Here’s a friendly email from a guy called Richard Bradley who is quite local to me; he lives in Basingstoke; 

 Hi Andrew,

I have been reading your blog with great interest over the last few weeks. Stumbled across it whilst searching for online reviews of the Ridgeback Panorama. Anyway, I picked mine up today (from Velocity Cylces in Portsmouth – really great customer service – experts in riding positions and Ridgeback bikes) I have the 56cm frame (the 58 felt and looked like I was ‘on top’ of the bike, rather than a part of it!) Just did a 21 km spin around Cliddesden (South of Basingstoke). My usual Sunday route. Felt great – but I too have a few mud guard rattles!! My reason for mailing was I am planning to ride Reading to Kintbury on the K&A canal on Sunday and I wanted to ask – are the footpaths paved or are they gravel and mud? Many thanks,

Richard Bradley, fellow Panorama rider from Basingstoke

Clearly the mud-guard-rattling issue is not unique to Reggie. You would think that on such a relatively expensive bike, the manufacturers would up the spec on the mud guards. They appear very cheap and plastic… As for the ride from Reading to Kintbury which I did a few weeks ago when Reggie had his “shake down”, I remember thinking at the time that it was a very good test run as the footpaths along the Kennet & Avon canal were so varied. Some part are gravel, some grass, some tarmac and one small section that is large stones which was a bit like cycling through treacle…

Have a fun trip Richard and thanks for following the blog!