Falling out of love

Have you ever had a partner who looked great with a lovely personality but just had this trait that drove you slowly nuts. The type of thing where your friends say you’re mad for considering dumping them but you know that if you don’t, you’ll probably end up strangling them!

Don’t worry, I’m not after dating advice here.

My Cannondale Synapse is a great bike. When I bought it two years ago, it ticked all of the boxes on my list (including the one that said “£1,000 off list price”). For the first year of ownership, it worked beautifully and I was very pleased with my choice to buy it.

The second year has been a bit more taxing. It seems to have been a long running saga of squeaks, creaks and other issues for the past 12 months.

First we had the creaking that turned out to be the wheel hub. New wheels – sorted. Then it was the slipping saddle. Fibre grip – sorted. Chain chatter. Serviced – sorted. Now it’s creaking from the crank area.

Is it too much to ask to have a quiet bike ride?!

I know it’s doing its best but I’m getting weary of it.

I’m away next week so will be having a couple of weekends off the bike. This may be a good thing. Hopefully, I’ll return refreshed and enthused to tinker with the bike and cure all of its ills. Or, pay someone else to do it properly. Having said that, the bike has never been the same since its first service!!!

I really, really don’t want to be thinking about a new bike.