#5 I am so in love..

…WITH MY NEW BIKE!!!

Literally on top of the world with my new ride.

Introducing my gorgeous new customised Marin bicycle – jazzed up with fabulous dynamo lights, Pitlock security and a Brooks Saddle! I simply love everything about it – it’s stylish, gorgeous and rides SO damn nicely.

Me all smiles after collecting my wonderful bike outside the shop

So the background story is that I was extremely lucky to win a custom bike by the Cloud 9 Cycles shop up to the value of £1700 with Upbeat drinks (yes, the protein smoothie drinks!). Upbeat drinks asked for you to submit a photo where you are doing any sport with your thumbs up, and I submitted this photo below into the prize draw. There were thousands of absolutely impressive entries including ones of people scuba diving and doing crazy things like sky diving with their thumbs up, so I couldn’t believe my luck when I got a winning message from their team!

 

My winning photo that I submitted (I think minus the emoticons, couldn’t find the original photo lol)

It took a while for everything else to happen. I had the privilege of going for a bike fitting with world expert Tony Corke who had a fancy stationary bicycle of which he can adjust the saddle height, and the position of the handle bar etc. for measurements for a perfectly measured bicycle! Now as someone who ain’t very tall (although apparently I’m well proportional thankfully), this was a great idea as I’ve always struggled to find a well fitting bicycle. (I’d like to suitably blame my poor riding skills due to this very fact.)

At the bike fitting trying to look all chill (I was actually very out of breath and struggled to hide the fact I wasn’t as fit as I remembered)

It was going to be too pricey for a total customised bicycle, so the knowledgeable folk (thank you Adam and Billy for all your help and expertise) at Cloud 9 Cycles said it might be best picking a frame and then customising it to what I would like. They helped me choose a frame that would be well fitting and would suit my needs best, and suggested adding on things like a dynamo light – I mean, the wheels of the bicycle power the back and front lights – how freaking cool is that?! Also managed to get a wonderful basket added on the the back pannier which is really useful and extremely practical for my commute to work. I’d like to think that I am the envy of all other bike riders out there :’)

Of course, with such a prized possession and a sad history of previously having my bicycle stolen, (screw you bloody bike thieves) there comes a great fear of this bicycle being stolen too so I have been super duper, ridiculous vigilant about it (think GPS trackers, gold insured bike locks, frequent checks on the bike on lunch breaks at the work place). (Kevin may say a little paranoid…)

Our prized possessions

Funnily enough, Kevin (my other half) also recently won a Boardman bicycle from Halfords! It was a direct card entry into the prize draw at the local retail park at one of the local events, and he was absolutely over the moon with his. We BOTH get new rides! Safe to say though my bike is much nicer 😛

Exploring the riverside town on our bicycles!

Till next time!