Nuggsworld

Pedro’s Pro Cog Wrench

RRP: £21.99

Rating: 5 stars

This fantastic piece of kit replaces the horrible-to-use chainwhip.

Compatible with 11- or 12-tooth cassettes (the wrench is double-sided to accommodate both), the wrench simply fits over the lockring, while the protrusions on the head bite against the cassette.

The direct contact with the cassette, without the need for a chain, makes it much easier to get decent leverage and undo even the most stubborn of lockrings.

A great piece of kit.  Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never want to go back to chainwhips again…

Park Tool PRS-20 Workstand

RRP: £195.73

Rating: 5 Stars

Once you get over the shock of the price you will realise that this is a workstand of outstanding quality which will live longer than you will.

The stand works by clamping the forks of the bike.  This gives an incredibly stable base to work from and is safer than clamping carbon top tubes/seat posts using more traditional workstands.  There is also a safety strap which ties down the bike at the downtube/BB area, just in case you manage to wrench the bike off the stand (which takes some doing).

The stand adjusts for height (I’m 6′5″ and can bring it high enough to work on the BB/drivetrain very comfortably) and also swivels 360 degrees.  This makes it an absolute joy to work with.  As the front forks are clamped, the rear wheel is clear of the stand, so you can spin the pedals  and work on the drivetrain.

The stand also folds down to a compact size, making it ideal for those with limited storage space.  It also means that it’s portable, so if you’ve always wanted a stand you can fit in the boot and take need to take it with you to a race/on holiday/any other miscellaneous destination, this is the stand for you.

The major downside of this type of stand design (and it is the only downside as far as I’m concerned) is that you can’t use it with bikes which have full mudguards fitted; the mudguards mean it’s impossible to clamp the bike.  That means that for people with full-on winter/touring/audax bikes, this stand isn’t going to work.  You can still clamp full-’guard bikes with both wheels off for cleaning but you will need another stand for tuning and mechanical work.

However, if you have bikes with no/easily removable ‘guards, then look no further.

Mavic Col Winter Jersey

RRP: £65.99

Rating: 4 Stars

The quality of this jersey is very impressive, with many nice details such as contrasting fabric inside the collar and cuffs.  The quality of the fabric is very good and makes the Col fantastic for milder days. However, you will need something more heavyweight for properly cold days.

The full length zip is worthy of high praise as it is great in allowing the rider to modulate heat and I don’t think I’ve ever worn a jersey which is so easy to zip up/down on the move.

Fit is on the slim side, which will not suit all riders.  The back was also a bit short for my liking, I would have much preferred a more generous cut to help keep the lower back warm in cooler weather.

The main disadvantage of this jersey is that it is not windproof.  However, this can be easily overcome by using a windproof base layer, such as Prendas Ciclismo’s Windtex undershirt.

I purchased this as a cheaper alternative to my excellent Assos Airjack jersey.  Good as the Assos is, it’s sometimes a bit too much, especially on milder days.  With the Mavic jersey in the wardrobe for those warmer days (relatively speaking), I reckon I’m all set for cycling through Autumn, Winter and Spring.

I purchased mine from J E James for £58.99.

Before we move on to discuss how to tune up gears, install derailleurs, replace cables and generally spanner your way to shifting success; I think it’s important to get a basic understanding of how the shifting system works and what we’re looking to achieve.

Go with the flow 

A local spanner monkey once told me gears were all about flow and tension.  I think that’s a great way of thinking about the shifting system.  Despite manufacturers spending millions on developing highly-advanced groupsets, the principles behind the derailleur system date back to c.1905 and are (thankfully for us) refreshingly simple.

Day-to-day tasks involving the shifting system are well within the grasp of the home mechanic.  It’s difficult to mess things up beyond repair and if things do get too much, your LBS should be able to sort it out quickly for a few quid.  Learning how to maintain your own gears is invaluable, especially if things need a tune up mid-ride.

In basic terms, how tightly the shift cable is pulled determines what gear is being used.  Think of it like this, to go up to a larger cog (i.e. to an easier gear at the rear or a harder gear at the front), the shift cable needs to be pulled tighter.  To move to a smaller cog (i.e. harder at the back, easier at the front), the tension needs to be released.  The deraillieurs and shifters do the job of holding the chain on the right gear.  It’s our job to get the tension right.

A properly tuned up transmission results in crisp, smooth, reliable and quick shifts.  It makes your gears a joy to use.  Badly tuned transmission can really ruin your ride (and it’s so easy to fix, there’s no excuse for it)! 

These principles help us to create a useful guide for troubleshooting gear problems.

Signs which tell you the cable is too tight:

• You get ‘ghost’ shifts at the rear, where the chain jumps onto an easier cog without you moving the shift lever
• The rear shifts two or more cogs when you only move the lever for a single shift
• You can’t shift onto a smaller cog (front or rear)
• Shifts to a smaller cog are sluggish (front or rear)

Signs which tell you if the cable is too loose:

• You have difficulty shifting onto a larger cog (front or rear)
• You get ‘ghost shifts’ onto smaller cogs (front or rear)
• When shifting to a smaller cog, it shifts multiple cogs at a time

We’ll go on to discuss how you tune up gears and get the cable tension correct in another article.

It’s that feeling.  When you step out of the front door.  Fuelled by porridge and excitement at the morning ahead.  Swing open the heavy garage door.  Bike hanging.  Gleaming.  A promise of a ride to come.  A promise of freedom.  A promise of Miles.

The early morning air slightly chilled.  You feel it catch in your nostrils and throat.  It feels fresh; a new start.  And for the moment, you are alone.  Left to enjoy the freshness of the new day while the world sleeps.  It is Sunday and alarms have not been set.  People pull up the duvet to sleep away the memories of the previous week.  But this is your rehabilitation.  This is your morning.  This is your sport.

Wheel the bike out of the garage.  Give the brakes a quick test.  Pull up the armwarmers.  Down you go to the edge of the driveway.  Check for traffic.  Nothing.  No cars have passed while you performed the familiar Sunday morning routine.  Listen carefully: no sound of traffic, even in the distance.  The roads are yours for the next few hours.

Leg swung over the saddle.  You’re off.  Flick the pedal and hear the solid snap as the cleat engages.  Down the road.  Adrenaline in the blood.  Slight dryness of mouth.  First T-junction approches.  On a busy day you could be here for an eternity.  Not this morning; no need to even slow.  You attack the junction and the corner.  Adverse camber pushes you out to the opposite kerb.  You feel like a pro, on the racing line. 

Slight incline next.  Snick into the small chainring.  Marvel at the smoothness of shift.  The hours with degreaser and lube have not been wasted.  Back into the big ring as the road levels out.  Still in town but for now it is a ghost town.  Glance up at the curtains, drawn tight against the rising sun.

Follow the route as it twists and turns through familiar villages.  Then a big downhill.  Up into the big ring.  Shift down frantically to the small cog at the back.  Into the drops.  Let it go.  The roughness of the surface means you choose not to glance at the speedo.  Bike out towards the middle of the road and then flash it left, knee out as you peel onto a side road. 

Now you are in the wilderness.  A world of single track roads, rutted and blistered.  This is your pave.  These are the unknown roads.  A place where cars rarely venture.  Ease up.  Rise onto the hoods.  Look around and take this new world in.  A silent prayer in thanks that these roads, the low morning sun, the fresh morning breeze and the green peaks in the distance have all been given to you.