Middle Ring All The Way

When I think back, I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was that was “wrong” with square taper cranks. Whatever it was, I was sure that ISIS would deliver the improvement I was looking for. Unfortunately, this revised crank/ bottom bracket interface came at the price of bearing longevity, or rather lack of…

It was a good job then that someone came up with the intergrated crank. Outboard bearings, large axle, improved stiffness and so on. These were the cranks I needed to solve the problems I was having with ISIS. A few years later though, with many miles ridden, my integrated cranks lie worn out on the workbench with play in the spline that makes them unrideable. Looking at the current offerings from various manufacturers, I can’t say I was overly impressed with cost, weight or appearance.

Middleburn RS8

So, I go back to the tried, tested, trusted and British Middleburn RS8 square taper crank. Its forged profile maximises strength, yet its slender form gives it a very purposeful and attractive appearance. Not only that, once I’d fitted them to the bike with a UN73, they spin much more freely then my ISIS or integrated cranks ever did. It’s taken me over 10 years, countless hours in the garage replacing or greasing equally countless sets of bearings to come to the conclusion that a square peg in a square (tapered) hole is the way to go for cranks. You could say that crank development has gone full circle.

As soon as I heard that Singular Cycles were doing a titanium version of their excellent Swift frameset, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist. There’s no escaping the expense of a quality handmade titanium frame, so after a quick evaluation of the type of riding I prefer, it was time to sell the road bike to make way for something I knew would last me a long time and provide greater enjoyment.

Singular Pegasus

I’ve done a few rides on it now (read as: I’ve ridden nothing else since it arrived…), and continue to be impressed by it. The handling seems sharper than the already swift Swift, and the combination of titanium frame and carbon fork give it a suppleness that belies its otherwise rigid set up. The extra traction that 29″ wheels offer over 26″ wheels makes it great for climbing, yet even when the going gets a bit technical, the spring in the frame and the capacity for the bike to maintain its line makes it very capable of clearing some challenging ascents, provided the rider can keep turning the gear over…

The build quality of the frame is superb, as you might expect, but finished off with the “photo-engraved” Singular on the downtube go give it an extra bit of class. The Phil Wood half-link EBB makes it easy to adjust the chain tension, but I can still drop the rear wheel out easily if I need to. Most importantly though is the weight. It a full 600g lighter than the Swift, which is certainly noticeable when riding. I’ve not built it to be light, per se, but sensible choices like Hope hubs, No Tubes 355 29er rims, Middleburn cranks, USE seatpost and so on contribute to a solid build without any weight penalties.

Oh, and the bars. Everyone says “those a funny looking bars…”. Well, maybe, but they do make a lot of sense. They’re inverted On-One Mary’s, which suit the higher front end of 29er frames. They also give you a very comfortable hand position/ wrist angle, with enough width not to adversely affect handling or control. I’ve tried other bar combinations, but keep coming back to these – they’re ace.

Casting an eye around the garage last month, I began to realise I had quite an excess spare bike bits which I could sell to a) clear some space and b) make some money. Then I uncovered all the singlespeed kit I had for the Cove last summer. So, the question was, could I raise enough money from the bits I had to sell to buy the extra bits I needed to get a singlespeed on (or off) the road?

Singular Swift

Yes, is the answer, and I have to say I’m very pleased with the result. Despite my previous foray with the larger wheel off road, the whole 29er exeprience is completely new to me, and was something of an experiment. It’s very difficult to express sometimes just what makes a bike good, but I’m very impressed with the handling of the Swift, which was an absolute blast to ride around the tricky rooty trails of Llaneglwys Forest.

For a bike with one gear, funny looking bars (which are considerably more comfortable and confidence inspiring then they look) and no suspension, I was surprised just how fast I could get the bike up to while still feeling in full control. Lots of grip, lots of control and those big wheels just eat up the rough bits I didn’t really feel rigid was a disadvantage. In terms of maintenance, there’s so little to go wrong, keeping it in good fettle should be simple. Problem I have now is not riding it to the exclusion of the Soda…

There’s a fine line between a perfectly soaked biccy and the ultimate dunking catastrophe. I’ve gone through a good number of mugs of tea while fitting this kitchen, and have extensively tested a variety of biscuits in the process. Rich Tea biscuits should carry a warning: Do not dunk for more than a second for risk of breakage. Fox’s crunch creams are equally dangerous, as they soak up too much tea and then collapse back into your mug under the weight. Bourbons are nice, but a bit small, and Digestives are only good in coffee. The best tea dunking biscuit has to be the McVites Ginger Nut. Excellent strength even when soaked in tea, and robust enough to retain its form even after an extended dunking of a few seconds. Seldom will the Ginger Nut have you reaching for your spoon to fish the soggy bits from the bottom of your cup.

I concluded that the quality of the a good dunking biscuit is all down to materials and composition. Which kind of brings me around (in an obscure fashion) to bikes. The last couple of weeks have seen a change in my bike shed. After the fun and excitement of the Omega Axis, I’ve decided that a ‘cross bike isn’t quite for me. The ride was superb; its lively spring weaved harmoniously into its capacity to be supremely comfortable on the roughest of roads. Soon I forgot the harshness of the aluminium frame it replaced, and extra weight of the steel one before that. Though they were all great in there own way, each successor was better. As much as I would have liked a titanium road specific bike, I couldn’t afford it. Instead, I have strayed to the Dark Side. Carbon to be precise. Propped up in the garage waiting for the rain to stop is a shiny new Scott CR1*.

When I test rode it I was amazed firstly at the weight, or lack of. I headed out of town on the smooth tarmac at a brisk pace, the bike eager to go faster. The rear end felt tight and stiff when I kicked up a few short hills out of the saddle. Yet, when I turned purposefully off onto a rough piece of road I wasn’t shaken to bits. It seems to have all the qualities you need in a bike neatly woven into one very light yet extremely robust frame. The Ginger Nut of bikes. Remarkable.

* photo to follow shortly…