Good news and bad news from Billy Bilsland’s crack team of bike mechanics and life support unit. The bad news is that my race bike is gubbed. The good news is that my frame had a six year warranty I knew nothing about and the manufacturer will replace it for free. Woo hoo (tinged with sadness)!

I say sadness because while I’m glad I don’t have to buy a new bike I am sad to see my old bike go – though not completely. The wheels, handlebars, seat and components will be stripped and swapped to the new frame,  which sounds look a good idea – but then I start thinking it’s the bike equivalent of swapping one girl for her younger sister and then telling her to wear her older sister’s clothes before you take her for a ride.

It’ll be strange, I think, to see my new/old bike. It’ll be the same bike, the same model, but also not the same. Will it be an identical twin and I won’t notice the difference? Or will it be Danny Devito’s twin to Arnold Schwarzenegger? I’ll find out this week as I should get a call any day to tell me it’s ready to collect.