Ok, so technically speaking it’s Dave’s Five, but that would really have ruined the flow of the title.

My riding opportunities have been a bit few and far between of late, so I was really looking forward to last night’s ride.

Last week while descending the first real drop of the many that Matt had planned there was an ominous sound of metal rubbing on metal, which on closer inspection turned out to be my brakes. Disc brakes it seems are not designed to work without pads. After the usual false start I ordered some new pads from Chain Reaction, who were as good as always, including having to ring me and let me know that I had put the wrong card expiry date on my order. These arrived too late to be fitted for last night’s ride, so Matt and Dave both offered me one of their plethora of bikes.

To avoid having to swap pedals over, I took Dave up on his offer, and ending up borrowing his Orange Five.

In a word – superb. It was a great ride, perfect riding weather, with most of the tracks bone dry. I managed just over 17 miles in total, including two climbs up Box Hill. Matt remarked on the fact that I appeared sprightlier when riding on someone else’s bike, which is probably true. I am very comfortable riding my Nail Trail, so I can be as pedestrian with it as I like. When you have a newer, plusher bike to ride it’s worth putting in a lot more effort to try and get the best out of it.

The point at which I really noticed the difference of the Five was our last big descent, down the long front slope of Box Hill. I am not a fan of fast descents, but the Five and my confidence in it blew that away. I found myself letting the bike run where it wanted, at the pace that suited. When we reached the bottom I checked the speedo to discover I had topped out at 35mph, a virtually unheard of speed if I had been on my Nail Trail.

I know that an Orange Five is so far off my radar for a new bike, that I would need a radar, just to find the radar, that would find the radar the bike would be on. (I think that makes sense, if not, don’t ask), but it was fantastic to ride and made the evening into a real treat.

Thanks Dave, but it may well take a repossession order and a number of large burly bailiffs to make me give your bike back!

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