A new bike is such a treat. It seems to rekindle an existing love. A bike ride that’s too local and familiar to be fun suddenly takes on an utterly new dimension. It’s like that early period of a new love in your life when the mundane can provide a totally unexpected thrill.
I picked up a brand spanking new Cannondale Flash 29er from Wheelbase on Wednesday night and only really had chance to take it for its first ride today. I had high expectations. The retail price ticket is shocking to a stingey cyclist like me and so you’d expect it to feel good… but being a lover of the 29er concept I knew (or at least I previously knew) that they had their shortcomings. What they made up for in speed they lacked in nimble, responsiveness. Well – that’s out of the window now people. 45 delicious minutes of new love at lunchtime over tired old moorland rocks and singletrack and I have rediscovered the bicycle. This has been a very good purchase. Already.
Light (under 20lbs) and yet so robust feeling, it goes exactly where you want it to go no matter what the trail tries to do to you – going down technical rocks it’s 100mm Lefty fork feels as confident and solid as my Ragley mmmBop – with its 150mm fork. It climbs on technical gravel so much better than my CX bike or my previous 29er and I’m not even sure why or how – it just flies. It’s like cheating.
