It’s a bit moist round these components in the intervening 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 scenario:
Whereas I typically like the texture of cork tape, I felt the Homer may use one thing extra befitting its distinguished persona and lugged sensibility. Additionally, this specific cork tape is recycled–I feel I’ve re-used it 3 times at this level–and it’s fairly ragged in consequence. (Because of this there’s a lot electrical tape on it.) So I figured I’d Riv it up just a little with some Newbaum’s:
Regardless of being a Rivendell proprietor since March of 2020, I’d by no means truly wrapped a bar with Newbaum’s myself, which is type of like being an old-timey gentleman who’s by no means waxed his personal moustache:
Nonetheless, I’m an outdated hand at wrapping drop bars, and I additionally deliberate to wrap the Newbaum’s over the tape that was already on there.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 feel and appear of the cotton material, and the additional girth and cushioning of the cork. All in, I figured this couldn’t probably 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 bundle and started working:
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 this planet already is aware of this, as would I if I’d taken two seconds to examine it, however for some motive I simply assumed it was plain outdated material and that in case you wished adhesive you needed to deal with it with rendered beaver fats or one thing. The second factor I discovered was that, not like cork tape, in case you’re not cautious the Newbaum’s simply folds over on itself and will get caught to its personal slightly cheesy adhesive backing, which in case you’re an fool who’s in an enormous hurry to move out for a trip means you’re quickly taking a look at a scenario like this:
At each flip it appeared like I managed to get the tape snarled both in itself or else round some a part of the bicycle:
So I’d untangle it, just for it to rapidly get tangled once more indirectly I didn’t suppose was doable:
It was just like the zipper scene in “There’s One thing About Mary:”
Sorry.
Clearly as an alternative of working proper off the large roll I ought to have found out how a lot tape I’d want and minimize 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 a fantastic massive knot but additionally began lacking spots alongside the way in which:
Moreover, this debacle was now reducing into my trip time, and so utilizing a scissor I fairly actually minimize 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:
“You understand, the outdated cork tape’s actually not so dangerous,” I attempted to persuade myself:
Talking of bars, some riders argue that built-in shifting is likely one of the biggest technological advances of the fashionable period, and it’s definitely perfect for race bikes, however I’d say that strictly when it comes to comfort a bar-end shifter is simply nearly 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 smart peak that lets you comfortably use all the varied hand positions together with the drops, whereas 95% of highway bike riders preserve their palms 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 once I give it some thought whereas on the Homer it looks like some loopy lampshade I placed on my head once I acquired drunk at a celebration:
Oh, and additional to a latest put up, I’ve confirmed that the Y-Foil was in reality designed to be “suspension prepared:”
[PDF]
It actually is the anti-Rivendell, proper all the way down to the truth that the absence of a seat tube means your water bottle will get splattered with highway grit, whereas the Homer lets you use fenders and preserve each your pendulous saddle bag and your rear suspension system (by which I imply the leather-based saddle) good and clear:
It’s actually a motorbike for all seasons.
