It’s a bit moist round these elements for the time being, so this morning I selected a be-fendered bike for my experience:
However earlier than heading out I figured I’d deal with 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 explicit cork tape is recycled–I feel I’ve re-used it 3 times at this level–and it’s fairly ragged consequently. (This is the reason 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 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:
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 take pleasure in the most effective 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 started working:
Unwrapping the tape, the very first thing that stunned me was that the Newbaum’s has an adhesive backing, and a reasonably sticky one at that. Little doubt 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 previous material and that for those who needed adhesive you needed to deal with it with rendered beaver fats or one thing. The second factor I discovered was that, in contrast to cork tape, for those who’re not cautious the Newbaum’s simply folds over on itself and will get caught to its personal somewhat cheesy adhesive backing, which for those who’re an fool who’s in an enormous hurry to go out for a experience means you’re quickly a scenario like this:
At each flip it appeared like I managed to get the tape twisted up 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 a substitute of working proper off the large roll I ought to have discovered 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 best way:
Moreover, this debacle was now slicing into my experience 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 light-weight drizzle:
“You realize, 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 likely one of the best 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 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 wise peak that permits you to comfortably use all the assorted hand positions together with the drops, whereas 95% of street 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 take pleasure in driving 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 obtained drunk at a celebration:
Oh, and additional to a current put up, I’ve confirmed that the Y-Foil was in reality designed to be “suspension prepared:”
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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 street 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 actually a motorcycle for all seasons.