It’s been quite a few months since the last episode of The Cycling Europe Podcast (you can catch up on all 7 episodes so far by visiting this page of CyclingEurope.org) and a new instalment is well overdue. Attentive followers of this website over the last few weeks will have noted that one subject has predominated; my investment in a new touring bicycle. At this time of the year, when northern hemisphere cyclists are beginning to think about where they might pedal off to in the summer, it seems a timely topic of conversation.

Investing in a new bike is, as I’m sure you are aware, an exciting prospect. It was almost exactly 9 years ago that I bought Reggie Ridgeback from my then LBS in Reading; AW Cycles (in, err… Caversham). I’ve just been reading through the numerous posts that I wrote for CyclingEurope.org at the time about my purchase. I was very exited and seem to have spent as much time photographing him as I did riding him. Here are a couple from the first test ride along the Thames:

Nearly a decade and 20,000 km (plus all those commuting kilometres) later he rests, in the comfortable retirement afforded to him by my cosy spare room, occasionally acting as a clothes horse for my drying clothes. Not a bad life… I’ve never heard him complain as he waits to be reborn, gathering dust:

Rebirth is, however, unlikely under his present owner. He is not beyond repair but technologies have moved on and the modification of those handlebars – which created much discussion in 2010 – has taken its toll on the bike’s ability to run smoothly over the lengthy pan-European journeys.

So, as you will be aware, a new bike has been ordered and over the next couple of months, as I wait to pick him / her up from CycleSense in Tadcaster, many words will no doubt be written in this corner of the world wide web about the prospect of doing so. But why should those words just be written and not spoken? Podcasting was in its infancy back in 2010 but in 2019 we are all at it. Well, some of us are and I think the next few weeks could be ripe territory for a diverting podcast all about purchasing new touring bikes. And this is where you come in!

Do you have an interesting story to tell about buying a new touring bike? Are you in the process of doing so yourself? Are you planning to do so soon? Or are you someone who thinks I should be beavering away getting poor Reggie back into shape? Do you have any top tips to offer? Or warnings to give? If so, please get in touch. This being a podcast you’ll need to be willing to have your story or advice recorded over Skype or Facebook Messenger or, if you are not too far away from West Yorkshire, perhaps in person. What are you waiting for? (There’s even a little contact form below 🙂 )