BurbleChaz

I've got one of these:

(Smug)

Technically, actually, I haven't. I'm borrowing it from Someone With A Functioning Credit Card But No Bicycle. Allow me to regale you with the whole sorry saga (happy ending guaranteed).

I phoned the bike shop just before lunch to find out what was happening. My beautiful bike had arrived, but the other one hadn't; it was expected in today's shipment. We went to lunch, stopping only to buy a DVD and do a bit of shopping - only essentials, you understand. As I was involved in the usual byzantine negotiation for a couple of kebabs, the bike shop called back. The other bike had arrived - in the wrong colour. Catastrophe. High levels of outrage, upset and disappointment. Unhappiness. They've promised to get the right one by Friday. They'd better.

Straight after work, we turned up to pick up my new toy. It stood there gleaming, about to float to the ceiling on the smallest zephyr. We goofed about with mudguards and other accessories for a bit, and then handed over the credit card. No dice. Other credit card. Still no good. Third credit card. Nope. Whoops. Could be embarrassed. The Most Perfect Person Ever tries hers. Same result. We start to feel adrift in a sea of cashlessness. Not a pleasing place to be. A mercy dash to a cash point solves nothing. Life is bleak. The penultimate thing to try is a UK debit card from The Wealthy Party. This, finally, works. Happily, if rather sheepishly, I pedalled off into the sunset, leaving my wonderful wife - disappointed with her own bikelessness, and having just paid for my new bike - to catch the tram home. Whoops.

It's a fantastic machine. I can't really describe how good it feels to ride such a well-engineered bike. I'v only done a few Ks through Melbourne, but the absolute quality is outstanding. It climbs up and drops off big kerbs without a twitch or a bump. It corners scarily well. I may want a bit more agression from the brakes, but only because I'm a wuss. It needs some tight, twisting technical singletrack. That's the plan for the weekend. All we need now is The Other Bike. (And a rant at our incompetent banks, but we do that most weeks.)

Shiny