Just last week I bought my first new bike in ages. I ended up buying at my LBS. The joke is I never even got astride the bike nor took a close inspection of it. The day I picked it up they fitted me and that was it.

As you know I'm not a cycling fruit cake - no shaved legs, no lime coloured shirt or pants that ensure one's genitals are clearly visible. I have no trendy shoes, nor do I have the latest sunnies or stack hat with shark fin incorporated. I bought the bike as a tool to get fit and to get to work and back, partly to save on taxi fares too. I thought I was taking a "sensible approach". I didn't want a racing bike that didn't handle as well as I'd like at my ultra low speeds. The roads here are rough as guts so I went for the MTB. A good choice I thought.

This morning I decided to take a closer look. I wanted to go for a ride (is insanity creeping in). I wanted to put the rack from my Spear gun blue Malvern Star Boy's bike onto my Giant MTB. No dice, my wheels aren't even held on by bolts. Looks as though I'm gonna have to get one of those egg carrier baskets and I'll look like a real goose with one of those on my new MTB.

I then thought to look for the oil filler cap. The MS has one on the top of the crank case. I used to enjoy flipping up the little lid, dropping in some oil and feeling the satisfaction that I'd just done a good service. Nothing there either, it's a closed unit.

I also noticed the bell isn't one of those "ring ring" types but a single hammer "tink" type... ripped off again.

I don't know how much it's gonna cost me to get this critter up to specs.

Funny thing is, I still enjoyed my ride and tomorrow's another will have another road going somewhere.

It's gonna be alright.

And my wife wonders why I'd rather read this forum than watch tv.

Well well,I always look forward to HaagenDas's take on the important things in life.

What colour egg basket should I get? the one off the Speargun blue Malvern Star Boy's Bike doesn't fit

There are some choices a man has to make on his own--like what razor to use when he shaves his legs.

hehehe you're a bastard BB.

Thank you. I do my best.

You could get a new one and custom paint it. Some tribal flames would be nice.

I prefer to paint birds but I suppose I could be persuaded to do something flamey along the lines of the existing paint job on the new two wheeler. Not a bad idea at all.

Rock on, HaagenDas!!!!!

Bee Brand bells from China are the best.

TV is a wasteland.

Concur