I'd like to say it was wonderful but it was a bit 'curate's egg'!
When I bought my first Bacchetta Giro 20 in 2008 I'd only ridden a lwb (courtesy of cycleman) and a Kingcycle. The one was slow and the other twitchy.
I went to Northants. to view the Giro. Launched downhill and it felt so right that at the bottom I executed a turn in the village road without falling over, and cycled back up the slight hill with only minor pain.
11 years later I launched down the slight hill that is my road and promptly found myself on the other side of the road with a death grip on the bars. Thinking about shearing forces apropos my previous thread I relaxed and wobbled to the correct side of the road without hitting either curb. A check in the mirror revealed two SUV's that I waved past. The first one signalled left as it passed and then turned slowly into a drive about three down from where it passed me. Needless to say the second one had followed it and had nowhere to go and we all stopped.
Second launch was much better and I executed a swooping right at the bottom followed by a sharp left into the rec. where, luckily, the boom was up because it is old men's marbles day.
Practised circles until I thought they were getting too tight and I was conscious that assorted dogs and their walkers were watching me. Tried a small hill (ended up walking
) and then a circuit of the 'Homes Fit for Heroes' estate before coming home along a main B road where I noticed again how much space you get from motorists when you are on a 'bent. They were probably worrying about me wobbling into their paintwork!
Only 2.4 miles but enjoyable once I felt I had control. Next is to sort a dragging brake and put together a toolkit ready for Thursday. The seat could do with going back a bit more but there is only 15mm of frame tube left.