A dank, wet November afternoon, virtually dark and it’s not yet three pm: not the ideal time of year for cycling. Today, though, it’s not just the weather that’s keeping me indoors, it’s also the lack of a suitable bike. Although, I’m back on board my Cannondale, its race tyres and lack of lights, make it better suited to a dry, bright autumn day and, sadly, my trusty, faithful Marin hybrid looks as though its days on the road might finally have come to the end of the line.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve had its squeaks and clicks and groans dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible, but now, with replacement and repair values estimated considerably above the cost of a new bike, regrettably, it looks like the time has come to give my Marin a permanent, fully deserved rest.
My faithful workhorse that has carried me and just about everything from vegetables and paint to flower pots and tennis rackets; that has transported me thousands of miles to work, to the shops and along some of the most isolated roads in the country and has never complained, even when it has ended up scraped and spreadeagled at the bottom of a brook because of my lack of concentration, doesn’t owe me anything and has repaid its initial price and servicing costs many times over. Now, it can look forward to a well-earned retirement in its dry garage, with only a few short, undemanding runs round the village to keep it feeling loved and remembered.
But alongside my sadness at saying goodbye to an old and trusty friend, I’m also equally excited about selecting the best choice as its replacement. Although I am as far removed from a techie fiend as can be imagined – changing a tube is a mechanical achievement for me – I always approach the purchase of a new bike with a mixture of naive enthusiasm, obsession and ineptness that drives my friends and cycling buddies to amused distraction.
So, having begun the week diligently completing all forthcoming work to free up a day at the bike shop, all possible down time is being utilised to source and compare suitable replacements.
Should I go for the prosaic option and stay with a hybrid – comfort, cost and versatility – or follow my heart and finally buy the tourer – classic, stylish and romantic – that I’ve long craved?
The jury’s out, the websites are being trawled and it’s just as well Downton, the tennis and Inspector Montalbano have finished as there won’t be much time for telly gazing over the next few days.
All advice and suggestions – particularly from those better versed in the technicalities of bicycles – gratefully received.