favour of having her name plastered across the front of a cycle jersey. but if you knew debbie, like i know debbie, you'd know that this is but a plaintiff cry devoid of conviction. technically, the coffee shop forms part of bruichladdich mini-market, but when debbie took on the lease and began offering designer coffees, colloquially, it simply became known as 'debbie's. she may, however, have a point in her argument (a very weak point), in that she gave up the place several years past, and it's now run by her mother, aileen. but in places like islay, once a shop's name enters the lexicon, it tends to remain, no matter who happens to be the proprietor at the time. i could regale you till the cows came home with other examples around the principality.

endura custom pro sl winter jersey

however, only yesterday morning, when debbie protested once again that she was not in favour of the wording on the front of our new, long-sleeve club jerseys, i pointed out that it was tough; we'd already had the jerseys made, we were already wearing them into battle each sunday, and basically, she'd simply have to like it or lump it. she has, of course, effectively undermined her own argument, as she still serves in the mini-market three or four mornings a week.

so debbie's it is.

oddly enough, livingston-based endura cycle clothing did not sport an off-the-peg debbie's jersey as part of their standard range, so we had but little option to avail ourselves of their custom kit, in order to stand out from the crowd. as i mentioned once before, the previous edition, with short sleeves, was manufactured by a competing purveyor of cycling apparel, for which the current design was originated. but, at the risk of stating the glaringly obvious, this is the hebrides and short sleeves have a very short shelf life, given that summer is often confined to a couple of days in august. it seemed, therefore, to make a great deal of sense to augment the cycling wardrobe with a long-sleeved equivalent.

endura custom pro sl winter jersey

buoyed by the quality and service provided when designing the port charlotte jersey and shorts for bruichladdich distillery,we opted to keep all north of the border this time round and engaged the services of endura in a quest for sartorial elegance on the bicycle. according to ceo, jim mcfarlane, the colour range for jersey reproduction extends to 16 million, though preferably not all on the one jersey. we, however, opted to go down the pantone route. these are reproduced by single, specific colours, helpful if you know the pantone number and equally so, if one happens to equate to the corporate colour of a particular sponsor. otherwise the standard cmyk process ought to manage any colour not available from endura as a pantone spot colour.

endura custom pro sl winter jersey

from design submission to delivery took slightly more than one month, though that will depend greatly on just how busy the custom department is at any given time. the fabrication of the individual panels is excellent, even matching the stripes on the back with those on the three pockets. since there are remarkably few of us on islay, even with the addition of one or two others from elsewhere, each jersey was priced at £99.60, including the dreaded vat. that, it should be noted, is only £10 dearer than the standard jersey available to all, but if you have a large club, the more you order, the cheaper it becomes.

the pro sl l/s winter jersey uses stretchy, recycled fabric with a honeycomb internal facing that offers not only comfort and joy, but a thermality that has been of great benefit against the north-easterlies that have strafed the island since the turn of the year. granted, i've had to accessorise with a gilet from time to time to block the wind, but worn over a long-sleeve baselayer, the choice of long-sleeves has been one long overdue. debbie might be less than impressed with having her name in the islay peloton, but the jersey on which it's printed is close to perfection.

endura custom

sunday 23 may 2021

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talking at cross purposes

watopia

though it comes as some surprise to my non-cycling colleagues, conversation during the average sunday bike ride rarely revolves around cycling. that probably comes as considerably less of a surprise to members of pelotons all across the country, but occasional remarks made during velocipedinal downtime would suggest that the less pedalistic amongst the great unwashed figure that it's the sort of thing we talk about all the time. but in truth, though we're mostly to be found aboard svelte road bikes with skinny wheels and bendy bars, they are there to be ridden as fast as we think we really are, and not necessarily to be the objets du jour.

in that respect, we are little different from our cousins in the netherlands, for whom the bicycle is simply a means to an end. if i might offer a quote that places all this in some sort of context, "for a dutch person, the bicycle is not a subject for discussion. It is an everyday tool, like a vacuum cleaner, a toothbrush or a knife. we don't talk at parties about how convenient, or even pleasant, it is to cut a vegetable with a knife."

but if i have given the impression that bicycles or cycling never forms a part of the discussion, then i may have been somewhat remiss. though the mighty dave t is rarely seen these days, due to adherence to his own set of covid restrictions, in times past, when there was only he and i perambulating the highways and byways of islay, we often talked of the way of the saddle; or at least, he talked and i listened. the mighty dave is a veritable treasure trove of cycling anecdotes, along with the fact that he's been there, done that and worn the t-shirt. i, on the other hand, have never pinned a number on my jersey, knew nothing of echelons, draughting, or many other aspects of the velocipedinal life that make one more confident and hardy on the bike.

so the mighty dave would regale yours truly, and subsequent members of the velo club, with not only stories from the peloton, but salient instruction that would turn the discombobulated into islay's finest. however, given that the mighty dave's experience and knowledge gave him the upper hand in the conversation stakes, we are but grateful acolytes, and scarcely sufficiently well constituted to hold such discourse of our own. thus dialogue is more likely to revolve around which particular netflix movie should become de rigeur, highlights of the working week, or simply encouraging those at the back to watch out for the pothole into which their front wheels are about to descend.

but lately, discriminating between reality and virtual reality has become a great deal harder. despite my very best efforts, two of my companions have invested in wattbikes and have become mildly besotted with the council tax charges in watopia. when you live, as we do, in the centre of the known universe, with lightly trafficked roads, acres and acres of sky, and a surrounding landscape that never fails to inspire, one really has to wonder from whence cometh the pull of the pixel.

thus, on the rare occasions of which i was overtly keen to deny took place, when discussion did turn to cycling matters, i often find myself at a distinct disadvantage, unsure whether the shopkeeper did actually ascend alpe d'huez yesterday, or whether he refers to a virtual, 21 hairpin-bend(ed) french mountain. this may lead to a suggestion that a blue helmet light be set to flash whenever a virtual conversation is taking place, as opposed to one firmly based in the real world. however, as i find myself in a minority of one at present, i have grave doubts about the implementation of that suggestion any time soon.

and when i am informed that placing well in a bedroom-based scoot about the roads of watopia resulted in the acquisition of a pair of polka-dot track mitts, i really have no idea how to respond, particularly when it transpires that said mitts can only be worn online. why would it be necessary to wear track mitts in pixeldom anyway? so, my real question would be, am i in danger of becoming a cycling dinosaur, or has that ship already sailed? and is it too late to buy a gravel bike?

saturday 22 may 2021

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twenty's plenty

twenty's plenty

last weekend, as i wandered lonely as a pedestrian to collect my saturday newspaper, and as i rounded the corner into shore street, two teenage kids on bicycles cycled along the pavement, forcing other pedestrians to quickly move out the way. under british law, a bicycle is considered to be a vehicle, a category banned from using pavements or footpaths. the maximum fine for so doing, is £500, but more often than not, cyclists on pavements will receive a fixed penalty of £50. that, however, presumes that the observer is not a cycling blogger, but a member of the police force. though i have no idea how this pans out elsewhere in the uk, over here, there are so few police, that there's a greater than evens chance that you'll get away with it.

as a none police officer, i pointed out to the two miscreants that their illegal actions should stop there and then, a proclamation that was summarily ignored. however, since the two of them are well known to me, there will eventually be repercussions; they just don't know it yet. imagine if we all felt that riding in traffic was more onerous than equitable and thus took to the pavements of scotland and beyond. if freewheeling down bowmore main street on the ritchey logic, it's quite possible to exceed 30kph,and i've a feeling if i did so past the village averagemarket, not only would there be numerous casualties, but damaged wheels and a reputation that might well equate to mud. the law is not discriminatory; it's not alright for first year secondary pupils, but even less than alright for peloton wannabes.

in short, once we reach the purported age of responsibility, it's definitely not ok to decide which traffic laws to obey and which to discard. at least, you'd really like to hope so.

on the approach to islay high school and bowmore primary school, buildings which stare at each other from across the street, there are speed signs indicating that the authorities have decided that 'twenty's plenty', a speed that can very easily be outrun by any motor car you care to mention, and, if i put in a great deal of effort, could be exceeded even by yours truly (on a good day, with a galeforce tailwind and several months of strict training). there are many cars driving along this designated section of road, mostly taking offspring to school, but some kids still walk to school, and at certain times (cycling proficiency), there are a few to be seen riding bikes to school. on the road. so limiting motor traffic to twenty mph seems like a pretty good idea.

there are many such speed restricted roads all across the nation. but now there's one less, and for the bizarrest of reasons.

a few weeks past, the island was paid a visit by mainland traffic police, who had a great time catching those driving too fast, failing to wear seatbelts, driving without insurance and driving without an mot certificate. during this islay spree, many of us, including yours truly, discovered that there is a two-tier speed limit for vans on island roads. small vans that are in effect, cars with no rear windows, are legally allowed to drive at 60mph, the same as the motor car population. however, larger, transit style vans, are limited to 50mph, a fact unknown by several drivers of such vehicles, revealed by the fact that the police issued speeding fines to one or two who thought they had remained on the right side of the law. yet it seems that observing speed limits may soon be something of an option, if we're not careful.

in the town of markinch in fife, on the east coast of scotland between the firths of tay and forth, council officers have decided to scrap a 20mph speed limit "because drivers do not obey it". i doubt i'm the only one who views that as a dangerous precedent. apparently, according to the council, increasing the speed limit to 30mph will equate it to drivers' perceptions. basically stated, because 85% of the drivers on that stretch of fife road (b9130) think they should be allowed to drive at 30mph, instead of enforcing the law, the council has decided to cave in. the 'twenty's plenty' limit was imposed around five years ago at the time of a new housing development. apparently, according to a fife councillor, despite measures to encourage drivers to pay attention, basically, only 15% appear to have been interested in complying.

if i might briefly return to my opening gambit, this could conceivably mean that if sufficient numbers of teenagers on bicycles were to ignore any protestations about riding on the pavement, the law could be changed to comply, on the basis that giving in is easier than enforcement. the only saving grace on islay is that those two teeneagers mentioned above, are probably the only two who ever ride bicycles on this particular corner of the hebrides. those of you in scotland, wales and englandshire, might find circumstances just a tad different.

friday 21 may 2021

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a frame of two halves

tour de france earners

though carbon fibre has proved itself to be the wonder material as far as bicycles are concerned, there are a number of things that it doesn't do, even though it probably could. for instance, at one time in cycling's glorious past, crank arms were fluted, removing a chunk of the aluminium alloy to lighten the componentry without seriously degrading its performance. of course, there was also a period when the more intrepid would drill holes in everything to save weight, with scarcely a second thought for the integrity of that which they were drilling. though i've seen no examples, i wouldn't be at all surprised if several frames had also succumbed to the drill bit.

ti-raleigh replica

however, given the apparent malleability of carbon at the construction stage, it would probably be perfectly possible to feature nostalgic fluting in present day crank arms, if purely for old time's sake. and though ernesto colnago contnues to build lugged carbon frames beneath his house in cambiago, those lugs are a tad more industrial looking than the ornate steel versions beloved of curly-hetchins fans. in a case of life imitating art, the majority of steel frames nowadays are tig-welded, leaving those redundant lugs out in the cold.

this is where the art-for-art's-sake school of thought comes slightly unstuck, particularly if justification is required. the once ubiquitous reynolds tubing came in three distinct flavours: 531, 653 and the ultimate, 753, each of which displayed a variation in the butting when initially drawn. the middle of a bicycle tube has considerably less to accomplish than the bits at the end, therefore it made more sense to thicken the latter where heat would be applied when brazing into the lugs we talked about only a few moments ago. butting is still necessary if resilience is required, on the present steel tubing that submits itself to welding, yet differently to that of the metal designed for lugs.

carbon fibre could also be said to be butted, yet in an entirely different manner to that of steel, even in the knowledge that carbon cycle tubing rarely takes the form of individual tubes these days. with monocoque frames produced by laying carbon matting and resin in a highly polished mold, it's really a frame of two halves, designed to resemble tube construction, even if no longer round. the very fact that bicycles still adhere to the double-diamond structure, has far more to do with uci regulations than it does due to manufacturing restrictions.

so despite a lugged steel frame, with a one-piece alloy quill stem, curved fork legs and so-called road dropouts, may evoke pangs of nostalgia in velocipedinal luddites world-wide (who, me?), justifying such in the face of carbon modernity has become a great deal harder. however, that doesn't mean lugged steel bikes no longer have their place in the firmament (and by lugged steel bikes, i refer to the whole package, including classic drop bars, downtube gear levers, and brake levers in which the cables exit from the top). and no, i have no idea why i find the latter cable arrangement to be quite so quaint and attractive.

but machinery such as that described, has probably won more races than its modern-day carbon equivalent, leading raleigh to revisit the past via a 753 framed replica of joop zoetemelk's tour winning bicycle to go on sale in limited numbers this september. but while zoop might have earned a crust by donning the yellow jersey, there are more sophisticated means of today's riders earning substantially more, by means largely unrelated to the act of riding a bicycle. though i have no truck with instagram, because, bereft of smartphone, it's just too much faff, this integrated strand of luddity is not one shared by the likes of peter sagan, rigoberto uran, julian alaphilippe and wout van aert.

according to research carried out by raleigh (and you do have to wonder why they'd bother), sagan has potential earnings of more than £12,000 per post, over double that apportioned to alaphilippe. pogo and rogo may be the possible yellow jerseys in waiting, but their combined potential earnings from instagram are also less than half that placed in the bank by the slovenian. this, of course, is entirely their business, despite being as a result of perceived prowess on the bike and eccentric sociability off it. quite how it compares with personalities in other sports, i know not and, quite honestly, could care less.

but it does make me yearn for the simpler days of 753 tubing, fluted cranks, downtube levers and cables that exit from the top of the brake levers.

thursday 20 may 2021

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why?

electronic gear systems

though it's unlikely i will ever have the financial wherewithal to afford one, i have great admiration for alex battaglin's steel frames, about which i regularly receive updates, images and occasionally, videos describing various exotic builds. granted, i'm not too keen on the idea that, following the polishing to a mirror finish, the almost impossibly reflective shininess is chromed. according to someone far better aquainted with metallurgy than am i, chrome is a porous metal, allowing water and condensation to penetrate the steel below. the result is what is technically referred to as ferrous oxide.

happily now living indoors in my son's home, the chromed surfaces on my colnago master steel frame have long since succumbed to the rust that is an endemic part of living on an atlantic island. it has long bothered me that campagnolo and others, do not specify the nuts and bolts on their componentry in stainless steel. it was a matter of only a few weeks before the cable clamp bolts on the record caliper brakes were brown rather than shiny.

however, following the polishing and chroming of the columbus steel frames, battaglin paint them with coloured lacquer, offering a coloured, yet transparent finish. personally, i prefer, no chrome and a solid paint finish, even over the lugs, but as i mentioned above, such impeccable distaste is of academic interest on the basis that i'm unlikely ever to become a member of the battaglin owners' club. i am, however, impressed with alex battaglin's perceived tenacity, sending regular e-mails to my inbox, under no illusion that these are other than the result of a carefully crafted marketing campaign. but considering i freely signed up to receive them, it's hardly an imposition of which i was unaware.

and you just never know; one of these days i might become rich and famous, with enough spare cash to add a battaglin steel frame to the bike shed contents.

however, yesterday's e-mail took a different tack altogether, indicating that mr battaglin has been on the receiving end of several queries regarding electronic groupsets. his very words would indicate that he has seen much confusion over such electron-based componentry. "That's why," he writes, "I'm thinking about putting together an in-depth video course specifically about electronic groupsets.". but alex did not send the e-mail simply to inform. his missive is designed to elicit suitable responses about that which we might wish to learn.

i intend, however, to resist the temptation to respond for at least a couple of salient reasons. firstly, i have no truck with electronic systems whatsoever, though having written that, i realise that you probably already knew that. secondly, i have so many questions relating to the subject, that i fear he might block me from receiving future e-mails. but essentially, all my questions concerning electrical impulses can probably be summed up in one word.

why?

though i'd be hard-pushed to narrow it to a specific manufacturer, i do believe i once read justification for buttons rather than levers resided on a perceived fatigue in professional cyclists towards the end of a lengthy parcours. while i seriously doubt that ever to be the case, while entertaining the possibility that they may have been stretching credibility a tad too far, it would indicate that the entire genre was developed specifically for the professional racing cyclist, individuals whose strenuous efforts we can only watch from afar, but never truly emulate. in which case, for what on earth would i need an electronic groupset?

there were days (i promise you), when television channels had to be changed by getting off your butt and pressing buttons on the front of the tv. nowadays we lazily remain seated and press buttons on a remote control. the only exercise i get nowadays in this respect, is the endless hunt to find where the kids have hidden the darned things. but fail to find that remote, and it seems there's no way to change channels or, in many cases, switch the tv on in the first place.

on the occasion of my review of campagnolo's original super-record eps groupset, the bicycle, which featured hydraulic disc brakes at a time when campagnolo had yet to embrace the technology, sported formula brake/gear levers in keeping with the formula discs. the flip levers inside the main brake levers, were returned by a small spring. it transpires that this spring had a tendency to stick, continually shifting the derailleur into the large sprocket, irrespective of any instructions to do the opposite.

granted, that problem was quickly and easily solved, but it was a problem engendered by the technology, despite years of pushing and pulling gear cables with almost perpetucal efficiency. of course, my luddite tendencies tend to provide a knee-jerk reaction to anything new, but i simply can see little need to spend several hundred pounds/dollars more to accomplish precisely the same thing, particularly when those electrons effectively remove any likelihood of the home-mechanic (and remember, when we're out riding our bikes, we are the only mechanics within shouting distance) carrying out effective repair. added to which, should it become damaged, replacement costs will be correspondingly higher.

two members of the velo club peloton began hebridean cycling life with electronic trinketry; following expensive fettling and replacement, neither are nowadays thus equipped.

so, if alex is reading, i'd still like to know 'why?'

wednesday 19 may 2021

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signed, sealed, delivered

tubeless sealant

thankfully, the hype surrounding tubeless tyres appears to have settled down, with those who figure them to be the greatest thing since sliced salted caramel gels having thus equipped every bicycle in the shed. meanwhile, luddites and sceptics such as yours truly, have avoided them like the plague, happy to pack a spare inner tube under the saddle and a mini-pump in a jersey pocket. i confess to my misgivngs extending as far as querying the purported benefits of the tubeless variety. are they, for instance, intended as a poor man's alternative to the tubular tyre, or are there real, purported advantages to be gained?

i would have thought that any overall weight gains must surely be offset by the need for the tyres to possess thicker sidewalls to handle the internal pressures, and that white gloop forced in through the valve stem has to weigh something. for the likes of you and me, any actual weight differences are surely null and void, given the speeds at which we're likely to travel. however, my principal argument against, as reiterated well beyond the point of anyone's interest, is the faff incurred by fitting the blighters in the first place.

and just to add insult to injury, i fear i may have come across a secondary level of faff that could conceivably result in pedestrianism. at the point of fitting a tubeless tyre for the first time, it is necessary to seat the tyre on the rim by means of either a blast of compressed air, or a training regime that will provide biceps akin to schwarnold arzenegger, while attempting the same with a track pump. few of us outside of a bike shop have access to compressed air, so the track pump it is. do not, for one minute believe that if the first tyre seats with little effort, the second will follow suit (which is when the biceps thing comes into play).

but just like ordinary clinchers with tubes, tubeless tyres are also prone to punctures; assuming your experiences are similar to my own, these will occur at the furthest point from home and usually in inclement weather. there are a few alternatives available when it comes to repairing the tubeless variety. one i have seen revolved around patches to be placed on the inside of the tyre, below the hole which the sealant failed to seal. my first question would be how to have a patch of any type, stick to a length of rubber coated with white gloop?

however, perhaps more to the point, assuming the tyre has been removed to effect some form of repair (and not all methods require complete removal), how is the intrepid velocipedinist expected to re-seat the tyre with a mini-pump that scarcely peeks out atop that rear pocket? of course, vittoria have since introduced the air-liner, a hexagonal, re-usable insert designed to cushion the tyre and wheel from impacts should a deflationary incident occur. i do not doubt the veracity of this device, but it does seem to partially undermine the point of tubeless in the first place. of course, i'm scarcely the most independent of cyclists to ask.

the run-flat aspect of the liner does, of course, offer a benefit unavailable to those of us who have been retardent enough to stick with inner tubes in the first place. but why not meet ourselves half way, by pouring some of that white gloopy stuff into an inner tube? it won't prevent earth-shattering punctures any more than will be the case for tubeless tyres, but small nicks or cuts could potentially be staved off to the level of a slow puncture, if we're lucky. of course, there have been slimey solutions for inner tubes for many a long year, not all of which have been as effective as the label promised, so why would tubeless gloop prove any more fruitful?

according to lennard zinn, technical whizz at velonews, there really ought to be little in the way of problems by so doing, unless of course, you're a latex tube aficionado (some gloop eats latex for breakfast). provided you keep the gloop away from the valve base by squeezing it in with the valve at the nine-o'clock position, it might just prove to be a beneficial additive. however, that surely beggars the question as to why none of those in the business of selling the stuff, have mentioned this before?

tuesday 18 may 2021

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