The Price Of Their Toys

[f4f3]

One of the nice consequences of being a salaryman is being able to join in the benefits programmes which Japanese Mega Corp have in place for full-timers.

One of these is the company car scheme (of which more later) and another the Bike To Work scheme. This is a bit of tax avoidance, but it's very green and such like and thus not the bad type of tax avoidance.

Basically the company buys a bike, and I lease it from them. Because the payments come directly from my salary, I don't pay tax or NI on that bit of my wages, so I get a 40% discount. In effect. Or something. Actually, I don't really care, because I've been wanting to buy a road bike for ages. If you've been paying attention, you probably know that I already have two bikes. A mountain bike, which gets used around forestry tracks and canals, and which I love dearly, and a touring bike, which gets used for commuting, or going long distances when I want to carry stuff around with me on panniers. One of these is 10 years old, the other about 6 or 7, and both are in great condition.

What I want now is a road bike, to use for longer road trips where the purpose is to cycle quickly, not just to get somewhere by bike. Do I need a road bike? No. Will I use it? Certainly, and it will make me fitter, too, in a way that touring doesn't. So I'm in the process of sourcing this beautiful piece of mobile art:

Comments

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

*admires*

That is a very beautiful bike.

I may be using the cycle to work scheme myself soon...

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

So I see - and congratulations :)

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

It’s a very lovely thing.

I always worry when I look at the rake on things like that, that someone is going to end up nose first in to their own front tyre.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I had a sit on it yesterday, and in the jargon it has a more "relaxed" style than most. But it's definitely for getting somewhere fast, not for dawdling around (to be fair, that's what my tricross is for). Which means I would need to get my fitness levels up, which is something I also want to do. It's all good.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

I look forward to watching you whizz past me on it.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I'll be going too fast to be seen, obviously.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

I will feel the cool breeze of your passing.

Superlifter Stream Class

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

What is the performance benefit of having the seat so high in relation to the handle bars.

Is it to do with aerodynamics or is it a question of leg muscles?

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, actually. Aerodynamics for sure, but it would also seem to make sense to be pushing backwards a little. I tend to do most of my riding with my hands up on top of the handlebars, so this will be new to me.

[anthrokeight.livejournal.com]

I currently have in my garage:

A used Trek I got at a bike sale, for more serious biking up and down hills. It's a hybrid.

A used Raleigh Sport Triumph ca. 1970 for tooling around town. It has a basket, 3 speeds, and is so, so heavy, that I got some serious calf muscles taking that thing up the two mile hill that ends the trek to campus.

And a Moto Bichan racing bike ca. 1980 (burnt orange) in great condition, that The Drill Sergeant left in my garage by accident when she moved to PA. She said to give it to a deserving under graduate, but... I will be damned if it isn't going to PA to her some how this year. If I have to drive it there.

I can pretty much only dream of having a beauty like the one you have pictured here. I can't wait to hear how it works out for you in practice!

[anthrokeight.livejournal.com]

Or is it Moto Becan? Bechan? I have no idea. French racing bike from the early 80's.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Motobecane, apparently...

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

If you take care of bikes, they last damn near forever. Normally I'd look for second hand bikes, because the deprecation on them is fierce, and a service makes them as good as new. This tax break makes it worthwhile to go for a new one, though, assuming HR get around to processing my request.