The attentive reader of this site (i.e. me) will recall that I used to have a wonderful machine for zooming round town, viz PocketBike, my Brompton folder.
It was stolen just over 4 years ago and I have missed its charming whizzability. I never had a bike that I *used* as much as PocketBike—the Pedersen is grand, stately and eccentric (sometimes too eccentric), the Thorn XTC tourer is, well, a tourer (though utterly wonderful) and the Condor can be just too skittish, a bit like a TVR: great fun in small bursts but not something you’d want to drive every day round central London. But with PocketBike, you just go. No special clothes, no tricks, no unpleasant bending. If it rains, just fold ‘er up and jump in a taxi. Feel like going further afield? No problemo — cycle down to the train station, hop on a train and zoom off at the other end.
So yesterday I went round to Evans and bought PocketBike 2: Le retour de Martin PocketBike. It’s a particularly beautiful one, to my eyes, finished in a glossy gun-metal gray with the brazings showing through.
I’m happy. And I bought an Arc’Teryx Gamma MX Hoody, which again, I’ve been after for about 3 years.
Very happy.
UPDATE [2 April 2009] — a guy called Mark was in the bike shop looking for a single-speed cycle to take to Lisbon. To cut a long story short, he bought my Condor (at a super-bargain-basement price, I should add, but it was easier than eBaying it) and the money went to offset PocketBike 2 costs. Result for all concerned!
notsokrates 