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Well, it seems ages since I’ve updated this blog, so to thrill you all, here’s a new post!

You may be concerned to hear that I have decided to inflict my green cycling lycra on the poor unsuspecting inhabitants of Shropshire and Mid-Wales by purchasing a new bike! This bike, would you believe it, is only the second one I have owned since the age of 11 (some 20 years ago now!). I recently took the painful decision (although probably a very safe decision considering the age of the bike and how likely it is to fall apart whilst riding it) to retire my old, slightly battered, but oh so trustworthy and much-loved Muddy Fox Courier:

My parents bought me this bike in 1987, way back when massive cow horn handle bars were in fashion the FIRST time around. I remember my first ride on it (trying desperately not to fall off) and my last (in late 2005 - hoping desperately that nothing important (like the frame) would break). It had huge brake levers, massive cantilever brakes, a Sugino crankset with a monstrous 48 tooth chainring (try not to laugh), a SunTour cassette/derailleur system, 2 inch alloy rims and a chrome-moly frame that weighed about 3 tonnes. I rode it pretty much non-stop through mud, cow muck and one time for 350 miles across France. I even rode it in Spain on holiday once. Goodness knows how many miles it has clocked up during its life, but I can safely say that my parents made one of the wisest investments (and it probably was a princely sum in those days) they could ever have done in buying this bike. For example, original items that it still has are: frame, both rims, front cranks, 48 tooth chain ring, front derailleur, saddle and saddle post, cantilever brakes and levers and incredibly, some of the cable covers - a testament to both Muddy Fox of the day and to my parent’s choice of bicycle!

But, all good things come to an end as they say, and I’ve finally decided to move on to something different - a road bike! As I will freely admit, I know nothing about road bikes (or even mountain bikes come to think of it as they seem to have moved on light-years in the last 20 years), so I decided to see if I could find the cheapest but most reasonably equipped (for a beginner) road bike. The fruit of my search is the oh so well-known Barracuda Azzuri:

So far (after two 20 mile rides) I’m very pleased with it. It arrived in a massive box, but has hardly needed much tweaking, save for some bolt tightening and some adjustment of the rear index shift system that was all to pot. The difference in speed between the two bikes is incredible - probably due to the difference in tyre widths and tyre knobbly-ness, but I have to say that the saddle is bl**dy uncomfortable.

Anyway, if you have the misfortune enough to see a blur (well more like a sedate passing) of green lycra, then you’ll know it’s me.

P.S For those that might be worried, the Muddy Fox isn’t going to bicycle heaven, but will, at some stage, get a nice clean up and refurb.