On Thursday past I completed my first cycle commute to work, hauling my slicked Diamondback Ascent (1992!) mountain bike the 8.5 miles along NCN93 and into Belfast city centre. The bike was badly in need of a service and a whole new drivetrain (it’d been in storage for 5+ years … shame on me), so the original plan was to take it to a local bike shop after work and leave it in for repairs . I got there, and discovered the seat tube had rotted through and snapped 
Game over for the Diamondback.
So yesterday I went to my friend’s house to borrow-steal one of his old mountain bike frames and rebuild it into a commuter. We went to a different bike shop with the intention of having us a bike part shopping spree, but found a half price clearance sale on mountain bike instead. I picked up a brand new Commencal Normal Disc 2008 for £250, a great bargain and probably less than I would have needed to spend on the old frame I’d borrow-stolen to get it ready for commuting duties. High!
Then on the way in today I nearly flattened a pedestrian who wandered out from between two parked buses, headphones in and looking the other way. Naturally, her (very loud) opinion was that it was my fault. I was glad I’d sprung the extra £50 for the disc brake model all the same.
I wonder what the trip home will bring…
