I use a steel-framed Falcon I bought 21 years ago as a winter bike – big & heavy, ideal for working up a sweat on a cold winter day. Tyres are 25mm Conti Gatorskins and the transmission has a Shimano 7-speed block – as a result this and the chain are inexpensive enough to replace.

The only bugbear is the chainrings are an old size (122mm BCD) and difficult to find. To extend their life I keep a regular check on chainwear and scrap the chain at 0.75% wear – approx every 1200 to 1500 miles.

Incidentally, the bike gets washed weekly – I don’t want to turn up to the Sunday club ride on a filthy bike – apart from the issue of pride, cleaning the bike means inspecting it regularly and sorting out any minor problems before they become big problems …