I think it is some form of OCD with me. I was looking yesterday at the first bike I owned, well bought myself. I got it for about £100, I can't remember and I thought it was a cheese. It's a Dawes Lightning. 10 speed and boy I cycled it like there was no tomorrow. I think I was half thinking of buying one again and I don't know why? Something in me tells me that it will make me feel better about myself. As if I'm living in the past, trying to recapture my youth or something. Maybe the psychologists out there will chime in

Here it is in all it's glory on gumtree, bastardised into a fixie.



I know for a fact if I did buy it, I would ride it maybe twice and that would be it. It would sit in the shed along with the rest of the bikes!

On the other hand, I do have 2 Raleigh 531c frames and enough Shimano 600 bits and pieces to get them going again. I got the Raleigh 531c originally in about 1991 when I was racing at 15-16. I can't actually remember what happened to it. Is that bad? And so I bought another Raleigh 531c again to replace it, and I'm still buying them. I think I'm sick.

...but it is a lovely looking bike and makes me smile. Here is one from Hilary Stone. I must put my own pictures up here somewhere.



Now all I have to do is ride them more!