new bikes rock

After a week away without a ride I was desperate !

Coupled with some bad news (although in the scheme of things its a minor dissapointment really) I felt the need to ride and lo a new bike appeared.

Thanks to the guys at the bike shak I walked away on Saturday morning with a Trek 69er, now I've been secretly coveting these bikes from afar, the first one I saw belonged to Matt and I liked everything about it, what really impressed me though was the fact that Matt loved it despite it being a freak shitter !

then just the other week I saw quite a number of them that were both stock and highly modified, everyone I spoke to loved their particular version of this bike...

therefore there was a certain inevitability about this being my next bike !

Anyway, mine is slightly modified but only the bars, saddle and seatpost (only really for a longer and less shit version) have been changed and it got ridden today.

The plan was to ride to Delamere, ride around Delamere and then ride home, however the water board had other plans, a major burst leaving most of south Manchester waterless meant a delay in getting out and I ended up going down the river to Reddish Vale and then exploring my way back home via various trails, canal tow paths and main roads, probably about 45 miles in all.

First impressions are that it rides really well, just like a bike to quote Rich, the big wheel upfront does its stuff, the back wheel follows through (I foresee a large number of pinch flats as the back wheel does tend to slam in), the bike is very easy to loft at the front, and it creaks !!

even so I like it a lot, the concept seems to work.

so, tomorrows plan is to get up early and go the long way to work and try and work out whats creaking.