Happy first birthday NOLOGO single speed!!

I was cycling through London at night this week, and I had the sudden realisation that my bike is a year old! I bought the bike last year after selling some artwork, it was of my first proper sales through the gallery and I was feeling chuffed! 

DrummerPie (aka Mr Menna Cycles) had just got a Charge Plug fixie on the Cycle to Work scheme and it was making poor Claud (hand me down Claud Butler Odyssey hybrid) look heavy and slow. I decided that it was time for an upgrade, and we spent a whole weekend scouring the bike shops of London for my dream ride (on a budget!). After trying loads of bikes that I though I would like, mostly girly Pashley style beauties, I realised that actually all I wanted was a simple, light machine that would take me rather speedily from A to B.

We ended up at Hackney Cycles on Hackney Road, I picked up the aluminium frame and it was love! I could have had a variety of colours, with a snazzy chain and colourful grips, but instead I went for all black. Boring, but hopefully a theft deterrent. 

I swiftly switched the handlebars from straight to bullhorn, more comfy and easier on the wrists, and it was go go go!

At first it felt very strange riding such a light responsive bike with skinny wheels, but soon I realised that me and the bike were going to be best buds. This is the first and only bike that I have felt 'at one' with, and finally I could keep up with the group on longer rides! Despite not having any gears it is absolutely fine for the city, and I can even get up most of the tricky hills. 

Since buying this bike I have cycled so much more. I invested in better kit for the winter so I could keep riding even in the grim weather, and I miss it if I don't ride it for a few days. I now have a second bike with gears which is for longer rides and I plan to take around France this summer, it's comfy and I love it, but the NOLOGO has a very special place in my heart.

In terms of maintenance I have not had many issues, but here is a list of some of the problems I have had...

Back brake- this broke within weeks of getting the bike, I'm pretty sure it was faulty from the start. Hackney Cycles replaced this no questions asked.

Wheels no longer true- ruined over the summer by cycling up and down Bishopsgate. I will eventually replace these with stronger wheels.

New rim tape, new brake blocks, new tyre (specialised armadillo) I expected to replace these things, as I knew these would be the bits that made the bike cheap! I still have the original front tyre, but it is full of holes and will need replacing soon. 

I can honestly say that this is probably the best £200 I have ever spent (£230 if we include the handlebars) it has made me love cycling, and now I am blogging about it and making YouTube videos! 

Here's to many more years of riding this bike, and to the future happiness it is sure to bring!