LBS vs Chain vs Online

Carole wanted a new bike, and naturally I was asked to help. Spending other peoples' money? I am, clearly, the man for the job.

I was a little disappointed to find Carole's expectations included financially responsibility, so a Scott Scale 899 was out. But such responsibility left me on the handlebars of a dilemma - one any cyclist has had to weigh up on the purchase of a new ride. "To whom will I be handing over my cash, in exchange for a shiny two-wheeled baby?"

Local Bike Shops. Sound advice from someone who knows what they're talking about, the chance to actually sit on - or even ride - a potential purchase, and the continuing support and goodwill of the shop. But this will come at a price - in the form of higher initial purchase price.

Online giant. I have to admit, when it comes to the sheer range and availability of product, the online giants - think Wiggle - hold all the cards. And with no physical presence, and the ability to deal direct, you can expect a lower price than you'll find in your Local Bike Shop. Of course, you're buying from a description and a few pixels, and no matter how straightforward the return process is, you're still remote. Customer loyalty discounts are all very well, but when it's ten past five on a Friday and you need an new headset fitted, who ya gonna call?

And that brings us to the chain giant. You know the one. Turtle wax, indicator bulbs, air fresheners. Oh, they also sell bikes. And with buying power others can only dream of, there are savings. But customer service? Not in my experience. After failing to be served in one branch by someone who looks like he isn't old enough to have a paper round, and totally ignored in another, I was more than ready to take Carole's hard earned pennies back to the LBS.

But they were Carole's hard earned pennies. Not mine. So it was incumbent upon your loyal host, dear reader, to get the best deal that I could.

So next week we'll be picking up a £500 ride for £380. That is, if the order's processed and the bike's built.

And built properly. Preferably with some pedals.

It is pretty, though.

Been a while... miss me?

Well, the bike has effectively been moth-balled since the end of October 2010, but today there was a definite change in the air... could be back on two wheels again soon!

Today was unusually seasonal for Scotland in February, so demanded a picnic and a walk in the fresh air - air devoid of precipitation.

We took a wee drive down to Glentrool for a wander in the sunshine, the trees and the peace and quiet. The walking trails were, in the main, closed for forestry work but took a stroll along the mountain bike trail - there were no bikers out - snapped a few photographs, and munched a sandwich or two.

All very pleasant. Think will be getting two-wheels mobile again soon!

Sunglasses? It's pouring!

After life getting in the way for a few weeks, I actually managed to get back out on the trails on Saturday, and the had chance to test out a couple of new bits of kit. The first was my Thulé ProRide 591 roof-mounted carrier. Great bit of kit, snagged at a bargain half-price on ebay (brand new, too). It's a revelation not having to finagle the bike into the boot, back seats down.

Secondly, I was wearing my new Bollé Venom sunglasses, despite the truly horrible weather. For those of you who don't know, I need prescription lenses. Not all the time; only when I need to see things. And I don't wear contact lenses.

I went for the Venoms because they don't scream "Cycling Nerd" and, crucially, with Bollé products the prescription can be applied direct to the glazing, with no need for inelegant inserts that sit too close to my eyes for comfort. The downside is that this is VERY expensive, and as the lenses are curved extra measurements need to be taken to get the prescription right.

If you're thinking of something similar, pay the extra and get your own optician to sort this out. Ordering online just isn't an option - they'll guess at your pupil position and if they are even slightly out everything will go all weird whenever you're not looking straight ahead. Not good. So, while I'm here, a word about my optometrist, Kilgour. I absolutely will not trust anyone else with my eyes. My Optometrist, Carol, and my dispensing optician, Douglas, are both excellent. Together they take really good care of my peepers and sort out my all my bespectacled needs.

Given that a dark pair and a clear pair would have been prohibitively expensive, I went for photochromatic lenses. Pricier than a tinted pair, but more versatile too.

I love them! To have my eyes completely protected from the elements was such a wonderful experience. I think these might be my new favourite thing! And at £310, that's probably just as well!

Stacking it

Another sunny weekend, another chance to get out into the fresh air. Today we went to Mabie, and had a good day, despite Chris incessantly fiddling with his gears (he is a fiddler), a puncture (me), falling off twice (me) and crashing once (again, me). Oh, and falling off and crashing is not the same thing.

I fall off a lot. Very little natural balance and my current lack of confidence returning to cycling after so long contribute to this. Falling off happens at low speed, and I'm usually laughing before I hit the ground at the idiocy of the situation, and my incredible lack of grace.

Crashing is a bit different; in general it happens at speed and hurts to some degree. Today my crash was caused by the same thing - lack of confidence. Falling off usually entails giggles and a handy - and hopefully non-prickly - bush in which to land. Crashing involves sliding along the trail on your face.

Here's what I learned today:

1. Helmets ROCK.
2. Put your saddle down on the tricky stuff, or it will kick you right in the ass.
3. Commit to the trail. And when that goes wrong, commit to the crash. It will hurt less.
4. Your friends are sympathetic until they're sure you're fine. Then they rip you. Just as it should be.

The mini-slab at Mabie; I had ridden it perfectly fine three times already. "Just one more before we go."

Cocky or complacent? Not sure, but with my weight too far forward the bike kicked me in the ass as I went over the front. My face hit the trail, and the bike booted me in the ribs for good measure.

I thought I was a little bit scraped, until I got in the shower once home and found I was one big scrape with intermittent patches of skin. And my ribs still hurt.

Can't wait until next time!

In other news, bagged my first 'Stane' today - see the picture. The Ghost Stane is a two-and-a-quarter ton white marble sculpture engraved with a lace pattern. One down, six to go!

Indestructabike

I've been trying to remember when I bought my first mountain bike, my beloved GT Tequesta, and I think it was 1992. I loved this bike. I still love this bike.

I bought it from Graeme Obree, when he ran a small bike shop in Prestwick. When I trashed the back wheel, Graeme built an absolutely bomb-proof one for me. In case you don't know, Graeme is a legend in cycling; read his story, and watch the film The Flying Scotsman.

The bike got abused, and maltreated, and always came back for more. I cycled straight into a parked car at 20 miles an hour and bent the forks right back into the frame. New forks (and a new helmet for me) and it was back skipping round my ankles like a happy puppy, desperate to be taken out again.

The very last time I rode it I took it to the beach. And rode it through the sea. All that poked out the water, like some steel framed nessie, were the saddle and handlebars. And then I put it away.

A dozen years later and it should be one big rusted lump. Gears, pedals, wheels, everything should be seized solid. But... the wheels spin freely, the pedals go round. And the gears shift seamlessly!

I love this bike. So have lavished a little tlc. New tyres, some shiny bolts, handlebar grips, pedals and a new saddle.

Isn't she lovely?

A proper cyclist

Sometimes I'm reminded that, even as a born-again evangelical cyclist, I'm really only playing at it.

For some people, like my former colleague Pauline, cycling is in their very soul. It is part of who they are in a way that almost nothing else is.

Take a little time to read about her current endeavour; she's currently in Spain as she cycles round the world. You know, as you do.

Then give generously. Please.

My world of endorphins

I'm a geek. I'm turning (back?) into a bike geek right now, but I'm a lifelong geek in oh, so many ways. So, perhaps being back in the saddle is just another way for me to indulge my geeky nature?

My first real bike/gadget geek crossover is Endomondo. Endomondo works on GPS smart phones (like the iPhone I don't have, and the Nokia N97 I do) and tracks your efforts in a range of breathlessness-inducing activities.

It's in two parts: a downloadable (and free!) app for your phone, and a website to which, once you've registered (also free), you upload your info. Basically, the GPS unit on your phone tracks your location, distance travelled, speed, (as well as linking to your bluetooth heart rate monitor if you have one) and once the info is uploaded to the website you can see all kinds of cool stuff. Like how slow I am.

I like it. It ticks my boxes. See if it ticks yours.