Melbourne is one of the most bike friendly and enthusiastic cities in the world so, of course, I’ve gotten myself a bike. Built in Richmond, just around the corner from where I live, it’s a single speed bike from Jellybean bikes.

I feel so ‘Melbourne‘ when I take to the road on a fixie or single speed bike like this, with its blue tires (or should that be tyres?) and chrome frame. It’s summer, so it’s the perfect mode of city transport. I’ve long had my eye on a Jennybean bike. Designed by Kath Banger and Ben Stibbard I first saw colorful Jellybean bikes when I first came to live here back in 2010.

Ever since I first moved to Melbourne back in 2010, I’ve always looked at the various bikes you see across the city. From the cool colored fixies to the classic style ladies bikes with their wicker baskets. I’m not a fan of the racer bikes ridden by older ‘blokes’ who love their lycra, and mountain bikes are just silly in this very un-mountainous cityscape.

The other day I rode back home from the city along the Yarra River. It was a 10K (6.2 miles) ride, that significantly extended what would otherwise be a fairly short journey. I was probably one of the slowest bikes on the cycle path, just meandering my wiggly way home taking in the summer sun, the river scenes, and the pleasure of the ride.

A steady stream of Mamils (middle-aged men in lycra) swooped passed me, some with the ring of a bell, others with a yell of ‘Watch out!’ They all seemed in such a hurry that I wondered if a giant snarling beast called ‘middle-aged’ might pound past me in hot pursuit. I would have been dinner for sure if it had!

To have a ‘fixie’ here in Melbourne is something of a cliché, of course, but I don’t care. If I lived in Italy I’d like to have a Vespa, if I lived in Amsterdam I’d have a clunky old rattler of a bike, and if I lived in London I’d have an Oyster card. I don’t mind that it’s a cliché, I’m quite happy with that. Happy enough to buy lycra clothes? Oh you better hope not!