It’s a bit moist round these elements in the meanwhile, so this morning I selected a be-fendered bike for my journey:
However earlier than heading out I figured I’d handle my bar tape scenario:
Whereas I typically like the texture of cork tape, I felt the Homer might use one thing extra befitting its distinguished character and lugged sensibility. Additionally, this specific cork tape is recycled–I believe I’ve re-used it thrice 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 just a little 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:
Nonetheless, 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 very best of each worlds: the appear and feel of the cotton fabric, 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 fabric tape aficionados do to it. So I opened the bundle 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 doubt 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 motive I simply assumed it was plain previous fabric and that should you wished adhesive you needed to deal with it with rendered beaver fats or one thing. The second factor I realized was that, not like cork tape, should you’re not cautious the Newbaum’s simply folds over on itself and will get caught to its personal relatively cheesy adhesive backing, which should you’re an fool who’s in a giant hurry to move out for a journey means you’re quickly a scenario 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 ultimately I didn’t assume was attainable:
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 discovered 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. However it was too late now, and in my haste I’d not solely wound up with an excellent massive knot but additionally began lacking spots alongside the way in which:
Moreover, this debacle was now slicing into my journey 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 unhealthy,” I attempted to persuade myself:
Talking of bars, some riders argue that built-in shifting is among the biggest technological advances of the fashionable period, and it’s actually superb for race bikes, however I’d say that strictly by way of comfort a bar-end shifter is simply nearly as good:
And with a low-normal/RapidRise/no matter derailleur a mild 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 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 driving the Y-Foil once I give it some thought whereas on the Homer it looks as if some loopy lampshade I placed on my head once I acquired drunk at a celebration:
Oh, and additional to a current submit, I’ve confirmed that the Y-Foil was in actual fact designed to be “suspension prepared:”
[PDF]
It really 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 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 motorcycle for all seasons.
