I was noodling about the webs, as you do when you’re supposed to be catching up on your monthly accounts, when I accidentally tripped over the doorway and found myself at Bikester.
I know, me either.
But stay with me here, it’ll be worth it.
Bike shops are not, on a day to day basis, my usual noodle-spot.
It’s not that I don’t love a cycle – oh no, I’ll whizz along the back lanes with the family on occasion, always wondering why I don’t do it more often (and then, yes, a couple of hours later I’m walking like a cowboy and remembering exactly why I don’t do it more often). But I do my random cycling on an old Muddy Fox mountain bike, which I inherited from my bike-snob of a brother-in-law over 20 years ago when he traded up. It was state of the art back then, but it’s probably slightly overdue for a service now, to be fair.
The husband has a new-found love affair with ‘proper’ cycling, and the bike shed now contains a sleek and shiny scary-looking speed machine that I think might bend and groan loudly if I dared approach its delicately whizzy frame.
What I actually want is a bike to spin me easily into town to run my errands. I don’t need one – it’s not far, I can walk, but I *want* one.
In my head, I’d be like this. I totally blame the Famous Five and Rita Hayworth.
But you just can’t achieve that effortless grace on an old mountian bike. Sorry, but you can’t. There’s no basket for one thing.
Anyway, back to Bikester. there I was musing on just such things as my lack-of-bicycle-grace-and-style-and-practiciality, when what did I see?
Only this little beauty.
I know, I know.
You may well gasp in wonder and awe.
Isn’t it pretty?
I’m frankly in love.
So, this is the Saphire from Vermont – and I *want*. It has the brown wicker bike basket, the matching saddle and handles, and unlike the actual 1940’s bikes it has three gears.
The classic retro frame has the essential low top tube (necessary for both the genuine vintage look and also if you’re cycling in a skirt!). It has that perfectly comfy upright cycling position, and has the necessary practicals such as a luggage rack, a pump and chain guard.
Best of all? It’s currently REDUCED. Priced originally at £439, the Vermont Saphire is now a snip at £270.
I KNOW! Go, buy!
