A couple of months back I posed on here for some advice about getting a new bike to "return" to cycling, having used my old mountain bike about 3 times in over 20 years. - see previous thread -
here
I am now the proud owner of a new Temple Cycles lightweight ladies bicycle video in dark blue with bamboo mudguards. Not only is it a thing of beauty but it is so easy to ride, even for a total idiot like me. I've got the little leather handle thingy that makes it a doddle to carry up steps etc. It was also lovely to be able to buy from the manufacturers who set up this company and then developed it through crowd funding and are only in their 20's. It was great fun to visit the "factory" and try out the various sizes and colours and know it was just for me.
In addition to all the fluffy guff above it is very light for what it is (22lb?) and with 9 gears on one gear thingy (yes, I am that ignorant) I can just about get up a little hill without falling off through getting confused with the gears, there being only one lever for up and one for down. I cannot tell you how excited I am about this, it was such fun to go out down and along the canal, and I managed to get over the little bridge with no problems at all, so no one sneered at me this time! I am a convert and hopefully it will do a bit more for my fitness than driving to the paper shop.