It’s a bit moist round these components in the mean time, so this morning I selected a be-fendered bike for my trip:
However earlier than heading out I figured I’d tackle my bar tape state of affairs:
Whereas I typically like the texture of cork tape, I felt the Homer may use one thing extra befitting its distinguished character and lugged sensibility. Additionally, this explicit cork tape is recycled–I feel I’ve re-used it 3 times at this level–and it’s fairly ragged consequently. (Because of this there’s a lot electrical tape on it.) So I figured I’d Riv it up a bit with some Newbaum’s:
Regardless of being a Rivendell proprietor since March of 2020, I’d by no means really wrapped a bar with Newbaum’s myself, which is form of like being an old-timey gentleman who’s by no means waxed his personal moustache:
Nevertheless, I’m an previous hand at wrapping drop bars, and I additionally deliberate to wrap the Newbaum’s over the tape that was already on there. Not solely would this save time, however I’d additionally get to get pleasure from the perfect of each worlds: the appear and feel of the cotton material, and the additional girth and cushioning of the cork. All in, I figured this couldn’t presumably take greater than 10 or quarter-hour, particularly since I wasn’t planning to shellac it or wrap it in twine or deal with it with rendered beaver fats or no matter else the true material tape aficionados do to it. So I opened the package deal and set to work:
Unwrapping the tape, the very first thing that shocked me was that the Newbaum’s has an adhesive backing, and a reasonably sticky one at that. Little question everybody else on the planet already is aware of this, as would I if I’d taken two seconds to examine it, however for some cause I simply assumed it was plain previous material and that should you needed adhesive you needed to deal with it with rendered beaver fats or one thing. The second factor I realized was that, in contrast to cork tape, should you’re not cautious the Newbaum’s simply folds over on itself and will get caught to its personal somewhat cheesy adhesive backing, which should you’re an fool who’s in an enormous hurry to go out for a trip means you’re quickly taking a look at a state of affairs like this:
At each flip it appeared like I managed to get the tape tousled both in itself or else round some a part of the bicycle:
So I’d untangle it, just for it to shortly get tangled once more not directly I didn’t suppose was potential:
It was just like the zipper scene in “There’s One thing About Mary:”
Sorry.
Clearly as an alternative of working proper off the enormous roll I ought to have found out how a lot tape I’d want and reduce it first, then wrapped the bars extra rigorously, peeling off the backing slowly as I went. Nevertheless it was too late now, and in my haste I’d not solely wound up with an ideal huge knot but in addition began lacking spots alongside the way in which:
Moreover, this debacle was now chopping into my trip time, and so utilizing a scissor I fairly actually reduce my losses and hoped I nonetheless had sufficient tape left to correctly wrap the bars one other day.
Pathetic. Completely pathetic.
With that now behind me, I headed out into a lightweight drizzle:
“, the previous cork tape’s actually not so dangerous,” I attempted to persuade myself:
Talking of bars, some riders argue that built-in shifting is among the biggest technological advances of the trendy period, and it’s definitely ultimate for race bikes, however I’d say that strictly by way of comfort a bar-end shifter is simply pretty much as good:
And with a low-normal/RapidRise/no matter derailleur a delicate nudge with the palm is all it takes to downshift:
Although a bar-end shifter does require you to set your drop bars at a wise top that permits you to comfortably use all the assorted hand positions together with the drops, whereas 95% of highway bike riders maintain their fingers on their brake hoods 95% of the time and the drops are solely there for aesthetic causes.
In any case it felt good to be again on a “regular” bike:
And as a lot as I get pleasure from using the Y-Foil after I give it some thought whereas on the Homer it looks as if some loopy lampshade I placed on my head after I acquired drunk at a celebration:
Oh, and additional to a current publish, I’ve confirmed that the Y-Foil was in actual fact designed to be “suspension prepared:”
[PDF]
It really is the anti-Rivendell, proper right down to the truth that the absence of a seat tube means your water bottle will get splattered with highway grit, whereas the Homer permits you to use fenders and maintain each your pendulous saddle bag and your rear suspension system (by which I imply the leather-based saddle) good and clear:
It’s really a motorbike for all seasons.
