Midnight faran and purple harum

Some minor tweaks here, and some fever dream crank consideration

Most of my riding has been the boring commute stuff, but drove to Ireland for 4 weeks with my in laws at the height of UK heat wave and brought my Faran so hopefully will get some good rides in here. Before I went I made a few small changes

Saddle
SMP drakon for a conposit (quite a change), this is really comfortable off the bat. Commuted a few times without a chamois inc. one morning with a trip out to deprford to pick up a t shirt and bibs from Albion. I just did 3 hours on crappy tarmac through forest and it was a little sore but so far really like it.

Switched cages
elite Moreo -> king Iris, as I put my Arundel cages on my wife’s bike. Didn’t like the Moreos, I wanted to try a side load and liked the idea of red bits on the bike. Didn’t like putting a bottle in, nor the look. Iris do look good, but I still prefer Arundel do bottle replacement.

Tyres - WTB horizons back on

Stem - I’d been trying 90mm, went back to 80mm - a black Ritchey 4 axis which is actually a lovely stem. I would like a silver version so will post a wanted.

Lastly a wizard works teeny Houdini as the BigXTop roll I have has come undone a few times Just Riding Along, due to the big 650b tube I carry I guess. So far (one ride) it’s great. More space, easier to get a tool out to adjust saddle height, so spills anyway. Matching black camo with my outershell bag.

Pending

• think I have some silver hub Hope 20Fives as I’d like to try 700 again
  
• Need the levers lower (and, in fact, bdhu) and thinking about going back to compact shape, tilted right down again as that was the most comfortable in the drops I’ve ever had. If I can carve out some time I’ll strip some cheap Deda RHM bars I have. They’re 38cm, which were good for me, the Ritchey I’m using are 40, I like the space for the bar bag.
  
• still thinking about a witslinger split half/ full frame bag
  
• Sub compact cranks - I look forward to the day I’m not thinking about this anymore. I’ll put my thoughts in another comment.
  
• Nice silver slim 80mm stem. May bite the billet and go for a Rhonda from fresh tripe.
  
  

I’ve been on the fence about the green seat clamp but am erring on positivity. The silver one was a bit too much like every single other fairlight, plus when I switched to king headset (no regrets, I like it aesthetically so much more) it no longer matched. Wolf tooth is an objectively better design even though I don’t need it’s benefits.

I love this seeing sound jersey, Lachlan Morton fanboy and all

Lastly - Albion cargo bibs. I like them, would like more if they were less shiny, but very comfy. The side load back pocket is genuinely good, I never use the rapha ones. Narrower pad is more comfortable, less like a book spine up my crack.

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