A brief history of my bikes

I've loved bikes for as long as I can remember. I've always loved the freedom they give you, as well as the technical challenge of riding. They seem to encourage exploring, even an area you know well, in a way that driving or walking just doesn't.

Over the years, I've gone through a bunch of different bikes, and I think my current one is my favourite of all.

Here they all are, oldest to newest.

Norco Spitfire (1983)

The first proper bike I had was a Norco Spitfire BMX. A Christmas present from my parents in 1983.

I remember riding around the local area on my own, after my friends had all gone home for their dinner, pressing the letters of the word SPITFIRE on the padded foam crossbar protector and pretending they were 'Turbo Boost' and 'Pursuit Mode' from Knight Rider.

Trek 830 Antelope (1991)

I saved up for this one for what seemed like forever, but in the end my Dad chipped in half the cost, otherwise it would have taken me another 6 months. I don't think it was the best bike in the world (it was bloody heavy), but it felt like it was to me.

Claud Butler Urban 300 (2002)

Skip forward a decade, and having been without a bike for a few years, I bought this on a whim — my first bike with front suspension. I must have liked it in the shop, but within weeks, I hated it. It was an uncomfortable ride, a terrible colour, and one of those bikes where things just always seem to go wrong with it.

It was marketed as a "hybrid" bike, apparently ideal for road and off-road use. My unofficial life motto is "why not both?", and this turned out to be one of the few times the answer was: because you'll be bad at each.

Specialized HRXC (2008)

This Specialized was… fine. It did the job, was reliable, and looked… nice enough. But it was just a little bit dull and uninspiring. At this point I was riding mostly on roads or paths in suburban areas, so it was a good choice, but I can't remember almost any distinguishing features or characteristics.

Trek Soho S (2010)

I decided to sell the Specialized and get this instead. What a difference. My first single-speed bike since the BMX, and oh what a joy it was to ride. I love the simplicity of single-speed, and it took me back to my BMX days. I've (mostly) never ridden a geared bike since. Apart from…

Trek 4900 Disc (2011)

For a few years I really enjoyed trail riding, making regular trips down to my favourite place to do so, Bedgebury Pinetum. I discovered how it forces the mind to switch off, and focus continuously on the next few seconds for the duration of my ride. It was here that I realised biking was a form of meditation.

This was also my first bike with disc brakes, and the suspension was orders of magnitude better than the Claud Butler. Other bikes I'd had, called themselves 'mountain' bikes, but this was the first one I felt gave me confidence that I could actually ride down a mountain (not that I ever did).

Fuji Classic (2012)

Day-to-day though, I wanted to just ride for pleasure around my local area, and single speed and minimalism was where I wanted to be. The Fuji was technically a 'track bike' but it never got a glimpse of one. It spent most of its 4 years with me, cycling the Thames Path from Thamesmead to London Bridge and back.

Montague Boston (2016)

And finally, the best bike I've ever ridden. Without a doubt. It's not even close.

I love this bike so much.

Why?

It's a stealth folding bike, so I can store it in the boot of my car, or take it places that only allow folding bikes, such as the London Underground.

It's unique looking, but not in a bad way. The double top-tube is distinctive, and the seat-stay angle is just.. chef's kiss.

But at some point, an injury and some health conditions made riding a bike a lot more difficult, and it was at this point I made a purchasing decision that would transform an exceptional bike into an epic one: the Swytch kit.

By simply replacing the front wheel and adding a battery pack, any bike can become an electric-assisted beast. I got in on Swytch early, meaning I have the older 'handbag' battery rather than the new sleeker ones, but I don't care.

This thing has allowed me to keep cycling where I might have otherwise stopped. The word game-changer gets thrown around a lot, but in this instance it's deserved.

I've upgraded so much of it that it's almost like Trigger's broom the Ship of Theseus. If it ever gets stolen, or damaged, I will try and replace it with the current version of the exact same model, which is equally beautiful if not more so.