And I'm getting really quite excited by it!

It's like the night before Christmas, except for the things being quiet and nothing stirring. And it's not snowing.

But my brand new Merlin Malt 2 will be here tomorrow and I _WILL_ be riding it home tomorrow lunchtime come rain or shine*. And I'm soooo happy!!

And the guys at Merlin Cycles are ace.

Happy…

* – mental note, must remember a spanner to allow me to attach the pedals. That would be tres embarrassing.

Good choice! Merlin is my current favourite bike shop. Their own builds are excellent too.

I'm sure they'll put the pedals on for you. Great feeling, a new bike, been a while since I got a new one (well this time last year). Enjoy your first ride tomorrow, like you need telling 😆

IT'S HERE!!!!!!

Huge parcel in reception this morning for me, but strangely light for the size.

After a quick drag of it upstairs, I opened it to see…. Beauty in a bicycle form.

I cannot find a single thing wrong with my new bike. The colour is lovely, the construction, fit and spec is amazing and they have even put on the same tyres that I had on my old bike! *sniff* It's like my old bike has come back, but better.

The only thing I need to do now is find a pedal spanner and see whether people will let me ride the thing down two flights of stairs at lunchtime so that I can take it out for a spin.

Huge thanks to the guys at Merlin, it really is a superb piece of kit!

Pictures or it didn't happen!

get lost. I ordered my new bike two weeks ago and they've just told me it'll be with me in week 27, which took me a while to figure out. That's July the 2nd then.

Photos you say?

Muchos apologias for the dodgy cameraphone picture. The bike deserves better.

Spec:

21" framed Malt 2
RockShox Recon SL fork
Complete Deore 2010 groupset
Richey saddle
Race Face Ride bars, stem and seatpost
Panaracer Fire XC Pro tyres
Shimano MT15 wheelset

mmm shiny

Ooooh, that looks great.
Is the frame 'au naturel' or painted? It looks kinda 'naked ti'

Frame is painted I think, but the decals are under the top coat, so everything is shiny, smooth, and errrr. nice.

I used to have the Malt 4….loved it! 😀

That does look very nice. Am currently torn between ordering a Malt 2 or a Malt 4. Decisions, decisions.

as my grandma regularly says from her deathbed…

"there is nothing better in life than a new bike, even if its not new new, you know, nothing better"

and she is a wise old bird.

Looks nice, more importantly however – where do you work? Chess boards and sexy bicycles in the office? Me likey! 😀

pffft!

Stop being jealous Samuri. Your time will come and then you have the full permission of everyone here to show off your new pride and joy.

I work at a software company in Cambridgeshire. I won't show the rest of the office because it's a wasteland of boxes, old machines that have donated parts to other machines, office plants and a small chilli plantation that I have been cultivating for a year. Actually, I might get a photo of that because it is impressive.

As for sexy bikes… Alas, 'tis the only one here now since a mate and his Stumpy HT left for pastures new.