The results of then "what gear should I ride?" poll are in. We know it wasn't up for very long, but not only did we need to give ourselves enough time to change the gear, if that was to be the result, but we needed sufficient time for the penetrating oil and three-foot long spanner to work their magic should the lock-ring have seized on.
So, onto that result. A conclusive mandate from you all for 72" fixed (39 x 14) with all of you saying we should ride it, rather than 68" (39 x 15). Actually, there was one spoiled ballot, the person who said we should ride 48 x 15 (84"). We demurred, saying we didn't have a 48. And have completely overlooked the offer of a 48T 130 BDC chain-ring. Lord of the rings indeed.
Surely numbers that Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg would kill for!
In the interests of transparency and democracy, here is the gear being changed. Firstly, assembly of the tools for the job; a lock-ring spanner, Allen key, and the new sprocket to be installed. As this is an ENO hub, we didn't need the chain whip, but we put it in because it's a slightly scary looking and arcane piece of kit, which would look equally at home in the Spanish Inquisition as it would a workshop!
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Ha! Amongst our diverse weaponary are fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, a fanatical devotion to the Pope and nice red uniforms, oh sorry, I seemed to have wandered off. Where were we, oh yes. Here's the 15, ready to come off.
A surprisingly quick wrench with the locking spanner took the lock-ring off and then the sprocket just slid off the splines as easily as if it had been installed yesterday. I guess that's one thing the ENO technology has over a "regular" fixed wheel where pedalling actually screws the sprocket on tighter, and after many hundreds of miles they can be a bugger to shift. We'd still be wrestling with it with the penetrating oil and the three-foot long spanner.
It was a but mucky under there, so we cleaned it up, slipped on the new sprocket and put the lock-ring back on. The whole operation took about five minutes, and it wouldn't have taken this long if we hadn't tighten the lock-ring first, but what's a bike-fixing session without getting screwed up by a reverse- threaded component?
So here it is, greased, tightened and ready to go. Fourteen teeth, fourteen. Count 'em! It occurs to us, that perhaps we should have taken this photo with a copy of today's paper to prove this isn't a stock photo and the gear was changed today, but you'll have to trust us!
Of course, you are welcome to come and count teeth in TZ on Sunday morning. It's not as if the bike has to be taken out for a quick spin to get it in the right gear, seeing as there is only the one.
We can tell what you're thinking; aren't derailleurs a wonderful technology? Surely they'll revolutionise cycling! Besides, aren't we missing having 18+ gears at our fingertips just a precisely calibrated click away, changing gears on the fly without inconveniently threaded componentry and a huge spanner? No. And that's exactly what I'll tell you when you come steaming past me on Sunday morning with a 10 mph speed differential. Uphill.
See you on the course
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