Fresh Goods Sunday - Cannondale XC Silicone + Grips

 

For some reason I find most xc flat bar grips uncomfortable on my mtb's. I newer ones just seem to thin and rough for my hands. I prefer a larger grip with less knobbles and bobbles on them. I have swapped the grips on my Trek Marlin+ hardtail mtb three times now and hopefully these will be the last pair I have to fit. These are a silicone grip made by Cannondale which I picked up in a sale from Sigma Sports a few years ago and got put into my spare parts tube. The second pair was some Cannondale lock on grips so they were easy to remove. I then sprayed the bars and inside the grips with a old can of hair spray I have in the garage and pushed them into place. They were not too a tight a fit compared to other foam grips I have fitted in the past. They look a funny shape when on the bars as the inside part is round then transfers into a larger diameter hexagon shape near the end. They also come with bar end plugs. First couple of rides hey seam more comfortable but time will tell. Cannondale also make the same grip in a narrower diameter. 

RRP £20 and I paid £9.62 inc 48hr p&p from Sigma Sports 

Manufacturers blurb - 

Get a grip.

Silicone construction and a round-to-hexagonal tapered profile produce a lightweight and natural-feeling contact point for comfort and control.

Where it thrives

In competition, challenging trails

What it's built for

Control, comfort

Highlights

• Unique 36mm outer hex shape for control
• Rounded 33mm inner profile improves grip
• Silicone construction for comfort

Please note I had fitted the grips the wrong way in the above photos but have swapped them around now to the correct direction! 

Easter Sunday Local Transmitters road ride - Pontop Pike & Burnhope.

 

Well after days of decorating and tidying up afterwards we had a day down to Darlo yesterday for a look around. Evans Cycles has opened up a new shop in the House of Fraser which is a good thing for the town. It was lovely and sunny down there but overcast and cloudy back in Durham. 

Today I was up early and decided to go out on my Creo 1 road bike. I have not been out on the local roads for ages now. I thought the roads should be a little quieter with it being Easter Sunday and most of them were. I did my local transmitter route taking in masts at Pontop Pike, Burnhope and Broom House. It was overcast, cloudy and freezing cold on the tops. The wind was not too bad but the Garmin was hovering around 4 to 6 degrees, I am still in full winter kit! Below are a few snaps from the loop, all in just under 37miles in 2hr 34mins with 2600ft of climbing, enjoy and hopefully more soon. 

Fresh Goodies - Total Brake Solutions - Sram Bleed Kit & Jobs on the Creo 2

 

The Creo 2 is the only bike I have with Sram brakes and did not have a bleed kit for it. The brakes have never been the best from day one but since I have swapped the pads and rotors there has been a massive improvement. The only problem I now have is I adjusted the shift levers in over as the reach was too far but the shifters are bottoming out on my bars now. I am not a Sram brake expert but not sure if bleeding the brakes will give a more brake performance with less travel on the levers? The other option is to adjust the levers back out again to the max. I have plenty of brake pad thickness left on both front and rear so not sure why the levers travel so far with no effective brake pressure. 

I bought a full Sram brake bleed kit from Total Brake Solutions for £19.99 inc p&p and fluid. 

I also washed the bike using my new bike wash again, only need 1/2 cap for a 1/2 bucket of water. Bloody good stuff, that is why it cost £9.75!. I also degreased the chain and cassette, dried the bike and re lubricated everything. Put it on charge and updated the firmware on both Sram levers and the rear mech via their app and checked the battery status. Some times you have to check the lever batteries a couple of times as they give a false readings like today. One said less than 10% but I took the battery out and checked it on my battery tester and it said ok. Turned the app off and back on and retested and it was green this time. 

Another local mainly gravel loop on the dusty Creo 2

 

Another day and and another local ride out. The rain was forecasted from 10am onwards so I was up and out early doors. We also had some overnight rain so that has dampened down the dust on the old railway lines. I took the Creo 2 out again as it is still dirty and was charged up from yesterdays ride. I also fixed the puncture in the front tyre yesterday and it held air overnight. I also topped up the Stans's when I had the tyre bead cracked. The bike is going well at the mo but I need to get caught up on a few jobs on it later and give it a wash, dry, charge and lube. 

Todays loop was one of my regular loops over to Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor and Brandon. The lines were lovely and quiet. No sun or wind today just overcast and cloudy with the temperature hovering around five to seven degrees. Below are a few snaps from the 24 mile ride in 1hr 48 mins with 900ft of climbing. Enjoy and hopefully more soon-